Chapter 500: The Expanding Circle
Since it was still before lunch, I decided that the two of them would try it out in the afternoon. I had planned to immediately make additional shampoo and conditioner after lunch, but the schedule had slipped a little. In the meantime, I might as well write a letter to my dear sister-in-law, Mika.
“Julius, what have you made this time?”
“Hmm… could it be that the ladies are becoming even more beautiful because of you, Julius?”
During lunch, both Alex-niisan and Father said this to me. It seemed they no longer even entertained the idea that it might not be my doing. And, of course, I couldn’t deny it—it was the truth.
Apparently, they had been subtly gathering information, because later in the evening they asked if they could try it too. Of course, that was fine by me.
After lunch, I had intended to wait in the salon while Sister-in-law Daniela and Rosalia took their showers. But somehow, Fabienne and I were dragged along as well. Why…?
Despite my confusion, I washed their hair and, with a little magic, dried it for them. Naturally, both of them ended up with hair as beautiful as Fabienne’s and Mother’s.
The two of them stood in front of the bathroom mirror, staring in dumbfounded silence. Was it really that shocking? I couldn’t tell, but Fabienne seemed to understand the effect perfectly, nodding in approval. I suppose there are some things in this world that men simply cannot comprehend.
“Julius, what are you planning to do with this shampoo and conditioner?”
“Well, I’m going to make a rose-scented version for Mother and Fabienne. Then, I plan to present it to my sister-in-law Mika in the royal capital. Of course, I’ll also make one for Sister-in-law Daniela. Is it alright if the scent is the same?”
“Thank you, Julius. Yes, please make it the same.”
Sister-in-law Daniela sometimes hesitates in odd ways. We’re family through marriage, so there’s no need for such restraint. I also promised Rosalia that I’d make a special version just for her, seeing the longing expression on her face. That should do it.
With their newly radiant hair flowing behind them, the two of them returned to the Heine Trading Company. I wonder if Alex-niisan and Edward will be surprised… Perhaps it’s better not to go there today. I have a feeling it might turn into quite a commotion.
The afternoon was spent in the alchemy room. Using the rose perfume delivered by the servants, I began crafting a luxurious shampoo and conditioner. In hindsight, I should have consulted Mother from the start and secured the perfume myself.
“Master, is this hair the result of the earlier shampoo and conditioner?”
“Yes. I’ll keep some in the bath for everyone, so you can try it too.”
“Ohhhh!” came the cheer. The most enthusiastic voice was Lila-san’s, of course. Perhaps it would be a good idea to add the rose scent to the limited quantities intended for everyone else.
If so, should I make separate versions for men and women? No, better to make a fragrance-free type as well.
I had already taught Fabienne how to make the shampoo and conditioner, so once we settled on the amount of fragrance, the rest was up to her. Meanwhile, I finally wrote the letter to Sister-in-law Mika and prepared the sparring tickets.
“How many sparring tickets should I make? Oh, I need to include an expiration date too. Nero, what do you think?”
“Well, Master Julius, you’ll be helping with the horse race operations during the summer vacation. If there are too many tickets, you might not have time to rest. I think five should be sufficient.”
“Alright, five it is.”
At that pace, it should be about once a week—manageable. No need to worry about counterfeiting, right? I’ll just keep track of the tickets used.
In the end, the entire day was spent making shampoo and conditioner.
Since we were at it, I decided to provide some for the knights as well. Many of them surely have damaged hair. Since the fragrance could be distracting in battle, I opted to make only the unscented type for them.
By evening, I gathered the household and the knights and gave a lecture on how to use the shampoo and conditioner. For some reason, the majority of attendees were women. It reminded me once again how high their pursuit of beauty is. In the future, I should consult the women when making beauty-related products.
Afterward, the Heine Frontier Count’s household became filled with people sporting halos of gleaming, healthy hair. Let’s spread the halos far and wide, I thought—men and women alike, including those serving in the knights.
Some female knights requested scented versions, so I allowed them to use the fragrant products only on the night before their days off. I felt a little guilty about this restriction, but they were delighted nonetheless.
Naturally, the shampoo and conditioner went on sale at the Heine Trading Company. We are currently recruiting additional staff. Thankfully, these are daily-use products. Since the recipe is secret, it won’t be easily copied elsewhere for now. In the meantime, we can firmly establish the Heine brand. Heh heh.
The day came when Alex-niisan and Sister-in-law Daniela were leaving for the royal capital. I entrusted them with the letters and the shampoo and conditioner, asking them to deliver them to Sister-in-law Mika.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure Mika-chan gets them.”
“I’ll also give Cain the healing potions Julius made.”
“Thank you very much.”
If I give the healing potions to Cain-niisan, he’ll surely put them to good use—either for himself or to give to someone else. It seems the reputation of Heine Trading Company’s potions is spreading.
“I’m sure Mother will be delighted with the shampoo and conditioner Julius made.”
Indeed. While preparing the gift for Sister-in-law Mika, I also decided to present some to Her Majesty the Queen, following Mother’s strong recommendation that “she would absolutely want it.” I had to agree.
I had debated whether to teach the royal palace’s alchemists the method, but since this isn’t a magical potion, I decided against it. If sales go well, I can simply hire more staff. Making it a daily-use product really paid off here.
For now, it probably won’t spread among the commoners, so production will focus on the nobility. Secretly, I plan to sell it as a high-end luxury item. The profit margins could be incredible. I’m actually looking forward to it. I’ll need to make sure the employees get generous wages.