"So, could we ask Holy Light-sensei to help promote our Land of Snow?"
The flower-like Kazahana Koyuki spoke these words, making Kamizuki Hikari's heart skip a beat.
"What is Princess Koyuki talking about? I don't quite understand." Hikari decided to play dumb.
"Is Holy Light-sensei truly unaware, or just pretending?" Koyuki clearly had the upper hand. She turned and took a book from her jewelry box, placing it right in front of Hikari.
"You—"
This time, it was Hikari who couldn't help but take a step back.
'Could it be...?'
"What are you thinking?! I got this from Sandayū. He attended your book signing back then!" Koyuki explained the origin of the book in her hand.
But that alone wasn't enough to convince Hikari.
After all, he always disguised himself during book signings.
"Besides, when I was chatting with Ino, she casually mentioned that your side job was writing novels. So, connecting these two clues, I figured it out!"
'Ino... So, it was you who exposed my identity. Just wait till I deal with you later.'
Silently marking Ino for future retribution, Hikari spread his hands. "So? What's in it for me if I help you? You're not planning to get free labor out of me, are you? That's definitely not happening!"
"Of course, I'll offer you a satisfactory reward. Look at the scenery here..."
---
In another room, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio sat around a table, enjoying a delicious meal.
To be fair, the Land of Snow wasn't stingy. The three of them were, after all, honored guests who had escorted the queen back. No matter how poor the country was, they wouldn't skimp on hospitality. What they were eating now was a local specialty—charcoal-grilled Snow Beef.
"Do you think Hikari-senpai will come back tonight?" Ino suddenly asked between bites of the savory meat.
Chōji's eyes were fixed intently on the sizzling beef on the grill, his focus sharper than during training.
Shikamaru, as usual, was lazily sprawled.
"Probably not. Princess Koyuki will surely treat him generously."
As for how generously, Shikamaru didn't elaborate, but Ino understood.
Glancing at the square table with only three people seated, Ino felt an inexplicable discomfort in her heart.
"Tsk, sorry to disappoint, but I'm back!"
A sigh sounded, followed by a tall, handsome figure taking the last seat and picking up a freshly grilled piece of meat.
"Hikari-senpai, you're back?" Even Ino didn't notice the faint joy in her own voice.
"Of course. Did you expect me to stay there overnight?" Ignoring Chōji's resentful glare at the stolen meat, Hikari closed his eyes, savoring the rich flavor.
"Gotta admit, this tastes different from the barbecue back in Konoha."
"This place is freezing. Animals that survive here have tougher, more resilient meat—great texture, but a bit chewy. Perfect for young people." Chōji explained, the expert on all things edible.
"If this meat were sold commercially, how would the pricing be?" Hikari pressed.
Chōji set down his chopsticks and began calculating seriously.
"I asked Sandayū earlier. Because of the low population and food scarcity here, Snow Cattle aren't raised in large numbers. Scaling up would require significant upfront investment, but let's set that aside for now. Based on current conditions, factoring in transportation and escort fees, by the time the meat reaches Konoha, it'd be priced close to premium-grade beef. Not the most cost-effective."
'Kid, no wonder you live such a comfortable life in the future. You really know how to manage a household.'
Seeing Chōji confidently analyze the business side, Hikari couldn't help but revise his opinion of him slightly.
"So, does that mean we won't be able to afford this meat later?" Ino summarized with a hint of regret.
As a girl, she wasn't a huge fan of barbecue—bad for the skin and too greasy. But the occasional treat was fine.
"Not necessarily. Right now, because of limited supply, even local retail prices aren't low. Overall, it's comparable to outside markets. The premium beef I mentioned goes through extensive conditioning and high costs, so it's not a fair comparison."
"Even if Snow Beef barely breaks even, the byproducts alone would ensure at least a 50% profit margin. Does that sound low to you?"
Shikamaru scratched his head. He only had a basic grasp of business, but even he knew that margin was decent.
"So, you're saying this investment is worth considering?"
"It's not that simple." Chōji countered. "High profits don't mean quick returns. There's also the risk of livestock farming, transportation hazards, and upfront capital. This business is just okay—not a must-invest."
Shikamaru nodded vaguely, pretending to understand.
"That's not entirely accurate."
Hikari, his mouth slick with grease, wiped his lips and prepared to speak.
Ino considerately handed him juice to cut through the oiliness.
Even coming from Hikari, Chōji wasn't fully convinced. He stared intently, waiting for an explanation.
"What you're describing is small-scale thinking. At the national level, this becomes a different story."
"Please enlighten us, Hikari-senpai." Shikamaru played along. Today, he realized that despite considering himself smart, he was out of his depth in commerce compared to Chōji.
"How do you think the average citizens of the Land of Snow are living right now?" Hikari tossed the question back.
"Isn't it obvious? They're struggling!" Ino blurted out.
A single glance was enough to see how destitute the locals were. For them, even eating meat was a luxury—nowhere near the standard of the Land of Fire, or even the Land of Wind.
"Then, from the Land of Snow's perspective, how important is raising Snow Cattle?"
Shikamaru analyzed, "The population is small, but as a nation, it's still sizable. Poverty stems from a lack of economic opportunities. Raising Snow Cattle is important for them, but the initial investment... I doubt the Land of Snow can afford it right now."
When Koyuki returned, Shikamaru had glimpsed the country's financial reports. The deficit was staggering—less than the Nara Clan's assets, let alone others'.
Now that Koyuki was queen, she'd need massive funds to rebuild the nation. Investing in cattle under these circumstances seemed unrealistic.
"Which is why Konoha can take a stake, while the rest is handled by the daimyo and nobles. With their backing, sales won't be an issue, and funding will follow."
"But will they agree?" Shikamaru remained skeptical.
Hikari smirked. "Asama Sandayū will issue invitations in the Land of Snow's name—first to the Land of Fire, then the Land of Lightning, Earth, Wind, and Water. The specifics of investment shares and logistics can be delegated to them."
Shikamaru's eyes lit up as he added, "That way, the Five Great Villages would also secure long-term escort missions for the goods. The influx of merchants would spur commercial growth, and the Land of Snow's economy would naturally flourish!"
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