Chapter 74

### Ten Days Later

On the Salt Road, the long-awaited reinforcements had finally arrived and successfully joined General Pujol's forces.

Most of the reinforcements were infantry, but thanks to Aura's efforts, the ratio of supply wagons pulled by dull dragons was nearly double the usual.

Thanks to this, even the new recruits, who were on their first real combat march, showed no signs of severe fatigue.

The Salt Road had designated spaces for camping at regular intervals. In one of these grassy areas, the leader of the reinforcements met with General Pujol Gijen.

"We have arrived! From this point on, our forces will be under your command, General Pujol."

The middle-aged knight, who was well over 180 cm tall, still appeared small next to the nearly two-meter-tall General Pujol, whose shadow completely enveloped him.

"You have done well. Let your troops rest. They are permitted to drink water and eat their rations. You will assist in the reorganization of the forces."

"Yes, understood!"

The middle-aged knight responded loudly to the giant general, who spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

During the march, soldiers carried water bags and small rations on their waists in case they got separated. The rations contained salted and peppered dried meat and chunks of brown sugar. The fact that even the lowest-ranking soldiers received pepper and sugar would make a person from the Northern Continent faint, but here, it was not particularly surprising.

In the Kingdom of Carp, sugar was such a major production that in some seasons and places, it was cheaper than salt.

Neither the salty, hard dried meat nor the sweet, hard sugar chunks were particularly favored in daily life, but for soldiers marching under the scorching sun, they were a welcome treat.

Upon receiving permission to rest and resupply, the soldiers sat down along the road and reached for their water and rations.

Next to the new recruits who were eagerly gnawing on the hard dried meat, veteran soldiers were using their personal knives to cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. The more cunning soldiers ate one piece of dried meat and one chunk of sugar slowly, then hid the rest in their pockets instead of their rations bags.

By claiming they had eaten everything, they could receive the same amount of supplies as everyone else later. They would then sell these saved rations to the new recruits on the way back.

Of course, the soldiers were given two meals a day during the march, but the calories burned during military operations in the scorching sun were not fully replenished.

Thus, the rations carried on their waists, which they could consume at their discretion, were of great importance. However, among the new recruits, there were always a few who would eat all their rations halfway through and look on enviously as their comrades enjoyed snack time. These men, for some reason, were willing to pay a silver coin for a set of dried meat and sugar chunks, which could be bought for pocket money in the capital.

While the soldiers relaxed in a more casual atmosphere, the commanders were busy with the handover.

In a makeshift command center made of earth magic on the side of the road, General Pujol met with the key officers of the reinforcements and reconfirmed their strength.

"I see. The basic composition is that of a typical infantry force, with additional supply and engineering units."

Understanding the significant budget for supplies and engineering, General Pujol was impressed by the effort.

With this, even the new recruits could endure a long military campaign. The problem was that the new recruits, experiencing such comprehensive treatment on their first expedition, might mistake it for the norm. However, that was not a concern for now.

"Hmm. The Queen truly understands the front lines."

Sitting in a crude chair made of earth magic, General Pujol muttered to himself.

Queen Aura and General Pujol were political rivals vying for control of the national army, but they were also in a superior-subordinate relationship. Understanding the folly of internal strife, they never undermined each other in their official duties. This peculiar trust existed between them.

In any case, after confirming the new forces, General Pujol looked around the gathered squad leaders in the small temporary headquarters.

"Good work. You can also take turns resting. We will begin serious operations tomorrow. For today, prioritize rest. However, the engineers will work on setting up the camp. They will rest from tomorrow onwards."

"Yes!"

"Understood!"

The squad leaders of the reinforcements responded in unison, placing their right fists on their left chests.

In this world, a certain percentage of engineers were always earth mages. While their skills were not comparable to modern mechanized engineers, they had far superior base construction capabilities compared to regular soldiers without earth magic. With their abilities, it was not impossible to build a camp for the entire army in a day.

In long-term camping operations, the quality of the camp significantly affected the soldiers' fatigue.

Even a simple earth wall made by earth magic could greatly contribute to a good night's rest. In a camp with minimal bedding, the difference between a flat and an uneven ground could make a world of difference in comfort.

However, cutting the forest too much could provoke other dragon species living there, so overdoing it was prohibited. Nevertheless, having skilled engineers was a great advantage for a commander.

In the temporary headquarters, with only himself and his confidants remaining, Pujol Gijen crossed his legs and thought.

"Hmm... With such a well-equipped rear, we will have the time and resources to be a bit more ambitious...?"

The general's mutterings were completely blocked by the earth walls and tent, not reaching the outside at all.

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Recently, many have forgotten that Zenjiro, despite his strong royal blood, was not raised as a royal. Therefore, his manners and knowledge are still at a superficial level.

Due to this background, the knowledge and cultural lectures by Lady Octavia, though irregular, are still ongoing.

"It's hot. Even after the peak of the heat, the daytime heat doesn't end so easily, does it?"

Zenjiro, who had placed the cold tea cup back on the wooden table without a sound, following the proper etiquette, muttered.

The sunlight streaming in through the open windows was less intense than during the peak of the heat, but if Zenjiro's perception was correct, it was still a scorching day.

However, Lady Octavia, tilting her head gracefully, seemed to have a different tolerance for the heat.

"Indeed, it's still quite hot, but being able to endure it indoors is a blessing. I no longer have sleepless nights due to the heat."

While she was clearly frustrated with the peak heat, the current heat was within her tolerance. Despite her delicate appearance, she was a true native of the Kingdom of Carp.

Zenjiro couldn't help but chuckle.

"For you, it's already a 'comfortable season.' I feel the difference in our backgrounds."

He said this with a self-deprecating tone. While he didn't think he was particularly sensitive to heat when he lived in the Kanto region of Japan, the climate here was different.

As if to cover Zenjiro's self-deprecation, Lady Octavia placed her hand on her mouth and added with a small laugh.

"I apologize, but compared to last year, you seem much more acclimated, Zenjiro-sama. If you continue like this, you might become as accustomed as we are in the not-too-distant future."

"…I hope so."

Zenjiro's hesitation in responding was because he was aware that his easier time with this year's peak heat was not due to acclimation.

Last year, he only had an ice fan, but this year, his bedroom had an air conditioner. Thanks to the air conditioner, he could enjoy a comfortable night's sleep. This had significantly reduced his fatigue during the peak heat.

He still didn't think he could survive the peak heat without any cooling devices.

At least, if he could manage with water moats and natural breezes, he wouldn't be stuck in the capital, unable to move during the peak heat.

As the queen's representative, his duties were increasing, and this situation would be very inconvenient.

He no longer thought about the initial promise that he would only need to assist with child-rearing and nothing else. Reflecting on his future, Zenjiro, who had recovered from the fatigue of overwork in the past year and a half, had regained the value of hard work.

"However, we are also not immune to the peak heat. Therefore, it is honestly enviable that the royal family has ways to escape the heat."

"!?"

The royal family's methods to escape the peak heat, mentioned casually by Lady Octavia, surprised Zenjiro.

(Do they know about air conditioners and ice fans? Where did that leak from!?)

While it wasn't a critical piece of information, it was something he had imposed a strict gag order on all the residents of the harem. If it had leaked, he would need to investigate the harem's information security.

(But, when I was teleported on that carpet, the inspection of the items I brought was attended by not only the harem's maids but also the palace's maids and guards. So, the existence of these items might be known, but no one would have noticed their functions. Even a folding opera glass was mistaken for a mere decoration because no one knew how to open it.)

While maintaining his composure, Zenjiro's thoughts raced. Lady Octavia, realizing something, nodded slightly.

"Ah, perhaps Zenjiro-sama didn't know? The royal family of Carp has several 'summer retreats.' Currently, only Queen Aura can use 'instant teleportation,' so it's not possible, but when there were multiple users, the royal family would take turns retreating to these places during the peak heat."

"Hmm, now that you mention it, Queen Aura did say something like that."

Zenjiro, who almost revealed too much, suppressed his tension and responded in a slightly exaggerated tone.

(Ah, that's what she meant. Phew, that was close.)

In this country, there were no air conditioners or ice fans, but there was the magic of 'instant teleportation,' which could instantly transport them to a cooler place.

As Lady Octavia said, with only Queen Aura able to use 'instant teleportation,' the royal family couldn't indulge in such luxury, but with multiple users, they could take turns retreating to the summer retreats.

Indeed, the royal family had been overcoming the peak heat this way. It was a royal privilege, and it made sense why Lady Octavia found it enviable.

Understanding the situation, Zenjiro calmed his heartbeat and continued the conversation to cover his unease.

"I don't know the details, but if it's a summer retreat, it must be cool even during the peak heat. So, it must be in a high-altitude area?"

For Zenjiro, who was from the central region of Japan, the first place that came to mind when thinking of a summer retreat was Karuizawa, leading him to assume it was a high-altitude area.

"Yes, there are high-altitude retreats. However, the one the royal family often used is the island of Barea. It's a small island with a coastline, entirely owned by the royal family, making it ideal for a quiet stay."

"Ah, a seaside retreat, huh?"

Indeed, the royal family. Owning an entire island as a family retreat was quite luxurious. Sensing Zenjiro's interest, Lady Octavia took a sip of her cold tea and continued.

"Yes. I haven't been invited, but I've heard it's a very beautiful island. The entire island is very shallow, so large ships can't approach, but that also means no sharks or sea dragons can come close, making it safe for water activities. Additionally, the sand on the beach makes a squeaking sound when stepped on."

"Ah, 'singing sand.'"

Zenjiro had heard of singing sand on Earth.

While he didn't know the exact principle, it was said that the sand made a sound like a squeak when stepped on or poked at a certain angle. Zenjiro had never walked on a singing sand beach, but it was an intriguing concept.

"I see. It sounds like a very interesting place."

"Yes. The sunset is beautiful, and there are caves carved by the waves near the beach. Inside, it's very cool, and there are numerous white stalactites, creating a fantastical scene."

"Ah, I would like to visit someday."

The conversation between the queen's consort and the tutor continued pleasantly, with a bit of caution.