Chapter 357. The Fear of After-Service (2)
After-Service.
In South Korea, it is called A/S, a mix of Konglish used for quality control. This service isn’t just for big items like cars, refrigerators, and TVs. If you broaden the scope, you can see it applies to almost every commercial transaction—from finance and insurance to neighborhood cafes and restaurants.
‘Of course, customer satisfaction is key to sales. That’s why businesses are overly friendly when attracting customers, promising the moon and stars. After the sale, they use A/S to keep customers from switching to competitors, effectively trapping them.’
To prevent customer defection, businesses use incentives. These incentives trap customers in a cultivation mode, turning the customer pool into a farm for continuous profit. That’s the essence, the core, the very reason for A/S, the alpha and omega, the seasoning packet in instant noodles.
‘That’s why even neighborhood cafes offer a free coffee after buying ten, and restaurants have complimentary mint candies and coffee at the counter. It’s all part of A/S. And it’s the same here.’
Lloyd continued his thoughts, turning to see King Venetogna beside him, his bald head gleaming. The old king, with his white beard fluttering, was no longer trembling with fear. Instead, he was enjoying the thrill of flying on Yongyong’s palm. His eyes sparkled so brightly that the shine of his bald head seemed dull in comparison.
‘Well, he seems satisfied with the initial service.’
Earlier, showing the railroad built through the Pantara Mountains had cleared up the misunderstanding. With a genuine apology and sincere attitude, Lloyd had significantly reduced King Venetogna’s resentment.
‘Obviously, just clearing up the misunderstanding and reducing resentment wouldn’t be enough. There’s more to gain, so it’d be a waste to stop now.’
Having cleared up the misunderstanding, Lloyd decided to take it a step further to gain the king’s favor. Hence, he provided the ‘Yongyong Flight Experience’ service.
This service cost Lloyd nothing. They had to return to the capital of Veneto Kingdom anyway, and he had to bring King Venetogna back. So, the journey that had to be made was packaged as a valuable service to gain credit.
But Lloyd’s service didn’t end there.
“Your Majesty, are you enjoying the flight experience?”
“Hahaha. It’s wonderful. I never thought I’d experience something like this in my old age. Seeing my territory and my people’s land from this height is a new feeling.”
“Then may I ask you a favor?”
“A favor?”
“Nothing grand. Just that when we return to the capital, you inform your subjects about the trade route through the Pantara Mountains.”
“…Hahaha?”
King Venetogna smiled, as if saying, ‘Look at this guy.’
“Can I do that?”
“You are the king of Veneto Kingdom.”
Lloyd shrugged as if it was the most natural thing.
“The opening of the trade route through the Pantara Mountains will be a significant turning point for the future and influence of the Veneto Kingdom. How could an outsider like me dare to announce such a thing? It should be announced by the rightful ruler of Veneto Kingdom.”
“And should I also tell them about the will of the Magentano royal family?”
“If you do, it would be an honor.”
Lloyd smiled.
King Venetogna looked at Lloyd with a meaningful gaze.
“You are quite the crafty one, aren’t you?”
“I won’t deny it.”
“Good. Your honesty is refreshing. This is to both uphold my dignity in the capital and to bind me to my own words, isn’t it?”
“You see right through me.”
“Of course. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
“But you will be satisfied.”
“I hope so.”
Both King Venetogna and Lloyd shared similar bitter smiles.
Lloyd internally marveled.
‘Wow. This king is sharp.’
He was indeed the ruler of a nation.
Lloyd watched the king from the side.
‘Returning to the capital on Yongyong, the king making a grand entrance, announcing the opening of the trade route through the Pantara Mountains, and declaring cooperation with the Magentano royal family… This was a service to boost his prestige while binding the kingdom’s decision to the king’s words. And he saw right through it.’
A declaration from the king of a nation before his capital’s subjects is a powerful public proclamation. Thus, Veneto Kingdom couldn’t choose against this declaration without losing the king’s credibility and authority, leading to a loss of diplomatic reliability on the international stage.
‘The direct trade route with Magentano through the Pantara Mountains… they won’t be able to reject this trade relationship.’
This mutually beneficial relationship would be advantageous for both kingdoms.
As they approached the capital, Lloyd tightened his grip on King Venetogna’s shoulder.
“We’ll descend now. The air currents will be strong, so please be careful.”
*Whooosh! Whoom!*
Yongyong transitioned from gliding to descending, flapping his wings. The majestic sound broke the air as the giant body slowed down and lowered altitude. The capital, which was a tiny dot, soon grew to the size of a ping-pong ball, then a watermelon, then a rotary intersection, and finally, an entire baseball stadium as they neared.
Finally, they landed softly in the square, like Bill Gates softly singing ‘Micro Software.’
*Boom!*
A thunderous noise swept the square. The flower bed that was crushed before now turned into fine powder. The gardener’s blood, sweat, and tears flowed, but Lloyd paid no mind.
“Well, now, shall you speak?”
“Indeed.”
Lloyd supported the king off Yongyong’s palm, stepping back to let him take the lead. He signaled Yongyong with a glance.
‘Lift it up.’
*Creaaak!*
At Lloyd’s signal, Yongyong gently lifted his palm, naturally placing the king in the center of the square in an imposing stance.
The service didn’t end there.
‘Hey, it’s your turn.’
Lloyd’s glance signaled Javier. Understanding the cue, Javier approached and supported the king’s shoulder.
King Venetogna flinched, but Javier reassured him.
“If you speak, I’ll amplify your voice.”
“Is that possible?”
“Yes, somewhat.”
Using the Asrahan technique, Javier infused a bit of mana into the king’s body, wrapping his vocal cords and creating a resonance chamber to amplify his voice.
Thanks to this,
“*Ahem, ahem.*”
…*Ahem, ahem! Ahem! Ahem!*
The king’s involuntary clearing of his throat resonated loudly throughout the square. The king himself was startled by the amplified sound.
“It’s fine. Please continue.”
With reassurance from Javier, the king gained confidence. He surveyed the square with a more composed gaze.
“…”
The square was silent. People, startled by the reappearance of the bone dragon, soldiers who seemed ready to rescue their kidnapped king, all watched with tense eyes.
The king spoke to calm them.
“As you can see, I am safe, and the bone dragon respects me. Please, everyone, be at ease.”
…Be at ease! Ease! Ease!
The king’s calm reassurance echoed throughout the square. Then he continued.
The bone dragon didn’t come to invade today. The Magentano royal family is a strong ally of Veneto. Without anyone knowing, a trade route was built through the Pantara Mountains. Only the highest echelons of Veneto and Magentano knew of its construction, keeping it secret to prevent interference from neighboring countries.
Mixing truth and lies skillfully, he declared,
“Therefore, from today, Veneto Kingdom will establish itself as a partner in direct trade with the Magentano royal family on the international stage, bringing greater prosperity to our kingdom and royal family.”
…Our kingdom and royal family! Family! Family!
The king’s proud proclamation echoed in everyone’s ears. Realizing the significance, the capital’s citizens marveled.
The imposing figure of the bone dragon and their king standing tall on it filled their hearts with grandeur. They knelt, showing obedience, respect, and gratitude.
King Venetogna’s heart pounded with pride.
‘Phew.’
He never imagined he would deliver such a speech from the bone dragon’s palm. He never expected this day to be so eventful. But he felt immensely invigorated.
‘This bone dragon is truly desirable. In my 19 years of ruling, I’ve never made a speech that naturally commanded such obedience from everyone.’
A single bone dragon was more effective than a grand military parade with thousands of soldiers. The king was thoroughly satisfied with the citizens’ reactions.
Lloyd was equally satisfied.
‘Good, very good.’
He scanned the citizens of the capital. The intended outcome was achieved. The king was given the bone dragon’s power, and he was satisfied with the service. Now, it was time for Lloyd to make his move.
‘Time to capitalize on customer satisfaction.’
With the king satisfied and bound by his own proclamation, it was time to act. Lloyd motioned for Javier to step back, quickly taking his place beside the king.
He flashed a smile fit for the top salesperson of the year, embodying the motto of customer delight, trust, and honesty.
“Your Majesty, that was a most impressive speech.”
“…Ahem, really?”
“Yes. My hands tremble just thinking about it.”
“Hahaha. I merely walked the carpet you laid out.”
“No, using the platform effectively is a true skill.”
“Hm, I sense flattery.”
“…Did you catch that?”
“Of course. Seems like you have a favor to ask.”
“…Did you catch that too?”
“Speak plainly. I am at your mercy.”
King Venetogna chuckled bitterly. He understood his situation well. The direct trade route with Magentano could easily become an invasion route. The Magentano royal family held all the power, especially Lloyd Frontera.
“So I, and my royal family, must thank you and the Magentano royal family for extending this friendly hand. However, I am not foolish. I know such goodwill isn’t free. So tell me, what is the price for today’s favor?”
Indeed, nothing is free in this world. The king asked, and Lloyd, thinking the same, answered smoothly.
“Yes. If you ask, here it is.”
*Sharak!*
Lloyd pulled out two sheets of paper from his coat. They were contracts he had prepared in advance.
“Everything I ask is detailed here. Please review them.”
“…”
The king was at a loss for words. Just by looking, he knew these were contracts. He realized Lloyd had planned to capitalize on this from the start.
‘Tsk.’
Feeling like a fly caught in a spider’s web, the king opened the contracts. Moments later, he felt both anger and relief.
