"Oh man, it's a relief that the people in this hold left us their old clothes!"
After escaping from a desperate situation and killing the enemy soldiers in an explosion, I found myself rummaging through a house for clothes with the male soldier.
"…How did you manage to hide a grenade in that situation?"
"I just borrowed it from the bodies of our allies lying outside. It really saved my skin."
The grenade that this man threw set off a chain reaction with the enemy's grenades, creating a tremendous explosion.
The intensity was so great that it could have burned down the entire room. If the house wasn't made of stone, there would have been a huge fire.
Fortunately, I was crouching in the corner of the room and had instinctively cast a [Shield] spell, so I didn't take the full brunt of the blast.
However, I still sustained some burns from the heat in the room, and part of my hair got singed.
"…What a waste of valuable supplies."
Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming firepower, my military uniform and equipment that I had taken off were now unusable.
The bottles in my backpack were shattered from the shock, and the bandages and gauze were currently ablaze.
"…"
Losing medical supplies means I've just become an ordinary person who can only use healing magic.
And the number of times I can use that healing magic is limited. My spare elixir also spilled, so judging from the magical power I had, I might only be able to use it once more.
"Yup. We look like civilians who were too late to escape. Right, let's get out of here!"
"…"
Since I lost my military uniform to the grenade, I borrowed a girl's dress I found in the dresser of this house.
It was a plain white dress, dusty and somewhat small for my petite frame, but at least I had something to wear.
In any case, I was glad I had clothes to wear. At worst I would've had to retreat completely naked.
"Hey, this handgun seems usable. Here, take it."
"Thank you…"
The man changed into something resembling a farmer's work clothes and handed me a gun after rummaging through the enemy corpses.
He seemed fully equipped, having swiped a rifle from a nearby ally's body.
"…"
I hid the enemy's handgun under my skirt, successfully disguising myself as a civilian girl.
This should increase my chances of survival.
"Oh, right, I should introduce myself. I'm Gomuji. Although I may be a second class private, I'm actually something like an ace."
"…Oh?"
"Partner, do you know the Garback Platoon? That's right, the ace unit on our front lines that makes children cry! And I'm the hidden ace of the Garback Platoon!"
This man who threw away his pride was apparently called Gomuji.
He claims to be part of the Garback Platoon, but I had never seen this man's face before.
…Is he just a compulsive liar?
"What do you mean by hidden ace?"
"I'm the only one in the platoon entrusted with the back of the Garback Platoon Leader. I've only been with the unit for a day, but the Platoon Leader must have known my true capabilities."
"…"
"The Platoon Leader said right from the start that he was entrusting his back to me. In other words, Garback and I are comrades who have each other's backs. Well, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me! The hidden ace of this frontline will answer anything!"
"…"
Ah, I see.
He must have joined the Garback Platoon in Marshdale after I left.
And since he was a private, he was protected by Platoon Leader Garback.
"So, what's your name?"
"I was in charge of the medical headquarters. I am Medic First Class Touri Noel."
"Oh, a medic, huh? No wonder you weren't armed!"
"It's Medic First Class."
"…"
"Please repeat your rank and affiliation, Private Second Class Gomuji."
…This guy has a big mouth, but he's actually a rookie with a lower rank than me.
"Uh, so. How old are you? You look way younger than me…"
"Age isn't important in the military. When speaking to someone of a higher rank, I think you should at the very least use polite language, Private Gomuji."
"…Ah, ahahaha!"
Gomuji evaded my admonition by laughing it off.
Maybe he was a soldier conscripted in Marshdale?
This isn't the attitude you'd expect from someone who fought on the Western Front.
"W-Well, let's put that aside. We're in this together, so we need to escape and regroup with our allies, or we might end up in a terrible situation again!"
"…Right."
"Well, just leave it to me if you feel overwhelmed. A medic like you doesn't know anything about the front lines, right? I'll show you the power of this behind-the-scenes ace on the front lines."
Gomuji says this while crossing his arms confidently.
"You're so lucky, little girl. You have me to protect you!"
....
"No, I'd rather not. Let's split up and act separately."
"Why?!"
I flatly rejected his proposal.
Obviously, an unreliable ally is worse than an enemy.
And needless to say, this man cannot be trusted at all. He would throw people away without hesitation if it meant saving his own skin.
"Why? In such a dangerous place, we have to join forces—"
"Think back to your own actions just now. You're probably planning on using me as a decoy again."
"Euh! Th-That was a misunderstanding! I intended to help you from the start—"
"Besides, if I'm disguising as a civilian, it's more convenient for me to go alone. I would be less likely to be seen as a soldier."
"You're heartless! You only care about saving yourself, don't you!? You're the worst!"
"…"
....
"Well then, I'll excuse myself now."
"Ah, wait! I'm sorry. I went too far, so please don't go, I beg you, don't leave me alone!"
"You're the hidden ace of this battlefront, aren't you? Why don't you try to escape on your own? I'm sure you can do that, Garback Platoon's hidden ace."
"I-I'm not feeling my best today…"
Perhaps realizing I was serious about separating with him, Gomuji then came crying at my feet.
I glared at him suspiciously.
As if peering into the depths of his heart.
────How could I let go of such a good bait?
────She's a medic, a healing resource.
────If I can keep this kid with me, my chances of survival will dramatically increase.
"I'm sorry, but I don't trust you. I refuse."
"Come on, just think about it. We're practically bonded after seeing each other in our birthday suits… naked! Right, partner?"
"Please don't ever use that expression again. It makes my skin crawl."
All that was visible in the man's eyes was his selfish desire.
He continued to beg me to follow him.
There's no pride to be seen in his appearance.
…But I can't see any benefit to being with a man like this.
"If you bring me along, I'll do whatever you say when we survive. Come on, just you name it. Money, sweets, anything you want!"
"…"
A teammate who doesn't listen to anything I say.
A companion who does whatever he wants without regard for others.
Running into battle with such a teammate, where life and death are on the line—
....
…I felt like I've experienced this somewhere before.
"Then I'll take command."
"Huh?"
Gomuji was so persistent that I gave in and decided to allow him to follow me.
If I let him cling to me like this, my own escape would be delayed.
It'll be a huge pain, but I'll let him come with me.
"Wait, you're taking command?"
"Yes, Private Gomuji. You have no right to refuse any orders from me, your superior."
"...No way, a medic can't possibly command on the front lines. You're always hiding in the rear."
"I'm a medic with experience on the front lines. I've been a member of the Garback Platoon for about half a year now. I'm also your senior in the platoon."
"Seriously?"
Well, that's if this guy really is a member of Garback Platoon.
"Gomuji, I do not trust you. Therefore, following your command is out of the question."
"Ugh…"
"Please choose. Either act separately or follow my commands."
"…Yes, yes, I get it, I get it. I'll obey. Is that okay?"
"Alright. I will reluctantly take responsibility for your life."
Gomuji reluctantly agreed, but he didn't seem convinced.
If push comes to shove, he's probably planning to abandon me to use as a decoy.
Well, that's fine. I'll just have such expectations from the start.
"Well, first I'll explain the rules you must absolutely follow."
"Aye, aye."
"First. Move while staying hidden so as not to be detected by the enemy."
"Well, that's obvious."
I set up some rules to ensure that I can recover even if he holds me back.
Hide from the enemy. This goes without saying, but it's better to not engage with them.
"Second, If I tell you to retreat, you must absolutely retreat. If you disobey, I'll abandon you."
"Yes…."
And since I said I would take command, his life is under my responsibility.
As long as he follows my command, I must act to help him to the fullest extent.
"Lastly…"
Yes, I have to protect him.
No matter how annoying he is, we're still allies.
And while skillfully managing this outrageous teammate, sometimes cursing him and sometimes egging him on, I must draw out the best performance and lead us to victory─
"This is the most important rule."
"O-Oh."
────But… Is this really a technique I should be using?
***
"Ah, are you the one on voice chat? Nice to meet you!"
"Yes, nice to meet you."
I heard someone's voice from somewhere.
It was a nostalgic, cheerful voice from the distant past.
"What?! Is this really you, ●●? Is this ID for real?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Whoa! Amazing! I'm grateful to be on the same team. It's an honor to team up with a world champion!"
"Well, let's have fun without putting too much pressure on ourselves."
I recognize this.
It's just casual in-game banter.
A video game in a peaceful world where I've hardly seen the death of anyone, let alone dealing with life-and-death situations.
"I'll follow ●●'s instructions! I want to learn from you!"
"Haha, if you say that, then let me ask you for a few things."
In that world, I once…
"Okay, just three things, if that's alright."
"That's an easy request to see the god-tier gameplay up close!"
────I was called a god.
"First, avoid unnecessary combat. It may seem lame, but I'll do whatever it takes to win.』
"Got it."
I had extraordinary talent in that game.
A wide field of vision that allowed me not to miss the enemy flickering at the edge of my sight.
Quick to act once I noticed something, with aim that were precise and impeccable.
And,
"Second, when I say to retreat, please obey. Even if the situation looks winnable."
"Sure."
I was able to sense the imminent danger better than anyone else, quickly picking up on any dangerous situations.
A feeling that the enemy was getting closer, sensing that I was being targeted—this ability to detect "threats" was my greatest strength.
That's how I excelled in battle royale style first-person shooters.
"And finally…"
"Yes, what is it?"
The golden rule in FPS games is not to fight while outnumbered.
It's a pipe dream to think that you'll be the only one to survive and wipe out all the other players.
The targets are dispersed and the damage efficiency is so different that you'll likely lose as soon as it comes to a 2-on-1 firefight.
That's why, no matter how incompetent a teammate might be, I had to praise and flatter them to ensure they wouldn't be lost.
"You—"
"—Don't do anything unnecessary and only think of how to survive."
Playing an FPS is a completely different experience from real war.
It's incredibly stupid to try to use experiences from games in real life warfare.
However, I have no experience in leading others in this world.
The only strategy I have to rely on now is found in that carefree game.
"Huh?"
"Do you understand Gomuji?"
Let's remember. What was I thinking while playing that game?
Search and detection, stealth, movement plans, managing sightlines, resupplying ammunition, equipment upgrades─
I need to bring any usable information from that carefree game into reality.
────An indescribable chill that I once felt often.
I have a feeling that enemy forces will soon come to scout this house.
Obviously they'd come to check out the situation after such a big explosion.
I need to remember the scenery before I ducked into this house. Which window should I escape from to sneak through the back streets without being spotted?
If the enemy comes in, from where will they do so? Maybe from the same window we used to enter?
"We'll escape through the window near the kitchen on the opposite side of this room. Then, we'll go into the alley and scout for the enemy."
"H-Huh? Are you sure that's the right path?"
"We'll probably be caught and killed this time if we take any other route."
The handgun strapped to my thigh rubs coldly against my skin.
This is more of a good luck charm. I've never shot a gun before, so I don't think I can suddenly aim it well in a real battle.
My main goal right now is to retreat safely to my allies' defensive line without engaging in combat.
If we were to engage in a battle even once, it would be synonymous with defeat. There would be no way we could win.
"…"
"H-Hey, Medic First Class Touri?"
There's no map, no item drops or revives. We're on a real battlefield with corpses scattered everywhere.
For the first time in my life, I will be fighting alongside someone and relying solely on my own judgment.
I am a coward.
In such a desperate situation, trying to escape while being surrounded by so many enemies with murderous intent makes me feel like I'm losing my mind from fear.
But there's no choice but to do this.
I will survive. I can't afford to treat my own life carelessly.
"…What are you spacing out for? Hurry up and take action."
"No, it's just…."
Yet, for some reason…
I was standing in this dire situation, overwhelmed with fear to the point of losing my mind.
At this moment, it was unlike anything I'd experienced before in my life.
"Why are you laughing, you…"
…I was filled with an unexpected sense of euphoria.