Magical Tool Master Dahlia Never Compromises ~ Starting Today: Life as a Freelancer ~

"Um...I just met someone recently."

She was a little hesitant to tell him, but Wolfe would be in and out of the business guild later, and Marcella was her guarantor.

Since they will all know, it is better for her to explain it earlier.

"Not bad, what kind of person is he?"

"A member of the Knights' monster-suppression force."

"The Knights? This guy has quite a background."

"Are you someone who came to the Trade Guild to make purchases?"

"No, we met by chance twice, got along very well, and became friends."

"Well, it's not that I don't believe you, but..."

Irma held the wine glass and narrowed her reddish-brown eyes, which were filled with suspicion and worry.

"I understand that others might think I'm frivolous, or that he's playing me, and say bad things about me. But we're not really that kind of relationship; we're just friends who get along well. He also became a funder of my chamber of commerce."

"The merchant guild's investor...is that man a noble?"

"Yes."

Dalia felt that the more she explained, the worse the situation became.

Looking at the two people with complicated expressions, she fell into deep thought, not knowing how to explain.

"Dalia, what's that person's personality like?"

"Well, in a nutshell... it's 'someone who really loves the magic sword.'"

If there is one sentence to describe Wolff, there is no better one.

"A magic sword... oh, it's kind of the same as a magic tool, I guess."

"I understand. If I use a rare magic sword as bait, I can catch that person, right? Just like using a rare magic tool can catch Dahlia. No wonder you two get along so well."

Dalia didn't understand why Irma understood it so well, and she was quite dissatisfied with her analogy.

However, Wolf was indeed a young man who could be lured by the magic sword. She could not deny Irma's description of herself.

"I'd love to drink with your friend, but he's a noble, so I don't think he'll agree."

"I'll ask next time."

Wolfe had no aristocratic airs when he was with Dahlia, but she wondered if Wolfe would want to meet her friends. He might not want to meet other women.

"Is it because your father is a baron that he doesn't care? We don't know anything about the etiquette you're used to...wouldn't that cause you trouble?"

"Probably not. You might hear rumors later, but let me tell you first. He's the youngest son of Count Scafarot's family."

"Count Scafarot...the one with water?"

"Yes, the water one."

Just the word "water" told you which one it was. Dalia was in awe of Count Scafarot's fame.

However, their family is in charge of the water magic stones in the entire capital, so it is natural that they are famous.

"Dalia, this is really... It's not that we don't trust you..."

"It's okay, your reaction is normal."

She wanted to defend Wolff, but if she only knew their identities and how they met, she would also find the situation worrying. The other party was an aristocratic man, and she was a commoner woman. It would be easy for ordinary people to think that he was playing with her or trying to keep her.

However, the day she became friends with Wolff, she had already accepted all these possibilities and made her choice.

"If it's convenient, I'd like to talk to that person. Because you can easily meet a bad man."

"Hey, Irma."

"Honestly, you didn't have to put up with Tobias in the first place."

"...I admit that he and I are not suitable."

Before Dalia could finish her words, Irma leaned forward excitedly.

"No, it's not about whether it's suitable or not. It's about you not blindly agreeing with him... You shouldn't have followed what that idiot said! You keep forcing yourself, but every time I ask you, you say 'It's okay, don't worry about it'! Do you treat me as a friend..."

"Irma, that's enough. Don't say any more."

Marcella said as he placed his hand on his wife's head.

He put his arm around Irma and sat slightly forward, protecting his wife who was lowering her head behind him.

"Sorry, Irma seems a little drunk."

"...It's okay. Irma, Marcella, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize."

"No, she's right. I should have been honest with Tobias sooner. You've also advised me several times not to worry about Tobias. Since we're getting married, I should just tell him whatever I want."

“…I think I said that.”

Her two friends were so worried about her, but she didn't listen at all.

She ignored their advice and bound herself to the image of a good wife that she believed in.

"I only now realize that my actions were flawed. So, if I do something wrong in the future, please tell me directly, as you have always done. I will also tell you about any problems I notice."

"...Okay, got it. Hey, Irma."

Irma, who was leaning on Marcella's shoulder, poked her head out, her eyes a little red.

"I'll be direct and stern, Dalia."

"Go ahead, Irma."

"... Let's have another toast."

They toasted the little that remained of their wine, and Marcella returned to his work of making lime juice.

"By the way, can we talk about that friend again?"

"Sure, no problem."

"I'm a little concerned about his... status as a member of the Monster Suppression Force."

"He's just a normal guy when he's chatting."

"I was thinking that the work of the Monster Suppression Team seems to be very dangerous."

Marcella fell silent here.

He must be worried that this job could lead to injury or even life-threatening situations, but he just doesn't dare to say it out loud.

"His name is Wolfred, and his position is Red Armor."

Dalia said this in a cheerful manner, but her chest ached slightly.

This high-risk position made her think of her father again.

"He has served as the Red Armor for many years, but he has never been seriously injured."

"Is that so? Then he must be very strong?"

"right."

Dahlia had never seen Wolff in combat. But since he consistently led the monster-slaying forces, his strength was undeniable. So, Dahlia was willing to trust his abilities.

"Oops, I almost forgot. Irma, let me give this to you and let you know what you think after you try it."

Dalia took out a cloth bag from the cabinet and handed it to Irma, who had been drinking silently.

"What's this?"

"A foaming bottle that turns soapy water into foam."

She continued to improve the bubbler bottle and came up with this version that doesn't require too much force when pressed and has a simplified structure.

There were two bottles in the cloth bag she gave to Irma.

She also made about ten bottles and planned to take them to the Business Guild for consultation.

"That's really interesting. It creates foam without rubbing, which makes washing your hair much easier. I'll use it when I get home, and I can leave one of the bottles on the sink."

"If you find anything inconvenient, please let me know."

"Okay, let's just list the key points like before, right?"

"Yes, thank you for your help."

Since her school days, Dalia has often asked Irma to help her write feedback reports.

When she invented the waterproof cloth, Irma also gave her a lot of straightforward advice, such as "This kind of cloth will stink when it gets wet in the rain", "This blue-black color looks weird", "If you use too much slime, it will stick to your hands and make you feel disgusting", which helped her a lot.

Dahlia will give Irma something she wants, like a hair dryer or other magical tools or magic stones. Maybe next time she wants a refrigerator.

"This seems quite convenient for washing my face..."

"Yeah, you can't even get up in the morning and wash your face casually."

“I also feel sleepy in the morning…”

Sometimes Dalia was so focused on her work that she went to bed very late and felt miserable the next morning.

"Dalia and Marcella love staying up late and drinking too much. In short, they should drink less!"

Despite his wife's earnest advice, Marcella picked up the lime and squeezed the juice into the glass. Then he poured a large amount of rum into the glass and said with a bright smile:

"It's too late to say this today. Remind us next time."

Volume 2 ◆ The Black Death and the Monster's Shell

There are several "Demons" in the Kingdom Knights' monster-suppression force.

Even monsters are afraid of these demons. The knights and soldiers of the royal city often said this half-jokingly during banquets.

The most famous among them is the leader of the monster subjugation force, known as the "Gray Demon" - Gulat Bartolon.

He has red eyes and dark gray hair, and wields the magic sword "Ash Hand" passed down from generation to generation in the Bartolone family, which can easily cut down large monsters.

The second most famous is the "Water Demon" - Vice Captain Griselda Lanza.

He was a tall, blue-haired, blue-eyed man, a renowned swordsman skilled in the use of water and spear magic. His heroic demeanor in wielding spears and water magic to annihilate vast numbers of monsters was unparalleled.

The third place has changed hands frequently, sometimes increasing to four or five people, but in recent years the one who has been mentioned more and more often is Wolfred Scafalot, who holds the title of Red Armor.

Unlike the others, he is not called a "demon", but is given the title of "Death God".

Wolffrid knew no magic beyond physical enhancement, nor did he possess any heirloom magic or famous sword. He always charged at monsters, clad in crimson armor and armed with a common longsword borrowed from the troops. Sometimes he would attack from the front or from the side, boldly exposing himself to the monster's sight.

Slashing, running, leaping, dodging—when he fought, he used physical enhancements and ordinary attack moves.

The year he first joined the army, he volunteered to be a Red Armor. Half a year later, his application was approved, but people secretly said he was "seeking death."

In the second and third years, people thought that his actions were too dangerous and that such a "reckless person" would soon lose his life.

Yet, after four years, he was still alive, never seriously injured. He began to accurately strike the monster's vital points, becoming a key figure in the vanguard of the subjugation movement. From then on, people's views and evaluations of him changed.

Wolffrid wasn't just reckless; he was capable and had a deep understanding of life and death. People had been describing him that way since some time ago, nicknamed him the "Black Death" based on his hair color. For the monsters he defeated, this description was quite accurate.

However, the term "Death God" actually reflects the jealousy of men—the female knights, female soldiers, and maids in the royal castle all say this.

He was tall and strong, with black hair as shiny as wet crow feathers, and a handsome, fair face comparable to the murals in the temple.

Rather than calling him the "God of Death", it would be more appropriate to call him a "Fallen Angel".

His golden eyes shone brighter than large gold coins, and many women said that their hearts almost stopped when they looked into those eyes.

Despite capturing the attention of all women, he remained indifferent to love letters and sweet invitations, and even refused blind dates with good conditions.

He had only been rumored to be having an affair with the former Duchess, but no one knew whether it was true or not. This only fueled the rumors about Wolff.

"Wolver, what is that weird thing?"

"This? Five-toed socks."

The man known as the "Black Death" and the "Fallen Angel" was changing his socks at a rest stop in the forest on his way to the wetlands.

The troops had already marched five kilometers through the forest and wetlands. Their boots, made of waterproof cloth and leather, were sturdy and watertight, but they were very hot and stuffy. Therefore, many of them would take this final break before facing the giant frogs to change their socks and insoles, preparing for battle.

"Five-toed socks? To me, they look like the shell of a new monster..."

"Don't look at it like that, Dolino."