"Hey Little Boss. Glad to see you safe and sound."
After being appointed as a platoon leader,
I headed to an examination room at a hospital in the city per Major Renvel's instructions.
This was a hospital where health check-ups were being conducted for soldiers undergoing conscription exams.
"Oh, it's been a while, Cale."
"Yea. Good to see you."
A conscription examination is a physical and mental examination to determine whether an individual is fit for military service.
Even those who pass the conscription examination will be examined by the medical department as a final check before enlisting.
Before joining the military, I also underwent a full medical examination to check for any infectious diseases or chronic illnesses.
However, due to manpower constraints, this time only a general health check at the local hospital will be performed, which will be treated as a pre-enlistment examination.
"It's been since Marshdale, hasn't it?"
"I'm sorry for running ahead at that time."
"No, as a civilian, it was perfectly understandable for you to do so, Cale."
That said, there is a high risk of infectious diseases when it comes to the medical department.
Since we work in hospitals and have more opportunities to be exposed to sources of infection, we must be tested more thoroughly than the average person.
As a way of introducing myself, I will be conducting the pre-enlistment examinations for the members of the platoon.
"That was really frustrating…"
The first person to enter the examination room was a familiar looking young doctor.
"I've regretted abandoning you and running away back then. As an adult, I felt so pathetic."
"That is…"
"I won't leave you alone and run away anymore. If there's anything I can help with, just say the word."
"Thank you very much. Hearing that is very reassuring."
His name is Cale, and he is a kind-hearted, young, and excellent doctor.
He and I were good friends at the frontline medical clinic in Marshdale. We both took elixirs and worked around the clock for nearly a week.
"So, you were assigned to the vanguard."
"Yes. Apparently, only enthusiastic young volunteers like me get to join the vanguard."
Cale said that, and then he added with a cheerful laugh, "Besides, the older doctors can't handle forced marches, right?"
At Marshdale too, he worked all night long without collapsing.
Apparently he's someone who often plays football. His physical fitness scores are very good compared to the other conscripted infantry soldiers.
With Cale's vitality, he could certainly serve as a medic right away.
"And because of my achievements at Marshdale, I'll be assigned as a First Class Medic."
"That's encouraging. I still have a lot to learn, so I hope to consult with you often."
"Of course, anytime you need."
I've barely worked as a medic for even a year. In terms of medical expertise, I'm still no match for Cale.
Putting aside my ability in treating injuries, Cale is far superior in terms of general medical knowledge.
Having a reliable ally to consult in critical situations is a huge relief.
"There doesn't seem to be any health issues. Okay, this will conclude your pre-enlistment medical examination."
"Thanks a lot."
If things go well, I might be able to become a figurehead leader just like in Marshdale. Leading a platoon is still a bit much for me.
If there are other medics of Cale's caliber gathered together, then I'm probably the lowest ranking medic in terms of abilities.
Outside of military duties and responsibilities, I'll likely be the one learning from them.
Thinking about it that way made me feel a little better.
…Though, perhaps I was being a bit optimistic thinking like that.
***
"Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Lakya."
"Likewise."
"From now on, I will do my best under Platoon Leader Touri. I look forward to working with you."
The second medic to enter the examination room was a girl around my age wearing a school uniform.
She had smooth dark hair and slightly sleepy eyes.
"Um, did you study medicine somewhere, Lakya?"
"No, not at all. It seems I have an aptitude for healing magic, and since I would be conscripted anyway, they suggested I volunteer."
"…"
Ah, that sounds familiar.
When I spoke to Lakya in more detail, she told me that she had been deceived by the person in charge of her conscription examination; who told her that she would get paid and that it would be safe in the rear. She immediately agreed to volunteer for the vanguard.
I think it's time for the military to stop deceiving honest people like this…
"I can't do much yet, but I volunteered, hoping to be of some use. I'm confident in my physical strength since I've always looked after my younger siblings."
"I'm glad to hear that. I appreciate your enthusiasm."
Apparently, Lakya is a complete amateur.
I guess it was a bit of a sweet dream to have everyone be medics of Cale's caliber. She won't be much of a fighting force for a while.
I wonder how long it will take before Lakya is capable enough to be relied on in the field.
At least for me, I was able to learn a lot by relying on the senior medics for about a month.
If she's more talented than I am, she might be entrusted with responsibilities a bit sooner.
Well, let's not have too high expectations.
"Alright, you're in good health. I'm counting on you from now on, Lakya."
"Yes, thank you!"
Everyone starts out as a novice.
I need to guide her in my own way so that she can grow properly.
Let's discuss this with Cale and come up with a plan for how to train her.
***
With that in mind, I called in the third person for an examination.
"Hello, little guest."
The last person to enter the examination room was a middle-aged, muscular man.
I recognized his well-defined, rugged face.
"Oh, it's you."
"We meet again."
There are a total of four medics assigned to the Touri Medical Platoon.
One of them is me, another is Cale, then there's Lakya, whom I just met, and…
"Ah, um, nice to meet you. You're the one who played Hero Igel…"
"It's Arunoma."
Standing before me was the handsome man in his thirties, Arunoma.
"I'm surprised. I didn't know you could use healing magic."
"Ah, sorry. I was just told that I had the aptitude for it, and that I'd learn more about it after joining the military."
"…"
Arunoma is the star actor of a theater troupe currently performing in Winn.
Because he is not from Austin, he's not required to serve in the military. For some reason, he felt a strong desire to join the medical department.
"I was told I had a natural aptitude for healing magic… But my dream was to become an actor, so I never studied to be a healer."
"Then why did you volunteer?"
"In the invasion, my friends and… the village where the children I promised to return to for a performance were burned to the ground by the Sabbatian Army."
He clenched his fist tightly, grinding his teeth in frustration.
"There was a lovely child with a beautiful smile. She had an endearing gap from a missing tooth, and her smile bloomed like a flower."
"…"
"She was so moved that she cried during my performance and told me she wanted to see me perform again. I promised her I'd show another great performance. Before leaving this country, I intended to visit that village and fulfill my promise."
Arunoma continued his story with an intense expression on his face.
"There wasn't a single survivor in that village."
I could feel the deep regret in his words.
"That said, I'm not from Austin. I was a traveling performer from the eastern country of Flamel. There wasn't a reason for me to risk my life just because I hate the Sabbath."
"Well then, why?"
"Yesterday… I changed my mind after hearing your story."
Arunoma flashed a smile on his rugged face.
"What's the meaning of refusing Austin's surrender? Do they enjoy spilling blood that much? But truthfully, I'm not eager to risk my life fighting for a country that isn't even my homeland…"
"…"
"But! If all I need to do is use healing magic to help people, and if it means extending a hand to my friends in the neighboring country who are suffering, then I wanted to help where I can!"
"Th-Thank you very much for that."
"No need to thank me. Injustice always meets its reckoning. We must absolutely repay the Sabbath for their barbarity. By the blood and pride of the Flamer people, I will be the light that heals your wounds!
He proclaimed this with grand gestures and a powerful voice as if he were on stage.
***
"…"
Of the medics assigned to my platoon, two are complete amateurs.
Arunoma and Lakya both should have good stamina, but they'll need to be trained in the basic skills of a medic from scratch.
And I'll need to teach them these skills amidst a forced march as we pursue the Sabbatian forces.
This is a pretty tough responsibility to bear.
"…It's a relief Cale was transferred to the platoon."
Although Cale is inexperienced as a soldier, he is a skilled healer.
For the time being, it's up to the two of us to lead them.
"Maybe we could try a mentorship system, pairing up to teach them."
The mentorship system involves pairing up healers in a teacher-student relationship.
This way, the trainee can learn from the strengths of their mentor, and training is more effective since the teaching method is consistent.
Fortunately, the new recruits include one man and one woman. Since Lakya is a young woman, she might have concerns she'd find difficult to discuss with an older male mentor.
I think the safest option would be for me to pair up with Lakya, and for Cale to guide Arunoma.
That said, compatibility matters in relationships. I need to be able to adjust the combination flexibly.
"Chief Medic Touri, please conduct the examinations for the new nursing aides next."
"Understood."
As I was considering these things, I noticed that the next examinees had started to line up outside.
In addition to healers, a fair number of nurses will also be assigned to my platoon.
The total number of people is just over 10, roughly the same size as the Forward Medical Clinic in Marshdale.
Relationships with the nurses are also directly related to work efficiency, so I need to make sure we can communicate without issue.
"Well then, please come in—"
***
"And so, I have been put in charge of a platoon."
"Wow, look at that, Touri's really moving up in the world."
Later that evening.
After returning to the military academy auditorium we had been staying at, I went to discuss my concerns with Senior Allen and the others.
Naturally, I wanted to ask them for advice on how to lead a platoon.
"What exactly is the role of a platoon leader?"
"It's basically a middle-management position. You take orders from the higher-ups and then relay those orders to the lower-ranking soldiers."
"I see."
Senior Allen is a veteran soldier, making him the perfect person to consult about these matters.
The only platoon leader I knew was that guy, who has a "unique mindset." It's a little difficult to use him as a reference.
"Platoon Leader Garback was violent, but he was an excellent platoon leader. The most important trait for a platoon leader is the ability to keep subordinates from disobeying orders."
"Right, I never once felt like opposing him."
"Yeah, plus he had amazing physical strength and judgment skills on top of that. He wasn't called an 'Ace' for nothing."
I had no doubt about his abilities.
There were times I felt reassured, knowing that things would work out somehow as long as he was around.
Though, truthfully, there were twice as many times when I felt frozen with fear.
"But just imitating Platoon Leader Garback won't get anyone to follow you."
"I figured as much."
"If you actually tried to go all out and hit a subordinate, you'd probably end up hurting your own fist. If they turned around and fought back, you'd probably get beaten up instead."
"I can't deny that."
Using fear to command subordinates can be effective, but… it requires a certain aura that says, "Don't mess with me," as a prerequisite.
In Platoon Leader Garback's case, it was his use of violence… Well, that would be tough for a 15-year-old girl like me.
"Touri, you should aim to be the kind of platoon leader who's well-liked and makes people want to follow your orders."
"Well-liked?"
"Your young appearance and age might be a disadvantage as a commander, but if you lead through likeability, it could work to your advantage. Especially since the medics are probably soft to a bit of emotional appeal."
"…That makes sense."
Essentially, Senior Allen was advising me to rely on empathy rather than fear to command my subordinates.
That approach does feel more suited to me. Disobeying orders on the battlefield is a matter of life and death.
Ensuring my subordinates follow orders without question and keeping full control of their actions during missions is probably the most important skill for a platoon leader.
"Also, keep an eye out for the foreign national in your platoon."
"Are you talking about Arunoma?"
"Some people may suspect him of being a spy just because he's a foreigner. And to be honest, the possibility can't be entirely ruled out."
Senior Allen then lowered his voice and leaned in closer.
"Whether you trust this Arunoma guy is up to you. If you find him trustworthy, stand by him. But if he acts suspicious, gather evidence."
"…"
"The truth is, the military is desperately short of personnel. It wouldn't be surprising if a spy slipped in among us."
That is certainly a plausible scenario.
Listening to Arunoma's story, I felt like he was speaking from the heart, but his real job is as a stage actor. Acting must be a piece of cake for him.
"Thank you, Senior Allen. This was very helpful."
"Good to hear. So, what's your plan?"
With that settled, my course of action is clear.
"I'll organize a meet-and-greet before we depart. I think it'd be a good way to have everyone get to know each other."
Not only would it strengthen our camaraderie, but it'd also give me a chance to learn more about Arunoma's personality.
A dinner party should be the best way to kill two birds with one stone.
"Not a bad idea. My platoon's planning to throw a welcome meal for our new soldiers, too."
"Are you also trying to be the popular type, Senior Allen?"
"Yeah. I'll use my overflowing charm to lead my subordinates."
Senior Allen flashed a grin.
"Let's both do our best as platoon leaders, Touri."
Senior Allen isn't the type who's prone to violence.
I'm sure he'll become a good, well-liked platoon leader.
"No way, Senior Allen. There's no way a villain who tricks rookies and tosses them into a room full of perverts would be popular."
"What are you talking about? I made it up to you afterward by treating you to a cute girl, didn't I, Rodri?"
"The girls you recommend are always kinda air-headed."
"That's what's good about them!"
"Umm, could you save this conversation for when I'm not here?"
And with that, the two former members of Garback Platoon left me out of the conversation and started getting into some tasteless jokes.
Before I knew it, even Rodri had been completely influenced by this vulgar atmosphere.
I'm feeling a little sad.