Volume 2 Chapter 8 You See, Connections Between People Are Super Important
A few days after Randy got the cursed staff in the dungeon... the trial production of beauty products, including lotion, was going really well.
Among the things he collected from what seemed to be an orc's food storage, there was a perfect material.
It was a seed that Randy was quite familiar with.
It was the seed of the Evil Plant, which can also be found in the Beast Forest. It's a moving plant-type beast that shoots seeds to knock out small animals and then plants its seeds in their bodies.
Why there were Evil Plant seeds in such a place is a mystery, but according to Ellie, it's possible that part of the dungeon is connected to some cave.
If it really connects to the depths of the forest, it wouldn't be strange for the orcs to have Evil Plant seeds. Since orcs are mixed in, there must be a path connecting somewhere.
Anyway, the Evil Plant is a plant-type beast that can sometimes be seen in the forest.
It's said to shoot seeds, but for convenience, they are just called seeds; in reality, they are something that resembles seeds. By the way, Randy doesn't really understand it well. However, the oil contained in the seeds shot by the Evil Plant worked really well.
It had a buttery fat and an oil that was like coconut milk covering it. The taste wasn't suitable for eating──though it looked delicious──but it was perfect for use in beauty products.
The fatty part was used for hand cream.
The oil was used for lotion and all-in-one products.
These prototypes had already moved on to human testing by Randy. What's more, this time, even Cecilia asked to help with the human testing.
At first, Randy hesitated to use a noble lady as a test subject, but he was persuaded by Cecilia that women's skin is different from men's skin.
Reluctantly, Randy used Cecilia as a test subject, but...
"The texture isn't bad, but it's a bit too greasy, don't you think?"
"I see. Then let's adjust the ratio."
...Now, he was so used to hearing about the feel from Cecilia every day that he started to compile the feedback. By the way, since Cecilia was a test subject, Liz was also being tested.
"I like it this way."
"Okay. After all, we need variations to match the skin and preferences."
During lunch break, a big man was seriously compiling the discussions of the two girls in a corner of the terrace. To an outsider, it looked like a confusing scene, but the two of them were completely serious.
After finishing the reports, Randy took a breath and tilted his coffee cup. He had gotten used to the unique taste of brewed coffee, but he still preferred drip coffee.
(Oh right, I had this too.)
With so many things he wanted to do and had to do, Randy had forgotten that this was a world based on an otome game.
"By the way, Cecily. Isn't there a party this weekend?"
"Yeah. But I'm... unsure about going to the party."
Seeing Cecilia's sad smile and Liz's wide-eyed expression, Randy finally remembered that this was an otome game world.
Honestly, at this point, he doesn't care about the story of an otome game he doesn't know... but he's a bit concerned about Cecilia.
If she's engaged to one of her followers, she would, in a way, become one of the villainous noble ladies. If he leaves her like this, she might end up getting caught in some kind of trouble and her engagement could fall apart, or she could get hurt.
She's one of his few friends now, and also an important advisor for beauty products. If possible, he wants to help Cecilia... but she had turned down Liz's offer before.
(I shouldn't pry too much.)
In front of a troubled Randy, Cecilia just looked gloomy.
"Cecily, are you okay?"
"I'm not okay."
Cecilia shook her head, and Liz bit her lip in frustration. Randy felt left out. He had no idea what was going on or what wasn't okay.
Noticing Randy comparing the two of them quickly, Liz asked Cecilia, "Can I talk?"
"Yes. Since you're friends, and Sir Randolph has interesting thoughts... it might be good to hear his opinion."
With a smile, Cecilia began to explain the delicate relationship between her fiancé Dario's family, the Marquis Weissman family, and her own family, the Hartfield family.
Cecilia's family, the Hartfield family, is an old noble family that has supported the kingdom, just like Liz's family, the Braubelg family.
If Liz's family brings wealth to the kingdom through shipping, Cecilia's family has supported the kingdom's food supply.
"Even though we're a noble family that supports food, we're really just country folks mostly focused on raising livestock."
Cecilia laughed self-deprecatingly, and Randy made a bitter face, saying, "Livestock, huh?"
About a generation ago, livestock indeed supported the kingdom's food supply. But in today's world, there aren't many families focused on livestock. The main reason is that people have started eating beasts.
Since the cooking methods and preparation for beasts were established, cheap beast meat, starting with orc meat, began to circulate in the market. It's no surprise. Adventurers often hunt beasts for magic stones and materials, and now the meat that would have been discarded can be eaten.
With more options for meat, the demand for livestock meat has dropped sharply.
Still, Cecilia's territory doesn't stop raising livestock because beast meat alone can't fill the people's stomachs. They are ordered by the central government to continue livestock farming, appealing to their pride of having supported the kingdom, and they still raise livestock meat, which is in low demand.
Of course, Cecilia's family didn't just continue livestock farming without changes. They made various improvements and even tried some radical reforms, like raising beasts.
However, even if they raised beasts, the beasts that are hunted end up being cheaper because they require less time and effort.
"With low demand, we have no choice but to lower prices. Now our family's finances are in a terrible state..."
Cecilia sighed deeply and revealed that the government was providing compensation, but they were also urging her family to improve their livestock efficiency as soon as possible.
If they can improve efficiency and lower costs, they can still make a profit even with lower prices. That seems to be the idea, but when dealing with living creatures, it's not easy to make everything efficient.
"So, by marrying Sir Dario, I become a hostage to extend the compensation period."
Randy quietly murmured, "I see," at Cecilia's sad expression. By marrying into the old noble family of Dario, there seems to be a benefit in adding their prestigious bloodline to their own.
Many of the landholding nobles with the 'Von' title have supported the kingdom since its early days, truly embodying what it means to be nobility. Recently formed Central Nobility often appears to the public as 'new money.'
In fact, the Central Nobility frequently changes, and Dario's family, the Marquis Weissman, doesn't have a long history. That's why they want to add the blood of a prestigious family like Cecilia's to enhance their status as nobles.
"The Marquis Weissman family has said they wouldn't mind other landholding nobles."
Cecilia sighed. Randy let out a big sigh, "Is that a threat...?"
(There are times when power dynamics play a role like this.)
Since the other party holds a higher position, Cecilia's family can't be too assertive. Dario's behavior can be seen as him taking advantage of knowing he has the upper hand.
(No, maybe he's just a spoiled brat?)
Despite the power dynamics, not considering how one's actions affect others might be due to being pampered. Even if the engagement progresses and he marries Cecilia, no one would be happy.
"So, Miss Cecilia has to accompany that foolish son to the weekend party, and if you refuse, your position, and your family's position, will worsen?"
Cecilia nodded slightly at Randy's words.
"My father and mother said I don't have to push myself... but──."
Cecilia's voice trembled as she expressed that even if she felt like a hostage, she intended to support Dario since they were engaged and would marry.
She had repeatedly advised him to focus on necessary education and socializing to become Prime Minister instead of getting lost in dungeon exploration, but the results were as expected.
"How can I stay with someone who finds me annoying and doesn't even look at me?"
Cecilia sighed deeply and showed a self-deprecating smile instead of tears. Despite everything she had been through, her brave demeanor made Randy instinctively close his eyes.
The engagement 'planned' is likely a form of resistance from Cecilia's family. They want her to enjoy her student life freely, at least while she is still a student, without being tied down by an unwanted fiancé.
However, Cecilia, understanding her family's feelings, must have tried her best to support the other party, even if they were a hostage. Of course, Dario must have his own reasons. He probably does, but it's hard to believe he's truly facing Cecilia, who is trying to confront him.
Randy let out a small sigh, unknowingly clenching his fist...
"That's not good... Just one punch should be fine, right?"
"Randy, your one punch is like a thousand punches from a normal person, so it's not fine."
Stopped by Liz, Randy relaxed his fist and sighed deeply.
"Don't worry about it, Sir Randy. It's pretty common in noble families."
With her usual smile, Cecilia elegantly sipped her tea, saying, "Also, I am not special." Randy, unable to help but glance at Liz, saw her slowly nodding with a serious expression. In fact, Liz had been in a similar situation not long ago.
How much responsibility do they carry on their delicate bodies?
"Nobles can go to hell."
Randy muttered this without thinking, and Cecilia and Liz exchanged glances.
"But you are a noble too... Still, your feelings are enough."
Cecilia might not be looking for help from Randy, but there was no way he could abandon her here.
Besides, what he was about to propose would benefit him as well.
"Miss Cecilia. It would be good if your family's finances could recover, right?"
At Randy's suggestive words, Cecilia nodded, looking surprised, and Liz's eyes widened as if she realized something.
"Then it's fine. Let's cancel the party and even the engagement. It's still planned, right?"
Cecilia showed a blank expression at Randy's mischievous smile, while Liz seemed to understand Randy's thoughts and nodded vigorously.
"I want to do that, but if we cancel the engagement, there will be compensation..."
"Don't worry about it."
Randy laughed it off, and Cecilia frowned, asking, "What do you mean?"
"Cecily. Randy and I are trying to spread a beauty serum to the world."
"I know that."
"If this becomes popular, there should be a significant demand."
Cecilia silently nodded at Liz's words.
"You mentioned earlier that you tried raising beasts, right?"
With Liz's smiling words, Cecilia finally realized.
"You want us to produce the materials for the beauty serum at my house?"
"Yes."
"Also, I hear your territory is just across a big river, so if Miss Cecilia's family can mass-produce the materials, we can process them here, and then... we will sell them like crazy with the Braubelg family's power."
Cecilia looked down, saying, "But..." It was true that if everything went well, they would make a huge profit, but she also felt anxious about the uncertainty until then and guilty about neglecting the livestock they had worked hard to raise.
"Oh, what I want from Miss Cecilia's family isn't just raising beasts."
Understanding Cecilia's feelings, Randy called out to Liz, "Bring out the mystery meat."
"It's not mystery meat; it's orc placenta."
Puffing her cheeks, Liz took out a chunk of dried meat from her item box.
"What's wrong with the orc's placenta?"
Randy smirked at Cecilia, who frowned.
"Have you heard of placentas?"
"What's a pla...centa?"
Randy explained to Cecilia that it was a very effective beauty serum. In fact, he had just learned that placenta equals placenta a few days ago.
In the item box, the orc's placenta was labeled 'Orc Placenta,' and Ellie had told him in ancient language that it meant "placenta."
This was a shock for Randy.
(Wait, is placenta that placenta? It was a placenta?)
He never expected to find out the truth behind a word he often heard in commercials from his past life in such a way.
The coincidence of the orc eating placenta and him randomly getting it. And in front of Randy, another coincidence was tilting its head.
"Miss Cecilia. Your family... raises pigs, right?"
"Yes."
"It's multiple births, isn't it?"
Cecilia nodded silently, and Randy grinned mischievously again.
"Let's make a super high-end beauty serum from pigs for nobles. We'll squeeze a lot of money from those rich nobles. And this will be the start; eventually, we'll sell pigs like crazy. Don't worry, I can see the vision."
With a bad expression on his face, Randy made Cecilia nod, "Uh, okay..."
A few days later, a letter arrived at Dario's family, the Marquis Weissman family, from Cecilia and her family, the Hartfield Count family, stating that they were canceling the engagement.
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