Helping with Adventurer Party Management 57

Footsteps

Having regained my composure, I changed the topic.

“So, the Corps are quite popular these days, huh?”

“Well, we’re not quite there yet. I’d say we’re still half-way done. But yeah, you could say there has been a reaction.”

The handsome leader, Jilboa, seemed delighted as he spoke.

Being recognized by society changes people to a great extent.

Though they were already well known in the small world of adventurers, the Sword Fang Troops -who had been treated as an utility by the nobles so far- might have been even feared in the broader society.

The townsfolk recognized that.

They would root for them in their fights and cheer on their victories.

They would be proud to be a part of that group.

That experience greatly changed the awareness of the Corps’ members.

Being proudly treated as the elite, they now strived to earn that praise.

Nowadays, you could see that in their eyes as they fought and trained hard.

“Your advice was of great help. You have my gratitude.”

“Oh no, that was all thanks to your ability. I wouldn’t have been able to get results like these so quickly.”

I truly believed that.

Jilboa’s proactivity and leadership were really something else.

He listened and accepted anyone’s opinion if he thought it was good enough.

And if there was some action he could take on that opinion, he would do it at once.

More than his own personal bravery, it would be his attitude –along with his strength of action– what might turn this man into a man of legend.

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However, after that pleasant conversation, I ended up changing the topic with a “By the way…”

“I have completed the shoes for the adventurers. I would like to hear the opinion from the top-ranked clan.”

I showed him the sample shoes I had brought with me.

They were  ‘Model 0’, which took a month to produce from scratch.

“They look tough but simple. Like a middle ground between regular shoes and leather boots, perhaps…? Their soles are very thick. And there are strings attached to them? What strange shoes…”

Those were Suiberry’s first impressions on the shoes.

“They’re so thick inside, too. The part where the toes go are reinforced… What kind of leather is this?”

Jilboa seemed quite interested in the materials and the inner part of the shoes.

“Suiberry, could you try these shoes on? I’d like your opinion.”

In fact, I actually wanted the leader to try them on, but I then realized that the sample’s development would be much better after hearing the Commander’s opinion.

He tried to put the shoes on at once, but had a hard time putting on socks first.

These people don’t normally wear socks, only the ones living in colder regions do.

But I wouldn’t give up on having them wear socks if it made the shoes more comfortable to wear.

After putting on the shoes, he tied up their shoelaces.

“These are shoes, but they seem to be made a bit like sandals.”

His impressions on the insoles were:

“It’s as if there were tiny carpets inside these shoes.”

Suiberry then tried walking with them, and his face changed completely.

“Oh, these are amazing! I’m walking on a hard floor, but it feels as if I were walking on the finest carpet!”

Jilboa’s eyes were also full of curiosity.

“How strong are they? Will they slip out of our feet during battle?”

“No, since they go all the way up to the ankle, they seem to be perfectly tight. Those cords also help fixing them closely. It’s as if they had been glued to my feet.”

Then I added to his explanation.

“I used a special leather for the toes. It’s similar to the ones used on weapon’s handles, so your feet shouldn’t get hurt.”

“Ah, I see! It doesn’t hurt at all when kicking with them either. Even though they are made out of leather, the tip feels like I’m wearing iron boots.”

He happily tapped the floor with the tip of his toes, which made a sound similar to wood striking against metal.

Perhaps he would end up breaking the floor under him if he kept doing that.

“Moreover, the shape of each shoe is different on their left and right, see how the thumb section is wider. That way, even if a swordsman wearing them needs to stand firm somewhere, their thumbs won’t hurt.”

“Hoho! They do seem quite good for planting oneself on the ground!”

Still wearing the shoes, Suiberry said “Wait a moment” and ran out of the office.