NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 36: Alas~
Falia, behind her veil, gently raised the corner of her mouth and placed the soap that Ranche had brought back on a plate. She said, "Ranche told me that Prince Viserys is prepared to sell this for 20 silver moons. I think the prince may not understand the true value of this soap in Braavos. I believe it can be sold for three gold dragons, or even five gold dragons initially."
Falia's offer was far higher than Viserys's expectations. He had thought that selling the soap at 20 silver moons was already a great deal. Before moving into the rich district, the water vendor who lived near him had to work hard for two days to earn one silver moon. Twenty silver moons was almost a month's income for him. One gold dragon could be exchanged for about 30 silver moons. Falia's suggestion of three to five gold dragons raised the price by four or five times and hinted at a high demand.
Viserys, trying not to show his shock, responded calmly, "Well, the ingredients for making soap are actually not expensive. Most of the materials needed are similar to those for whale oil candles. It's mainly the production process that is complicated and difficult." He subtly emphasized his point, glossing over the issue of underpricing.
Falia nodded slightly, understanding that the young man before her was strengthening his bargaining chip. It was her turn to make an offer.
"If the Prince is willing to cooperate, I think I can sell the soap for five gold dragons. However, if we want to reach more people, we may have to lower the price eventually. As for the distribution of profits, what are Prince's requirements?"
Viserys thought for a moment and said, "Let's split it 20/80."
Falia was visibly taken aback. "You only want 20%? I think..."
"No, I get 80%."
The atmosphere became tense. Viserys maintained a smile, feeling like a Dragonlord returning in an urban novel, though he was simply raising the stakes in their negotiation. Although he had the formula, he wasn't planning to involve himself in the workshop or the publicity. His aim was to secure around 50%.
Falia was indeed a top-notch courtesan. First, she poured a cup of tea for Viserys, and then said, "I have some friends among the Moonsingers. They are all capable and wealthy businessmen. To maintain these friendships requires some thought."
Falia implied that selling soap would require paying off the right people, and the costs would not just be raw materials and labor. While talking about the Moonsingers, she unobtrusively removed her veil.
'Holy shit, Angelina or... Khristina!?' Viserys was amazed, realizing that she was a combination of two actresses from his past life. The former was a Russian model, and the latter was known as the Rose of France. She was a courtesan, and she was very good at it!
Falia's realistic questions and her appearance became powerful arguments to convince Viserys. Although Viserys tried his best to restrain himself, he was discovered. There was nothing he could do; she was a professional. Viserys nodded in agreement.
"Besides, if we want to maximize the profits from the soap, we have to work harder. But don't worry, Prince, I will hold more banquets to let more people see the benefits of the soap as soon as possible."
Falia took a sip of tea and frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Prince Viserys, the tea may be a little cold."
"It's fine," said Viserys.
At that moment, a cool breeze blew in, making the warmth in the cabin even less. "Hmm, it's cold." Falia wrapped her cloak around her body, revealing a thrilling curve that made Viserys's heart race.
"Oh, wow," Viserys let out a soft sigh.
"Hmm? Are you not feeling well, Prince?" Falia asked. In fact, she did it on purpose.
"No, I mean the tea tastes good," Viserys covered up awkwardly.
Falia smiled lightly and didn't expose it. But this smile seemed as if it had been carved countless times in front of a mirror. Every expression was just right, making people's hearts sway.
At this time, Falia said, "I heard that Prince Viserys has a younger sister named Dany?"
Suddenly, Viserys, who had been full of springtime, suddenly became cold. It was as if he had awakened the sleeping dragon in his body. His eyes looked at Falia with murderous intent, making her shiver.
"Oh?"
Just a simple change in tone made the air around him chillier. Falia didn't know why the young man in front of her had changed so drastically. She remembered what Ranche had told her about Viserys's 'notorious reputation,' and her heart was in her throat. Forcing herself to remain calm, she took out a box from her side.
"I, I heard that Princess Dany was born in a storm, and the season with the most storms in the Narrow Sea seems to be August and September, but I don't know exactly when Princess Dany was born." She swallowed and gently opened the box in front of her, revealing a delicate necklace. "I don't know if Dany's birthday has passed, so if it hasn't, I'll give this to her as a birthday gift..."
The necklace had seven precious stones inlaid on it, the middle one a deep purple and the six surrounding it a vivid green. It was obviously very valuable. Falia looked at Viserys carefully, hardly daring to breathe.
Viserys couldn't be blamed for overreacting. The so-called big shot who coveted Dany had not yet shown his face. If he was trying to use Falia to make contact, then she would turn the tables on him.
Once he realized Falia's true intentions were innocent, he calmed down. He was impressed that she had deduced Dany's birthday from some rumors. His attitude softened, and he accepted the necklace on behalf of his little sister.
Finally, the two sides reached an agreement. For every bar of soap sold, Viserys would take half the profits, but he would give five percent to Falia for her work in marketing the dragon eggs. After all, dragon eggs were a rare commodity. In addition to the money needed to buy them, a lot of money was needed to gather information and make connections. In other words, Viserys would take half the profits, and Morel's workshop and Falia would split the remaining half.
Considering that the soap would initially be a "high-end" product, the first batch would only be 300 to 500 pieces. The second batch would be 1,000 to 1,500 pieces. By the time of the 10-day celebration, 3,000 pieces would be released. They agreed to change the name of the soap to "Shadow of the Moon." The soap is the moon, and the foam is its shadow.
After returning, Viserys sent all of his first batch of experimental products to Falia for her to handle. The two also agreed that Viserys would participate in the festival as her poet two months later. In this way, the dragon egg would be taken care of.
Meanwhile, when Helbo found out that Viserys had really met Falia and reached a cooperation agreement, he was so regretful that he almost turned blue. "Oh, yes, Lady Dany, it seems that her birthday is coming up soon. I have to prepare something nice."
He opened the secret compartment in his home and took out a handful of gold coins. He thought it wasn't enough and grabbed a few more handfuls. Ignoring the now noticeable dent in his pile, he immediately went outside to look for a gift.