Submission (#8381) Approved

Chiro’s time with Mizuki had taught her that the pale green undine was a merciless instructor. No matter how much she would try to use her cuteness and charm to get her way, it never worked. No amount of eye batting, hair tossing, and smiling seemed to sway her.

At some point, Mizuki let out an exasperated sigh and asked if Chiro was trying to sell her wares or herself.

“B-both?”

At this, she earned a swift smack on the forehead, at which she winced and started rubbing it, as Mizuki looked down at her with disapproval.

“Chiro, you’re trying to sell various trinkets you’ve picked up. Things like seashells, gems, and miscellaneous materials that can be fashioned for other use. Your main clientele would be elnin whose occupation is to take these materials and re-purpose them for something specific, whether this be accessories, food, clothing, and what not. In essence, you are a supplier, and are offering goods, not services. Goodness, it’s a miracle you haven’t given anyone the wrong impression, and that you weren’t operating within Silveil City.”

“I can take care of myself just fine, you know!” Chiro crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

Sure, there had been a few… odd customers, but really, she was just a cute little kittom trying to make her way in the world. No self-respecting elnin would be thinking other than her just trying to make herself eye-catching enough to snag a sale, and besides, she always conducted business during the daytime and often among crowds, so the chances of anything happening to her were slim. Though, she supposed she only really set up shop on the beaches of Palu’au, at which Mizuki remarked that she was impressed she was able to make ends meet considering her limited reach.

After Chiro had gone through various sales pitches and Mizuki had practically all but picked them apart, nit-picking various things and how she should say them, Mizuki then asked then asked how Chiro decided her clientele, to which the colorful kittom answered “the wealthiest of course!”, which only earned her another smack.

Well, if she didn’t market to the ones with money, how was she supposed to make ends meet? She was no charity. Sure, she didn’t mind occasional gawkers, but if it was clear that they were only looking and didn’t have the means or intention to pay, then Chiro would quickly tune them out, focusing only on the ones that could and would.

While Mizuki didn’t completely dismiss the notion, that was where her thinking differed.

“Yes, it’s important to make sure to market to those who can afford your wares, but completely dismissing everyone else who can’t is wrong. While some may not have the means to pay or aren’t currently in the market for making a purchase, this doesn’t mean they won’t further down the road, but if you don’t even give them the time of day, then they certainly won’t.

Mizuki gave some examples where she would set up shop, selling some hair pins and skincare products. The majority of her clientele were more well-off elnin, but some would be young kittoms or curious onlookers who were on the fence about making hasty purchases. If they were well-mannered and showed genuine interest, Mizuki sometimes offered small samples, and for the young ones, she would offer them some candy. This helped build a positive rapport, as the kittoms may go to their guardians to ask for pocket money, and those initially hesitant would know that they wouldn’t be brushed away and would perhaps be a bit more invested later down the road. While it wasn’t wrong for Chiro to think of an immediate pay-off, it was more fruitful to set up the groundworks for something more lasting.

While Chiro did understand what Mizuki was getting at, she still had a doubtful expression. After all, she was still young and didn’t think too much about future prospects down the road, so Mizuki decided that a visual demonstration would be best.

Leading the younger kittom outside, Mizuki gestured to the mangrove trees around them.

“Can you tell which of the manaberries are the most delicious?”

Chiro harumphed. Ealei may be Mizuki’s home, but she wouldn’t be outdone. In her time here, the colorful undine had made sure to take in her surroundings, from visiting the capital Nalnalo and familiarizing herself with the residents, their customs and preferences to frequenting Skyhaven, Port Pthalo, as well as the vicinity around Yggdrasil. She could tell Ealei was much more densely populated than Palu’au, which meant more opportunity to make sales, and considering it was a different region altogether, meant different resources and demands.

Still, what a silly question. Obviously, the bigger the manaberry, the more juice it contained, hence the more delicious.

Mizuki smiled, seeming to hint she still knew something Chiro didn’t.

“Oh, and can you point out these manaberries in general?”

What, wasn’t it obvious just by looking? Chiro sighed, scanning the tops of the trees. She pointed to a few larger ones, then turned to Mizuki, expecting her to agree.

Instead, Mizuki shook her head, and pointed at the berries floating in the water.

“Once they’re ripe, the berries will naturally drop into the water. Of course, the ones that have already gone bad shouldn’t be accounted for, but you should also consider the color, quality and sheen in addition to size.”

She gestured back towards the berries above.

“Similarly, while it’s easy to discern which clientele is well-off and would be the most likely to purchase your products, you shouldn't neglect the ones who may take longer to come around. Make sure to keep this in mind, Chiro.”

Chiro huffed, chagrined, but then let out a defeated sigh.

“...Yes ma’am.”