Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 79

Chapter 79: The Shop in Eclava

The tasting event was a great success.

Everyone enjoyed the Pinaru honey cake I made.

Today, we’re heading to the commercial city of Eclava in Farne’s carriage.

Aside from Farne, there’s her butler, Volg, along with Tina, the fox-eared girl, and the elf Chloe.

We’re not using the dragon carriage this time. Apparently, dragons are going through a period where they’re busy nesting and getting used to their environment, making them prone to stress.

We’ll start using the dragon carriage more seriously a bit later.

This time, when we meet with Baron Fernande, I plan to ask for permission to land the dragon carriage at Fernande’s mansion in the future.

“Kurt-sama. Once we arrive in the city, we’ll have to split up, although I’m reluctant to part ways.”

Farne says.

“Yeah. Farne, I’ll leave the negotiations to you.”

I replied to her question.

As soon as we arrive in Eclava, Farne will negotiate with the familiar vendors to place orders for packaging the sweets.

It’ll involve careful negotiations, especially regarding the design.

I’ve prepared two items to offer: the Pinaru honey cake and berry cookies, both for Farne to take charge of.

I’ve instructed her to use the Arnoldt family crest as part of the design, leaving the rest to her.

With her business sense and aesthetic sense cultivated by being surrounded by fine art since childhood, I can trust her with this task.

“Also, Kurt-sama, the craftsmen for the interior renovation are scheduled to arrive in the early afternoon.”

Farne continues.

“I’ll take care of that.”

This time, besides the inspection, I’ll also give instructions for the interior renovation.

For that purpose, Baron Fernande has recommended skilled craftsmen.

Preparations have been made for that as well.

After the tasting event, blueprints based on the floor plan documents sent after the event were prepared.

As for the interior design of the shop, I can handle it with my knowledge.

In my previous life, I worked in top-notch shops and studied such things to open my own store.

I can create a shop based on advanced human engineering from Earth.

“Well then, Kurt-sama, see you tonight. Hehe, according to my father, the chef, inspired by your cooking, seems to be quite enthusiastic.”

Farne says.

“I’m looking forward to it. He’s definitely better than me in the pure art of ‘cooking’.”

I replied.

I’m just a pastry chef. My cooking skills are merely top-notch, not superlative.

I was able to shine at the last party because I had vastly improved knowledge.

I’m excited to see what kind of dishes the top-notch chef will create incorporating the knowledge I showed him.

“Don’t be modest. My father is quite fond of people he likes. Ah, we’re almost at the shop. The guide… Yes, he’s there with us. I’ll head to the vendors now, so Kurt, good luck.”

Farne said.

“Thank you. Farne, I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, I’ve been entrusted with it.”

With that, Tina, Chloe, and I disembark from the carriage.

The guide is waving to us in front of the shop.

I’m taken aback as I gaze at the building designated as my shop behind him.

“Tina, to be honest, I’m quite amazed.”

I say.

“It’s quite impressive.”

Tina responds.

“Or rather, Kurt, isn’t it too impressive?”

Chloe adds.

After receiving the blueprint after the tasting event, I knew the impressive scale of the building in numbers. However, seeing it in person was overwhelmingly beyond my imagination.

“With such a prime location, this spaciousness… I reckon if I were to sell this shop, my descendants could live off it for generations.”

I comment.

Indeed, the shop given to me was almost too good. It could serve about a hundred customers at once. A shop of this scale in such a prime location in Eclava would require not just money but also significant political power.

“Baron Fernande must have high expectations for you, Kurt-sama.”

Tina remarks.

“It’s probably more like a leash. Don’t you dare let go.”

Chloe adds.

Both Tina’s and Chloe’s statements are probably true. Some parts were entrusted to me precisely because there were expectations.

Given something like this, it’s hard to refuse the engagement.

“Well, the die is cast. All that’s left is to give it my all.”

I conclude.

As the size of the shop increases, it’s not all good news. With a large space, I’ll need to display a large number of products to look presentable. And with a large number of products, I’ll need to attract a large number of customers. If a large shop has only a few customers, it feels strangely empty and becomes less inviting for others to enter.

To achieve that, it will require a large workforce, and as the scale of management grows, accounting will become more complex.

Even sourcing materials will be tough.

“So that’s what they’re testing me on.”

I say with a thin smile.

Now, what should I do?

The problems are piling up.

First, replenishing the substitute for walnut oil, which is running out quickly. It would be ideal if walnuts were available cheaply in the market, but it’s unlikely. Even if they were available, they would be expensive.

As a substitute, olive oil is the primary candidate, and I’ll search for plant oils that pair well with honey cake.

Then there’s the issue of manpower.

There’s no one in my village who can be entrusted with running the shop. While Farne might be capable, I can’t leave it all to her.

Tina could be a candidate, but she’s already overwhelmed with her current workload.

Someone highly educated and quick-witted from my territory. The only one who fits the bill is my father. However, he’s already overseeing all the territories, including my village, so he doesn’t have the capacity.

One name comes to mind.

“Jorg.”

He’s been slacking off, but he has a solid foundation. He’s smart and learns quickly.

Selfishly, I found myself wishing that Jorg would come back. Funny how you start to miss what you don’t have.

Not only will we need someone capable of handling finances, but we’ll also need to increase the number of employees. I plan to select relatively idle women from the village, but if everyone is sent out, it will disrupt wheat production.

Lost in thought, I’m approached by the guide, who hesitantly speaks up.

I turn my attention to him.

“Are you Kurt Arnoldt, the next Viscount Arnoldt?”

He seems a bit in awe of the shop. I’ve kept him waiting for quite a while.

“Yes, that’s me. I’m Kurt Arnoldt.”

“I’ve been expecting you. My name is Korutta. I’ve been tasked with guiding you by Baron Fernande’s border.”

“Thank you. Can we see the interior right away?”

“Yes, of course.”

I entered the shop with the man.

The exterior was magnificent, but what about the interior?

If there are any defects, we’ll need to carefully consider the interior design and operation based on them.

“This is amazing. I’ve only seen buildings as perfect as this in Baron Fernande’s estate or Duke Lenaril’s mansion.”

“Yes, it was finished by top craftsmen in Eclava, thanks to ample funding.”

“Was it really that good?”

“It used to be the main office of a bankrupt company. It was an incredibly good property in terms of location and size, but it was too valuable, and there weren’t many takers until Baron Fernande bought it last month. And on the next day of the purchase, extensive repairs began. The repairs were completed just three days ago.”

I’m speechless.

It seems this wasn’t originally managed by Baron Fernande but rather purchased for me.

I’ve received an incredible favor.

“With Baron Fernande’s commission, the craftsmen wouldn’t dare to cut corners.”

“Well, they wouldn’t want to lose their jobs in this town.”

He’s the ruler of this town.

That’s not just a title, it’s the reality.

The prosperity of this town is thanks to his power, and that’s widely recognized.

“Thank you, I’ve confirmed the current state. The next step is renovation to turn it into a shop. I plan to do that once the craftsmen arrive. In the meantime, let’s have some tea. Actually, I’ve brought some products to sell in this shop. I’d like you to taste them if you don’t mind.”

“Yes, gladly. Eating Arnoldt’s sweets in this town will be something to boast about.”

I want to hear the opinions of the people living in this town.

So, I’ve started this tea party as a way to achieve that.

◇

The tea party ends just as the craftsmen arrive.

I show them the drawings I’ve made and provide detailed explanations.

They listen earnestly to my amateurish words, and their feedback, pointing out issues and suggesting improvements, proves extremely valuable.

They quickly offer compromise solutions for technically impossible requests, helping to determine the direction.

The completion schedule, inspection frequency, and other details are decided one after another.

“Can it be done in just one month?”

“Yeah, leave it to us.”

I’m surprised by their words. I expected the extensive interior changes I requested to take at least two months, but they say it’ll take less than half of that.

“Don’t worry, we won’t cut corners. The reason it’ll be done quickly is simply because we’ve been told we can assemble enough people. Even if it’s a bit pricey, Baron Fernande insists it’s worth it.”

The unease in my mind grows.

From start to finish, it’s all on my shoulders.

Receiving this shop itself was understandable, considering it was a merit from Duke Lenaril’s dinner party. I accepted it with that understanding.

Taking on the risk of the Arnold family being crushed, and then achieving great success while increasing the influence of Duke Lenaril and Baron Fernande in the noble society, it’s something to be proud of.

But, this is just too much to receive.

“Thank you. I’ll take care of it.”

“Leave it to me. But I gotta say, I’m surprised. The prodigy of the Arnoldt family, who’s been making waves lately, has knowledge like this too.”

“Specialists are still far beyond me.”

“Well, in terms of technical expertise, sure. But these are some interesting blueprints. Who knew you had this kind of thinking? It’s certainly the way to go if you’re considering the customers. I’ll definitely use this as a reference in the future.”

Just like the chefs, these craftsmen are also hungry for new things.

Just by showing them a little direction, they absorb it all.

And with that, the instructions for the interior are done.

After parting ways with the craftsmen, I meet up with Farne and head towards Fernande’s mansion.

It seems Baron Fernande will also be joining us for dinner.

Since we’re here, let’s have a heart-to-heart chat about various things.

In the style of a Pâtisserie.