Andrew looked at the queen and with a smile replied, "Well, the queen is right. I don't like beating around the bush so I'll get to the point. I came from the Caltu mansion and I need to define the mall business so they can announce my engagement with Victoria."
The three women were surprised at Andrew's words. Daphne even wrinkled her eyebrows and asked, "Do they refuse to acknowledge the engagement?", to which Andrew replied, "No. They already accepted, but let's say that we made an agreement and they will not announce it until this issue is defined."
"So, what do you want?" the queen interrupted seriously. Andrew immediately noticed that the queen's attitude was more serious than before. Although throughout the interaction she has maintained her serious and cautious position, at this moment, she seemed more intense.
Andrew also put on a serious expression and said, "We must start the project quickly. I also request that the Caltu family and I be given 25% of the project."
Even the princess who was young and did not know many things, knew that Andrew was asking for too big a portion, but it was not her place to talk about it. In fact, she didn't even have to be at this meeting, but her mother and grandmother wanted her to witness this meeting so that she could learn.
She would be the future queen, so she would have to participate in meetings like these at some point, so they thought it was best to expose her to these negotiations from her youth so that she would learn.
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"Aren't you asking too much?" Daphne asked in a stern voice. While she held Andrew in high regard and was friendly with him, that didn't mean she would approve of everything he proposed.
The queen did not say anything, because although she is the one in charge, her mother is still the most powerful woman in the kingdom. Furthermore, she was the one who established this agreement in the first place, so she didn't bother to interfere with her mother and she just watched.
Despite Daphne's intensity, Andrew was undeterred and responded, "It depends." The short response took them by surprise and Daphne unconsciously asked, "Of what?"
"Whatever we offer," Andrew replied calmly. This time, it was the queen who intervened asking, "And what do you offer?", to which Andrew responded, "Well, this project needs land, which, although the Caltu family has, it needs to be in the city, so only you can offer them, so that is out of the question."
The three women nodded in agreement. Even the princess knew that for this business to work, it had to be in the city and supported by the royal family, so she agreed with what Andrew said.
"Now, apart from land, money is needed for construction and special businesses to attract other merchants as well as nobles clients," Andrew continued to explain.
The three women again nodded and Andrew continued, "While it is true that the royal family can achieve that, if you do that, you would spend a lot and leave us out, something you do not want."
"What makes you think not?" the queen responded a little combatively. It's not that she wanted to renege on the agreement her mother made, but she wanted to get the most out of it, so she was putting pressure on Andrew.
"Because, you would lose my goodwill and I am a powerful ally, not only in combat strength, but in business development," Andrew responded evenly. Although the elder protectors had instructed them about getting along with Andrew, the queen, and the princess, still didn't have a clear picture, which was why the queen was defiant.
Andrew, noticing this, smiled and explained, "First, the shopping center idea is mine, although you can apply it without consequences, what about my next ideas?"
"What other ideas?" the queen continued to ask, to which Andrew responded with a bit of mockery, "Why would I tell you when you're thinking of robbing me?" The queen blushed with embarrassment because although that was not her intention, that really seemed to be the case.
Daphne, who was watching everything, could only shake her head in disappointment at her daughter and had to intervene, "Andrew, don't bother her like that. She is a little inexperienced, but it is not good to tease her."
Both the queen and the princess were surprised at how Daphne addressed Andrew. The familiarity in her tone showed that they were close despite having only met recently, and Andrew, noticing that Daphne wanted to break down the formality, smiled.
He didn't like dealing so rigidly with business, so Daphne's intervention was appreciated. "Well, why don't we relax a little?" Andrew asked, adding, "The Queen Mother allowed me to address her as Lady Daphne, so why don't the Queen and Princess allow me to be more familiar with them too?".
If it were anyone else this would be an insult and they would have Andrew's head cut off, but the queen and princess were intelligent women. They knew that this way they would be closer and could reach a better relationship.
Although they did not know the details, the elders' warning was not insignificant, so they accepted, "Okay. I will privately call you Andrew and allow you to address me by my name, Diana," the queen said.
The princess after listening to her mother immediately introduced herself, "Although it is reckless, in private I can call you brother Andrew, after all, you are Aunt Victoria's fiancé. Brother Andrew can call me Ariza."
"I appreciate the honor," Andrew said, bowing to them and adding, "With that out of the way, let's get on with it. I think Mrs. Daphne already told you about the massages and I think you're not impressed, but that's because you haven't experienced it."
Diana and Ariza nodded. They had heard from Daphne about the wonders of that massage, but they couldn't believe it, so for them, that wasn't enough of a negotiating card.
Andrew did not worry and continued speaking, "When you experience it you will know. That is not important at the moment, what I offer is to share the expenses. The Caltu family and I will provide 50% of the investment and establish 3 businesses in the mall."
Daphne already knew what Andrew wanted to do, but Diana and Ariza didn't, so they looked at him in confusion and Andrew looked at the girls strangely and said, "It looks like Mrs. Daphne didn't tell you about that."
Everyone looked at Daphne who was smiling mischievously and then she said, "Well, I wanted my daughter and granddaughter to learn from this negotiation, so I kept some things from them."
Diana and Ariza looked at Daphne with feigned anger and Daphne, noticing them, smiled more mischievously. Even so, she didn't bother them any more than necessary and began to explain about the clothing store and the rejuvenating creams.
Although they didn't believe in that, they already knew about the massages, so she didn't explain it. The two girls seemed curious, so Daphne pulled out several sets of clothes and underwear to show them.
The products brought last time had been left to her, so it wasn't difficult for her to show them off. Diana and Ariza were intrigued by seeing the dresses and underwear, but it was when she showed them the rejuvenating creams and their effects that the two women opened their eyes wide.
They were surprised and now understood that these products were special. It's not that they were difficult to make, well the creams were, but the dresses were not, the point was that they were new and that was attractive.
Furthermore, the copy and the original in this world had many meanings. Anyone could make dresses like this if they saw the design, but who could create the designs for new clothing items? Only Andrew thanks to his system.
Andrew was not arrogant enough to believe that there would not exist a person who could create designs like these, but he was sure that they would never surpass his system since these designs were light years away from this world's creativity.
After Daphne finished explaining everything to them, the two girls understood that, with these businesses, it would be easy to make the mall popular among the nobles, and in that way, it would be easy to attract other merchants.
In short, what Andrew offered them was investment and publicity. Although they were impressed, Diana was still hesitant, because 25% was a lot and Andrew, noticing this, said, "I won't be a bully, we'll take 20%, but I won't go down from there."
Although that was still a high percentage, they were able to accept it and after arguing for a long time they closed an agreement. Andrew said goodbye to the three women, promising them that he would come next week to give them their massages. Experience tales with empire
While heading back to the Dunnas Palace he sent a messenger with the contract signed by Diana as the queen of Dunnas approving the 20% ownership of the shopping center project to the Caltu family and Andrew to the Caltu mansion informing them that he had kept his promise.
When they received the contract, everyone in the Caltu family was shocked and incredulous at how quickly Andrew accomplished this. They immediately understood that Andrew was not simple and, fulfilling their promise, they released the news of the delivery of the title of Countess of Victoria to Lili, as well as of Andrew and Victoria's engagement.