Chapter 38 - Chairman of Orlando & Co.
(Author’s Note: This is Tobias’s elder brother’s chapter.)
Tobias had returned to his family’s Orlando & Co. to request materials for magical tools.
Uncharacteristically, his mother was not present in the shop, and the employees seemed unusually reticent.
"Tobias."
At the flat tone of a voice, he turned to see his older brother, ten years his senior, approaching.
Ireneo Orlando.
His elder brother and the head of Orlando & Co.
He was tall and lanky, with sharp, black, upturned eyes and dark brown hair—a striking resemblance to their father.
Tobias had always felt uneasy around this older brother, who resembled their father so much.
"Welcome back, Brother. When did you return?"
"Two nights ago. I need to talk to you. Do you have time?”
“Yes, I do.”
The two entered a meeting room, where Ireneo took a seat at the far end while Tobias sat diagonally across from him.
A clerk brought in two cups of tea, placed them neatly on the table, bowed, and left.
Now, the room contained only the two brothers.
"I’ve heard everything—from the annulment to what’s happened since."
"I’m sorry. It was so sudden, and I caused trouble for you too."
"I should be angry, but with how much you and Mother managed to stir up in my brief absence, I almost found it laughable."
Irineo spread out a thick stack of documents he had brought in with him.
Up close, Tobias noticed the deep circles under his brother’s eyes. The veins stood out on the hand holding the papers, betraying his exhaustion.
"Your debt with the guild has been paid in full. I deposited 30 gold coins into your account—consider it credit from the guild. Don’t spend it. Also, never again borrow money using the name of our trading company; it damages our reputation.”
"I’m sorry..."
"Next, about the magical tool registration with the Merchant Guild. This is a heavier issue. I’ve managed to suppress some talk through contacts in the guild, but I can’t hold it back entirely, and excessive action might backfire. Gabriella might exploit the situation. Don’t go near the Merchant Guild for the time being.”
"I understand."
"Then there’s the next issue. Rumors are circulating that you abandoned Dahlia on the verge of marriage for another woman."
"That’s..."
Since it was true, Tobias faltered.
"Whether it’s a lie or the truth, such bad rumors will affect your future and the company’s reputation."
Ireneo continued as he flipped through several pages, where Dahlia’s name appeared among scrawled notes.
"I had someone look into Dahlia's connections. She seems to be seeing a man from the Count Scalfarotto family. Word will soon spread—through paid gossip birds—that she has a new lover, prefers to focus on her magic tool crafting, and likely avoided both quitting her work and entering into a stifling marriage. Give it two months, and things should settle down."
Gossip birds were individuals who mingled with townsfolk to spread rumors or advertisements.
Normally, they were used to praise shops or products, but this time they would serve a different purpose.
"Dahlia is involved with a man from a Count’s family? Is that true?"
Tobias recalled the strikingly handsome man he had once seen with her at a café terrace.
The man had indeed claimed the family name of the Count Scalfarotto household.
A wave of discomfort washed over Tobias as he considered the possibility that Dahlia had been seeing that man ever since.
"They were reportedly seen walking together—a tall man with black hair and golden eyes, described as mesmerizingly handsome. That matches the youngest son of the Scalfarotto family. There are also accounts of a tall man in a dark hood paying for Dahlia’s items in a shop near the tower and carrying her belongings. It seems he’s quite taken with her."
Blowing on his hot tea, Ireneo continued.
It was unclear how he had gathered the information in just two days, but documents bearing the name of the Count's family were visible.
"With someone from a Count’s family, marriage is unlikely, but Scalfarotto, the water family, could become an excellent patron for her."
Tobias wanted to object—Dahlia would never have a patron—but the words caught in his throat.
He remembered that day—the man had approached her, not the other way around.
"If only I could, I would have married Dahlia myself. It’s frustrating to already be married."
"Brother, don’t joke about such things."
"I’m not joking. She’s a high academy graduate, quick with calculations, a skilled bookkeeper, a talented magical toolmaker, a baron’s daughter, and the owner of the Green Tower. On top of all that, her composure after parting with you, her ability to capture the attention of a man from a Count’s family, and her solo establishment of a trading company. Women like her don’t come around often."
Ireneo sighed deeply and placed the documents related to the Rossetti Company on top.
"Tobias, what exactly was it that dissatisfied you?"
"I had Emilia..."
Tobias trailed off as Ireneo fixed him with a cold stare—one that reminded him of their father’s stern reprimands.
"When it comes to personal taste in women, so be it. But you should have followed proper procedure. Six months after the annulment, why couldn’t you wait before openly courting Emilia?"
"I just wanted to be with her immediately."
"Then tell me, if Dahlia had found another man first, annulled the engagement, and announced she’d live with him starting tomorrow, could you have accepted it?"
"That’s..."
"What you did was essentially the same. Stay away from Dahlia. A merchant company like ours would easily collapse if we got into a dispute with that Water Count family."
As the older brother spoke, he pulled out another document from underneath.
"Also, about Emilia—she may have the blood of the Viscount family, but it doesn’t provide any advantages."
"What do you mean by 'doesn’t provide any advantages'?"
"After a quick investigation, it turns out Emilia was born from a relationship between the younger brother of the previous head of the Tallini Viscount family and a woman who worked at their estate. At the time, the Viscount family paid a substantial sum, officially severing ties with the woman through a notary public. When our mother sent a letter to greet them, the family responded saying there was no such person among them. They said the name Tallini is common even among commoners, and Emilia's mother happens to share it. Perhaps she cleverly made use of that."
Among the documents was a letter bearing Tallini Viscount’s name. It seemed that the letter their mother had sent had been returned as well, bundled together with a brown string.
"...That doesn’t matter to me. Emilia is still Emilia."
"If that’s how you feel, that’s fine. I’ll make amends with the Viscount family on this end. But you should know our mother, who intended to use this connection to establish ties with a Viscount, is furious. Given the rumors as well, Emilia should no longer come to the company."
"Alright, I understand."
"And as for Mother, she won’t be appearing in front of the company anymore. She’ll either stay in the back or at home. If you need her, you’ll have to go there."
"Why? Is she unwell?"
"There’s always the possibility of something happening. We’ll send an appropriate gift and apologize to the Tallini Viscount family, framing it as a misunderstanding due to her age. It’s the least contentious solution."
"You don’t have to go that far..."
When Tobias began to argue, Ireneo fixed him with his inscrutable dark eyes.
"Don’t underestimate the nobility. You never know how they’re connected. At our level, we barely have access to reliable information."
"Still, isn’t this blowing things out of proportion? It’s just a single letter."
"Even a one-in-ten-thousand chance of this escalating into a family dispute could destroy our company."
"That’s..."
"Tobias, do you know how many people currently work for Orlando & Co.?"
"About 70, right?"
"In the country, 121. Abroad, 37. Add contracted mages, magical toolmakers, craftsmen, marketers, and cleaners, and the total surpasses 200. Include their families, and you’re looking at well over 1,000 people. This isn’t just our family's Orlando & Co. My role as the head of this company is to protect it."
Ireneo, with a face strikingly similar to their father’s, delivered this statement with finality.
Tobias found himself at a loss for words.
"Do you know why our father and Carlo pushed for your marriage to Dahlia?"
"Master said it was because we were both magical toolmakers, so we could work together and support each other. As for Father, he only told me to treat her well."
His older brother sighed deeply, longer and heavier than Tobias had ever heard before, and clasped his hands together on the desk.
With the same deep, dark eyes as their father, Ireneo gazed at him narrowly.
"...You’re no longer a child, so I’ll tell you now, harsh as it may be. Your marriage was something our father insisted upon, pleading with Carlo for your sake."
"Not Master, but Father? Why would he do that?"
"Our family is of common birth. We have no lineage of mages or magical toolmakers. If you ever ran into trouble as a magical toolmaker, no one in our family could help you. With Dahlia by your side, she could assist you and be someone you could consult. That was the calculation."
"That’s... but then why would Master…?"
A throbbing pain crawled across his temples as his vision blurred slightly.
"Carlo had his own reasons. He knew that if something happened to him, Dahlia would be left alone. She had no noteworthy relatives, and as a woman, she’d be an easy target if she stood out too much as a skilled magical toolmaker. As long as she worked jointly with you, people would view her as your wife, reducing unwanted attention. After the marriage, the plan was for our trading company to protect both of you. Unfortunately, Father failed to ensure Mother understood this thoroughly."
"I never heard anything like that!"
It sounded like the voice of someone screaming in despair.
In the depths of his ears, there was a roaring sound, like the powerful rush of waves, as the flow of blood surged. His breath was becoming incredibly labored.
"Then, am I nothing more than a 'decoy' for Magical Toolmaker Dahlia?!"
"In some ways, yes. But Carlo always praised your dedication. He respected how, despite coming from a merchant family, you became a magical toolmaker through sheer effort. He believed in you, Tobias, and said that if you kept striving, you’d surpass him as a magical toolmaker. It wasn’t about one being better than the other. He wanted you and Dahlia to live as magical toolmakers side by side."
"Then why... why didn’t Father or Master say a word to me about any of this?!"
Ireneo’s dark eyes wavered, showing a flicker of discomfort.
"If they had told you, wouldn’t you have refused to marry Dahlia at all costs?"
Strangely, Tobias found himself agreeing.
Had he known, he would have declined without hesitation.
He would have claimed he didn’t need family support to succeed as a magical toolmaker.
He would have rejected the idea of being a decoy for Dahlia.
He recalled Carlo’s calm smile as he taught him.
Carlo had always said the presence of a registered magical tool didn’t determine the quality of a toolmaker’s work.
Even a simple, inexpensive tool, if made carefully with the user in mind, was a valuable creation.
Dahlia was Dahlia, and Tobias was Tobias; as magical toolmakers, each had their own unique traits.
Dahlia's work was characterized by creativity, the ability to adapt, and strong prototyping skills.
Tobias's work was meticulous and thorough, with a strong focus on safety for the user.
Both of these qualities were incredibly important.
That's why, as magical toolmakers, they were meant to complement each other and grow together.
But over time, Tobias forgot those words of praise. He became consumed by feelings of inferiority as a senior disciple, resenting his shortcomings compared to Dahlia’s.
Driven by the notion that he had to create something new, he began spinning his wheels aimlessly, losing sight of the work right in front of him. At some point, he could no longer find any joy in crafting magical tools.
In his impatience, during their engagement, he had repeatedly tested Dahlia with his jealousy and selfishness.
And so, he let go of the woman who couldn’t love him and chose Emilia, the one who did.
Now, recognizing the accumulation of mistakes, he realized it was far too late to change anything.
All he could do was suppress the overwhelming emotions threatening to burst forth, enduring the weight as best he could.
"I opposed Father’s decision. He and I are merchants, but you and Dahlia are magical toolmakers. That kind of calculation didn’t suit you. Yet, with his declining health, Carlo eventually gave in to Father’s persistence, and I couldn’t stop them. I bear responsibility too, and I’ll share the burden of breaking that promise with you."
Ireneo handed him a white handkerchief, and Tobias finally noticed the tears streaming down his face.
He pressed the handkerchief to his face, trying to steady his ragged breaths amidst the overwhelming sense of shame.
Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't calm himself.
"...I won’t let anyone come here for a while. Take your time to settle down, and when you’re ready, step out of the room. Once you’ve organized your thoughts, let’s talk again about the future."
As his brother passed by and left the room, his voice lingered, falling heavily on Tobias’s back.
It was strikingly similar to their father’s.
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