Burning Fuse
Burning Fuse
A strange human.
That was Silphirian's judgment of Piel.
'How does his body produce such a sweet taste?'
That wasn't all.
Even after intense physical contact multiple times, Piel showed no lust. He was always detached.
The first time she kissed his bare body for hours, Silphirian had even steeled herself for crossing the line.
However, more than the fear of being defiled by a human...
She was more thrilled by the excitement of wondering what contact beyond merely tasting his lips would feel like, since even that was already so ecstatic.
But he coldly finished his 'pay' and observed her.
He did not make physical contact beyond what was necessary.
Look at him now.
He's getting into the bathtub naked, isn't he coolly observing without a hint of lust?
'The water this human bathed in and came out of....'
On the surface, it looked like pure water, but a sweet aftertaste faintly wafted from it.
Silphirian slowly dipped in, starting from her toes.
"...!"
Her slender calves flinched and trembled finely at the electrifying aftertaste felt through her toes.
Just as she lost her balance and was about to fall, Piel firmly grabbed her waist and shoulders.
"Now, get in. Silphirian."
"Wh-what in the world is this...!"
Silphirian managed to immerse herself in the bathtub with his support without falling.
Her mind became dizzy from the sweet aftertaste absorbed through every pore of her body.
This had happened a few times before.
It was when she had tasted Piel and lost consciousness due to an overwhelmingly strong aftertaste (Red Ginseng Concentrate, etc.).
This taste wasn't as intense as that time, but instead, it was much sweeter and more subtle.
Because she felt it through her whole body, only an overwhelming dizziness, as if she would faint, washed over her.
'Ah....'
She had seen humans staggering around after drinking alcohol.
She had scoffed at it, thinking it was a foolish act of deliberately clouding one's mind.
Silphirian could finally understand why humans drank alcohol.
Because an addictive, electrifying, sweet taste that made her want to lose her mind was felt throughout her entire body.
"I, I am...."
Unconsciously, Silphirian reached her hand out toward Piel.
With a cool smile, he held her hand, supporting her so she wouldn't slip into the bathtub.
Completely relieved, Silphirian fainted just like that.
***
I grabbed the fainted elf under her armpits to keep her from drowning.
'The effect is too good?'
Is this the power of Liquid Fructose?
The elf staggers around just from the aftertaste of Sol's Eye remaining in my mouth after I drink it.
Therefore, I have no idea what would happen if she directly ate one spoonful of Liquid Fructose syrup.
So I tried filling the bathtub full of water to dilute it and let her absorb it slowly through her whole body, and the effect is absolutely amazing.
It was only after a long while that the elf barely came to her senses.
"Have you woken up?"
"...."
She looks up at me silently with blurry eyes.
A subtle change can be read deep within her gaze.
I asked in a suggestive voice.
"If you tell me the location of the World Tree and your race, I will let you have this kind of bath every day."
"...Every day?"
"Yes, every day. How about it?"
"...."
The elf stared at me wordlessly, then spoke as if letting out a sigh.
"I cannot speak. That is how it is made."
"That is how it is made? It's not a simple refusal then?"
"Some knowledge was sealed when I came out into the world. To ensure I would not divulge it no matter what happens. For the safety of the race."
"That's the first I've heard of it."
It doesn't look like a lie.
It meant the efficacy of Liquid Fructose was that good, so I was rather glad.
'It's a shame, but even just this is a huge gain.'
"It can't be helped. I will release you as promised. Persuade your race well and try not to bring about unnecessary destruction."
I patted her white shoulders and deliberately chuckled evilly to look sinister.
"Remember. The nuclear warhead and Agent Orange."
***
I reclaimed the Dolphin Pants and Crop Top the elf had worn.
Instead, I gave her suitable hunter's clothing.
Since she couldn't move her body properly and was trembling, I struggled to dress her myself.
"Luna, let's go."
"Yes, Colonel-nim!"
"Piel, shouldn't I go too?"
"It's fine. She can't resist anyway."
I got on the Palanquin with the elf.
'Ugh, freaking cold.'
It was a bit better since Luna blocked the cold wind with a Wind Shield, but it's still too cold.
I should release the elf and immediately bounce to Daeoncheon.
'It feels a bit empty without Yuzel. I wonder if she ran away from home well.'
Anyway, she'll know that we returned to the northern region, so if she just runs away successfully, she can come find us.
The Palanquin stopped at the boundary line of the Elf Forest.
"Silphirian, it's time to part."
"...."
"It wasn't a good relationship, but I think it was beneficial in its own way as I could confirm it's a competition for the growth of individuals and races. Farewell. Luna, let's go now."
"Yes, Colonel-nim!"
Luna glanced at the elf with eyes that seemed somewhat regretful, then started the Palanquin.
When I looked back once midway, the elf was slowly turning her back and disappearing into the forest.
"It's really strange. They're enemies we fought to the death against, so why do I feel empty?"
"I understand. She was an elf sex slave perfectly suited for the Northern Duke, but you released her for the greater cause."
"Just what kind of romance fantasies are you reading?"
"Ehehe...."
***
Far away, that strange human disappeared.
Hiding her body behind a tree and watching, Silphirian waited patiently.
Finally, night came.
Using Darkness Stealth Magic, Silphirian slipped out of the forest and quickly moved south.
Her heart pounded. Her chest trembled madly.
But she cannot stop. She cannot go back to the forest.
Because her whole body was already intoxicated by the ecstatic bath, and her eyes had been opened.
If she returns to the forest, the opportunity will disappear.
But if she secretly stays near him, perhaps one day an opportunity might come.
An opportunity to experience again that sweet taste, as if concentrated by collecting high-quality sunlight over many days.
***
I stopped by the 3rd Army and unloaded a ton of supplies.
Pemmican, flour, Corn Combat Soup ingredients, beer, etc., for the soldiers and residents of the entire northern region to eat throughout the winter.
'May not a single person freeze to death.'
Originally, about 5 million in budget is spent monthly on supplies for the residents of my territory and Hildea's territory.
This time, I boldly spent a budget several times that amount without hesitation.
'This is all an investment that will come back big later. To somehow exceed 2 million in population, I absolutely cannot let a single person die.'
A few days ago, a new budget of 39.5 million came in, but after spending boldly for winter preparations, it shriveled up in an instant.
【Remaining Budget : 20,139,355】
'By the way, the tank maintenance cost is huge.'
My big and precious tank, Callsign Maverick.
For this thing that costs a whopping 10 million budget, the maintenance budget gets deducted depending on operational intensity.
If I don't pay that budget, I can't even entrust it for automatic repair and maintenance.
'It's so scary to drive it, so I kept it parked and only ran detection mode, but maintenance budget still went out by over 100,000 already?'
If operated at the limit, it is predicted that a maximum of over 500,000 in maintenance budget could be spent per year.
If the tank is this much, how much would an Apache Helicopter drain?
I really did well to buy the tank.
An opportunity to become acting captain through transfer of command will probably be hard to come by again.
'In winter, the budget expenditure is several times higher than usual. I should make a note of this.'
I recorded this on the Field PDA chart as well.
"Ugh. Cold, so cold. Luna, let's hurry to the hot spring."
"Yes, Colonel-nim! But who should I call between Hildeng and Rebecca?"
"...Don't call either of them."
They're going to suck me dry at night anyway, so I just want to rest comfortably during the day.
Taking only Luna, I headed to the hot spring like that.
The warm heat emanating from the geothermal energy loosened up my body.
I changed into swim trunks and soaked my body in the hot spring first.
"Colonel-nim, you said the imperial farmland's fertility will drop within a few years."
"Yeah, because the nitrogen compounds accumulated at the Palace of the Thunder Dragon were heavily consumed. Silphirian must have used a lot when she transformed into a World Tree."
"Then wouldn't the territory you received under my name become useless?"
"Hmm? Still, the south is a place where farming works well regardless, so it won't reach a serious state."
"But it will be difficult to support the expedition force unlimitedly like now, right?"
"That might be the case. The current expedition force is running at the worst cost-effectiveness."
To gain 1kg of chicken meat, you need 2kg of feed.
4kg for pork, and 10kg for beef.
But the Monster Meat Coalition of the Empire and Kingdom alliance in the neighborhood next to the northern region....
'Aren't they pouring in 10 tons of grain per 1kg of rabbit meat? Or not? Did I estimate too low?'
The Pioneer Base was established solely to obtain rabbit meat.
Considering the operating costs being poured in, wouldn't it be modest to estimate dozens of tons of grain per 1kg of rabbit meat?
"Nitrogen compounds, simply put, are the best fertilizer bestowed by nature. The scale itself is different from the fertilizers humans clumsily make now.
Probably within a few years, the empire's grain procurement capacity will also decrease."
"Then when that time comes, the expedition force will withdraw."
"Hmm? The nobles have already opened their eyes to the taste of rabbit meat, so even if resources are scarce, they'll scrape everything together to try and support the expedition force."
"Hmm, then the food available for the empire's commoners might become scarce. Similar things could happen in other kingdoms too."
"Probably? Right now, the empire is sustaining more than 90% of the expedition force's pioneer base."
Traditionally, it was the northern region that had to defend the frontlines that suffered food shortages, not the southern nations.
Farming works well, and there's no need to send massive military provisions, so even commoners manage to eat one way or another.
"If the fertility of the imperial family's farm decreases, the repercussions will spread across the entire continent. Because they will import from other places to make up for the shortage."
"If they give up rabbit meat, they could probably endure, but the nobles wouldn't do that, right?"
"They wouldn't."
Indeed, aren't medieval nobles beings who enjoy fine cuisine with a lavishly set table regardless of whether commoners and serfs starve to death?
The entire northern region was suffering that very fate before I arrived.
From what I can see, the fuse on the bomb is already lit.
"So the elves aren't the problem right now."
"For us, the elves are the problem. Because the elf blockade is our mission."
The Spear of Longinus floated around by Luna.
Because we brought that thing, the potential of the imperial family's farm was lost, but it was unavoidable to prevent the future where the elves take over the entire continent.
A slowly progressing decrease in food production.
The entire continent covered by the Elf Forest.
There's no need to even think about which one is more fatal.
"Anyway, when spring comes, we should really start farming in earnest now. That's why we worked so hard to plow the land."
Fertilizer is in the Civilian Support Special Supply list, but I can't request it right now.
I have to be promoted higher.
"Huh, will our Ainshuvan also face food shortages? Did bad news come from the Marshall family?"
"No, we won't starve."
Just the Supply Cheat alone can sufficiently feed the entire northern region.
Honestly, we don't even need to farm.
But.
"People can't just live eating only bread, right? I want to feed the residents meat every day."
The military farm I created will grow grain to feed livestock, not people.
***
The Empire.
Duke Kelon, like other nobles, owns a small farm near the Capital City.
It is a place that cultivates the wheat consumed by him and his family.
"Don't let the land lie fallow, plant wheat entirely. We must support the Military Provisions to the Northern Expedition Force."
To obtain more rabbit meat, more military provisions must be sent.
These days, it was a trend among nobles, regardless of empire or kingdom, to scrape up food aggressively and invest it in rabbit breeding.
"What's this? Why is the growth of that wheat sprout so slow? Don't tell me you didn't replenish the soil from the imperial family's fertile land?"
The noble farms in the Capital City scoop up and spread fertile soil from the imperial family's fertile land.
So the grains generally grow healthy and strongly, but....
"No, my lord. We definitely scooped up and spread soil from the fertile land, but strangely, the growth is slow this time. I suspect it may be a problem with the seeds or pests."
"Hmm, pay attention and manage it well."
The same thing was happening in noble farms all over the Capital City.