"Where have you been, Tou-chan?"
When I returned near the Gomuji house, Sedol came charging at me in a rage.
He was in tatters, crying heavily, and aggressively thumping his own stomach with rough breaths.
"Where were you!"
"I'm sorry, I was called by an important person."
"No! You can't go!"
Having lost both his parents and then waking up alone, he panicked.
…He must have been upset because he thought I was going to disappear as well. I've done something bad.
"I see you're safe, Touri."
"Anita"
"Taking care of that kid was tough; he went on a rampage."
Right next to Sedol, Anita was sitting in disheveled clothes.
It looks like she was taking care of him.
"I'm sorry to trouble you."
"He's a fellow villager, so don't worry about it. I also owe Gomuji a favor."
I picked up Sedol, who was crying loudly, and turned to face Anita.
Anita was a neighbor of the Gomuji family and knew Sedol very well.
And having been together with her for a few months, I felt she was someone trustworthy.
That's why…
"Umm, I've kinda been forced to join Sabbatian Army as a medic."
"I see…"
"This is a very presumptuous request, but… I will give you Gomuji's inheritance and my salary, so please take care of Sedol for me."
"Are you asking me to look after this child?"
I bowed my head and asked her to take care of Sedol.
"This child has grown really attached to you."
"To be honest, I'd like to take care of him myself, but… I can't bring a child onto the battlefield."
"Well, okay. If you ask me to take care of him, I'll do it. I've actually wanted a child."
To be honest, I'm full of anxiety about leaving Sedol.
If I hadn't been conscripted into the Sabbatian army, I intended to take care of him myself.
But now that I'm in the army… taking Sedol around would only expose him to danger.
"But, not now."
"Hmm?"
"Yeah. If you try to separate from Sedol right now, the boy will think that you abandoned him and his personality will become twisted."
"I see."
"Just stay with him for now during his most difficult time."
I can't take him with me if I have to go on a campaign.
It would be safer for Sedol to live under Anita's protection.
Now that I have been drafted, it is my fate to part ways with him.
"…Tou-chan."
"Yes."
"I gently stroked Sedol's head, who clung to my shoulder and wouldn't let go,"
"Sedol, shall we sleep together tonight?"
"…Yeah."
I gently reassured him.
***
"Have you finished sorting out your belongings, Touri Lowe?"
"Yes. I left everything with an acquaintance."
"I see."
That day, I carried Sedol on my back and returned to Elijah.
"Have you decided to take him with you?"
"No, I'll leave it with a friend."
"Well, I suppose that's how it goes."
After causing quite a stir, Sedol tired himself out from anger and fell asleep again.
Being chased by bandits, losing his parents, and being held as prisoner—these past two days had been incredibly tough for the four-year-old.
For now, let's let him rest peacefully.
"You have no special duties tonight. The wounded were treated yesterday."
"Understood."
"We'll share the sleeping tent. I'll show you around, so you can put the child to bed."
Without saying anything else, Elijah guided me to her tent.
There, she generously provided me with her old clothes, turned into makeshift sheets for Sedol.
"Good night."
Thus, the people of Othello village were forced to abandon their home and travel to a refugee camp near the Eastern Command Center.
Security around the headquarters was notably stable, with bandits rarely appearing.
Therefore, we would be living in the camp until public safely stabilized.
"This is…"
Upon hearing it was a refugee camp, I didn't expect a lavish life, but…
"What part of this is a camp? Isn't this more like a garbage dump?"
"No, it's worse than that."
The camp we were shown consisted only of occasional wooden posts in a desolate wilderness.
There was not even grass growing on the ground; just bare red soil and abandoned garbage stretching out endlessly.
Several camps had already formed on the desolate land, with poorly dressed people milling around.
"We're living in a place like this? What about food and water?"
"Since the water source is far away, you need to go fetch water regularly. As for food, slightly expired rations are distributed regularly."
"…"
Everyone at the campsite had vacant eyes.
Due to the scarce water source, human waste was buried in one place, emitting a terrible stench.
They live in filthy, hole-riddled tents and survive on expired military rations.
The stress must be unimaginable.
"There are rare days when they serve bread and soup. If you want good food, wait for those days."
"Bread and soup is a luxury?"
All the villagers who saw the scene could only stand there in shock.
This is… hardly a camp. It's more like a slum or something.
At least if they could install a water source nearby, it would be somewhat more bearable.
"The rivers around here cause floods if it rains too much. We might get swallowed up If we set up camp near the river."
"So…"
"This campsite is on higher ground than the river, so the water level rarely reaches it. But to fetch water, you have to go up and down a long hill."
The current lives of the Sabbatian villagers were more difficult than I had imagined.
Together with Sedol, I took over a corner of the campsite.
We managed to maintain something resembling of a tent by tying together bedsheets we had salvaged from Gomuji's house onto crudely erected poles.
The people around me are all people I know from Othello Village, so I feel pretty safe.
"I helped you set up camp earlier. It's fine, but share some of the food you have."
"Don't be stupid. These are emergency rations."
As expected, disputes arose with the people who had been living in the camp before, or…
"It's gone! My clothes were stolen while I was out getting water…!"
"Just now, some people from another village were wandering around."
Theft was rampant and commonplace, making it a very unfriendly environment for Sedol's upbringing.
"…"
Elijah says that I'll be able to rent lodgings if I get promoted.
However, permission to bring Sedol there was not granted.
The only way for me to live with him is to sleep outdoors together at this campsite.
"That guy keeps looking over here."
"He's probably keeping an eye on my movements."
And there was strict surveillance in this camp.
I could see the soldiers circling the camp glancing at me from time to time.
As an Austinite, I seem to be quite marked.
"Tou-chan, are we sleeping here?"
"Yes. It's a bit cramped, but please bear with it."
Thus, our lives as refugees began.
***
Life in the camp was extremely harsh.
Mornings began with the task of fetching water under the scorching sun.
Soldiers provided a large water container for all of Othello Village to share, so the first task of the day was refilling it with buckets and bottles.
It was quite physically demanding, so the elderly and children couldn't manage it at all.
Therefore, people like myself and Irigol, who had military backgrounds, took the lead in taking shifts.
"It's better to gather waste in one place. We're thinking of setting up latrines near where the neighbors are dumping their waste."
"Understood."
We had to dig all the latrine holes ourselves. Since the ground was red soil, we couldn't form channels for drainage.
When we needed to relieve ourselves, we scooped a cupful of water from the container to keep things clean.
"A bit early, but the water team should set out. The water in the container is running low."
"Already? Who wasted it?"
The most important thing was to divide the work and ensure the water didn't run out.
If we continued to use it normally, the water would run dry during the day, so we had to go to the river with buckets multiple times.
It took about 10 kilometers round trip to the river, which served as our water source.
Since there were reports of bears and other wild animals near the river, fetching water was not only tough but also dangerous work.
"…"
It's warm now because it's summer, but what will happen in winter?
It's already horrible on rainy days. It wouldn't be surprising if people froze to death in such harsh conditions.
Our tent fabric is just bedsheets. Even under current conditions, rainy days were very cold.
"Let's dig trenches."
"…Irigol."
"We'll dig holes, cover them with several sheets, and make a waterproof roof. People will die if we don't do it by winter."
Concerned about this situation, Irigol gathered the residents of Othello Village and made this proposal.
"Inside the trenches, we'll have the minimum necessary for safety, waterproofing, and insulation. It's really just the bare minimum though."
"…I'd like to secure a fire source. I want to make a stove out of clay."
"Then go to headquarters and ask if you can borrow a shovel. There's no way military facilities don't have them."
Following Irigol's suggestion, the residents of Othello decided to build a circular trench all around the village.
Fortunately, we were able to borrow shovels when we applied for the necessary equipment for the camp.
"Touri, since you're light, do something else. Like, keep carrying the water."
"Yes…"
Shoveling is not as efficient without weight.
Unfortunately, being small and light, I was not well suited to construction work.
"Hah, hah…"
Instead, since I was in good physical condition, I ended up going back and forth between the river and the camp.
Trench digging is very physically demanding and requires a lot of water. We needed a lot more water than usual, so I was running almost nonstop.
Throughout the day, I ran with buckets in both hands, and at night I would wash off my sweat using water that I carried myself.
…It's a matter of finding the right person for the right job. I was interested in how to dig trenches, though.
***
It has been about a month since we started living at the camp.
"Touri Lowe, are you here?"
"Elijah."
Around the time the trenches were taking shape under the command of Irigol, Elijah called for me.
"I need you. The details will be announced at the briefing."
"Understood."
Sylph Company is likely deploying.
Perhaps new information about the bandits had come in.
"What's wrong, Tou-chan?"
"I have a job, so I'll be gone for a bit."
"…When will you be back? Soon?"
"It might take a while."
"Then don't go!"
On paper, I'm exempt from conscription because I'm from Austin.
In reality, I have to respond to the call. Unfortunately, I can't exactly bring Sedol with me.
I try my best to smile and pat him on the head.
"It's okay. Just listen to what Anita has to say for a while."
"No…"
"Please…"
"No, no, no!"
***
"You got caught up, huh?"
"I seem to have upset him."
In the end, Sedol was caught by Anita.
After repeatedly assuring him that I would definitely come back, I left Sedol, who was crying loudly, and responded to the call.
"It's another bandit subjugation. But rest assured, we are a rear support unit. We won't be assigned to the front lines."
I was given a brief explanation of the job description on the way.
"You say it's rear support, but won't we be providing support to the front lines?"
"Yes. We are a trial unit made up of a variety of military units, and are only called support in name."
"A trial unit?"
"Sylph-sama often comes up with new ideas. This unit is used to test their effectiveness in advance. For example, trying out a special chain of command, tweaking supply doctrines, changing the guard schedule, and so on."
"I see…"
"The trial unit will include military units that are not deployed to the front lines, such as medics and engineers, and will be tasked with providing escort services."
Adjusting doctrines so frequently likely confuses her subordinates.
So that's why it's called a trial unit.
"We adopt good ideas and revise what doesn't work. If you notice anything, please give me your feedback."
"Alright."
It shows that Sylph is trying her best in her own way.
It's a bit misguided, but searching for ways to improve things is never a bad thing.
"Well, we won't be given any strange orders. We're medics, after all."
"That's a relief."
I can receive rewards in Sabbatian currency if I achieve results as a civilian collaborator.
It might be good to actively give feedback if I have any concerns or opinions.
If I receive a reward, I can provide Sedol with something nutritious.
"Now, We'll get a severe scolding if we're late for the meeting. Let's pick up the pace."
"Understood."
I am Sedol's guardian now. Even though I'm a member of the rear as usual, it would not be surprising if I died on the battlefield if I let my guard down.
I absolutely must, without fail, return alive─
"Touri Lowe."
"Yes."
And with that resolve to survive…
"You will serve as a medic in Gorski's assault force in the next battle."
"Huh…?"
When I went to the headquarters with Elijah, I received an outrageous order from Sylph Nova, who had a nasty smile on her face.