Chapter 10

At six in the morning, the bell in the square rang out.

Our Third Knights' Regiment took the sound of the bell as a signal to get up, and thirty minutes later, we were having breakfast in the dining hall.

To avoid the crowded hours, I used a bit of life magic to produce a small flame or water to make tea before leaving the room.

I had realized this after recalling a time when I went during the usual crowded hours and noticed that everyone around me was being considerate.

Until now, because I was from a noble family, it was natural for people around me to be considerate, but now that I remember my past life, I find myself being the one who has to be considerate!

So, I time my entry into the dining hall when most of my subordinates have finished eating.

Just as I was about to start eating, Deputy Regiment Leader Orel approached with a serious look.

My heart raced as I wondered what had happened, and I tore a chunk of the heavy bread and stuffed it into my mouth.

If it was an urgent matter that required immediate attention, I needed to eat something first.

"Regiment Leader, good morning."

"Ah, good morning."

"Regarding yesterday's matter... I got everyone's agreement by this morning!"

"Yesterday's matter? You mean the one about pooling money to improve the taste...?"

"Yes! For now, we've decided to deduct one silver coin from the monthly salary. Do you think five gold coins would be enough?"

You work fast!?

He said it with sparkling eyes, but I was honestly unsure if the amount would be sufficient.

"For now, just buy as much as you can with that. Have the clerk place the order with this budget and have it delivered. When you go to place the order, always take one of the knights with you. To get a better deal, it's best to negotiate for a lower price, especially if we're placing continuous orders."

When my father died in an accident, we received life insurance and compensation from the other party.

But considering my younger brothers were going to university, I had to save wherever I could, so frugality is ingrained in me.

As someone who used to handle household chores for a large family, negotiating for a discount when buying in bulk is a given.

If we can buy in bulk not just for this barracks but also for the lord's residence, the delivery location will be the same, which should allow us to get an even better price.

"Are you not going to leave the ordering to the cooks? I was thinking of just giving them the deducted amount."

"No, it's better to ask the cooks how much they need and give them the actual items. If they receive five gold coins every month, they might be tempted to fudge the numbers a little. It could be a big problem if they do and get caught."

"Ah... I see."

Orel nodded in understanding.

Food is a serious matter. If the food that should be delicious is reduced due to fraud, I'm not sure I could control my subordinates.

"Everyone has moments of weakness, so it's best to remove any temptation. For now, go to the store the barracks is currently ordering from, give them the price list for spices and herbs, and tell them the budget. Take a knight who can be intimidating for the price negotiations. I'm not saying to threaten them, but we can't just pay whatever they ask."

"In that case, Regiment Leader, you should go. You can just take a clerk with you while you're out on rounds."

"......Are you saying I have an intimidating face?"

"No, no, it's just that Regiment Leader Justan has a strong aura and a noble presence, so I thought you'd be the best person for the job."

I gave him a piercing look, but Orel's smile didn't waver.

That's why I can trust him as the deputy regiment leader.

"......Fine, today my squad is going to the southern forest. Have there been any changes in the past three days?"

"There haven't been any changes, but today Justan's squad is on patrol duty. Since you've had a break, you can start the rounds from tomorrow. You can stop by the store on your way."

"You... Do you really want the taste to change that quickly?"

In response to my question, Orel only smiled and didn't answer.

He probably knew that five gold coins wouldn't be enough and wanted me to negotiate from the start.

"Ha... Fine. We'll stop by the store and the apothecary first on our patrol. Call the clerk in charge of placing orders to the front of the training ground."

"Understood."

I watched Orel leave the dining hall quickly and drank some slightly cooled soup.

After breakfast, I headed to the training ground, where Arnaud and the other members of my squad, along with clerk Florent, were waiting.

"Regiment Leader Justan! If the clerk is coming with us, does that mean we'll get better food from today? I heard we're stopping by the store!"

Simon was practically bouncing with excitement, ready to run off to the city.

"Whether it starts today or not depends on the store's response. It also depends on whether they have the stock."

"Hurry! Let's go!"

"Calm down."

Are you a dog that wants to go for a walk?

I wanted to say that, but in this world, only hunting families keep dogs, so it wouldn't make sense.

During the patrol, I lead the way, but Simon looks ready to run ahead at any moment.

The apothecary is closer, so we head there first.

The last time we went, it turned out to be the store where the barracks' healer buys potions and herbs.

"Ah, big brother!"

I heard a cute voice nearby, and Chloe was running towards me, with Marc chasing after her.

"Chloe, are you out for a walk with Marc?"

"Yep! Mom is feeling better, so big brother is here with me. Dad has also become nicer."

"That's good to hear."

I crouched down and patted Chloe's head, and she smiled happily, reporting the news.

It seems Joseph has regained hope and is feeling better.

"Regiment Leader is smiling...!?"

"He's petting a child!?"

"Am I seeing things!?"

"Regiment Leader really called himself 'big brother'!?"

My subordinates were talking freely behind me.

......Hold on.

"You weren't there that time! How do you know about it!?"

"Ah!?"

"Ah, look, look, Regiment Leader's loud voice is making the child cry."

I had startled Chloe with my loud voice, and Simon pointed it out, so I hurriedly apologized.

"Sorry for startling you, Chloe. I'll bring you a gift the next time I come to check on you, so please forgive me."

"A gift!? Really!?"

"Yes."

Her scared expression turned into a happy smile, and I felt relieved.

After seeing Chloe and Marc off, I slowly turned back to my subordinates.

Seeing my smiling face, everyone, including the clerk, looked uneasy.

"Alright, let's continue what we were talking about earlier."