Building A Business Empire From Scratch In Another World

"Well...." Nixie expression was quite weird as she looked at Felix and didn't know what to say.

"Well... the thing is, ever since we decided not to share our technical information and blueprints for the bicycles with those Noble Families, we've been targeted everywhere, especially in our restaurant business. Our expansion has come to a grinding halt because we can't move forward," she explained helplessly.

Felix raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Have you tried doubling the prices or exploring other options?"

"I've attempted various strategies, but raising prices would be futile. I'm sure that if we didn't have our own material supply, they would have sabotaged our supply chain by now," Nixie shook her head in frustration.

"This is really troublesome," Felix muttered, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

"Big bro, why don't we ask the Maywraith Noble Family for help? I think they might assist us," Nixie suggested hesitantly.

"No way; that's off the table," Felix quickly shot down her idea.

"Why not?" Nixie asked, puzzled.

"As you mentioned, if we approach the Maywraiths for assistance, they'd likely agree, but can we trust that they'll actually help? They're a massive family with their own interests and conflicts. Plus, do you really think such a powerful family doesn't have enemies? Asking them for help could complicate things even further. We can't turn to them, not now," Felix explained firmly.

Nixie fell silent, her expression darkening as she pondered their predicament. "So what should we do now?" she finally asked.

Felix suddenly shifted gears. "How many branches have we opened so far in Astheria?"

"Nearly a hundred! Most are 1-Star restaurants, with a dozen 2-Stars and 15 3-Stars scattered across Wulleamp District and some surrounding areas," Nixie replied while glancing at the papers in her hand.

"Hmmmm!" Felix nodded thoughtfully but frowned as he considered their situation.

After a moment of contemplation, he instructed her: "For now, let's halt any further expansion of our restaurants and focus on solidifying our current foundation. Going against those Noble Families is like trying to crack an egg against a rock, it's just not wise."

"But we're already on bad terms with some of them," Nixie said with a resigned smile.

"I know it sounds serious; it's just business warfare right now. They're using their influence to stifle our growth, but remember that we're running multiple businesses!" Felix reassured her.

Nixie nodded in understanding.

"For now, I need you to keep our restaurants running smoothly," Felix said, his narrowed eyes reflecting determination. "Hire people who can help spread the good word about our establishments.

Cost isn't a concern; what matters is that we instill a positive image of our restaurants in the minds of our customers.

We also need to ramp up security and monitor everyone who dines at our various branches. If anything seems off, we must be ready to act swiftly.

Our goal is to ensure that every guest enjoys an exceptional experience, no discrimination here! Anyone who walks through our doors is a customer as long as they dine and pay."

Nixie raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "I understand your point, big bro, but why do we need increased security?"

Felix sighed heavily. "These nobles won't stop their attempts to thwart us just by blocking our expansion; they might resort to underhanded tactics to sabotage our business. These greedy Nobles will do anything if it serves their interests. We have to be prepared."

"Okay," Nixie nodded thoughtfully.

A hint of sadness crossed her face as she sighed again. "It's such a pity..."

"Why the long face?" Felix asked, surprised.

"I'm just disappointed that we can't expand right now; things were going so well!" Nixie replied.

Felix chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Who said we can't expand?"

"Huh? But didn't you say we should pause expansion?" Nixie's surprise was evident.

"I meant we should halt expansion in Astheria, not across the entire Avalonia Kingdom!" Felix rolled his eyes playfully.

"Wait! You mean..." Nixie's eyes widened in realization.

"Bingo! You finally got it!" Felix grinned and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Even though they've blocked us from expanding in Astheria, they haven't stopped us from growing elsewhere in the kingdom," he explained further.

"So you're saying we should abandon plans in Astheria and focus on other regions?" Nixie clarified.

"Exactly!" Felix affirmed with a nod. "Since they won't allow us to grow in the Royal Capital, we'll open new branches in cities and towns throughout Avalonia."

"But what if they find out and try to stop us again? Their power is immense within Avalonia," Nixie expressed her concerns anxiously.

"I know," Felix replied seriously. "That's why we need a diversion, a way to draw their attention away from our real plans."

"How do you propose we do that?" Nixie's confusion was apparent.

Felix turned toward Clair, who had been quietly listening from the side. "Clair, any thoughts on how we can divert their attention?"

Claire paused, momentarily taken aback. She looked at Felix with surprise etched on her face, furrowing her brows as she tried to conjure up an idea.

A few moments later, she shook her head, a hint of embarrassment creeping onto her cheeks.

"Forgive me, Family Head," she said softly. "I can't seem to find any good ideas."

Felix chuckled and waved his hand dismissively before turning to Nixie. "All we need to do is keep making moves! As long as we focus on expanding our restaurant in Astheria, whether it's buying land or opening new branches, they'll be too busy trying to stop us to notice anything else. I'm not saying it's foolproof, but I'm about 80% sure this will work! Even if it doesn't pan out perfectly, at least it'll buy us some valuable time for expansion."

" So what you are saying is that, we should pretend to looking for places to expand in Astheria and make huge movements as much as possible making it seems we are very desperate to expand but infact we are just putting on a show just to divert their attention " Nixie said as her face flushed with excitement.

" Yes that's right" Felix nodded as he chuckled softly.

Nixie and Claire exchanged excited glances; the spark of inspiration was evident in their eyes.

Though the plan was rough around the edges, they felt a surge of confidence that it could work.

"This will definitely work!" Nixie exclaimed with a bright smile.

"Exactly," Felix nodded enthusiastically. "It's just a starting point; with some polishing, we might just pull this off and gain even more time."

"Okay, big bro! I'll get started on refining it right away!" Nixie's excitement was palpable.

"But Family Head," Claire interjected suddenly, "shouldn't we hire workers in Astheria?"

Felix shook his head firmly. "No way! If we hire locally, they'll catch wind of our plans too quickly. We'll recruit from other areas and do our best to keep any news about new branches under wraps."

"Got it!" Both Claire and Nixie nodded in understanding.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure everything runs smoothly without any hiccups," Nixie promised with determination shining in her eyes.

"Good," Felix replied with satisfaction before leaning back in his chair. "Now let's move on, how are preparations for the wine store coming along?"

Mentioning the wine store brought an instant smile to Nixie's face as she eagerly reported, "Everything is going according to plan! We've selected the best locations and construction has already begun, by next month, everything should be ready!"

"Excellent!" Felix nodded approvingly.

"The vineyard plantation is complete too! We've hired several experts who have already started planting various grapes and other ingredients for wine production," Nixie continued confidently.

She glanced at Felix as he listened intently before adding, "The school building is nearing completion as well. I've spread the word across our restaurants that staff can enroll for management skills training once it's finished, and we've received positive feedback!"

"How's everything going in Arkfield District?" Felix asked again, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

"Everything is running smoothly! The workers have already started planting various crops, and I've even bought a bunch of livestock to raise. I truly believe it won't be long before we become one of the largest farming operations in Astheria, if not the entire Kingdom!" Nixie chuckled, her enthusiasm infectious.

"That's great to hear! It seems like aside from the restaurant, our other businesses are thriving and haven't faced any attacks from the Nobles yet," Felix replied with a sense of relief.

"Oh about that, once I realized that the Nobles were targeting our restaurants, I quickly took action. I minimized our visibility in the other businesses so they wouldn't suspect we have more going on. But honestly, I don't think this charade will last long," Nixie said with a serious tone.

Felix looked at her in surprise; he hadn't expected such swift action from her.

"You did well. As for when these Nobles find out? Let's not dwell on that for now," he said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Okay," Nixie nodded.

"Is that all?" Felix glanced at her curiously.

"Yes, that's all," she confirmed with another nod.

Felix turned his attention to Claire and asked, "Is there anything you want to add?"

"No, Family Head," Claire shook her head firmly.

"Good," Felix said as he nodded approvingly. "You can both go back to your work now; I need some time alone."

"Yes," both Nixie and Claire replied before walking out of the conference room.

Felix remained behind, enveloped in silence and deep thought as he pondered their next moves.

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