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

"Then I will go see Mr. Orlando now and ask him to terminate the contract immediately."

"You can also bring him here. Do you want me to go with you?"

"I'll go alone. But if... anything goes wrong, I'll discuss it with you."

"It's a mistake, right? No problem."

Dahlia bowed and left the office. Gabriela and Ivano watched her leave silently.

"...Ms. Dahlia has no lingering feelings towards that man. She could have just punched him. Is it necessary for her to be so tolerant just because he's her 'senior brother'?"

The man murmured, and Gabriella gave him a weak smile.

"No, the child herself didn't realize it, but it was actually Carlo she wanted to protect."

"Ms. Dalia wants to protect the deceased Mr. Carlo?"

"Yes. She probably subconsciously believes that if her senior brother Tobias changes his profession or is convicted, it will damage Carlo's reputation or make him sad."

"I see. So that's what's going on..."

Ivano turned his head away and closed his eyes.

He thought back to the middle-aged magic tool master with sandy hair and a kind smile.

One day in early summer, Carlo suddenly collapsed in the guild hallway. Ivano was the first to rush to his side. Carlo took only a few breaths and was gone without a word.

When the doctor arrived, he had already died and there was nothing they could do.

"Mr. Carlo was still so young, it must be a pity that he passed away..."

"Of course... He really should have lived twenty more years, or at least ten more years before leaving."

Gabriela opened the office window to let the wind in.

However, there was no wind outside, and all that could be seen was Dahlia's back gradually moving away.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Dalia walked to the Orlando Chamber of Commerce.

The Orlando Chamber of Commerce is a few minutes' walk from the Chamber of Commerce. It's a large, three-story wooden building, and Dalia has been there several times.

After Tobias's father died, she came here often for a while to help check the accounts and figures.

As soon as she stepped into the Chamber of Commerce, several pairs of eyes were staring at her.

As soon as they saw it was Dahlia, curiosity, sympathy and ridicule appeared in their eyes.

Dahlia resisted the urge to run away and held her head high.

On the day her engagement was broken off, she had made up her mind not to give in to such a trivial matter.

"Ah, good afternoon, Miss Rossetti."

Tobias's mother, who had addressed her by name only a few days before, forced a smile and greeted her.

"I'm sorry it happened so suddenly. Emilia is a relative of the Viscount, and for the sake of the Chamber of Commerce, I can't stop them... Your marriage was originally arranged for work convenience. You will definitely find someone better."

It sounded like she was saying: You may be pitiful, but we are related to the nobility, so it's not our fault. Dahlia moved her facial muscles, trying to maintain a normal expression.

"Okay, that's all. I'm here to talk to Tobias about the Merchant Guild. Can you please ask him out?"

"About the Merchant Guild? Ah, you still have unfinished business, right? I'll call him over right now."

Tobias's mother was relieved by Dahlia's calm attitude, and she immediately asked the clerk to call Tobias.

"...Dalia, what do you want from me?"

Tobias walked out with an awkward look on his face.

No one would be able to greet them with a smile if they heard that the person they wanted to break off the engagement with came to see them.

"I want to talk to you about the Small Magical Reactor Benefit Contract."

"What……!"

His brown eyes moved around in panic, and the blood instantly drained from his face.

"Excuse me, but to discuss that matter... please go into the reception room."

He took Dahlia to the nearest reception room.

After the two sat down across the table facing each other, Tobias lowered his head deeply.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to explain this to you, causing this misunderstanding."

"What do you mean? The person who handled the contract for the small magic furnace said that she accepted the application without confirming it because you said you had my consent."

"That's because... I plan to set up our own business after we get married, so I want to register all the magical tools under my name..."

"You mean, after we get married, anything I invent will also be registered under your name?"

"Yes, I think it would be better if the trade association's products were registered under my name or a joint name."

Since her engagement was broken off until today, Dalia often feels angry, embarrassed and powerless.

But this was the first time she was so angry that her mind was completely calm.

"Since I've invented a magical tool and passed it on to people, I must engrave my name on it and take responsibility for its development—that's what my father taught me."

Cold emerald eyes stared directly at Tobias.

"It's fine to log in with both of our names, but if I only log in with your name, if the magic tool malfunctions or something unexpected happens, I won't know about it."

"I thought, I'll just tell you..."

Tobias froze mid-sentence. Since they'd broken off their engagement and were now strangers, such words seemed too thoughtless.

"Please cancel the contract for the Small Magical Furnace today. I'll log in again later."

“Well…”

This is equivalent to asking him to go to the guild and admit his mistakes, and it will be difficult for him to get work in the guild in the future.

"After all, this happened during our engagement. Can you take this as your agreement? Let me retain the title of inventor and buy out the rights to the small magic furnace from you. It depends on your price, and our Chamber of Commerce will pay for it."

"I refuse. If you wait until the guild protests before you terminate the contract, you'll be punished. The guild members also said I have the right to sue you for contract fraud."

"You wouldn't do that, would you? ...Or are you holding a grudge about the broken engagement?"

Dahlia lowered her eyes and sighed deeply.

"As a magical tool master, you changing your name without my permission is more regrettable to me than breaking off the engagement. I have always considered you my 'senior brother'."

"...Is that so? In your eyes, I'm more like a 'senior brother' than a fiancé. It's always been that way."

Tobias looked away, his hands clenched into fists.

"You're not willing to sell me the name of the Magic Reactor, no matter what?"

"Not for sale."

"...Even if the Orlando Chamber of Commerce no longer does business with you, you won't change your mind?"

"right."

Dalia answered decisively.

She had already made up her mind. She could find another source of supply, or ask the trade guild to recommend other potential partners. If that didn't work out, she could sell small quantities of waterproof fabric to businesses in need, or switch to selling processed materials.

Although profits may drop significantly, she can still support herself.

She is a capable magic tool master and cannot compromise for such a thing.

"Besides, if we were still in contact, it wouldn't be good for your new fiancée, right?"

Dahlia didn't see anyone in the office just now, but Tobias's new fiancée also worked there.

To be honest, Dahlia didn't want to see them again.

“Dalia…”

"Please go to the Merchant Guild and complete the formalities today."

Dahlia ended the conversation and stood up.

Her shoulder-length hair swayed in front of Tobias' eyes.

She walked out of the reception room, and Tobias couldn't get used to the strange red hair.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

After Dahlia left the reception room, Tobias leaned back in his chair.

How could it become like this? He knew it was his fault, but he was still very depressed.

Dalia is the daughter of his master, Carlo, a magic tool maker.

They first met in the Green Tower workshop. After Carlo introduced her as "your senior," the girl shyly bowed. She described him as gentle, at best, and ordinary, at worst.

It wasn't until she started making tarpaulins that they started chatting. She dried slime on the roof and in the yard, choking on the sheer volume of slime powder. Her childlike enthusiasm for research was endearing to her senior.

However, when she was in her teens, Dahlia registered two magical tools, a waterproof cloth and a raincoat, and signed a profit contract.

At that time, he had not yet invented any magical tools.

The word "senior brother" has become a little heavier.

They got engaged not because they liked each other, but based on the advice of their fathers.

When Carlo asked for his opinion, he immediately agreed. Perhaps he wanted to become the heir of the magic tool master Carlo more than marrying Dalia.

It was only when Tobias stood beside her as her fiancé that he noticed how tall she was.

He was a little nervous and couldn't help but say, "You are really tall."

But she said nothing.

After they got engaged, Dahlia almost always did whatever he asked. She only asked for details and never responded emotionally.

She was willing to be a submissive wife following behind her senior brother - he naturally thought so.

Then his father died suddenly, and a year later Carlo followed.

After his father passed away, Dalia came to the Orlando Chamber of Commerce to do odd jobs and assist him with his work.

Yet even after Carlo died, she never complained to him.

Tobias gradually grew impatient with Dahlia and made various unilateral demands on her: wear simple clothes and drink no more than one glass of wine. She accepted all of these.

So he thought that the interest contract could also get Dalia's subsequent consent.

Looking back now, Dahlia never relied on or asked him for help once.

The reason is simple, because he is just a "senior brother" to Dalia.

Tobias was her senior brother, and her father and master asked for it, so she got engaged to him.

Even if the target wasn't Tobias, Dahlia probably wouldn't mind. And the same might be true for Tobias.

It was at this time that he met Emilia.

The petite girl came to work at the Chamber of Commerce. She had bright honey-colored hair and bright brown eyes. Although she sometimes messed up her work, she always worked hard.

"It's amazing that Mr. Tobias is a magic tool master."

Emilia said this with shining eyes during their first conversation.

While her father was a noble, her mother was unmarried. Unable to marry, they were forced to separate. She had dropped out of college due to her mother's illness, and after her mother's death, she lived alone and in poverty. Emilia promised to study hard and do well in her job. Tobias was unwittingly drawn to her, consulting with her and supporting her like a brother.

A few days before registering their marriage, Emilia casually remarked, "I live in a rental apartment and have never seen a family-style house." Tobias then invited her to his new home. She tearfully confessed her love to Tobias, who then took the opportunity to propose, claiming it was all his fault.

Even though he knew it was wrong, he would probably still do the same thing no matter how many times he turned back time.

Emilia was the only woman he truly loved.

While Tobias was lost in thought in the drawing room, there was a hesitant knock on the door.

He called back, "Come in," and the woman with bright honey-colored hair walked in timidly.

"Sorry to bother you..."

"Emilia, someone saw Dahlia coming and told you to stay in your room, right?"

When Dalia arrived at the Chamber of Commerce, Emilia happened to be leaving her room. Someone noticed and told her to stay inside. She probably left only after confirming Dalia's departure, but it would be bad if she ran into her.

"Excuse me, I'm really feeling a bit uneasy... Mr. Tobias, may I ask... what did you talk about with Ms. Dahlia?"