Chapter 48 - The Black Reaper and A Monster's Cast-off Skin
In the Chivalric Order's Monster Subjugation Force, there were "Demons."
These "Demons" were so strong that monsters feared them, and though it was often spoken of jokingly, they were a common topic among the knights and soldiers at the castle during their drinking sessions.
The most famous of them all was the leader of the Monster Subjugation Force, known as the "Ash Demon," Grato Bartolone.
A man with red eyes and dark gray hair who wielded his family’s heirloom, the magic sword Ash Hand, passed down through the Bartolone family. With it, he effortlessly slayed even large monsters.
Next in fame was Grizelda Lanza, the "Water Demon," the unit’s vice captain.
A large man with blue hair and blue eyes, he wielded both a spear and water magic, making him famous as a magic swordsman. His courage as he hunted massive swarms of monsters with water magic and his spear was a sight to behold.
The third was someone whose name varied, sometimes increasing to four or five people, but in recent years, the name that frequently came up was "Scarlet Armor," Volfred Scalfarotto.
However, unlike the others, he was never called a "Demon" but was the only one referred to as the "Reaper."
Volfred had no magic other than physical enhancement. He also didn't wield an heirloom magic sword or a famous weapon.
Clad in his scarlet armor, he wielded an ordinary sword given to him and simply charged at monsters.
He would charge straight at them or from the side, making sure the monsters noticed him before closing the distance.
He would slash, run, leap, dodge—basic attacks, enhanced with physical enhancement. That was all his fighting style consisted of.
During his first year, he requested to be a Scarlet Armor, and within six months, he was allowed into the unit. He was whispered about as someone who "wanted to die."
In his second and third years, his reckless actions earned him the rumor that he was a "reckless fool" who would die soon.
Yet he kept on surviving even after his fourth year onward. He didn’t sustain any serious injuries either.
He became able to target monsters’ vital spots accurately, and once he became the key to the front lines of exterminations, people’s opinions of him began to change.
Volfred was no longer considered reckless but was seen as capable, possessing the sharp eye for deciding a monster's death. It was then that his nickname changed to "Black Reaper" due to his black hair.
From the perspective of the monsters he killed, the nickname was undeniably accurate.
However, the "Reaper" part of his name contained a great deal of jealousy from the men—or so the female knights, soldiers, and maids at the castle would say.
With a tall, lean, and toned physique, black hair as dark as a raven's wet feathers, and a face as perfectly sculpted as the ones depicted in church paintings.
He was less like the "Reaper" and more like the "Fallen Angel."
Many women said that if they were gazed at by those golden eyes, worth more than large gold coins, their hearts would nearly stop.
Despite having captured the attention of the women, he remained unmoved by love letters, ignored sweet invitations, and refused any advantageous marriage proposals.
The only rumor about his love life was an association with a widow from a duke's family, though its truth was unclear.
And this, in turn, only fueled more rumors about Volf.
"Volf, what are those strange things?"
"These? They're five-toed socks."
The man known as the "Black Reaper" and "Fallen Angel," was, at that moment, changing into a pair of five-toad socks at a rest stop deep in the forest, near the wetlands.
They had been walking for about five kilometers through the forest and marshland.
The soldier boots made of waterproof cloth and leather were durable and didn't let in water, but they caused a lot of sweating inside.
For this reason, just before the big frogs were about to appear, many took the opportunity at the final rest stop to change their socks or insoles, including preparations for battle.
"Five-toed socks? To me, it looks like the cast-off skin of a new type of monster."
"Dorino, don't look at it like that."
Dorino Barty, a member of the squad and a friend, gave a suspicious glance toward the socks. Volf smiled wryly and began to explain.
"See, these are socks where each toe is separated. And these are drying insoles for shoes. I told a friend how the moisture from walking through the marshes made my shoes uncomfortable, and they gave these to me. So now, I'm giving them a try."
"The insole’s fine, but those socks are really strange. It’s probably hard to put them on, right?"
"When I first saw them, I was surprised too, and yeah, putting them on takes time. But this combination might work. I've walked this far, and both my boots and feet are dry."
Even when he touched the foot with the sock that hadn’t been changed, his toes didn't stick together. The inside of his boots felt surprisingly comfortable.
"No way. I’m already drenched in sweat, both boots and feet."
"Do you want to try them too, Dorino?"
"Hmm, they do look like a monster's cast-off skin, but if they dry things out, it’d be helpful… Okay, give me a pair. I'll pay you later."
"You don’t have to pay for them. I was planning to write a report on them, so instead, tell me about it later."
"Got it. By the way, is there a trick to putting them on?"
Dorino tried to put the socks on all at once and failed, so Volf explained how to thread his toes one by one while continuing the conversation.
"Oh! My toes aren’t sticking together, and I can’t even feel the sweat."
"I'm glad the size is just right. Oh, by the way, we were also talking about how this combination might help prevent foot fungal infection."
"Prevent foot fungal infection?!"
While they were talking, one of the senior knights, who had been polishing his sword across from them, suddenly interrupted.
"Volf, tell me more about that. Could it really prevent foot fungal infection?"
"Well, yes, it might help, but it's not confirmed yet..."
The senior knight approached with the eagerness of someone ready to hunt monsters. Volf quickly answered, feeling flustered.
"Well, I don’t know about foot fungal infection, but these socks and insoles will dry your boots and feet, so they should feel more comfortable."
"I see. Where can I buy these socks and insoles?"
"Well, these are just prototypes..."
"Can’t I buy those prototypes?!"
The senior’s voice grew louder, and the people around them started turning to look.
"I have spare five-toed socks and insoles, Senpai. Would you like to give them a try?"
"Yes, please!"
The senior grabbed Volf’s hands eagerly, causing him to feel confused.
It seemed this senior of his really hated the sweat inside his boots.
Indeed, as a swordsman wielding a large sword, the senior’s footing was important. With the marshland’s treacherous terrain, slipping from sweat wasn’t something anyone wanted. Volf handed over the socks and insoles, understanding the situation.
"Then, let me know how it goes later."
"Thank you! I'll give you all the feedback I can, to the best of my ability!"
What kind of feedback could that be, to the best of his ability?
Volf couldn't help but feel a slight sense of confusion as he watched his senior change with a serious expression.
"I'm curious too. Sell me a set."
"!"
As he attempted to jump forward at the voice from directly behind, his shoulder was pushed down just a moment too soon.
While he was watching his senior, before he realized it, Captain Grato had taken him by surprise from behind.
Beside Grato stood another knight who joined in the same period as Volf. What caught his attention was the unusually sharp glint in his eyes.
"Well, if it helps with foot fungal infection, I’d love to try it."
"Me too. I don’t mind paying the regular price for it."
"No, these are apparently prototypes, so we still don't know if they'll be effective against foot fungal infection... Also, I've never had one myself, so I'm not sure, but is it really that troublesome?"
"You lose focus when the itchiness worsens due to sweat. And if it gets worse, you’ll even feel discomfort when stepping forward."
"Oh, it’s like how it feels with heat rash."
Hearing that, Wolf understood.
If that were the case, then these socks and insoles were likely the correct countermeasures, Volf thought.
There was no way he could refuse to hand them over to the captain, so he obediently did so.
"Volf... When you get foot fungal infection, you can’t even enjoy being with your wife and children when you get back to your estate. They’ll want to avoid you at all costs..."
"Is it really that bad? Then why don’t you go get treatment at the church?"
"Even if you get treated, it comes back after a while. And it’s even harder to cure then."
Seeing his peer’s terribly gloomy expression, Volf silently handed over the socks and insoles.
"Looks like foot fungal infections are worse than I thought..."
"Volfred! You can only say that because you're young and your skin is still fresh. Once you turn thirty-five, it really starts to hit you!"
"What are you talking about, Captain?! It's precisely because you're young that you end up sweating a lot!"
"As you age, your skin regenerates slower, so it heals slower and gets worse!"
He could tell that the situation was starting to take a turn for the worse.
Without agreeing with either side, Volf let out a hollow laugh.
As his gaze wandered, he noticed that Dorino, who had been standing next to him, had already moved far away and was acting like he had nothing to do with the situation.
As a token of thanks to his thoughtful friend, he silently vowed to pour liquor up to the brim of his glass at the next drinking party.
"...Volf."
When his name was called, he turned around to see another friend approaching.
Randolph Goodwin.
He hailed from an aristocratic family known as the Border Count and was a peer from the same year as well.
With his copper-red hair, Randolph was, unlike Dorino, someone who might try to mediate between the two sides.
He came right next to Volf, lowered his voice, and said with an incredibly serious expression.
"...If possible, could I ask for a pair as well?"
"Randolph..."
Without a word, Volf silently handed over the spare socks and insoles.
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