Surely she wasn’t about to boast that she made it herself, was she?

Pablo let out a small exclamation of realization.

A fresh orange scent wafted from the soap. She must have added the orange essential oil she’d purchased earlier.

Orange-scented soap? It’s better than I expected. No, it’s excellent.

For a moment, he was completely captivated by the sweet yet refreshing citrus aroma.

Penelope, her face slightly flushed, asked,
“What do you think?”

“I thought orange-scented soap would feel unfamiliar, but surprisingly, the scent is refreshing and quite pleasant.”

“Do you think we can sell it?”

“To be honest… I’m not sure.”

Pablo cautiously took a step back.

It was still too early to determine the market value of such a unique soap.

You never really know how something will perform until it hits the market.

While its unusual scent might attract attention, it could also just be a fleeting trend. Ultimately, it would be the consumers who decided its value.

Adding fragrance would naturally raise the price of the soap. Commoners might not even consider it. If that’s the case, targeting nobles as the primary consumers makes more sense—but their tastes can be surprisingly finicky.

Nobles already used soap to clean their bodies and applied scented oils afterward.

They were used to the luxurious and alluring scents of essential oils.

In other words, there’s no particular need for soap to have a fragrance.

The more conservative nobles disliked change, which meant the orange-scented soap might be rejected outright.

Just then, Penelope said,
“While this soap does have an orange scent, its official name is Green Herb Soap. It’s made with green herbs. There’s also a rose-scented version.”

“…What?”

Pablo’s eyes widened with shock.

“For two weeks, 23 people participated in a trial using the soap. As a result, their skin texture improved, their complexions brightened, and blemishes and acne scars began to fade. The document in front of you contains firsthand reports from the participants.”

In truth, they were just testimonials written by the maids.

“Th-this can’t be…!”

Pablo stammered, his jaw dropping in disbelief. Green Herb Soap?

“Soap made from green herbs?! Is that even possible? Green herbs are the main ingredient for healing potions!”

“Well, the soap you’re holding is made with green herbs.”

“No way… No!”

Pablo brought the soap up to his nose and began sniffing it obsessively.

The faint herbal scent confirmed Penelope’s claim, and Pablo let out a groan of astonishment.

“What did you say the soap’s effects were again?”

“Even after just one use, it noticeably improves skin texture. Why don’t you try it yourself? Washing your hands won’t take long.”

Penelope gestured to the steward, who tugged on the bell cord. Moments later, maids entered carrying a wooden basin of lukewarm water and clean towels.

Pablo stared at the setup as if mesmerized, then reached out his hand. Giselle chimed in with a pointed look.
“You should roll up your sleeves first.”

“Ah, right.”

Hurriedly, Pablo rolled up his sleeves, dipped his hands into the water, and began lathering the soap. Thick, white bubbles foamed up immediately.

Rinsing his hands and drying them with a towel, Pablo froze.

“….”

He stared at his hands in a daze.

Is this a dream?

A sweet, citrusy orange scent lingered on his skin, accompanied by a faint trace of the herbal fragrance. More importantly, his hands felt soft and hydrated—even after just one wash!

Green herbs are used to make potions that heal wounds. Could the same effects apply to soap? Why didn’t anyone think of this before?

The answer was simple: green herbs were far too expensive.

Using them as soap ingredients had been unthinkable.

But now, with the price of herbs plummeting due to the trade disruptions with the Eastern Continent, what had once been a problem had turned into an opportunity.

And the first person to recognize this was the acting lord of Halo Castle herself.

This is a brilliant, groundbreaking idea.

As a merchant, Pablo felt a thrill run through him.

The steward stepped forward and placed a box of neatly packaged soaps on the table.

Penelope smiled faintly.
“This one is the unscented Green Herb Soap. The ones beside it are the Rose-Scented Soap and the Orange-Scented Soap. I want to sell all three types to nobles.”

“….”

Penelope leisurely crossed her legs and continued.
“Now, I’d like to hear your thoughts.”

Pablo’s mind raced, working so fast it felt like his brain might explode.

This will sell. It’ll absolutely sell. Even the snobbish noblewomen in their salons will want this.

Pablo’s merchant instincts screamed that this product was a success.

Before he could respond, Penelope offered,
“If you’re not interested, I’ll find another merchant. I’ll give you a week to try the soap and confirm its effects—”

“I’ll do it! Absolutely! What terms do you have in mind for the contract?”

Ahwin let out a snicker, as if he’d known Pablo would cave.

Penelope glanced briefly at Ahwin before replying,
“The soap will be produced entirely here in Halo Territory. We’ll split the pure sales profit: three parts to you, seven parts to me.”

“Would you consider three and a half…?”

“Do you want it to drop to two instead?”

“Three is fine!”

Pablo immediately backed down, agreeing without further negotiation.

It was a perfectly reasonable deal. For Pablo, it was more than generous.

Three parts is plenty. I’ll still make a fortune!

Of course, Penelope had her own reasons.

I’ll use this chance to win Pablo over completely. He’s been providing cheap, high-quality goods. As someone who once supported the heroine, his abilities are impressive—I’ll have plenty more for him to do in the future.

Smiling victoriously, Penelope said,
“Consider the verbal agreement done. The steward has prepared a written contract. Review it and sign when you’re ready.”

“Yes, of course.”

Pablo replied as if in a trance.

Where on earth has someone like her been hiding until now?

It didn’t take him long to realize the Baroness disliked wasting words. She was bold, rational, and driven entirely by pragmatism.

Unable to suppress his curiosity, Pablo asked,
“If I may ask, how did you come up with the idea to make soap from green herbs?”

“As you can see, I’m doing whatever it takes to survive. The territory is on the brink of collapse.”

“….”

“In other words, I’ve tried everything to sell green herbs. Oh, and the tea in front of you is made from green herbs as well. It’s excellent for fatigue recovery, so you should drink it.”

“I see…”

Pablo sipped the tea, unable to hide his amazement. The subtle herbal fragrance left him speechless.

After a pause, he spoke again.
“I’ve come up with a quick sales strategy. Would you like to hear it?”

“Of course.”

“First, the orange and rose-scented soaps should be marketed as luxury items and sold to high-ranking nobles.”

It was a premium-line strategy. By setting high prices, they could create an image of exclusivity and luxury. If the high nobles started using the soap, it would naturally spread to the middle and lower nobility.

Pablo continued,
“Additionally, we could reduce the green herb content slightly to produce a more affordable version of the soap. While it might be less effective, it would allow commoners to purchase it as well.”

“That’s an excellent idea.”

Penelope smiled approvingly.

Emboldened, Pablo suggested,
“Lastly, how about you personally gift the soap to prominent noblewomen? The promotional impact would be significant.”

Penelope’s smile froze.

“Do you think anyone would even open a gift from a struggling northern estate?”

“…”

Pablo coughed awkwardly, realizing she had a point.