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

"Then I will respectfully obey. Please also address me as 'Ivano'."

"Miss Rossetti has just been sent back by Wolff. She is a very charming lady."

Guid took the initiative to tell Ivano what he wanted to know most.

With Wolf accompanying him, there was nothing to worry about. Furthermore, Dahlia seemed to have left a good impression on him, which put his mind at ease.

"Alright, we're both busy, so let's get straight to the point. Don't worry about etiquette, just speak freely. I won't hold you accountable later."

Goode motioned for the waiter to leave, then took a glass of the same sparkling wine from the attendant.

He loosened his collar and leaned back on the sofa, looking very relaxed.

"Thank you for your understanding, and thank you for your continued care."

"I had nothing to do with it. It was Wolfe who stopped me."

"I heard you introduced us to many people."

"That wasn't a formal introduction. I simply mentioned it casually at a dinner I was invited to: 'The Rosetti Chamber of Commerce is sponsored by my brother, and I'd like to support it, too.'"

"On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you."

The fact that the Roseti Chamber of Commerce's magical equipment products, including waterproof cloth, were able to be converted into direct orders was undoubtedly thanks to this man.

If the future marquis expressed support everywhere, nobles and merchants alike would jump in. No one wanted to anger the heir to the title, but instead, they all hoped to take the opportunity to curry favor with him.

The Orlando Chamber of Commerce is probably worried about this right now.

"Miss Rossetti has always taken care of our Wolfe, so we should be grateful. But after all, the Rossetti Merchants Guild was originally recommended by Fortu of the Clothing Guild, August of the Adventurer's Guild, and Lord Gulat and Lord Gildor. In comparison, my support is insignificant."

While speaking so casually, Guid addressed the Monster Suppression Corps Captain Gulat and Finance Minister Gildor by name, without mentioning their positions or titles.

"Ah, do you think it's a little strange that I address the elder Marquisates, Master Gulat and Master Gildor, by their names?"

Guid instantly saw through Ivano's doubts, which immediately made him more alert.

However, he could see no signs of nervousness or wariness in the other person's gentle blue eyes.

"I often meet with Master Gulat during my work in the royal city, and many of my magic troop members have participated in monster subjugation. Furthermore, my grandmother is from a branch of Master Gulat's family. Therefore, the children born to the first lady of our family are all named similarly. For example, my father's name is Renato, my name is Guyd, and my brother's name is Elud, that's how it is."

"I see."

Ivano had never considered the similarity between the names; it was a connection completely unknown to him. It seemed that even distant relatives among the nobility had some kind of connection.

Giving a similar name only to the First Lady's child was something he, a commoner, found difficult to understand.

"As for Master Gildor, we are acquainted, so we address each other by name."

Ivano thought that regardless of his relationship with others, his relationship with Gildo was definitely suspicious, but he did not say it out loud.

"Ivano, I'll ask you just once. Are you someone with connections?"

While shaking the wine glass in his hand, Guyde suddenly asked without any warning.

"No, I don't have any background. If I do have one, it's only through my relationship with Guild Leader Dahlia."

"Then I'm relieved. There are rumors that the Roseti Chamber of Commerce is actually run by you, and Dalia Roseti is only the figurehead."

"That's not true at all. All the development products belong to the president, and the chamber of commerce itself is hers."

"Rumor has it this thing can actually run around on its own."

"I couldn't agree more."

Even I was once involved in rumors with Dalia.

Now there are even Wolff, Fortu and Goulart, and I really don’t know how many more people will be added.

Today, I wonder how many people are still implicating Wolff, Fortu and Goulart.

However, few people would discuss these matters publicly these days. After all, few would be foolish enough to offend the Marquisate by spreading malicious rumors about Dahlia. To do so would be either extremely foolish or a desperate act.

"Does the Chamber of Commerce currently have any needs or difficulties? While I believe funds are sufficient, some things cannot be solved with money alone."

"Indeed. We are considering how to arrange a 'noble guardian' for President Dahlia."

"'Guardian of the Nobles' huh... Wolfe might not be qualified enough, since he can't be on the move during the expedition. How about I take on the role? Of course, that requires Lady Dahlia's consent."

“For me, this is a truly amazing offer.”

"I'll explain it to my brother. As long as I say I'm Wolf's agent, he should understand. As for Miss Rossetti, please convey my disrespect for today and ask her if she's willing to accept me as Wolf's agent."

"I understand. If this is successful, how should we repay Master Guid?"

Although Ivanor was somewhat concerned about the word "disrespectful", he decided to ask Dalia later.

Now, confirming the return for Goode is the top priority.

The more debts of favor accumulated between nobles, the more formidable they become. Only by repaying them within one's ability can one ensure the stability of this relationship.

"How about this... This isn't a request to the Chamber of Commerce, but a personal one to you, okay?"

"As long as it's something I can do, I'll do my best."

Ivano wondered what he could do for this man, but he answered anyway.

"Protect the Roseti Chamber of Commerce. No, protect Miss Dahlia. If you encounter a situation you cannot handle, contact me immediately."

"Thank you very much. If I ever have an emergency, I will definitely ask you for advice."

It's not the Chamber of Commerce that's being protected, but Dalia—Guide's words echoed Wolfe's.

This was probably because he was thinking about his younger brother Wolf.

Even so, he said the same thing to himself, perhaps because they were brothers.

"By the way, besides the Chamber of Commerce, do you have any personal needs? It seems you've always taken care of Wolfe. Whether it's real estate or money, I can make some arrangements."

"If possible, I'd like to get 'information'. If you could give me some pointers on how to gather it, that would be even better..."

Now, what worries Ivano the most is the intelligence issue.

Although he had some information on the civilians and business circles, it was very difficult to collect information on the nobles.

In the past, he had relied on Viscount Fortu's help to gather information about the aristocratic world. But now that he had established contact with the Marquis of the Royal City, this intelligence was clearly insufficient.

However, Ivano did not dare to ask Guid directly for information, so he tactfully hoped that the other party could give some tips on intelligence collection.

"Of course. You probably don't have any subordinates of your own yet, right? I'll assign someone to be in charge of the liaison between us. I'll teach you everything I can, and if you have anything to teach, please feel free to share it with me."

"This is a great favor to me...but I'm afraid there's nothing special I can teach you..."

Ivano began to worry whether he had made a mistake in asking the nobleman in front of him. The sudden proposal made him panic.

If the other party asked him to provide information about the Roseti Chamber of Commerce or Dahlia, he would never agree.

"I'm not interested in the Chamber of Commerce's secrets or development information at all. Let me think... For example, if I could find out what ingredients or wines Miss Rossetti likes, Wolfe wouldn't have to go wrong with her gift. I'd also like to know if she's interested in opera or drama. Oh, and by the way, if there are any snacks popular among the common people, please tell me about them, too."

"A commoner's snack?"

"That's right. A while ago, I bought my daughter some candy apples from downtown, and she was very happy. Although my wife scolded me, she calmed down after receiving them. It seems that this is something my wife likes too."

Looking at Guid's gentle smile as a father and husband, Ivano felt as if he had found a little common ground with him.

"Speaking of the 'information' you requested, let me provide some advance information. We've had two new correspondence assistants since last week, right? The female one is from Jedda, and the male one is from Gildor-sama. Make good use of this information."

"What?"

"As for Jedda, it shouldn't be a problem to make her a full member of the Guild. As for Gildor-sama, I really can't tell. However, you can try to subtly reveal some information you'd like him to give you."

These words were so unexpected that Ivano's mind went blank, but at the same time he vaguely understood them.

It seemed inevitable that Gildo, as a marquis, would place his own people in the Chamber of Commerce.

Furthermore, Gabriella's husband, Jedda, was also a nobleman with the title of Viscount. It was only natural that they would want to gain information about the growing influence of the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce within the guild.

I feel a little uncomfortable in my heart, probably because I am still too naive.

"Fortu and August don't have any spies. I've already warned them."

Ivano almost jokingly asked if the warning was "cut with scissors" or "cut with a sword", but in the end he held back and didn't say it out loud.

He recalled the first time he drank with Fortu, the head of the Clothing Guild. He had been forced to drink some wine that would have made him talk without restraint, citing the "etiquette" of the nobility.

When nobles first met merchants, they often flaunted their power or wealth, demonstrating a certain degree of influence. This was often done to clarify the power dynamics in future transactions. This might include a hint of intimidation or assistance—ironically, this was something he had learned from Fortu.

And Goode seemed to have chosen to strengthen his ties with the Roseti Chamber of Commerce by providing assistance.

This makes people feel very grateful.

"One more thing. Although I'm telling you this later, I've already sent people to protect your lovely wife and daughter since the week the Chamber of Commerce became the designated supplier for the Monster Suppression Force."

"What?"

Ivano couldn't understand this sentence for a moment, and his voice rose unconsciously.

"You should probably run into that old gentleman with the white beard at the restaurant near the guild sometimes, right? It's best to think carefully before you talk to him. I heard he used to work for the Merchant Guild, but is now retired and a watchdog... No, that's not a good way to put it, he's an information dealer."

"Information dealer?"

Ivano couldn't help but ask again, and Guid seemed a little confused as he continued to explain.

"Isn't that surprising? There are people out there trying to gather intelligence on the Roseti Chamber of Commerce. From now on, these people might gradually gather around you, rather than around Miss Dahlia."

"Why is it me instead of President Dahlia?"

"It's not easy to get close to Miss Dahlia. She doesn't attend tea parties or dinners, and her powerful backing makes it difficult for anyone to approach her. Therefore, some might think threatening you is a quick way to manipulate the Rosetti Chamber of Commerce. And the easiest way to threaten you is to target your wife and children. If they were kidnapped and you were asked to do something, would you still refuse?"

"...Thank you very much for your escort arrangements and guidance. I was inconsiderate."

Ivano stood up and bowed deeply.

He remembered that Fortu had also reminded him about personal safety.

Fortu once said, "Because you could become a target, your family should always go out in a carriage. Don't eat or drink outside casually, and don't let your children play alone. Be wary not only of strangers who approach unexpectedly, but also of old friends you haven't seen in a while."

Although Ivano always considered himself cautious about these things, he realized that he still had a lot of shortcomings in facing the aristocratic sense of crisis.

"Please look up. This is not a big deal."

"Um, with all due respect, have you also arranged guards for President Dahlia?"

"No, I don't have any guards for her. However, my carriage drivers are carefully selected because they are the easiest targets when they are out."

Ivano recalled several coachmen he had met before, and suddenly he understood.

The drivers were all sturdy and could easily pass for knights in other attire. They were polite but quiet, perhaps to avoid attracting the attention of Dahlia and me.

"Just in case, I'll give you a list of the guards I've arranged for your family. Please burn it after checking with my wife. No need to greet them. I'll rotate the guards regularly to prevent their faces from being remembered, and I'll let you know when the time comes."

"Thank you very much. As for the expenses, I will definitely..."

"That's not necessary. However, don't think that this is foolproof. You still need to be vigilant around your family and take good care of yourself. That's the safest way."

"I understand. But if I keep going like this, my debt of gratitude will only pile up, right?"

How much is the escort fee? Adding to that the important intelligence obtained today, these "debts of favor" whose amount cannot be specifically calculated, honestly, make Ivano feel uneasy.

"Then I have only one request of you. Swear to me, right now, that you will never betray Lady Dahlia and Wolf."

"Of course it's only natural. I never thought of betraying them."

"It's natural, isn't it? -- maybe it is for you, but for me, this is enough."

Guid should be smiling at this moment, but Ivano saw a hint of deep loneliness in his smile at that moment.

Ivano didn't know how to respond for a moment. He could neither agree nor find a suitable topic to change the subject. He could only remain silent.

At this moment, the water droplets that had condensed on the edge of the wine glass quietly slid down and wet his fingertips with their coldness.

"Well, I won't delay your work any longer. Thank you for coming today despite your busy schedule. I'll invite Miss Dahlia to come along next time."

"Thank you very much, Master Guid. I sincerely appreciate your help and guidance."

When Ivano was about to say goodbye, Guid suddenly called him.

"Ivano, there's one thing I forgot to tell you."

Those blue eyes suddenly became deeper, staring straight at him without blinking. And in the wine glass in Guyd's right hand, the wine began to make a subtle sound of freezing.

"If you ever decide to betray me, remember to hide your beloved wife and daughter completely."

Guid's expression, voice, and tone remained unchanged, but Ivano was like a frog being stared at by a poisonous snake. His whole body was stiff, and his head seemed to be pressed down by an invisible weight, becoming extremely heavy.

A moment later, he realized the true meaning of this sentence, and a chill instantly ran up his spine and into his heart.

What "gentle man"—Ivano smiled bitterly in his heart, mocking his initial naive judgment.