Chapter 13
"I see... So, in other words, you heat it to keep it from spoiling, right?"
"Why does heating the bottles, too, make them less likely to spoil?"
"Why do you remove the last of the air?"
"How long can it be stored after opening?"
While sampling dishes made with the bottled ingredients, I answered haltingly. After all, I had only picked up a superficial understanding from my days as a day laborer. There was no way I could know the details.
The dishes I'd made were a simple stew of the usual dried meat and bottled vegetables. Then there was a simple soup made with the same ingredients, with salt and spices added to hot water. Finally, there was stir-fried dried meat and vegetables. All of them were simple dishes that could easily be made in a war zone.
As for the jam, I had spread it on hard, flat expedition bread that I'd lightly toasted.
They weren't particularly tasty, but as portable rations, they were decent enough.
"So, how long will these bottled foods keep?"
"Ultimately, I'm aiming for three to six months. If all goes well, I think they might last about a year..."
"That long?" Not only Rays-sama, who had asked the question, but Glantz-sama and Rapilia-sama as well couldn't hide their surprise.
"Ah, of course, it depends on the type..."
No one answered me; the three of them simply stared intently at the bottled food.
After a while, Glantz-sama let out a deep breath.
"...If what Roa says is true, its impact on our country would be immeasurable—far beyond its use as field rations."
"Yes. But it is still only at the experimental stage. Roa, the Tenth Knight Order will officially provide funding for these bottling experiments. Also, recommend a civil official you trust and submit the recommendation in writing. We will assign personnel to this research. Dick."
"Y-yes!"
"Work on this research as Roa's assistant. You will be exempt from duties other than training."
"Yes, sir!"
"If you need more personnel from the military side, tell Glantz. Glantz, I'll leave the selection of personnel to you."
"Understood."
Once he had given those instructions, Rays-sama stood up.
Just as I was secretly breathing a sigh of relief that everything had ended without incident, Rays-sama's gaze settled on me.
"Roa, come with me to the office after this. The rest of you, clean up."
With that, he strode off.
I entrusted the cleanup to the other two and hurried after Rays-sama.
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"I said I wanted to speak with Roa alone."
Rays-sama, Rapilia-sama, and I were in the office. Glantz-sama had left as Rays-sama instructed, but Rapilia-sama remained.
"No. I am Rays-sama's sword. I can't leave you alone with Roa, whom we still can't trust." She clearly had no intention of backing down.
Rays-sama looked troubled, but he rarely pressed the issue in the office.
"That would be terribly rude to Roa... Fine. You may stay, but first apologize to Roa for your rudeness."
"But..." Rapilia-sama pouted, but perhaps realizing that she'd gone too far, she quietly apologized to me. "I'm sorry..."
"No, I understand how you feel, Rapilia-sama..." If anything, Rays-sama and Glantz-sama were the odd ones for readily trusting someone they'd known for barely half a month.
Then again, I suppose they were confident they could easily overpower me, a civil official with such thin arms, if I attacked.
"Now, let's get to the main point. Roa, where did you acquire that knowledge?"
Rays-sama asked with a serious expression. So it was about that, after all. I'd managed to bluff my way past Rufa, but I'd expected him to ask eventually.
"...The thing is, I don't really remember."
"You don't remember?"
"As you know, I enjoy collecting records of old battles. I've been doing so since I was a child, and I think it must have been written in one of the many books I read. Since it had nothing to do with battle records, I didn't pay it much mind."
"But if you remember it, it must have left some kind of impression."
"Yes. So perhaps I saw it in Gadeland when I was young."
"Gadeland? Forgive me for asking, but aren't you from Rudectrad?"
"Yes. I was born in a fishing village near Gadeland. My father was a fisherman, so I often went to Gadeland with him to sell fish. Perhaps it was a book I was given to keep me occupied while I was there."
"A book for a young child?"
"I've always been a bookworm... They say that once I learned to read, all they had to do was give me a book and I would sit quietly."
It was an answer I'd prepared in advance, knowing he'd ask sooner or later. I'd just have to get through this somehow.
"I see... So it might have been knowledge from across the sea. Come to think of it, what about your parents?"
"My father died at sea when I was fifteen. My mother died of an epidemic last year..."
"I see. That was tactless of me to ask. I'm sorry. I pray that your parents rest peacefully in heaven."
"Thank you."
Perhaps deciding there was no point in asking anything more, Rays-sama brought the conversation to a close, though he still seemed somewhat suspicious.
"Your memory is better than I imagined. If you think of anything else in the future, tell me first. Depending on what it is, I'll see what I can do."
That brought the day's meeting to a close.
The next day.
"The king wishes to grant you an audience in connection with your assignment to the Tenth Knight Order."
It took me a little while to understand what Rays-sama meant.