Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 187 - 187 186 Smoking for a Flying Dragon (Added

Chapter 187: Chapter 186 Smoking for a Flying Dragon (Added Chapter, Seeking Monthly Pass) Chapter 187: Chapter 186 Smoking for a Flying Dragon (Added Chapter, Seeking Monthly Pass) “One whole leaf or several broken leaves, it doesn’t affect the taste of the cigar at all, Mr. Russell, I do not accept your accusation!”

Confronted with Russell’s scolding, Sosko stiffened his neck, completely unapologetic for any wrongdoing.

“We produce Rain Dragon cigars, a luxury tobacco for noble consumption. From the beginning, its quality standards have far exceeded any type of tobacco. Sosko, do you still not realize your mistake?”

“I am not wrong, as long as it doesn’t affect the taste or the appearance, I see no problem using broken leaves to roll cigars!” Sosko rebutted unyieldingly, “On the contrary, using broken leaves saves costs, and that is how I show my utter dedication to Lord Baron!”

“Very well, very well!”

Unable to reason with him, Russell couldn’t be bothered to argue further, merely saying coldly, “I will ask Sir to replace the manager of the Cigar Factory.”

Sosko sneered in response, “Do as you please!”

When Russell turned to leave with Charles, Sosko shrugged off his sleeves and declared loudly, “I fought for the Fluorescent Fungi Family until my arms and legs were missing, my loyalty to Lord Baron is known by all!”

Seeing the cigar workers standing dumbstruck, he immediately bellowed, “What are you looking at? Get back to work, or I’ll lash anyone who slacks!”

Outside the Cigar Factory.

Russell mounted his horse, with Charles following closely, trying to console him, “Sir, calm down. It’s not worth getting angry over such a person.”

“Angry? What is there to be angry about?” Russell had already composed himself, “Sosko might have fought for the family until he became disabled and spoken against me, so what. It’s his disregard for the quality of the Rain Dragon cigars that infuriates me; he’s tarnishing my reputation!”

Sosko was not Russell’s subordinate.

His attitude toward Russell was not Russell’s concern, but Sosko cutting corners and damaging the Rain Dragon’s brand was absolutely unacceptable to Russell.

So, upon arriving at Fluorescent Castle, Russell wasted no words and went straight to Baron Roman’s study, “Father, the Cigar Factory needs a new manager.”

“Hmm?” Baron Roman was perplexed.

“Sosko is cutting corners. I demand the use of whole tobacco leaves for the cigars, but he has the workers use scraps pieced together, utterly devaluing the Rain Dragon brand.” Russell said, “Also, the craftsmanship is subpar. Releasing such Rain Dragon cigars would be a disaster!”

“Are you saying Sosko is rolling cigars with broken leaves?”

“Yes.”

“And what’s the issue with that?” asked Baron Roman lightly, “As long as the taste is similar, what does it matter whether it’s broken leaves or a whole one? Russell, you must understand, the cost of whole leaves is indeed too high.”

“No, Father, don’t you see the problem?” Russell frowned.

Baron Roman neither agreed nor disagreed, “You can explain why it’s necessary to use whole tobacco leaves.”

For a moment, Russell felt weary, never expecting that even after his efforts at Bluebird Castle, Baron Roman still failed to understand that the prestige of the Rain Dragon cigars lay in their ability to command high prices.

But then.

On second thought, maybe it was because the people here had no concept of branding that he was able to easily hype the prestige of the Rain Dragon cigars.

If everyone caught on so easily, small traders would have started telling stories and playing the branding game a long time ago.

So he calmly began explaining to Baron Roman the brand value of the Rain Dragon cigars: “A good story, along with Grandfather’s endorsement, is not enough to solidify the brand… There will be imitators in the future, but if we use a whole leaf for wrapping and delicate craftsmanship…”

In short, the essence was to establish that each Rain Dragon cigar was a work of artisanship, capable of making the brand resonate throughout the entire Shadowflame Grand Duchy.

And beyond Shadowflame Grand Duchy, to the whole Dragon Sleep Continent.

Finally, Russell said, “Father, you don’t want the cigars specially made for you to be just a few pieces of broken leaves rolled with some unknown quality of tobacco, carelessly produced, right? Therefore, the person in charge of the Cigar Factory must be replaced, his mindset is too outdated.”

“Hmm, Russell, you make sense!” Baron Roman nodded in approval of Russell’s words.

“Not only that, Father, I plan to replace him with one of my people to ensure the quality of our Dragon Rain cigars. In addition, if possible, I intend to hire a group of young female cigar rollers to work at the factory.”

“Young female cigar rollers?” Baron Roman’s eyes lit up.

Russell smiled and said, “Yes, from now on, the cigars specially made for you, Father, as well as those for the great nobles, will all be produced by young female cigar rollers.”

“That’s a good gimmick,” Baron Roman said, patting his son’s shoulder vigorously. He continued seriously, “Let’s settle on that then. I will arrange for Sosko to work in another industry, and Russell, you take bold steps in operating the Dragon Rain cigars.”

Baron Roman said with a relieved smile, “Let me see what level you can take our Dragon Rain cigars to.”

They had lunch at Fluorescent Castle.

In the afternoon, Sosko was transferred from the Cigar Factory by Baron Roman and temporarily replaced by a cigar technician as manager.

Then they waited for the person Russell would arrange to take over.

“Sir, who do you plan to appoint as the manager of the Cigar Factory?” Charles asked with concern.

“Hans.”

“Hmm, Hans, I hope he can do well,” Charles said, always secretly competing with Hans.

Especially when it came to the art of flattery, they were well-matched adversaries.

Upon entering the Cigar Factory, Russell called all the cigar technicians together: “Production of the previous cigars is to be halted, and a reorganization undertaken. Everyone can take half a day off, and tomorrow I will send someone to take charge of production and establish standardized cigar-making guidelines.”

With Sosko gone, the factory workers, lacking a leader, could only follow Russell’s arrangements and temporarily put aside their tasks.

“Sir, keeping these cigars is a waste anyway, why don’t we…” Charles chuckled.

The implication was clear.

They were still cigars, and he didn’t mind if they were rolled from broken leaves. After all, the Dragon Rain cigars were even praised by Elder Merlin, something ordinary folks couldn’t dream of smoking.

“Have someone seal these inferior products, send half to Fluorescent Castle, and we’ll take the rest,” Russell was forthright.

He himself didn’t like to smoke, but using cigars as rewards for subordinates or to entertain guests was a good practice.

Moreover, he already had a complete plan in mind.

For now, produce the highest-grade Dragon Rain cigars to capture the high-end market of Shadowflame Grand Duchy. Once imitations appear, he would also manufacture the next best grade of cigars, and even venture into making ordinary cigarettes.

From magic-powered cigars to filter-tipped cigarettes.

From the high-end market to the public market, his aim was to sweep them all.

“Cigarettes, ah, such a lucrative business… Back on Earth, cigarettes were government monopolies, and the taxes collected from smokers each year could build dozens of aircraft carriers!”

Russell was not greedy.

If cigarettes swept the entire Shadowflame Grand Duchy one day, it would be more than enough if smokers provided him a Bipedal Flying Dragon each year!