This happened around the same time that a high-ranking Sabbatian government official's ceasefire proposal had been rejected by Fogman Jr.
The Sabbath's provisional government, the Workers' Council, also sent emissaries to Austin's federal government.
"We want you to support and assist our revolution."
The Workers' Council was originally established with the help of Bern Valou, so they had strong ties with Austin.
However, immediately after the revolution, anti-Austin sentiment was still strong among the Sabbatian people.
Given that Austin was an enemy country during the war, it was detested like a pest.
In such a situation, the Workers' Council would have received severe backlash if they openly revealed their connection with Austin.
Therefore, they initially concealed their ties with Austin and only maintained a stance of advocating for a ceasefire and peace negotiations.
However, Remi and her group were pushed to the brink of defeat due to the overly sharp strategic command of Sylph Nova.
The Workers' Council was suffering as much as Sylph was.
They were forced into urban warfare, which they had desperately tried to avoid, with no other option but to focus solely on defense.
Yet, the situation was becoming increasingly dire, and there seemed to be no chance of victory in sight.
The battle conditions were like being slowly strangled with a silken cord.
As a desperate measure to break this dire situation, the Workers' Council decided to reveal their previously hidden relationship with Austin.
A change in sentiment among the Sabbatian citizens also played a part in the formation of this alliance.
The people of Josegrad hated Austin, but their resentment towards the current government was even stronger.
Government forces are currently engaged in forceful looting, requisitioning, and executions.
Given such tyranny, it was only natural that they would turn to Austin for help.
"The Austin Army is Coming"
The statement clearly mentioned that military and material support would be provided.
This meant that the battle-hardened Austin Army would be coming to the Sabbath.
Currently, there are no Sabbatian forces remaining on the border at the Tar River.
They would cross the Tar River and enter the Sabbath with ease.
Naturally, this meant…
"The refugee camp at Eastern Command… Sedol…"
The refugee camp at Eastern Command was located along the invasion line to Josegrad.
The Austin Army holds a deep grudge against the Sabbath Federation.
Having had their homeland cruelly ravaged, their hatred was not something that could be easily erased.
Would these soldiers protect the civilians living near the Eastern Command?
Or, in their anger, would they be more likely to commit massacres?
***
I stood there, stunned, in utter disbelief.
Major Renvel, Captain Aria, and Lieutenant Verdi have become my enemies.
And that wicked Bern Valou will come to kill me.
Just the thought of that made my body freeze.
As I was on the verge of collapsing from dizziness, Sylph looked at me expressionlessly.
"…Hey, soldier. Restrain Touri Lowe."
"Huh?"
"Put her in a prisoner's cage. However, do not harm her in any way."
She ordered soldiers to arrest me and take me to the prison.
***
Thus, I once again became a prisoner of war.
"Don't look so pale, Touri."
"…"
I am from Austin.
It's not possible to deploy me as a soldier like before now that Austin has entered the war.
So it's only natural that I would be arrested. The issue is whether I might be executed as a spy or not…
"…It'll be a bit of a pain with you gone, but I'll manage. I've made sure the cell is as spacious as possible, so you can get some rest."
"Sylph?"
Sylph Nova, although looking slightly troubled, continued to speak to me in a casual manner as usual.
The cage in which I was imprisoned contained a bed, a desk, and other furniture.
Although the cell had iron bars, it was a cozy space with a small window from which you could see the sky.
"This is the police headquarters. Right now, we are using this building as our operations headquarters."
"Ah."
"Remember how there was a detention center on the third floor of this police station? Sorry, but you'll have to stay in confinement for a while."
Although my status should have been downgraded from a medic to a prisoner, the treatment was an upgrade from sleeping on a mat in a private house to a room with a bed.
What kind of magic is at work here?
"Sylph, what is this about?"
"It's clear that you're not a spy. Do you have any idea how much you have achieved on your own?"
"Oh, well, thank you."
"However, there's a high chance that those who don't understand this might cause you harm. It's not possible to simply let you go free."
Sylph grinned after putting me in the cell.
Even though she had just heard about Austin's participation in the war, she didn't look at all concerned.
"Um, Sylph. About Austin's participation…"
"Oh, that's good news. I feel much more at ease now."
"Good news?"
"Yes. It's quite relieving when your enemy shows their weakness so clearly."
In fact, Sylph even looked pleased upon hearing the report.
Why is she so relaxed despite Austin's participation?
"Think about it. There's no way Austin has the winter combat gear to fight in Sabbatian winter. Even if reinforcements really do arrive, it won't be until spring. The fighting will have long been over by then."
"Ah…"
Given what she said, it made sense.
Austin's winter gear is significantly inferior compared to the Sabbath's. During last year's winter march, we allowed the Sabbatian Army to escape due to the difference in winter gear.
If this is the situation with Austin's winter, it's unlikely that Austin has the equipment necessary to march into of Sabbatian winter.
In that case, perhaps…
"It's probably just a bluff. Besides, Austin is at war with Flamer and Aerys. There's no way they have the luxury to meddle in our revolution."
"That's likely. But perhaps Bern Valou might be able to…"
"I don't know what kind of genius Bern Valou is, but unless he has magic that can double the number of troops, it's impossible."
It is highly likely that the alliance statement itself is a bluff.
Sylph saw through it immediately.
"If Austin really did intend to intervene, it would be better to launch a surprise attack rather than issuing a statement. The moment they issue a statement like that, it's like they're admitting that they're on the verge of giving up."
"Oh, I see."
"More importantly, we need to stop the barbarity right in front of us. I need to quickly advise General Blake."
Sylph said this, giving me a small wink.
It was a suitable gesture from a girl of her age.
"You hang around here. Don't worry, we'll win."
***
Since that day, I spent a while living in prison.
Although it was called prison life, it only meant that I couldn't leave the room. I wasn't tortured, and meals were regularly provided.
In the cozy room, with nothing else to do, I spent my days dedicated to physical training.
It's a much more comfortable life than living in the refugee camp.
"I wonder how Mr. Gorski is doing."
At this point, my main concern is the safety of my comrades.
There was no way to check on the well-being of the members of Gorski Platoon since I couldn't go outside.
Mr. Gorski is strong, but also kind.
I worry that he might get severely injured by a surprise attack from the citizens.
"…"
Since that day, Sylph has not come to see me.
She is the lifeline of this army. She doesn't have the luxury to concern herself with someone like me.
What will happen to the Sabbath once the battle for Josegrad is over?
Sylph said she would win, so she surely will.
However, the city is already in a complete mess. The security situation is so terrible that reconstruction after the war will likely to take time.
It would be very dangerous for a government soldier like me to live in the capital, as I am deeply hated by the citizens.
"…"
Well, there is no need for me to live in Josegrad.
Once peace is restored, I plan to return to Othello Village with the retirement funds given to me by Sylph and rebuild Gomuji's house.
The place is filled with memories of Sedol and his parents. Othello Village is the only place to raise him.
There, with the help of Anita, Irigol, and the others, I hope to spend peaceful days with Sedol.
"Today's meal distribution is late, isn't it?"
The campaign to capture Josegrad was marked by extreme cold, the killing of many innocent people, and looting as it pushed forward.
I came close to death many times and saw countless comrades die in front of my eyes.
After all these sacrifices, peace will finally return to the Sabbath.
Thus came the end of the campaign to capture Josegrad, which had lasted for several months.
The end of the war was actually rather anticlimactic.
It all ended while I was still a prisoner of war.
In this warm room, without hearing any details of what happened, the sound of gunfire eventually ceased.
"Let me see if I can get some attention."
My time as a prisoner of war lasted less than two weeks.
Many civilians and soldiers were killed during those two weeks.
Sylph proposed various protective measures to safeguard the citizens, but they were not very successful.
The resentment from the citizens towards the Sabbatian government forces was reaching its peak.
"Oh?"
In the end, the Sabbatian government forces continued to abuse civilians.
No matter how much they tried to appease the citizens, they showed no signs of being convinced. Citizens who resisted were made examples of.
The government forces, including Sylph, were hated by the citizens of Josegrad like spat out bile.
"The door is unlocked…"
A month had passed since the start of the fighting at Josegrad.
The government forces, having suffered a "defeat" at the hands of the Workers' Council, withdrew all troops from Josegrad.
***
"They're there! It's the remnants!"
"Huh?"
On that day, for some reason, the lock on the prison where I was confined had been left open.
Curious, I opened the door to report that it wasn't locked.
And the moment I stepped out of the room…
Countless figures aimed their guns at me.
"They're wearing military uniforms! They're the enemy!"
"Oh, it's a girl."
"It doesn't matter, she's an enemy. Shoot her!"
An alarm bell echoed throughout my mind.
I instinctively kicked the floor to get out of the line of fire and tried to tumble into the cell.
"Ah, argh!"
"Don't let her escape, shoot her, kill her!"
However, the enemies were much quicker to pull their triggers than I was to move.
The moment I put strength into my legs, lead bullets rained down like hail and pierced my body.
The moment I was shot, I was knocked down by the immense impact and hit my head hard.
"Ugh, ah…"
Unfortunately, one of the bullets pierced my right lung.
Blood and phlegm welled up from the back of my throat, my chest felt like it was being torn apart, and no matter how much I tried to breathe, it only made me cough in pain.
This is bad. If I don't get treatment, I'll suffocate soon—
"Got her!"
"Not yet. Shoot her in the head. She's still breathing."
"Hey, is it okay to kill her without checking?"
"She's an enemy! What reason would there be to let her live?"
I was in a state of extreme confusion.
I just found it suspicious that the door was unlocked, so I opened it to report it.
I don't remember doing anything that would warrant me being shot on sight.
"Hey… Isn't something off about the interior of this room?"
"What?"
"Doesn't it look like she was being imprisoned? Look, the room is a prison."
"Huh?"
My breathing was gradually getting weaker.
The lack of oxygen was making me lose consciousness. I can't even concentrate enough to activate my lifeline, [Heal].
Ah. This must be the end.
"Is this girl an enemy…?"
"…"
Eventually, I couldn't even manage to cough anymore.
Quietly, I lost consciousness right there, as if falling into a deep sleep.
***
On that day.
The Sabbatian government forces were defeated and were forced to withdraw all their troops.
The reason for the defeat is unclear. Perhaps General Blake did something again, or maybe Sylph's bold strategy had failed.
All that can be said is that the government forces had abandoned all the city areas they had occupied within just half a day and retreated from Josegrad.
"…"
"Oh, you're awake?"
After suddenly being shot and sustaining severe injuries…
I slowly woke up in a small hospital room, wrapped in bandages and with tubes inserted into every possible orifice.
"Am I… alive?"
"Yeah, that was a close call."
However, my body wouldn't move properly. My chest and the limbs that were shot have not yet healed.
"The healer says it will take about a week to fully recover."
"Yes, it seems it will take that long."
Even speaking was tiresome.
Breathing heavily, I placed my hand on my chest with my barely moving right arm.
Then, I mustered all of my magical power and used [Heal].
"[Heal]…"
"Oh. Come to think of it, you were a medic."
I felt the pain in my chest gradually subside. It seemed I had been treated quite carefully.
The blood has been drained from the lungs, and they have apparently been reconstructed through surgery.
I was probably left lying around in the hospital room like this because I'd heal naturally from here.
Since [Heal] is rare, healing magic is often not used in such cases.
But since I could use it myself, I decided to fix myself.
"Touri. If you want to use [Heal] on your chest, it would be best to do so after removing the chest tube."
"Hmm… that's true."
"I'll go call a healer now."
Someone advised me in this manner as I continued to heal my limbs.
A chest drain is a tube inserted to drain chest fluid or for air evacuation after a pneumothorax or chest surgery.
Since there was a hole in my chest for the tube, it needed to be removed before [Heal] could be used, or the hole would not close properly.
"Thank you. Umm…"
"Oh, sorry for the late introduction."
I must have still been in a daze.
Blushing with embarrassment, I thanked the person who gave me the advice and looked up.
The owner of the voice, with a smile as gentle as the Virgin Mary…
"I am Remi Ulyakov. It's been a while."
With eyes full of affection, she spoke to me.
"My little pacifist medic."
"…"
At that moment, my blood ran cold.
I finally sensed the life-threatening danger that made my entire body stand on end.