Evening of the Defense of Marshdale, Day 2:
"The explosions have stopped…"
"Looks like it's over for today."
Once again today, the enemy Sabbatian forces have failed to break through Marshdale's fortifications and have withdrawn.
The defensive line, led by Major Renvel, managed to repel the enemy for a second day with far fewer troops than the enemy.
"What is the estimated damage?"
"The medical department alone has treated over 100 people."
However, unlike the first day, today brought heavy casualties for the Austin soldiers as well.
Long-range magical bombardment is devastating for defending forces, even those bunkered down in trenches or forts.
No matter how strong the defensive magic, being buried alive under collapsed fortifications offers little hope of survival.
"If this keeps up, the fort might fall tomorrow…"
The biggest issue is that some sections of the fortifications were damaged by today's assault.
Trenches are being dug in haste at the front line to cover the breaches, but it's unclear if they'll be ready in time for tomorrow.
In the first place, it's unclear whether the enemy will wait until tomorrow. There's a possibility that they'll launch a night attack without delay.
"Why'd they even pull back today?"
"For the Sabbath, there's probably no need to finish the attack today. They must already know that our forces are worn thin."
"They're playing the slow game?"
"Yes. This has been a battle we never had a chance of winning. All we're really here for is to buy time for the evacuees and the transport of supplies."
The Sabbath have no time limit when it comes to conquering Marshdale.
In fact, taking plenty of time will give them an advantage as supplies will arrive from their rear.
They've pretty much already won the war. Their goal now is to occupy a weakened Austin, taking as little damage as possible.
That's why they retreated today with ease.
"I never imagined the day would come when Marshdale would fall."
"I feel the same way."
"What do you think would happen if we aren't able to escape in time and get captured by the enemy?"
"We'll probably tortured to death."
The Sabbatian soldier's hatred runs deep.
They hate us just as fiercely as we hate them.
That's why it's not hard to imagine that if we were caught, we would be subjected to inhumane viciousness in the name of retribution.
"This person is also at the end of their life… Please carry them outside."
The smell of rotting flesh filled the air at the frontline clinic.
Our clothes are completely stained with blood.
But there is no time to change or rest: there are too few healers compared to the number of injured.
"Doctor, my finger got blown off…"
"That's unfortunate. They're crushed beyond repair. I'll just have to stop the bleeding."
"My back's been burned… It hurts so much…"
"It'll be okay. You won't die from this. Nurse, please apply some ointment for him."
As expected, the field hospital is like a scene of hell.
It's only the second day after pulling an all-nighter, so I have plenty of energy, but I'm worried about the young doctor Cale.
Since he's been working without any breaks, he's showing signs of sleep deprivation.
His eyes are becoming hollow as he remains conscious.
"Doctor, the next patient is here."
"Oh, bring them in quickly."
At this rate, I predict he'll collapse from exhaustion by tomorrow like a puppet with its strings cut.
When that happens, I'll just have to manage things on my own.
"Hmm, I need to use healing magic. Where's the elixer…?"
"Weren't you just drinking some earlier?"
"I'm still young, my organs are still healthy!"
Before I knew it, Cale looked intoxicated.
That dazed expression brings back memories.
It's pretty common to feel the effects strongly the first time you take the elixir.
A fellow medic once told me he stayed up for a whole week after his first dose.
"Ahahahaha, I feel great! Fantastic!"
"Touri, is this medicine really safe?"
"Well, it's been fine for me so far."
These stimulants contain everything from steroids to alcohol to who knows what else, so by modern standards, they'd definitely be illegal.
But in a place where you're constantly pushing past your limits, they're practically indispensable.
If there was something I had to complain about, it would be that I haven't grown any taller since I started taking this stuff.
"It keeps our spirits up. Otherwise, fear would overwhelm us."
"…"
We'll probably be up all night. In fact, there's a good chance we won't be able to sleep until the end of the battle.
In that case, it would be better if they got a little intoxicated and worked to their limits.
***
"Ah, Corporal Verdi…"
"Ughh… cough, cough."
"…Please transport this person to the medical headquarters in the city right away."
That day Corporal Verdi was brought in with very serious injuries, which made me panic a bit.
It looked like he could be saved if they tried hard at the medical headquarters in the city, so they rushed him there.
I wonder if Rodri and Senior Allen made it through safely.
As for Platoon Leader Garback… he's the type to walk off a fatal wound with a straight face, so he's probably fine.
"…It's a pulmonary embolism. Hurry and get him there!"
Corporal Verdi apparently survived thanks to the desperate medical treatment provided by Mr. Kuma at headquarters.
However, it seems he will not be able to return to the field for another week, effectively retiring.
And honestly, I doubt Marshdale can hold for that long.
***
Later at night.
"I've come to help."
"Lieutenant Aria."
While Cale and I, feeling pretty good, were continuing the treatment with a strange sense of euphoria, a new helper showed up.
It was none other than Lieutenant Aria.
"I've always wanted to be a medic. Leave the first aid to me."
"Oh, is that so?"
"If I didn't have an aptitude for artillery magic, I would be in the medical department right now."
Lieutenant Aria had originally hoped to serve as a medic in the rear.
However, when her aptitude was tested at the military academy, it turned out she was extraordinarily suited for artillery magic.
As a result, she decided to pursue the path of a mage and gave up her dream of becoming a nurse. Artillery mages are as rare as medics. There is no room for them to be idle.
"By the way, how is Verdi doing?"
"He was pretty bad off, but I think he'll be alright since he was brought in early."
Lieutenant Aria came to ask about Corporal Verdi's condition.
She was probably worried because he was her cousin.
"…I'm glad to hear that. Also, did a mage named Dalat get brought in here during the day?"
"A mage? … I'm sorry, I neglected to check the branch of the military a patient is in when they're brought in."
"No, it's fine. I was just curious about his condition."
While helping out, Lieutenant Aria continued to ask me questions.
Maybe she was concerned for a friend and used work as an excuse to come visit.
"Is Dalat one of Lieutenant Aria's subordinates?"
"Yeah, he's a member of my mage company. …I delayed my decision to retreat, and he ended up caught in enemy bombardment."
"Well, Lieutenant, this is just a medical clinic. The beds for patients are set up inside the city hall, and those with severe injuries are transported there. If you're worried, why don't you go to the beds?"
"…No. I was just a bit curious. That's not the main reason I came."
The Lieutenant somberly shook her head and started to help treat the wounded.
It seems she came to visit and help with the treatment.
In any case, having an extra medic around was a huge help. If Lieutenant Aria was willing to assist, I was more than happy to accept her help.
"…Doctor, someone collapsed in line waiting for treatment."
"What's the triage status?"
"Red."
"Handle their end-of-life care."
While the treatment was ongoing, it seemed that another comrade had fallen.
Triage refers to the tags placed on patients according to the severity of their condition.
A red tag indicates "critical condition requiring immediate intensive treatment to avoid death."
In other words, these are people whose lives may or may not be saved even with the best treatment possible.
"Was the patient with a red triage tag left waiting in line?"
"…Yes. Red-tagged patients still have to wait in line."
In a normal hospital, the red triage tag indicates people who need urgent care.
However, these are patients for whom it is not cost-effective to help on the battlefield.
Therefore, I decided to abandon patients who were in the red triage category rather than transporting them into the city at my own discretion.
"…What about those who died in the line of duty?"
"They're lined up along the city wall."
The best way to dispose of a body would be to dig a hole beforehand and place the body in it so that it would be easier to burn and bury, but we didn't have the time to do that.
Many fallen comrades are left haphazardly lying on the ground.
I imagined that after Marshdale is occupied by Sabbatian soldiers, they will be left exposed to the elements without any memorial service.
If possible, I wanted to bury them ourselves, as fellow comrades, but we had no time for that.
"I understand…"
Lieutenant Aria remained silent as she carried the fallen soldier's body away.
I was the one who had decided to attach a red triage tag to that body and leave him behind.
…Today alone, I have abandoned over 100 such people and sent them to their deaths.
I don't think I'll be able to go to heaven when I die.
***
"…Lieutenant?"
"Ah, no way…"
When she returned from the corpse pile, Lieutenant Aria's voice was shaky.
She looked somewhat haggard.
"That is, could it be…"
"Yeah. He was there…"
Seeing her state, I realized what had happened.
I understood what had become of the subordinate she was worried about.
" I didn't expect him to not make it, but seeing it with my own eyes…"
"…Lieutenant Aria, is this your first time losing a subordinate?"
"No, no. I've been on the battlefield much longer than you. Losing subordinates is something I've experienced over and over."
It turned out the Lieutenant's subordinate also had a red triage tag attached.
I was the one who decided to abandon him because of the severity of his condition.
"Just…"
Lieutenant Aria wanted to become a medic.
Of course, she understood the meaning of a red triage tag.
And she's aware of who was responsible for triaging at this frontline clinic.
"This is the first time I've lost a lover."
Apparently, Lieutenant Aria's lover was the one I had decided to abandon.
***
"I have a rough personality. Not many men approach me."
"You don't seem that way to me."
"I usually act more imposing, you know? Once you hold the title of Lieutenant, you have to maintain a certain level of authority. The ability to command your subordinates directly impacts the survival rate of the unit."
With a weak smile, the Lieutenant sat down next to me.
She then helped me wrap bandages around a patient groaning in front of us.
"The ones in charge are supposed to be feared. Especially since many of my subordinates dislike me, thinking that I am just riding on my father's coattails."
"…"
"But Dalat was like a puppy. No matter how much I yelled at him, he just kept following me around."
"…"
"I didn't pay him much attention at first, but he was so persistent that I ended up getting attached to him. Before I knew it, we had formed that kind of relationship."
Lieutenant Aria showed no signs of resentment towards me.
She simply spoke of her memories with her lover in a self-deprecating tone.
"I knew what kind of place the battlefield is. It's not a place where you should fall in love.
"Maybe…"
"Yeah, it was careless. …In trying to support the front-line soldiers, my unit ended up caught within the enemy's artillery range."
"…"
"As a result, Dalat was hit directly by the enemy's artillery magic while casting. Even I knew he wouldn't survive."
Come to think of it, I remembered.
Someone had sustained burns all over his body from the tremendous firepower, and the doctors who were unable to do anything to save him just watched over him until he died.
"That is… I might have been the one to see Dalat off. He was already in a state where saving him was difficult, so…"
"Oh, don't worry. It was my error of judgment that caused us to get hit by artillery. You don't need to feel guilty about anything."
"…"
I quietly administered sleeping medicine to him so he wouldn't make a fuss.
I didn't even bother to listen to his last words.
"Thank you for seeing him off."
After that, Lieutenant Aria didn't speak a single word.
From then on, she continued to help us with medical duties until late into the night.
"Umm, Lieutenant…"
"What is it?"
Was that her form of atonement?
Or maybe she was helping out absentmindedly because she didn't want to think about anything?
"It's almost midnight. You should rest up for tomorrow's battle."
"…I see. Is it that late already?"
In the end, Lieutenant Aria kept working alongside us until late at night.