The Perfect Nutritious Honey Candy
Today, Frey looked unusually cheerful.
I hear she's recently started a candy business, and that was probably why.
It's doing quite well—surprisingly so.
She's clearly waiting for me to bring it up, so I'll go along with it.
I hear that honey candy of yours is selling well.
Hehe! So you've already heard the buzz?
Following your advice, Captain, I decided to start with a small business.
I racked my brain trying to figure out what would be just right...!
And I finally landed on honey candy!
The inspiration came from the Duchy's specialty, mead.
I perfectly recreated the mead's subtle and unique flavor in candy form!
Anyone with working taste buds couldn't possibly hate it. Hehe.
It's especially popular with the kids around NOA these days.
And kids are future customers!
Once they're hooked on the honey flavor, it'll be easy to sell them mead later on.
For the final touch, I even embossed the candy with the Knights' crest.
That's called branding, in technical terms. Hehe!
So? Impressed by my business acumen?
Sounds like the candy actually tastes good.
Of course it does. I'm the one who planned it.
And that's not all!
Good taste alone isn't enough to capture the hearts of consumers!
Then what else?
Hehe... Phase one is to have a story!
This is how it goes.
Once upon a time, there was a young girl.
She lost her mother at a young age and lived with her stepmother and wicked stepsisters.
She wanted candy so badly, but her cruel stepmother never gave her any allowance.
The kind girl was sad, but she endured their mistreatment.
One day, while exhausted from chores, she came across an injured honeybee.
She carefully nursed the bee's leg... And the next day, it returned and spoke!
"To this kind child, I give the gift of magical honey candy!"
The moment she ate the candy, there was a puff of smoke and a honey fairy appeared—
...That story sounds awfully familiar.
...Familiar stories sell better, okay?
Anyway.
I added that tale to the honey candy and performed it as a street play, and people flocked in.
Hehe... Then, I launched phase two of my strategy by appealing to their sympathy!
I promoted the candy saying, "A portion of the proceeds will go toward supporting children."
That got them clapping and buying up bags of candy.
Hehehe. They had no idea they were falling for my shady sales tactics!
Shady sales tactics...?
...Is the donation part a lie?
What? Of course I donate, just like I promised.
I wouldn't tarnish the name of the Duchy of Monastir with lies.
I properly donate 10% of the honey candy's sales.
Then what exactly is the shady sales tactics part?
Hehe... Allow me to break it down.
The donation is just 10% of the candy's price!
But the honey candy ingredients come straight from Monastir's local beekeepers, no middlemen.
So the production cost is only 20% of the price!
Even after everything else, I still take home 70%.
Hehe! In other words, they're giving me more money than they're donating, and they don't even know it.
And the clueless customers just keep buying candy, none the wiser.
Then they get hooked on the taste...
And they end up buying more and more, caught in a never-ending candy loop!
Hehehe. This is why you need to study economics.
There's a reason people say knowledge is power!
Hmm...?
...Isn't that just good product design and marketing?
Hehe! You could say I've laid the foundation for my next business.
Now then, what should the next product be...
As I watched Frey delight in her plans, I found myself pondering her so-called shady sales tactics.
Something about it felt off... But I decided not to question it.
I smiled instead, hoping her shady sales tactics would continue bringing good results.