Chapter 107

                                    

                                          
"Would you like to try this armor this time?" 
Raymond pulled out the armor that had caused the soldiers to develop contact dermatitis. 
Christine's face hardened as she realized what was happening. 
Surprisingly, the result was different this time: the same force was used, but the armor was partially cut! 
"Is this... Are you sure?"
"I believe so."
Raymond stiffened. 
"Someone must have played a trick on our supplies from the rear."
***
'Someone mixed in a metal other than the right steel, and that metal happened to cause contact dermatitis!'
In other words, it was munitions fraud, and it was a big one! 
Raymond immediately reported the matter to the man in charge of the rear, Mr. Galman. 
'If I take it up the chain of command, it's likely to be covered up. I don't know who's involved.'
-Really?! I see. If what you're saying is true, this is unforgivable. 
After receiving the report through his communications crystal, Galman nodded with a stern expression. 
The wheels of investigation were set in motion, and soon enough, the truth behind the incident began to unravel.
It was revealed that the culprit behind the supply tampering was none other than Count Crimea, who was entrusted with overseeing the supplies in the capital. 
The count had played a deceitful prank on the supplies, leading to dire consequences.
"Oh, no! It's a misunderstanding!" 
"A misunderstanding?" 
Galman held up the evidence coldly. 
"I had experts and forges analyze the composition. It's a mixture of inferior metals, some of which lack the necessary strength."
Count Crimea had mixed these inferior metals into the production of weaponry, weaving, and armor. 
To exacerbate matters, these substandard materials contained traces of nickel, leading to contact dermatitis in individuals with a sensitivity to the metal.
That's what Raymond discovered. 
'H-how did it get caught? I thought it'd never be found out?'
Fate had dealt an unlucky hand to Count Crimea. 
While the use of inferior metals caused a marginal loss in strength, it would have gone unnoticed unless someone harbored suspicions and made careful comparisons. 
Moreover, correlating the occurrence of contact dermatitis proved challenging, given that the armor was individually crafted and only a fraction of the soldiers who wore it were hypersensitive to nickel.
'It would have been dismissed as an unexplained plague or skin disease.' 
In other words, if it weren't for Raymond, it would have gone unnoticed. 
'Raymond has once again surpassed expectations, even amidst the chaos of the battlefield.'
Galman received hourly reports on the battlefield. 
To his astonishment, he learned that Raymond, the healer, had not only boosted the soldiers' morale but also led them to a recent triumph. 
Now, Raymond had uncovered a discrepancy in the military payroll.