Chapter 76

Emma’s Proposal and the Contract [Part 2]

“P-Please wait a moment!!”

From the room’s entrance, a Joshua appeared, gasping for his breath.

Looked like he was left behind by Leonard, who had rushed upstairs.

“Joshua?”

When George and William turned around while rubbing their heads that got smacked, Joshua was there, also rubbing his head.

Joshua got scolded first since he got caught up in all this.

“Leonard-sama, business-related purchases should be done through the Rothschild House. We would be troubled otherwise.”

Joshua broke in while catching his breath.

He has seen for many years how bad this family is with business. It’s clear that if he leaves them be, they will go back to being poor in an instant. No matter how many times he and his father warned this Count, he would keep saying things like ‘I will buy it at the asking price’ or ‘I don’t need money, just take it.’

“I’m sorry for the sudden intrusion. My name is Joshua Rothschild. In addition to being the shop manager of the Rothschild Company royal capital branch store, I also work as Stuart House’s business advisor. Please be sure to go through me for future contracts.”

Harold’s chills got worse after a normal-looking child with slightly stood-out freckles introduced himself and negotiated business with him. …what did he say just now?

“Rothschild… Company?”

It’s the wealthiest merchant group in the kingdom.

With deep connections spread inside and outside the country, it is said that there are no goods the Rothschild Company doesn’t sell.

These people in front of him right now are this country’s wealthiest rich merchant and rich Count.

“Ah! Could it be that your store was the one that got splashed by the ink?”

Failing to read the situation, Hue, who knew the story from the siblings, asked Joshua.

“Yes, that’s right. Is it possible to remove that ink from my shop?”

Joshua looked at Harold with hopeful eyes, but the answer remained the same.

“I’m sorry to say…”

‘Is that so,’ Joshua dropped his shoulders.

The rumors that started from the red blood-like ink on the store’s front wall before the opening date are terribly damaging.

Whether it’s scraping the stone or peeling the floor, both cost money. And as a store that got splashed by that red ink, the customer traffic will also be affected.

“Somehow, I’m sorry…”

“It’s fine. It’s a shop that’s frequently harassed in the first place, so I’m already prepared.”

‘Please don’t mind it,’ Joshua weakly laughed.

“Harold-san? Can you paint with this ink in layers?”

Emma separated herself from Leonard from who knows when and went to see the wall with Harold’s paintings. It was a painting of plants with vibrant colors.

“Hm? Yeah, the color will never fade off once it dries, but it also won’t mix if you apply another color on top, so it’s a good ink for painting.”

Harold had been apologizing until now, but he originally made that ink for his own paintings. He made it so no matter if it’s a wall or another surface, the ink will color it well, and the color won’t come off. If he layers the color on top of the dry part, it won’t mix and lose to the colors below.

It was a dream-like ink for painters.

“Why don’t we have Harold-san paint Joshua’s store too? Because it’s red… maybe strawberries? It’s definitely going to be Instagrammable.”

‘If the ink can’t come off, then just paint it over,’ Emma suggested.

After seeing the graffiti on the wall, even Joshua, who had seen numerous paintings before, was convinced of one thing. If that bright red color was drawn as strawberries, it wouldn’t be seen as a repulsive sea of blood but a cute decoration.

More than anything, to Joshua, the option to not use Emma’s idea doesn’t exist.

He doesn’t understand what ‘Instagrammable’ means, though.

“Harold-san, could you draw strawberries… on my store’s front wall? Of course, I will pay you. Depending on the responses, it may be good to have new drawings painted every season.”

“Eh? That’s… No problem, but…”

“Then, for now, could you sign a one-year contract as our Rothschild Company’s exclusive painter? The ink will be handled separately. Today we will only purchase the amount of ink we need. And because we will likely make some prototypes that will be commercialized after this, let’s have an exclusive contract for the ink.”