Gallery 51 - Dumpster

I Gained a Gallery in the Wild - Eps 51 Shoes (3)

Shoes, as one of the three pillars of ‘clothing, food, and shelter’, are of great importance.

Especially because humans are bipedal creatures, shoes are essential.

Walking barefoot leads to getting stabbed by sharp things or slipping.

You could end up in dangerous situations, so the importance goes without saying.

Therefore, shoes in the early days prioritized durability and safety above all.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to wear them.

Being bipedal creatures who subject their feet to the harshest treatment, the conditions for fulfilling this role were extremely demanding.

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Title: Bought soccer cleats lol

(Photo of soccer cleats with 2 stripes)

Saved up my allowance and bought soccer cleats hehe how is it?

---

ㄴ Aren't those fakes? Why are there only two stripes?

ㄴ Exactly. There should be 3 stripes.

ㄴ Ah. Holy shit, I just noticed. Why are there only 2 stripes?

ㄴ Lolololol

ㄴ He's so confidently showing off his counterfeit lmao

ㄴ How much did you pay for it?

ㄴ 300,000 won ;;;

ㄴ Damn lol

But as time passed and technology developed, shoes also began to function as a type of fashion item.

Cases arose where people chased design while giving up performance, and items originally made for performance became worn for fashion.

The emergence of sports was the starting point.

Since ordinary people prioritized convenience over performance, they didn't particularly care about the performance of athletic shoes.

If they did, it was perhaps for the anti-slip feature?

Due to these demands from the public, the clothing industry centered around sports also developed.

---

Title: Do beastfolk wear shoes?

Do they go barefoot?

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ㄴ Suspiciously) We wear shoes too. Do you think beastfolk are some kind of savage ;;

ㄴ Weren't you savages?

ㄴ Suspiciously) You must be the savage one. Judging by how rude you are. Want to get your head cracked open?

ㄴ Sry ;;;

ㄴ lolololol

ㄴ lol

ㄴ Beastfolk wears shoes too. Just because they’re beastfolk doesn’t mean they’re homeless.

ㄴ So how do they get them fitted? Look at their feet, they're fucking diverse

ㄴ Custom-made, obviously. Look at rabbit beastfolk. Their feet are long as hell.

Beastfolk particularly influenced footwear development.

There were combat boots worn by soldiers, and what about the safety boots of adventurers exploring dangerous territories around the world?

Shoes had infinite branches depending on who wore them and what profession they belonged to.

"So you're asking me to make this?"

"If you don't want to, then don't."

"Hey now. Look at this dwarf. Who said I didn't want to?"

Short stature. In contrast, thickly muscled arms. Broad shoulders. A bushy brown beard that could be called a signature.

The brown-bearded dwarf grabbed the shoulder of the dwarf who had turned away.

The dwarf whose shoulder was grabbed also turned back around.

Slightly intoxicated eyes and strawberry-red nose.

Anyone could tell he was a drunk dwarf.

Especially the red beard suited his drunken face well.

This dwarf’s name was Gareth.

A common drunkard dwarf from the land of dwarves, Mountain.

"Got an idea?"

"I do. But what’s in it for me?"

Gareth's friend, Wagner, asked a very reasonable question.

They had been through thick and thin for years and usually granted each other’s requests.

But the item Gareth asked Wagner for made him question it before agreeing.

"I don't mind you suddenly showing up and asking me to make a pair of high-performance shoes. But isn't this clearly a shoe for humans?"

Wagner asked, fluttering the paper he held in his hand.

It was the paper Gareth had handed him as the condition for this order.

Gareth glanced at the paper and nodded.

"That's right."

“Where the hell did you even get this request?”

"From Gallery."

"That damn gallery."

Wagner's face crumpled at Gareth's answer.

Wagner also knew about the gallery, but had never logged in once in his life.

He simply felt no reason to log in. People who were caught up in the present life didn't have time to log in to the gallery.

Even entertainment wasn't a problem, since for dwarves, invention itself was entertainment.

In that sense, Gareth was enough of an oddball. A dwarf completely absorbed in the gallery instead of invention.

Yet, his natural talent kept him from struggling to make a living.

"What on earth did they promise you for you to accept an order like this?"

"Ah. This is kind of awkward to talk about."

"What's awkward?"

"It's related to alcohol. Hic."

"Alcohol?"

Related to alcohol. At those words, Wagner's eyes widened as he showed interest.

Dwarves and alcohol. An inseparable relationship.

Beyond personal preference, it's considered a racial characteristic, and they're famous for having dedicated alcohol refrigerators or even breweries in every home.

They even invented locomotives and airships for smooth distribution, so that says it all.

The dwarven country of Mountain is a place where mechanical civilization developed solely through alcohol.

"Yeah. Alcohol. You remember that infused liquor I gave you last time, right?"

"Of course I remember. That bright red stuff. It was really delicious. slurp"

As Gareth brought up the story of the infused liquor, Wagner unknowingly swallowed his saliva.

He still remembered it vividly. That time Gareth brought it over after infusing alcohol with some red herb he had obtained somewhere.

Usually when you drink alcohol, you get drunk and drowsy, but that infused liquor was the opposite.

As soon as he drank it, not only did he feel strength surge through his body, but his mind also felt clearer.

And how excellent was the taste? The bittersweet flavor of the herb harmonized with the alcohol, making it incredibly clean.

He could declare that it was the best, so much so that just imagining it made his mouth water.

"This time, that human says he needs shoes. He got stranded in a dangerous place and needs high-performance shoes."

"Did he say he would give you alcohol if you make them?"

"Not alcohol, but he said he would give me the herbs. I'll give them to you if you want."

"Ooh! I'll make them right away!"

Dwarves who think of a Mature Mandrake as nothing more than an ingredient for infused liquor,

If Grills had heard this conversation, he would have been dumbfounded but let it go as long as the item turned out fine.

But if others had seen this scene? They would’ve foamed at the mouth, furious at the thought of treating a Mature Mandrake plant as mere brewing ingredient.

But the most important thing in a dwarf's life is alcohol. Even if it looks modest to others, that's their happiness.

"Then what's the name of that herb? That bright red one did look medicinal."

"He said it's a Mature Mandrake, but I don't really know. Just think of it as a Mandrake."

"Hmm. Mandrake-infused liquor is delicious too, but I guess this is even better?"

“Maybe? I heard that one of those can make a top-grade elixir.”

"Really? Then isn't it incredibly expensive?"

Wagner had his doubts. Elixirs are considerably expensive items.

For dwarves, alcohol might as well be elixir, but an elixir is still an elixir.

Though he wasn't particularly interested so it didn't fully register, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Hic! Very expensive. But think about it."

“What?”

"It's liquor made from top-grade elixir ingredients. Can you resist that? I'm saying it's more valuable than selling it and drinking ordinary beer."

"Oh. My thinking was too narrow. You really are a genius."

"Don't mention it. Hiccup!"

People might say they’re just patting each other’s backs, but dwarves are always like this.

A race so devoted to alcohol it might as well be part of their very being.

A race with a higher life expectancy than humans but similar average lifespan due to liver disease.

A race from which you could never obtain a sample of someone who doesn't drink.

That is a dwarf. (Yi Zaha type shi kekkekek)

Commanding them to quit drinking was like sentencing them to death.

"But this... is more complicated than I thought?"

Wagner pondered while looking at the paper Gareth gave him.

Gareth seemed to agree on that point as he nodded his head.

"That's why I came to you. I know my way around metal but hopeless with leather."

"That's true, but... shoes that are sturdy as a base requirement and also waterproof? Anti-slip too, and basically every performance feature imaginable is attached?"

Dwarves aren't omnipotent. Each has their own specialty.

In Gareth's case, it was metallurgy; for Wagner, it was leathercrafting.

"I’ll need top-quality materials from the start. You said it’s for a human who got stranded?"

"Yeah."

"Then durability’s a must too. If I do it like this..."

Wagner began to draw a rough design using a pen.

Being a master dwarf leathercraft artisan, even his impromptu design felt refined.

"This will inevitably make them heavier. Make sure to tell them that."

"Got it. He should understand that much."

"But where on earth did that stranded human fall that he's offering Mature Mandrake?"

"He said he fell into the Forest of Four Seasons, but I'm not sure."

"Tsk, tsk. Of all places."

Wagner had heard of the Forest of the Four Seasons.

The forest itself was a maze that you could never escape once you entered.

Getting custom-made shoes probably wouldn't increase his chances of survival.

But it would be enough to raise the odds even a little bit.

"Got the estimate ready? Hic! So how long will it take?"

"I have all the proper materials, so about a week..."

"Hey. Look at this."

Gareth cut off Wagner's words and headed somewhere.

Wagner wondered about his behavior but soon widened his eyes in amazement at what he brought back.

"Tha- That....!"

It was a uniquely shaped glass bottle, the kind you might see in the Central Plains. It had a thin waist and a wide top.

And inside it, a plant with a face like a human’s had its mouth wide open.

To top it off, the bottle was filled to the brim with a red liquid.

It was the infused alcohol Gareth had made using Mature Mandrake.

"Hic! If you cut down the time, you can drink all of this."

"A- Ahem. Then, three days..."

"Plus tomorrow's crab as side dishes. That guy said he would provide them."

At those words, Wagner made a serious expression and held up his index finger.

“One day.”

What dwarves need isn't more money.

Alcohol made from rare ingredients. That’s all.

"Alright. Then let's drink this after the work is done. And know that if you make it carelessly, the deal is off."

"What do you take me for? Just you wait. I'll come back after crafting a truly spectacular pair of shoes."

"Right. I trust you."

Wagner briefly entered his workshop to craft the shoes.

Gareth didn't go back home. It was fine for him to remain as both a supervisor and drinking companion.

'Since he said it was the Forest of Four Seasons, there must be herbs even better than Mature Mandrake there.'

He stared at the Mature Mandrake form infused liquor.

A drink that made strength surge throughout your entire body with just one sip.

Perhaps he could find even better ingredients than this?

What if he made liquor with that ingredient? Just imagining it made his mouth water.

'It doesn't have to be alcohol. A side dish would be enough.'

The Mature Mandrake was one thing, but he was also looking forward to the side dishes.

Yesterday he caught a huge fish, and today didn't he catch crabs?

Mountain is a country surrounded by mountains, so there's no opportunity to connect with the sea.

Naturally, seafood was bound to be expensive, and the best way to get it was through the gallery auction house.

But even that wasn’t reliable due to the murderously high fees.

'I wonder what he's doing right now?'

He had recently grown fond of interacting with Grills.

Didn’t he get rewarded with Mature Mandrake simply by offering some goodwill?

Even without Mature Mandrake, it was fun.

[Honestly these days demons make better alcohol. Agree?]

"This bastard?"

But he absolutely couldn't tolerate trolling. Gareth immediately accessed the post.

When he entered the post, countless users had already gathered and were engaged in a heated debate.

Especially many of them seemed to be in a frenzy, and it was easy to guess most of them were dwarves.

Telling a dwarf they’re short or whatever is tolerable. That’s a racial trait, so it can’t be helped.

However, they couldn't tolerate anything related to alcohol, especially anything related to brewing.

It was a kind of trigger button. A topic that came up in the gallery whenever people were bored.

ㄴ To be blunt, the Demon race does make it tastier. Even refrigeration and freezing magic came from demons first~

ㄴ PassingDwarf) It was dwarves who incorporated that magic into machinery. Know what your topic.

ㄴ Yeah~ So what, without the Demon Race, you couldn't even make refrigerators~

ㄴ Dwarf alcohol is honestly just bitter. Demon alcohol is sweet and delicious lol

ㄴ You guys can't even enjoy the fun of having a beer while watching sports, can you? lololol

"Sons of dogs!"

Kwang!

Finally unable to contain his anger, Gareth slammed the table hard.

It was another peaceful day in the gallery's daily routine.

******

"Why’s this guy having a fit again?"

Grills, who had finished off three crabs in an instant with his animal friends.

He was browsing the gallery while taking a break.

While browsing, he clicked on a post that had an unusually high number of comments and found a war raging on.

The kind of story about demon-made alcohol tasting better than dwarf-made alcohol.

'Is it similar to saying Chinese kimchi tastes better than our homemade kimchi?'

If so, he could understand.

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