“Now all the items to be brought to the next training exercise have been decided.”
With the types of canned goods decided, the types of items Kent would prepare were also decided. Next, they had to set the unit prices, calculate the final amount based on the number of items ordered, and bill the Duke’s family. In a normal business negotiation, the unit prices would be presented first, but this time, convenience was prioritized over the amount, so the presentation of the unit prices was postponed.
“Well then, it’s my turn next. Kent, sit down there.”
“Huh? Y-Yes.”
Kokomet, seated at the round table where the meeting was held, gestured for Kent to sit next to her.
“Now, let’s confirm the unit prices. First, the cassette stove. What are the unit prices for the main unit and the cassette gas cylinder?”
“Um…”
Kokomet placed a table on the table with the delivery list. The paper only listed the names of the merchandise, with the boxes left blank. Kokomet prepared a pen and ink, ready to write at any moment. Kent said the unit prices in order, and she wrote them down on the list.
“Now we have all the unit prices. You, can I decide the number of items to order on my own?”
“Ah, I feel more relieved if Kokomet decides rather than me, so I’ll leave it to you.”
“Understood.”
After confirming with the Duke if she could unilaterally decide the number of items to order, Kokomet wrote them down on the list.
“Amazing. You’re writing like you’re just copying it.”
“Mother is amazing. That calculation speed is abnormal.”
Looking at Kokomet’s hands, after writing down the quantities, she had also written the amounts next to them. The speed at which she wrote them, despite presumably multiplying the unit prices by the quantities, was as if she were simply transcribing them.
“Alright, this is the total. Kent, could you please check if it’s correct?”
“P-Please wait a moment.”
The list handed to Kent had the unit price, quantity, and amount listed next to each item’s name, with all the fields filled in, and the total amount indicated.
“Could it be that Kent uses some kind of tool for calculations?”
“I can do it by hand, but I’d prefer to use one for accuracy.”
Kokomet asked Kent as she said so. Kent also wanted to calculate accurately, so he felt the need for that tool.
“I see, I understand. Elnet, Kent wants to go “pheasant hunting.” Go with him.”
“Mother, it’s not “pheasant hunting,” it’s “accompanying” him.”
“I don’t mind if you “hunt” a pheasant either?”
“M-Mother!”
“Pheasant hunting” is a euphemism for men going to relieve themselves, but Elnet’s face turned bright red, embarrassed by Kokomet’s suggestive remark.
“Here, Kent doesn’t know how to use it, right? I’ll go with you.”
“Huh? Well, I didn’t come here to use the restroom.”
Kent was led by Elnet out of the meeting room and into another room a little distance away.
“So this is the Duke’s family’s restroom.”
“If you get used to the toilets at Kent’s house or Marie’s Bakery, wouldn’t this one be too spacious and make you feel uneasy?”
“Indeed. It might be unsettling to have just one chamber pot placed in the middle of such a large room.”
Elnet led him to the guest restroom. It was more like a regular room with a chamber pot placed in it, and the windows were covered with curtains to prevent visibility from the outside.
“Though no one will likely enter, I should lock it just in case.”
*Click*
Elnet said so and locked the restroom door.
“So, do you need assistance?”
“I-I already told you, I didn’t come here to relieve myself.”
“In that case, you should have said so from the beginning. I can’t believe Kent was mistaken about what Mother meant; he’s such a helpless guy.”
Elnet said so and began to undress.
“I feel a little guilty about doing this in the restroom.”
“Elnet, why are you taking off your clothes?”
“Aren’t we going to “accompany” each other?”
“Ah, so that conversation was still going on.”
Elnet seemed to have believed Kokomet’s words completely and intended to “accompany” him.
“After making me go this far, you’re not going to “accompany” me?”
“I can’t help it. If we take too long, everyone will be waiting, so I’ll make it quick.”
“Yay! Ah!”
Kent gently embraced Elnet, who looked happy. He felt the sensation of her skin as she undressed and was quickly ready.
“Oh, you were faster than I expected.”
“I-Is that so?”
“Hahahaha!”
After Kent finished once inside Elnet, he retrieved the item he wanted from the terminal and returned to the meeting room with Elnet. In response to Kokomet’s teasing remark, Elnet answered with a bright red face, and Kent could only offer a wry smile.
“It seems to have been a big ‘pheasant’.”
“If it was a big ‘pheasant,’ then it can’t be helped.”
The Duke and Evarist seemed to think that their delayed return was because they had gone to the restroom for a “big one.”
“Well, let me get back to calculating.”
*Clatter clatter clatter*
“Elnet, Kent is using a peculiar device. What is that?”
“It’s a machine called a calculator. It’s a convenient tool that calculates by simply pressing the buttons with numbers on them.”
“Oh, really? They have things like that too.”
Since Kent was using a calculator, Kokomet judged that she shouldn’t interrupt and asked Elnet about the device Kent was using.
“It looks convenient. I want that tool too.”
“A tool that can calculate just by entering numbers? Kent has all sorts of strange tools.”
The Duke and Evarist looked at the calculator with longing.
“…The total is, let’s see. Yes, it seems correct. But to calculate all of this just using your head, Kokomet-san, you’re amazing.”
“Oh, oh, you’re complimenting me so much, but I won’t get any arousal from it.”
“I-Is that so?”
Kent was a little perplexed about how to respond to Kokomet’s joke. However, her calculations were flawless, and he once again thought of her as a very capable woman.
“I’ve got the total amount, but this alone won’t do.”
“Huh?”
Kokomet took the list with the amount written on it and said that to Kent. Kent thought there might be some deficiency, but he couldn’t recall anything.
“This amount is the procurement cost, right? With this, Kent’s profit is zero.”
“Th-That’s…”
Kent had no intention of making a profit from this transaction, as he was regularly indebted to the Duke’s family. Therefore, he had declared the amount required to procure each item from the terminal. Kokomet pointed this out to him.
“To conduct business without any profit just because you’re indebted is a disqualification as a merchant. In cases like this, you must always charge to ensure at least a small profit.”
“Y-Yes.”
Kokomet admonished Kent as she said so.
“According to my assessment, if we recalculate the items procured this time to their final appropriate retail price… it would be this.”
Saying so, Kokomet took out a new piece of paper. it was a list with the same product names as before.
“Oh, hey. The amount is incredible.”
The Duke looked at the list Kokomet presented with a surprised expression.
“What is this? The amount is completely different.”
Evarist also looked at the list in surprise.
“Hey, what is this amount?”
“Huh? What kind of calculation resulted in this amount?”
Elnet and Kent also looked at the newly presented list in surprise. Each unit price had been recalculated with an additional mark-up of two to ten times, and the total amount had increased by about seven times.
“You all look puzzled. The items lined up here are all things that absolutely cannot be made even with our country’s highest level of technology. Such items, produced in such an advanced technological environment, could not possibly be obtained at such a low price. It’s only natural to add a price commensurate with their value.”
Kokomet stated the reason for the increased prices clearly.
“Kent, you didn’t think the amount would be this high even after adding the profit margin, did you? The value of the products you handle is this high. Have more confidence in the products you handle.”
“Yes.”
Kent had been thinking of adding about a 30% profit margin. Kokomet looked like she understood and said to Kent.
“Even so, if we suddenly raise the price of items currently sold at their current price to their true value, a riot would break out. This is a piece of motherly advice, but be careful from now on.”
Kokomet’s stern expression softened, and she gave Kent kind advice.
