A Delicacy for the Elf
A Delicacy for the Elf
Meanwhile, Yuzel was....
"Your Imperial Highness! Your Imperial Highness! You mustn't do this! His Majesty will be furious!"
"Let me go! I said let go! Let me go! Uwaaaang! Uwaaaang!"
"Please stay still, Your Imperial Highness!"
Caught by her ladies-in-waiting during her nth escape attempt of the season, Yuzel was dragged back to the princess's palace, wailing without any dignity.
The price of revealing herself to taste the sinful lobster was immense.
At the time, Yuzel had slipped out of the banquet and tried to run away immediately, but was caught under the Emperor's orders.
'I should have just asked the officer-nim to make it for me later with aegyo! I was driven mad by the smell!'
Thinking back, she'd already had the chance to eat it during the picnic at the summit of the Aluha Mountains.
But like Luna and Rebecca, she had been so startled by its appearance that she couldn't even dare try it.
Maybe that was the last lobster ever.
What if the officer-nim refuses even if I ask later?
If I don't eat it now, the curiosity will drive me insane.
...And the price of succumbing to that temptation, Yuzel was now paying dearly.
"This is serious. Her Highness won't eat anything at all, what are we to do?"
"It's because of that lobster dish. Ever since she ate it, she won't even glance at palace cooking."
"At best she eats a little roasted rabbit, but she holds her nose because of the gaminess."
"It seems lobster truly is a cursed food. Duke Kelon, too, has entirely refused food ever since."
The accursed food of sin.
A lobster so hideous in appearance that one must shield it from others' sight while eating.
Yet at the same time, it is said to possess a heavenly taste that melts the tongue and corrupts the soul....
Hadn't the Emperor himself, after tasting lobster, praised it to the extreme and promised to grant territory if a fixed amount were brought each year?
In the empire, only four people had tasted lobster: the imperial couple, Yuzel, and Duke Kelon.
Thus, curiosity about 'just what does it taste like?' was spreading in all directions, centered among the nobles.
'I can't leave! Without me, who will do our officer-nim's laundry! The dishes! The role of attachment doll will be empty!'
Every day, Yuzel was tearfully regretting the day she had fallen to the lobster's temptation.
With each forced meal, her sorrow only deepened.
***
We received a mountain of rewards for the stuffed Wyvern Lord tribute: one million gold coins, silks, fine tableware, precious metal ornaments, and more.
Of all those, what the North truly needed was only the gold coins.
We decided to stop by noona's home and leave the rest there.
"Nunim, please sell these off and turn them into gold coins."
"I'll just buy them all from you."
"Huh? All of it?"
"They're luxury goods that nobles absolutely need."
"If I'm selling to you, Nunim, I'll give you a discount."
Elenoa was very happy to see me after so long.
"Nunim, this is Marchioness Rebecca Deborah Carlton."
"Please call me Rebecca, Sir Elenoa."
"I am Elenoa Anvelrum. I've heard much about you. I'm honored."
They both exchanged amiable greetings.
Seeing their bright faces, it doesn't seem there will be any in-law conflicts in the future.
Elenoa and Rebecca instantly hit it off and got along well.
We concealed the existence of the elf.
Because we couldn't cause unnecessary worry.
"She is a maid I personally acquired in the Empire. She's of low birth, so Sir Elenoa needn't pay her any mind at all."
Luna excelled at fabricating lies to get out of situations.
We stayed for a few days, receiving plenty of mana massage from Elenoa and feeding her lots of delicious meat, passing a joyful time.
"Piel, did you know? Lately, northern rabbit meat is all the rage in high society. Everyone spends vast fortunes without the slightest hesitation to get the meat."
"Have you tried it, Nunim?"
"I barely got some and took a bite, but all I could think was why anyone would pay that much for it."
"That's because you've already had plenty of the North's real meat, Nunim. I'll leave a generous amount of meat with you this time."
"Thank you, Piel."
"Nunim, by any chance, could you procure more subspace magical tools?"
"It'll be difficult, but I'll try. Some time is okay, right?"
"Yes, of course."
The method for making subspace magical tools was lost long ago.
Compared to storage warehouse magic, their storage cost-efficiency is very poor, and their capacity small, so they are used to store secret funds.
Secret funds also include wine.
Because in noble society, wine has high liquidity and real demand, but doesn't keep long at room temperature and turns into vinegar.
Since they are no longer produced and noble demand is high, they truly are hard to obtain.
'To the point that plundering them through territorial wars is considered the surest method.'
***
I also had an interview with the second Sword Master of the Ainshuvan Army, Lord Deville.
"Is the dispatch duty treating you well?"
"It's a big problem."
"Pardon?"
"The families say it's so warm and wonderful. They just want to settle down here. What am I to do?"
"Well, then just settle down. I had planned to operate the dispatched unit on a semi-permanent basis anyway."
"Oh, is that true?"
"The former Hapscorten territory was granted to me as a fief by Hildea-nim, and my noona is managing it. If problems arise staying in the County of Anvelrum later, you could relocate there."
"I'm relieved to hear that. Truth be told, I still miss northern life, but seeing the children who love the warm weather has really softened my heart...."
In particular, the PX, which was being piloted only in the dispatch unit, was extremely popular with soldiers and their families.
It was a welfare policy for soldiers and families living far from home, and the response was extremely enthusiastic.
The dispatch unit is provided Hamburg steak as part of their meal plan, and additionally sells canned meat stew at the PX.
The same ones we had let the territory residents sample by type during the Triumph Ceremony.
Besides that, there were various food items that soldiers' families would love.
Purchases are made with flour exchange tickets (board game Monopoly currency) paid as wages, and the families of dispatched soldiers can use them too.
"Everyone's gotten hooked on the PX and just wants to stay here indefinitely."
"That's good. Besides, many knights and soldiers have taken wives here, so there's no particular need to send them back to the North."
"But Colonel Marshall, just when will you be receiving your star?"
"The capital is still dragging its feet, saying they need to overhaul all the administration. Now that it's winter again, it probably won't be until next spring at the earliest."
Lord Deville gave a bitter smile.
"I see. The military inspector won't be willing to travel all the way to the North in this cold winter."
The TO for Brigadier General that Hildea had won from the King.
It was awarded for the achievement of subjugating the plant legion that had infiltrated the interior, but the administrative processing is still ongoing.
"Colonel-nim, I inquired with the Upper House officials. His Majesty the King is not deliberately delaying it."
"Luna, then what is it?"
"Rebecca currently has 2 stars, right? It seems they're completely reorganizing the Northern military register from the ground up, intending to promote Rebecca to Lieutenant General and Bazel from Brigadier General to Major General at the same time."
Oh, if the delay is for that reason, I can endure it as long as necessary.
We had almost 'marched on the capital.'
'But if a mere colonel like me marches on the capital, wouldn't the supply cheat penalize me as a rebel force?'
For one thing, the U.S. military is a civilian government.
So they're strict about military rebellion or insubordination.
'No matter what I do, I don't think the supply cheat will vanish. Instead, I feel that committing acts that dishonor the U.S. military's ideals would incur penalties accordingly.'
Whenever the urge to march on the capital grew strong within me, I would exercise this sort of mind control.
***
I rested comfortably for a few days at my family home, strengthening my brotherly bond with noona.
Then we boarded Luna's wind palanquin again and set out for the North.
The luxury goods (Wyvern Lord tribute rewards) that had filled my subspace bracelet were all sold to noona and replaced with gold coins, so my heart was light.
We didn't head to our main base, the 3rd Army, but went to the former 2nd Army territory that had been destroyed by the elves.
The barracks that had been reduced to ruins were rebuilt as if nothing had happened, and soldiers were actively working at their posts.
"Silphirian, do you remember this place?"
"...I remember. You filled the night sky with tiny suns and annihilated our battle troops here."
Rebecca giggled.
"Elf, you got hit once by me and ran, didn't you?"
"...."
"Your escape speed really was incredible."
Neither Rebecca nor Luna displayed more hostility toward the elf than was necessary.
They were supporting my strategy of spreading terror throughout the entire race by releasing her.
We decided to spend the last night with the elf at the rebuilt 2nd Army barracks.
"Both of you, please step aside for a moment. I will conduct a final interrogation."
"I'll wait in the next room."
"Call me anytime."
Luna and Rebecca briefly withdrew.
I decided to wield the whip first.
"Silphirian, what did I say the elves must fear?"
"...Nuclear warheads."
You remember well.
I nodded and looked up another ideological education video on the tactical PDA.
"Nuclear warheads are such an overwhelmingly great magic that we may be reluctant to use them because they could harm us too....
Some among your race may make that argument. Right?"
"...I will not deny it."
"Of course, burning down the elf forest with a nuclear warhead attack without harming ourselves is not difficult.
But for those elves who refute that, I intend to show you another hell."
What I selected was a video of Agent Orange in Vietnam.
A video of planes flying over dense forests, spraying massive amounts of defoliant, and as time is accelerated, the brilliant verdure dying black.
'A nuke burns everything in an instant. But this shows plants withering and dying in vivid detail.'
Of course, Agent Orange isn't in the supply cheat.
That item is entirely banned, and at most I can only receive barracks maintenance herbicide.
But my purpose is to instill fear.
"Silphirian? Why aren't you saying anyth... you fainted."
The effect was far too good.
It was even more effective than the nuclear tests.
***
A long while later, the elf awakened.
She was looking at me with eyes deeper in fear than during the nuclear warhead attack.
It seems the video of the slow death delivered a greater shock than the instant vaporization of the forest.
"You, what exactly is that death magic?"
"A power that kills everything that lives. I can erase the elf forest at any time."
"...."
"So you had better manage your race well. Humanity no longer loses to elves."
I chuckled and patted the elf's cheek amiably.
"You come attacking aiming for the Spear of Longinus—no, the World Tree Object? I welcome it at any time. However, you must be prepared for the entire elf forest to vanish in return."
"I... have no intention of revealing that you have obtained the Object."
"Because if they knew it was here, they'd invade immediately?"
"...Yes. The yearning for propagation in my race is not something I can control. They are not like me. Not like...."
"You mean they aren't beings who can be persuaded by showing video footage?"
"Yes."
"It doesn't matter. How you manage your race is now your responsibility."
I had given enough of the whip.
Now, before letting her go, it was time to let her taste the carrot.
"Now, Silphirian. Get into this tub."
"Wh-what on earth is this scent? Why does the water exude such a sweet fragrance.... Y-you submerged yourself once and came out to make it like this!"
I hadn't even considered that idea.
But if she's mistaken in a way that benefits me, then going along with it is for the best.
"Indeed. It's a gift I prepared so you could have a refreshing bath before your departure."
To the point that she fainted from mere red ginseng concentrate, such an intense flavor was too much for an elf.
That's why I felt regret that she couldn't properly savor it.
'I must thoroughly ruin her palate before sending her back.'
So, so that the elf wouldn't faint, I used a flower pot....
No, I filled the tub full of water to dilute it.
The sweetness of the diluted solution can be felt with her entire body, so it will be an ecstatic experience for the elf.
At first, I worried about what to mix in.
Sol's Eye, ginseng extract, various fruit juices, and so on.
But what I chose was....
'For a vegan, liquid fructose is obviously the answer.'
I put in one spoonful of corn syrup.