How To Tame an Academy Dragon

4. Living with glue on your mouth

The first time I entered the room of a real entrepreneur, I was scared and my mouth dropped wide.

Because it was full of crafts and paintings that looked expensive even at first glance, and it seemed like monthly sales would disappear every time you touch it wrong.

“Now then, we need something to drink to talk to the young businessman.”

As soon as Sellus spoke, the old butler appeared with a teacup and refreshments. When I put down the teacup in front of Sellus and me, the tea water shook slightly, and the fresh lemon scent tickled my nose.

“A cup of tea in the morning wakes me up.”

Sellus took a sip of the teacup before the old butler put it down. Then, he raised a corner of his mouth as if he was satisfied with the taste.

Following him, I lifted the teacup, and I tilted the pale yellow tea little by little and shook it round and round.

Then he met Sellus’s eyes, and he smiled and nodded his head, telling him to drink it quickly. Now that it was funny to question whether the tea was poisonous, I boldly brought it to my mouth and drank the tea.

“This is…”

Very much. A very familiar taste.

The familiar taste of lemon that feels like medicine as it is warmed up and a refreshing sensation. In the old days, people in neighboring countries said that they boiled everything and drank carbonated drinks warm, but wouldn’t this taste just right?

“You are unexpectedly simple.”

“hahahahaha! People’s tastes are all there. Originally, children’s tastes work better.”

My frank remarks did not seem to offend Sellus. On the contrary, Sellus laughs happily and takes one shot of the car.

“What else?”

Setting down the teacup, Sellus still had a smile on his lips. But I didn’t feel he was laughing.

A truly calculated smile. It was the mask of the head of Sellus Corporation, which he was wearing to impress others.

The man who went from being the daughter-in-law Sellus who greeted me warmly to the Sellus president.

What he wanted from me was, of course, not an ordinary sentiment like a good taste.

“Other than…”

How did you originally eat this? Didn’t you eat cool in summer?

“It would be nice to eat it cold with ice. Since it is a taste for children, students will also like it.”

“Cold.”

Sellus kept an illegible mask. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking or even if he liked my answer.

Because I couldn’t handle complicated brain fights, I could only answer from the perspective of a businessman.

“Because it is mixed with carbonic acid, it gives a refreshing feeling when you drink it. It’s a different feeling after boiling it now, but I think it’s okay to eat it cool in the summer…”

“Is it personal preference?”

A gaze glaring at me. I felt an unspoken pressure to conclude with my next answer.

“Because children’s appetites sell well. I am also a child’s appetite.”

After that, I poured lemon tea into my mouth like Sellus. The sour lemon taste made my impression distorted, but the sweetness that touched my tongue softened it.

Even after putting down the teacup, Sellus was still looking at me with his arms crossed. Lemon tea served chilled.

Even this idea of mixing carbonic acid with lemon was first tasted at Sellus Co., Ltd.

50 Years ago, as the long and long war against the demon world ended with human victory and a full-fledged cultural revival took place, a full-fledged transitional period came for food.

I, who opened a stationery store just in time, jumped on the bandwagon during this transitional period.

“But there’s no way to keep the drinks cold. After all, it’s too much in the summer.”

My words made Sellus’ eyebrows twitch.

That’s the problem. Everyone wants to sell cool drinks, but the means to store them has yet to come out.

It would be possible only if the ice attribute magic was applied and the magic was constantly renewed, but wouldn’t it be possible to be the emperor of the empire?

Even if it could be enchanted, it was certain that the drink would cost as much as gold.

That’s how it doesn’t make any sense. It lost its competitiveness because of the absurdly high price. Sellus, who flinched, probably thought about that too.

If I had been a refrigerator designer in my previous life, I would have made it right away…How would a college student know that?

There was no such thing as a brilliant future plan to prosper with the technology of a previous life that can only be seen in cartoons.

What does a man who just got discharged from the army and entered society without knowing anything know about? It’s good if you barely cook rice.

“The storage method is also a problem.”

After throwing off the mask, Sellus returned to his usual calm face. I was relieved by Sellus’ response, shrugging his shoulder, and I was delighted as if I had passed the test.

“But like you said. If you can sell it, it’s definitely a jackpot. Even if you keep it in ice, it melts in no time in the summer.”

“That’s right.”

Sellus, with his arms crossed, was slowly slipping into a world of his own.

It must be working hard to figure out a distribution method. It is absolutely impossible unless there is a truly groundbreaking energy source or invention, so it only satisfies your appetite.

“It’s difficult, it’s difficult! It’s like the sorrow of those who go ahead of others.”

Eventually, Sellus also gave up his idea.

“Even if you don’t think of it today, someone else might think of it tomorrow.”

“Exactly!”

After passing Sellus’ test, Sellus and I started talking about business in earnest.

We discussed with him various items and snacks that could be produced with materials and facilities that are more realistic than cool lemonade.

With the meticulous eye of a merchant, he clearly divided what was possible and what was not, and even my opaque drafts came to have some vitality.

Fortunately, Sellus appreciated my challenging items, and instead of supplying them, he demanded the right to sell them under Sellus’ name.

The revenue share is 6:4. It was a price for Sellus Trading to take charge of distribution, production, supply, and sales. I didn’t have a grand purpose to make a lot of money, so I decided to be satisfied with the first start.

After a long discussion, I was invited by Sellus to join us for lunch.

Most of the topics of conversation were about Sellus’ daughter, Arianne.

“The biggest concern is, of course, that I might get involved with strange children. It’s the parents’ old age.”

Sellus said that while eating dessert after the meal. I bet all parents feel the same way. Worrying about the cataclysm of hanging out with useless bad people.

“Anyway, it’s the Imperial Academy, but those kids. Ah.”

As I was about to say yes, I thought of a troublemaker who bought two chocolate conch buns each.

“Everywhere people live is the same. Isn’t there a great problem child in the 2nd grade?”

As I swallowed my words, Sellus nodded with a rather serious expression, perhaps thinking of the same student. Wouldn’t Sellus know more information about that student?

“It’s amazing. Seeing you go to the academy despite talking so much…”

There was no way that Sellus was unaware of my intentions. However, Sellus didn’t care and kindly asked for the bait I threw.

“Isn’t that how strong your stomach is?”

“What do you mean by back boat…?”

How much do you know about this country? I’ve been living under an old couple, doing my own thing. He still didn’t know how many people were under the imperial emperor.

Though recently, I’ve been occasionally picking up information from students’ conversations, but there was still no option.

“It’s an unimaginably huge back badge. Well, it seems like you’re the only one who doesn’t know.”

“I…”

Seluse, who ate the dessert neatly, gave the answer without leaving out the answer.

I wanted to ask him to tell me the answer, but looking at his mischievous expression full of mischief, it seemed like it was impossible.

In the end, all I got was a stronger curiosity. I let out a sigh of relief at the feeling of being stuffed.

“If you’re really curious, check out the Prius.”

“Prius?”

Sellus, who threw out a clue, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. Looking at it, the handkerchief Sellus was holding seemed to be one of the three handkerchiefs he had bought the other day.

Putting the stained handkerchief neatly folded into his inside pocket, Sellus stood up and shook my hand.

I suddenly got up from my seat and held Sellus’ hand, and unlike at the front door in the morning, a classy handshake (I don’t know how much a handshake can be) proceeded.

“They like you strangely. They say you’re going to be great. It’s a seasoned trader’s intuition, so you can trust it.”

“Thank you for your words.”

Ajae at the local stationery shop might have made a fortune. Right now, even the dream of buying a new house is a daunting reality. Still, who wouldn’t be happy with a compliment? I decided to listen to the good words of Sellus.

“I have an appointment now, so I have to go. Please take care of me on the way back. Let’s end the debt for the handkerchief with this.”

Sellus grinned like a good-natured uncle, patted me on the shoulder, and left first.

In place of Sellus, who left, the old butler came and told me that a carriage was waiting outside to take me to the house, and when I returned home, it was very comfortable.

Although it would normally be completely blocked, when the carriage of the blue dove appeared, the road opened like a miracle of Moses, and the carriage moved forward at a cool speed.

Returning to the stationery store, I gave up my evening business neatly and lay on the bed chewing the words Sellus taught me.

“Prius… It’s a Prius…”

I don’t know anything else, but it was a f*cking word.