“Marcella and I are employees of the company, Chairwoman, so we shall exclude ourselves. As we shall continue prototyping and adjusting, we would be extremely delighted to split it sixty for the Rossetti Trading Company and forty divided equally among the rest of you. Once we come to an agreement, we ask everyone to sign their names. Furthermore, we hope to have the assistance of Mr. Jonas of the Scalfarotto Arms Works and Ms. Idaea on future research.” Ivano had already thought up a brilliant way to share the profits: Bernigi, Guido, Leone, Forto, Augusto, Jonas, Lucia, and Idaea made eight, meaning that they would each get five of the remaining forty percent. It made the math easy, but Dahlia couldn’t tell whether it was fair.
“That is better than I would ask for. I accept.” The Merchants’ guildmaster gave his response immediately; he always had and still did look out for them.
“I thank the Rossetti Trading Company. Please know that you always have my support should you ever need it.”
“It’s an honor. I will help to the extent of my capabilities. I’ll have farms developed for kingsnakes and armored crabs should the need arise, and if it does not I’ll send our guildmaster to hunt whatever monsters you need.” Augusto’s joke elicited a few laughs.
Guido and Jonas were speaking among themselves, too quietly to be heard. Lucia muttered to herself that maybe she would save up enough money quicker than she’d expected; this was likely in reference to her atelier, and Dahlia would be overjoyed if that were the case.
“With just half a day, you have made gold rain—is there perhaps anything the Rossetti Trading Company would like?”
Ivano answered Bernigi’s flattery and question, summing up Dahlia’s thoughts beautifully. “We hope that everyone will forever sail alongside the Rossetti Trading Company in this same boat.” The room fell silent, maybe because his words were that beautiful; the men seemed to be touched. Now that he commanded everyone’s attention, he continued, “The only question remaining is what to call them—the product names. ‘Yellow Slime Cloth’ and ‘Yellow Slime Cushion’ would hardly be appealing.”
“The yellow slimes did give up their lives for this, so it makes sense to me...” Idaea was visibly disappointed, but even Dahlia wasn’t too keen on the two names.
“Since the sturdy cloth is somewhat impervious to blades, perhaps ‘light protective fabric’?”
“Good idea, Lord Bernigi,” said Dahlia. “That would make its purpose unmistakable.”
“In the same vein, how about ‘impact absorption material’ for the cushioning?”
“I agree with Lord Guido’s suggestion. As blacksmiths and arms craftspeople will likely interact with these two products frequently, I believe it would be prudent to give them straightforward names.”
The group had arrived at their decision readily. It might lack romance, but it was fine just as long as it was easy to understand. Out of nowhere, though, Dahlia was struck with the thought of what Volf would name them were he present. Too much magic sword making. “That leaves us with the pellets formed by earth and fire magic. They look like little bits of pumice, so how about ‘pumice bits’?”
“Perhaps we ought to give that a second thought, Master Dahlia. Hmm...”
“They are light as bubbles and the insides are sand, so perhaps ‘bubblesand’? Or does that sound too much like some sort of bodywash?”
“Ivano’s idea isn’t bad, but if we would like to prioritize aesthetics, then how about something like ‘dunasphera’?”
“Dunasphera? That rolls right off the tongue!”
“You are quite the poet, Lord Forto. What a wonderful mental image that name evokes.”
As the name zephyricloth proved, Forto really had a way with words. It wasn’t like Dahlia hadn’t known coming into this, but it really drove home how lacking her own nomenclature skills were.
“Lord Bernigi mentioned that the large red slime grains could potentially be used in beds for infants and the sick; would a plainer name be better for medical use?”
“What say you all about ‘body heat conservation material’? It does exactly what it suggests.”
“That is very accurate indeed.” With Bernigi’s help, another decision had quickly been made. It was good to have a name that was to the point.
“It’s rather unfortunate that the green slime material could not be used as textile fibers.”
“It might just have some sort of use after exsiccation, though...” Idaea responded to Forto’s disappointment with her own dissatisfaction. They were both very passionate about fabrics and slimes, respectively, but the product’s merits were not plain to see.
With all of the names decided, it was time to wrap up the day—not much of a day anymore, as stars were scattered across the sky already. Everyone made ready to depart, and as they finally approached the door, Augusto spoke again. “It is amazing how you came up with that name in an instant, Lord Fortunato.”
Guido apparently felt the same way. “You might be wasting your talents at the Tailors’ Guild, Lord Forto. How about trying your hand at writing an opera?”
“Your words flatter me, gentlemen,” he replied with a graceful smile.
“Lord Luini, would you come over sometime soon to help me proofread a love letter for my wife? I shall be more than happy to pay you for your services, of course.”
“Pff—it would be my pleasure. I shall sit beside you, and we can work on it together if you would like; uncork a nice bottle of wine for me?” Forto somehow managed to hold back from bursting out laughing at Leone’s deadpan delivery, but Dahlia and the others lacked the fortitude.
The only person who understood the gravitas and earnestness of that request was the grimacing Ivano.