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

"Thank you very much, but we've only been established for two months, so things aren't running smoothly yet. We might need to consult with you in the future, and I'll trouble you then."

Ivano glossed over the matter and tried to continue the conversation when the carriage stopped.

He breathed a sigh of relief and got out of the car, finding that this was a corner of Noble Street.

The two of them walked into a shop that was small for aristocratic streets, but large enough for commoners. They arrived at a side room on the second floor. Standing at the door were a knight and a clerk.

Seeing the anti-eavesdropping magic device on the table as it should be, Ivano suddenly felt like he was in the wrong place. Only now did he realize that the other party was a genuine noble.

"I think you've had your meal, so I'd like to treat you to a special drink."

In front of him were two bottles of wine and snacks such as cheese, salami, and ham. He continued to explain:

"This bottle of white wine is the youngest in the store. The other one is a dry red wine with herbs added, and it's a little older. Let's start with the young one."

He toasted with Fortunato and drank some white wine.

He was surprised by the wine's fresh aroma of grapes, but after the sweetness of grape juice faded, his tongue was left with the spicy taste of wine and alcohol.

As expected of this young wine, although the flavor is not rounded enough, it is still very drinkable.

"It should taste better after another ten years."

But the man in front of him seemed dissatisfied, frowning with a complicated expression.

"President Rossetti, Mr. Mercadanti, and I, could you please have lunch together occasionally from now on?"

"It's an honor, but unfortunately we're both probably very busy."

"You can come alone, if you please. I hope to learn about your company's latest news as soon as possible."

"Thank you, but most of our products are commercial, not clothing. The shoe dryer we're selling is also derived from a hair dryer, so I might not be able to provide you with much useful information."

If Fortunato is the first to learn about the Roseti Chamber of Commerce's movements, he will have more opportunities to participate in the chamber's mass production and sales.

However, the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce wasn't registered with the Fashion Guild, so there was no need to do him a favor. Furthermore, their products didn't need to be mass-produced by the Fashion Guild, so they didn't need his help.

Since he could not gain any benefit from Fortunato, Ivano did not intend to cooperate with him or give him any benefits.

"When waterproof fabrics first came out, people asked us why we weren't selling them through the Clothing Guild. Fortunately, once raincoats came out, we immediately secured the distribution rights... but the guild leader at the time and I still had some stomach aches."

This monologue-like speech made Ivano feel a little sympathetic.

Tarpaulin is a type of "cloth" and can indeed be sold by the Clothing Guild.

However, the waterproof fabric developed by Dalia was registered and sold by the Trade Guild. To ease the burden on Carlo and Dalia, the former president of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce initially developed his own distribution channels and established a production line.

Ivano only now realized that this incident had such a huge impact on the Clothing Guild.

"It would be rude to invite the busy Mr. Mercadanti to lunch empty-handed. In lieu of a bouquet, I will write to the shoe manufacturers registered with the Fashion Guild to inform them that the Rossetti Chamber of Commerce has launched a shoe drying machine. Of course, this will be in my personal name."

"...It would be great if we could also inform the Clothing Guild's major clients."

"No problem, I'll write to them too."

"Then if I receive your invitation, I will try my best to make time."

Ivano responded with a smile, but his back was already wet.

The other party simply offered generous conditions, but nothing good usually happened at this time.

Fortunato opened the second bottle and poured it into his glass. He felt that the pace of drinking tonight was a little faster.

"By the way, I remember you used to be an employee of the Commerce Guild. When did you switch to the Roseti Chamber of Commerce?"

"That was the day of the meeting about drying insoles. I asked the president to let me join."

"Your judgment and ability to act are truly admirable."

After a polite toast, the two of them began to sip their red wine. This bottle of wine had been stored for a long time, so it was full of aroma, with a soft sweetness and acidity. They finished a glass in no time.

Perhaps because it's a medicinal wine, the aftertaste is a bit bitter, but it's completely different from the grassy flavor I'd imagined.

"Mr. Mercadanti, if you ever decide to leave the Roseti Chamber of Commerce, please let me know before seeking a better position. I will do my best to accommodate your conditions."

The other party's sudden words made Ivano pause in his thoughts.

"...I'd be honored, but that can only happen if the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce goes bankrupt or I die."

"Is that so? Then if you change your mind or have any troubles, you can come and talk to me."

"Thank you. Our guild is still very weak, so please help us."

"From now on, you can just call me 'Fortu'. Please tell the president of the Rossetti Chamber of Commerce that as well. This will probably make the people in the clothing industry treat you better."

"Thank you. Please call me 'Ivano'."

Before arriving, Ivano had done some research on the man before him. He was most surprised to find that he was about his own age. Fortunato looked younger than he did, yet he spoke with an air of old age.

Although his appearance was handsome and dazzling, similar to Wolff, his temperament was even more gorgeous and unfathomable. To be honest, Ivano really couldn't tell what was hidden under that gorgeous appearance.

"Once the reputation of the Chamber of Commerce spreads, many flying insects will probably come and bother Miss Dahlia. Oh, I don't think I should tell you this."

"I've heard a bit about that. Rukia-san seems to be able to just verbally repel the flying insects."

"That's what she feels like doing. I'm looking forward to her training those flying insects and making them behave well in the future."

In the midst of this banter, the glass was empty again. This bottle of wine was very smooth, so I drank two glasses in one go.

"I didn't expect you to pay so much attention to our Chamber of Commerce."

"Because I fully understand the value of the Roseti Chamber of Commerce. If Miss Dahlia didn't have Mr. Wolffred by her side, I really wanted to marry her as my second wife."

Ivano could sense that this was no joke.

Marrying a woman as long as she is useful to you is a matter of course for the nobles, but Ivano disagrees.

The originally smooth wine left a strong bitter taste in the mouth.

"After all, our guarantors are quite impressive. Lord Wolf and Viscount Jedda and his wife both hold our president in high regard..."

"I see. There's absolutely no chance of exploitation. But why does Miss Dahlia have no experience to match? Aside from the waterproof fabric, there aren't any outstanding achievements."

"...Because her father, Mr. Carlo, is very protective of her."

"Did Ms. Dalia really develop the waterproof fabric on her own?"

"...Yes, she did it all by herself. She's been going in and out of the guild since she was a student... and she's been working tirelessly to collect materials."

"Did she also develop these socks and insoles herself?"

"...Yes, of course."

"After her engagement was broken off and her father and foolish fiancé left her, Mr. Wolferich immediately took a fancy to her. Was it you who introduced them to each other, or was it the Jedda couple?"

“…Neither.”

Wait, what am I talking about?

Why do you say this?

Ivano realized that he kept blurting out things he shouldn't have, and he bit his lower lip hard.

“…Hmm.”

He was in so much pain that he couldn't speak. He wiped the blood with a handkerchief. Seeing this, the other party handed him a bottle of healing potion. Ivano drank it without hesitation, and the wound on his lip was healed.

"Sorry, it seems to be working too well. This wine has a slightly relaxing effect—it makes people talk freely. After all, this is our first 'negotiation', so I hope both sides can be open and honest. Of course, I drank it myself."

Fortunato said this, touching his empty wine glass with his fingers.

This was tantamount to being drugged with consent. Was this the "noble way"? Ivano was furious, but the other party was clearly testing him, and he had fallen for it so easily, which made him reflect deeply.

"This is my apology. It's a personal gift to you."

"ring?"

"Yes, a protective ring that protects against poison, confusion, and seduction. If you want to do business with the nobility, this little item is essential. From now on, please be careful with your food and drink, and with the women who approach you. Lady Jedda doesn't seem to be very good at this."

Although his tone was polite, his underlying meaning seemed to be: "Your master didn't teach you how to do business with the nobility, right?"

The Commercial Guild's clients are mostly merchants. Working for the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce will inevitably involve frequent interactions with nobles. If I were to personally conduct business with nobles, I would have to understand the differences between them and commoners. There are countless things to remember.

"...Thank you. I'll take it."

Ivano put the silver ring on the middle finger of his right hand and took a deep breath.

The ring responded to the small amount of magic in his body, allowing his dull mind to regain clarity. However, he still tasted a little blood from his bitten lip.

"Would you like to go out for a drink with me once in a while? You can always consult me ​​about any noble business matters; I'm well-connected among the ladies of the nobility. On a related note, if there's anything I can do to help with your new products, please let me know as soon as possible."

His expression was gentle, but his words were simple: "I will teach you how to do business with the nobles, and you must also inform me of any new information."

If you want to fight the nobles, your methods won't work, and you'll run into traps and trouble. Just give me your guild's goods, and I'll be happy to teach you and help you.

Ivano thought that he seemed to have angered this man unknowingly.

Although I don't admire him very much, I can indeed learn aristocratic knowledge from him.

I am not strong enough to compete with him, so now I can only bow my head reluctantly.

"Okay, as long as the Chamber of Commerce President allows it, I'm willing to accept it."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Fortunato smiled brightly, which made Ivano feel a little jealous.

"...Lord Fortu, I also have a gift for you. It was given to me by our Chamber of Commerce president."

Ivano handed the other person a white envelope and put on a business expression.

He had asked Dahlia in advance if he could tell Fortunato and obtained her permission.

On her first visit to the royal city, she returned looking haggard. Ivano and Gabriela quickly asked her what had happened, and she tearfully replied, "We've been talking about athlete's foot all day."

At that time, Ivano also asked about the treatment for athlete's foot, and thus bid farewell to the athlete's foot that had troubled him for five years.

Today he simply wrote down the key points on a card, put it in a white envelope and brought it to the other party.

“…It turned out to be this…”

Fortunato's calm smile suddenly turned into a wry one.

"I don't need it myself, but it's very useful information for people who are struggling with this."

"Yes. Lord Fortu, perhaps you could tell this information to the noblewoman?"

Many women suffer from tinea pedis, and if there is a patient at home, it is more likely to be infected.

Ivano's wife was also infected by him and complained about it.

"This is a bit too personal."

"Yes, so you can quietly tell them that if their husband, fiancé, or lover has this problem, they can use this method. If they themselves suffer from the disease, they can also say that they are asking for someone else. Men will also be happy to hear that their beloved women are worried about them and have done research and asked people. This way, you can do them a small favor."

Fortunato's eyes widened slightly, and the expression disappeared from his face.

"...Ivano, I'm not complimenting you. You're truly talented."

"Thank you. It's an honor."

"But if you're going to offer these suggestions, you shouldn't have said that this information was given to me by Ms. Dahlia. You just said, 'A beloved woman is worried about you.' What if I misunderstood?"

"...Please allow me to correct myself. I brought this information with the permission of the Chamber of Commerce President."

He thought he had refuted his opponent, but he was defeated. Seeing Ivano raise the white flag of surrender, Fortunato chuckled.

"The nobility have many unique ways of speaking and are very fond of finding fault with people's language. It would be best to remind Miss Dahlia to pay attention to this. However, Mr. Wolffred may have already worked hard to improve her."

"Did our Chamber of Commerce president say anything?"

"During that initial meeting, she said, 'I trust Mr. Fortunato. I'll leave everything to you.' Those words... were truly touching."

The tone sounded like he was talking about his beloved, which made Ivano feel confused.

"She's referring to the socks and insole business, right?"

"'I trust you, I leave everything to you'—when an unmarried noblewoman says this to a knight, it means 'I ask you to be my knight,' and it's a profound expression of respect and affection. Every knight dreams of hearing these words. I resigned my knighthood, thinking I'd never hear them again, but my dream unexpectedly came true."

"I'm deeply sorry, but the president must have said that without knowing it..."

This was completely accidental. The nobles seemed to have many similar opinions, so it would be best to have Dalia write them all down as soon as possible.

But thinking of her desperately reciting the etiquette notes, Ivano could not help but look away helplessly. He really couldn't bear to ask her to memorize more.

"Of course I know that. I haven't finished yet. In a popular opera back then, this line was spoken by a woman when she and a man spend the first night together, and it's widely known. I don't know whether to say it's fortunate or unfortunate, but if you know the opera, you'll definitely have this association."

"I really don't know what to say. Nobles... you're such a bother."