Chapter 278

Tara proposes a new business to her Father with some ulterior motives...

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Episode 278. About 5 months (1)

I arrived at the business building at a run, jolting to a stop, but my father wasn't there. Dixon informed me that he'd gone on a business trip early this morning and would be back tomorrow afternoon.

My heart sank for a moment, but I was not the kind of person who could mope about something like this. I didn't have time to waste on disappointment.

Perhaps this was for the best. Going in unprepared could have been worse for me. I would need a solid business plan to persuade my father.

"Alright. Let's go. I need to write a good business proposal."

I turned to Beth urgently.

“I need you to help me find some information.”

"Yes, Miss. As your maid, I'm an expert at finding such things!"

Beth had truly become a 1 in 100 talent. Together, we walked to the library in the office building.

“By the way, Miss, why are you preparing this all of a sudden?”

“If this succeeds, my troubles will be no more. I'll finally be free from my shackles! So, Beth, sharpen your eyes and help me find what I need!”

"I have no idea what you're talking about, My Lady, but if you say it's important, I'll do my best to find it for you!"

I gave Beth a silent thumbs up and spent the entire night crafting the business plan that would finally save me and my damned family.

***

May 29th. Count Elias’s office in the business wing. Evening.

“The Spencer family is currently plagued by scheming relatives who want to take the place of the eldest son. Fortunately, the leader of House Spencer's knights is a loyal vassal. This time, he proposed a joint training exercise with our family. I assume this is due to House Elias's change in status after the heart medicine was put on the market. It seems they are seeking to connect with the Second Prince."

Father had been smiling a lot these days.

The heart medicine which bore the Emperor's name had been selling so well that the corners of his mouth were permanently curved upwards.

[The word on the street is that we'll soon be the third richest family in the Empire, my lady].

That was what Dylan had said this morning.

"I'm sure everyone who doesn't know the details will think the same. But why reach out to our family instead of His Highness the Second Prince himself... Oh! Did he refuse them? Or did His Highness ask them to do it?"

“Oh. You're right, it’s the latter. That bastard... I mean, His Highness the Second Prince told Count Spencer to demonstrate his support. Tha- His Highness was the one who initially asked for their support, but now he won’t accept their offer so easily, even though they've reached out. The Second Prince's position has changed considerably.”

My father squared his shoulders, stroking his mustache as if this was excellent news.

The Second Prince had refused Count Spencer but reached out to House Elias. And we'd been the first as well.

My father seemed proud of the fact that our family was seen as close to the Second Prince and had been given access to a circle the Spencers had been denied.

But why was he suddenly talking about Kyle with so many honorifics?

The use of the word “bastard” to describe Kyle had disappeared from my father's lexicon so abruptly that I was tempted to ask about it. But that wasn't important right now.

“Oh, yes... I. Father, I heard that Logan is leading the joint training exercise.”

“Oh, yes. Well, since he is in charge of the Elias Knights, I asked him to lead the joint training, and he accepted. He's decided to submit a leave of absence to the Ministry of Security for it.”

“I see.”

I paused for a moment, formulating my next words carefully.

"Why? Do you have something to tell me?"

“Well, Father, isn't there a piece of land we bought near the Eastern Knights training grounds?”

Early last year, shortly before I'd started trying to lose weight, there had been a project that Jason had been ambitiously pursuing. He'd wanted to build a large carpentry shop in the East, similar to House Toulouse's workshop in the Capital.

The Capital Carpentry Shop run by House Toulouse made expensive furniture for the Capital’s aristocrats which sold at very high prices.

Commoners often wanted similar furniture to the nobility, so they often asked other workshops to make them. The resulting copycat works only increased the value of the furniture made by House Toulouse.

In an attempt to copy that business model, Jason had bought a huge plot of land in the East with the intention of building a workshop there.

My father frowned when I mentioned the land.

The smile he'd been wearing this whole time vanished.

“He bought that piece of land in such a remote place that no one wants to live there. I've tried to sell it for half the market price, but no one wants to buy it.”

“That's why I want to make some suggestions, Father.”

“For what?”

I opened my briefcase and laid out the papers, references, and business plan I'd prepared on his desk. Then I opened the door and invited the people waiting there inside.

At my command, two servants entered carrying large wooden panels and stood on either side of me.

"What's all this about, Tara?"

I began to explain, attaching the materials I had prepared on the panels one by one.

“Father, as soon as I heard yesterday that Logan was going to the East, I immediately thought of that worthless land and I'd like to try to rehabilitate it. Would you like to hear my plan, Father?”

"Really? Excellent. Let's hear it."

I took out the pointer I had prepared in advance from my bag, stood in front of the panels, and began calmly explaining my plan in a controlled tone of voice.

“When people think of furniture, this is what they typically envision. And...”

I went through each section one by one with my pointer while I explained.

“The revenue model would work like this... If the pricing was set to be cheaper compared to typical furniture products... The distribution structure and demand forecast appears to be something like this. If we initially focus on image advertising to change perceptions....”

My explanation continued for about 10 more minutes, and when I had exhausted all my visuals, I put down the pointer and added my final conclusion.

“We should focus on standardizing essential furniture that the common people would use, along with hands-on service. So to summarize, I'm thinking of setting up a woodworking shop and furniture store on the site, divided into sections.”

“Prefabricated furniture, not custom-made?”

“Yes, Dad, I would name the business...”

I snapped my mouth shut.

“Already. You've even thought of a name?”

“Oh. No. I think it would be best to decide on the name after gathering further input.”

I was going to suggest [IKEA] which sounded like the phrase "Do it Yourself", but I felt ashamed of the idea of such blatant thievery. That would be stealing both the name and concept of an existing brand.*

"I see, sounds excellent."

Father flipped through the business plan and materials I'd prepared in silence. After a pause, he summoned Dylan.

"Put this on the agenda for the branch president's meeting tomorrow morning, and if the majority agrees, proceed with a feasibility study for the project."

"...!"

My jaw almost dropped at his swift agreement, but I held in my shock and managed to keep a straight face. 

My father looked at me seriously, "If the branch leaders oppose it, we won't do it, and even if they approve it none of it will go forward if it's deemed even slightly unsuitable.

“Yes. Of course.”

“I was worried that you had lost your desire to become the Family Head, but you have always had the best interests of House Elias at heart. I'm proud of you, Tara Elias. If we decide to pursue this project, I want you to be the one to take charge of it.”

Yes!

I quickly composed my expression.

"But Father, technically this is Logan's area since he's taken over Jason's duties. I don't think it's fair for me to take over. Of course, since I'm the one who planned it I'll happily assist him as necessary and be happy to take a business trip for it. But I still think he should share responsibility for this opportunity and deserves some of the credit."

Father studied my determined expression as if trying to gauge the truth behind my words.

“Hmm. I suppose you have a point. But you're in the middle of a competition for the headship, and you're okay with this giving Logan an advantage in the competition?”

My expression turned serious.

“Of course not. I'd like to be credited as the creator of the business and given a fair share of the profits when the business is successfully established. I'm content with that.”

My father stroked his chin and chuckled.

“Okay. I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow, then.”

“Yes, Father.”

I bowed and rushed back to the office to add more material to my presentation for tomorrow's meeting.

***

1 week later. The evening of June 5th. House Elias.

Good things came all at once. Bernard passed the final practical exam.

When he received the letter inviting him to attend the banquet in mid-June, he looked puzzled before letting out a roar of joy.

The business plan I had proposed to my father had passed the feasibility test, and in addition, Logan was receptive to my business proposal.

For the first time in a long time, I felt both euphoric and anxious at the same time. I wondered if it was because, in my experience, when things were going too well, one thing inevitably went wrong.

Nevertheless, I decided to enjoy my good fortune for the time being.

After dinner, Logan asked me to take a walk with him and then started walking away without even waiting for my response.

Chloe and Aria, who were with me, were surprised by Logan’s suggestion as well.

“Hmm. Logan is asking you to go for a walk? That's a surprise. And that business plan of yours, are you two in cahoots or something?”

I turned my head at Chloe’s sharp question.

___

Editor’s Notes -

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a wonderful holiday season!

* This is complicated, but coincidentally the Korean phrase 'do it like this" 이렇게 해 봐요/iroke hae bwayo looks and sounds quite similar to the brand name for IKEA 이케해/ikehae. Which is super fitting because IKEA is a self-assembly furniture brand. IKEA Korea basically has a built in slogan. I can't blame Tara for wanting to plagiarize this stroke of marketing genius, but in English this is borderline untranslatable. 

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