"Hey, the Sabbatian soldiers are retreating again today."
"That's good news."
It's been about a week since Austin and the Sabbatian forces have been facing off, eyeing each other cautiously.
There have been no intense battles during that time, and both armies have continued a quiet standoff.
Although Austin's Army had recruited new soldiers from the capital, our numbers were still limited.
We would never be able to recover if we launched an offensive and were defeated.
On the other hand, while the Sabbatian Army had more soldiers, their supply lines for weapons and ammunition were unstable, preventing them from launching large-scale operations.
They couldn't afford to waste their ammunition in an offensive, as they needed to conserve it in case Austin retaliated.
In the first place, there is no benefit for the Sabbath side in pushing the front line in a place like this.
They probably wanted to retreat, but Austin's forces were deployed in front of them. They expected heavy damage if they turned their backs on us.
As a result, both armies merely shifted their battle lines slightly westward while avoiding any major clashes.
"At this rate, the Southern Army will soon be able to cut off the enemy's supply lines. We just need to hold the enemy here without taking unnecessary actions."
Given this situation, Major Renvel took a cautious approach.
He reinforced our defense in the trenches and calmly waited for the enemy to grow impatient and flee.
The enemy, aware of Major Renvel's strategy, couldn't risk a bold retreat either.
Thus, the standoff had begun to take on the appearance of a prolonged battle.
It was the God in heaven who brought about a major change in this rigid battle front.
"Gah, snow…"
Around the end of autumn.
Whether by divine intervention in favor of the Sabbath forces or because they had anticipated this weather all along, the pure white snow began to fall upon our trenches.
"The snow is getting heavier."
"Damn it, isn't it still too early for winter?"
The snow continued to fall without stopping no matter how long we waited, gradually accumulating and covering the ground in a silvery blanket.
And because of the snow, our visibility steadily worsened.
"The enemy is preparing to retreat."
"This is bad; don't let them escape."
As the temperature plummeted, causing the soldiers to shiver, the Sabbatian forces took advantage of the poor visibility and began to retreat as if they were waiting for this.
Of course, we gave chase, but…
"The Sabbatian troops came fully prepared with cold-weather gear."
"We might not be able to catch up."
Compared to Austin, the climate in the Sabbath is known to be extremely cold.
They had a significant advantage in cold-weather gear
Lower temperatures impose serious fatigue on soldiers as they need more energy to maintain body heat, resulting in vastly different levels of exhaustion even over the same distance.
"We let them get away…"
The quality of cold-weather gear directly impacts the speed of advance.
Of course, knowing winter was approaching, we had also prepared cold-weather gear.
However, the Austin-made gear's performance was significantly inferior to the Sabbatian gear.
Our cold-weather gear consists of thick gloves, hats, and coats made of heavy fabric.
These coats are called trench coats, designed specifically for use inside trenches.
While thin, the coat's waterproofing allows it to function well even in rainy conditions.
On the other hand, Sabbatian winter gear isn't as waterproof, but it's far better suited for withstanding extreme cold.
Their soldiers wear fluffy fur-lined coats that offer excellent protection against the cold.
However, they're vulnerable to rain, easily deteriorating when wet.
This design makes sense since water would quickly freeze in winter in the Sabbath. Their equipment serves its purpose well as long as it's warm.
The Austin Army has the advantage in warmer climates, while the Sabbath holds the upper hand in colder regions.
They were able to leverage this advantage this time, allowing them to retreat successfully.
"It's freezing…"
Thus, we continue our advance, pursuing the Sabbatian forces who retreated under the cover of snow.
Having lost sight of the enemy, we must again conduct close reconnaissance, keeping an eye out for surprise attacks.
Winter gets gradually harsher with each passing day, and as we head west the temperature drops rapidly, with each breath turning into white mist.
"…"
Since winter began, our marching pace slowed to less than five kilometers per day.
The cold continues to sap the soldiers' stamina despite the shorter distances, leaving them just as fatigued as before.
Maybe they're even more tired than before because they're shivering at night from the cold.
"…Why is it only this year?"
The early arrival of winter was a severe setback for Austin's plans.
Apparently, this year's unusual weather had pushed winter's arrival over a month ahead of schedule.
The arrival of winter put a damper on Austin's golden opportunity for an offensive.
It was a blessing for the Sabbatian Army, who needed time to retreat.
The lack of combat is great for medics, but hell for scouts.
Running through frozen landscapes, trying to locate now even harder-to-spot enemy units, and securing a safe route was more challenging than ever.
Maintaining the previous forced march pace was simply impossible.
"Have the heavens forsaken Austin?"
The Major's frustration as winter arrived was immense.
The unusual weather had effectively dismantled all of his plans.
At this time, Austin's leadership was operating under a strategy called the "Battle of the North."
This was Major Renvel's proposal: "Use our total forces to quickly overpower the enemy's main forces in a short, decisive battle."
The idea was that, if the Southern Army could destroy Sabbath's supply lines, the enemy would be forced to push north, relying on their remaining supply lines.
Austin would amass its troops for an all-out strike in anticipation of the Sabbath's forces gathering in the north. It was a highly ambitious strategy.
Our total forces still fall significantly short of the Sabbath's.
Even if every part of the operation went perfectly, we would still have to decisively defeat the Sabbatian Army, which has nearly twice as many troops, making this plan extremely challenging.
However, it's also true that Austin had very few other options for winning
With most of our country burned down by the Sabbath, we no longer have the productive capacity for a prolonged war.
Realistically, the best chance we have for victory is to press forward while the Southern Army's miraculous victory is fresh and engage in a short, decisive battle.
Austin's northern region has few major cities, so large-scale battles there would minimize damage.
And since a major battle is expected, it is possible to arrange an evacuation in advance.
Morale is also at an all-time high for Austin's soldiers, who are backed into a corner, while the Sabbath's morale is expected to be low after recent setbacks.
Austin's survival depends on winning a decisive battle against the enemy's main forces.
With this rallying speech from Major Renvel, the Battle of the North plan was approved.
The final battle will be in three months.
The plan was to push the Sabbatian forces northward before winter set in and join up with 10,000 reinforcements from the capital city of Winn in three months for a decisive battle.
"I had hoped we could at least join forces with the Southern Army by then."
"That's going to be tough."
Unfortunately, this last-ditch plan was blocked by an early winter.
Now that our advance has slowed significantly, it will be difficult to push the Sabbatian forces to the designated area.
This heavy snowfall will likely halt the advance of the Southern Army. It will be too dangerous for Austin, who is not accustomed to the cold, to launch an operation in this kind of weather.
However, if our counterattack stops now, the enemy will be able to maintain a wide front into next year.
If we were to continue a drawn-out trench warfare again, our defeat would be inevitable due to the difference in production capabilities.
Faced with these challenges, Major Renvel bitterly lamented the early arrival of winter.
***
Not having any idea what the higher-ups were planning, our medical platoon was busy with our daily duties.
"My fingers are frostbitten…"
"Those fingers will be swollen for a while. Why didn't you wear gloves?"
"I lost a bet and had to take off all my winter gear for a day. And now I think I caught a cold, too—achoo!"
"…"
Though there are no direct injuries from combat, we've had a growing number of frostbite cases since winter began.
Soldiers who acted recklessly in the snow often came to us bearing the consequences of their own actions.
"About half of the frostbite patients brought it on themselves."
"It doesn't snow much in the capital, so I guess that's why the soldiers were so excited."
Arunoma, who has been living in the capital for over a year, explained.
It's true that the quality of soldiers in the current Renvel Army isn't exactly high.
It'll probably take time before they become full-fledged soldiers.
I myself am still a rookie medic.
"Hey, Chief Medic. How's it going?"
"Warrant Officer Faris."
One change since winter arrived was that Warrant Officer Faris now stopped by the medical platoon's quarters more frequently.
Maybe the slowdown in the army's march gave the infantry some extra time.
And the reason why Warrant Officer Faris is here is…
"I've wanted to keep in touch with the medical platoon for some time. We should get along since we fought together in the retreat battle before."
He came over to visit while bringing tea and snacks. It was easy to see what his intention was.
"Women are nice to have around. Just their presence puts a man's heart at ease."
"Well, I suppose that's just in our nature as living beings."
He didn't try to hide his liking for women, grinning as he watched the younger female members of the platoon.
For many nurses, including Elma, men who are frivolous with women are landmines.
To be honest, it's a nuisance. I try my best to deal with him when I have time because he's is a superior officer and often brings little gifts.
"Chief Medic Touri, I'm sure you'll make a fine woman yourself in a few years."
"…I'm honored."
I know that there are soldiers like this who casually engage in sexual harassment whenever they get the chance.
The female medics from the field hospital in the Western Front also accepted having their butts touched as "part of the job."
However, it would be troublesome if a subordinate, who was probably just a regular nurse until recently, were to overlook such harm and become mentally distressed because of it.
"When that time comes, drink with me to your heart's content! Ahahaha!"
Well, when it comes to sexual harassment, it rarely happens to me considering how I look.
As for dealing with those involved in sexual harassment, let's have Cale, Arunoma, or myself handle it from now on.
***
And as a separate issue…
"Are you treating your arm again, Arunoma?"
"Huh, you found out?"
For some reason, Arunoma has been getting injured a lot recently.
And not in places that aren't immediately obvious… like his abdomen or arm, areas that are hidden by his uniform.
"What happened this time?"
"Since the temperature dropped, I often wake up feeling groggy."
"Did you fall again?"
Arunoma looked embarrassed as he showed me the bruises on his body.
Using healing magic could fix it instantly, but his magic is an important resource for the army.
Since it was just a minor bruise that would heal on its own, I instructed him to cool it lightly and ended the conversation.
"Please be careful."
"Well now, how embarrassing."
Arunoma is a very handsome man.
He's quite popular among the female nurses and often receives attention from them.
He acts like a gentleman, is interesting to talk to, and is very good-looking.
"Umm, Arunoma…"
"What is it, Little Platoon Leader?"
I can't help but think…
No, I want to believe that such things don't happen in my unit.
"Have you been troubled by bullying or anything like that lately…"
"I never thought I'd be asked something like that seriously."
Bullying caused by male jealousy.
I don't think Cale would do such a thing, but I realized there's a possibility that Arunoma might be facing bullying from male nurses or other male soldiers in the unit because of his injuries.
"It's a very delicate issue that can inevitably arise in groups, especially with someone like Arunoma who is prone to cause jealousy."
"There's no need to worry. It really was just an accidental injury."
"Don't keep your troubles to yourself, please talk to those around you. It might be embarrassing to talk to someone younger like me, but I have the authority to help with that."
"Haha…"
I've heard that bullying in the military can be very malicious.
Luckily, I haven't been bullied yet, but I can't imagine how painful it must be to fight while facing negative emotions from comrades you should be able to trust.
"Are you also troubled by any interpersonal issues?"
"Nope, it's seriously nothing. You're just overthinking it."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
I pressed Arunoma for more, but he just smiled and shook his head.
…Is that really true? But since he said so, I can't exactly pursue it further.
"Then, if you encounter any problems in the future, don't hesitate to come to me for help."
"Yeah, I got it. Thank you, Little Platoon Leader."
With that, I reluctantly ended the conversation.
I still wonder whether Arunoma trusts me as his platoon leader, or if it's just my overthinking.
Still feeling a sense of unease, I went back to work.
***
"Well, adults probably can't consult with a younger girl about bullying issues."
Warrant Officer Faris isn't the only one who comes to visit the medical platoon.
Just as they had said before, Rodri and Senior Allen began to show up more frequently.
"Besides, Arunoma is at an age where he should be able to solve that kind of thing on his own."
"You think so?"
"He was a leading actor in a theater troupe, wasn't he? Just imagine how much jealousy he's had to deal with behind the scenes."
"I guess that's true."
During the retreat led by Verdi, Allen Platoon apparently avoided being separated by fleeing to Captain Aria's main force, which was closer.
When he received a report that Verdi Company had been separated, he continued to search for us regardless of the danger.
I am truly grateful.
"By the way, aren't the nurses strangely excited when I show up?"
"…I guess."
And every time Rodri shows up at the medical platoon, he receives curious looks from my subordinates.
Needless to say, it's because of that misunderstanding.
I guess my relationship with Rodri is a good gossip topic among the nurses.
"Could it be that I'm actually pretty good-looking?"
"No, I don't think that's the reason."
Rodri apparently thought the nurses' excitement was because he was handsome.
Unfortunately, reality isn't so convenient.
"They think that I have a crush on Rodri."
"Huh? …Do you?"
"What do you think?"
Since there's no need to hide it, I told him the truth to make sure Rodri didn't misunderstand.
It was probably better to let him know to avoid anything that might lead to further misunderstandings.
"…You don't really feel that way, right? At least that's what I think."
"No, I don't."
"Yeah, I figured."
"It looks that way to my subordinates, though."
"Well, that must have been tough."
Rodri smiled sheepishly after learning the truth, seemingly unsure how to react.
Meanwhile, Senior Allen found my dissatisfied expression so amusing that he burst out laughing.
…What could possibly be so funny about this?