Temperatures always fell faster along the Lampari Kingdom's northern border than elsewhere.
Autumn had only just begun, yet there was already a distinct chill in the morning air. Even Viscount Leslie, who had always prided himself on his robust constitution, had to pull his padded military coat tightly around himself and hunch his shoulders.
Feeling how little warmth the thin padded coat provided, Viscount Leslie could not help frowning.
"Didn't the Military Department say it would improve the Northern Garrison's equipment standards? Winter's almost here. Why haven't the new padded coats been issued yet?"
Walking beside him was Muller, a colleague from the Northern Garrison's logistics office. At this, he gave a bitter smile. "The Military Department says that every year. But you've been with the Northern Garrison for over two years now. Have you ever seen them follow through?"
"That doesn't make sense, does it? Compared with the military magic machinery they sent for the counteroffensive in the Murto Mountain Ranges early this year, how much could a few padded coats cost?" Leslie asked, puzzled.
Muller's bitter smile deepened.
"Look, Leslie, you've worked in logistics these past two years. Surely you know what things are like in the Northern Garrison? That military magic machinery is expensive, but they don't send much at a time. It only comes to a few hundred thousand gold coins in total. But improving all the Northern Garrison's equipment would cost far more. Never mind anything else-we have nearly thirty thousand men right now. Just giving each of them a new padded coat would cost at least fifty thousand gold coins. Add all the other everyday supplies, and do you think the Military Department could afford it?"
"Over fifty thousand gold coins for thirty thousand padded coats? Wouldn't that put the average price at almost