Chapter 67 - Apple Brandy and the Shoe Dryer
Drinking together after meals seemed to be gradually becoming a regular thing for them.
Seated on the sofa, Dahlia arranged cheese, crackers, and dried fruits on the low table, then asked Volf to open the apple brandy.
He poured it into small glasses, and they toasted for the second time that day. Dahlia carefully thought of words for the toast.
"Um, to Altea-sama's health, who gifted us this brandy, and to tomorrow's good fortune—cheers!"
"To tomorrow's good fortune—cheers."
Bracing herself for the strength of the alcohol as it was brandy, Dahlia took a sip but found it unexpectedly sweet.
Though she had never smelled apple blossoms, the aroma was so richly sweet that it reminded her of roses. The taste, delayed by a moment, was one characteristic of liquor, with a fruity flavor mixed in.
There was the burning sensation down her throat typical of brandy, but it wasn’t overpowering.
She even felt reluctant to take a sip of water to cleanse her palate, wanting the flavor to linger a while longer.
"This flavor and aroma are incredible..."
"This is produced in the Gastoni Ducal family's territory. Apparently, the queen is fond of it."
As she was deeply impressed by the apple brandy, Dahlia felt like she had just overheard a story from a world far beyond her own.
"The queen?"
"Yeah. The duke's family sends it as a gift every year. Altea-sama's late husband’s sister is the queen, though they're not blood-related."
"Wait, I think I just heard something extraordinary?"
"No, it's common knowledge among nobles. The queen's original family didn't have enough prestige to match the royal family's rank, so she was adopted into the Gastoni Ducal family before marriage. Among nobles, it's not unusual for adoption to be arranged to align family status."
Such stories of the nobility always felt like tales from a world she couldn’t possibly know.
However, while Volf spoke casually, Dahlia realized they were drinking an extraordinary liquor.
This was the kind of drink one might only taste a few times in their lifetime. Naturally, she resolved to savor it slowly and carefully.
While taking a small sip and nibbling on dried fruits, she suddenly felt Volf’s gaze.
When she looked up, she saw him watching her, shoulders shaking as he tried to suppress his laughter.
"Is something wrong?"
"It's just... watching you sip and nibble like a squirrel is too funny..."
"A squirrel, you say... I’m just savoring it!"
"If you like it that much, I’ll buy some more next time."
"No, just the thought is enough. Alcohol should match one’s lifestyle, or it’ll be hard to enjoy consistently."
Occasionally enjoying fine liquor was fine, but something she couldn’t afford herself didn’t quite suit her. And constantly relying on gifts wasn’t exactly admirable behavior.
"...It really does have an amazing aroma."
Volf gazed intently at the amber liquid in his glass with his golden eyes. The contrast between him and the drink was quite picturesque.
It was hard to believe that just a short while ago, he had been wrestling with clam shells with full force.
"...Maybe I should buy brandy glasses after all?"
"I’m starting to wonder if I should get another shelf just for alcohol and glasses..."
Once a drinker starts obsessing over their setup, costs tend to pile up on things beyond the alcohol itself.
That’s why, Dahlia secretly thought, she would have to work even harder during the day.
"Looks like it’s going to get busy for us."
"I’m sorry. When I gave you those five-toed socks, I just hoped they’d be useful and didn’t think much beyond that..."
"You don’t need to apologize to me. I was happy with how comfortable they were and shared them with my friends and the captain... I never expected it to lead to all this."
As they talked about the unexpected chain of events, they slowly emptied their glasses.
The sweet aroma of the liquor seemed to smooth the flow of conversation.
"Dahlia, you should take pride in your work as a magical toolmaker. Being able to provide something so many people want is an amazing thing."
"Thank you for saying that, but it’s hard not to feel bad about causing so much trouble for everyone around me... Are there really that many people in the unit struggling with sweaty feet?"
"Not just in the unit, probably quite a few in the entire Chivalric Order. Whether it’s during training or while standing guard, you’re bound to sweat in your shoes. Leather traps heat, but we can’t exactly wear sandals or cloth shoes on duty. Even just having insoles would make a huge difference, I think."
Indeed, if the Chivalric Order wore sandals, both their combat effectiveness and appearance would take a hit.
Moreover, for teams like the Monster Subjugation Force, which fought outdoors, durable waterproof boots would be indispensable.
"Do knights ever wash their boots or leather shoes, or use purification magic on them?"
"No, washing can damage the leather, so it’s rarely done. I’ve never heard of purification magic being used either. After expeditions to swamps, we do wash them, but drying them is a real challenge. If it keeps raining, a mage with wind magic might help dry them, but the toes never dry completely. The smell can also become an issue."
If the boots weren’t washed and lacked ventilation, they’d easily trap moisture and could grow mold, or even lead to more cases of foot fungal infections. And when drying is delayed, the leather would degrade faster too.
"Don’t you use dryers for boots?"
"The heat from dryers damages the leather. I’ve tried it myself, but the surface ended up scorched. If the temperature could be lowered, it might work."
"Lowering the temperature is simple. I can modify a regular dryer in the workshop real quick."
"Alright, I’ll come with you. I enjoy watching you work."
After emptying their glasses, they headed downstairs to the workshop.
Dahlia retrieved a spare dryer from a box on one of the shelves.
"What temperature do you think would work best for drying boots?"
"A warm airflow that’s gentle enough to touch by hand shouldn’t scorch the leather."
"Then something lower than regular dryers, with a bit more airflow?"
"Cold air would also be nice. Sometimes, I just want to get rid of the trapped smell."
Incorporating Volf’s suggestions, Dahlia adjusted the dryer’s temperature settings by lowering the heat limit in the fire magic stone’s circuit. She also increased the airflow setting slightly.
The settings now allowed for three levels of temperature: cold air, lukewarm air, and slightly warmer air. To prevent any fire-related accidents, she ensured that even extended use wouldn’t cause overheating.
The slightly warmer air was justified as being useful for drying slippers or fabric shoes.
In reality, the dryer had three temperature settings, and she simply wanted to use the as they were.
Since only the temperature and airflow settings of the dryer were changed, even with all of Volf's suggestions incorporated, it was completed in about fifteen minutes.
"I think this temperature is perfect. Is there a way to make the airflow reach the toes of the boots?"
"Hmm... If we attach an accordion tube, like the ones used in water heaters, it should work. Adding a few extra holes along the way would make it easier."
After a brief thought, Dahlia responded.
The accordion component, originally meant for water heaters, could have additional holes made along its length and tip to let the air flow through. The adjustment would only take a few more minutes.
"This works well. It bends and reaches, so the toes should dry just fine."
"Let’s test it with a pair of boots for now."
Dahlia opened the shoe rack near the entrance and pulled out a pair of black men’s boots from a box.
They belonged to her father, his best boots kept as a memento. Even after his passing, she had oiled the exterior twice, so they still had a decent shine.
。
As Dahlia tried to insert the shoe dryer’s accordion tube into the toes of the boots, her brow furrowed.
"Dad, seriously...?!"
Dad, don't stuff your worn socks tightly into the toes of your boots.
These socks, left untouched for over a year, had essentially become artifacts. And in both boots, no less.
Dahlia removed the socks and trembled in frustration. The young man, watching with concern, spoke up.
"Um, Dahlia... are you planning to keep those socks as mementos too?"
"I’m burning them."
She declared this firmly and decisively.
Without hesitation, she tossed the two socks into the trash bin. Then, she inserted the shoe dryer’s accordion tube into the boots.
After letting the air blow for a while, she touched the toes of the boots. They had warmed up nicely.
"What do you think, Volf?"
"I think it’s just right. This design should work even for boots of different sizes."
Volf, who was examining the setup beside her, seemed pleased. He touched the accordion tube of the shoe dryer with interest, looking quite entertained.
"Why don’t you try this out at the barracks? Then, later, you can let me know how it worked."
"Thanks. But as we’re having this conversation, I can’t shake the feeling of déjà vu..."
"Huh? Did something go wrong before?"
His expression shifted from his usual smile to deeply furrowed brows, prompting Dahlia to ask him hesitantly.
"I went on and on about the features I wanted, and you effortlessly created it... But, if I use this at the barracks, wouldn’t it turn into another fiasco like what happened with the five-toed socks and insoles?"
"I don’t think so? I just made a few simple modifications to a dryer, that’s all. Couldn’t you ask the royal castle’s magical toolmakers to tweak a dryer for you?"
"It’s tough for a regular knight to casually ask them for something like that. And honestly, neither of us thought the five-toed socks and insoles would become such a big deal, did we?"
"That’s true, but still..."
"Just in case, I think you should write up the design and specs and consult Ivano at the guild."
"Alright, I don’t think it’s a big deal, but... I’ll check with him anyway."
The next day, Ivano’s workload would more than double, but for now, neither of them could foresee that.
"This should work well even if people take turns using it."
"Uhm, yes, but only with properly cleaned shoes. If it’s just for drying, sharing it with someone who has a foot fungal infection isn’t a good idea. You could catch it too, Volf, so be careful."
"Wait, foot fungal infection is contagious?"
It seemed Volf had no idea. He likely thought it was solely caused by damp, enclosed footwear.
"Apparently, it can be contagious. How does your unit handle foot fungal infection treatment?"
"For mild cases, we rely on mages in the castle who can use healing magic. For severe cases, we go to the church for treatment. But I’ve heard it often comes back. I didn’t realize it could spread..."
Volf looked genuinely shocked.
Seeing his reaction, Dahlia tapped into her previous life’s knowledge to offer advice.
"Um, when bathing, it’s important to carefully wash your feet and between your toes with soap. For foot fungal infection, you should dry them well before applying medication and make sure to keep them dry. Also, avoid sharing shoes. If you wear leather shoes or boots, try to use five-toed socks as much as possible. When you’re in your room, wearing sandals to improve airflow can help. Oh, and avoid wearing socks to bed."
"Wait, hold on—let me write this down! A friend of mine has it, and I want to share this with him."
As Volf started jotting everything down on a paper, Dahlia repeated each tip and even added a few more.
For the sake of his friend’s recovery, and to ensure Volf didn’t catch it himself, she hoped he’d remember and follow through.
"Dahlia, you’re surprisingly knowledgeable about foot fungal infection."
"...Well, my father had it."
In response to Volf's impressed voice, she gave a vague answer.
It wasn’t exactly a lie, but the father in question was her father from her previous life.
I’m really sorry, Carlo, my dad in this life.
She suddenly remembered something her father had told her after attending the funeral of Tobias’s father.
"Dalia, after I pass away, if there’s ever a time you can get through something by using my name, don’t hesitate to use it."
He’d said those words, drunk and grief-stricken, in the rain, having just lost his best friend.
At the time, she’d brushed it off as an inauspicious thought, not wanting to consider her father’s death, and had forgotten it right away.
The boots he’d been wearing that rainy day were the same black ones she’d just used.
Now, she had used his name, but she wondered if it was truly all right.
While using his name in work-related matters might have been one thing, he likely never expected it to be invoked in such a context.
I’ll bring a nicer bottle of liquor to your grave next time, Dad, so forgive me for this.
As she stored away her father’s boots, Dahlia silently clasped her hands together in apology.
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