Chapter 439: The Continental Front
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 439: The Continental Front
“Damn it… they call this slop food?”
“I just want to go back to the city.”
“You think things are any better there? If anything, it’s worse. The situation is definitely not good. I heard the monster bastards have set up camps everywhere. There’s no way anyone can hunt beasts. Rumor has it the price of monster meat is higher than precious metals… They say some cities have even started eating their horses. Fuck.”
“Any news on when the supply troops will arrive?”
“How would I know? I heard the supply route is completely blocked, so they’re looking for a new one… But since reinforcements have already moved out, there should be some news soon. The war’s about to start, after all. Eating this garbage will sap all our strength to fight.”
Listening to the voices around her, Katie slowly got in line at the distribution counter. More than half the people wore expressions like they’d just chewed on shit, all complaining about the supplies. Including those who kept their mouths shut, it was clear that most were dissatisfied with the current situation.
It’s not surprising.
It was no wonder they were spouting such words. For days now, they had been filling their hungry stomachs with the same food. Even then, if the portions were a little bigger, they could at least eat their fill. But ever since they heard the news that the supply convoy had been hit, things hadn't improved at all.
Katie hesitantly held out her tray.
A soup of questionable origin splattered onto her plate. She glanced at the woman in front of her, a silent plea for a little more, but the woman just shook her head and spoke.
“No more.”
“Just a little more.”
“I have to distribute it according to the set amount. It’s an order from the higher-ups, so I can’t do anything about it. I’m sorry.”
Fucking bitch.
The curse slipped out of her mind before she could stop it. She had seen them give more than the standard portion to their own acquaintances. Even in an allied army, people look out for their own. Those from the same clan or guild received slightly better treatment. It wasn't a huge difference, but in a situation like this, she desperately wished for even a little more to eat. She wasn't the only one who felt that way. Sure enough, no sooner had she found a seat at a table than a rough voice erupted from the distribution line.
“What? This is all you’re giving me? Are you fucking discriminating against me or what?”
“Please don’t cause a scene and just move along.”
“You bitch! The bastard who just passed got way more than this!”
“Everyone is being served the proper amount.”
“Hey, hurry it up over there! I’m starving to death.”
It had nothing to do with her. Acting like that wouldn't get him any more food. Besides, pointless emotional outbursts just wore a person down for no reason. After sitting down, she looked at her tray again and almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
On the tray, which had compartments for several dishes, was nothing but a translucent soup.
She dipped her spoon in, but she couldn't even feel any solid bits.
Hah…
As she sat at the table, sighing unconsciously, a man sat down across from her. It was her friend, Steiner. Katie raised a hand weakly and mumbled.
“You’re here? I thought you said you weren’t eating this anymore.”
“What choice do I have? I have to eat this shit. I’m about to starve to death…”
“You won’t die… We can at least hold on if we receive holy power.”
“The priests are already raising hell about how tired they are because of that. They kept saying things would get better soon… How many days has it been? They expect us to survive on this?”
“Still… if we win the war, all the resources from the East will be ours. They’re just telling us to hold out until then…”
It was a hope shared not just by her, but by everyone. Though people were keeping quiet about it, the allied forces had grown so large that the amount of resources they consumed had skyrocketed. The higher-ups claimed they had risen for a great cause, but she knew better than anyone that it wasn't true.
This war was, in the end, a war of necessity. It was the result of individual greed, the culmination of the avarice of everyone who made up the West. From the leadership’s perspective, the Japanese hiding underground in the East must have been a convenient excuse.
Abundant resources, undiscovered dungeons, new beasts, and everything they had built up until now.
Though I bet they never thought things would get this twisted.
Beyond that ice wall, the one right before their eyes, lay the utopia they had all dreamed of. Not only would they find unconquered dungeons, but they would also discover entirely new kinds of resources.
They had to win this war.
“It’s a problem even if we win… You think if we break down that wall, the monsters on the continent will just say, ‘We surrender,’ and back off? They’ll definitely fight back even more viciously.”
“The main army can clean them up when they return.”
“You think it’ll be that easy? The Wilderness Forward Base, the Thornfire Valley, the Blackrock Mountains… everyone sent to capture those places is dead, except for a few survivors. And I heard this just recently… they failed another assault on the forward base…”
“What? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. They’re putting out propaganda saying they’re close to conquering it, but it seems they’re still stuck trying to capture the supply depot after taking the first fortress… The supply convoys keep getting cut off by guerrillas, and the depot is occupied by the enemy. It’s not exactly an atmosphere where they can announce a defeat. And you think that’s all? It seems they’ve completely given up on rescuing the Golden Saintess who went into the mountains.”
“Ah…”
“You know Mark, right? He was in an uproar for a while. I know the situation is what it is, but… abandoning Lady Jane like that is a bit…”
Watching Steiner pick up his spoon with a bitter expression, Katie’s mind filled with thoughts. It was only natural that she, too, was lost in contemplation. She forced herself to lift her spoon and push the soup into her mouth, but she couldn't taste a thing.
“Fuck…”
“……”
“I bet the higher-ups are feasting on meat right now.”
“……”
“How does it make sense that we get this shit soup? Even the Dwarven King supposedly dines with his soldiers… Fuck, it’s not strange for there to be a separate mess hall for officers, but they shouldn’t be doing this in a situation like this.”
“Tell me about it… It doesn’t even feel like I’ve eaten.”
Despite having taken only a few spoonfuls, there was nothing left on his tray. It was the same for Steiner across from her.
Back in the city, things had been better. One could say they were affluent, and though life was hard, it was a life of abundance. She remembered having a decent job, a reasonable amount of leisure time, and never even glancing at food like this.
“Let’s get up. This just ruined my mood. If I eat this tomorrow, I’m not human.”
“You said that yesterday, Steiner.”
“I mean it today. See you in a bit, Katie.”
“Yeah.”
The meal was over in an instant. There was no time to relax, no moment to savor any flavor. She had forced something into her stomach out of necessity, but of course, she was still hungry. I should at least get some water, she thought. But as she started to walk, a voice from the side made her scowl again.
“I heard they’re rationing drinking water starting tomorrow, for fuck’s sake…”
“What?”
“Looks like it’s almost time. After they fill the reserves today, I think everyone except a few mages will focus on gathering mana for the siege. It won’t be long now.”
“No, fuck. Even so…”
“It means we have to conserve the water we’re given. If a little inconvenience helps us win the war, then it’s worth it.”
“Bullshit. I’ll die before that happens.”
“You’re not wrong.”
“They’ll give us something before we fight, right?”
“They wouldn’t send us to fight after eating this shit soup. There must be something planned for the day before…”
Now, the absurd news that even drinking water would be rationed. It was understandable, since the river was some distance from the wall, but as the basic necessities of life were slowly stripped away, she could feel something rising up from within her.
This wasn't Earth. This was a place with holy power and mana. As long as one didn't excessively consume their mana, the chances of starving or dying from overwork were incredibly slim. Nevertheless, there was something that remained unfulfilled.
I’m hungry.
It was the feeling of starvation.
Her stomach ached with hunger. It was hard to believe she had just eaten. Even when she first arrived on the continent, the situation hadn't been this bad.
Dry saliva filled her mouth, and her stomach began to growl against her will. She could finally understand what it meant for your stomach to be stuck to your spine. She never thought she would personally experience the sensation of stomach acid being secreted because there was nothing to digest.
The fear of war was being replaced by the thought that she would do anything for something to eat. Hamburgers, pizza, stew, steak—all sorts of food began to float through her mind.
If this were Earth, she would probably be having a meal at a nice restaurant, followed by coffee. If she were in the city, she would be eating some decent monster meat.
“Fuck, I’m hungry…”
Katie muttered to herself. She wasn't the only one in this situation. The others were likely in a similar state. People were irritable over trivial things, their nerves frayed. Even though it was the barracks, shouts could be heard from all over, and those caught in the middle could only plead for a little more patience.
“Patience for what? Isn’t it their duty to tell us exactly how long we have to endure, or what’s happening with the supply troops? Fuck…”
Most of the soldiers were slumped over, listless. But Katie got up and moved. She had a job to do: using voice-amplifying magic to continuously broadcast propaganda about the West to the enemy. If she had her way, she would confess that they should never come to this godforsaken place, but the reality that she had to read from a script was also quite painful.
As usual, she climbed onto the platform, checked the script, confirmed the voice-amplifying magic was working properly, and finished her rehearsal. Reading the speech under the watch of the so-called higher-ups was a rather important job, but it was also a familiar one.
She slowly stood at the podium and opened her mouth. Her voice, amplified by magic, immediately began to spread in all directions.
—You have committed an unforgivable sin.
I’m hungry.
She forced down the words trying to escape her throat and spat out the lines written on the paper. Just then, from atop the ice wall, which had been motionless until now, a loud voice boomed.
—Whoa! This steak just melts in your mouth!
—…………
It was the worst possible thing they could hear in their current situation.