Chapter 67: The Blau Mowe Effect
Around the time Al arrived at the Duchy of Reinfeld.
Things get busied inside the Imperial Capital for Finne.
“Hawawa!!?? Wh, What should I do! What should we do!? Yuriya-san!”
“Just stay still alright.”
“We are ope——n!”
At the same time that the opening of the Imperial Capital branch of Ajin company was announced, a flood of people who have been forming a long line in front started pouring in.
Their aim is the [Beauty water], a new product launched by the Ajin company.
It is a good product in itself but the Ajin company has added a catchphrase to it.
“Everyone! Our Beauty water, the product that the Blau Mowe herself currently uses is now on sale! There are only 300 bottles of [Seagull water] available today, please make sure to buy it!”
(TLN: reminder, Blau Mowe = blue seagull)
The beastman clerk is cutely advertising the product.
What inside the bottle appeared to be clear water.
There are a lot of people mixed inside but the customers’ eyes all point toward Finne.
“It’s really Finne-sama! I will take one of these!”
“She’s the real deal! Give me three!”
“Five bottles!”
“This is annoying! Give me ten!!”
The beauty water that was used by the most beautiful woman in the Empire.
That was the magic word that attracts the women of the Imperial capital. Customers were rushing into the store to grab the beauty water and the only three hundred available bottles were quickly sold out.
The catchphrase alone might not have been this effective but Finne herself was waving at the customers from the second storey of the store as well.
The presence of the real Finne being there had a huge effect and within a few days after its launch, the Seagull water became the best selling product inside the Imperial Capital.
“Thank you for your hard work, Finne.”
“Th, that was really surprising…….”
Yuriya was smiling the whole time as she saw her strategy become a success.
On the other hand, Finne couldn’t help but worry about all the female customers who rushed in to buy the product like knights rushing into an enemy camp.
“Even before the store opened, everyone was staring at me so……I was wondering what to do if they all came at me…….”
“Sorry, but get used to it. I will compensate you later.”
“Yes! I will do my best!”
The figure of Finne gripping her small hands still looks beautiful from the perspective of a woman like Yuriya.
When the male customers saw that, they wanted to rush inside the store as well but they have to give up because Yuriya did not allow any non-female customers into the store today.
Although some of the customers were trying to forcibly enter, all of them were turned away by the Ajin company’s proud demihumans bouncers.
As a result, words started to spread inside the Imperial Capital that no violence will be forgiven inside their store.
And after seeing that, Yuriya decided to make the next move.
“Finne. We will move to the next strategy tomorrow.”
“Next strategy? What should I do?”
“The same as this one. For now, just wave your hand and show your affection. I will double the security for you.”
“Double…..?”
Finne looks around her.
There are already three strong demihuman bodyguards surrounding her. If she is going to double this then she would have six total guards around her.
Imagined herself being surrounded by six people, Finne started to panic.
“T, they will completely bury me……!”
“It’s fine. Just letting them have a glimpse is enough. Just by knowing that the Blau Mowe is here the men will come running in.”
“Is, is that so?”
“Yes. we will be wringing out the money from those stupid men. Fu fu fu, I won’t let them touch even a single strand of your hair.”
“P, please don’t overdo it……”
“I know. I will keep it moderately. Yeah, moderately.”
Saying so Yuiriya is showing off an evil smile.
Seeing that smile, Finne thought that she looked like Al but she didn’t say it out loud.
The next day. Finne started to think that Yuriya’s evil plan might be even eviler than Al’s.
“Everyo–ne! The Ajin company, Imperial capital branch is now op–en!”
When the demihuman clerk dressed in a cute costume announced that, a large number of male customers came into the store.
Finne waved at those male customers with an awkward smile on her face.
“UOooo!!!! It’s Finne-sama!! It’s really Finne-sama!! She is even cuter in person than in the portrait and the illusion flyers!!”
“She’s so beautiful! So dazzling! She’s the light that is shining upon us!”
“I have to burn this sight into my eyes! I will never forget it until I die!”
The Ajin company had previously advertised Finne using portraits and posters along with illusion flyers that were mass-produced by the mages, those flyers can show them the image of Finne for a short period of time.
Just the opportunity to be able to see the real Blau Mowe already attracted the male customers to visit the store after all.
However, some people did not read those flyers thoroughly.
“Finne-sama! Please look this way! Finne-sama!”
“You bastard! If you didn’t come here to buy something then get the hell out!”
“Shut up! I don’t feel like buying anything here!”
A young man who loudly said that was restrained by the large demihuman bouncer and escorted out of the store.
“Wh, what are you doing!?”
“Dear customer. Did you read the note on the flyers?”
“Wha!? What note!?”
Seeing the customer’s reaction, the bouncer sighed and pointed at the bottom of the nearby poster.
There was a fairly large text saying, [Customers who do not intend to buy any products will be turned away, in case you refused to comply you will be charged a penalty fee].
The face of the young man who did not read it thoroughly turned blue but it was already too late.
He was taken to the back of the store by a bouncer.
“Yu, Yuriya-san.”
“It’s alright. We won’t hurt him. We will just make him buy something, that’s all. If they don’t have any money then they will have to pay with their labor though.”
“Is, is that so………”
Relieved, Finne exhaled.
Looking at such Finne, Yuriya smiled.
“Wh, what is it?”
“No, I just thought that you are really kind. Normally, no one would worry about a guy like that right.”
“Is, is that really so?”
“It is. But I think you are fine just like that. There’s already a villain like me here, after all, a good girl like you being here might be better for us.”
“I think Yuriya-san is already a kind person!”
“You think so? I am only thinking about how to wring out all the money from the guys here though?”
“You can’t hide it! I know. Yuriya-san has been focusing all the posters on the places where wealthy people live and you have been feeding people of the outer wall district as well. I know that you have been doing a lot of things like that.”
It doesn’t matter what you do if they have money but it is still Yuriya’s policy to not target poor people.
There are many isolated demihumans who are unable to blend into the human society gathering at the Ajin company. At the same time, there are many poor demihumans living in the outer wall district so after seeing that, Yuriya decided to regularly open a soup kitchen for them there.
And that was still when the imperial branch didn’t open yet.
Yuriya has been using money from her own pocket to do that without aiming for any profit.
“How did you know about that?”
Yuriya muttered in suspicion but Finne only smiles as she looks at the bouncers.
Since the security at the store couldn’t be said that it is on the same level as the castle, the bouncers always stick themselves close to Finne.
Finne was chatting with them and got to hear a lot of things from them.
“You talked.”
“I’m sorry……I did it without thinking.”
“Haaa…….”
“Everyone has been praising Yuriya-san you know! They told me what a wonderful person you are! You started the Ajin company because there are a lot of demihumans in the continent that were hated by humans because of the bad rumors about them right! I am very impressed that you have created a place for the lonely demihumans and even if it’s just a little, you have better their reputation too!”
“Seriously…..you made me sound like some kind of a gentle lady.”
“But it’s a fact.”
Yuriya lightly kicked the bouncer’s leg.
And that’s the end of it.
She said that she is going to oversee the sale and went downstairs.
“Did she get angry?”
“I think she is just being shy.”
“Is that so. Yuriya-san is really a cute person isn’t she.”
While saying something that would surely get Yuriya angry, Finne continued to wave her hand at the customers below.
After continuing that for a while, at the time people finished buying their stuff, Finne retired to the back of the store.
If she’s there, customers will keep coming in after all.
“Fuu, I’m tired.”
“Good work.”
Yuriya handed Finne a cup of tea while thanking her.
In her hands was a piece of paper with today’s sales record.
The amount of money written there was an amount that Yuriya had never seen even though she has been doing business for a long time.
“It seems I have misunderstood the effect of the Blau Mowe. I guess I will have to review this again.”
“Was it too low!?”
“It’s the opposite you know, the opposite. If I don’t start restocking now, we will immediately run out of merchandise after all.”
“Ah, is that so! I’m glad!”
Finne drinks her tea with the satisfaction that she has been of use today.
However, all of a sudden, Sebas appeared in the room.
The bouncers reacted immediately but Yuiriya told them to stand down.
“Stop! It’s His Highness Arnold’s butler.”
“Sebas-san? Is there something wrong? Appearing all of a sudden.”
“It’s terrible! Please return to the castle immediately!”
“Eh…..”
“Her Highness Christa has been kidnapped. Right now, Elna-sama is currently pursuing them but there’s a possibility that Finne-sama might become a target as well. Please hurry!”
It was a report terrible enough to ruin Finne’s good mood.