Chapter 69 - Meeting with the Employee
"I’m really, truly glad you told me about this first."
Ivano, who had arrived early in the morning at the Merchant Guild's meeting room, smiled warmly at Dahlia and said this.
It seemed that Volf's advice had been spot on. When Dahlia explained the shoe dryer, Ivano was genuinely pleased.
"Let’s quickly register the profit contract for the shoe dryer. Please refrain from announcing it publicly until we’re set up for mass production."
"Um, by mass production, do you mean we're going to sell these too?"
"Of course, we’ll sell them. They’ll definitely sell. I’ll put all my effort into it. However, we shouldn’t announce it until we have a clear plan for distribution and production volume. Otherwise, even if it’s not as extreme as with the five-toed socks, similar issues could arise."
"With this...?"
Dahlia had brought the shoe dryer as a test, but she still saw it as just a simple modification of a hair dryer. Even though it was called a new product, it didn’t feel like it was.
"The Chivalric Order, the Courier Guild, the Adventurer Guild, warehouses of shoe stores during the rainy season, large mansions with many people, those concerned with foot fungal infection or foot odor—just off the top of my head, there are already these many possibilities."
"That’s amazing, Ivano-san."
Seeing Dahlia surprised by how he listed potential customers, Ivano scratched his mustard-colored hair with his hand.
"No, the amazing one is you, Dahlia-san, not me... For now, let’s register the profit contract. You can improve it later. By the way, with all these new things coming up, when did you start developing this one?"
"Yesterday."
"Huh? You mean you developed it in just one day?"
"No, I started it yesterday, but the actual modification of the hair dryer only took about twenty minutes... Oh, but I did do a proper test run. Also, the safety margin for the temperature is higher than that of the hair dryer!"
Dahlia quickly explained, hoping to avoid any misunderstandings, to make it clear that she hadn’t just haphazardly made it without proper safety checks.
Ivano squinted his deep indigo eyes and smiled quietly, which made her feel relieved.
"...Dahlia-san, if you have anything else you’re thinking of, any prototypes, or things you want to make, just let me know, no matter how vague. I’d like to prepare myself—no, I mean, to use it as reference for our sales strategy."
Ivano took a tan leather notebook from his chest pocket and prepared a pencil.
Hearing the term "sales strategy," Dahlia thought again how much the man before her was a businessman, as it was a word she had heard in her past life too.
"Well... It’s not a magical tool, but I’m working on the foaming pump bottle with Fermo-san from Gandolfi Workshop. Next, I’d like to make the compact magic stove even more compact, and I also want to make the waterproof fabric lighter. I’m also working on a refrigerator that combines a freezer on top and a fridge on the bottom. I’d like to make cheaper versions of both. I also want to make things for drying clothes in the rain or winter, and pots that are convenient for cooking. Oh, and I’m also thinking about a heating device for winter. And although I don’t plan to sell it... I’m prototyping an artificial magic sword. It’s just a weak double-enchantment, though."
Dahlia considered hiding the artificial magic sword idea, but she felt it would be disrespectful to Ivano, who would manage the company, to do so. Besides, it might be obvious from the materials she would request in the future.
So, she decided to honestly tell him upfront.
"...Understood. Yes, Dahlia-san, please make whatever you want. Just provide me with the blueprints and specifications, and as long as the safety checks are thorough, it’s fine. I’ll register them all and sell what I can. I’ll handle mass production and distribution. But, although I think you’re making it for Volf-sama, I recommend not telling others about the artificial magic sword."
"It’s bad after all, professionally speaking?"
Although it was an artificial magic sword, it was still a weapon. It would normally be something created through the cooperation of blacksmiths and mages.
If it were to be used, safety checks would be crucial.
Though she had jumped into it without any expertise just because she was with Volf, the first result was the "Dagger of the Demon King's Minion" that would melt the wielder’s hand. It was understandable that people would say this wasn’t a magical toolmaker’s work.
"No, it’s not that. But if you're not careful, there’s a chance you could get caught up with bad people or high-ranking figures."
"Huh, me? But even if we call it an artificial magic sword, it only has a weak double enchantment. It doesn’t have the power of a genuine magic sword."
"It may not seem like it now, but once the prototype is more refined, who knows? Even if it can’t fight against a mage specialized in offensive magic, if it becomes strong enough to be used to reinforce the troops of nobles or criminal organizations, it could become dangerous. You could even export it to other countries where there are fewer mages."
"...I hadn’t thought of that."
Dahlia silently swore not to speak about it. Then, she recalled something.
By now, Volf, wearing the sköll fang bracelet, was probably soaring through the sky at the royal castle’s training grounds.
She believed the bracelet couldn’t be used by anyone but Volf, but if someone else managed to misuse it, it could turn into a terrifying situation.
"Ah, um... there's one more thing. I made a sköll fang bracelet. It’s an accessory that assists with wind magic, or more specifically, with jumping. It can only be used by those who don’t have external magical power. It’s set with blood-bond, and it’s exclusively for Volf, but..."
"If it’s exclusive to Volf-sama, then it’s fine. I’m really glad it worked out. Did you give the bracelet to him, Dahlia-san?"
"Not exactly. Volf bought the bracelet from me."
"Oh, I’m sorry. I misunderstood..."
Ivano hastily apologized. Reflecting on the conversation, Dahlia also became flustered.
"No, it’s not like that! It’s not an engagement bracelet or anything like that, it’s purely a combat bracelet! I didn’t even put any stones in it!"
"I see... It’s just that I received a bracelet from my wife, so I couldn’t help but remember."
"Ivano-san, your wife gave you an engagement bracelet first?"
"Yes. When my family passed away and I was feeling down, she said, 'I’ll be your family!' and put the bracelet on me right then and there. I didn’t even have time to respond."
"Wh-what a passionate wife you have."
As Dahlia hesitated on how to continue the conversation, Ivano opened a black leather tube and took out a piece of parchment.
"This is a copy for verification. Dahlia-san, please hold onto it. Yesterday morning, I went with Volf-sama to the church, and had a covenant spell cast on me."
The parchment for the church’s covenant spell emitted a faint magical aura.
The engraved letters that seemed to have been burned into the parchment read, "Ivano Badoer shall not intentionally bring any harm to Dahlia Rossetti or the Rossetti Company."
Beneath that, Ivano’s signature was written in a reddish-black ink, which looked slightly intimidating.
Dahlia stared at it, astonished.
"I wanted to become a member of the company and was hired right away, but I know it’s hard to trust me right away. I hope this brings you some reassurance."
"Ivano-san, thank you. I’ll take good care of it. Um... sorry, I didn’t know. Is it common for companies to make church covenants?"
"It happens quite often. After all, businesses are built on trust."
In reality, church covenants were mostly used for dealings with the nobility. Among merchants, they were less common due to the significant costs involved, as well as the gravity and fear associated with the inability to break the contract.
However, Ivano purposely left that unsaid.
"Please surpass Carlo-san’s number of registered magical tools. I'm looking forward to it."
"My father’s registration numbers? That’s a long way off."
"Before you were born, including improved versions, there were 22 items. Since you were born, there were six."
"The fact that there are few items made since I was born... is my fault, isn't it?"
Although they had a maid, her father had always made time to spend with young Dahlia.
They often went out together on days off, and her father taught her everything necessary to be a magical toolmaker.
Though he worked hard as a magical toolmaker, if she hadn’t been there, he could have made many more things.
If he hadn’t taken her in, if he had remarried, perhaps he could have increased his work as a magical toolmaker.
If that had happened, perhaps he could have become a far more renowned magical toolmaker as "Carlo Rossetti" rather than just Dahlia's father.
"Sorry, Dahlia-san, that’s not what I meant. The magical tools your father made after you were born have spread much more than those before. Nowadays, there are hardly any homes without water heaters or hairdryers. That’s what I meant to say... I just got the order wrong."
"No, it was just my misunderstanding. I couldn't help but think that if my father had had more time as a magical toolmaker, he could have made many more things."
"You shouldn't think of a father who loves his daughter that way. I’m the same, I’d spend every minute I could with my precious daughters, even if it meant cutting back on sleep."
Perhaps her concern had been visible on her face, which prompted Ivano to say those words with a fatherly expression on his face.
However, what Dahlia was most concerned about was the casual mention of "sleep."
"Ivano-san, please don’t overwork yourself with the company. You should go home in accordance with the guild’s working hours. You absolutely need to rest at least once every five days. You should also take time off during the summer and winter festivals."
"No, it’s fine, I don’t need that much rest. I’m healthy, and my wife doesn’t get angry. I’m prepared to work without rest until the company is on track..."
"Absolutely not! You’ll lose time with your wife and you’ll lose the opportunity to make memories with your daughters when they’re still little. And if you collapse, both your family and I will be in trouble. To prevent that, please make sure to rest while you work. If things aren’t going well, reduce the workload or hire someone once the profits go up."
In her past life, she had been unfilial, leaving her parents behind and dying from overwork.
In this life, she was deeply shocked by her father’s sudden death.
She didn’t want either of those experiences, and she certainly didn’t want the man in front of him to go through it either.
"It’s really painful for both the one left behind and the one who leaves..."
She was surprised by the teary voice that had escaped her lips.
"I’m sorry, Dahlia-san... I understand. I’ll make sure to rest properly and work well. I’ll hire people when I can. And, well, I’m really healthy, so please don’t worry."
"Yes..."
Ivano’s words made Dahlia hurriedly put on a smile.
But her eyes were still a little teary, and it was almost certainly an awkward smile.
For a brief moment, she found herself missing her black-framed glasses that could hide her eyes.
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