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

"Um, Mr. Ireneo... could you please speak in your original tone?"

Dahlia had often spoken with Ireneo when she was delivering goods or visiting the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, and they were quite familiar with each other. So hearing him speak so politely made her feel uncomfortable. To put it bluntly, she felt disgusted.

"I'm sorry to embarrass you. Take this. There are twelve gold coins in it."

The man bowed and placed the blue cloth bag containing the gold coins on the table.

"I've already received compensation."

"This is Orlando's compensation to you. That guy was shameless enough to ask you to return the bracelet, right? Just consider this as payment for the bracelet. No, honestly, we did this for ourselves. I just wanted to leave a proof that 'the Chamber of Commerce has apologized to you.'"

"Dalia, just accept it. Otherwise, this matter will never be resolved. But if you want to embarrass the Orlando Chamber of Commerce, I won't stop you."

“…Okay, I’ll take it then.”

Dahlia hadn't thought about Tobias and the bracelet the last time, and she felt a strange feeling when she heard this, but she still agreed.

"I have a few things I'd like to ask of you, but it's okay if you refuse."

Ireneo clasped his hands on the table and stared at Dahlia sharply with the black, slanted eyes he inherited from his father.

"My requests are that you refrain from suing Tobias over the magical device registration incident; that you allow me to spread the rumor that you two have mutually agreed to break off your engagement; that the Scafarot family refrain from pressuring us; and that our two chambers of commerce maintain ties. That's all."

Dahlia had no intention of suing Tobias. She found it odd to call the engagement "mutually broken," but in the end, breaking off the engagement wasn't a bad thing. The Scafarot family wouldn't put pressure on them anyway, and Wolfe didn't want his family to do the same. As for the final condition, if their dealings were limited to the Chamber of Commerce, then there would be no problem.

Dahlia listened to him quietly.

"In return, I offer four conditions in exchange. First, I will pay you an additional twenty gold coins. I'm currently raising funds. Second, for the next three years, we'll give you priority in selling any materials you order after we receive them, including rare materials. Third, for these three years, we'll sell you the materials at the purchase price, without profiting from the difference. Fourth... if you have any matters concerning the Chamber of Commerce that require your assistance, I'll do my best to help you. However, since you have the Guild Master as your guarantor, the fourth condition probably won't be of much use to you."

"You said you were going to spread rumors about a 'mutually broken engagement'. I'm curious about what exactly that means."

Dahlia fell into deep thought, and Gabriella spoke first.

"In other words, they both agreed to break off the engagement. My scenario is that Lady Dalia is close to the youngest son of Count Scafarot and wants to continue crafting magical tools, not giving up her work to get married."

"...So, your implication is that your brother bears no responsibility in this matter?"

"I admit it. This is the last line of defense to protect Tobias's career. However, this will counteract the ridiculous rumor that 'Miss Dahlia was abandoned by Tobias.' At the same time, by making the Scafarot family name known, no one will dare to become an enemy of Miss Dahlia. Furthermore, if Miss Dahlia requests it, I can drive Tobias and his men out of the capital. I guarantee this as the head of the Chamber of Commerce."

Ireneo kept his hands clasped together and spoke in a firm tone.

"The conditions sound good, what do you think, Dahlia?"

"You don't have to pay me any more. The registration of the magic tools has already been handled. As for the rumors of a mutual cancellation of the engagement, just say that I want to continue making magic tools and don't want to give up my work to get married. Don't mention the Scafarot family, and I'll accept that. The Scafarot family won't put any pressure on you, and I also want to maintain our relationship with the Chamber of Commerce. Also, while I no longer want to be associated with Mr. Tobias, I don't want him to move out of the capital."

To be honest, Dahlia didn't want to have any more contact with Ireneo, but she had something she wanted to ask him.

Of the chambers of commerce she knew, only the Orlando Chamber of Commerce would purchase that material.

So she tried her best to agree to Ireneo's request and accepted the future transaction conditions.

Dahlia clasped her hands under the table and looked directly at the man.

"In return, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Just tell me, I'll help you as much as I can."

"Please buy me some fairy crystals."

"Fairy Crystals...how many do you want?"

"Four. If possible, I'd like one to be given to me as soon as possible. The cost will be deducted from these twelve gold coins. If there's any money left, I'll return it to you. If not, I'll pay you more."

Dalia made a commission and returned the gold coins she had just received to the other party.

She wants to make glasses for Wolf, so she needs fairy crystals.

The more the better, so that even if his glasses break, she can make them for him immediately.

"Four fairy crystals...Okay, I'll notify all suppliers and hand them over to you as soon as they're found. All paperwork and communications will go through the Trade Guild, okay?"

"Okay, thank you."

The man frowned and rested his right hand on his chin.

"You want the Fairy Crystal... is that where you want to develop?"

"What do you mean by 'that aspect'?"

"It's okay. I heard that kind of material is difficult to process, so I was surprised."

After that, the man never mentioned the fairy crystal again.

They then confirmed a few details, which Gabriela briefly noted. As the conversation was drawing to a close, Ireneo suddenly said:

"Gabriella, can you please let me talk to Miss Dalia alone?"

Hearing this sudden request, Dahlia opened her eyes wide in surprise, but Gabriella beside her smiled brightly.

"Oh? Ireneo, do you want to pursue Dahlia?"

"I wouldn't do something so ignorant."

"Dalia, would you like to talk to him?"

"……good."

Dahlia was a little hesitant, but since she was asking the other party to help find the fairy crystal, she agreed.

After Gabriela left, Ireneo's expression relaxed a little.

"I don't know if I should give this to you..."

Ireneo took out a silver magic seal box from the white bag.

"This was supposed to be a wedding gift, but you forgot about it. Consider this material as compensation for the trouble I've caused you."

"Is this the material?"

"You can open it and take a look. I can't tell if it's genuine."

Dalia opened the magic box, and inside was a pure white stick, overflowing with magic power.

"Although it's not big, it's said to be the horn of a female unicorn. It's said to be completely detoxifying, purifying water, and relieving pain."

The horns of females are rarer than those of males and therefore more valuable.

They had just reached an agreement. Aside from their dealings at the Chamber of Commerce, they no longer had any connection. Dalia didn't understand why he would give her such an expensive gift.

Irenaeus could have used this material as one of the negotiation conditions, which might have been more advantageous. Why did he bring it out now?

"Why are you giving me this?"

"You might not remember... after you got engaged, didn't I urgently commission you to make some waterproof cloth? At the time, I asked you what you wanted as a wedding gift, and you said you wanted 'something to heal your neck and shoulder pain.'"

"...That seems to be the case."

Over a year ago, Carlo, Tobias, and Dalia worked together to produce a large batch of waterproof cloth. It was an urgent order commissioned by Ireneo, and the quantity was a bit surprising.

They worked for two full days, complaining repeatedly: "Where there's a will, there's a way, but this quantity is ridiculous..." "No matter how hard I try, it's never going to be finished..." "Damn it, I'm going to ask Ireneo for overtime pay..."

Late in the night when the work was completed, Irenaeus apologized profusely and brought a large amount of food to comfort them.

They ate and drank on the second floor and complained to Ireneo.

When Ireneo asked her what she wanted as a wedding gift, she replied, half-jokingly and half-reproachfully, "Something to treat my neck and shoulder pain!" Ireneo nodded honestly and said, "I'll look for it."

Tobias smiled happily beside her.

His father also rushed to say, "I want ingredients that can prevent aging!" Ireneo completely ignored him.

She still remembered that the four of them had laughed and joked together that day.

That was not a bad memory for her.

"Later, Mr. Carlo asked me to help him find a 'female unicorn horn that can relieve pain.' I promised to help him, but I didn't expect it to take so long... Please accept it so that I can fulfill my promise. You can do whatever you want with it, even resell it."

"that……"

Dahlia initially wanted to ask him if he owed her father a favor, but decided against it.

Even if this really happened, it was not her business to ask about it.

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

"Okay. I'm sorry you can't be my sister-in-law, but this is better for you."

Ireneo smiled, a smile very similar to his father's.

It was so intense that Dalia felt like she was talking to the brothers' father.

"This is the last time I'll call you Miss Dahlia. From now on, please deal with me as the guildmaster, President of the Rosette Merchants Guild."

"Okay, Mr. Ireneo... No, President of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce."

Ireneo bowed deeply, and Dahlia bowed back. Then the two of them walked out of the meeting room in silence.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

"Dalia, are you okay?"

"Does my expression make you look so worried?"

"Your face is three parts tired, four parts confused, and three parts forced smile. It seems you're still inexperienced in handling emotional disputes."

Gabriella finished speaking in the hallway, and Dalia couldn't help but laugh. Her elegant smile was strangely persuasive, and Dalia couldn't help but agree with her.

"Are you free? I have something I want to confirm with you."

At Gabriella's invitation, they returned to the office, and Dahlia was served a cup of hot tea as soon as she sat down.

"I'm a little surprised you accepted those terms. I thought you didn't want to do business with the Orlando Chamber of Commerce anymore."

"There's a material called 'Fairy Crystal'. As far as I know, only the Orlando Chamber of Commerce handles it. Larger chambers of commerce with connections to the nobility might also have it, but I don't have any connections there, and I'm anxious to get one first..."

She might have been so focused on the fairy crystal that she had overlooked other aspects, she explained to Gabriella in frustration.

"I see. If it were me, I would have accepted his money, stopped him from spreading rumors, and ordered him to expel Tobias from the capital. But you accepted it all, owing him this 'favor'. I thought it might be more interesting, so I didn't stop you."

"Um, what do you mean by interesting?"

"For the next three years, you'll be desperately trying to place orders for rare materials from them. Ireneo said he'll give you priority at wholesale prices, and he doesn't even have a quantity limit. He should be mentally prepared."

"ah……!"

She hadn't thought much about it at the time, but now she realized she had acted too impulsively. Putting aside her role as a magic tool master, even as a guild president, she had been remarkably inconsiderate.

"Let him spread rumors if he wants. Let's see how fast he can spread them, or how fast our guild members spread the news."

"Gabriella..."

"This isn't about you. Tobias took advantage of our guild members, and as the guild stands, we must spread this fact. This isn't Ireneo's responsibility, it's Tobias's, and it has nothing to do with you."

Dahlia really has no right to interfere in this matter.

"Anyway... you just need to surpass the Orlando Chamber of Commerce in three years."

"Don't be ridiculous, Gabriella."

Dalia finally spoke, but the woman in front of her curved her cat-like eyes and smiled without answering.

"I completely forgot about breaking off the engagement recently, and I just remembered it today."

"That's great. You handled the breakup with such composure, which is impressive."

"Really? Ah, now that I think about it, I've never hit anyone or made a scene. I wonder what most people would do if their fiancé cheated on them and broke up with them."

She didn't know if there was a common way to deal with breaking off an engagement, nor had she heard of any model way to break off an engagement.

"Well...if I were like you and my beloved fiancé broke up with me because he had an affair, the first thing I would do is cry to our mutual friends."

"I understand."

Although she didn't cry, she went to Irma to talk.

It's too painful to bear this kind of thing alone, but fortunately there is someone I can talk to.

"Then I'd go to my gossipy neighbor, hold back my tears, and ask for advice. After hearing that advice, I'd cry again. I absolutely couldn't criticize my fiancé or the person he had an affair with. I could only keep saying, 'It's my fault,' 'I love him so much, I'm so sad.' That way, the news would spread quickly."

"That makes sense."

This way, gossip would spread three times faster and arouse more sympathy.

"Then I'll retreat and enjoy the joy of losing weight. Eat less, exercise more, and stay indoors for now. Once I've lost five or six kilograms, I'll put on dark circles under my eyes and go out. If someone I know stops me, I'll keep saying 'I'm fine' with red eyes. That way the news will spread more widely."

“…That’s right.”

Deliberately creating a time difference can make the rumors spread further.