In the end, there was no place for me in the Sabbath.
As an Austinite, I am nothing but a hated enemy to the Sabbatians.
This is also true for Sylph, who had lost her father.
"Anything else you want to say?"
"Sedol, please take care of yourself… Live a long life for both your mother and father."
"Hmph."
I was prepared to be shot from the moment she pointed the gun at me.
If these people are from the Sabbatian Army, there is neither reason nor obligation for them to keep me alive.
"Tou-chan?"
"Yes, please look over there for a moment."
I feel the dense, inescapable sense of impending death.
I turned Sedol's face so that he wouldn't see the moment of my death.
At the very least, I hope his trauma will be reduced even if just a little…
"Are you ready, Aust Pig?"
"Yes."
I hug him tight, praying that his future might be a little brighter.
I slowly close my eyes.
"Wait, please…!"
"…Hm?"
However, just before the trigger was pulled…
A man stepped in between myself and Sylph.
It was him.
"…Irigol?"
"Commander, please don't shoot this girl!"
A former soldier, who had been shot earlier and had only received makeshift treatment.
It was Irigol, the retired soldier.
"Who are you?"
"Former Corporal Irigol, from the Assault Infantry Unit of the Krolya Battalion. I retired due to injuries before the Battle of the North.
"Oh?"
Sylph raised an eyebrow at Irigol's introduction.
It seemed his name rang a bell.
"You're one of Krolya's soldiers? The ones who were thoroughly defeated by Austin, as I recall."
"It's quite embarrassing."
"You and your comrades must have been extremely incompetent. Ah, if only you had held your ground, the Sabbath would not have had to end up in such a predicament."
"…I have no words to return."
Despite swallowing his words, Irigol desperately bowed his head to the arrogant girl.
Even though his comrades were being insulted, Irigol just bowed his head and didn't move an inch.
"So. Why did you intervene in the execution of this Aust?"
"I ask you to reconsider her execution."
"Oh? Are you somehow connected with her?"
I was full of questions at this point.
Why is Irigol stepping in?
Why is he bowing his head to Sylph Nova to protect me?
"She is an Aust who has defected to the village. At first, I also wanted to kill her."
"And?"
"But this girl risked her life to save my family during the recent attack. The family of the one who had beaten her so badly at one point."
"So?"
"The country of Austin is at fault, not this girl… The person you are pointing your gun at right now is an innocent member of our village."
"…"
"Please reconsider. I am pleading for her life, on the honor of the Sabbatians, who are so noble and righteous."
All I could understand is that he's serious.
Irigol, who had once tried to kill me, is now risking his life and bowing his head to save me.
I was simply stunned by his attitude.
"It's impossible. I don't have the time or the obligation to protect an Aust."
"Please reconsider."
"Moreover, what guarantee is there that she isn't a spy? An Aust who has defected to a Sabbatian village in this situation? It's natural to think of her as a spy from Austin."
"She's not like that at all. Absolutely not. Please ask the other people of the village besides me."
"Hahaha, people who can fool simple-minded people like you become spies. There's no reason to take on additional risks."
Sylph dismissed Irigol's desperate plea.
She continued, with a look of disdain on her face.
"If you continue making this pathetic plea, I will shoot you to death."
Next, she aimed the gun at Irigol.
"Thank you, Irigol. That's enough."
"Aust…"
"I know this is a selfish request, but please take care of Sedol."
What she said is only natural.
There's no reason to spare an enemy national who could potentially be a spy.
"Right, let me ask anyway. How did you manage to infiltrate the Sabbath?"
"Infiltrate…?"
"Yeah. That man casually said you'd defected earlier. What route did you use to sneak into the Sabbath from Austin? If you're honest, I might consider helping that trembling brat over there."
With her gun pointed at Irigol, Sylph looked at me with a ferocious smile.
Then she shifted her gaze downward.
"If you lie, that child will become fodder for our livestock."
With eyes as if she were looking at prey, she looked down at Sedol, who was clinging to me and trembling.
"…I'll answer."
I had no choice but to answer Sylph's question honestly.
"I was a medic in Austin's military."
"Oh?"
As I stood in front of the arrogant Sylph, I slowly recounted the story that had unfolded up until this point.
Raised in an orphanage, drafted into Austin's military, and sent to the Western Front.
Retreated to the capital due to the Sylph Offensive, lost many comrades.
Marched through winter, fearing for my life, and took part in the decisive Battle of the North.
"I served as a medic in the rear of the northern camp."
I've lost so many important people in this war.
Salsa, the kind-hearted boy and my first comrade.
Senior Gray, who taught Rodri and I how to mentally prepare for the battlefield.
Head Medic Gale, who kindly taught me the basics of being a medic.
Platoon Leader Garback, who was very scary yet reliable.
Lakya, who was my first subordinate close to my age.
"During the Battle of the North, we were suddenly surrounded by enemies. We thought we were safe in the rear, but we were encircled by such an overwhelming force that I thought we would be wiped out."
And in the Battle of the North, many of my comrades were killed.
Senior Allen, who was like an older brother to me, guided me from my early days as a rookie.
…Rodri, the kind boy who was always by my side, always supporting me whenever times were tough.
"I just wanted to be with him. I never wanted to fight in a war."
In the end, I couldn't let go of the scrap of his clothing and kept it at home.
Even now, there are things I always think about.
I didn't want to meet Rodri on the battlefield.
I wish I could have just been friends with him in a more peaceful place, in a more peaceful time.
"My first kiss tasted like blood. From the day we exchanged feelings, my time has been frozen in place."
Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face in front of Sylph.
I realized that there was almost nothing left binding me to this world.
Most of my comrades, whom I thought of as family, had died.
The Gomuji couple, who had welcomed me into their family when my heart was frozen, were brutally murdered by bandits.
Now, the only regret in my heart is Sedol, who is trembling in fear behind me.
"So please, do whatever you want with me. I want… I want to see him again, just once more…"
Why was our rear base suddenly surrounded by the Sabbatian Army?
Why did Rodri have to die?
With all these mixed emotions in mind, I sobbed uncontrollably.
No matter how hard I try to stay calm, my mind just won't listen to me.
"If dying means I can see him again…"
Eventually, I gave up trying to calm myself down. With a tear-streaked face, I looked up at the girl in front of me as if to say, "Go ahead and shoot me anytime…"
"…"
The girl in her ornate military uniform was sweating profusely from every pore on her face.