Combat Rations Are Naturally Delicious (1)
Combat Rations Are Naturally Delicious (1)
I have a dream. No, I've gained one.
I'll get promoted until I can't rise any further, lead a super-sized corps armed with supply cheat US military weapons, and return to the main family that sent me to my death.
And then I'll shout:
"Count Anbelrum! Your illegitimate son has returned!"
After that sweet revenge is complete, I'll build my own impregnable kingdom that no one can shake.
In that impregnable fortress, I'll live leisurely, protected by my troops' ceremony and security, enjoying the supply cheat's delicious US military diet and modern cultural contents.
Since Elenoa noona is close to me, I'll have to appoint her as the captain of my guard.
'4,000 budget per soldier, so if I command an army of one million, that's a monthly budget of 4 billion!'
The M4A1 carbine rifle costs 1,000.
The latest tank costs 10 million.
At that point, I get the scale of things.
'The budget is in dollars. It's 4,000 dollars per person per month. Is it a salary concept?'
Anyway, I had an interview with the monumental first subordinates who will join my grand journey.
"Private Lucia."
"Private Adel."
They were female soldiers drafted from the medical unit.
***
Both were over 170 cm tall.
Their physiques were superior to Hildea's slender girl style.
They weren't the burly type, but had trained bodies with leopard-like muscles.
Lucia had short golden hair, Adel a short red cut.
Both had decently pretty faces.
"I'm Second Lieutenant Piel of the Count Anbelrum family. I was recently commissioned, so I'm a bit clumsy, but let's do well."
"Yes, Second Lieutenant-nim."
"Yes, Second Lieutenant-nim."
Their replies were vigorous.
It was thanks to the spread of the rumor about the milk salt snack bars I'd shared with my peers.
Now the trash-tier image from the first day had been completely devoured by the snack bars.
"Let's eat while we talk."
I gave each of them five milk salt snack bars.
The two women, chewing the bars with measured movements, trembled and showed overwhelmed reactions.
"Does it suit your taste?"
"It's so, so delicious!"
"It's just as the rumors say! This is the first time I've ever had such a soft and delicious biscuit!"
"That's not a biscuit. It's called a milk salt snack bar."
In this unit, any kind of snack is lumped together and called a 'biscuit.'
A biscuit as hard as a brick that's impossible to chew unless it's soaked in soup.
Both only ate one each sparingly, leaving the other four untouched. They probably plan to stockpile them.
"What you two will be doing going forward is...."
I told them their duties.
I also gave a stern warning not to approach the official residence warehouse.
'The more I see, the more fascinating it is.'
The marks floating above their heads, visible only to me.
【Private Lucia】
【Loyalty 5%】
【Issuing a personal firearm is not recommended.】
【Private Adel】
【Loyalty 5%】
【Issuing a personal firearm is not recommended.】
Seems like they start at 5%.
Anyway, I had no plans to issue firearms, let alone other supplies, yet.
***
Today, monsters again rushed up and rammed into the defensive wall.
While the soldiers held them off, the knights quickly deployed and took down the monsters.
Compared to the black wyvern that attacked last time and froze people with its roar, they were overwhelmingly weak.
Still, two soldiers died in action.
On days like this, Hildea's mood sinks darkly.
I entered, adding a cup of coffee to the basic meal (biscuit and soup) that Lucia brought from the mess.
It was the basic instant coffee included in the combat rations.
"Second Lieutenant Piel? Is that not coffee?"
Hildea's eyes widened, and her long silver hair rippled as if trembling.
But soon a faint disappointment surfaced.
"Wait? It seems similar to Geisha coffee, but the flavor is completely different."
"This is a basic coffee that's relatively easy to drink. The quantity isn't much, but I think I can serve it often until the next supplies arrive."
"I was being unreasonable. I'll drink it gratefully."
After a few sips of the basic coffee, Hildea gave a faint smile.
"It's nothing compared to Geisha. But it has a flavor that simply can't be compared to green tea. Your maternal family truly makes amazing foods."
You can't compare it to green tea made by roughly drying unimproved tea leaves and boiling them.
"Commander-nim, try dissolving the biscuit in coffee instead of soup."
"In coffee instead of soup?"
With a look of realization, Hildea looked at the coffee, then dipped the biscuit into it and stirred.
The coffee liquid quickly penetrated, and the biscuit soon turned soggy.
When she took a bite, her eyes widened slightly.
"Much better than dipping it in soup. But does this basic form also contain precious sugar?"
Hildea murmured with a regretful expression.
"If we could include this in the field ration, it would greatly help the soldiers' morale...."
The milk salt snack bars I donated are being used as field rations for the reconnaissance units operating outside the defensive wall.
But the quantity is insufficient.
In the end, they have to carry the brick biscuits, ingredients and a pot to make soup to dissolve them.
However, coffee can soften brick biscuits more simply than soup.
Hildea had realized that.
"Commander-nim, could I perhaps join the next reconnaissance as well?"
"You?"
An unenthusiastic expression.
If something goes wrong with me, the 'milk salt snack bars from my maternal family' would be cut off, so as the commander, she seemed concerned about that.
"I want to experience firsthand how field cooking is done."
"Why?"
"My maternal family wants to contribute to our unit. I plan to organize my experience and send it in a letter."
"Ho-oh...."
The blue eyes shining through her silver hair looked faintly proud.
Having a 20-year-old woman look at me with such an old-soul gaze made me feel a certain way.
"Very well. In that case, I, as the commander-in-chief, will personally let you experience reconnaissance activities."
"It's an honor."
Snack bars, chocolate, and Geisha coffee sure left a strong impression on Hildea.
Seeing that she's taking care of me personally.
If I earn points with the commander-in-chief, it'll be a big help for promotion.
More than anything, there's something I absolutely need to check outside the defensive wall.
'Whether I can request resupply if I lose a personal weapon, and if so, how long it takes.'
Naturally, I won't test with a rifle or pistol.
I'm not crazy enough to gamble like that.
For now, I planned to experiment with a magazine.
***
'Second Lieutenant Piel must never die or be injured.'
Hildea decided to conduct the reconnaissance with three veteran knights she trusted.
The planned bivouac period was 3 days.
She even brought a shield she normally doesn't use because it's cumbersome.
Noble children forcibly drafted from the rear are collateral for supply shipments.
Unless they cause real trouble, knights and soldiers cherish them dearly.
Because the supplies their families regularly send are a great help to the undersupplied Ainshuvan front.
Piel had been enlisted for less than two months, but he had already widely made a name among the knights and soldiers.
The milk salt snack bar was a 'biscuit' with an astonishingly delicious taste and softness.
And it was a simple and useful meal for bivouacking.
On top of that, it had very high calories for its volume.
"Second Lieutenant Piel, in an emergency, you must stay close to me and not separate from me."
"Yes, Commander-nim."
That was why Hildea was carrying a shield she usually paid no mind to.
"We depart."
Considering Piel's stamina, Hildea and the knights moved slowly.
An endlessly sprawling desolate rocky plain before them.
Hildea pointed to the Great Forest barely visible on the distant horizon.
"Second Lieutenant Piel, do you see that? That right there is the 'Forest of Life and Death'."
"It's too far, I can't see it well."
"That's understandable. Don't worry. On this reconnaissance, we won't go near that forest."
Hildea explained with a serious expression.
"Beyond that forest live the enemies of our kingdom, the elf tribes."
"Elf tribes...!"
"They are the very root of the suffering our kingdom's knights and soldiers, including you, endure in this long war. They ambush from invisible places using evil magic, charge monsters to force sacrifices. And...."
***
"...Therefore, the most desirable elf is one that is dead and no longer moves...."
Ugh, my head is ringing from all the nagging.
What kind of mental education lecture can she rant on nonstop for hours?
I hadn't seen her like this, but once she opens her mouth, she doesn't know how to close it.
All three knights were listening with serious expressions, so I had to keep my wits sharp.
I don't know how I managed to hold back nodding off so many times.
When lunchtime came, the youngest knight prepared a field meal.
I just watched without helping.
Since my purpose was to observe field cooking, the knights didn't take offense.
Above all, the knights liked me.
"Second Lieutenant Piel. Those snack bars, when are they coming in again?"
"Could I not buy more by any means? I'll give you the money."
"It was truly amazing. It's truly the best meal in the field."
Such reactions for what is merely a discontinued snack bar.
When they see a combat ration where, just by adding water, chemicals automatically heat up thinly sliced beef brisket with garlic mashed potatoes, and that also includes rice, salad sides, apple jam dessert, and a lemon drink?
They'd do backflips.
'But I can see why they react to a mere snack bar. Seeing what these people eat in the field.'
Watching the youngest knight's cooking preparations was bleak.
First, she draws water from a river into a pot.
After digging the ground and building a dirt wall to hide the campfire, she boils water and throws in ingredients to make a thin soup.
Then they dissolve brick biscuits into it and eat.
So every meal in the field is a hard labor in itself.
Is this... the level of medieval fantasy field cooking?
"If we could eat snack bars every meal, I feel like we could carry out reconnaissance missions for a month or two. Hahaha."
"Please ask your maternal family for sure."
Somehow I felt like I had become the VIP of this party.
All the knights including Hildea were on edge about my safety.
I mixed basic coffee into the little boiling water I received and shared it with the knights.
"What's this?"
"It's a tea called coffee. Please see how well it dissolves bricks compared to soup."
"What? Such flavor? Green tea can't even compare!"
"Is this also food sent from your maternal family? Can't I buy some? I'd want to purchase it even if it means emptying my pay!"
"You don't need to boil it down like soup, just pour it and stir briefly?"
"The absorption speed is too fast! The brick is becoming soft in an instant!"
The knights' reactions to the basic coffee were intensely heated.
Because compared to soup, it used less water and allowed them to finish a meal much faster.
The gaze of the most senior knight, Sir Basel, was gentle.
He said he's a native of Ainshuvan, right?
"Second Lieutenant Piel... you'll plant your stake here, right?"
This fucking crazy bastard?
Sincerity was dripping from his eyes, you know?
Hildea chuckled and dissuaded him.
"Sir Basel, when his service ends, Second Lieutenant Piel must return to his hometown."
As expected, those with pretty faces also have pretty hearts.
Where do you get off saying such a dangerous thing?
Even if I plant my stake, it'll be in the far rear, not here.
***
I was amazed at Hildea once again.
Surprisingly, Hildea would stand the night watch from beginning to end.
Even throughout the entire reconnaissance mission.
Where on earth is there such a commander-in-chief?
"It's simple. It's because me standing night watch is efficient for preserving combat power."
It meant that a Sword Master with keen senses who needs little sleep standing watch alone was efficient.
Still, it's not easy to show such proactive initiative.
The knights fell asleep as if it were natural.
I talked a bit more with Hildea.
"Commander-nim. Snack bars alone would be hard, but if we bring in basic coffee, it seems we won't need to make soup for any reconnaissance activities going forward."
"Second Lieutenant Piel, is that true?"
In fact, it's 100% possible with just snack bars.
But there has to be some lacking part to make the desperation greater, doesn't there?
Hildea's pupils dilated with joy.
"If that happens, I, as the commander-in-chief, will not forget your military merit."
"Yes. However...."
"It's fine, speak freely."
"...My maternal family also expects a suitable reward for that."
"What is it?"
"My promotion."
It feels like gambling with my life.
I took a deep breath.
"My maternal family hopes that I will assume the currently vacant position of supply officer."
I'll make reconnaissance units' meals comfortable going forward.
In exchange, give me that cushy post.