NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 233
In the end, everything unfolded just as Edgar had predicted.
As the sealed power of destruction slowly unraveled and the frequency of demon invasions increased, the political stances of various nations became more closed-off.
Now, they only pursued their own interests, breaking the chains of alliances between nations.
“I trust the Empire. The sincerity and miracles you’ve shown will save the world. Clendor supports Count Edgar.”
However, there were still nations that maintained close relationships with the Empire.
Ironically, the Clendor Kingdom, which had been on the worst terms with the Empire, emerged as a strong ally.
This was due to the fact that Princess Bianca, who had seized power and ascended as queen, could only do so with Edgar’s assistance, and she had personal feelings towards him.
“But, is this… correct?”
Thus, Edgar actively spread technology to the Clendor Kingdom.
Since Clendor had now become a powerful ally of the Empire, he didn’t hold back in providing technical support to ensure they could maintain a formidable naval force as promised.
However, the technology that Edgar spread was completely different from what the Clendor queen had envisioned.
“How can this be!! Is this the technology that will save the world!!!”
The queen scolded while pointing at the enormous fishing vessels lined up in a row.
Yet, Edgar’s expression remained unchanged.
With his arms still crossed, he calmly replied, “Your Majesty, what do you think are the important factors to consider in war?”
“…Excuse me?”
“My question has an answer. Please think carefully.”
The queen furrowed her brow and tilted her head.
All this time, she had supported everything Edgar Fix wanted, believing in the promise of providing powerful battleships.
To suddenly present fishing boats and ask such a ridiculous question was unexpected.
‘He’s not a man to act frivolously.’
But after all, the other party was Edgar Fix.
After contemplating deeply, the Clendor queen finally spoke.
“Isn’t it military power? Overwhelming military power. That’s why I intend to purchase warships made with your technology.”
“Military power… of course. But isn’t there something just as important?”
“…”
The Clendor queen glanced at the fishing boats.
Could it be that Edgar Fix wanted to talk about this?
“Could it be… supplies?”
“Yes, that’s it. Supplies. Timely support in supplies is, after all, the foundation and conclusion of warfare.”
“….what do you mean? Clendor’s finances are strong. We wanted powerful military strength, not these fishing boats—”
“That won’t suffice.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I mean Clendor’s finances won’t hold up during this war.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Everything will become scarce. Once the marine demons start to break free, the fish catch will drastically reduce, and as the land becomes barren from the aftermath of war, crops will also dwindle. Even if you open the granaries, that will only be a temporary fix, and once the food runs out, riots will erupt everywhere, and the aristocrats will be looted of their hidden wealth. Moreover, the commoners, who can’t use mana and are powerless, will crave the power of demons, thinking it better to survive as a demon than to starve to death.”
“….”
“Fighting demons is not the only aspect of war. The more critical the situation, the more your foundation must be solidified. You need to stockpile overwhelming amounts of food, enough to comfortably last for several years.”
The princess felt overwhelmed by every word Edgar spoke.
Indeed, as a descendant of a Heavenly Being, he was looking far into the future.
“…Indeed. As the demon invasions intensify from now on, obtaining food will become a challenge. Even if we try to import from other countries…”
“They won’t want to sell. Everyone will be facing hard times.”
“….”
“When that time comes, currency will become worthless. What good will money be if economic activity becomes impossible? Only by preparing for a food disaster can one find a way to survive.”
The queen felt a shiver run down her spine.
According to Edgar’s words, if food was insufficient and riots erupted, the most vulnerable person would undoubtedly be her, the queen.
“…Alright. I will trust your insight. But what are these fishing boats for?”
After accepting Edgar’s proposal, the queen asked about the use of the fishing boats.
Edgar smiled and guided the queen.
“Come on. I’ll show you.”
– Swoosh… Swoosh… Swoosh… Vroooom! Brrrrrr!
The fishing boat, making a hearty engine roar, ventured into the sea.
This vessel, integrating magical engineering and modern technology, was none other than a tuna fishing boat.
It was designed to stockpile a large quantity of tuna cans, known for their taste, cost-effectiveness, and long shelf life.
“Count Fix! Bonito cannot be stored for long periods!”
However, the queen, unaware of the merits of canned tuna, was questioning whether bonito, the raw material, was suitable for long-term storage.
At that moment, Edgar handed a can of tuna to the queen.
“Try this.”
“…Excuse me? What is this?”
“It’s canned tuna. I’ll just open it.”
Edgar removed the lid from the can of tuna and presented it to the queen.
Of course, he also provided a spoon so she could scoop the tuna.
Soon, the queen took a spoonful of tuna.
“….Hmm!?”
It was delicious.
Though a bit oily, the saltiness clung perfectly to the meat.
“Not bad… Did you process the bonito like this?”
“Yes. It’s called flash freezing. After freezing the caught tuna, it is brought to the factory to be processed into cans.”
“…How many tunas can be caught in one trip?”
“Tens of thousands.”
“Tens of thousands… you say?”
“Ah, about 2,700 fish, to be exact.”
“Excuse????”
The queen’s eyes widened in surprise.
Even though she had realized how many bonito could be caught in a single net, hearing that so many tunas could be caught in one outing was astonishing.
“Then… how many cans of tuna come from one fish?”
“About 10 cans, give or take.”
“10 cans…?”
The queen’s mouth dropped open.
Being able to collect such high-quality food in just one outing was astounding.
“Then, how long can it be stored?”
However, one problem remained.
Food inevitably spoils eventually.
Especially with meat, which has a much shorter shelf life.
No matter how much is harvested, if it spoils before consumption, it’s meaningless.
“Umm… it can last up to 10 years.”
“Exceeeept!!!?”
Yet, upon hearing Edgar’s next words, the queen’s face turned to one of disbelief.
A protein-rich food can be stored for up to 10 years?
“Will it not spoil in taste… or at least become something we have to eat begrudgingly?”
“No. It will mostly retain its qualities.”
Gulps.
The queen’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Upon seeing the queen’s expression, Edgar chuckled and said, “By the way, it’s chilly this dawn, so wrap yourself up.”
As he said this, Edgar draped his cloak around the queen.
Princess Bianca, who had felt a connection to Edgar since their first meeting, blushed and sipped some tuna soup.
It was delicious.
“Please wait a moment. I know a dish that pairs wonderfully with canned tuna.”
Then, Edgar said he would fetch a dish that complemented the canned tuna and went into the storage room.
Before long, Edgar returned with two cups of instant noodles and a thermos filled with hot water.
Edgar had been considering this method of smooth food storage and had already laid the groundwork for establishing a ramen factory for mass production.
“What is this…?”
“This is ramen.”
“Ramen?”
“This also has a long shelf life. You can store it for about 500 days.”
“500 days…?”
The queen rubbed her chin.
While it wasn’t as good as canned tuna, a 500-day shelf life was no short period.
“Above all, this food is efficient. In terms of the ingredients used, it provides excellent satiety and a balanced nutritional profile.”
The queen looked at the ramen with interest.
The preparation was as simple as opening the lid, sprinkling the powdered soup, and pouring on hot water.
Soon, an appetizing aroma wafted up.
– Gulp!
“Here, try this.”
After sealing the lid, Edgar presented the ramen to the queen after three minutes.
The queen immediately lifted the noodles with the fork Edgar had given her and slurped them up.
The curly, chewy noodles touched her lips and tongue, perfectly melding the rich flavor of ramen soup and the delightful texture of the noodles.
Curious about the broth, the queen unconsciously slurped up the steaming hot ramen soup.
“Ah—!”
She unexpectedly let out a deep, delighted exclamation.
Embarrassed, her face turned red as she cleared her throat and stared into the distant sea.
Edgar smiled as he held out the canned tuna.
“Try eating them together, it’s delicious. You should give it a shot.”
“…”
The queen scooped some tuna with her fork and added it to the ramen.
As the tuna oil blended perfectly into the ramen soup, she slurped up the noodles and tuna simultaneously.
Then she took in the broth.
“Wow—! …Hmm.”
In that moment, she nearly blurted out another exclamation but managed to hold it in this time.
Indeed, eating tuna and ramen on such a chilly dawn was a rare delicacy for the queen.
However, Edgar began to entice her with the prospect of mass-producing such high-quality food for the commoners.
“What do you think? If the commoners could taste this food…”
“…”
“A queen who generously provides meat and noodles in a time of food crisis. The people’s sentiment will soar. You’ll elevate to the unprecedented title of Ramen Queen.”
…Ramen Queen!
It sounded a bit odd, but it was indeed an enticing proposal.
If caring for the people is a king’s duty, ensuring they are fed is certainly a top priority.
They already possessed an overflowing military power with their strong allies in the Empire.
‘I will walk a different path. I’ll place my trust in Count Fix.’
As numerous nations enforced isolationist policies and bolstered their military strength, the Clendor queen decided to purchase the fishing boats and ramen factory from Edgar Fix.