“Thank you for the kind words.”
“At the carriage lot, they all remarked how touched they were. Those who have their names on the contracts cannot ever disembark.”
“And I truly wish for them never to do so.”
“Neither will you disembark, will you? It goes beyond ‘sailing on the same boat’—you share a common destiny. A portion of all profits and rights that the company sees from now on will be yours, and in exchange, a portion of all risks and liabilities will be yours to shoulder too. The others were also quite astonished to realize you were the golden nail holding everything together. Though Madam Magical Toolmaker seemed not to understand completely...”
“Our chairwoman surely believes that it was only natural because the experiment was done and the products were created jointly.” All Dahlia had meant was that she wanted everyone’s help. It had been clear by that all-too-honest color of her eyes. Nevertheless, she was a competent magical toolmaker, but that wasn’t the whole story either. “However, I reckon that she has— What would you call it? An ulterior motive? At the very least, something that could be conveniently solved.”
“My, Dahlia has an ulterior motive? Do tell, Ivano.”
“I believe what she wishes for are people who have magic and would gladly join her in her experiments—friends, if you will. Our chairwoman is a magical toolmaker by nature, and she likely doesn’t want people who seem willing to keep her company—people who are her good friends—to leave her.”
“Oh, how very like her. I am certain that not a single soul would leave her, though.”
Ivano grinned at her words. “Indeed, is there anyone who would disembark from the Goddess of the Black Line’s large ship? Put out the gangways, and more would surely climb aboard.”
The guildmasters before Ivano joined him in laughing. But that was no joke. The noblemen present that day belonged to their own clans, factions, guilds, and professions; they knew the weight that their personal names lent to those contracts. But even if the seas got a little rough, they would surely be happy to stay onboard. They would undoubtedly help her with her experiments, as well as provide materials and magic, doing as Dahlia wanted—hell, they would provide her with much more than she would ask for. And, above all else, the noblemen would treat the commoners—Ivano included—as subjects for their protection. They would keep other merchants and nobles in check, and they would act as shields should anything happen. All this could be had for a few percentage points of the contracts; it was an exceedingly good deal.
“The goddess who keeps us in the black, eh?” Leone chewed the cud as the smile disappeared from his face. “I already regret it all. I ought to be celebrating your entry into the Rossetti Trading Company, yet my sincerest feeling is that of lamentation.”
“Thank you, sir.” Even if it was flattery, such high praise from the Merchants’ guildmaster was something to be cherished. Ivano had a feeling he could leave this room satisfied.
“Ivano, answer this one question for me. Never shall I ask it again.”
“Very good, sir.” Ivano straightened himself at the sudden severity and looked back into those black eyes, the very ones he had found so frightening in the past.
“Once the Rossetti Trading Company is on the right course, has the right people, and you can leave it behind, would you like to formally become our son and the vice-guildmaster? Won’t you aim to become the master of the Merchants’ Guild one day?”
Surely you jest, Ivano wanted to say, but it was clogged up in his throat. There was nothing to gain for those two if Viscountcy Jedda should adopt a commoner like himself. He might have had made a few connections through the Rossetti Company, but resigning from his vice-chairman position meant that he would lose them all; Leone and Gabriella had many more and much more powerful connections anyway. No abacus counting this exchange would show zero, no set of scales weighing it would equilibrate.
Deep blacks and deep navies—two different colors but with the same glimmer, earnestness, warmth, and steadfastness—looked deep into his own eyes. At long last did he understand that these two placed far too much esteem in this Ivano Mercadante. His family had no status, magic, economic power, or credit; there was nothing to him but this one man. Yet, in defiance of all those inadequacies, the Jeddas truly meant every word. What higher appraisal could one receive?
“Though I must decline, I will forever remember this kindness. I pray you can forgive me.”
“No, no forgiveness is needed. I knew your answer before I asked. I shall not mourn this outcome, and I shall be able to treat you as an equal from now. Forget it.”
Forget it? Now that was a good joke. Filing guild documents, hosting meetings, appraising goods, scheduling and timekeeping, diplomacy—everything he knew, he’d learned from these two. He’d absorbed so much more business acumen from the Jeddas than his own father and grandfather. “I will not forget. I cannot forget. Working in the Merchants’ Guild—working under you two is something I will treasure forever.” As Ivano bowed deeply, he saw a glisten in Gabriella’s eyes, but Leone spoke before Ivano could find something to say.