CHAPTER 09
Ron nodded without denying it.
“First, I’d like to ask you both something. Will we be able to continue receiving a stable supply of Bluetroot?”
“Yes. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“In that case, I’d like to suggest we sell the Starlight Cream in two different versions—one for commoners and one for nobles.”
At the unexpected proposal, Claire and Franz fell into thoughtful silence. While it was common to target specific classes, marketing to both simultaneously was a novel approach.
If done wrong, they could lose everything.
Ron, having already calculated things in his head, pushed forward to persuade them.
“After the incident with the Milky Way Cream, the noble society has developed a strong aversion to cream-based cosmetics. I heard other merchants have pulled creams from their lineups entirely.”
Since the Milky Way Cream was a luxury product used only by nobles, all the victims had been from the upper class.
As a result, the backlash affected the entire noble tier.
“That’s why I think we should start by selling it to commoners and create a trend. Once it becomes popular, we can promote it among nobles using Mr. Franz’s name.”
“Hm…”
“I don’t believe trends always flow top-down. Sometimes, truly good things rise from the bottom.”
“…You’re not wrong. Either way, we won’t know unless we try.”
Claire smiled. Ron, who had been nervous, broke into a smile as well.
Franz watched the two with a satisfied expression as they reached consensus.
And so, while the second round of research was underway, the first batch of samples was prepared for sale under the name “Midnight Starlight Cream.”
Claire spent her days blooming Bluetroot with her blessing powers, Franz focused on perfecting the formula, and Ron ran around preparing for the product demo.
The demo was a promotional strategy Ron had devised, targeting commoners as the first customer base.
Nothing attracted interest like firsthand experience—and nothing spread better than word of mouth.
However—
“We need someone to draw attention and play the ‘crowd stirrer’ role.”
Ron wanted a quicker, more effective way to generate buzz.
“We could hire someone, but I think people would be more intrigued if a noble personally demonstrates the cream.”
“You mean one of us should apply it?”
“Yes, if possible. You’re both very attractive, so the promotional effect would be even stronger.”
Claire, catching on immediately, smiled slyly and placed her hand on Franz’s shoulder.
“You can do it, right, Dad?”
“…Me? I’m going to demonstrate cosmetics?”
“Yes. Franz Ravello will.”
At her gentle but confident reply, Franz’s soft green eyes trembled wildly.
“W-Why me…?”
“Then should I do it?”
The eccentric mage’s daughter—whose face had never been publicly revealed?
Claire’s smile deepened, conveying the unspoken “You sure about that?” through her eyes.
Feeling the silent pressure, Franz reluctantly gave in.
“Alright, I’ll… give it a try.”
“Smart choice. With your face, people will at least be curious.”
“Absolutely. Mr. Franz will be the perfect brand ambassador.”
Ron gave a thumbs-up, chiming in.
Leaving the disheartened Franz behind, the other two smiled in satisfaction.
The long-awaited day of the demo arrived.
The Minerva Trading Company set up a tent in the Meissen Market Square on 6th Street, a popular area among commoners.
As Franz sat down in a chair, passersby began glancing at his face, and Ron quickly kicked off the pitch.
“Ladies and gentlemen! This isn’t your everyday demo! A magical cream that makes your skin glow and banishes blemishes! Come try the Midnight Starlight Cream!”
Several passersby glanced at the cream in his hand.
Ron seized the moment and pointed to the youngest-looking woman nearby.
“You there, miss! Your skin looks a little dry—why not try this out?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m okay—”
“Hey now, I’m not asking for money! It’s free, so at least come take a look.”
With a warm smile from Ron, the flustered woman hesitated, then approached.
Though Claire didn’t realize it, Franz was also quite handsome.
“What kind of cream is this…?”
“Ah, it’s a nourishing cream made from a rare plant called Bluetroot, which holds the light of the stars.”
Ron dramatically gestured toward Franz.
“This noble here originally made it for his own use, but he thought it’d be selfish to keep something so good to himself! So, he decided to sell it!”
Franz was secretly impressed by Ron’s smooth words, though Claire remained unfazed—she was used to Ron switching personas when doing business.
Sometimes energetic, sometimes cold, sometimes charismatic—and today, pushy and shameless.
“So, you actually use this cream, noble sir?”
“Of course! Mr. Franz’s amazing skin? All thanks to this cream! Isn’t that right?”
Ron subtly signaled to Franz.
Franz awkwardly picked up the cream and did his best to play along.
“Haha, that’s right. If not for this cream, my skin would’ve been an earthquake zone. Haha…”
Then he nervously dabbed a little on his cheek.
Unable to watch anymore, Claire stepped in.
She approached silently, brushed up Franz’s bangs, and applied the cream evenly across his face before disappearing again.
As expected of the twin of Priscilla, once called the most beautiful woman in the Empire, Franz’s youthful, innocent beauty drew a crowd.
“Look closely, everyone! See that glow? That’s what we call glass skin!”
“Wow, it really is glowing!”
“Ooooh!”
“Eh, maybe this noble just has good skin because he’s young.”
Someone tried to throw shade, but Ron immediately turned his head.
“Hey mister! How old do you think this noble is?”
“Huh? Early to mid-twenties…?”
“Wrong! The correct answer is thirty-five!”
People gasped in disbelief. Riding the momentum, Ron whispered like a ventriloquist:
“Show off your face a bit more.”
What does that mean? How do I even do that?
Franz, bewildered, looked at Claire. She motioned for him to push his hair back.
Following her cue, Franz awkwardly brushed back his bangs with his eyes downcast.
Even that made him look delicately beautiful and ethereal, leaving the onlookers stunned. Ron jumped on the moment.
“You all know—youthful skin is the foundation of a baby face! Mister, you’ve got to take care of yourself to shave off the years.”
“Well… you’re not wrong…”
“Here, take one of these!”
Ron cheerfully handed the man a sample box.
“We’re not even here to sell anything today. We just want to show you how great the cream is and hand out samples!”
“So… you’re giving these out for free?”
“I said it was free from the start, didn’t I? If you want a sample, line up now!”
At that, people exchanged glances and began forming an orderly line.
The area bustled with people, as curious onlookers joined in.
The 100 sample creams they brought disappeared in a flash.
Ron, who cheerfully promised the disappointed ones more samples tomorrow, beamed.
“The demo was a success! So many people asked when we’ll start full sales!”
“Phew… That’s a relief.”
Exhausted from the unfamiliar experience of sales, Franz gave a tired smile. Claire patted his shoulder.
“Good job.”
“You and Ron worked hard too…”
“No worries. I’ll hire temporary workers starting tomorrow, so you two can rest.”
Though they hesitated to leave Ron alone, they eventually agreed when he insisted he preferred working solo.
In the meantime, they focused on stockpiling cream, completing product registration, and passing cosmetic certification checks.
Everything was going too smoothly.
Not long after, the Starlight Cream gained widespread attention and was even picked as the most anticipated product among women in their 20s and 30s.
The generous sampling strategy at the demo worked wonders.
The product was registered, certified safe by cosmetic authorities, and given a safety seal.
The Minerva Trading Company fueled the hype by publishing the official launch date in newspapers. By the night before release, people had already begun lining up outside the building.
“Tomorrow, the Starlight Cream finally launches. The second batch of research is looking promising too, so I’m not worried.”
“I really hope it’s as successful as the effort we put into it.”
“It will be, Claire.”
Even late into the night, the three had stars in their eyes.
But the next morning, disaster struck.
“[Exclusive] Midnight Starlight Cream Causes Side Effects! Bluetroot Used Was Fake!”
One user of the sample reportedly broke out in hives—and the ingredient was allegedly fake Bluetroot.
“No way! It was real Bluetroot—how could this happen?!”
Claire was outraged as she read the paper.
The people who had lined up to buy the cream dispersed, and not a single customer came knocking on their door.
“Ron, has anyone else reported symptoms since the article?”
“No, not a single one.”
Claire laid out the newspaper and frowned deeply.
“For this kind of article to drop today, of all days… It doesn’t feel like a coincidence.”
“You mean someone deliberately spread false rumors?”
“If someone wants to see us fail, that’s possible.”
Franz’s face grew grim. Listening to them, Ron ruffled his hair in frustration.
“…What do we do now?”
“First, we need to find that one person who reported side effects—and figure out what really happened.”
Claire’s eyes flashed cold and sharp.
There was no way they’d let it end like this.
