chapter 12

The request from the military came before the popularity of ice cream had even fully subsided.

"Are you asking us to improve the military's combat rations?"

"Yes, that's correct. Our southern army is aiming to extend the shelf life of our combat rations."

The soldier who came with the request did not appear to have high expectations.

After all, I was a mage from the White Tower, which dealt with civilian magic. It was unrealistic to expect that I, someone not specializing in military matters, could solve a problem that even military mages had failed to address.

"If it's outside your area of expertise, feel free to refuse…"

"It's possible."

"What?"

"You mentioned extending the shelf life, correct?"

"Yes, that's right. We're aiming for at least four months, but even just extending it by a day would be a huge help…"

"Twenty years. Would that work?"

"…?"

The soldier who came to make the request had assumed I knew nothing about the military, but that was a big misunderstanding.

Having served a mandatory two-year stint at the front lines in Gangwon Province during my previous life, I was well aware of how closed-off and conservative military organizations could be.

The South Korean military, for instance, had used the same canteens and mats from the Korean War for decades. I could only imagine how much worse things might be in a military from another world.

And if we're talking about combat rations, it would only be worse.

However, the solution was surprisingly simple.

"This is canned food."

Canned food was a standard supply used by armies worldwide in my past life. It was the ultimate preservation food, known for staying intact for years, even decades. Some reviewers even specialized in testing old cans to demonstrate their astonishing shelf life.

The process for making canned food was surprisingly simple, too: just seal food in a container, heat it to kill microbes, and you had canned food.

The real challenge was the container…

"This shouldn't be a problem."

Upon seeing the design for the can, Siel didn't hesitate in his answer.

With dwarves and alchemists in this world, the manufacturing technology was impressive.

After all, this was a world with things like magical refrigerators, which were akin to modern-day coolers.

"But it will be a bit expensive," he added.

"The military will handle the costs," I said.

Our role was only to provide the finished product. Whether or not the military decided to adopt it was entirely up to them.

"…Twenty years? Did I hear that correctly?"

"It's twenty years, General."

"…."

Hugh, the Duke, was so shocked that he stood there dumbfounded.

A combat ration with a shelf life of 20 years? It was so unrealistic that it felt impossible.

"Is the White Tower mocking our southern army? Such a ridiculous lie."

"General, we also had our mages verify the claim. We were skeptical at first…"

"What was the result? Did it last for three months?"

"They said the minimum shelf life is twenty years. If the rations are stored properly, they could last for a hundred years without deteriorating."

"…W-What? A hundred years?"

Hugh, the Duke, stammered in disbelief.

"However, the cost of one can is equivalent to about two and a half combat rations, so the price might be a burden…"

"Is that the problem right now? With this, we could wipe out those barbarian bastards! If we don't have enough money, sell our helmets to pay for it!"

Hugh, the Duke, shouted, his mind consumed with the idea of 100-year shelf life.

"As soon as the cans are ready, we will crush those barbarian bastards!"

The southern army set out.

"The Empire is here! The Empire's troops are coming!"

"Run away!"

The barbarian tribes that roamed the plains turned and fled as soon as the southern army appeared.

Their combat style wasn't to fight the southern army; it was to stall by running away.

The longer they could stall, the more likely the harsh climate of the plains would wear down the southern army.

The southern army, under pressure of time, would chase them desperately, hoping to catch them before they escaped.

But this time, the southern army did not chase the fleeing barbarians.

"Hmph, as expected, they're doing this again."

Duke Hugh sneered and gave an order.

"Form up and rest."

"Everyone, form up and rest!"

The order was passed down, and the southern army settled down on the plain.

Soon after, soldiers began taking out cans of food.

Duke Hugh and his officers also opened their own cans.

At this point, Duke Hugh was still skeptical.

Even though the mages had verified the cans, this was the first time they would be tested on the plains.

'I wonder if the preservation magic worked properly…'

The southern army had marched under the scorching sun for hours, and without preservation magic, regular food would have long been spoiled in the heat.

With a mix of skepticism and hope, Duke Hugh opened his can, and a look of sheer joy spread across his face.

"Hahahaha! It worked! It really worked!"

Inside the can was a fish called Javasco, a species from the southern region.

Javasco was a type of fish that spoiled easily, making it unsuitable for combat rations.

But the fish inside the can had not deteriorated at all and looked as fresh as if it had just been caught.

The other cans also contained food that appeared to be in perfect condition.

"Look at this! The meat is still intact!"

"I never thought I'd be eating soup and salad on the plains!"

"Haha! It's not a brick of bread! I feel like I'm alive again!"

The soldiers, who had previously endured harsh conditions eating dry, hard black bread soaked in water, were now savoring the delicious food from the cans, filled with admiration.

For the southern army, the canned food was nothing short of a revolution.

Now, they no longer feared the harsh climate of the plains. With the long-lasting canned food by their side, they had everything they needed.

The timing now belonged to the southern army, not the barbarians.

The barbarians initially thought the southern army was just bluffing.

"Leave them. They'll be exhausted and retreat behind their walls soon enough."

"They think we'll be shaken by that?"

It was easy to understand why the barbarians thought this way. The southern army had tried similar tactics before, but every time, the barbarians had been proven right.

The southern army would eventually grow tired and retreat.

But this time, it was different.

A week passed. Then a month. And still, the southern army showed no sign of fatigue.

In fact, it was the barbarians who began to feel the pressure.

"They've run out of food by now."

"They must be trying to target our supply lines."

Sure enough, a supply caravan appeared, bringing military supplies to the southern army.

"Take it!"

"We can't let the Empire's supplies reach them!"

The barbarians ambushed the caravan.

But when they tore the cloth off the wagons, the barbarian leader was stunned.

The wagons were filled with bundles of straw.

"There's nothing here!"

"There's no supplies!"

'We've been tricked!'

Realizing they had walked straight into a trap, the barbarian leader tried to escape, but it was too late.

"Attack!"

"Leave not a single one alive!"

"Gaaaah!"

As if on cue, the southern army appeared from all sides, capturing the barbarians before they could even flee.

This was the moment when the southern army scored its first victory over the barbarians.

From that point onward, the southern army continued to defeat the barbarians in battle after battle.

The barbarians had relied on stalling tactics, but their actual fighting power was no match for the southern army.

News of the southern army's victories spread to other military regions.

And it didn't take long for the rest of the army to learn that the reason for the southern army's success was the new combat ration: the canned food.

"Hmph, what does a civilian mage from the White Tower know about the military…?"

Of course, the closed-off military officials didn't believe it at first.

"How long did the shelf life last again?"

"Twenty years."

"Whaaat?!"

But when the shelf life of the canned food was proven to be twenty years, even the most skeptical couldn't deny it.

"Contact the White Tower! We need those cans too!"

"Canned food! Get us canned food!"

What started with the southern army quickly spread throughout the entire empire's military.