Magical Tool Master Dahlia Never Compromises ~ Starting Today: Life as a Freelancer ~

Then, they left the room, watched by everyone except the captain.

The next place we went to was the same reception room as last time.

There was a shiny black table in the spacious room. Five people from the monster-slaying team came and sat around the table with three people from Dalia's side.

Wolff wasn't here either.

"These are the members who attended last time. The guild master will arrive soon. Before that, we would like to thank the president of the Roseti Merchants Guild for what happened last time."

After the maids put down the tea and left, Gulart started the conversation at a slightly faster pace.

"Our troops often have to wear shoes during expeditions, so many of us suffer from athlete's foot. After doing what you said last time, we've seen a dramatic improvement."

"...It's great to be able to help you all."

"We've compiled your suggestions and distributed them to those who need them. Everyone who has or is suspected of having athlete's foot has gone to the temple and returned wearing new shoes. The old shoes were washed and cleansed. Also, the barracks' bathing procedures have changed. Everyone now has their own towel, and the foot mats have been replaced with smaller ones that are thrown into the laundry basket after a single use. Those who have had athlete's foot are given priority for socks and insoles. No one in the monster-suppression team has gotten athlete's foot since then."

Gulat spoke cheerfully, and Griselda, the two older knights, and Randolph beside him nodded frequently. She felt as if someone besides Gulat was smiling, too. Was she mistaken?

She tried so hard to maintain a business smile that her facial muscles were almost trembling.

Just like last time, this time the topic is about athlete's foot.

"We've also informed other knight orders about our 'Athlete's Foot Countermeasures'. After all, it would be disastrous if they were to get infected."

"That's right, but we can't let other troops catch it. People used to say 'Monster-slaying troops get athlete's foot because of poor hygiene,' but now no one in our team has it."

"Some people even say 'athlete's foot is brought back from monsters by monster-slaying troops,' but I think this ridiculous superstition will completely disappear in the future."

Although the three of them were smiling when they spoke, their tone was very cold.

It seems that there are some long-standing grievances within the Knights, and outsiders must not interfere at this time.

"...There's no way I could possibly bring it back from a monster."

These words suddenly popped out of Rukia's mouth.

"S-Sorry! I couldn't help it..."

"It's okay, don't worry. Thank you, Atelier Fano, for speaking up for us."

"Well, my grandfather always said, 'You get athlete's foot because you work so hard and don't have time to take off your shoes.' Of course, I also think it's best to cure it quickly and prevent it from recurring..."

Rukia tried her best to explain, and Randolph on the opposite side nodded.

"This statement is a high compliment, whether for a knight or a civil servant."

"Working too hard is indeed one of the causes of tinea pedis... Perhaps we should cure all patients in the royal city and prevent recurrences."

The conversation had just happened to touch upon matters within the Order, and several of the knights seemed a little embarrassed. The middle-aged knights looked at each other in bewilderment, while Gulat coughed lightly.

"Please prioritize the socks and insoles for now, but if you don't mind, please also provide them to other units in the Royal City. If anyone tries to pressure you or force you to buy them, please don't hesitate to tell us directly. We'll handle it."

"Thank you for your assistance."

Although the Clothing Magic Workshop has set up a production line, it is impossible to supply it to everyone in the royal city immediately.

If the above situation really occurs, Goulart's suggestion will indeed be helpful.

"We are very grateful for this. From now on, the number of people visiting the temple for treatment may drop significantly, causing considerable damage to the temple."

Gulat said this with a half-joking smile, and Ivano beside Dalia shook his shoulders slightly.

Although they don't know how much the treatment for tinea pedis costs, they do donate a portion of the revenue from the sale of five-toed socks and dry insoles to the temple.

However, if that were a regular income for the temple that was higher than the donations, things might be a little troubling.

"...President, I'll check again. If it's not enough, could you please donate a little more to the temple?"

"Okay, thank you for your help..."

Hearing Ivano's whisper, Dahlia nodded deeply.

Dalia left the table and went to the dressing room to touch up her makeup, hoping to calm down.

"Thank you for providing such excellent products, Ms. Dahlia."

As she was about to return to the reception room, Randolph spoke to her in the corridor. She took a step back and nodded to him.

"Master Randolph, you are too kind. I should thank you for your last reminder."

"No, I'm just being too nagging. I admire you for remembering so many rules at once."

"Thanks."

Randolph, who looked like a rugged warrior, raised the corners of his mouth into a gentle smile.

Dahlia was taller than the average woman, but she still had to look up when she stood in front of him, who was over two meters tall. His reddish brown eyes softened as he looked at Dahlia.

"Wolf went to meet the head of the Commerce Guild and the head of the Clothing Guild. He should be back soon. He originally offered to pick you up, but the captain said, 'You're also a member of the Roseti Guild. Go entertain the guests.'"

Before she could even ask about Wolff, Randolph began to explain himself.

If he wanted to welcome the Roseti Chamber of Commerce, it was understandable, but why did he want to welcome Dahlia? Although she was puzzled, she didn't ask before returning to the reception room with him.

Soon after, Viscount Jedda, the head of the Commerce Guild, and Viscount Fortunato, the head of the Clothing Guild, came to the reception room under the guidance of Wolf.

Wolfe was dressed in black knight garb, while Jada and Fortunato wore three-piece suits for going into town.

Wolf was as striking as ever; Jedda was a middle-aged man with white hair and a white beard, giving him a commanding presence; and Fortunato, with his blond hair and blue eyes, was dazzling even just by standing there. Each of the three had a distinct aura.

She heard Rukia, who was sitting next to her, gasp.

"Next, the Roseti Chamber of Commerce will make the official delivery."

After everyone arrived, Ivano presided over the meeting, and Dalia delivered a standard speech. The content of the speech was almost fixed, so she just had to memorize it, and Gulat responded with a standard response.

After Jedda and Fortunato gave brief speeches, Dahlia and Lucia signed three parchment documents together.

This completes the first official delivery. Going forward, transactions with the Royal City will be handled by the Apparel Magic Workshop and the Apparel Guild. The Roseti Chamber of Commerce will simply receive its share of the profits from the Apparel Guild each month.

The Chamber of Commerce finally had a stable income, and Ivano and the new employees' salaries were also settled, which should ease the anxiety about the future a little bit - this made Dalia feel a lot more at ease.

However, this amount of money alone is not enough. It would be best to earn a certain amount of "funds" to allow the Chamber of Commerce to survive for three years even if it does nothing.

She remembered what Ivano had said, and then Ivano himself took out a white envelope with a silver border.

"To commemorate our first transaction, the Roseti Chamber of Commerce will give your company five 'shoe drying machines'. Here is the gift list."

"'Shoe Dryer'?"

After Ivano finished speaking, Gulart asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Five-toe socks and drying insoles have significantly improved the environment inside the players' shoes, so even if they hear the term "shoe drying," they might not be very interested.

"This dryer produces warm air, quickly drying all kinds of expedition boots, leather shoes, and cloth shoes without damaging them. It also reduces damage and odor. It can be used as a shoe dryer on rainy days or when washing shoes."

"I see. A regular hair dryer might damage the leather. This is very convenient."

"I see. Thank you for the gift from your Chamber of Commerce. I think it can be used as a boot after the expedition. Let's try it out later."

"The 'Shoe Dryer' will be released tomorrow, and we hope you will support it."

Seeing Ivano smiling and promoting his wares, Fortunato turned his head slightly. He first glanced at Dahlia, then quickly shifted his gaze to Ivano.

"Mr. Mercadante, I'd like to talk to you later. Would it be okay for me to take up a moment of your time? The sooner the better."

"Of course, Lord Luini."

Jedda remained calm and drank her tea quietly.

She looked at Wolff beside her. Although he listened to the conversation seriously, his eyes were full of smiles.

The shoe dryer was developed by her and Wolff. He must be very happy to see it improve the conditions for the monster-slaying troops.

"Although the formalities have been completed, it seems we still have a little time. If you have urgent matters, please let me know."

No one responded after Gulat finished speaking.

He gave a slight nod, and Wolff rose and left the room.

"I heard something interesting and wanted to share it with you all."

Everyone seemed very interested, and at this time Ivano next to her took out a document.

"President, if you need any, this is for your reference."

He handed over the specifications and blueprints for the expedition furnace.

"This is... did you hear what Wolfe-sama said?"

"No, I haven't heard anything. This is purely my conjecture. Please forgive me if I'm wrong."

They whispered a few words, and Wolf and a green-haired team member walked in.

In their hands were two expedition stoves crafted by Dahlia and the others, along with silver wine glasses and sliced ​​bacon. The two expedition stoves, placed on the large table, looked even smaller.

"This is an 'Expedition Furnace' modified from a small magic furnace."

"It's really small."

As Fortunato listened to Gulart's introduction, he stared at the stove with interest.

Wolfe turned on the expedition stove, and the heat slowly rose, beginning to warm the pan above.

"This is the pot, and this is the frying pan and lid."

As he spoke, he picked up the cut bacon from the plate and put it into the pot.

Is it okay to cook in the living room? Dalia wondered, though no one stopped her. Even though the amount wasn't large, she worried about the smell of the luxurious carpet and wall coverings.

"President Rosette, how's the firepower of this furnace?"

"Almost the same as a small magic furnace."

Jada suddenly asked, and she quickly answered.

"What magic stone did you use?"

"A small fire magic stone."

"How long can this last?"

"Shorter than a small magic furnace, but still lasts four to five hours. It varies slightly depending on the temperature and location."

"During the expedition, we can ask someone skilled in fire magic to replenish our mana, so there won't be any problems."

After listening to Dahlia and Wolfe's explanation, Jedda narrowed his dark eyes and nodded.

"It feels pretty durable this way."

“I wish I had one in my office so I could always have hot coffee.”

At this time, someone made an unexpected request. She didn't expect that someone would want to use it indoors, especially in an office.

"Mr. Fortunato, can you make your own coffee?"

"No, I don't. But sometimes I want a cup of coffee late at night, but I don't want to call someone over just for it. The small magic furnace is a bit conspicuous in the office, so this kind of furnace seems easier to hide."

"It's nice to have a glass of mulled wine in the dorm when it's cold."

Jedda's words reminded her of Gabriella. When Dahlia gave her the small magical furnace, she had mentioned mulled wine. She might have discussed this with Jedda as well.

Dahlia had received a lot of care from her, and she thought that maybe she could give her an additional expedition stove and shoe dryer.

"It's already cooked? That's fast."

Each person was given a small dish of fried bacon and a small silver cup, which, judging by the smell, was filled with white wine.

Is it okay to drink alcohol during the day in the royal city? Since it was Gulat's treat, it shouldn't be a problem, but this wasn't mentioned anywhere in Oswald's flashcards or the course content.

"Drinking water is too boring, so I took out my own vintage 'grape juice'."

Everyone held their silver cups and listened to the captain happily give out far-fetched excuses.

Rukia's eyes widened, Jedda's expression remained unchanged, and everyone else gave a wry smile.

"If this were wine, we could congratulate each other: 'Thank you for this official arrival, wish you all good luck, cheers.' Unfortunately, it's grape juice. To create a little more excitement, everyone should clink glasses with those nearby."

Everyone clinked glasses with the person next to them.

Dahlia took a sip of the slightly amber-colored wine and found that it was not suitable to be drunk in one gulp.

The aroma is already there, and it spreads even more after entering the mouth. I initially thought it was a dry baijiu, but it feels very round on the tongue, with a slightly woody aroma.

She didn't know much about wine brands, but she could still feel that it was a good wine.

"It's delicious..."