The end of January, 3458.
The food shortages caused by the mold blight that had ravaged crops the previous autumn were finally becoming a grim reality.
~The Shouro Empire~
"The shipment of desiccants seems to be going smoothly."
Gazing at the report in her hand, the Empress, Gerhardt Hilde von Rubiss Shouro, smiled at her chancellor.
"Yes. We are currently exporting to the Klein Kingdom, the Kingdom of Franz, and the Kingdom of Egerea. I have also heard that an inquiry recently arrived from the Kingdom of Elias," the chancellor replied, glancing briefly at the documents in his hands. The Empress nodded, looking satisfied.
"And how is the food aid progressing?"
"Well, our own country does not have particularly abundant reserves either, but we have sent out one hundred tons of wheat and one hundred tons of barley."
Since a single person consumes about 150 kilograms of wheat per year, that breaks down to 12.5 kilograms per month. Combined, the wheat and barley were enough to sustain sixteen thousand people for one month.
"That is about our limit, then."
"Indeed. I understand that relief supplies are also being dispatched from nations such as the Kingdom of Elias."
~The Kingdom of Elias~
"Release one hundred tons of Devil Bulbs as relief supplies."
The King of the Kingdom of Elias, Blitzen Skala Elias XII, personally issued the order to Marchioness Firenziano.
With this, eight thousand people would be spared from starvation for one month. If they rationed carefully, ten thousand might be saved.
"Understood. I shall make the arrangements at once. Additionally, we have begun increasing production of dried fish, which should be ready for shipment soon."
"Very good. Keep up the hard work."
Unlike grains, marine resources could see a significant increase in production over a short period.
Dried fish was particularly useful as it kept for a long time. They also planned to produce salted fish simultaneously.
The Kingdom of Elias, which had been untouched by the mold blight, was doing its utmost to help the Allied Kingdoms avoid a catastrophic famine.
~The Kingdom of Egerea~
"What is the status of our own country?"
Having heard that a food shortage—though not quite a full-blown famine—had struck the Liebus Region of the neighboring Celuroa Kingdom, Harold Luan Autocrace-Egerea, the King of the Kingdom of Egerea, questioned William, the Minister of Internal Affairs. His expression was grim.
"Sire, while I cannot say there are no problems at all, the shortages are limited to the northern regions. The south is stable and has even produced a slight surplus, so we are currently arranging to provide aid to the north."
The King seemed relieved by the answer, and his stern expression softened slightly.
"Then I may take it that there is no risk of famine within our borders?"
"None, Your Majesty."
~The Kingdom of Franz~
"Do something!"
The voice of King Lijoun de Berkeley echoed through the council chamber.
Lijoun stood 170 centimeters tall and weighed 89 kilograms—an unhealthily wide frame.
"Your Majesty, even if you command it, we cannot simply refuse the request from the Celuroa Kingdom."
"Gunuuu..."
Recently, an order had arrived demanding five hundred tons of wheat.
The mold blight had struck the Kingdom of Franz as well, and it was obvious that at this rate, the majority of the populace would soon be facing starvation.
However, if they could endure until the wheat harvest in June, they might have pulled through without major casualties... but if they sent five hundred tons of wheat to the Celuroa Kingdom, that calculation would be fundamentally destroyed.
Five hundred tons was enough for ten thousand people to survive for four months—February, March, April, and May. If that were taken from them, significant casualties were a certainty.
Even now, most of the peasants were unable to eat wheat or barley, scraping by on wild grass and nuts.
Even then, no one knew how much longer they could hold out.
~The Klein Kingdom~
"The desiccants are proving effective. We have seen no further mold damage since their introduction."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"In addition, the dehumidifiers have had a significant impact. We are using them selectively, distributing desiccants to the rural provinces and deploying dehumidifiers in the vicinity of the royal capital."
"Hmph, that is good news indeed."
Within the Klein Kingdom's Royal Castle, meetings were being held daily to preempt the threat of famine.
"It seems relief supplies are being sent from the Kingdom of Elias."
"Mm. Regarding that, the opening of the temporary highway passing through the Leonard Kingdom is a major development."
A highway connecting the Klein Kingdom and the Kingdom of Egerea without passing through the Celuroa Kingdom would bring great benefits to both nations.
And it was already proving its worth for logistics.
"The question is whether we will have just enough to scrape by..."
The complexion of the King, Alois III, remained pale.
"Indeed. However, without aid from the other nations, we would undoubtedly have faced a famine."
"True... We must take this as a lesson."
~The Celuroa Kingdom~
"I see. So the famine near the capital has been averted. Well done."
"Your praise is an honor, Sire."
Knute Amond, the Director of the Food Agency, was receiving commendations from King Richard.
However, the further one traveled from the capital of Esaia, the louder the voices of the people's resentment grew.
"...There is nothing left to eat..."
"But we cannot touch the seeds for the next planting..."
"If we don't, we will starve to death anyway..."
Irigo Village, located in the western Liebus Region, was on the brink of collapse. Unlike the eastern part of the region, which relied on livestock, this was a farming village.
They had already eaten everything edible, down to the roots of the grass and the bark of the trees.
"Village Chief! Something is coming!"
The self-defense force guarding the village entrance came running in a panic.
"What? Does the state intend to take even more from us...?"
Despair spread through the village.
The villagers hid inside their houses, holding their breath. Only the Village Chief and a few others stood at the village entrance, glaring at the approaching procession. However...
"W-What is this?"
What approached were wagons pulled by golems. There were dozens of them.
At the lead was a golden-haired girl riding a horse. The girl possessed a face that was incomparably beautiful.
"People of Irigo Village, we are 'Nostalgia.' We have brought a small amount of food."
"W-What did you say!?"
"We could not bring wheat, so it is mainly dried meat and dried fish, but it should help you endure for a time."
"O-Oh! Thank you!! Thank you!!"
There was dried meat, dried fish, dried vegetables, and fresh fruit.
It was enough for the roughly 180 villagers to survive for a month.
"Thank you, thank you so much...!"
In this manner, Nostalgia traveled through the countryside, providing food aid to villages on the brink of crisis.
Because of this, it seemed they would manage to avoid deaths from starvation within the Celuroa Kingdom, if only by the thinnest of margins.
~Hourai Island~
『So the wheat reserves have reached two hundred tons. We are almost there.』
Laojun was comparing and managing agricultural production and reserves.
On Hourai Island, continuous cropping was possible throughout the year, and perhaps due to the effects of free ether, no soil exhaustion or crop failure occurred.
Therefore, in another three months, the wheat reserves were expected to increase tenfold.
Furthermore, the soba reserves were expected to reach one thousand tons in another two months.
These were the fruits of the production increase plan he had set in motion as soon as the possibility of famine arose.
Of course, this was not a charity, so he planned to provide aid to various countries in exchange for appropriate compensation.
『I must have them hold out somehow until then.』
Laojun was planning aid, including marine products, through Nostalgia.
『Everything is for the sake of My Lord's peace.』
It was a precarious balancing act, but with the prospect that they would somehow make it through, Laojun felt a sense of relief.
The sky over Hourai Island was clear and blue today as well.