Chapter 43 Seize Success!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Well, today marked the first week since Ayumu Sanai had started his sales efforts. So far, the number of stores that had signed contracts—brace yourself for this—was zero.
”Damn it———”
Ayumu couldn’t help but stomp his feet in frustration, acting his age for once. The lack of physical samples was a huge hurdle. At this rate, he’d surpass Colonel Sanders in failure.
”This is bad… Seriously… This is bad…”
It was too early to burn out, but was this how Joe from that old anime felt? It was demoralizing, to say the least.
But sitting around wouldn’t bring in contracts. Ayumu needed to turn this around. If all else failed, he’d reach out to someone influential.
He grabbed parchment and a quill, drafting a request to meet with Mr. Baldric of the Elanda Merchant Hall. He handed the letter to the hall’s guard along with a few copper coins.
* * *
To his surprise, the Elandric Merchant Guild responded that very day. “I’m busy with work, but how about we have a meal together?”—a positive reply! This was a good omen, a chance.
Until now, Ayumu could only pitch unproduced items to small eateries, but the Elandric Merchant Guild was a major player. If he presented not just the raw materials—fish sauce, vinegar, cooking wine—but also the entire franchise system, it would be far more convincing. Mr. Baldric might just nod along.
”This outfit won’t do!”
Ayumu dashed to a store to grab decent clothes and accessories.
* * *
By evening, he walked to the Elanda Merchant Hall. The guards let him in without issue, as the meeting was pre-arranged.
Was this the table for their business dinner? Mr. Baldric was already seated in the grand hall.
”Welcome, Lord Sanai,” he said, rising to shake Ayumu’s hand.
”Thank you for the invitation, Mr. Baldric. I’m honored you remembered my name after just one meeting,” Ayumu replied, shaking his hand.
”Haha… It’s my profession to remember names. And your first impression was quite memorable,” Mr. Baldric laughed warmly.
”Please, take a seat,” he gestured.
”My apologies, I’ll take you up on that,” Ayumu said, settling into a wooden chair.
As they waited for the food, they chatted casually. Rushing into business talks was a rookie mistake—it made one seem desperate or untrustworthy.
Ayumu needed Mr. Baldric to believe this venture would profit him, so he waited patiently until the food arrived.
”Ah, the nostalgia… Please, dig in. It’s Elandric’s local cuisine. I hope it suits your taste…”
”I’m honored,” Ayumu said, picking up a spoon. After tasting the dish, he added, “Mmm, this is delicious. Is this Elandric’s local cuisine? After this, ordinary meals won’t compare.”
”Haha, indeed. Everywhere, common meals are lackluster,” Mr. Baldric agreed.
”But what if those meals could be uniformly delicious? Don’t you think that would generate immense wealth?” Ayumu asked, his tone shifting as he broached the main topic.
Noticing his change in demeanor, Mr. Baldric mused, “Hmm, based on reports from our branches, I assumed you were here about purchasing potions…” He closed his eyes, stroking his chin. “Interesting… You’re truly fascinating,” he murmured.
”Ah, haha… So the potion incident was reported, huh? Embarrassing… Thanks to you, potion production is going smoothly. My apologies for using your name without permission…” Ayumu averted his gaze, but Mr. Baldric’s reaction was surprisingly positive.
”No, no—don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t planning to scold you. You didn’t commit any wrongdoing. In fact, the potions supplied to our branches were of consistent quality. If anything—”
”I’d praise your talent and effort in producing such quality goods in such a short time. Let’s get back on track, shall we?” He smoothly steered the conversation, even showing consideration.
”Thank you, that’s a relief. May I ask, Mr. Baldric, are you familiar with Franchise Agreements?” Ayumu began explaining the pros and cons of franchising from his original world.
First, the benefits:
1. For the franchisor: Providing rights, trademarks, experience, and knowledge allowed low-cost operations. Since franchisees supplied their own land and stores, there was no need for the franchisor to invest time or money, significantly cutting expenses. Additionally, franchisors could charge rent for leasing their land and buildings to entrepreneurs.
2. For the franchisee: Entrepreneurs gained business experience quickly, leveraged brand power for customer attraction, and received operational guidance. This minimized the risk of failure or bankruptcy.
Next, the drawbacks:
1. For the franchisor: Managing multiple stores could lead to quality inconsistencies, potentially damaging the brand’s image. Since franchisors weren’t directly involved in daily operations, addressing issues like management changes or improvements could be slow.
2. For the franchisee: In Ayumu’s original world, purchasing ingredients and standardized equipment from headquarters was costlier than independent operations. However, in this world, sourcing ingredients and equipment from Elandric or headquarters was impractical. While store exteriors could follow specifications, the lack of knowledge about the otherworld could lead to unique, localized stores—a double-edged sword.
3. The biggest risk for franchisees: Being forced to pay royalties even if unprofitable. In extreme cases, it was like shifting all risks onto the franchisees.
T/N: Franchise Agreement refers to a business model where a franchisor licenses trademarks and business methods to a franchisee.
”The biggest risk for franchisees,” Mr. Baldric mused, his voice tinged with caution, “is being forced to pay royalties even if they’re unprofitable. In extreme cases, it’s like shifting all the risks onto them.”
Such unfair risks were always present for entrepreneurs, and deep rifts could form between the headquarters and the franchisees. In the worst cases, the franchisees might band together and declare independence.
Mr. Baldric, however, remained unaware of the darker aspects of this system. Ayumu hadn’t mentioned how some unscrupulous individuals exploited the Franchise Agreement concept, targeting inexperienced or naive individual owners to swindle them out of franchise fees.
There was also the possibility that Elandric, armed with ample funds and insider knowledge, could open new stores in better locations, undercutting existing franchises. With cheaper prices and newer facilities, customers would flock to the new stores, leaving the older ones to collapse. Elandric would then reap all the profits, leaving the franchisees in ruins.
Of course, such tactics would be morally and socially condemned, but the actual operations would be left to Elandric’s discretion.
In any case, many franchisees would likely end up in debt and forced to close. Ayumu’s concern? Not at all. He had his own survival to worry about. Even if his introduction of the franchise concept to this otherworld caused misfortune for others, it wasn’t his fault.
On a side note, when Mr. Baldric asked how he knew so much about such business methods, Ayumu hesitated, then lied, claiming, “I… thought it up myself.”
Another lie added to the pile… He couldn’t exactly tell him he was from another world, could he?
The weight of his deception settled in his chest, but what choice did he have? Survival in this world demanded it.
Notes:
• Baldric – The branch manager of the Elandric Merchant Guild.
• Elandric Merchant Guild – A merchant guild with a branch where the potions were sold.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply