Aerial Reconnaissance (1)
Aerial Reconnaissance (1)
"Hildea-nim, Hildea-nim."
Hildea wasn't answering the communication, so I grew frantic.
'She must have started her period. It seems worse than last time.'
I hurried back, keeping Hildea's condition a secret from Rebecca.
She's another woman, but I had to guard her secret until she decided to tell herself.
When I entered Hildea's room, she was nowhere to be found.
'She's probably still in my room.'
I rushed into my room.
And there I saw Hildea collapsed in the same crawling posture she had been in toward the bathroom.
Looking closely, her whole body was finely convulsing, as if she were having a seizure.
"Hildea-nim, Hildea-nim! Are you alright?"
"Uuu... uuu...."
A faint and shallow breath.
Seeing that her eyes met mine, her consciousness seemed hazy but present.
'Painkiller first.'
I bought a bunch of period pain medicine from the PX and fed it to Hildea.
By recommended dosage standards it would be a lethal dose, but she is a Sword Master, after all.
"I'll take off some of your clothes. Please forgive my rudeness."
I pulled down her panties and checked: a small amount of blood was on the panty liner.
'Thankfully it hasn't leaked. It just started.'
I put menstrual panties on her, then bought a skirt from the PX and put that on her too.
This is valuable experience I gained during her menarche.
Since I'll have to change her menstrual pads throughout her entire period anyway, putting her in a skirt is easier.
Her menstrual cramps are so excruciating that she can't even change her own pad.
I laid her on the bed and waited beside her to nurse her, and as the medicine took effect, she came to her senses a little.
"Colonel Piel... it hurts so much... like my insides are being torn to shreds...."
"I understand."
"Must I now endure this agony... every month for the rest of my life...?"
"...."
Ugh, just imagining it is terrible.
I don't think I could ever bear it.
Suddenly Hildea broke out in a cold sweat and began to writhe.
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts. It hurts. It hurts too much. Uuu, it hurts too much."
"Hildea-nim...."
Seeing her made my own chest ache.
Should I really give her Fentanyl?
"Colonel Piel, it hurts too much. Isn't there a way to not hurt? A way not to go through this pain...."
How can she be freed from those terrible menstrual cramps?
Is Fentanyl really the only way?
"Uuu, it hurts. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts...."
I gave her more painkillers, but I couldn't block the pain completely.
Hildea was drenched in cold sweat all over her body.
I had to wash Hildea's whole body in the bathroom several times.
Like during her menarche, I got sick of seeing her naked body.
Hildea lay motionless for three full days because of the menstrual pain.
She ate nothing at all, nor did any other menstrual activities.
She only fought against the pain alone.
While washing her, I obtained some valuable intelligence.
'Her chest has definitely gotten bigger. She's a full B+ cup.'
But for the joy of sharing this happy news, Hildea was currently out of it.
So I decided to tell her after her period ended.
***
"...You have gone to great trouble."
Sitting up in bed with her upper body raised, Hildea spoke in an embarrassed voice without lifting her head.
Her clothes had slipped down, exposing her white shoulders and collarbone, giving off a strangely sensual air.
Feeling pity for her, I unwrapped a Calova CX and put it in her mouth myself.
She must have been hungry, as she ate it obediently.
"You should bathe and then eat. Shall I help you?"
"No. I will do it myself. I ask that you return to your room."
"Understood."
A good while later, Hildea crossed over to my room.
Her hair, still slightly damp, gave off an odd feeling.
"You kept it secret from Marquis Carlton-nim, yes?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Please keep it a secret going forward as well."
"Understood."
So does that mean I'll have to stay by her side every time she has her period and give 24-hour intensive care?
'I need to find some way to reduce her menstrual pain.'
The path of Fentanyl somehow feels unappealing.
Who even takes Fentanyl for menstrual cramps?
I sat side by side with Hildea and diligently made her a Marshall Burger.
Seeing her gobble it down let me know she truly had been hungry.
"Hildea-nim, do you know what? Your chest has gotten bigger than before. You're a B+ cup."
"Truly?"
A pleased expression appeared on her face.
"Yes, truly. Congratulations."
"What cup size was Marquis Carlton-nim?"
"Uh, well...."
"Tell me quickly."
"It would be best to ask her yourself. It's a bit much for me to say."
Thanks to providing PX underwear, I knew Rebecca's exact size, but that made it all the more impossible to say.
Partly for Rebecca's privacy, but also because I can't cruelly crush a dreamy girl's hopes.
'How could I say 72G cup in the presence of a 65B cup...?'
Hildea still needs hope, not a cliff she can't yet climb.
***
Right after the Triumph Ceremony, we enjoyed our leave to the fullest.
And we decided to return to the 3rd Army barracks.
【Base Budget of 30,000,000 is granted.】
【Special Strategy Budget of 5,000,000 is granted.】
【Landris Budget of 4,506,370 is granted.】
The Landris budget increased by about two thousand.
It seems Noona's territory population has grown.
【Remaining Budget : 40,906,370】
The entire fortune, combined with the roughly 1.4 million budget copied through rebate beer.
Among that, the Special Strategy Budget of 5 million will vanish if not used, so I must spend it quickly.
"Piel, we decided to transfer the beer kegs to the Barcos Merchantry in one batch. Shall I have them make payment to the financial officer in Piel's territory?"
"Yes, that's more convenient for me."
The original iron rule was to spend the budget only for the territory, and not to sell supplies (like flour) to outside parties for money.
But the rebate beer didn't violate that rule, so I could trade it freely.
I could copy the budget while also earning gold coins at the same time.
'I'll have to set up the pay system for the combat soldiers from scratch too. I can't let them work without compensation forever.'
The non-combat supply procurement corps gets 2kg of flour (exchange ticket) every day, but the combat soldiers actually receive nothing, and I have to fix that imbalance.
Fortunately, since most of the non-combat personnel are the fathers or brothers or other family of the combat soldiers, the combat soldiers have no particular complaints yet.
'I'll have to solve the soldiers' pay from the 5 million budget set aside each month for territory resident salaries. Flour exchange tickets would be best again, I suppose.'
"Then let us depart."
Seeing off Rebecca's mother, we climbed up to the watchtower of the palanquin official residence.
Ahead there, my beloved steed, HIMARS, was boiling beans with his psychokinesis, levitating a kerosene burner and a cauldron as he walked.
'He eats well.'
Now he lights the fire himself, tears open a sack of beans and pours them with water, and boils and eats them himself, without the soldiers having to do it for him.
Hildea and Rebecca were also busily enjoying the Samgyeopsal I was grilling.
"Commander-in-Chief, it seems your chest has gotten a bit bigger?"
"Fufu, don't be too surprised. She's a B+ cup, no less."
"Wow, amazing. Tremendous. Truly a surprising growth. Just how big is she going to get?"
"By the way, what size are you, Marquis Carlton-nim?"
"Me? I'm a 72G."
"...."
"So I wear a 70G cup in underwear. Piel recommended this to me."
"...."
Hildea looked at me with resentful eyes, but honestly I felt wronged.
It's not my fault that Rebecca is a G cup....
Under the watchtower's awning, we received the cool breeze, grilled and ate meat, got mana massages, and marched leisurely.
While pressing down on me refreshingly, Rebecca suddenly spoke.
"How wonderful would it be if days like these could repeat every day from now on?"
"They will repeat. Please don't worry."
"I'm worried the Elves might have military strength they're hiding."
"The Marshall family also still has plenty of strength we haven't revealed. Please don't worry."
Hildea, who was pressing down on my upper body, asked.
"Colonel Piel, may I ask what the greatest military strength of the Marshall family is? You don't have to say if it's not okay."
The greatest strength, huh.
I shouldn't say the bad thing about how once nuclear missiles are unlocked I could contaminate this whole planet with radiation, right?
'It'll be best to tell them only to a level where they can be at ease against the Elves and admire it.'
Explaining at their eye level is important.
Only as much as the other person can understand and accept.
"You remember that Luna burned the Elf Forest with an incendiary package, right?"
"Of course."
"I didn't see it myself, but Luna bragged about it so enthusiastically that I know roughly."
"There is a magical tool called napalm bombs. Just a few shots can create a zone of flames even greater than that. Though I can't produce them yet due to circumstances."
Hildea hesitated slightly.
"You mean with just a few shots you can create those tremendous flames?"
"Yes, to the point that water hundreds of meters away boils, and trees catch fire by themselves."
"...."
"...."
"Once the conditions are met, I can produce those napalm bombs in unlimited quantities."
Then Rebecca asked urgently.
"Then you could burn down the entire northern Elf Forest, couldn't you?"
"I had the same thought, Your Ladyship."
"Ah, however the delivery method is difficult. The bombs must be dropped precisely and one must escape quickly to avoid being caught in the heat."
Napalm bombs are exclusively for aerial bombing.
You need a bomber aircraft.
Leaving it to Luna would be too dangerous.
She could get caught in the explosion, and above all, the main body of the 'Forest of Life and Death' is massively inhabited by flying monsters like wyverns.
It would be like sending a lone bomber without any escort fighters.
"So far we haven't even been able to conduct proper aerial reconnaissance, so we don't even know how big the forest is."
"Piel, then how about properly conducting aerial reconnaissance on the Elf Forest this time?"
"Luna can take charge of aerial mobility, and Her Ladyship and I will take charge of interception. Then we'll be able to do the aerial reconnaissance safely."
"Let's bring Unicorn too. He'll be helpful."
"At the very least, I think aerial reconnaissance shouldn't be a problem."
A sudden suggestion.
We discussed it while receiving massages, and I came to the conclusion that it was well worth trying.
So I immediately radioed Luna and outlined the plan.
-Kyaaak! Good, so good! I've been really wanting to confirm what the Elf bastards' main body looks like! Aerial mobility is no problem, so leave it to me!
"Good, Luna. Then move to the 3rd Army right now. How long will it take?"
-If I go all out, I can be there in half a day!
Oh, she has better mobility than Hildea?
As expected, helicopter mobility is king compared to tanks....
I grabbed the speaker mic and spoke.
"We will execute an urgent military operation! March at full speed toward the barracks!"
How fast could the palanquin official residence possibly be anywa....
Whoaak!
What's making it this fast?
A tremendous blade-like wind pressed against my face, and Rebecca and Hildea quickly wrapped themselves around me to act as a windbreaker.
It seems we're running at over 100 km/h right now, at least?
'Wow, this is the mobility of several thousand mana soldiers....'
Would a land-based aircraft carrier be possible, perhaps?
***
Luna arrived before we did.
'Good. In the future, when I need to stop by the Main Family, I can ask Luna.'
Hildea was fast too, but she can't compare to Luna's mobility.
"The mobility the Colonel mentioned is possible if I pour all my power into the Fly spell. In exchange, I can't attend to combat as well."
"That's plenty. We'll handle the combat."
The three of us rode a small palanquin, and Luna decided to concentrate on the palanquin's aerial mobility.
I tried to bring HIMARS too, but failed.
'His acrophobia can't be helped.'
"I won't scold you for something like this, so just eat your feed diligently. Eat lots and grow strong."
-Hihihihing!
As if relieved, HIMARS rubbed his horn against my hand and acted cute.
"Then we'll depart."
Hildea was shouldering the 105mm howitzer barrel.
Rebecca held the Browning heavy machine gun and an anti-materiel sniper rifle in each hand.
Luna put her sniper rifle into her subspace ring and detached only the scope to take with her.
A state of readiness utterly focused solely on the palanquin's aerial mobility.
"Return safely!"
"Return safely!"
Amidst the grand send-off from the commanders and soldiers, the small palanquin slowly rose.
I gripped tight the safety belt that fastened my body securely.
The Forest of Life and Death.
The vast land of the Elves, of which no end is known at all.
The palanquin gradually gained altitude and began its reconnaissance flight toward the north.
"Colonel Piel, but what is that small gun barrel you're holding now?"
"Piel can't overcome the firing recoil anyway. We'll just do the fighting."
"I brought it just in case. I don't want to use this if possible either."
"May I know the reason?"
"This costs 20 tons of flour per shot."
"...."
"...."
A portable surface-to-air missile, the Stinger.
Launcher 5,000, missile 20,000.
Since it's aerial reconnaissance, I bought it with tears in my eyes to be prepared for anything.
I truly hope I won't have a chance to fire it until this is over....
-Kieeeeh!
Dozens of giant wyverns simultaneously took flight from the outskirts of the Elf Forest and bared their fangs towards us.
Shuaaaang!
'Damn! I accidentally fired it.'
Why does my finger slip exactly at a time like this?
I activated the battery by mistake and had no choice but to fire.
Because once a portable missile's battery is activated, you must fire within the time limit.