CHAPTER 499: THE COMPETITOR

The first day the seed was sold was a total success. Although the seed bundle she prepared for that day did not fully sell out, it was because it was already past the estimated number of packets she would sell that day. In short, if she didn’t increase the supply, there was a chance they would have run out of seeds to sell.

Thanks to the success, Elaina decided to treat her employees to a meal at the pub in Douglas for the successful business opening.

"Should we be included in this celebration, though? Randolph and I are just doing our usual jobs like normal," Mei asked as she shoveled the food into her mouth.

"Of course, Mei. A celebration would be boring if only Octavia and Rakkunzansa were there to celebrate, yes? And besides, we are one company; the success of one is the success of all, after all. And you, doing nothing, is absolutely not true. You think I didn’t see you help out Octavia time and time again when she is getting overwhelmed by the customers? I may not look like it, but I can easily see those who do their work properly and those who are lazing about. And the fact that you are helping a coworker is something that is good enough to say that you are not just extra baggage on this one. So, feel free to eat and stuff all you want, my treat for tonight!" Elaina said with a smile.

"What about your family, Boss?" Randolph asked.

"Don’t worry, I already informed them that I will be eating with you lot tonight. Let’s celebrate without worries!"

"Heh, never would I have guessed that the one I am lecturing and causing various mistakes before would become quite capable on her own right. What did I tell you when I said that you would be fine? After all, she

And so, the four celebrated the successful beginnings of the business. Octavia is also quite happy with her business, and the joy she felt upon getting to have her knowledge of seeds and plants get some use for once. Not only that, but also receiving the respect from other people despite the fact that she is a Dryad is something that she wasn’t expecting as well.

"The next few days, the business will slow down, and that will be the time that you can finally go and relax, Octavia. But don’t worry about this, as this is normal. Considering how many farmers flocked today, that only means the majority of the customers have visited the place. The next few days would be the days when only a few farmers who are late to the opening and only hear the rumors and benefits that the other farmers received today would be the most likely customers, and that is alright."

The surge of customers would likely die down in the next few days and there will be a few days where there will be no customers that will buy at all, but considering that seeds do not grow instantaneously, it is a normal thing, so Elaina is not worried and besides, the subscription monthly is something that Elaina thought out to be something that is a profit for that month while also ensuring that the customer got the bang out of his buck. It is also the way for her to ease the burden of the market and dealing with customers daily.

And so, the first day of the opening is finally over.

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The next day, Elaina frowned when a man is currently asking for a meeting with her. He doesn’t know this man at all, but based on his attire, he is clearly a businessman, and the air he is carrying is something that Elaina has seen and experienced before from other people back when she was still the empress. And it wasn’t a good experience in the past due to how those people are carriers of trouble. Never would she have thought she would see another person who would carry those attributes and meet with her here in Darcero Kingdom when she is no longer the Empress.

"Are you the owner of this business in the new seed market?" the suspicious man asked, looking like he was annoyed by being there.

"Yes. Is there a problem?" Elaina raised her eyebrows.

"A problem? Yes, a problem. Are you perhaps the main reason why the Market decided to terminate the orders we are receiving for seed supplies?"

Elaina frowned, hearing this. "Are you trying to paint me as the main culprit of why the Market decided to stop selling seeds?"

"Who else? When I asked for the reason for the termination of the contract, they immediately gave me the reason that someone had already decided to take the mantle to sell seeds and take over the market it. What else would you call it? You are the main reason, right? The main reason we are no longer able to conduct business with the market!"

"And yet, I asked for permission about it. I didn’t force the Market to give up its sales of the seeds at all. But they are the ones who decided to terminate the operations and entrust all the duties to our store. There is nothing wrong with that, and with did it by legal terms, so why are you crying about it? It’s not like the market is the only customer who is willing to buy seeds."

"If that is the case, since you took the mantle of being the one selling the seeds from the Market, then how about you take some orders for us to receive top-quality seeds? Our seeds are very high quality, as you have seen with most seeds being sold in the market. Our packets are all one hundred percent healthy and authentic. Buying from us will not only boost your sales, but you will also be able to receive the favor of the other customers who prefer our brand of seeds."

Elaina leans on her chair and shakes her head. "No thanks. I have plenty of supplies of seeds to supply all the needs of our customers. And besides, I trust the source of my seeds more than yours, so I will refrain from accepting that offer."

The man’s eyebrow twitched, hearing what Elaina said, but he didn’t give up. Of course, he decided to make a baseless slander.

"Are you sure about letting go of my offer? You are guaranteed to get two free boxes of seeds if you decide to get your supply from us. In fact, I will even top off the price of the seeds your supplier gives you with mine. How about it?"

Elaina smiled. "Then, give it to me for free."

The man’s smile is frozen. "What?’

"I said, you give your products for free. You want to top off the supplier of my seeds with yours? Then so be it! Since I received the seeds for free, you also give the seeds you sell to me for free, and perhaps I will consider your offer."

The man stood up angrily after hearing her remark. "Are you messing with me, woman?! Who in their right mind would supply seeds for you without profit!? They are running on charity or something? That must be a scam! Yes, perhaps you are trapped by a scam!"

Elaina shakes her head and sighs, " I think you are misunderstanding something here, sir. The reason I said that I received the seeds for free is that those seeds are something that I personally supply myself, and the crops that these seeds came from are? Plants that I planted personally. In short, I supply my own seeds that I sell here and not just by outsourcing them to other people. Never would I have expected to see someone here who has a slow comprehension. And never connect the main reasons. And those slanders from earlier are all baseless slanders, so don’t you dare talk badly about my business. I run honest work here."

The businessman felt like he had been slapped, so hard that he wanted to hide his face and perhaps bury himself to the ground due to shame. He didn’t wait for Elaina to get rid of him, and he stormed out of the place himself.