After retaking Fort Muson, we continued west.
It was like retracing the exact route we took when retreating from Marshdale.
"If we carry on like this, it looks like we'll end up entering Marshdale."
"…I wonder if we could spend at least a night in the city."
Being part of the medical platoon, we weren't informed of the operation's objective, but it's likely that the next target will be the recapture of Marshdale.
Recapturing Marshdale would be of great strategic and spiritual significance.
This army includes many refugees from Marshdale who lost their homes.
Recapturing their homeland would be a huge morale boost.
"What should we do if the enemy is holed up in Marshdale?"
"Are we really heading into a full-scale war?"
"No. In that case, we won't push ourselves too hard, but will wait until we join forces with the Southern Army before we capture them."
The platoon members' faces looked tense, as if war was about to begin.
However, it would be impossible to defeat the Sabbatian forces holed up in Marshdale and plan our assault."
In that case, I think it's best not to overdo it and wait until we can meet up with our allies.
"Well, the enemy has probably already abandoned Marshdale."
"Oh? Really?"
However, I believe the Sabbath has already withdrawn.
Marshdale is located near the center of Austin. If they want to maintain occupation, they would have to maintain a long supply line from the Sabbath.
With their supply lines threatened by allied forces in the South, the Sabbath will likely not try to hold out.
"Then maybe I can check on my family home in Marshdale."
"I think that would be tough."
"Yeah, I thought so."
However, we do not have the military strength to maintain our hold on Marshdale even if we reoccupy it.
We'll probably just make sure there are no enemies around and then pass right by.
If the soldiers are allowed to act freely during that time, not only will there be rampant looting, but the magical traps remaining throughout the town would cause severe damage.
"Well, I guess I'll be happy just to be able to see the streets of my hometown again."
"That's true. If we have time, I'd like to go and check on Noel as well."
"If it turns out to be on our way, we might be able to have a look around. We're in the middle of a forced march, so it's probably not possible to stop by."
Similarly, if I want to go see the town of Noel, my request is unlikely to be granted.
After all, taking a route through Noel would mean a detour from the Western Front.
I'll have to leave it to the main force following behind to ensure Noel's safety.
With that thought, I sighed along with Cale.
***
…Looking back, I was still naive about the realities of war.
Perhaps I hadn't yet fully grasped the depths of human malice.
FPS games are just games.
In a game, corpses disappear if left alone, and even if someone is critically injured, a single button press can revive them as long as a teammate is around.
On the trenches of the Western Front, both sides took care to bury the dead respectfully.
This was to prevent the spread of disease and, at the same time, expressed a hope that "if I die, I hope to be treated the same way."
Because of this, there were rarely any people who would desecrate the dead.
However, it's a completely different story when it comes to invading villages.
As the invaders advance deeper and deeper, they don't have time to stop and bury the dead.
Also, since they're winning, they feel a sense of security that however they treat the bodies of the enemy, it wouldn't come back to haunt them.
The invading soldiers had no way of imagining the kind of friction such actions would cause after the war.
To witness the aftermath of a place invaded by war is to confront unimaginable cruelty.
And to see just how deep the malice of Sabbath's foot soldiers ran.
We would witness it firsthand from here on out.
***
There were several villages scattered between Fort Muson and Marshdale.
These villages served as resting spots for merchants traveling between the capital and Marshdale.
The villagers lived quietly, earning a self-sufficient living through farming and livestock, and also earning a small income from travelers.
My hometown, Noel, is one such small village. A peaceful village with an orphanage and a church.
"…"
"Hey…"
Most of the villagers did not evacuate to the capital.
This is because poor villagers, who had been living from day to day on farmland and pastures rented from landowners, had no way to survive even if they fled to the capital.
For these farmers, their fields were their very life.
So many of them stayed in their villages and continued to live, praying that their villages would not be burned down.
Many of them stayed in their villages, hoping that their homes would not be burned down, continuing their lives in the hope that the Austin Army would stop the Sabbath's invasion.
"What is this…"
Two days after leaving Fort Muson, we came across a small village on our path.
"…"
"What's the matter, Lakya?"
"I've been to this village before…"
When marching along country roads, you'll usually come across villages.
This is because roads are laid out to connect villages.
"It was a lively village famous for its sweet potato dumplings."
"…"
"I came here with my family for the harvest festival. My mother's friend lived in this village, and we stayed with them."
We continued our march, crossing a village that was now completely abandoned.
A sticky, pungent wind carried the scent of rotting flesh and feces.
Swarming, winged insects gathered everywhere, buzzing noisily and blocking our view.
The deafening cries of beasts and wild birds echoed in every direction.
"This was a peaceful village where many kind people lived…!!"
At the entrance to the village, we saw the half-exposed face of a child, their bones already visible.
The body had been torn apart, likely devoured by beasts.
And as a twisted joke, two branches had been stabbed into the child's eyes.
"It's over there. There were a lot of food stalls set up in the square there."
"…Please calm down, Lakya."
"But what's there now? What's all that stuff piled up in that square?"
"Don't look at it directly… Calm down and take a slow, deep breath."
"Why are there no voices coming from this village?!"
The massacres perpetrated by the Sabbatian soldiers were horrific.
There were signs everywhere of torture and abuse—women and children alike, all brutally killed and toyed with.
Lakya couldn't bear such a cruel sight.
"What happened to the people who lived here?!"
Tears began to flow from her eyes, and she soon crouched down, choking on her sobs.
"Hiii! That corpse is moving!"
"No, those are maggots… crawling under the skin."
A woman, stripped naked and with her eyes gouged out, lay in a rice field.
Parts of her skin were eerily twitching, revealing both flesh and maggots.
"What is this?! Is it a human or a monster!!"
"…It's a drowned body. When a body absorbs water, the corpse turns blue and swells up."
The bloated corpse floating in the water was swollen from trapped gases.
As the wild birds pecked at the body, a hiss sounded, and a stench like rotten sewage burst out.
"Ah…"
The Sabbatian soldiers had no intention of sparing the villagers.
What appeared to be the bodies of villagers were scattered all over the village.
"It's because we lost."
The scent of iron mixed with the smell of feces and rotting flesh. Many of the infantrymen walked with their mouths covered, unable to bear the suffocating stench.
The bodies of farmers shot dead lay by the side of the road, with birds swarming around them.
In the sewers, someone's flesh and blood were smeared along the walls, attracting more insects.
"…Ah."
Among them, what caught my eye was…
In the central square where Lakya had pointed out earlier, several naked bodies were hanging from a large tree.
Nearby were bags of candy with Sabbatian written on them that had been carelessly discarded.
The bodies had darts stuck in them, and around them were scattered bottles of alcohol and torn sheets.
It was likely the aftermath of a party.
"How can the Sabbatian soldiers do something like this…?"
Humans can sometimes be endlessly cruel.
Perhaps it was because they had suffered so much from their hated enemy that the soldiers lost control and thought it was okay to commit atrocities to any extent.
"…"
Arunoma looked at the bodies without uttering a single word.
It was as if intense emotions were swirling in his eyes, boiling beneath the surface.
Cale tried to maintain his composure, but his face was pale, and it looked as though he might collapse at any moment.
Some of the nurses, who should be used to seeing dead bodies, even vomited.
"…Let's move. We'll be left behind if we stay here too long."
What happened in this village?
Because we retreated, what kind of suffering did the villagers endure?
I was devastated to see this so clearly.
"…"
I had never seen such a sight even on the Western Front.
There, the bodies of the bravely fallen soldiers, regardless of whether they were enemy or ally, were given a minimum of respect and given a proper burial.
The atrocities committed by the Sabbatian soldiers, who had even lost the most basic human decency.
───What they created was truly a hell on earth.
***
"…"
My platoon was almost silent from that point onward.
No, it wasn't just our unit—there was not a single word of chatter from any of the other units we were marching with either.
The expression "lost for words" would be the most accurate description.
Even though I am used to seeing dead bodies as a medic, that was a shocking sight.
For someone like Lakya, who was just a regular civilian until just a week ago, this must have been unbearable to see.
"…"
I don't want to walk.
I don't want to continue any further.
Such feelings began to well up inside me.
Once we pass through Marshdale, the village of Noel is just beyond.
Will I be able to remain calm if I saw the bodies of the director, who was like a parent to me, and all my siblings at the orphanage being treated so cruelly?
No, that's impossible. There's no way I would be able to keep my cool.
I'm sure I would lose my mind and scream and cry uncontrollably.
"…"
I don't want to see it. I don't want to go through there.
Soon, I began to pray that I wouldn't have to pass through Noel.
I desperately told myself that it would be okay because we probably wouldn't go through there.
I didn't have the courage to face reality right now.
***
"There's a village here too."
We had to cross several villages on our way to Marshdale.
Every village looked more or less the same.
"Ah, the corpses are beginning to rot."
"That's what happens as time goes by."
Lakya and some of the younger members were having a hard time.
At night, they would be plagued by nightmares and wake up drenched in sweat.
The sleep-deprived medics were being further deprived of rest, and some even collapsed from exhaustion during the day.
"Little Boss, don't push yourself too hard."
"No, I'm the platoon leader."
Honestly, I'm also having trouble sleeping and woke up frequently throughout the night.
But thanks to being used to staying up all night, I was still able to function during the day.
I couldn't hide my exhaustion, and I think I worried Cale quite a bit.
"It's Marshdale…"
Three days passed as we walked, trying to look away from the hellish scenes around us.
Finally, we saw again the fortress city surrounded by multiple fortifications.
"We're finally back."
Marshdale, Austin's proud impenetrable fortress city.
Despite the overwhelming difference in military strength, it was still the spiritual pillar of the Austinites, who had abandoned it just recently.
The Renvel Army returned to Marshdale once again.
***
"No sign of the enemy in Marshdale."
"Understood."
As expected, Marshdale was empty.
The advance party completed their reconnaissance in half a day. After confirming that it was safe, we were able to enter Marshdale without incident.
"Little Boss, what do the higher-ups say?"
"Apparently, we'll be staying here for the night."
"Oh, really?"
"They say the waterways in Marshdale are still active, so everyone should wash their dirty military uniforms. However, please use a bucket to secure water and do not pour dirty water into the waterways."
If we advanced any further, supplies from Winn would not be able to keep up. The soldiers needed rest, so we decided to take the day off.
It was definitely a welcome relief. My platoon was at its limit, and I was glad for Lakya and the others to get some rest.
"Is there no way for me to visit my house?"
"Sorry, that's not possible."
"Haha, I figured."
The soldiers set up tents along the main street.
Entering civilian homes was strictly prohibited.
Even if it was their own home, there was no guarantee the enemy hadn't set traps.
"Stay within the main street where the scouts have confirmed safety. There might still be traps elsewhere."
"Is it really that dangerous?"
"In fact, we just received information that one soldier stepped on a trap and suffered severe burns. He will be transported here shortly, so let's prepare for treatment."
"Oh…"
There are still traps set up all over Marshdale.
It looks like our scouts and sappers are working hard to disarm the traps, but it will be difficult to remove all of them.
This is why urban warfare is hated: because there are many remnants left behind even after the battle.
"But securing Marshdale is a big deal. We can use it as a base to establish a supply line."
"Yeah, that's true."
We'll leave the proper disarming of the traps to those behind us. If we can re-secure Marshdale, it will become a good base of operations.
Although some parts were damaged, there were still many buildings that could serve as warehouses.
Even though the damage was considerable, it was still a sufficient stopover point for transportation.
"Looks like a lot of homes have been ransacked. I wonder if my house is okay."
"Those bastards just did as they pleased…"
Although the people of Marshdale are angry that their hometown had been destroyed, the situation in Marshdale is far better than the villages along the way.
All citizens have evacuated at Major Renvel's command, so there are no dead bodies lying around.
Since the people also took their most valuable possessions with them, nothing significant was looted.
Flies are swarming on the bodies of our comrades piled up by the roadside, but it's still better than that hell.
"…"
No.
That's just my perspective.
For those from Marshdale, the sight of their hometown in such a state must have been tearing them apart.
After all, it's their hometown. To me, it would be like if Noel had been ransacked.
"Little Boss, where should we set up the clinic?"
"I'm negotiating with the higher-ups to see if there's a usable house."
I'm sure many of the infantry are feeling deeply pained by the scenes they've witnessed.
That's why we must do everything we can.
"I've just received word. Safety clearance at Marshdale Central Hospital is complete. We'll be staying there starting today."
"Oh, that's good. I've worked there before."
"…If there are supplies left, let's take them."
Having returned to Marshdale, we were able to enjoy a long-awaited rest.
For soldiers with experience on the Western Front, it wasn't much of a break. But for the newcomers, just marching had been an immense physical strain.
Especially considering the emotional toll it had taken, it's essential to take a break in a safe place.
"…Yes?"
"Hmm, what is it, Little Boss?"
"…Understood. I'll be there right away."
However…
Just when my unit was finally about to settle down, I received a message.
It wasn't a request for a medic to take in patients, but a personal request to me as Chief Medic.
"Sorry, I've been called. I'll leave the command to you, Cale. Everyone, please continue setting up the clinic at the Central Hospital."
"Yeah, got it."
As for the person who called me away…
***
"This is Warrant Officer Faris. I have a personal request for you, and I'd like to meet.'"
"Understood."
He is the commander of the unit to which Lakya's friends belong, and is a typical violent soldier.
A shady individual who suggested anti-interrogation training for the medical platoon.
It was none other than Warrant Officer Faris.
Note: This is a light novel exclusive scene that happens right after they arrive at the Marshdale Central Hospital. I'm only including this because it has an insert art. In the light novel, Faris doesn't call Touri here and she just goes straight to the hospital with Cale.
"…Are you an idiot, Rove?"
"Come on, don't say that, Lakya."
By the way, the person who was brought in afterwards was a friend of Lakya's.
"Oh, you're the one from the other day."
"Uh, yeah. Thank you for your help back then."
He's one of the soldiers who had been beaten up when he tried to desert.
From what he said, he had stepped on a trap while trying to pick up a fallen gun.
"My platoon leader kicked me out of the way at the moment of the explosion. Still, I ended up with serious burns."
"You should be grateful to your platoon leader that you managed to avoid a fatal injury. Both legs have first-degree burns on the surface."
The young soldier scratched his head with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
His injuries were lighter than expected, so his life wasn't in danger.
"Alright, Private Rove, would it be alright if I entrust Lakya with the treatment?"
"To Lakya?"
"I'd like Lakya to be able to treat burns on her own soon."
"Yeah, fine by me. If it's for Lakya's sake."
I found an excuse to leave her alone with her friend.
Lakya had been troubled lately. I wanted to give her a chance to talk with her friend.
"You can do this, Lakya."
"Y-Yes, I'll do my best."
"I'll be in the next examination room. Call me if you need help."
With those words, I left the room with the others.
Even if it's only a short time, I hope it helps to soothe her heart.
"…Little Boss, you really know how to be considerate."
"I'm the platoon leader, after all."
Our work is grueling. That's exactly why the peaceful moments spent with comrades are irreplaceable.
"…Hey, Lakya? Wait a minute, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"This is how I was taught to do it."
Meanwhile, I drank tea with Cale and the others in the neighboring examination room.
"Wait, no, stop!"
"Come on, you don't have to be embarrassed. I'm already used to this. Besides, it's not like I'll think anything special seeing it."
"S-Stop—"
We enjoyed our tea party, listening to the screams of the boy and girl from the next room.
By the way, the basics of burn treatment involve removing clothing and cleaning the area.
Lakya is probably cutting away his pants and underwear right now.
We stepped outside to give him some privacy, thinking he might feel embarrassed in front of a large group.
After all, there are many women in the medical department.
"…Whoa, h-huh. So this is what it looks like."
"D-Don't look, Lakya!!"
"I have to look if I'm going to treat you!"