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

The young man turned his golden gaze away from Dahlia and looked at the wall.

"This is hard to say... but back then, this was usually said by noble women and men when they spent the night together for the first time, so you better not say it..."

"What!"

Dahlia slumped over the table, becoming a motionless creature.

"This is so weird, who knows? I won't dare to say anything anymore..."

"Don't worry, this is a rare case. August and I are the only ones who noticed it. Even Miss Gabriella didn't notice. Eh, or is she just pretending not to notice? This saying might not have been popular in her time..."

If everyone present were nobles, and had lived through that era, Dalia would be embarrassed by what she said. This convinced her that she was definitely not suited to being a noble.

"However, this is a rather unique way of expressing it. Another example is when a woman is being taken home in a carriage and someone asks her, 'Please take off my gloves,' which is easier to understand."

"What does that mean?"

"...Women's invitation."

"Please let me go... I really don't understand..."

Dalia was almost crying as she spoke, and her head felt more and more painful.

"If you haven't heard of it, there's nothing I can do about it. Try to ask me out when you talk to nobles next time. I have a textbook and notes on noble conversations that I can lend you."

"Please be there. By the way, is there really a book that describes this kind of conversation?"

"Those are my mother's books and notes. They're a bit worn. I'll give them to you next time."

"Excuse me..."

Dalia answered this, but still didn't dare to raise her head.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

In the office, Ivano put on his blue coat and sat on the sofa.

Gabriela sat opposite him, staring at him with her deep blue eyes.

"Ivano, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm sorry. I disregarded the trade guild and acted as a guarantor for the Roseti Chamber of Commerce."

What Gabriela questioned was Ivano's position and speech in the meeting.

He should have put the Chamber of Commerce first, but in his speech just now he prioritized the interests of the Roseti Chamber of Commerce and even made suggestions to the Chamber of Commerce.

"I hope the Trade Guild will give the Roseti Chamber of Commerce top priority in deciding who to sell to."

This statement would have a greater impact on the future than the actual amount. For a trade association to gain power, the most important thing was the power to decide who to sell to.

When Ivano made this judgment, he was no longer a member of the guild, but was looking at things from the perspective of the Roseti Chamber of Commerce.

"I apologize for having been so caring for you. Vice-President, no, Miss Gabriella, please allow me to leave the Merchant Guild."

Ivano stood up and bowed deeply, waiting for the other party's response without looking up.

"...I knew this would happen, but it happened a little sooner than I expected. Look up."

Gabriela was not surprised. She had guessed it when Ivano entered the office.

Even though the weather was so hot, he buttoned up all the buttons of his coat and wore a tie.

"...So you've already guessed it. Is this why you placed me next to Mr. Carlo and Ms. Dalia?"

"Yes. I hope you will think carefully about whether you want to establish a trade association, join a trade association, or stay in the guild."

"You and this guild have taken care of me for sixteen years. I thought I would work here until I died."

"You'd better give up this idea. For the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce, no, for Dahlia."

"I'm not doing this for Lady Dahlia, but for myself. I prefer the Chamber of Commerce to the Guild... I prefer business."

Ivano smiled a bright smile that Gabriela had never seen before, which made her a little unhappy.

"Before you resign, you should ask Dahlia if she wants to hire you, right?"

"It's not fair to her. Please let me fill out my resignation papers now."

"Don't you need to explain this to your wife?"

"She never complained about my work and just told me to do what I wanted to do."

"What a kind lady. Please fill out the paperwork here."

Gabriela took out a pen and resignation documents from the desk drawer and handed them to Ivano.

He filled out the paperwork quickly without hesitation.

Gabriela took the document, nodded, and put it into the first drawer.

"That's all right. I'll keep it for now."

"Keep it? You won't accept it?"

"If you're rejected, come back and I'll train you again. By the way... you can go see Lord Wolfred first. With his recommendation, Dahlia probably won't reject you."

"Wouldn't it be more difficult to do this?"

Ivanor asked with a wry smile. For him, asking the nobleman and Knights member, Walfred, to recommend him was even more difficult than recommending himself to Dahlia.

"Go and win him over with some manly talk, and observe what kind of person he is. Since you're staying at the Roseti Guild, you'll inevitably have to interact with him. Furthermore, you can't leave until the end of next month when you hand over your work. For the Guild, the Roseti Guild is an increasingly profitable trading partner, so I'm allowing you to handle both tasks simultaneously."

"...I'm truly sorry. I've been taking care of you, and now I'm causing you trouble."

"I don't like indecisive men. Go find Dahlia before she leaves."

Ivano stood up, bowed deeply, and walked out of the office quickly.

After Gabriela made sure Ivano closed the door and walked away, she leaned her whole body against the back of the sofa, even her head.

Sixteen years—it feels long, but it’s actually very short.

Ivano was originally a fledgling businessman. Gabriela allowed him to learn in many ways and accumulate experience, hoping to train him into a capable guild member.

However, Ivano's "nature" has never changed.

Even after becoming a member of the Chamber of Commerce, he still retained a businessman's perspective. He did not aspire to be a manager, but to be involved in business activities.

Gabriela expected him to change, but she also expected him to make such a decision.

"I was originally thinking that if he stayed until I retired, I would adopt him as my son and make him the successor to the position of Vice-President..."

Although she said this, a very happy smile appeared on her face.

"Really? Such a good man was snatched away by Dalia just like that."

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

"Lord Scafarot, could you spare a moment of your time to discuss the matter of the Roseti Merchants Guild's guarantor?"

"Okay, no problem."

"Miss Dahlia, may I borrow Lord Scafarot from you?"

"……please."

Dalia lay on the table in the conference room, motionless.

She seemed exhausted from today's journey, and her appearance was truly pitiful.

"Excuse me, Lord Scafarot, but I'm sorry, but I have a moment to speak."

Ivano walked towards the corridor on the second floor. It was after get off work and there were almost no people passing by.

He suddenly stopped in the middle of the corridor, and Wolf narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I know this is rude, but Lord Scafarot, what do you think of Lady Dahlia?"

"I think she's an incredible magic tool master and a valuable friend of mine."

"That's it."

Ivano nodded slightly and stretched out one hand to the floor of the corridor.

"This is where Carlo Rossetti died. I saw him collapse and rushed over, but there was nothing I could do. He just died."

"here……"

Without hesitation, Wolff knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, whispered a prayer, and then stood up quietly.

"Thank you for telling me."

"No, maybe I just want to see you do it."

Wolff stared at Ivano with a wary look.

That look would make even a man tremble, but Ivano insisted on not looking away.

"To me, Lady Dalia is a golden goddess. I've never seen anyone so radiant. But she seems completely unaware of it."

"What's the meaning?"

"I believe the Roseti Chamber of Commerce has a bright future and will definitely make a lot of money."

"Perhaps that's possible."

"I want to stay with Miss Dahlia and help the Roseti Chamber of Commerce develop, so I just submitted my resignation from the Chamber of Commerce. I will go to Miss Dahlia and recommend myself to become a member of the Roseti Chamber of Commerce."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Please recommend me to Lady Dahlia, Lord Wolfred."

"...Why do you want me to recommend you to Dahlia?"

Wolfe asked bluntly, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

Hearing that voice, Ivano smiled as if relieved.

"I'm married with two daughters. 'Safe' for Miss Dahlia."

"I have no way of judging such matters."

"Lord Wolffred, are you a chest person or a waist person?"

This sudden question gave Wolff a headache.

He took off all his disguises, and asked with a dumbfounded expression:

"Why are you suddenly saying this?"

"I'm a breast-loving type. I prefer petite women with ample breasts, and my wife is exactly my ideal type. Therefore, I'm absolutely safe for Miss Dahlia. You should feel safe working with someone like me, right? Besides, I've been a guild member for sixteen years, so I have a certain level of knowledge. Furthermore, before joining the guild, I was the eldest son of another town's guild president until I was nineteen, so I'm also familiar with the operations of the guild."

"Since you are the eldest son, why don't you inherit the family business?"

"When I was nineteen, I lost everything. The trade guild collapsed overnight, and my parents and sister committed suicide. I had a bad history, so I stayed at my lover's—now wife's—house, but she happened to be away. My wife and I fled to the capital, and I found a job doing odd jobs at the trade guild."

Ivano stayed here ever since. The only people who knew about his and his wife's experiences were Gabriela, Viscount Jedda, and the man who was listening to him.

"Don't you want to start your own chamber of commerce?"

"I'm more attracted to Miss Dahlia's guild. Furthermore, if a guild doesn't have people who know how to do business, it could easily become exploited by the Merchant Guild or others. I won't allow that to happen."

"That's not your guild, why are you so worried?"

"That chamber of commerce would allow me to indulge my dreams of becoming rich, and perhaps even change the world. What businessman wouldn't be thrilled to see such a chamber of commerce?"

"I'm a knight... I don't understand the feelings of a merchant."

"I have both experience and confidence, and I will definitely not harm Miss Dahlia. So, could you please recommend me?"

Wolff couldn't answer immediately and rested his finger on his chin.

After a moment of silence, the golden eyes looked at Ivano.

"Promise me two things, and I'll recommend you."

"If I can do it, I agree."

"Go to the temple to receive the contract magic and swear that you will not harm Dahlia or the Roseti Chamber of Commerce."

"It seems you don't trust me, but that's natural. I accept it."

This was a condition that sounded very much like something a noble would propose, and Ivano had anticipated it. He nodded.

"Another thing is... please make protecting Dahlia your top priority. If anything happens, I hope you will prioritize protecting Dahlia over the guild, over profit, over anything else."

"...I promise you this as a businessman, no, as a man."