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

Page 27

When I came to my senses, I realized that both of them were bowing their heads and apologizing to each other. It was so embarrassing.

"Let me be clear, I think you're a very attractive girl. You're cute and smart, and it's a pleasure to talk to you..."

Wolff paused here, put the back of his hand to his lips, and spoke in a different tone.

"It seems I'm not your type, am I? Besides, I've been receiving your help ever since we first met, and today you even asked me to buy you some alcohol, failed to protect you from harassment, and even broke into your house to get free food and drinks. A man like that should be incredibly low."

"No, I find you very attractive. But it's not a matter of preference. It's because I've been jilted before, and I find the work of a magic tool master more interesting..."

Dalia reflected on what had happened so far and mentioned something she often thought about.

"I'm no longer interested in dating."

"I also think love is troublesome and I'm not interested in it."

After they finished speaking, both of them showed a relieved expression.

They looked at each other's faces and smiled bitterly in silence. This look was not romantic at all.

But in this way, Dalia can finally clearly express her wishes.

"Can we become friends and talk about magic tools and magic swords?"

"Okay, I'd love to...!"

Wolfer smiled her brightest smile yet, and she opened a new bottle of white wine and toasted with him.

Then they drank a cup in praise of the magic sword and magic tools, with such force that both sides' cups cracked.

Wolff apologized profusely and said he would buy new glasses next time he came.

The two sat across the table from each other, pouring red and white wine into their respective new glasses.

"I finally made a female friend I can talk to normally..."

Wolfe lazily leaned on the sofa across from him, completely relaxing his shoulders unlike before.

Dahlia thought she might be in the same situation and picked up the wine glass.

"Hearing you say that, it sounds like you don't have many friends."

"Yes, you guessed right."

"I was joking. If you didn't deny it, I'd get really panicked... Are all nobles like this?"

"No, I did have friends, but they often broke down because of relationships with women. It was especially bad when I was in college."

"Is there a love triangle going on?"

Wolff didn't answer her question and shook the white wine in his hand.

Then he closed his beautiful golden eyes and smiled sadly.

"The girl my friend liked liked me, and our friendship ended."

"We were all still young during the academy period."

"My friend's girlfriend said she liked me, and our friendship ended."

"Your friend is so pitiful..."

"My friend's new girlfriend's real target is me. Our friendship is broken."

"It's so miserable it makes me want to cry."

"My friend's sister already had a fiancé and she confessed to me. After I refused, she told her friend that I was pursuing her violently. My friend believed her story and beat me up, and the friendship broke down."

"How many friendships have you lost because of love..."

Of course, this is traumatic. At this point, being handsome has become a disadvantage.

Wolfe opened his eyes and continued with a slightly tired look:

"I was very unhappy at the academy, but joining the army made things much easier. Later, I received all sorts of offers, from blind dates to casual flings, but I quickly grew tired of them. Now that I'm ostensibly dating a former duchess whose husband has passed away, no one bothers me anymore."

"The former Duchess...is she your relative?"

Just hearing the name of the former Duchess, Dahlia imagined a charming beauty in her mind. Maybe she read too many novels in her previous life.

"My mother was a knight, and before we got married, she protected that lady. Because of my mother, she occasionally let me stay the night at her house. After her husband passed away, she couldn't get rid of the men who wanted to be her swallows, no matter how hard she tried, she said that spreading rumors about me would drive them away." (Note: The Japanese word "swallow" means lover.)

"No matter how much I sweep or bury them, there's just too many swallows to deal with..."

She couldn't imagine that it was a male suitor. The only image that came to her mind was the bird swallows filling the entire courtyard and Wolf sweeping the swallows with a broom.

Maybe the alcohol played a role unexpectedly.

"In the past, some fools wanted to see the lady and illegally trespassed on the grounds with bouquets of flowers. I heard that the Duke was very ruthless in getting rid of them. He might have actually buried some of the troublemakers."

"Please tell me this is a joke! For my own peace of mind, tell me so!"

Wolff did not respond to requests for comment.

He smiled, opened a new bottle of wine, and filled Dahlia's glass with red wine.

"The Duke's family is scary... But isn't that lady your female friend? And she's single now, so even if you two were to fall in love, it wouldn't be a problem."

"I can't call her a friend. After all, she's an elder... Although we're not related by blood, she's very much like my aunt, and also like the teacher who taught me the ways of the nobility. She's also the same age as my mother. Besides, putting aside romantic matters, if I need anything else, I'll go to a brothel."

"Is it okay to say something like that to a girl? And you look like that."

On the contrary, she thought that Wolfe would be able to make more money in this line of work and earn a lot of money in a short period of time.

"Dahlia, don't look at me like that. I know what you're thinking."

Wolff stared at her darkly.

She realized that her thoughts had been seen through and quickly changed the subject.

"I think you should have found a pure young lady at the academy to be your wife."

"...I was once drugged by a 'young lady' like this at a tea party at the academy."

"At the academy tea party?"

"Yes. I don't know if they wanted to strip me naked right then and there, or if they had already called a carriage from home. Luckily, a friend came and carried me out, otherwise the consequences would have been disastrous."

"……Wow!"

"I was scolded by a friend later. I didn't have much communication with my family, so I didn't know that the children of nobles should have received relevant training long ago. That friend was also a noble. He discussed this matter with me, made me drink a lot to increase my physical endurance, and also accompanied me to buy magic tools... I am really grateful to him. Unfortunately, after his sister who had a fiancé confessed to me, he beat me up and we broke off our relationship."

"You've been having a hard time..."

This will of course lead to distrust of women, no, it should be said that there is distrust of human beings.

Moreover, although he has the blood of the Earl family, he seems not to be counted as a family member. It must be very painful when there is no one to discuss things with.

"It wasn't until I joined the expeditionary force that I made some friends I could talk to. Honestly, my interpersonal skills are pretty poor. I'm a coward who's afraid of women and can't do anything except defeat monsters. If I hadn't met you, dressed as 'Mr. Dali,' I probably wouldn't have been able to chat with people like this."

Although Wolff was laughing at himself, he clasped his hands together tightly, which made people feel reluctant to see him.

"After hearing what I have to say honestly, will you no longer want to be my friend?"

"No, I don't have that thought at all."

Dahlia shook her head firmly in denial.

What exactly did Wolff do wrong?

Even if women approach him because he is handsome, he is not responsible for it. Moreover, he is the one who suffers from it.

"To be honest, I have very little experience in dating and marriage."

"The one who broke off the engagement for 'true love'?"

Lately, people around her no longer use their names, but instead refer to Tobias using adjectives.

But it's better than hearing his name all the time.

"Yes, because my father passed away, we were engaged for two years but didn't get married. But the day before the wedding, when I went to his new house, I found his new fiancée already there, and her clothes were in my closet. He even asked me to hand over my engagement bracelet, saying he was giving it to his new fiancée."

"I think you could just beat that man up without any mercy. No, you should run up and beat him up."

The young man said it with certainty, his golden eyes full of seriousness.

「不过我也没有气到想揍他……说到底，我们相处了两年，我仍没有爱上那个未婚夫。学院时期我也和恋爱无缘，不懂那是什么感觉。实际上比起订婚时，现在一个人做魔导具还比较快乐，说不定我就是缺少了这部分。解除婚约也让我发现自己其实不适合谈恋爱……」

"So that's it..."

It seemed like Wolff knew what she was talking about.

Even she herself was having a hard time digesting what had happened, but she was surprisingly able to explain it to others without any problems. This was probably due to the alcohol.

"Did you study magical tools while you were in academy?"

"Yes, during my time at the academy, I was either studying or working in the magic tool lab. After returning home, I would do some housework, help my father make magic tools, or conduct my own research on them."

"I feel very busy."

"But occasionally during holidays, I would go out to eat, go shopping, and spend the night at each other's homes with my childhood playmates or friends."

"It's nice to be able to enjoy the holidays like this..."

It's really pitiful that Wolf, who has a good appearance, family background and career, envies Dalia, who has no youthful life.

"When I went out with my first friend on the team, I think I was used as hookup bait..."

"There's no need to associate with friends like that."

"That guy isn't a bad person. He says women are what keep men alive, and now he's devoting all his energy to supporting his girlfriend."

"This will boost the capital's economy."

After Dahlia said this, Wolf suddenly narrowed his eyes, covered his eyes with one hand and took a big sip of wine.

A closer look revealed that he was facing the open window, probably doing so because he saw his reflection in the glass.

"...Wolf, do you hate your face so much?"

The action looked like he was trying to cover up a wound, and Dalia couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, very annoying."

He answered with a beautiful smile, but he looked angry.

Then he drank the wine in his hand in one gulp, and the expression on his face disappeared.

"When I was a child, my family thought my eyes had 'charming powers' and took me to a temple for treatment. However, the priest said it wasn't a charm. When I asked him why my eyes looked like that, he said, 'It must be a blessing from God. Golden eyes attract people's favor.' But I don't think it attracts favor, it attracts desire."

He had a blank expression on his face, but he looked like he was crying.

It seemed that it was those beautiful golden eyes that were eroding him like a curse.

"If you could hide your eyes so that no one could see you, would you do it?"

"Yes, I want to do that... That sounds like something a witch would say."

The young man looked at Dahlia with a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"I'm not a witch, but a magic tool maker. I might be able to use magic tools to help you fulfill your wish. Could you bring some wine and come with me to the workshop on the first floor?"

The two picked up the bottle and glass and walked downstairs to the workshop.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Dalia took out the silver-framed work glasses that her father had ordered at the beginning of last year but had never used.

She had Wolff try it on and it was just the right size.

"Dalia, I already have the glasses, but the effect..."

"Wolver, have you ever tried tinted lenses?"

"No, I didn't."

She wanted to make a pair of tinted glasses.

Although this is rare in the royal capital, it is not completely uncommon.

There were various types of glass panels at home, and she chose a thin light blue-gray panel.

"I'll help you change to tinted lenses. It'll look very different with more colors covering your eyes. Also..."

Dalia took out a five-centimeter square silver magic seal box from the shelf.