"Rei! Three pots of soup, five hundred servings each, are done!"
"This bread is already cool, so get it in storage! We've got another batch coming out soon and nowhere to put it, so move fast!"
"The stir-fried Fang Boar and vegetables are ready! If they sit any longer, they'll overcook, so take the whole pot now!"
"Pardon me—! We've got the wine casks, but where do you want 'em? There's a backlog out here—if you don't take them soon, the entrance will be completely blocked!"
The space, normally the Guild Training Ground, was currently swarming with cooks, bakers, and merchants delivering ordered goods.
Ultimately, just as Rei had suggested, the decision had been made to use freshly prepared meals as military rations, and preparations had begun in earnest the very next day.
Since time remained frozen within the Misty Ring, it didn't matter that the details for the units departing the City of Gilm hadn't been finalized yet; preparing the rations early posed no problem at all.
"The soup pots are these, right?"
Unusually, Rei was darting around the training ground with sweat on his brow, storing completed dishes in the Misty Ring one after another—pots, pans, and all.
As soon as he stored the equipment, fresh sets were brought out to start the next batch.
"Keo, that's three soup pots stored."
"Right, understood," Keo replied.
Following closely behind, Keo checked off a list on the paper in his hand.
Strictly for efficiency's sake, there was no need to gather the city's cooks at the training ground. However, they needed to keep a precise log of who provided which meals, bread, or wine casks. Thus, Keo shadowed Rei as the cooks worked over open-air fires and ovens.
While the training ground lacked kitchen facilities, Daskar—ever the capable Lord—had made a request to Guild Master Marina, who had granted it without hesitation.
The city's blacksmiths had worked themselves to the bone, forgoing sleep to churn out a massive supply of cooking utensils. Meals were prepared, stored in the Misty Ring, and replaced in a relentless cycle. Several hours in, Rei was still racing across the grounds with Keo, the supply officer, at his heels. Even with the rhythm established, the sheer volume of work showed no signs of letting up.
"Bread's next. These ones are cool enough?"
"Yes, exactly. The next batch is almost out, so please move quickly."
"Got it. Keo?"
Rei glanced back, but Keo was already tallying the count. After one final sweep of his eyes, Keo looked up.
"Rei-kun, that’s exactly one hundred and eighty loaves. Confirmed."
His special ability allowed him to calculate a total at a glance—the primary reason he had been appointed as supply officer. While overexerting his brain led to debilitating headaches, Keo pushed his limits now. Rei nodded, touched the wooden trays, and sent the bread into the Misty Ring.
New trays were laid out immediately, and more bread was pulled from the ovens to cool.
"Hey, Rei! Over here, fast!"
"Got it, wait a second!"
Called over by the cook in charge of stir-frying, Rei and Keo headed toward a row of stations where flames roared with terrifying intensity.
Instead of frying pans, they were using giant pots to accommodate the volume. Inside were various monster meats mixed with heaps of vegetables, alongside separate batches of pork and chicken.
Of all the areas in this makeshift kitchen, the stir-fry section was the most chaotic. Stews and soups took time to simmer; bread took time to bake. But here, they were using Magic Items forged from Flame Ore to create heat comparable to Attack Magic. With no need for plating, the dishes were finished in a rapid-fire succession.
"Come on, hurry up. The next one's almost done."
"I know. ...By the way, what's up next?"
"It's sauce-flavored Yaki Udon, based on that recipe you brought from the City of Abuelo. I guarantee the flavor."
Dishot grinned, mopping his brow with a nearby cloth. He had been deeply impressed by the Yaki Udon Rei had shared with him. Since then, he had worked tirelessly to adapt the demi-glace sauce from his diner to work with the noodles. Just the other day, he had finally perfected the first batch of sauce-flavored Yaki Udon in Gilm.
"Heh. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe just a little taste..."
Knowing Dishot’s talent, the request slipped out instinctively, but Keo’s hand clamped onto his shoulder to stop him.
"Rei-kun, these are official military rations. Snacking on them would be a problem."
"...Not even a little?"
"If a cook were taste-testing, that would be one thing. But doing it right in front of the supply officer..."
His tone was mild, but his eyes were firm with professional pride. Under that steady gaze, Rei finally sighed. "Fine."
Rei dutifully stored the pots in the Misty Ring. As he scanned for the next task, a voice called out from near the entrance.
"Pardon me! We need someone to clear these wine casks, and quick! We're blocking the whole lane!"
"Coming, coming! Just a moment. ...Rei-kun, let's go. A cask blockade is the last thing we need."
"Right. If that entrance is blocked, the rest of the supplies won't even make it inside..."
He started toward the entrance, but a new argument was already flaring up. "Hey! Don't just stand there! We can't get in! Move aside!"
"Wait, hold on! The supply unit is coming to take them now! It's wine, so treat it with respect!"
Rei was a moment too late; the dispute was already underway. "Yes, yes, hang on. We'll take them off your hands now. No need for a fight!"
Keo stepped between the two parties to play peacemaker.
It was no small delivery; nearly thirty men were present, each steering a handcart laden with casks.
Alcohol was a vital strategic resource in this world. It maintained morale during meals, fueled celebrations after minor victories, and served as a desperate measure to prevent desertion during a losing campaign. High-proof spirits were also essential for disinfecting wounds.
Fortunately, with the aid of Rei's Item Box, the Gilm units were unlikely to face any shortage of potions or proper medical supplies.
"Rei-kun, keep storing the casks! We've got to clear this entrance."
"Leave it to me." Rei nodded and stepped toward the carts. "This everything?"
"It is. But the carts are ours, so please don't take those."
"Don't worry." Rei nodded to the merchant representative and began touching the casks, whisking them into the Misty Ring one after another.
"Whoa... I've never actually seen an Item Box in action before."
"Really? Rei's pretty famous around here."
"Sure, but that's usually because of Seto. You don't see an Item Box being used this way every day."
"I have. He's always buying out food stalls and stuffing everything inside. I've seen it plenty of times."
Rei ignored the chatter of the burly men as he finished off the delivery.
As the carts were emptied, Keo called out to the next group in line. "Sorry for the wait! We've got cooks inside waiting on ingredients—bring 'em in!"
"Leave it to us! Once our boys eat the food we're making, those Bestia Empire bastards won't stand a chance! Right, lads?" "YEAH!"
"Haha. We'll do our part, too. We're counting on you."
"Hey, over here! The bread's done! Get it in that 'Item Box' thing already!"
No sooner had the last cask disappeared than the baker's representative was calling them back.
"Coming! Rei-kun, let's go!"
"I'm on it!"
Though his body was fine, the mental exhaustion was starting to set in. Rei let out a faint sigh and kept moving.
"...Man, I'm beat." "Guruuu?"
Rei let the complaint slip as they walked down the darkened street that night.
Seto peered at him with concern and gave a soft trill, asking if he was alright.
While Rei and Keo had been working themselves to the bone, Seto had been relegated to the Guild’s Tamed Monster-only Space. Its size would have been a nuisance in the kitchen, and there was the concern of fur or feathers getting into the food. Instead, it had spent the day being pampered by local children and adventurers.
By evening, the cooks had finally hit their limit, and work was called for the day. At least, for them. They received their pay and headed home.
Providing freshly prepared meals as rations was a staggering expense—not just for the ingredients, but for the logistics required to move them. Only a city as wealthy as Gilm could afford such a luxury. As the sole hub of the frontier, its exports of high-level monster parts and rare herbs made it incredibly affluent. Any other noble would have balked at the cost Daskar was absorbing.
But even with the cooks gone, Rei and Keo were far from finished.
After a brief ten-minute break, the two men and one griffon began a circuit of the city's shops. They collected potions, weapons, armor, medical supplies, fodder for the horses, and massive containers of water.
Since these supplies didn't have to worry about getting cold, it was faster for Rei to go to them rather than coordinating a massive delivery to a central location.
It was impossible to collect everything in one night; they would be at this for several days.
Daskar, being a prudent leader, hadn't put every single egg in Rei's basket. If something happened to the boy, the army would be paralyzed, so Rei was only carrying about half of the non-perishable supplies.
"You're right, it's a lot. But we're almost through the worst of it. By my count, we'll be done in less than ten days, today included. Just a little longer."
Keo spoke up as he trailed after Rei and Seto.
"...By the way, why are you still with us? Don't you have to report back to the Knight Order?"
Rei glanced back at the empty-handed knight.
Keo was traveling light because he’d convinced Rei to store his mountain of ledgers and paperwork in the Misty Ring.
He’d argued that since they were together anyway, there was no point in lugging around heavy documents when an Item Box was available. Rei had seen the logic and agreed.
Aside from the sword at his hip, Keo looked more like he was out for a stroll than on duty, though he still maintained his knightly bearing.
"Well, we have to work together for the foreseeable future, Rei-kun. My superiors decided it would be most efficient if I stayed at the same inn as you. Orders are orders, right?"
"Gururuuu?" Seto tilted its head back at him.
Seto didn't seem to mind; it was always happy to have more people around who weren't terrified of it, especially those who were generous with snacks.
"...Do what you want."
Watching Seto’s reaction, Rei gave a wry smile and accepted the new arrangement.
For the next ten days, the two of them were inseparable, gathering and storing an army's worth of supplies in the Misty Ring. Finally, the day of departure arrived.