(Menger-Ahmed)

Damn it.

I looked at the scribbled text that looked like child's graffiti, my hands trembling.

If the inability to revitalize Casa do Penedo is a long-lasting despair, then what will happen to me, who ruined this opportunity? Will I regret it madly? Or should I just end it all?

The sweet taste of Gimlet still lingered in my mouth. Compared to the red and white wines on the market, its flavor was sweeter and smoother, lacking the bitterness of alcohol and filled with the fragrance of fruits. But more importantly, its uniqueness. If I could sell this innovative product alone, how many adventurous people would frequent Casa do Penedo?

Certainly, the number would be terrifying.

But even more terrifying is the document in my hand!

Although the font is childish and appalling, every word and sentence are the complete opposite - detailed and precise, like a military strategy guide. The writer has analyzed each marketing step in a simple and clear manner, providing multiple options and listing the advantages and disadvantages of each handling method. It is all clear at a glance!

"I can't imagine that this article was written by a twelve-year-old girl..."

"And even worse, I underestimated it..."

"I am such a fool."

I once again realized my shortcomings as the guild president. But compared to deep introspection, there is clearly another important thing I must do at this moment!

I quickly stood up and rushed out of the lobby, scanning the surroundings with my eyes. Then I walked straight towards that mysterious girl with black hair and red eyes. Berany, who was originally standing beside her, cooperatively left for a while, giving us a chance to be alone. Before she left, she secretly patted my butt as a warning, not to take this matter lightly!

"It seems that Berany realized the importance of Little Blue earlier than me..." I chuckled bitterly in my heart.

Unlike what I imagined, Miss Lanong's face no longer had that cute expression full of anger. Instead, there was a strange smile, like that of a black cat, making it difficult for me to face her.

No!

What I need to do is very clear. Yes, first and foremost, I need to apologize sincerely!

But...

"Dear Guild Master, let's play a game, shall we?"

Before I could speak, Miss Lanong preempted me. She casually sat on a high stool, crossing her legs in an elegant posture that didn't match her age. She raised an eyebrow and said in a nonchalant tone, "This game is called Two Bids. You have two chances to propose the conditions for hiring me. If you can't offer a benefit that can make me compromise within these two bids, then I will have no choice but to leave Casa do Penedo."

Looking at Miss Lanong's changed face, I frowned.

I asked her directly, "How much do you want?"

She tilted her head and laughed as if she heard a joke, "Naturally, the more, the better, right? Well, I can give you this hint, if I answer every question without holding back, then this Two Bids game will lose its interest."

Witch.

In the face of this completely unfamiliar Miss Lanong, the term suddenly flashed in my mind, adding a touch of innocent charm to her eyes. But she was not a rooted flower, but an unpredictable shadow. Since I wanted her help, I had to present a reasonable condition in return.

In other words, this is a game of estimation.

As a business owner, of course, I want to hire this employee at the lowest price possible. Conversely, Miss Lanong would want to obtain the greatest benefit for herself. In this case, both sides should have a bottom line that they can accept. Once this bottom line is exceeded, the transaction will fail and end in a break-up!

Therefore, the key is to submit a bid within the two chances that is closest to the other party's bottom line. That will be my victory.But that is by no means an easy task.

"Please give me some time to think," I asked her.

"You have fifteen minutes," she also gave me a pitifully short amount of time.

My mood suddenly became restless. Even as the Royal Knight Commander, I had never felt such a heavy sense of crisis. But now, Miss Lannong, who was unarmed, was making me sweat profusely. The stakes in this gamble were not just my own life, but also the very survival of Casa do Penedo.

"Calm down, Menger!" I shouted loudly in my mind, trying to clear my brain and compare and analyze the salaries of all the maids in town. It was disheartening because Miss Lannong couldn't be directly compared to the other maids, or rather, her value was not just that of a simple maid!

"Perhaps I should think about it from Gimlet's perspective instead..."

First, I needed to consider how much profit this new product called Gimlet could bring me. Since there were no actual sales data to refer to, I had to estimate the price and sales volume of Gimlet based on similar alcoholic products. Furthermore, if the ideas in that proposal could be implemented successfully, based on my experience, Casa do Penedo could generate a profit of at least fifty gold per month. Clearly, this business opportunity was like a golden bird egg falling from the sky!

However, Gimlet's selling point was still its uniqueness. If I couldn't control it along with its creator, its uniqueness could easily disappear due to Miss Lannong leaving. And the worst-case scenario would be if all my competitors received a proposal identical to the one I had in my hands. In that case, although we would have a new product, the increase in customer flow to Casa do Penedo would not be significant compared to other advantages in the industry.

Yes, I had to keep Miss Lannong.

At this moment, I also started bargaining. I proposed: "A one-year contract as a maid with a salary of thirty gold per month. During your employment, you cannot disclose any information about Gimlet. Otherwise, it will be considered a breach of contract and you will not receive any compensation."

However, even facing a sky-high salary of thirty gold per month, the amnesiac girl in front of me remained unmoved, still maintaining her lukewarm smile. She fell silent for a moment and simply replied, "No, I'm worth more."

"This amnesiac girl is too greedy!"

I immediately frowned at her insatiable greed and said coldly, "Although it is despicable, you have already shown me the formula for Gimlet. Even if you take the formula and look for another Adventurer's Guild, you will not receive a higher treatment than what I can offer here. If I were you, I would immediately agree to this price!"

She paused for a moment, as if about to faint, and held her forehead with a disappointed tone saying, "I can't believe you're angry with me. Have you not recognized the essence of this game yet, President Ehad? You could have easily tricked me into buying an endless fried rabbit, but why can't you see this simple trick?"

"I don't care about your..."

I was about to be provoked by her sarcastic tone and burst out in anger, but Berany, who stood behind the amnesiac girl, secretly raised a finger to her lips, urgently warning me with her eyes.

Luckily, a flash of insight struck me, and I finally understood the mystery of this game.

"Little Blue, shouldn't this game be called a fixed price instead of a two-price game?"

Little Blue smiled slightly, removed the fake enchantment, and said regretfully, "Yes, no matter how much you initially offer, I will only demand more. Therefore, the initial offer itself doesn't hold any meaning, and yet you gave it unnecessary significance, making me, someone who doesn't understand the market, realize my lowest value—at least thirty gold coins per month."

Yes, Little Blue was right...I shouldn't be angry with her...

Because I should be more furious with my own foolishness!

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