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

Enjoy the piping hot dumplings followed by a cold glass of Red Ale – a perfect combination you rarely find.

She also liked eating dumplings with beer in her previous life, and in this life she still thinks the two are a perfect match.

Before picking up the next dumpling, Dalia looked at Wolfe across from her.

He was chewing with his eyes closed and a happy look on his face. I could guess what he was feeling without asking.

She silently poured Red Ale into his cup, which was only left with foam.

"This is delicious... Is it made with special meat?"

"No, it's cheap ground pork and ordinary vegetables."

“Is it sold outside?”

"Maybe abroad. As for China... Sorry, I'm not sure."

"I often find food here I've never seen before, and even the food I've seen is delicious... It's like 'The Forest Witch's House'."

"The Forest Witch's House" is a well-known picture book for children.

With some time left before dinner, a hungry boy wandered into the forest, a place his parents had warned him not to enter, and stumbled upon a small cabin. Despite his parents' warning against entering a stranger's home, he was drawn inside by the aroma. The witch inside treated him to a series of delicious dishes he had never seen or heard of before. After feasting and drinking his fill, the boy thanked the witch and prepared to return home, only to discover he couldn't leave—and that's where the story ends.

It is unclear whether this story is trying to tell children to listen to their parents or not to eat too much.

"So Wolf is the boy who got fat and became plump?"

"That's why boys can't leave the witch's house. If I get that fat, I'll definitely be eaten by the monster."

"You'll be trapped in the Green Tower before you encounter the monster, so don't worry."

The last page of "The Forest Witch's House" stops at the scene where the boy has transformed into a large ball and is unable to leave the house. It doesn't look like he's eaten too much, but rather like he's been transformed into something else by the witch.

"...So, should I become chubby?"

"I remember you were the type that couldn't gain weight, right?"

They finished the first plate of dumplings while chatting and laughing.

"I'll fry some more, you eat this first."

"Thank you. I'll be happy to help you then."

Wolff ate the pickled vegetables she offered him with a sizzling sound, looking like a teenager. He chewed them more often, just like he did with dumplings, which showed that he must be enjoying them.

"This is delicious too... I often eat pickles, but this seems different. What's that aroma... It goes so well with pickles."

"It's Yuzu."

"So it's yuzu. This is what it tastes like when added to pickles. I usually think of yuzu soaked in distilled liquor."

"Yuzu wine? That's pretty good too. Do you drink it often?"

"I once drank grapefruit wine mixed with hot water in the winter, and it warmed my body."

She herself might also try soaking grapefruit in distilled liquor with plenty of rock sugar and drinking it in winter.

She also wanted to make a dish of sesame-marinated flounder, to go with yuzu wine mixed with hot water. A pot of miso would be even better, but unfortunately, she had never seen miso in this country in her lifetime.

This time, Dahlia fried dumplings of a different flavor, and Wolff kept staring at the pot for unknown reasons.

"...Can I dry this and take it with me on the expedition?"

"There's probably no other way. It needs to be frozen."

Dumplings will definitely rot after drying.

But frying frozen dumplings in an expedition camp also felt strange.

"I feel like calling it 'Yi Jiao's relative' would be disrespectful... Judging by its shape, perhaps it should be called 'meat wrapped in leaves'?"

"But there really are dishes wrapped in leaves, right?"

"Yeah. Naming is so hard..."

Seeing him seriously worried, Dalia felt a little apologetic. She thought she could just tell him the name of the dish.

"My father used to call it 'dumplings'... How about this name?"

"Wow, it feels like all the deliciousness is locked inside. Really nice. Dumplings."

Dahlia urged him to eat the freshly fried dumplings. Wolf thanked her and picked up the dumplings and put them in his mouth.

He was stunned for a moment, chewed for a long time again, and then took a big gulp of ale.

Seeing him sigh and immersed in the afterglow, Dahlia finally couldn't help laughing.

“Dalia…”

"What's wrong?"

Wolfe noticed Dahlia's gaze and put down his chopsticks, his left hand still tightly gripping Hong Ai'er's wine glass.

"This is also delicious. Is that shrimp?"

"Yes, a filling made with shrimp and vegetables. I made two flavors today. Which one do you like?"

"It's so hard to choose."

"If you can't choose, just alternate between the two flavors. There's plenty left."

"Both are delicious, and I'm so happy to have both. It's so hard to choose just one..."

"Got it. Next time I'll try making different flavors. Like chicken, or a vegetable-based flavor, or maybe cheese."

"How much more do you want to annoy me before you stop..."

Wolfe's distressed look with his golden eyes narrowed was quite amusing to watch.

The next plate of dumplings had a different seasoning, all spicy, but I fried them without telling him.

In the future, you can also make fried dumplings or boiled dumplings for him.

"...This place is really becoming the 'Forest Witch's Home'."

He murmured with a sigh, causing Dahlia to laugh.

Wolf seemed to enjoy dumplings and ale. He leaned lazily on the sofa, his belly slightly protruding. His defenseless demeanor, like a lion after a feast, made Dahlia stifle a laugh.

"It's super delicious. The combination of dumplings and ale is so tempting to keep eating..."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I feel like if I keep eating like this, I'll really get fat..."

If Wolfe became chubby, life would be much quieter, but it would be bad for his work. It would be terrible if he couldn't jump and got bit by a monster.

The smell of dumplings still lingered in the room. Dalia turned up the fan and took out the wine vessels they'd bought on their last trip. Two clear glass cups, each painted with red and dark blue lines.

She placed a large ice cube in the round container and poured in the Dong wine.

After placing the wine on the low table in front of the sofa, he sat down.

"Dalia, are you still depressed?"

"Yeah... a little."

Although she had enjoyed dinner and didn't think too much about it, Wolfer still saw through her thoughts. His golden eyes narrowed slightly, and he was very worried about her.

"It's about today..."

"Yes, I'm deeply aware of my own shortcomings. I used to dream of surpassing my father at work someday... but that's still too early."

It's good to recognize your arrogance and immaturity early on, but it's still painful.

If only her father were still alive, he would be able to teach her—the thought flashed through her mind, making her feel ashamed. If she continued to think like this, not only would it disturb her father's rest, but it would also be disrespectful to her teacher, Oswald.

"You agreed as soon as I heard the suggestion today... Is it really okay to learn from Oswald?"

"Yes, there are many things my father didn't have time to teach me, so I'm grateful for his suggestion."

"Can't I learn from other magic tool masters?"

"Well, the most powerful magic tool master I know is my father... and among the people I know now, the most powerful one is Mr. Oswald. And no one else would be willing to teach anyone other than his own apprentice like him."

There may be stronger magic tool makers in the royal city. On the other hand, those magicians who can make magic tools may also have mastered some technologies in specific fields.

However, Dahlia did not know those magic tool masters, and even if she did, they would not teach anyone who was not their apprentice.

"Besides, there are also techniques I really want to learn from him..."

“So is technology so important?”

"If I can learn 'Compound Empowerment' from Mr. Oswald, the creation of the artificial magic sword will also progress. This way, I can bestow multiple types of magic upon the sword."

“Ah! That’s…”

"Also, if I could increase the magic power I could give it, maybe I could even create a more powerful magic sword, or even develop more diverse magical tools—thinking of that, I couldn't help but agree."

Wolfe's expression darkened and he dropped his eyes.

Fifty gold coins was indeed a large sum for tuition. She had intended to pay it from her own savings, but she should have discussed such matters with Ivano, a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Perhaps Wolff thought she was being imprudent.

"...Dalia, you're not forcing yourself, are you?"

"I'll ask for the steps before proceeding, so there won't be any problems. I won't try anything I can't do, nor will I give anything dangerous. But I'm sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer for the Fairy Crystal Glasses..."

"It doesn't matter when the glasses are made. Compared to all that... I'm more worried about Oswald."

"Indeed, Mr. Oswald also said that at his age, it would be difficult to bestow certain things upon him. But his magical power is much greater than mine."

Although Oswald is still an active magic tool maker, he himself admits that his physical strength has indeed declined due to age.

Now that he's older, he plans to teach Dahlia how to bestow magic on rare materials, so it's no wonder Wolf is worried about him.

Therefore, Dahlia decided to tell Wolff the motives behind Oswald.

"Actually, Mr. Oswald also asked me for something. His son is currently studying at the High School's Department of Magical Tools. So... he asked me to teach his son what I've learned so far, should anything happen to him. He's worried about dying suddenly like my father."

"So that's it..."

"Yes, my father also passed away suddenly..."

"As a magic tool master, I can only entrust you with this matter. Eh? But doesn't he have an apprentice of his own?"

"I heard that he only has assistants around him now."

Last time she hadn't been able to tell Wolff that "Oswald's ex-wife eloped with a clerk," and this time she couldn't say "his apprentice was expelled for pursuing his wife."

Oswald's apprentice's luck might be inversely proportional to his wife's luck. This thought popped up in her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

"Oswald probably hoped his son would inherit his legacy."

"That's right. Like my father, he passed away before he could pass on all his skills to his two apprentices..."

Halfway through his words, the ice in the cup suddenly made a crackling sound.

Dahlia lifted the cup, and transparent drops of water slid down the icy glass. She took a gentle sip, and the icy wine flowed into her mouth, even turning her lips to ice. Although the dilution of the wine reduced its aroma, the flavor became mellower and more effective in quenching thirst.

Perfect for a drink after a heavy dinner.

“…I always feel like my mother is in another world, shouting, ‘I haven’t finished teaching you everything I need to teach you.’”

Wolf, who was also drinking Dong wine, said thoughtfully. Seeing his slightly wry smile, Dahlia couldn't help but ask.

"You know what she hasn't taught you yet?"

"I haven't practiced much in the defensive techniques and anti-human swordsmanship that my mother excelled in. I've only practiced fighting monsters... but I want to learn how to fight humans, too."

"Is it necessary to learn guarding techniques and anti-personnel swordsmanship as well?"

"Yeah. Since I rarely fight anyone, I've been putting it off until now. But now that I think about it, there are some humanoid monsters out there, so learning it might be helpful."

"A humanoid monster?"

"Like a zombie or an ogre. The Durahan, though headless, is barely humanoid. And though it's a bit large, a Cyclops would probably count as one too."

They all had human appearances, but would their swordplay really be effective against humans? Dalia couldn't imagine.

Can zombies be killed? Where is the Headless Horseman's weak spot? Although the Cyclops is humanoid, his size is too different from that of a human.

"...There are so many different types of monsters."

"And there are also mutants, sometimes you can't even tell them apart from their appearance."

This is where the trouble with monsters lies.

You'll often see regionally unique variants or exceptionally evolved individuals. While it's ideal to be able to tell them apart by appearance, they usually don't differ much, and you'll need to wait for actual combat or the demon's magic to reveal their true form.