Combat Rations Are Naturally Delicious (4)
Combat Rations Are Naturally Delicious (4)
The core of combat rations is the compression of calories; taste is secondary.
So most don't suit the palate of civilians.
'But that civilian palate is the standard of modern Earth civilization, accustomed to food chemistry.'
No matter how tasteless a combat ration is, it's delicious when eaten in the military.
Especially here, in a medieval fantasy field army.
For soldiers who happily eat tough meat with a gamey smell, US military combat rations are practically a noble's formal dinner.
'And not all combat rations have given up on taste.'
The US Department of Defense's tear-jerking efforts to quell soldiers' complaints never ceased.
There are a few high-end combat rations that capture calories, convenience, and taste all at once, and 'Beef Brisket' is the prime example.
The only thing these high-end combat rations couldn't capture is the price. The production cost is expensive.
'But I receive 4 sets of supplies daily, and I'm stockpiling 2 per day.'
The reason I only eat 2 is because combat rations are calibrated calorically for intense combat situations.
Even eating just 2 a day made me feel like I was gaining weight.
"Please wait a moment."
I entered the simple cooking room.
***
The clattering of a plate drifted from the simple cooking room.
Hildea waited with a heart that felt like it would burst.
The sweetness and acidity of the Giradel dark chocolate and Geisha coffee she had tasted that day seemed to linger on her tongue.
'A specially sent simple meal.... It must be dark chocolate, right?'
With Hildea's impoverished gourmet imagination, it was hard to conceive of anything beyond that.
Perhaps, unlike last time, it might even be piled onto a plate.
'Huh? What's this smell?'
A savory, golden-brown meat smell wafted from the simple cooking room.
The moment the fire-kissed meat aroma grazed her nose, Hildea quivered.
'Is this... the smell of meat?'
It wasn't the smell of meat mixed with gameyness and ash.
It was far from the smell where peppery coatings forcibly masked the scent of blood.
A deep, sweet meat aroma that seemed to wash through the nose, into the lungs, and throughout the entire body, a scent that seemed to clear the mind.
It was the first meat aroma Hildea had ever smelled in her life.
Before long, Piel emerged from the simple cooking room.
After placing the tray on the table, he set the plate before her.
A savory corn puree and a potato salad covered in Thousand Island dressing.
Subtly green broccoli, infused with a smoky aroma.
A dark chocolate crumble brownie presented as dessert.
Geisha coffee boasting its unforgettable acidity.
But Hildea's gaze was fixed on the largest and most splendid main plate, refusing to stray.
'This is meat? How can meat smell this fragrant?'
Meat that exudes such an aroma. She couldn't believe it.
Beneath a slightly pressed, moistly glistening oil coating, fire-grilled dark brown caramelization marks flowed like waves.
The moderately thick and tightly connected meat fibers looked so tender they seemed ready to tear apart just by touching them with a fork.
The droplets of juice faintly formed on the cross-section of the meat, tinged with a subtle red glow, prettily reflected the lighting.
A thin, evenly spread layer of pure white fat settled between the muscle tissue, seemingly melting into it.
The coarse salt grains and smoked paprika powder sprinkled on the surface added visual flavor, making Hildea's mouth water.
She ended up asking a foolish question.
"Is this a dish of the gods?"
"I am honored. I must be sure to record the Commander-nim's high praise in my next letter to my maternal family."
Hildea put her fork to the meat as if entranced.
The moment it touched lightly, the meat fibers tore prettily, as softly as paper.
And the savory, nutty meat aroma wafted up even more intensely.
The moment she carefully lifted a piece of meat and placed it in her mouth.
Hildea's eyes grew wide, and the thrilling shock spreading from the tip of her tongue raised a storm within her mouth.
"It's delicious! Delicious! I said delicious! It's delicious! Why is this so delicious, Ensign!"
"Thank you for the high praise. I am honored."
When she came to her senses, even the chocolate dessert had completely vanished.
Hildea reached out for the Geisha coffee cup, which was still gently wafting warm steam and enticing her.
As the sweet coffee liquid was swallowed, a subtle jasmine fragrance cleansed the finish of the splendid meal.
Drip.
Hildea ended up shedding tears.
"...Piel Ensign."
"Yes, Commander-nim. Was it agreeable to your palate?"
"What kind of... magic did you work in that short time in the simple cooking room?"
"I merely heated up a cold simple meal lightly."
"This is a simple meal? I have never eaten beef this tender and sweet even at a royal ball. I have never even heard of meat this tender, plush, and exuding such a sweet aroma."
Hildea looked straight at Piel, who was giving a subtle smile.
"What kind of cow is this dish made from? Is it a fantasy cow raised by the gods in the heavenly realm? Is it truly so?"
"It is true that it is a dish made with a very special breed of cow, carefully raised, using a special recipe."
Hildea recalled the first time she ate a Milk Salt Snack Bar.
Back then, she had been amazed at how such 'soft biscuits' could be mass-produced so deliciously.
But having eaten this dish, she understood.
That the Milk Salt Snack Bar was no big deal to 'Piel's maternal family'.
"You were worried earlier that I might lose my palate."
"Yes, Commander-nim."
"At that time, I thought you were merely being excessively humble. But now I understand. That you were sincere."
Hildea closed her eyes.
The tender, sweet meaty aroma of the Beef Brisket still seemed to drift in her mouth.
'If the snack involves dark chocolate, and the tea involves Geisha coffee, then the formal meal involves this beef dish...!'
If she were to eat this beef dish every day, cleanse her palate with Giradel dark chocolate, and begin her paperwork while enjoying the flavor of Geisha coffee?
How enjoyable would even this barren field life become?
Rolling down.
Hildea shed tears once more.
Piel quickly took out a handkerchief and offered it, and Hildea accepted without reservation.
'Now that I think of it, Piel Ensign uses a handkerchief that is also soft and high-end.'
It was the admiration of Hildea, who did not know it was a basic US Army necessity.
"I am embarrassed to have shown such disgrace."
"Not at all."
"Do you know why this commander is sad?"
"Please instruct me."
"I have never once considered it a misfortune to live a life of eating brick-hard biscuits and watery soup, the same food as the soldiers in the mess hall."
"...."
"My tongue has been defiled, just as you said. I can never return to the past now. So tears came out before I knew it."
"I apologize."
"Haha, it is nothing to apologize for. Rather, I thank you. As a human being, to have learned that such a splendid taste of the gods exists, is that not also happiness?"
Hildea smiled as she looked at Piel.
The fine strands of her silver hair swayed softly.
"I am simply envious of you. That you have such a reliable maternal family."
'It is an extremely precious dish. Even Piel cannot eat it often.'
Anyone not a fool could tell.
Piel had steeled his mind and treated her.
When would she be able to eat this dish again later?
Hildea wanted to ask Piel, but her dignity as commander prevented her from opening her mouth.
'That would be an unjust exertion of pressure using my position. I must never place pressure on the Ensign.'
"Thanks to your maternal family, we have been able to distribute barracks coffee to all soldiers for breakfast and lunch, raising the morale of the entire army. I take this opportunity to convey my formal gratitude."
"I merely did my duty as an officer of the Count Balckenhardt army."
Hildea was already beginning to worry about 10 years from now.
About the day Piel finishes his mandatory service period and is discharged.
'What can I do to make him stay as a career soldier? If I could at least get him to settle in my territory...!'
It was while Hildea was already agonizing over such premature worries.
"Commander-nim, fortunately, my maternal family has sent enough of these 'simple meals'. Three meals a day would be difficult, but it seems I will be able to treat you every evening, Commander-nim."
"What did you say!"
Hildea was so surprised she slammed the table with both hands, bang! and shot up from her seat.
She failed to control her strength and the table shattered, but at that moment, nothing was visible in her eyes.
"Pi, Piel Ensign! Is that true? Is it really?"
"Yes."
"No, how can that be.... Then what will Piel Ensign eat? Is this not a precious meal sent by your maternal family out of concern for your health?"
"They have agreed to send a 2-meal portion per day from now on. So it seems we can share it every evening, Commander-nim. What do you think?"
"I will gladly accept, without refusing your sincerity!"
"Then I will prepare a meal for you, Commander-nim, at this official residence every evening from now on."
"Understood!"
***
Soldiers like delicious things.
Women also like delicious things.
And Hildea applies to both.
Capturing the medieval fantasy silver-haired Sword Master Commander-in-Chief is not difficult.
In an era where tough meat, its gamey smell hidden with pepper coatings, is considered a banquet dish, you just feed her US military combat rations containing the essence of modern food chemistry.
A Sword Master has all senses heightened.
In other words, she is physically equipped to react much more sensitively to fine food.
'I just don't know how she lived on only bricks and watery soup until now.'
It must have been possible only because she has lived solely as a war machine, completely resigned and having put everything down.
But Hildea's tongue has been defiled.
She can now never go back to the past.
To before she knew the taste of modern Earth food chemistry's cutting-edge MSG.
'I could feed her combat rations for all 3 meals a day. The budget is sufficient.'
But why should I do that?
Just as you don't normally recognize the importance of air, if you eat something delicious every day, that daily life will become a given at some point.
But if breakfast and lunch are made up of bricks, soup, and barracks coffee in the mess hall, the reward of dinner becomes more desperate.
Happiness blooms more brilliantly when it takes root in the soil of deficiency.
The shabby breakfast and lunch will become a natural seasoning that makes the dinner I provide feel even more special.
"Piel Ensign, what's for dinner tonight?"
"Tonight is lamb steak with fried rice, mushroom puree, and tomato salad. Regrettably, the Geisha coffee has run out, so you may have to drink barracks coffee until the next cart arrives."
"It's fine, it's fine. Barracks coffee is also really delicious."
Hildea never skips a meal.
It is to maintain her combat power at all times as the commander and the sole Sword Master.
The breakfast and lunch she eats in the mess hall make the dinner she spends with me even happier.
I, Piel Anbelreum.
A rookie Ensign not even 100 days into my enlistment.
I began military life with a deadbeat first impression, but in a short time, I succeeded in monopolizing the favor of the kingdom's youngest Sword Master.
The noble officers and commoner soldiers have been completely captivated by the Milk Salt Snack Bars and barracks coffee I distribute.
And Hildea has become a slave to the formal combat ration dinner provided every evening.
Military life, nothing to it.
***
"Piel Ensign-nim! It's a huge problem!"
"What's the matter?"
My orderlies, Adel and Lucia, came looking for me, their faces pale as death since morning.
But they weren't the only ones who came.
High-ranking officers and soldiers, too, came in a swarm following the two female orderlies.
I came to my senses with a jolt.
This is definitely not them coming to find me; they must have come to report something important to Hildea.
"The Carlton Marquis army has detained the cart coming to you, Ensign-nim, using inspection as an excuse!"
"Piel Ensign! Those sons of bitches heard the rumors of the barracks coffee and are pulling tricks!"
They really came looking for me and not Hildea?
Ha, anyway, is it not enough that we're at war with elves, do we now have to wage war with neighboring countries too?
"Huh? What are you talking about? The Carlton Marquis is a noble of our kingdom. They're defending the Ainshuvan Front on our right flank."
What? Looting an ally?
But that cart is an empty shell sent by Elenoa noona.
"It's alright. If I just write another letter to my maternal family and ask them to send a new one...."
"What are you talking about! When the precious supplies of our Count Balckenhardt army have been plundered!"
"That's right! We absolutely cannot back down!"
Meanwhile, Hildea, who received the report late, flew into a furious rage and drew her sword.
"I shall personally go find the Carlton Marquis and negotiate, and I shall correct his habits so he never repeats such a wicked act again!"
"Waaaaah! Commander-in-chief Hildea, manse!"
A fight was about to break out between allies over an empty cart.