The Severe Winter Expedition (1)
The Severe Winter Expedition (1)
I gave an order to Luna.
"Luna, find me a very large cave. I'm going to store supplies long-term."
The clever Luna immediately understood my intention.
"Just as you did for Hildea and Rebecca, you intend to store supplies here as well in preparation for emergencies, right?"
"Yeah, because this place is my hometown now too."
Anvelrum has fertile land itself, so the situation is different from the North, but still, you never know.
"But there is no such cave here. I've already fully mapped out the entire terrain."
"Ah, really? Then what do we do?"
"What do we keep knights around for? We use them for times like this."
Luna gave a stiff command into the radio.
"Excluding those on guard duty, work details, and the sick, assemble under my command immediately. Location: the Count's Castle."
Oh, that's quite imposing.
Is that the charisma of a 7th-class Wind Mage pretty girl brigadier general who holds a ducal title but no territory?
A short while later, knights and soldiers who had been training came running, vying to be first.
Even Sword Master Lord Deville was there.
'Why is Lord Deville ranked below Luna?'
"Conveniently, that mountain behind us is suitable. The ground under the soil is made of solid rock."
"What are you going to do?"
"There is no cave, so we must make one."
And with a single word from the one-star's command, I witnessed the inside of a giant mountain being carved out to create a cave.
And in just half a day, no less.
Countless Aura Blades and Aura Machetes moved, and in an instant, a massive cave was knocked together.
I spoke to Luna with a feeling of awe.
"Amazing...."
"Come on, this much is basic."
All troops were withdrawn, and only Luna and a few knights remained.
I stacked up a large amount of canned goods.
Since flour and grain don't last long unless stored in subspace magic tools, I chose canned goods for the cave's preserved food.
'Luna's subspace ring is for transporting supplies for the dispatch unit, so I can't fill it with emergency grain like I did for Hildea and Rebecca.'
"Wow, isn't this Marshall Stew canned food? There's really an incredible amount of it."
Luna admired it, and the knights looked on as if drooling.
They seemed to think it was for them to eat, so I corrected their misconception.
"Luna, this is emergency supplies for our noona."
"I thought so. Did you tell Elenoa?"
"Don't tell her and manage it yourself. It's solely to prepare for an emergency situation. If such a situation occurs, of course the dispatch unit will use it too."
"Understood."
Even though I spent several tens of millions of the budget on purchasing supplies, my heart felt light.
'The more you have, the more you prepare for your own sudden death, right.'
***
After living at my noona's house for about half a month, I decided to return to the North.
Noona hugged me and was extremely sad to see me go.
"Thanks to Luna, I'll stop by briefly and often from now on, why are you so sad."
"Still, it's sad because it's sad. Lord Valkenhart, please take good care of our Piel."
"Don't worry, Lord Elenoa."
"Oh, and Piel. There's big news from the empire. A northern expedition force involving most kingdoms has been formed and is marching."
"What? Why didn't they tell us, of all people?"
"Not Ainshuvan, it seems they want to fortify the Oridan Kingdom's defense line. They say the monster activity on that side is unusual, is that true?"
The gazes of Hildea, Luna, and I intertwined in the air.
"That can't be. That side is not our territory, but we conduct regular observations. Right now, the northern Elf forest is very quiet."
The Elves have switched to a sea detour strategy for the Ivory Whale Great Lake.
They no longer push down through the surface.
"Really? I heard the Oridan Kingdom wailed loudly and obtained the empire's approval."
"Why would they do that? That's strange."
"What's stranger is that other countries actively joined the expedition as well."
"That's certainly really strange."
The fact that noble lords who care only about their own safety vied to step forward is definitely suspicious.
Hildea spoke after deep thought.
"Perhaps the support for the Oridan Kingdom is a deception, and they intend to occupy our Ainshuvan?"
"I suspected that point as well, Lord Valkenhart."
"Indeed, what the two of you say might be right.... Yuzel, you're from the empire, do you know anything?"
Yuzel, who had been diligently eating potato chip snacks, was startled and stopped her hands and mouth.
With crumbs around her mouth, she rolled her eyes here and there before carefully opening her lips.
"Th-The empire has no interest in territorial expansion. Even now, uninhabited lands that remain under direct imperial control because there are no lords account for over 50% of the empire's total territory...."
"...."
"...."
"...."
That's a bit surprising.
Over half of the nation's land is uninhabited and neglected.
"Then it's not an invasion of Ainshuvan?"
"In fact, from the perspective of the empire and other kingdoms, there is absolutely no reason to invade Ainshuvan. It is the place that blocks the Elves the best right now, after all."
"Then purely to support the Oridan Kingdom... but there's no particular problem there?"
Luna thought hard and then spoke.
"Could it be because of the monster meat?"
"What? No way...."
"Sir, you opened a meat buffet to make the nobles live the rest of their lives in regret, didn't you."
What I wanted was for the nobles to live on, tormented by the inability to forget the taste of meat they had experienced just once.
I never imagined that an expedition force would be formed to search for monster meat that doesn't even exist.
It just makes no common sense.
"It's too absurd to risk danger and pioneer the Elf forest just to get meat. There must be some other purpose."
I gave orders to the duty officers in the capital's Upper House to find out the detailed situation.
This was because nobles from our Leodis Kingdom also participated in the expedition.
-The purpose of forming the expedition is to support the Oridan Kingdom's northern border. No other purpose is coming up at all.
The report from the duty officer was nothing special either.
'Just what is the expedition aiming for?'
***
"Welcome back, Piel. I missed you!"
As soon as I arrived at the official residence, Rebecca smiled brightly and hugged me tightly.
The pleasant pressure of her soft, full chest was very gentle.
No, but....
"Wow, can it really get this cold this suddenly in just half a month?"
It's cold. It's very cold.
Even though the official residence had fireplaces burning full blast, it was incredibly cold.
Seriously, the moment Luna released the Wind Shield, I nearly froze to death from the cold air.
Yuzel was also shivering with her teeth chattering.
Rebecca and Hildea chuckled.
"The northern winter arrives suddenly. Surprised, aren't you?"
"The cold hasn't even started yet."
Crazy, this cold hasn't even started yet?
Hildea and Rebecca were wearing their usual military uniforms and didn't seem to feel the cold at all.
"Piel, rest then."
"Colonel Piel, I shall also go inspect the troops."
The two commanders left.
Only Yuzel and I remained in the official residence.
"I-I'm cold. Sir...."
"M-Me too...."
We put more firewood into the fireplace, but there was no sign of it getting warmer.
Should I have paid more attention to insulation?
Yuzel and I brought a blanket and sat in front of the campfire, draping it over ourselves.
"Y-Yuzel. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Huh?"
"Since it's too cold, I think we need to share our body heat."
"I-I won't get the wrong idea. I am your possession, sir. Please handle me as you wish...."
We combined our blankets into one, and while trembling sweetly, we hugged each other and stared blankly at the campfire.
It was so cold that we just faced each other and hugged deeply.
"Yuzel, you're from the empire, so you must be even colder."
"I-Is it really true that the cold hasn't even started yet? Won't I freeze to death sleeping alone?"
Currently, Yuzel is using the guest room.
It has a fireplace too, but Yuzel, who is from the warm empire, could certainly freeze to death while sleeping.
"This won't do. From today, you sleep in my room with me."
"Yes, thank you. Ugh, it's too cold.... I can't even eat an apple because it's too cold...."
In front of the fireplace all day, covered with a blanket and hugging, we shared body warmth and had our first deep conversation.
We had been busy until now, and Yuzel was so absorbed in the joy of eating that there had been no time to talk.
"But aren't your parents worried?"
"Th-They must be. But if they saw me eating well, they'd probably be proud. Maybe my parents might even beg to settle down and live here...!"
"You only had a few travel bags. What about your clothes and personal belongings at home?"
"I don't need any clothes at all! The ones you gave me, sir, are much better! Before we parted, I asked Count Yunes-nim to sell everything and bring it to me as gold coins!"
She looks delicate, but I thought she was a surprisingly bold and decisive girl.
'No, does it make sense for it to suddenly get this cold in half a month? Is this the northern severe cold season?'
Even at its coldest in Count Anbelrum territory, it wasn't like this.
I guess tonight I'll have to crack open a heating pack inside my sleeping bag and sleep.
'Will I be able to survive this winter?'
"Luna, come to the official residence for a moment."
-I'll come now.
Luna swiftly returned to the official residence.
With only my head sticking out of the blanket while hugging Yuzel in front of the fireplace, I asked.
"It's already this cold, then how are the preparations for wintering going for the territory residents who are from the South?"
"Don't worry. When the territory residents sleep, they are grouped in a few households to sleep in one place. Fire mages will take turns maintaining the warm air so that no non-combat losses occur."
There was once a time I thought mages weren't necessary for my unit, but I retract that statement.
They bake bread well, make stew well, and now they even act as living radiators.
"Still, there will be some frostbite deaths. It can't be helped. It's incredibly cold here in winter."
"What? Frostbite deaths occur?"
"It's cold land, so it's natural."
I was actually more surprised by that indifferent attitude, as if it were no big deal.
Doesn't that mean it's just a daily occurrence here?
"Luna, bring the bedding that the territory residents use. I need to see it."
"Understood."
Luna went outside and gave orders.
A short while later, soldiers brought common household bedding, and as soon as I saw it, I made a decision.
"We need to supply field sleeping bags to the entire North. So that not a single person is left out and can return."
"Kyaaaak! You're distributing those high-grade sleeping bags to all the territory residents?"
"Yeah, including the entire Carlton Marquis territory."
The soldiers bowed deeply to me with an intensity as if they were about to shed tears.
"Colonel Marshall-nim! You are truly incredible!"
"Perhaps this winter, not a single person will freeze to death...!"
Unit members who go out on guard patrol for days use the field sleeping bags on rotation.
Since they know the warmth of the field sleeping bags better than anyone, they show that deeply moved reaction.
I continued to give instructions.
"And during winter, I will distribute preserved food so that the territory residents can receive sufficient calories. Distribute generously according to the household members."
【Supply request: 1,000 field sleeping bags.】
【Supply request: 1,000 field sleeping bags....】
【Supply request: 1,000 pemmican (250g).】
【Supply request: 1,000 pemmican (250g)....】
Braving the cold, I went outside the official residence and piled up the supplies.
Seeing the soldiers shout and sort the supplies for distribution to the residents made me feel gratified.
But because it was too cold, I immediately returned to the blanket that Yuzel was wearing in front of the fireplace.
Yuzel had also been trembling while waiting for me to return.
'Should I just finish preparing the residents for winter, and then spend the winter at noona's house and then come back?'
【Remaining budget: 12,000,000】
Filled the cave at noona's house with canned food, distributed sleeping bags, distributed pemmican.
I thought I could save quite a lot this month, but it went off course again, just as I thought.
The principle that salary just passes by seems to be the same for individuals and armies alike.
***
The northern border zone of the Oridan Kingdom.
While the large-scale expedition force was setting up camp, Count Yunes, who had assumed the role of commander-in-chief, was majestically observing the northern Elf forest.
He is not a mana knight, but he did not tremble from the cold at all.
This was because he was a fire mage.
"Not even the severe cold of the North can stop our firm resolve!"
However, discord was emerging within the expedition.
Nobles who had not yet tasted the meat argued that pioneering the Elf forest was premature because it was too cold.
Of course, the 'Those Who Know the Taste,' who constituted the main axis of the expedition, asserted that they must hurry to pioneer before it got colder.
"3 days! In 3 days we will advance north! For Oridan! For the Empire! For His Majesty!"
"For His Majesty!"
Sharing their own deep sentiments, the 'Those Who Know the Taste' roared vigorously.
Their hearts, gazing at the vast Elf forest far away, were swelling deeply.
'We shall definitely find it. A monster whose entire body is made of tender meat, brimming with that savory, greasy, and sweet aroma!'