Chapter 104 - Etiquette for the Royal Castle
In a corner of the noble district stood the magical tool shop, the “Goddess’ Right Eye.”
Dahlia visited the shop just before closing time. She was there to learn the etiquette required for the royal castle from the shop’s owner, Ozwald.
Accompanying her were Volf, who walked beside her, and Ivano, who followed behind.
Earlier, Volf had mentioned that he wanted to be informed whenever Dahlia planned to visit the “Goddess’ Right Eye.” So, once the date was set, she sent him a letter. She also noted that Ivano would be joining her. Volf quickly replied, saying he wanted to come along for the first visit since it involved formal introductions.
Fortunately, Ozwald had scheduled the meeting just before the shop closed, so it didn’t interfere with Volf’s work hours.
However, Dahlia was slightly surprised to see Volf dressed in his unit’s knight uniform.
He explained, “You had to learn royal castle etiquette because of negotiations with our unit.” But the black fabric, clearly not suited for summer, looked uncomfortably hot. Dahlia felt a pang of guilt for making him go through such trouble for the sake of the company.
Ivano, too, seemed concerned about Volf’s attire. During the carriage ride, he asked, “Is that your uniform for subjugation missions?”
The “Goddess’ Right Eye” was a shop made of gleaming white marble, so polished that it reflected the surroundings.
Thick decorative pillars on either side were adorned with intricate carvings of flowers and goddesses. Feeling slightly intimidated by the opulence, Dahlia reached for the glossy white door.
But before she could touch it, a woman emerged from inside.
Seeing her, Volf immediately put on his fairy-crystal glasses. Dahlia couldn’t help but be impressed by how quickly he moved.
“Welcome. Are you from the Rossetti Company?”
“Yes, thank you for having us.”
“We’ve been expecting you. Please, come in.”
The woman, who had lighter red hair and brighter green eyes than Dahlia, smiled warmly. Her gentle demeanor put Dahlia at ease.
Following her lead, they ascended to the second floor.
“Welcome.”
Ozwald, dressed in a black suit, smiled from across a white table.
Just like the last time they met, his gray hair was slicked back, and he wore silver-rimmed glasses.
The room, likely designed for noble guests, was overwhelmingly luxurious.
The white furnishings were lavishly adorned with gold accents, though the muted gold gave a sense of understated elegance. Still, the sheer value of the items made Dahlia instinctively wary of damaging anything. The blue carpet was so vivid and pristine that she hesitated to step on it.
Beside Ozwald stood three women.
All three wore identical engagement bracelets, silver with multiple diamonds.
Volf, Dahlia, and Ivano stood across from them, exchanging polite bows.
“My wives insisted on meeting you to offer their greetings...”
The word “wives” was unfamiliar to Dahlia, and it struck her as rather novel.
Perhaps they also wanted to meet Volf. She considered asking him to remove his glasses but found it difficult to speak up in such a formal setting.
“I am Caterina Zola.”
The first to greet them with a smile was a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and green eyes. She appeared to be the first wife.
Her glossy blue dress, paired with a gold necklace, suited her perfectly. Her graceful movements suggested she was likely of noble birth.
“I am Fiore Zola.”
The next woman, with red hair and light green eyes, spoke up. She seemed to be a decade older than Dahlia.
Her soft ivory dress complemented her well. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes drooped slightly, giving her a charming, youthful appearance despite her age. She was the one who had greeted them earlier.
“I am Elmelinda Zola.”
Greeted the third woman, who appeared to be in her twenties, slightly older than Dahlia.
She had black hair and emerald-green eyes, standing about the same height as Dahlia.
Her simple black dress, though understated, accentuated her well-proportioned figure. In Dahlia’s previous life, she might have been scouted as a model.
All three were undeniably beautiful.
Yet each had a distinct charm, making it impossible to discern Ozwald’s preferences.
After introductions, the Rossetti Company trio also exchanged formal greetings. Dahlia felt tense and stiff, while Volf and Ivano seemed unusually awkward. Perhaps they were momentarily captivated by the beauty of Ozwald’s three wives.
Once the introductions were complete, they finally took their seats.
“Now, you two may wait at home. Elmelinda, please stay at the shop.”
“Yes, Husband.”
The women gave their bows before leaving, leaving the room suddenly quiet.
Though they hadn’t been particularly loud before, it was probably due to the strong presence of the wives.
“Thank you for your time. Regarding royal castle etiquette, it’s simply a matter of learning specific rules and forms. Five sessions should suffice. Today, I’ll provide you with notes. Starting next time, Caterina will instruct Lady Dahlia, and I’ll guide Mercadante-san through practical exercises.”
“Thank you.”
“Now, please take a look at this. Volfred-sama, you may also review it for reference.”
Ozwald placed a heavy red leather box on the table and pulled out three thick stacks of paper, each resembling a magic theory textbook.
The size and thickness of the stacks made it clear that these were not meant to be called notes.
“Each page contains one item. Remove the ones you’ve memorized and focus on the ones you haven’t. It’s like studying for an academy exam. It may seem like a lot, but it’s really not that much.”
While each page contained only one piece of information, it was certainly not as insignificant as he had claimed. Flipping through a few pages, Dahlia realized she didn’t know most of the content.
The thought of memorizing it all made her feel slightly dizzy.
Glancing to the side, she noticed Ivano staring into the distance, overwhelmed.
Volf, who she assumed would know most of it, also wore a troubled expression. When their eyes met, he gave her a strained look.
“...I didn’t know a lot of this either. I’m reflecting on that.”
Volf whispered in Dahlia’s ear. She couldn’t bring herself to laugh.
“For now, this level of knowledge should prevent any major faux pas. Once you’re accustomed, we can move on to more advanced topics.”
Ozwald remained all smiles.
His casual mention of “this level” made Dahlia wonder if his expectations were too high.
“Today, I’ll leave these with you to study, and we’ll schedule the next session. I would have liked to dine with you, but I have prior commitments.”
“Thank you for making time despite your busy schedule.”
After some discussion, they arranged future sessions to fit Dahlia’s schedule, ensuring Ivano could attend all of them.
Volf, however, couldn’t commit due to the unpredictable nature of his expedition schedules.
After all, he was a guarantor of the company, not a member, and Dahlia didn’t want to impose on his limited free time.
As Ivano jotted down the agreed-upon schedule, Ozwald turned his attention to Volf.
“Volfred-sama, those glasses are made of ‘fairy crystal,’ correct?”
“Yes, they are.”
“Did Carlo-san make them?”
“No.”
“Then, whose work are they? Ah, purely out of curiosity as a magical toolmaker. I assure you, I won’t disclose anything about a client’s possessions. If it’s too sensitive, feel free to decline.”
“They were made by...”
“I made them.”
Dahlia interjected, seeing Volf hesitate.
Fairy crystal was a material Ozwald also used for his magical tools in his shop.
Given its rarity, Dahlia thought it best to be upfront, knowing they might need to consult Ozwald in the future if it became unavailable.
“Lady Dahlia’s work? Impressive. You’ve reached a level where you can process ‘fairy crystal.’ That’s remarkable.”
“Thank you.”
Dahlia replied, relieved. Talking to Ozwald today felt like speaking with one of her academy professors.
“Pardon my continued curiosity, but Volfred-sama’s bracelet... Ah, never mind who made it or how it was acquired. Is the material silver wolf fang?”
“...It’s sköll fang.”
“Sköll...?”
Ozwald’s silver eyes narrowed, and his smile faded.
“Forgive me, Lady Dahlia, but what is your magic power level?”
“Level eight.”
“If you were the one who enchanted that sköll fang, you must never do it again. One misstep, and it could kill you.”
“What?”
Volf was the first to react.
“What do you mean?”
Until then, Ivano had only listened, but now he eagerly asked.
The expressions of the two instantly turned serious, prompting Dahlia to quickly speak up.
“It’s fine! Although I hit my limit, it wasn’t life-threatening...”
“Ordinary magic depletion only causes fainting, but sköll fang can still drain you even after your magic is gone. Depending on the size and the original sköll’s magic power, it can literally take years off your life. There have been cases of people dying during the enchantment process.”
“I didn’t know...”
Dahlia paled.
Far from just an injury, she had nearly ended her life in her own bed.
The silent pressure from the left side made her too afraid to look that way.
“Did Carlo-san not teach you about skölls?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“What about fairy crystals?”
“He mentioned it’s a rare material and difficult to process, requiring significant magic power. That’s all.”
“This is unexpected...”
Ozwald sighed openly.
“Perhaps Carlo-san passed away before he could teach you... But the dangers and usage of rare materials like skölls, enchantment efficiency, increasing magic power, composite enchantments—were any of these topics covered?”
“He taught me about enchantment efficiency. As for the rest, no.”
“What about his other student?”
“I’m not sure. It doesn’t seem like it. I can’t confirm, though...”
“I’ve heard as much—what a foolish man.”
“Ozwald-san?!”
The sudden change in tone and voice made her instinctively call out his name.
“My apologies. A thought slipped out.”
Ozwald said, his composed smile returning. Then, Volf asked him:
“Ozwald-san, could you teach Dahlia these things?”
“Volf...sama, that would be difficult. Magical toolmaking techniques are often closely guarded secrets within families or schools...”
Dahlia managed to explain to Volf, using formal language.
The more skilled a magical toolmaker was, the more likely they were to keep their specialized techniques and knowledge confined to their disciples or clan, rarely sharing them with outsiders.
Even Ozwald likely couldn’t afford to teach her such things easily since she was only a friend’s daughter..
“...It could be interesting. I’ve accumulated enough experience over the years to teach Lady Dahlia a fair amount. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I believe I can make her someone who could be considered ‘my chosen successor to Carlo.’”
Ozwald’s silver eyes turned to Dahlia.
Through his glasses, his gaze felt like he was examining a magical tool in progress—perhaps she feels this way because they were both magical toolmakers.
“Lady Dahlia, would you accept my guidance as a magical toolmaker? The fee would be fifty gold coins, payable in installments without interest once you’ve mastered everything. However, there’s a confidentiality clause as a magical toolmaker, and we’d be working alone in the workshop. If that makes you uncomfortable, you’re free to decline—”
“I accept.”
Dahlia said, bowing before Ozwald even finished speaking.
“Dahlia!”
“Dahlia-san.”
“Such a quick decision—just like Carlo-san.”
Ozwald remarked, ignoring the men’s protests and smiling only at Dahlia.
“Chairman Zola.”
“Mercadante-san, why not have someone assigned to keep watch? They can wait in the room next to the workshop. Of course, I can have my wife wait there as well.”
“...That would be acceptable. My apologies. There are just... many rumors.”
“Indeed, most of them are ‘baseless rumors.’”
Ivano straightened up from his previously forward-leaning posture and looked at Ozwald with his deep indigo eyes.
They had met several times at the Merchant Guild, but today Ozwald seemed different—his usually lustrous silver eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint.
“Chairman Zola, have you ever been concerned about these ‘baseless rumors’?”
“Not at all. Let the swallows and larks sing. It’s good publicity.”
“I hope to reach a point where I can say the same...”
“You’ll get there. Just keep entering and exiting the royal castle. Once you’re accustomed, you can either let the swallows and larks sing or silence them.”
Ivano held his breath for a moment at Ozwald’s casual remark.
From his younger days, Ozwald had been surrounded by rumors of glamorous women.
He was much like Volf in that it was hard to tell what was true and what was a ‘baseless rumor.’
However, Ozwald paid no attention to rumors. He believed that if one frequented the royal castle, they would inevitably gain power. Once that happened, he said, one could choose to either use those who spread the rumors or silence them.
As for the specifics of “silencing,” Ivano preferred not to dwell on it.
“By the way, Mercadante-san, I recommend getting a puppy soon.”
“A puppy?”
“Yes. With proper training, it can become a loyal companion. Though I once made a mistake in training and got bitten.”
This was likely a metaphor for hiring young employees and training them to be loyal.
The “mistake” Ozwald referred to was probably when his most trusted employee eloped with his wife.
Even Ozwald had his missteps. ‘Training,’ it seemed, was no easy task.
The sudden shift to dog talk left the other two momentarily confused.
“Well, that’s good advice. I’ll consider it to help reduce this belly of mine.”
Ivano said, prompting laughter.
Though Dahlia was probably the only one who laughed genuinely.
“Now, Lady Dahlia, shall we discuss the terms of your education in the adjacent room?”
“...Being alone with an unmarried woman...”
Volf interjected, though he knew he had no room to talk.
“If you’re concerned, we can delay it and have a Covenant Spell drawn up stating that ‘I won’t harm Lady Dahlia.’”
Both Ivano and Volf froze at Ozwald’s suggestion.
“No, that’s unnecessary! I trust you, Ozwald-san... Oh.”
“...Dahlia?”
“Uhm, there’s no need to worry about that. So, it’s fine...”
In the midst of her fluster, she clearly recalled the careless words she had spoken at the Merchant Guild before.
“I trust you, Fortunato-sama, so I leave everything to you.”
What she had thought was an innocent remark carried significant implications in noble circles.
“When an unmarried noblewoman says that, it’s an expression of admiration, implying the man is worthy of being her knight.”
“It’s also a phrase noblewomen used to say to men on the first night they spend together.”
Please, let Ozwald-san not notice—Dahlia’s desperate prayer seemed to work, as he showed no change in expression as he stood up.
“Rest assured. I’ll set up an anti-eavesdropper, but the door will remain open. I’ll borrow Lady Dahlia for about fifteen minutes.”
It was either Volf or Ivano who felt relieved by those words.
The man, elegant like a silver fox, opened the door and gestured for Dahlia to go through first.
As Dahlia entered the room, Ozwald glanced back.
“...I’ll take good care of her.”
The whispered words were likely only audible to Volf.
It was accompanied by a teasing smile.
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