Chapter 231 The White Strawberry Sparks a Frenzy: Attention from All Sides, and Their Purpose...
In the season when everything withers, even green vegetables are scarce, let alone freshly picked fruit.
With the hype generated over those two months, the store unsurprisingly attracted a lot of attention as soon as it opened.
The shop was always packed with customers, most of whom were people of some standing. They would all take some strawberries home after entering the shop.
The first day's fifteen boxes of strawberries were all sold out before dinner time.
The next day, Lei brought twenty boxes of strawberries, which sold out quickly again.
Winter is already boring enough, with only stored apples and citrus fruits to eat, but who can resist the sweet and sour taste of strawberries?
The young masters and ladies of various families in the royal city became major customers of the fruit shop.
Seeing how booming the strawberry business is, many merchants have come up with the same idea.
However, Lai's strawberry seeds all come from the Elf Kingdom and are a special variety, naturally incomparable to ordinary seeds.
In addition, both greenhouses have magic circles that gather magical elements, resulting in strawberries with a higher wood element content and a better taste than ordinary varieties.
Even if they buy strawberries from Lei and take them back to get the seeds, they still can't completely replicate this taste.
Furthermore, Lei has already taken the lead in large-scale planting.
However, some businesses have already started stocking strawberries in the market.
To achieve their goal, they hired many wood-elemental mages to expedite the growth of strawberries using magic.
However, Lei did not show any negative emotions in the face of this situation.
Compared to their investments, his costs were lower.
Ray has already seized the initiative, not to mention he has a "secret weapon" in his hands.
After a brief period of stagnation, the fruit shop's business gradually stabilized. They were selling thirty boxes of strawberries daily, earning a fixed income of three gold coins.
In fact, the store could sell more than that, but Lei has always limited the quantity.
Every morning, all five adults had to go out to pick fruit, and after picking, they also had to pack the fruit into boxes.
To ensure the quality of the strawberries sold and to avoid tiring everyone out, we have to control the quantity of strawberries.
Cher and his companions were somewhat disappointed that they couldn't help Lai earn more gold coins.
All Lai could do was offer a few words of comfort, telling them that the busy part was yet to come and there was no need to rush.
The daily income from selling strawberries is just a drop in the bucket for Ray; he's more looking forward to orders from large parties, which are the main source of his money-making plan.
Unfortunately, although strawberries are very popular among young people, they do not have actual decision-making power.
A large ball would last for two to three weeks and would be entirely organized by the lady of the house.
Holding a banquet can not only demonstrate a family's wealth, status, and connections, but it can also serve as an entry ticket to social circles.
Young people meet potential partners at the ball, while adults use this social event to maintain relationships with other families and to secure collaborations for the coming year.
To get back to the point, the red strawberries that the fruit shop recently introduced haven't yet caught the eye of you adults.
Only a few minor noble families had ordered some strawberries from Lai's restaurant for their dinner parties.
He needs some stronger publicity.
"Lord Ray, the goods have been sent to Baron Edmund. He asked me to bring you a case of rum."
Duncan drove the carriage back to the manor, and he and Cher carried a whole case of bottled rum into the living room.
"It's a new wine that was opened in the cellar this year in Zhuoer City."
Cher took a bottle out of the wooden box and showed it to Ray; the bottle had a bright red wax seal on the mouth.
Would you like to try some?
"No, Cher, just put it in the cellar."
"yes."
Cher and Karma worked together to carry a case of liquor into the basement.
The fruit shop's business is gradually getting back on track.
Diana and Karma took turns minding the store. With Vincent around and the area being very safe, they weren't worried about anyone causing trouble at the store.
Cher and Lai stopped going to the fruit shop as often for the time being.
Edmund has been a great help all along, and now that the strawberries in the greenhouse are ripe, Ray naturally wouldn't leave their family out.
He didn't know many people in the royal city, except for Neil's uncle Edmund and the bounty hunter Anderson.
In any case, necessary social interactions still need to be maintained.
"Young Master, are you sure we're only bringing five boxes of 'Pink Snow' to the store tomorrow?"
"Pink Snow" is the name that Lei gave to the pink strawberry.
In addition to white strawberries, Lei also grows some pink strawberries.
Ray paused, his pen still in his hand, and looked at the old butler, Cher.
What do you think?
"Given the current situation in the store, ten boxes wouldn't be a problem. Diana said that in the past few days, four groups of people have come to inquire about how many strawberries we have left, and whether it's enough to supply a ball for a hundred people."
"Where did they hear that we could supply large quantities of strawberries?"
Cher shook his head.
"They didn't say."
"There are definitely enough strawberries, but we can't trust them too much to get them from us unless they pay a sufficient deposit in advance."
Five boxes of Powder Snow should be enough. Let's see how it goes, and then decide whether to increase it to ten boxes the next day. Our goal isn't to sell, but to show it to the adults.
"yes!"
The demand for strawberries is increasing every day. To ensure supply, Lai has stocked up on a day's worth in her ring space in advance, just in case.
The powdered snow was put on the shelves as planned and placed in the most conspicuous position in the shop window, where passersby could see it as soon as they walked by.
As expected, many customers came to the store to inquire on the first day.
When they learned that the strawberry called Pink Snow was not unripe, but rather of this particular variety, they couldn't help but marvel.
Ray generously allowed Diana to share the food with every guest who inquired, and only after tasting it did they begin to truly believe that the food was indeed ripe.
Immediately, someone wanted to buy all five boxes.
However, the other guests present immediately objected when they heard there were only five boxes available. Diana swiftly invoked the one-box limit, quietly defusing a potential conflict.
Leigh stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor, taking in the entire scene.
The next morning, as soon as the shop's business sign was hung up, the sound of a copper bell came from the doorway.
The other person was well-dressed and had the demeanor of a gentleman, and was followed by a young male servant.
Well-prepared butler Cher was not to be outdone; he was also someone who had hosted many big events.
"I am the steward of the Duke of Eugene’s mansion. I would like to discuss some matters with your shop owner. I wonder if he is available today."
"Please wait a moment while I give you my briefing."
"Please go ahead."
The two watched Cher go upstairs, then turned to observe the situation inside the store.
"Can I try some 'powder snow'?"
"Can."
Diana didn't show any timidity; during this time, she had already met many ladies of high status.
Lei had also reminded her that perhaps someone of higher status would come to the store, and that she should just remain as she normally was.
Diana's attitude impressed the visitors, further enhancing their positive impression of the store. They couldn't help but become even more curious about the owner behind the scenes.
"Please go ahead."
Diana used a pair of clothespins to place two pink strawberries on a small silver plate, then carried them by hand and handed them to the two people.
Some guests have certain requirements regarding the hygiene of the food they eat.
Leigh didn't ignore their needs in this regard, but instead tried her best to do everything perfectly so that the guests wouldn't have any problems.
The man in the lead used a small silver knife he carried to remove the strawberry stems. He ate slowly, as if he were tasting and evaluating the powder snow.
Diana noticed that the scabbard of the silver knife and the man's cane were decorated with jewels, and she began to have some guesses.
"Please go ahead."
After going downstairs, Cher led Duke Eugene's butler to the second floor.
The second floor, also not a large space, was decorated as a small living room, where Lei sat leisurely.
"I heard from Butler Cher that you were looking for me."
What the two talked about upstairs remains unknown to Cher and Diana.
But that afternoon, the shop received a large order from the Duke of Eugene's mansion, along with a deposit of thirty gold coins.
Five days later, Lei delivered all the strawberries on the order to a magnificent building in the heart of the royal city.
The next day, the magical strawberry that appeared at the Grand Duke Eugene's banquet caused a sensation in high society.
The ladies who had already tasted it praised it to their companions who hadn't yet.
"Those white strawberries have both the sweetness of strawberries and a subtle milky aroma."
Almost every lady of standing was asking the Duchess of Eugene where they had found such a wonderful fruit.
Praise for the banquet was endless.
The flattery and praise from the crowd eventually won over the Duchess, or rather, the Duchess felt a great sense of satisfaction.
She finally talked about white strawberries.
"The growing conditions for this type of strawberry are very demanding,"
Growing strawberries in winter is indeed very troublesome.
"It needs to be watered with precious nutrient solution every day,"
Ordinary well water will suffice. With the small props made by the dwarfs, there's no need for manual watering; just fill the two large vats in the greenhouse, open the props, and put them into the water.
"Each one contains extremely rich magical energy, which can make one feel incredibly energetic,"
The magic circle did indeed enhance the magical elements of the strawberries and vegetables within a certain range.
"There aren't many of them."
Several thousand plants have been planted, and the manor can supply an unlimited amount if you need them and have enough gold coins.
These rumors continued to circulate over two days, and just as the hype began to die down, Lei gave them a little push.
White strawberries can enhance one's physical condition, including but not limited to whitening, improving sleep, and having magical benefits.
The proportion of humans who can awaken magic is already small, so any means or things that can facilitate awakening are worth trying for some people.
In times of turmoil, the mainland is martial and people admire strength more than ever before.
Everyone knows that anything that supposedly greatly helps magic is probably just a gimmick.
But it's better to believe it exists than not to believe it doesn't; nobody wants to fall behind.
Lai's fruit shop became famous, with people asking about white strawberries every day.
A shop that specializes in selling strawberries in winter, and in addition to red strawberries, it also offers a limited supply of pink strawberries every day.
The association of pink strawberries with even lighter-colored white strawberries is so obvious that it's hard for anyone not to notice the shop.
Although Lei didn't openly display the white strawberries, it didn't stop people from making assumptions.
Even if you can't buy white strawberries, the ten boxes of Pink Snow strawberries available each day sell out as soon as the store opens.
Seeing how booming business was at Lai's store, how could other fruit merchants not be envious?
In order to thoroughly refute the miraculous effects of white strawberries, they acquired several at a high price and sent them to the Mage Association for evaluation.
Some more rational people also sent the white strawberries to the White Tower and the Vatican.
The claim that it "helps with magic" is far too sensational; if it's determined to be fake news, Lai will not only be unable to do business, but he'll even struggle to establish himself in the royal city.
All eyes were on the White Tower and the Holy See, the two most authoritative places on the continent.
With Ryan's endorsement, Lai knew exactly what was going on with his strawberries.
So many eyes were drawn to the shop that even Edmund, who was busy with official duties, made time to personally greet them.
"Did you really grow the white strawberries?"
Ray took Edmund to see the second greenhouse.
"You've really impressed me!"
People stopped camping out at fruit vendors every day and instead waited for the final result. It felt like the calm before a storm.
For several days, the Vatican remained silent. However, a rumor began to circulate from the White Tower.
"It can replenish a mage's magic by a very small amount, but it is almost negligible."
The news sent the market into a frenzy.
On the mainland, only a small portion of the energy contained in monster meat and magical plants can be absorbed by the human body. They are expensive, require special cooking methods, and generally taste mediocre.
It is a special ingredient that is highly sought after.
As a result, some people began to hunt small magical beasts specifically to sell to butchers, just like the residents of the small mountain village did back then.
Magical plants are poisonous and are mostly used in potion making. Magical plants that have undergone detoxification treatment are practically inedible.
That's why hybrid varieties of magical plants and ordinary vegetables were created.
The comment about white strawberries from Baita's side was lukewarm, containing no praise or recommendation whatsoever.
However, this speech did not dampen everyone's enthusiasm for white strawberries.
Instead, it gave the strawberry an extra layer of label, as certified by the "Grand Magister of the White Tower".
After all, there are very few foods that can be eaten directly, taste good, and can increase magical energy.
"There is no ability to unleash potential, really no."
Diana and Cher had to explain dozens of times every day, but blindly believing people still came to inquire when the sale would begin.
Lai achieved his goal, and the strawberries sparked a "white" craze in the city.
We receive several orders every day from banquets.
Even if they can't get white strawberries, having pink strawberries at their banquet is still a great honor.
Those relatively well-off aristocrats became the main consumer group for Pink Snow.
Currently, only the Grand Duke of Eugene has purchased white strawberries. The attitude of the store is neither to deny nor confirm, and no one can determine the specific source of the strawberries.
Some have even begun to speculate that the fruit shop is just jumping on the bandwagon of white strawberries and doesn't actually have any to offer.
However, a few well-informed nobles learned from the Duke and Duchess of Eugene that the strawberries were bought from a fruit shop.
Seven days after the incident escalated, the store finally received an order from the Arcanis family.
Lai offered a high price, and they eventually ordered ten boxes of white strawberries at ten silver coins each, ten boxes of pink strawberries at one silver coin each, and twenty boxes of regular strawberries.
After both parties signed the contract and paid a deposit, it was agreed that the goods would be delivered in twenty days, and a grand banquet would be held there.
Arcanis and Torland kidnapped Neil's family.
The opportunity that Lei had been waiting for finally arrived.
To be honest, I have to thank Baita for helping me secure this order.
Lai prepared five boxes of white strawberries and five boxes of pink snow, which were delivered to the Vatican and the White Tower under the name of the fruit shop.
To avoid attracting too much attention, these were all done quietly.
Neither party refused the fruit shop's gift, which relieved Lai.
The next morning, the fruit shop and Victor's estate received letters from the Vatican and the White Tower, respectively.
The letter from the Vatican was sent to the fruit shop, and it contained a very official expression of gratitude to Ray.
In addition to a letter of thanks, the White Pagoda also sent a handwritten invitation to the manor.
It was quite a coincidence that Lai was planning to visit the White Tower.
Although the matter of Xiu Dun has been resolved, he still has many questions in his mind. Perhaps there, he can find the answers he seeks...
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A note from the author:
Orcs—the strongest race in the world.
One of the eight major races.
They are physically strong, highly destructive, and can partially or fully transform into beasts.
Tribal nomadic life was characterized by tribes formed by the same herd, living in close-knit communities. City-states were relatively few, and the lifestyle was relatively simple.
Some tribes have a relatively clear relationship of dependence on each other, and the slave trade has not been abolished. They are not very friendly to outsiders.
The worship of beast gods and barbaric sacrificial practices such as blood sacrifices are still prevalent in remote areas.
Editor's Note: A born warrior.
—Excerpt from "Vagura on Anecdotes of Race"
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