第１７６３堀：現場の指揮官たちの行動 (Part2)
"Yes, indeed. Between dealing with those fools, inviting the kings of Ohe to Weed, and managing the relocation of those who were held hostage... I’d been wondering how all of that was coming along."
As Tori noted, when we struck the Human Alliance, we seized their supplies in the ensuing chaos. The enemy likely assumes their provisions were obliterated by our grenades, but we had our own reasons for taking them. We needed intelligence—not just on the enemy, but on this New Continent as a whole. By examining their staple foods, the quality of their weaponry, and their medical supplies, we could gauge the true extent of their capabilities.
Admittedly, as Tori pointed out, I’d been so swamped these past few days that inspecting the spoils had fallen by the wayside. I’m hardly an expert at deducing a society’s background from a pile of crates; that is work for the specialists. I’d been preoccupied with making the necessary arrangements for them to do just that.
"I’ve only given the supplies a cursory glance myself. A formal inspection is still pending."
"I see! Well, I’m no expert either, but would you mind if I took a look?"
"Not at all. The Southern General is heading out, so I might as well conduct a proper review myself."
There was nothing pressing in the office, and should an emergency arise, I could be reached via call. And so, Tori and I made our way to the warehouse to begin our appraisal. Of course, it wasn't a warehouse in the traditional sense; we didn't store the goods directly inside—it would be far too cluttered.
"Right then, I’ll bring them out."
"Go for it."
At Tori’s nod, I accessed my Item Box and deployed the captured supplies.
*Thud, thud, thud...*
"Whoa, there’s a mountain of stuff here!"
"A bit of a miscalculation. Let me pull them back and sort them first. The food supplies are largely identical."
With that, I used the Item Box’s sorting function to categorize the provisions belonging to the twenty-thousand-strong army. It was a godsend to have such a feature; it was just like Master to think of such minute, convenient details. As I pondered this, I began to inspect the items.
"Tori, where would you like to start?"
"Hmm. How about the food? The rations?"
"Unexpected. I assumed you’d be more interested in the arms and armor."
"Oh, I’m curious about those too, but I want to know what people are eating in this region. As an adventurer, you learn that local diets vary, and if you don't know the customs, you’re liable to be swindled. Someone might try to feed you poison, claiming it’s a local delicacy."
"...I see. That is a vital piece of information. Regardless of our own needs, our subordinates will inevitably interact with the local populace."
"Exactly. We might be immune to toxins, but if one of our people unknowingly served something lethal to the folks of Ohe, that would be a disaster, wouldn't it?"
"You are quite right."
I was glad I’d chosen to inspect these with Tori. While my subordinates would likely have exercised their own judgment, having a friend point out such nuances was a blessing. The sort of people who plot in the shadows are more than capable of using such mundane things as weapons.
As we spoke, I reached for the rations.
"Here we are."
I handed them to Tori, who examined the contents.
"Hmm. Hard-baked bread and dried vegetables? And wine, too. I suppose that means they struggle with water sources?"
"I suspect so. It is rare to find an abundance of potable water. Living in Weed makes one lose sight of that reality."
"I hear you."
We shared a wry smile. After all, we boil water just for our baths and discard it without a second thought.
"And this, I believe, is the ration for high-ranking officers."
"Ah, salt-cured meat. Quite the luxury."
Salt is notoriously difficult to procure. To use it liberally for preservation and carry it into the field speaks volumes about their level of affluence.
"Well, it doesn't seem all that different from the continent we live on."
"Indeed. In a way, that is a relief."
The soldiers' rations were largely the same. That left the weaponry. Stasia and Tori, despite their seemingly different paths, both shared a penchant for physical activity, and they were surprisingly close. Riel was much the same. It wasn't that the wives didn't get along, but in terms of who spent the most time playing together, those three were certainly at the top of the list.