Chapter 306: Another One Needed (2)
Ghislain appeared confident, but Claude asked in a doubtful tone.
“Combat rations?”
“That’s right. Start by establishing a combat ration manufacturing plant. I’ll tell you what’s needed.”
“Is this another one of those technologies that only you, my lord, know about?”
“Exactly. It’s something that doesn’t exist in the world yet.”
“Hmm…”
It was the same as when wheat was improved or when cosmetics were developed. Back then, people had vehemently opposed the seemingly ridiculous ideas, but in the end, they succeeded.
Now, there was no thought of opposition, but one thing remained curious.
Creating combat rations would streamline the army’s food supply and boost morale. This would significantly enhance combat power, so why hadn’t it been developed sooner?
“Why didn’t you make this earlier? It would have been better to have it ready in advance.”
Ghislain nodded as if it were an excellent question and began to explain.
“First, I felt everyone was already suffering enough from overwork.”
“Pfft… lies.”
“Second, until now, there was no pressing need for us to expand across the entire kingdom.”
“Hm…”
“Third, it was difficult to produce until we secured Desmond.”
“Why is that?”
“Because it requires a lot of ingredients. If we relied on trade to secure the resources, there would be limitations in quantity, and the supply itself could become unstable depending on circumstances.”
Claude finally nodded as though he understood.
During times of war, depending on how merchant guilds operated, it was possible to suddenly lose access to supplies that had previously been readily available. It was similar to how Count Cabaldi controlled the distribution of iron ore in the north.
If the merchant guilds operating under the influence of ducal families decided not to cooperate, they could withhold the materials Ghislain needed.
“So, what kind of ingredients require taking over Desmond for this to be possible?”
“A lot, actually. Wheat and barley, of course, but also corn, beans, millet, sorghum, oats, red beans, turnips, cabbages… various fruits, herbs, meats… it takes more than you’d think.”
“…Wow.”
It certainly required a lot. And in this barren northern region, the only territories capable of producing such resources were Desmond and Raypold.
Most other estates consisted of wastelands and mountains, making it difficult to cultivate diverse crops. Even estates with suitable farmland had to focus their efforts on wheat production.
Desmond, however, had plenty of fertile land, which allowed for the cultivation of various crops, herbs, and even the raising of livestock.
Of course, the primary focus was still on wheat and livestock, but the potential for growing other crops was present despite the significant reduction in recent yields due to drought.
“What exactly are you trying to make that requires so many ingredients?”
“If I explain it here, it’ll take too long. You’ll understand at a glance once you see it.”
“Hmm…”
Claude nodded, still skeptical. It seemed suspicious, but wasn’t everything the lord did a bit dubious? Just like before, it was better to wait and see the results.
“Anyway, you understand, right? We’ll use runestones to increase the production of the crops needed for the combat rations. Let’s prepare accordingly.”
“Ugh… this seems like it’ll require more funding than I thought. Are you sure this is feasible? Even setting up the manufacturing plant is one thing, but managing all these materials sounds overwhelming.”
It always came down to money. With enough money, anything was possible. But was it really worth spending an enormous amount of funds just to create ‘combat rations’?
Claude understood the importance of supply, but it seemed excessive to invest so heavily in food. Wasn’t the existing preserved food already sufficient?
However, Ghislain replied firmly, his tone resolute.
“As I’ve always said, how much money it costs isn’t the issue. Money is a means, not an end. What matters is combat power. The priority is to mobilize all the territory’s resources to enhance our combat strength.”
“…Fine, do as you please.”
Claude sighed in resignation. In any case, everything Ghislain had done so far followed the same logic. While it had developed and enriched the territory, the ultimate goal was always to improve combat power.
He was a man whose mind was consumed by battles.
Still, Claude was curious about the new combat rations. Would it be another surprising innovation?
Unlike before, a small sense of anticipation began to grow in the hearts of Claude and the retainers.
“Alright, let’s get to work immediately.”
Ghislain handed the design he had drafted to Galbarik.
As always, it was a rough concept sketch with only the necessary functions outlined. Galbarik stared at the blueprint for a moment before nodding with satisfaction.
“This one seems pretty simple. I can finish it quickly.”
Most of the equipment was designed to dry, grind, and pulverize various ingredients. If the dwarves couldn’t manage to make something this simple quickly, they didn’t deserve to be called dwarves.
Drying the ingredients only required a little assistance from the mages. While the process could technically be done without magic, using a bit of magic would help save time.
“Very well, I’ll have it ready for you in no time,” Galbarik declared confidently.
He and the other dwarves got to work immediately. With numerous ongoing projects like facility construction, it was better to quickly finish simpler tasks like this.
The people of Fenris had grown extremely efficient when it came to getting things done quickly. It didn’t take long after the work began for a manufacturing plant to be built to produce a prototype of the combat rations.
Galbarik spoke proudly.
“What do you think? Something like this is a breeze for us now. Check it out, my lord see if it matches what you had in mind!”
Ghislain meticulously inspected the equipment inside the facility, nodding seriously with a thoughtful expression.
‘I have no idea what I’m looking at.’
Honestly, how could someone like him, who had spent most of his life fighting, possibly understand the intricate details of such equipment? He only had a vague idea of the concept and the necessary ingredients.
And even that knowledge was simple to explain it was merely the basics of what would be needed for a war against the Ducal forces.
There was no need to delve into the specifics. The detailed knowledge was something left to other people.
‘It would’ve been nice if Claude were here.’
Not the current, shady and eccentric Claude, but the Claude from his past life battle-hardened, with scars and missing limbs.
Unlike Ghislain, who only had a rough grasp of the idea, the Claude of his past life had understood everything down to the finest detail.
But since that Claude wasn’t here, Ghislain had to rely on his own knowledge and work with talented dwarves skilled in engineering and technology.
“Well, I guess we’ll have to wait for the results to know for sure. But it seems like everything I envisioned is here.”
With that vague remark, Ghislain immediately gathered workers and began producing a prototype.
The ongoing drought and Harold’s hoarding of supplies for military purposes meant they didn’t have enough ingredients for mass production yet.
However, if the prototype proved effective, Ghislain planned to expand both the manufacturing facilities and the farmland significantly.
* * *
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Ssshhhh!
The equipment created by the mages and dwarves roared to life.
The workers, unaware of what they were making, busied themselves following Ghislain’s instructions. They hauled in piles of ingredients, dried them, milled them, and ground them into fine powder repeatedly.
“What do you think the lord is making?”
“Judging by the ingredients, it’s all edible stuff.”
“Is he making some kind of noble delicacy?”
The workers could only speculate. What emerged from the machines was a fine, yellowish powder.
One worker tasted it and tilted his head curiously.
“It doesn’t taste bad. Feels kind of nutty and sweet at the same time.”
“Maybe it’s a seasoning? Seems like you could add it to stew or something.”
“Why go to all this trouble to make something like this? There are already plenty of tasty sauces around.”
Despite their guesses, no one could come to a definitive conclusion.
Meanwhile, Ghislain inspected the finished product with a satisfied expression.
“Good. It’s close enough.”
It resembled the product he remembered from his past life. The flavor was slightly different, but taste wasn’t the main concern.
Ghislain fetched a water bottle and added a spoonful or two of the powder, then shook it vigorously.
Soon, the water turned the same yellowish color as the powder. Most people might have hesitated to drink something that looked so unappetizing, but Ghislain downed it without hesitation.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
“Ahhh!”
After drinking it all in one go, Ghislain clenched his fist. He was sensitive enough to detect even the smallest changes in his body.
The prototype caused a slight increase in his body temperature. It was a change so subtle that an average person wouldn’t have noticed it.
‘It’s done. A success. It’s similar to what I had in my previous life. Now, it’s time for testing.’
He was certain it had turned out as intended. But it would take at least a month of testing on humans to confirm its efficacy.
Ghislain immediately summoned Claude.
“What is it now? I’m busy as hell.”
“It’s finally complete.”
“The new combat ration?”
“Yep, and now we’re moving on to testing. Let’s recruit some volunteers.”
When Ghislain showed Claude the prototype, the latter stared at it with a blank expression.
“That… powder is the combat ration?”
“Yep.”
“You expect people to fill their stomachs with powder?”
“Yep. You mix it with water and drink it. Watch this.”
Ghislain grabbed a small water bottle, added some powder, and shook it vigorously.
Claude watched the process and asked again, “What are you doing?”
“You have to shake it like this until you hear a ‘shk! shk!’ sound.”
‘He’s really making me think of the word “shk” with all this.’
Still, Claude showed remarkable patience and waited. The explanation wasn’t over yet.
Once the mixture was thoroughly combined, Ghislain took another drink of the powdered water and explained,
“See? Once you mix it properly with water, you drink it like this.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep.”
“How much should you consume?”
“Just once a day is enough to survive. But if you want strength, you should drink it two or three times a day. Even with just this, you could last a month easily.”
“Hah…”
Claude broke into a wide smile, partly amused and partly dumbfounded at hearing such absurdity again after a while.
“My lord?”
“What?”
“Humans can survive on water alone for a few days.”
“True.”
“And if they add some biscuit crumbs and jerky powder, they can survive a little longer.”
“That’s also true.”
“But if you eat like that, you’re just clinging to life, not fighting. One hit, and you’ll keel over.”
“No, no, this one’s different. It replenishes your body with all the nutrients you need. It revitalizes you.”
Ghislain exuded confidence. He had used this in his past life with his subordinates. With just a few bottles, they had been able to survive for over a month while maintaining combat readiness.
Sure, they’d feel a little hungry, but it wasn’t enough to hinder movement.
‘You have no idea how much this helps maintain combat power.’
In times of calamity, one of the biggest challenges was how to resupply troops in dangerous operational zones.
When knights were isolated in areas surrounded by hostile forces, supply chains were nearly impossible to maintain. Airlifts and magical deliveries were options but weren’t always feasible.
Thus, the study of long-lasting rations had been a significant focus. The traditional preserved foods were limited by their weight and bulk, making it hard to carry sufficient quantities.
Developing a solution was no easy task. The rations had to be easy to produce, not rely on expensive ingredients, have an extended shelf life, and still sustain physical strength.
To meet these numerous requirements, the continent’s finest scholars and mages had carried out countless experiments, ultimately creating this powder.
It required only water to consume, and in the absence of water, one could let it dissolve slowly in their mouth.
The greatest advantage of the powder was that it provided all the essential nutrients, continuously energizing the body.
After its development in his past life, humanity’s operational range had expanded significantly. It was one of the reasons they survived the calamities of that era.
Though it had been thoroughly tested in his previous life and Ghislain himself had consumed it this era’s mindset was vastly different. For someone like Claude, trapped in this era’s common sense, it was unthinkable.
“My lord, adding a bunch of stuff might sound great, but do you really think a few spoonfuls of powder will fill anyone up? Sure, it’s better than nothing, but it won’t last. People will just collapse after a few days.”
In this era, the prevailing belief was that you needed to eat full, hearty meals to have strength. Hunger naturally led to weakness and incapacitation.
This was a field Claude was particularly confident in.
‘Do you know how much experience I have with being homeless?’
Claude, who had spent a miserable life due to gambling debts, had eaten trash before and even rationed dried food given to him over several days.
Eating like that left him dizzy and barely able to stand. He was hungry, weak, and overwhelmed with despair.
Even back then, he’d eaten more than just a few spoonfuls of powder like this.
That’s why Claude couldn’t believe Ghislain’s claims.
Knights might last slightly longer due to their mana, but surviving on just this powder for over a month? Impossible. They’d starve to death, or at best, be lying flat on the ground.
For someone like Claude, with years of experience in hardship, this was common sense. In fact, it was common sense for everyone.
‘Wait, a test? Does that mean it hasn’t been fully proven yet?’
While Claude considered this, Ghislain spoke firmly, “If you drink this twice a day, you can function normally. Your stamina might dip slightly, but it’s nowhere near what you’re imagining.”
“Oh, no, absolutely not. My lord, have you ever been homeless?”
“I have. Probably more days than I’ve had a roof over my head.”
“There he goes again. The lies just flow so naturally from his mouth.”
Claude knew Ghislain had lived as a noble scion, albeit a reckless one. What did he know about being homeless? At most, Ghislain might have camped out for a few days during a hunting trip.
“My lord, I get that you’ve made plenty of strange things before, and luckily, they’ve all worked out. But this? This is different. Trust me, I know from experience. Eating just this and trying to fight? Impossible. At most, you’d last a week. And you’re really going to spend all that money on this? The farmland, the runestones, the equipment… Ugh, it’s horrifying just thinking about wasting all that time and money.”
“That’s why we’re doing a test.”
Claude sneered.
“Oh, it’s going to fail. Don’t waste your time with this. Honestly, my lord, you’ve been lucky so far. If even one of your projects had failed, your reputation would’ve been ruined. If this fails, no one will ever trust anything you say again.”
Although it was just a test, Claude kept provoking and opposing the idea.
Ghislain, knowing Claude all too well, saw through his shallow scheming. With a sly grin, Ghislain spoke.
“How about we make a bet for old times’ sake?”
Claude’s eyes gleamed, and he smiled back. However, unlike Ghislain’s expectations, Claude didn’t respond immediately.
He was plotting something much bigger this time.