The Most Important Thing
Yumia was about to open her mouth.
But before she could, Maryne spoke, as if cutting in ahead of her.
“Miss Yumia, thank you for coming!”
“Y-yes.”
Maryne continued without pause.
“I’d like to ask you something right away.”
“What is it?”
“... In business, what do you think is the most important thing?”
Yumia tilted her head.
Maryne added, as if to clarify:
“Is it sales? Or increasing name recognition? You may answer however you like.”
Yumia thought.
(What is this question…?)
She couldn’t grasp the intent and felt confused.
But since she’d been asked, she tried to come up with an answer.
Various ideas came to mind…
But none felt quite right.
In the end, Yumia spoke hesitantly.
“I’m sorry. I’ve never really thought about it… I can’t come up with an answer right away.”
“I see.”
Maryne didn’t seem bothered that she had no answer.
If anything, she found it likable that Yumia didn’t try to bluff her way through.
“That’s perfectly fine! Let’s set that aside for now, and move on to the next topic. Please, have this!”
Maryne placed a plate on the table.
Strawberry macarons.
“And these are…?”
“They’re sweets I made. They’re called macarons.”
Though still a bit confused, Yumia picked one up.
She took a bite.
“...!?”
Her eyes flew open.
Sweet.
A crisp outer shell.
Smooth cream inside.
The tartness of strawberry.
“Th-this is delicious…!! What is this…!?”
The words burst out of her.
Before she knew it, she had finished it completely.
The timid demeanor she had before was gone, her eyes were shining now.
“A wonderful sweet, isn’t it?”
Maryne smiled proudly.
“Ah, please try this as well. It’s the same macaron, but with a different flavor.”
She held out a blueberry macaron.
Yumia immediately took a bite.
“Munch munch… mmm~!! This one’s delicious too!!”
It was incredibly good.
Strawberry macarons and blueberry macarons.
Both were exquisite to Yumia.
“This… were these really made by you, Lady Maryne!?”
“Yes, I made them myself.”
“Then that means you came up with the recipe as well!?”
“That is correct.”
She couldn’t believe it.
But Yumia felt that those weren’t the eyes of someone lying.
“I want to open a shop to sell these macarons. I would like you to help manage it.”
“Sell… these sweets…”
Yumia was the daughter of a merchant.
No… even if she weren’t, she would understand.
(These will… definitely sell.)
She had never seen or tasted sweets like these before.
The flavor, the texture, everything was new.
They would surely become sweets loved by many.
“Miss Yumia. I asked you earlier what the most important thing in business is, didn’t I?”
“Huh? Y-yes.”
It was the question she hadn’t been able to answer.
Maryne smiled gently, her gaze unwavering.
“I believe the most important thing in business is making customers smile.”
“…!”
“When people obtain a wonderful product, they smile. With the products I create, I want to make many customers smile. That is what matters most to me, and what I want to achieve through business.”
Yumia stared at the eight-year-old girl before her.
She should have been just a child.
But those eyes weren’t a child’s.
They were the eyes of a merchant with unwavering conviction.
“I am certain these macarons will satisfy our customers. So let’s sell them together, and make lots of people smile! Will you help me?”
Maryne held out her hand.
Yumia…
Gripped it firmly.
“I-if you’ll have me… I’d be glad to help!”
There was strength in her voice.
And so, Maryne and Yumia began their business together.
What do you think about this chapter?
