Living Off the Land Is Tradition (1)
Living Off the Land Is Tradition (1)
Rumors spread wildly throughout Hildea's entire army.
「Did you hear? The wagon that came for Lieutenant Piel-nim was detained by the Carlton Marquis army under the pretext of inspection.」
「Did they dare plunder the supplies procured by our Supply Officer-nim! Do those bastards really want to die!」
「They say it was a magic storage warehouse containing 100,000 servings of Milk Salt Snack Bar.」
「Uwaaa! I can't forgive this! They really are bastards who want to die!」
Soldiers, officers, and commanders alike were all united in fury.
Milk Salt Snack Bars are not distributed as regular meals. They are provided only as field rations to units going out on reconnaissance.
However, all 20,171 members of the unit have tasted a bite of Milk Salt Snack Bar at least once.
Because of that, there had even been tussles over taking on external reconnaissance, which had originally been an avoided duty.
There were even rumors that noble knights dueled over reconnaissance missions.
「We must recover our Supply Officer-nim's precious supplies!」
The morale of the entire unit was boiling.
***
The incident had already left my hands.
The one who was plundered was me, and it was even an empty wagon, yet things turned out like this.
'I'm already riding on the Dragon's head. If I fall, I die.'
I decided to willingly join the unstoppable flow.
「Commander-nim, I have a suggestion to make.」
「Speak, Lieutenant Piel.」
「Please take me with you for the show of force.」
「Of course. To find the supplies, you will have to accompany us.」
Her blue eyes, shining among her long silver hair, looked somehow deep and alluring.
「Don't worry and stick right by my side. I will make sure no one can lay a finger on you.」
This is truly reassuring.
「And one more suggestion, please gather all the mobilizing unit members at the mess hall.」
「The reason?」
「In order to feed them well right before they go into battle.」
Hildea's eyes widened slightly, then half-closed as she smiled.
「I understand your intention well. I will accept the suggestion.」
「Thank you.」
***
I picked up the empty supply box and moved to the mess hall.
No one imagines that this box is completely empty.
'It's comfortable because it's a world with magic. Thanks to that, I'm conveniently receiving cheat supplies.'
On the way to the mess hall, the atmosphere on the street was unusual.
Soldiers poured out and stood on both sides, cheering for me with fierce eyes.
「Lieutenant Piel! Lieutenant Piel! Lieutenant Piel!」
「Supply Officer-nim, hang in there! We will definitely recover them for you!」
「Even if we die on the battlefield today, we will recover the Supply Officer-nim's precious supplies!」
「For Piel Anbelreum!」
The way to the mess hall felt like destroying an enemy nation and holding a triumph ceremony.
Because those rough-looking but frail-bodied guys were cheering me, my mood was rather....
When I arrived at the mess hall, the cooks were waiting at attention with eyes ablaze.
「From now, I will make a special combat soup.」
「Combat soup!」
「Combat soup!」
「You lot, prepare 200 liters of water from now!」
「Understood!」
As soon as the water was ready in the huge pot, I requested supplies.
【Requesting 100kg of corn, 20kg of skim milk powder, 10kg of butter, 5kg of sugar, 1kg of salt.】
【Budget 220 consumed】
【Current remaining budget: 66,780】
Tududuk. Tududuk.
The bulk ingredients fall ruthlessly from the air into the pot.
The cooks' eyes grew wide.
「Could that be corn?」
「I've never seen corn with such large kernels before!」
「To grow that much corn, the soil fertility would have been ruined!」
Using basic carbohydrates, supplemented with skim milk powder for umami, butter for sustained high calories, sugar for sweetness and flavor, and salt to adjust the seasoning.
A combat soup that fills 20,000 kilocalories per person.
'Warriors in this world use mana. And mana devours calories tremendously.'
Even a veteran soldier requires calories to the point that an Earth Olympic champion would be a joke.
For knights, it goes without saying.
'If I pack them full of battery, no, calories, they can exhibit the combat power of one against a hundred.'
***
Centered around the mess hall, a savory and fragrant smell began to waft.
The flavor crafted by the essence of 21st-century Earth food chemistry spread in all directions, driving the soldiers and knights crazy.
Hildea, who was leading 99 knights and soldiers towards the mess hall, also flinched.
'This smell...!'
A mysterious aroma that seemed to fill the entire body with calories just by smelling it.
It is not comparable to the luxurious Maillard flavor of beef brisket, but.
Hildea could feel it.
The calories thickly concentrated in this savory aroma.
If she circulated her internal mana with those calories, how great a combat power could be displayed.
Piel greeted them with a smiling face.
「Commander-nim, the combat soup is prepared.」
「Combat soup....」
Hildea muttered blankly, and the knights and soldiers following her also sniffled and let out excited snorts.
「Combat soup, huh.」
「Just the name alone feels like it will bring victory.」
「It's strange. It feels like my stomach is filling up just from the smell.」
Thus, 100 warriors including Hildea sat around the mess hall table.
The cooks ladled soup into the bowls placed in front of each.
'It's thick.'
'This is soup?'
'It's so opaque that I can't see the bottom....'
'Are those granules possibly corn? They put in this much corn?'
'What kind of corn is that large? And why is the color so yellow?'
Everyone was in culture shock and couldn't continue speaking.
Hildea, who had been trained on premium combat rations, calmly picked up her spoon.
The moment she put it in her mouth, the concentrated calories burst like firecrackers in her mouth.
'It's nothing compared to combat rations, but this is plenty delicious too.'
It was the thought of Hildea, whose tongue had been thoroughly corrupted by Piel.
'Is this soup that gods eat?'
'Ah, if I could eat this every day!'
'It's delicious! So delicious!'
The knights and soldiers emptied their soup in a hurry, looking as if they were about to cry.
A feeling of strength welling up throughout the body.
A vitality as if they wouldn't get tired even if they fought all day using mana.
Battle using mana easily tires one out.
Ultimately, it depends on how well you eat.
「Commander-nim, this combat soup...! It's truly amazing!」
「I am confident I can defeat ten opponents alone! I'm overflowing with power!」
「Lieutenant Piel! Thank you for making such a delicious and empowering soup!」
「Combat soup! Truly a dish worthy of its name!」
Piel said with a smile.
「This isn't the end. Corporal Baren.」
「Yes, Supply Officer-nim. Alright, let's move.」
The cooks came forward carrying large baskets.
To the 99 knights and soldiers excluding Hildea, they distributed bundles of 50 individual Milk Salt Snack Bars each.
The soldiers who received the unexpected gift gaped in astonishment.
Hildea, who had risen from her seat, drew her sword with a chaeng! and shouted.
「Everyone is responsible for consuming all the snack bars just distributed before we return! If anyone secretly leaves any behind, you will be punished for insubordination!」
「Yes! Commander-nim!」
***
When a dispute breaks out among allies, a show of force with 100 men is said to be the unwritten rule.
If it exceeds that, it could be considered civil war or treason.
'I've forcibly filled them with 20,000 kilocalories per person. It's no different from each of them attaching a large mana battery and heading to the front line.'
The most important supply in the military is not weapons or ammunition.
It is food.
No matter how good missiles are, if soldiers starve, they won't even have the strength to press the launch button.
Moreover, in this medieval fantasy where they fight with swords and spears, a unit fed high-calorie compressed combat soup....
'It's like pitting an infantry conscript unit against fully armored heavy cavalry.'
Because combat power comes from swordsmanship, swordsmanship comes from mana operation, and mana operation ultimately comes from stamina.
「Lieutenant Piel, don't worry. We will definitely recover your precious supplies.」
「Thank you.」
「Piel!」
Sir Basel also laughed heartily and slapped my shoulder.
I thought my shoulder blade would shatter.
「There's no need to worry about anything. Right now, I'm overflowing with strength throughout my body. It's all thanks to the combat soup you made.」
I had lightly made it with the intention that if we're going to fight anyway, we must win.
Everyone's reactions were so good that I was even bewildered.
We finally arrived at the encampment of the Carlton Marquis army, which was responsible for the right flank of the Ainshuvan front.
But the soldiers here also had terribly poor complexions.
「I am Countess Hildea Valkenhart! I have come to see Her Excellency the Carlton Marquis! Guide us!」
「I will guide you.」
Whether orders had been given beforehand, the sentry let us inside without a word.
I observed the atmosphere of the base.
'It's exactly like the day I enlisted in Hildea's army.'
Our unit's dietary situation has improved a lot.
By replacing the reconnaissance unit's diet with snack bars and barracks coffee, the regular meal portions increased, and high-sugar coffee is added in large cups once each for breakfast and lunch.
There is also a virtuous cycle effect where my peers and other senior noble officers, feeling competitive with me, have pressured their main families to send more supplies.
But the Carlton Marquis army seemed to be in a far worse situation.
'How on earth is the royal court handling the supply of the front lines? Or is this perhaps the continental average in this era?'
Please don't say this is the average.
As the 99 Hildea soldiers moved with fierce, imposing eyes, the Carlton Marquis soldiers flinched and backed away.
We finally arrived at the Marquis' field tent.
「Your Excellency the Carlton Marquis! Countess Hildea Valkenhart has arrived!」
Hildea shouted loudly with her hand on her sword handle.
'She's got charisma?'
Soon the entrance curtain was pulled back and the Marquis revealed herself....
'A woman?'
I naturally thought it would be a man, so I was flustered.
First of all, she was extremely tall.
At least in the mid-to-upper 170 centimeters range.
A physique-style beauty whose tight uniform emphasized her bursting volume senselessly.
Blonde hair tied at the nape and flowing over her chest.
She was a beauty with a slightly bronzed skin that exuded a healthy vibe, with a feisty, brawler-like feel.
She gave off an image of a blonde, tanned, punkish delinquent girl.
The Carlton Marquis stood upright.
Hildea looked up confidently.
A cold current flows between the two beautiful commanders.
It seems like they will draw their swords at any moment.
'But how strong is the Carlton Marquis? At least I haven't heard she's a Sword Master.'
The Carlton Marquis, who looked like she would slap first before speaking, raised her hand above her head,
and the moment I flinched unconsciously.
「Hey, Commander-in-Chief Hildea. The soldiers just went crazy, so can't you let it slide just this once? I'll return the supplies.」
The Carlton Marquis laughed heartily and scratched her head.
「It was never my order.」
「Do you expect me to believe that? This isn't the first time, is it!」
「It's the 21st time since I took office. But your unit has stolen our supplies more than twice that many.」
I unconsciously looked at Hildea.
She glanced at me slightly, and I caught a glimpse of her white earlobe turning red.
「The rumor of the snack bars and barracks coffee spread even to our unit, and the soldiers apparently touched it out of curiosity to get a taste.」
「How much will you compensate?」
「Let's not do that. Half a year ago, when our guys were bringing 100 cows, your unit intercepted 10 of them, and I let it slide.」
「When this barracks was attacked by a wyvern, I sortied and repelled it, but you didn't repay me for that.」
「I said I'd give you 5 cows.」
「I told you 5 wasn't enough.」
Suddenly this mood....
They were so fiercely postured as if they'd fight to the death, I thought they'd wage a UFC death match, but it's WWE?
The two commanders' faces drew closer, and their voices gradually lowered.
Amidst all that, the 99 unit members were glaring ferociously and showing hostility.
The elite of the Marquis' army also emitted an intimidating aura, but somehow they all looked like they hadn't eaten breakfast properly.
「Adjutant, bring the Valkenhart supply wagon!」
「Yes, Commander-nim!」
It seemed the two female generals had finally reached an agreement.
The soldiers brought the wagon, and Hildea's eyes colored with shock and fury.
「The supply box is open! Where did all the supplies go?」
「Well, it only contained a few books?」
「Do not lie! That is a supply box enchanted with storage warehouse magic!」
「No, it wasn't enchanted like that. It really only had a few books inside.」
Chaeng!
Hildea drew her sword with cold eyes.
The 99 knights and soldiers also drew their weapons in unison and spread out into formation.
「So you are determined to commit insubordination. Commander of the Carlton 4th Army.」
Upon hearing that, I realized.
That Hildea, though young in age and low in title, held a higher position.
「Commander-in-Chief, let's resolve this through dialogue....」
「From now on! We will thoroughly search the 4th Army barracks! We will definitely find our precious supplies that have been stolen!」
「Yes! Commander-nim!」
Hwareureuk!
A huge aura blade began to surge from Hildea's sword.
「Will you disobey the order of the Commander-in-Chief, Commander of the Carlton 4th Army?」