Chapter 72 - Eradicate the Root of the Problem
"Thank you very much for inviting me. I am Dahlia Rossetti, Chairwoman of the Rossetti Company."
She had been led into an extravagant room that appeared to serve as a reception room. The space was vast and crowded. Aside from herself, there were seven knights gathered around a polished black table.
After delivering her greeting and giving a slightly longer bow, a man with deep-gray, thin hair smiled and nodded in acknowledgment.
"I am Grato Bartolone, Captain of the Monster Subjugation Force of the Kingdom of Ordine's Chivalric Order. Chairwoman Rossetti, I thank you for coming despite your busy schedule."
"Thank you for your kind words. It is an honor to be invited to the royal castle. Please forgive any discourtesy I might inadvertently display due to my inexperience."
She was bound to fumble; she was sure of it. Despite thinking that, she uttered the words she had been taught and forced a business smile.
She carefully took a seat on the leather-upholstered chair offered to her and awaited Grato’s words.
"Aside from Volfred, the six knights here have tried the five-toed socks and shoe insoles. We have gathered today to personally thank you, Chairwoman Rossetti. Please feel at ease and treat this as a casual exchange of greetings and conversation."
"I am humbled by your thoughtfulness. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone for taking the time to provide detailed reports amidst your busy schedules."
At Dahlia’s words, the knights briefly introduced themselves and gave polite nods.
Among them were one elderly knight, two middle-aged knights, and two knights around Volf’s age.
"These are the five-toed socks and shoe insoles that are currently being prototyped for mass production. While the official products and thank-you gifts will be sent later, please accept these as part of our discussion today."
Dahlia placed a white box, which she had kept by her feet, onto the table.
As Gabriella had suggested, she had brought these prototypes as both a gift and a conversation starter—newly made five-toed socks and shoe insoles. With around twenty pairs in the box, there was enough for everyone present.
"How thoughtful of you."
"I'm glad to have a spare set for when one is in the wash."
"This will ease my mind during the next expedition."
Grato’s crimson eyes softened as he smiled, prompting the other knights to relax as well. As the tension in the room diminished, maids entered, carrying trays of tea.
The tea was served in cups trimmed with silver on white porcelain. She took a polite sip before listening to the continuation of the conversation.
"Forgive my ignorance, but I am hearing the name Rossetti Company for the first time... When was it established?"
"It only started this year."
"That's remarkable. To deliver such useful products as your company’s first product—your future is very promising."
"Thank you very much..."
Dahlia could feel the sweat forming on her brow as she expressed her gratitude to the middle-aged knight for his words.
Her first delivery to the royal castle consisted of five-toed socks and shoe insoles.
If her late father could see this, he would likely comment on how mundane it seemed or question why she had chosen such a path. In her mind, she resolved that if his spirit ever appeared in a dream, she would firmly reply, "It’s because I have my feet planted on the ground."
"Actually, this is not Lady Dahlia’s first successful invention."
As she momentarily escaped reality due to her nerves, Volf, sitting next to her, suddenly spoke.
"Although not under the Rossetti Company’s name, Lady Dahlia developed the waterproof cloth during her academy days. While she is impressive as a chairwoman, her true brilliance lies in her exceptional talent as a magical toolmaker."
Dahlia wanted to shout, "Wait a moment, Volf!" but she could only gape, opening and closing her mouth in silence.
Are you a child boasting about your family?! Dahlia wanted to stop his lengthy explanation, but she dared not utter a word.
"Waterproof cloth! That’s incredible! It has made tents much lighter—such a lifesaver."
"Ever since we started using it for wagon covers, rain leakage has significantly decreased."
"So, it was Chairwoman Rossetti behind that invention..."
After Volf’s presentation-like explanation, the knights began showering her with praise. Dahlia, however, was overwhelmed with the urge to flee the room entirely.
"By the way, Volfred mentioned the foot fungal infection countermeasure list—do the listed items actually work?"
Thankfully, Grato shifted the topic, allowing Dahlia to jump in eagerly.
She assumed the captain had gathered measures after listening to his subordinates’ struggles and seeking solutions.
"I believe they are fairly effective. If treated properly and precautions are taken afterward, it can prevent recurrence."
"The list suggests washing the feet and toes thoroughly with soap during baths. Would it be more effective to wash them twice?"
"As long as you wash carefully, once is sufficient. Overwashing can also be harmful, so... please avoid scrubbing too harshly or abrasively."
For some reason, the list Volf had written was neatly recopied and distributed to everyone.
Though this was supposed to be a casual chat, the middle-aged knight sitting beside the captain was taking notes in shorthand. It wasn’t as though this discussion warranted the meticulous record-keeping of an official meeting.
Then again, this might simply be a rule the royal castle followed when engaging with outsiders.
"Regarding foot fungal infection, the list mentions thoroughly drying the feet after bathing when applying medication. But what about after treatment at the temple? Is there anything specific we should keep in mind?"
"Even if medication isn’t applied, thoroughly drying the feet remains important. Also, if you are receiving treatment at the church, I recommend bringing clean, well-washed shoes to change into afterward. The infection can linger in shoes."
"It can stay in the shoes?!"
"I’ve been going to the church for treatment and wearing the same shoes back home..."
"I’m the same. I can’t believe it—it’s even in the shoes... No wonder it didn’t heal even after four visits."
The captain and the middle-aged and younger knights now radiated a visible sense of despair. It must be an illusion caused by the tension and exhaustion.
"Chairwoman Rossetti, I’d like to ask—can foot fungal infection spread through shared footwear?"
"There is a possibility, so it would be better to avoid sharing shoes. Additionally, the list here suggests wearing sandals in private spaces like your bedroom or personal quarters for better ventilation. However, I would not recommend sharing those either."
"Should we wash our feet before wearing sandals?"
"If you have been sweating outside, it would be a good idea to wash your feet when you come home and switch to indoor footwear. However, overwashing isn’t ideal either..."
"Wouldn’t it be better to wear five-toed socks even while sleeping?"
"No, that might worsen the condition by trapping sweat and moisture. It’s better to avoid that."
The questions came one after another, and she realized that more knights than she had expected were troubled by foot fungal infection. Even if someone didn’t have it, they might worry about catching it from a friend who did.
With that thought, Dahlia glanced at the list and elaborated further.
"Please wash your shoes thoroughly and ensure they’re properly dried. While I can’t guarantee its effectiveness against foot fungus, you might also try using purification magic on your shoes as a precaution."
"I see, so we should treat it as if it’s an infectious disease."
Several knights nodded in agreement, which was accurate. Foot fungal infection was caused by ringworms, and the problem wasn’t limited to the shoe’s environment alone.
"But Chairwoman Rossetti, some people don’t get foot fungal infection, right?"
"Of course, there are people like that, but... it’s also possible for someone to have foot fungal infection without realizing it."
"Isn’t foot fungal infection named that because it causes blisters? Wouldn’t it be obvious if someone had it?"
"If it gets worse, it can cause oozing, redness, or even white discoloration of the toenails."
Dahlia averted her gaze from the captain, whose gray eyebrows furrowed deeply even as he spoke as though he only heard this information from someone else who was afflicted.
"Uhm, even without blisters, if the skin between the toes becomes soft and doesn’t heal easily, that could be an early sign of foot fungal infection."
"Huh?"
A startled voice came from right beside her.
Volf had insisted he didn’t have foot fungal infection, but why did he react like that?
Turning to give him a look saying they would have a proper conversation about this later, Dahlia received a sheepish, awkward smile in return. While she was now a bit concerned, she decided to set it aside for the time being.
"Foot fungal infection can also cause the heels to become white and hard."
"White and hard heels from foot fungal infection..."
The slightly older knight repeated the words in a low tone.
Incidentally, in her previous life, Dahlia’s father had suffered from both standard foot fungal infection and the keratinized type. Since he wore leather shoes daily for work, he had relied on a UV sterilizer for his footwear.
Unfortunately, in this world, there was no technology for UV sterilization, so Dahlia could only hope for the effectiveness of healing magic and purification spells, supplemented by various medicinal herbs.
However, one concern remained in her mind.
The knights of the royal castle often lived communally and acted in groups. If one person became infected, it could easily spread to others.
Summoning her courage despite the risk of being impolite, Dahlia decided to speak.
"Um... Foot fungal infection can spread in group living situations, so it might be best if everyone takes precautions together. It can be transmitted not only through shoes but also through things like bath mats or shared towels."
"What...?!"
"What did you say?!"
The sudden focus of everyone’s gaze on her was overwhelming, and Dahlia involuntarily held her breath.
"Burn all the bath mats and shared towels immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
Wait! Please don’t resort to burning everything! Dahlia panicked.
If the captain gave such an order and everyone followed with full enthusiasm, it would surely be terrible for her heart.
"Please wait! If we just wash the mats and towels properly, they should be fine! After washing, you can designate them for individual use..."
"No, we must cut off the root cause here!"
The captain’s firm stance made it difficult to argue. What could Dahlia say to make him understand?
As she scrambled for the right words, the youngest knight in the group tilted his head in thought.
"...Captain Grato, now that I think about it, the real source of the problem is our feet, right?"
"That’s true."
"I’ve just thought of a perfect solution! If we cut off our feet and grow new ones, there’ll be no foot fungal infection!"
The young knight declared proudly, his chest puffed out, and Dahlia couldn’t help but shout in horror.
"Absolutely not!!"
Why was she forced to shout like this in the royal castle?
Where had this terrifyingly extreme solution come from? Who would even carry it out?
And why was no one else stopping him?
Volf burst out laughing with an unmasked expression, unable to hold it in any longer. There was no attempt to hide it whatsoever
Shouldn’t he, as a guarantor of the Rossetti Company, or even as a friend, be backing her up right now?
Other knights began laughing or offering awkward smiles, and at this point, she no longer knew what to do.
"Wait, Volfred, sama...!"
"I’m sorry... I couldn’t hold it in... But you really had a tough time, huh?"
"Huh?"
"Well, I heard you and your father live together, so if it’s contagious..."
"No, it’s not like that at all!"
"Sorry! I’ll never bring it up again!"
"You're absolutely not getting it!!"
Dahlia's well-practiced manners and polite speech had completely evaporated.
As she tried desperately to explain herself to Volf, the surrounding knights gazed at her with oddly soft expressions.
After this day, the people who were present at the meeting became strangely kind to Dahlia and started favoring the Rossetti Company. The reason for this sudden change, however, remained a mystery.
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