Chapter 44 - Grilled Mackerel and the Five-toed Socks
"It seems like the artificial magic sword is still far off, but for now, at least we’ve figured out one of the ways to apply multiple enchantments, so let’s make a toast."
"Something incredible just showed up again..."
"You were the one who bought that."
On the table, two large platters of grilled mackerel, with their tails hanging off the edges, sat waiting.
It looked like a satisfying meal.
The mackerel that seemed to cook the fastest was split open and simply grilled with some salt and wine on the magic stove in the kitchen.
It was still a bit early for dinner, and they had grilled meat for lunch.
She had decided to go with something lighter, hence this choice.
The beautifully grilled mackerel was divided into halves and served with both forks and chopsticks.
Next to it, there was a plate with just cut-up cucumbers, there was no miso, so they were served with salt and some store-bought mayonnaise. There was also leftover cheese from lunch, along with ham and crackers she had been given.
She had completely abandoned any notion of creating something cute or stylish.
After all, they had rice-based alcohol from the East.
The cloudy, rice-based alcohol imported from the Eastern Country.
Its aroma was slightly different, but the taste was quite similar to the cloudy sake of Japan.
It had been tucked away in the corner of the wine box, and she had noticed it late. However, when it came to grilling the mackerel, for Dahlia, there was simply no other choice.
"I’ve never seen maguerel prepared like this before..."
Volf stared at the mackerel intently.
It seemed that he called the fish "Maguerel." It was the first time she’d heard it called that.
"What’s the usual way you prepare it?"
"Usually as fillets for meunière. It’s also often paired with white sauce dishes."
It probably was a very elegant and beautiful dish, but for Eastern alcohol, this was the way to go.
"I think this would go well with Eastern alcohol."
"Oh, so you’re a fan of this too? Good to hear. There were people in the squad who didn’t care for it."
Volf poured half a glass of Eastern alcohol into a smaller glass.
The cloudy white alcohol had a slightly thick texture.
"A toast to the first step in magic sword creation."
"A toast to our next success."
They gently clinked their glasses, careful not to break them.
Then, they quietly brought the alcohol to their mouths.
The aroma of rice wafted through her nose, accompanied by the gentle flavor of the alcohol and the unique texture of the cloudy brew. Then, a delayed warmth from the slightly strong alcohol spread down her throat.
To Dahlia, it was a wonderfully nostalgic and delicious drink.
"Do you think I should buy a glass specifically for this alcohol? It might be better if it’s a bit smaller."
"Shall we go buy one together? That way, we can discuss it while we’re there."
"That’s a good idea. I’d like to visit a few stores anyway."
As they spoke, both of them began removing the bones from the mackerel.
However, Volf struggled terribly with it.
When you thought about it, nobles didn’t typically eat fish with bones still in it.
"Could I help? I’ll use chopsticks to take it out."
"You’re really good with chopsticks, Dahlia. Did you learn to cook somewhere too?"
"I learned from my father. He would make requests for all sorts of dishes too."
It wasn’t a lie. However, it was her father from her previous life who had taught her how to use chopsticks.
Her current father mainly enjoyed asking for unusual dishes. Thanks to that, she had tried many things, failed, and learned until she reached this point.
"Why is it so good, even though it was just grilled..."
Volf, poking at the boneless mackerel with his fork, seemed moved.
Indeed, the flesh was thick, tender, and flavorful.
And above all, it went so well with Eastern alcohol.
"No, I think meunière is delicious too. But this just works better with Eastern alcohol."
"Is that so? I’ll definitely remember this combination."
Volf likely ate good food during his expeditions, but he probably found this simple, no-fuss meal more refreshing.
Afterward, she demonstrated the admittedly impolite method of eating cucumbers by hand. The two of them crunched away together while discussing the future of the magic sword.
They agreed that, while it was undeniably delicious, neither of them would eat this way in public.
"The day after tomorrow, I’m heading out on another expedition. It’s the annual big frog extermination around this time of year. It only takes three days, so it’s not too bad."
After dinner, they switched from Eastern alcohol to white wine, and Volf began talking about the upcoming expedition.
"How big are these big frogs?"
"They haven’t fully grown, so they’re about the size of a medium-sized dog. The swamp has terrible footing, so mostly the mages burn them or rip them apart with wind magic. Our job is mostly to clean up and hunt down any that manage to get out and onto land. There are so many of them.”
"How many big frogs are there?"
"There were about five hundred last year."
"...You worked hard."
The massive outbreak and extermination of big frogs was a scene she absolutely did not want to witness, let alone participate in.
Even seeing a toad at a zoo in her previous life had shocked her, so imagining one the size of a medium dog was beyond comprehension. Just how high could they jump?
"Are they dangerous?"
"Not really. The big frogs aren’t that strong, and their poison isn’t potent, so taking them down isn’t a problem. It’s just unbearably hot. The swamp has no breeze, and fire magic is constantly flying around. We only change out the under armour, but our shoes get drenched in sweat."
"Don’t you enchant your shoes with drying magic?"
"We only enchant shoes to increase their durability. You never know what you might step on or kick."
"Then do you change your socks or use insoles?"
"We change our socks every day, but it’s like putting a bandage on a broken leg. I’ve never used insoles before..."
"Using both would make a huge difference... Oh, please wait a moment. I might have something that could help."
Dahlia rushed up to the fourth floor of the tower, to her father’s room.
Her father had disliked wearing socks in the summer, so she had ordered prototypes. They had arrived two weeks after he passed away, and though she had checked them, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to use them as they reminded her of him, so she had packed them away in a box.
She wasn’t going to use them, and in the worst case, they could be disposed of.
"These are five-toed socks. They absorb the sweat between your toes, so they should help a little."
"These socks have such a strange shape! I’ve never seen five-toed ones before..."
Volf looked utterly impressed as he unfolded the black five-toed socks.
Seeing him so surprised made her feel a little embarrassed.
"Are these magical tools?"
"Well, in a way, yes. They’ve been enchanted with drying magic."
Her father had started complaining that it was too hot to wear socks in the summer, so a few attempts had been made. That was why she secretly created the five-toed socks and insoles.
If only he had lived another month, she could have handed them over with a smile.
Now, she would give them to Volf with a smile instead.
"The socks won’t be very effective by themselves, but if your shoes get damp, you can replace the insoles. If they don’t fit, feel free to trim them.”
"The insoles are green, huh?"
"They’re made with powdered green slime that’s been dried and fixed. It helps with drying and air circulation. Unfortunately, once they get wet, they’re disposable.”
Green slime had a slight wind magic effect, so it was a useful material.
Another option would have been to enchant them with wind magic stones, but that would have added too much weight, and might have been troublesome with boots.
"These magical tools are still in development?"
"No, I made them because my father hated wearing socks during summer. He would wear leather shoes barefoot, which caused them to wear out quickly, so I thought maybe I could make some prototypes to help. After that, I got busy and forgot about it.”
"...Is it okay for me to use them?"
"They’ve just been left lying around, so I’d be happy if you could make use of them. They might help prevent fungal infections while wearing boots."
"I’ll make sure to pay for them."
"No, that’s not necessary... But if you could give me a report on them, that would be great."
If she kept giving things away for free, Volf would probably start feeling uncomfortable.
If she asked for his opinion on it, maybe he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable using it.
"A report?"
"Yes. When you go to the swamp, try them out and let me know if they really help with the humidity, if they get too hot, how well they absorb sweat, and anything else you notice. Checking items like these is something I can’t do by myself.”
"How many can I use?"
"Please take all of them. There are the same number of insoles as well. They don't fit me, and I won't be wearing them. The workshop's minimum order was ten pairs, so there are that many, but if you don’t need all of them, feel free to give them to anyone else who could use them."
"Got it. I’ll write a detailed report."
Although Dahlia wondered if asking a knight to write a report on five-toed socks was strange, her curiosity about whether they would work in the swamp grew.
If they did, she could reorder them for Volf.
"My next days off are in six and seven days. If your schedule allows, would you like to go look for a glass for Eastern alcohol?"
"Sure. As long as there are no delays with deliveries, I'm fine on my end."
"Alright, then I'll send a messenger once I return."
They set the next arrangement while sipping the remaining wine.
The glasses that Volf had bought shimmered with rainbow colors on the surface and bottom each time they tilted.
The rainbow was so beautiful that it made her want to stare at it forever.
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