Persuasion

The story went back a little, to the day before the second shop opened. After the customer service training at the new shop ended and everyone was dismissed, Josette spoke to Kent.

“Kent-san, may I have a little of your time?”

“What is it, Josette-san?”

“Actually, regarding tomorrow, the day the second shop opens, some family business suddenly came up, and I will no longer be able to attend. Also, for about two days after that, I will be taking time off from the shop for the same reason.”

“I see. If it’s family business, then it can’t be helped. Got it. I’ll tell Marie-san.”

Kent accepted Josette’s request.

“Ah, Sister, you came at just the right time. May I have a moment?”

“What is it, Josette?”

Josette called out to Elnette, her older sister.

“The day after tomorrow, there will be a party held at that marquis household. A little while ago, an invitation arrived for Mother as well, but she suddenly had to attend another gathering, so I will be going in her place. If possible, I would feel reassured if you came with me, Sister. What do you think?”

“By ‘that,’ you mean the marquis household in the neighboring town, yes? I am not good with that family either. But they hold an important post in the kingdom, so even if their house is lower in rank than ours, we cannot treat them carelessly.”

“Then you will come with me as well, Sister?”

“You know that I have not attended such parties since that incident, do you not? There is no way I can attend now, is there?”

Elnette refused Josette’s request.

“That incident?”

Kent tried asking Elnette.

“That incident was from when I was around the same age as you, Kent. At the time, I was engaged to this kingdom’s prince. In the end, the prince became intimate with another woman, and the engagement was broken off in a form where I was the one who had been dumped. I have told you that before, have I not?”

“I haven’t heard the details, but I remember hearing about it.”

“Because I was a woman abandoned by the royal family, I had to step down from the public stage. Well, thanks to that, I was able to meet you too, Kent, so at the time I hated the prince, but in the end, I think it turned out for the best.”

Elnette said that a little bashfully.

“So, what kind of party is it?”

Since Kent became interested, he asked about the party.

“Normally, one would not speak to a commoner about the contents of an event held between nobles, but if it is your request, Kent-san, then it cannot be helped. The party is a gathering of noblewomen, and it is a place where they show each other their outfits, accessories, and the like. Originally, it was a place for each house to interact, but lately it has become a place where they show off their own beauty.”

“I see… This might be usable.”

After hearing Josette’s story, Kent thought of something.

“Josette-san, Elnette, could you come to my house for a bit?”

“I do not mind.”

“Yes, that would be fine.”

Kent invited Josette and Elnette to his house.

“Excuse me for intruding.”

“Excuse me.”

Kent invited Josette and Elnette into the house.

“Oh, welcome. What brings you two here?”

Marie, who had returned home earlier, said that.

“I invited them.”

“Kent-san… Could it be that you are going to do that thing called a sister bowl…?”

“That’s not it. And where did you learn that phrase?”

“Rachel-chan taught me before that it means eating sisters at the same time.”

“…But that’s not it. I had them come today because there’s something I need.”

“I see. What a shame.”

He did not know what was a shame about it, but Marie, who had been taught strange words by his little sister, said that.

Normally, the first shop would still be open, and it would be around the time when things were just getting busy. However, today was a regular holiday, so after finishing preparations for the second shop and coming home, they still had time to spare. Catherine and Al seemed to have stopped somewhere on the way to buy ingredients for dinner.

“I would not mind being eaten at all… No, please eat me.”

“S-Sister, that is improper.”

Elnette made that declaration, but Josette admonished her older sister.

“At this rate, the conversation won’t move forward at all, so all three of you, sit here.”

After saying that, Kent had the three of them sit on the chairs around the table in the kitchen.

Then, before immediately getting to the main topic, he reported the matter of the party to Marie.

“Understood. Um, is Josette-san the only one who needs to take time off?”

“No, Elnette too, so both of them will be off.”

“Hey, I should have said I was not going.”

Marie asked to confirm, but Kent said both of them would be taking time off. Elnette, surprised by that, hurriedly cut in.

“Could you listen to what I have to say for a bit?”

After saying that, Kent put the matter of Elnette on hold and got to the main topic.

“Actually, it’s about the second shop, but I think that if it opens as it is, it will fail. But I deliberately didn’t tell my little sister that.”

“Why is that?”

Josette, who became interested, said that.

“The products placed there are certainly aimed at nobles, especially women, but I think they are things that will sell if people understand their value. However, unless we can get people to pick up the products, we can’t sell them. On top of that, unlike the first shop, in order to create a sense of luxury, we’ve posted only the bare minimum of advertisements and notices. There is certainly demand from people coming to eat ice cream, but will they really notice products displayed in a place hidden from the dining space? And on top of that, there are rows of containers whose contents they don’t know lined up there. If you entered that shop as a customer who knew nothing, Josette-san, what would you think?”

“Let me see… The purpose would be to eat ice cream, yes? I would enter the shop, take a seat, eat the ice cream, and go home. It is true that, from that position, I would not think of going to see the products lined up there. Even if they entered my field of view, I would not know what kind of products they were.”

Josette said that as if convinced.

“That’s why, as a reason to visit the shop, we need a clear motive to buy the products lined up there. The biggest problem is the lack of announcements.”

“How was it with the first shop? The fluffy bread has become normal now, but I heard that you only started selling it a little while ago. Did you not struggle to sell it at first?”

Elnette asked Kent.

“When we first sold the first shop’s fluffy bread, we first had the regular customers taste samples, learn the flavor, and then buy it. Then it spread by word of mouth, that kind of thing. Since we originally had a lot of regular customers, the announcements were like that. But this time, it’s a newly opened shop. We’re starting from zero, so the situation is different.”

“That is true. I was really surprised back then. Kent-san kept bringing out new products one after another, and I looked forward to tasting them.”

Marie said that as she nostalgically remembered an event from several months ago.

“Then how will you make the announcement?”

Josette asked Kent.

“Right, this is where the main topic begins, but I want to ask you and Elnette to handle that announcement. Well, even if I say that, it isn’t something very difficult.”

After prefacing it like that, Kent got to the main topic.

“The party is the day after tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, that is right. The marquis household is a little far away, so the day before and after will be travel days.”

“You’re going quite far. So, I want you to attend that party while using the products sold at the second shop. You only need to answer with the shop’s name when someone asks where you obtained them.”

“Understood. I was already going to attend, so I will do as you say, Kent-san.”

“I am not going to any party.”

Josette readily agreed, while Elnette refused. This too was within expectations.

“Elnette, won’t you lend us your help for the shop?”

“Ugh, I have not gone to such places for a long time… What kind of face am I supposed to make if I attend now?”

“Then how about taking it as a request from me? Elnette, you’re still beautiful even now. I’m sure you’ll draw attention. It makes me happy that someone like that stays by my side.”

“It cannot be helped… If you say that much, then fine. I will go. Please allow me to go.”

Elnette reluctantly agreed to attend the party.