Two years ago, I volunteered for the Austin military in the spring when I was 15.
I decided to participate in the war after my aptitude for healing magic was discovered during the conscription exam, as I was told it would be a way to repay the orphanage.
To be honest, at the time I was excited on the way to the battlefield.
I imagined a battlefield like a game where I would be shooting and killing enemies that appear one after another.
How foolish I was.
The reality of the battlefield is far harsher than I had imagined.
There was no flashy shooting like in games; instead, I ran while carrying a heavy load that sank into the ground, my heart being crushed by the fear of death.
I've lost count of the number of times enemy bullets have grazed my face.
I might have been left exposed as a corpse on the ground by now if I had been a little less lucky
To be honest, I don't want to return to the battlefield.
I want to live in peace with Sedol forever.
However, there's no job in current Austin as stable as that of a soldier.
The Sabbatian Special Economic Zone where Sedol and others live is not wealthy. If support were to be cut off, a difficult life would await them.
I needed to earn money somewhere to survive.
Moreover, people like Aria and Verdi are still fighting on the front lines.
Not returning to the front lines after surviving would be an act of betrayal to them.
So I decided to go back to the front lines.
Fortunately, the Austin military takes good care of their medics.
Unlike in the Sabbath, it's unlikely that I will have to use a gun.
All I would have to do is spend my days treating patients in a safe field hospital in the rear.
Thinking about it this way made me feel a little better.
Returning to the military required various procedures.
"Chief Medic Touri, we need to verify your military status, so could you please report to the headquarters in the capital, Winn?"
"Understood."
I was instructed to head to the capital when I asked the government officials in the economic zone about the procedure for returning.
If I could confirm my identity in Winn, I would be re-registered in the military and sent to the front lines.
"Hey there, young lady, if you're heading to Winn, why don't you come with us?"
"Oh?"
So, I was able to accompany a private transport company on the journey to Winn.
They were the ones who had transported aid supplies to the Sabbatian Special Economic Zone under government instructions.
I gratefully accepted their offer and set out towards the capital with them.
"We'll even provide meals for you. We need to help each other out in times of need."
"Thank you very much."
Thus began my journey to the capital.
***
Well…
To make a bit of an excuse, I guess I was complacent because I had enjoyed six months of happiness.
The blissful months spent pampering Sedol might have completely dulled my instincts.'
"Ah… Huh?"
"Ahaha. Sorry, young lady."
After taking advantage of the transporters' kindness and sharing their soup…
I soon felt my body sway and was unable to stand due to dizziness.
"We're all desperate too. There's no guarantee of having food to eat tomorrow in this country."
"This is…"
"You have some scars, but you look fine otherwise. You'll surely fetch a good price."
The soup I was given had been laced with a numbing drug (likely powdered neurotoxic mushrooms).
Apparently this transport company was also involved in the slave trade.
On the way back to Austin, I was once again made a captive… or rather, a slave.
Perhaps my sense of danger was too weak.
I probably also had a misguided belief that Austin was safe.
As a woman, I shouldn't have gone along with unknown people so carelessly.
If I had been even a little cautious, I would have been able to see through the "deception" hidden deep in his heart.
"She's still young and has some scars on her face. Will she sell?"
"She's not bad-looking, right? I think she'll fetch for quite a bit."
"…"
I was handed over to a slave trader by the transporter that evening.
I might have been able to escape if I hadn't been drugged.
However, unable to move even an inch, I had no choice but to resign myself to being put into the slave trader's cage.
"I'll give you something to eat, so don't be so frightened."
"…"
Besides me, there were several other slaves trapped in the cage.
All of them were in only underwear, their arms and legs were tied up, and all wearing expressions of despair.
"It'll be a bit painful, but bear with it. If you're going to blame anyone, blame your own carelessness."
"Wh-What are you—"
"I'm just going to cut your Achilles tendons."
Afterwards, I had my Achilles tendons cut, was bound, and transported in a cart.
Looking closely, all the other women besides me had also had their Achilles tendons cut.
…So merciless.
"That last one might be small, but she should make a little money."
"I wonder how much that will be."
Thus, I was left to be jostled in the cart for a while in the cage.
There were many such human trafficking groups in Austin at the time.
This was because there were almost no military forces available to maintain domestic security in Austin.
Prime Minister Fogman Jr. had taken measures, but the bandits will not go away unless force is used.
Such bandits weren't uncovered until after the war.
***
"Which girl should we choose today?"
"Don't touch the virgins."
The slave traders were a group of five.
They were all armed with guns, probably old-model Austin rifles that had been resold through black markets.
The ropes binding me were quite worn out. They stretched slightly when force was applied, so with some effort, it might possible to slip free.
However, the cage was sturdy. It seemed impossible to break out of no matter how hard I tried.
So, I had no choice but to huddle quietly and tremble obediently inside the cage.
"It's your turn today. Get up."
One night, about a week after being captured as a slave:
It's possible that my passivity and compliance had paid off, as a long-awaited opportunity finally came.
When they took out the female slaves for their amusement, they accidentally left the cage door unlocked.
"…Hey, where's the key?"
"Ah!"
The bandits quickly realized they had forgotten to lock the door and returned.
Although it was only a minute or so, I wasn't about to miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
"Hey, you idiots left the door open!!"
"S-Sorry!"
"That kid's escaping, find her!"
I immediately slipped out of the loosened ropes and ran out of the cage.
"She shouldn't have gone far. We cut her Achilles tendons."
"She's probably hiding around here. Come out, you! If you keep hiding, we'll skin you alive when we find you!"
I had already healed my own tendons.
I was relieved that they didn't realize I was a healer.
"Where are you? Come out now!!"
Thanks to this misunderstanding, I managed to escape to a safe distance without being caught by the bandits.
***
While it was good that I managed to escape from the bandits…
The next problem was that I had no idea where I was.
I was off the route to Winn, and I didn't know my current location.
Fortunately, there were plenty of edible things lying around in the summer of Austin,
Acorns, for instance, could be eaten if you managed to peel them, even though they tasted bad.
Growing dandelions that were commonly used in salads back in my hometown of Noel were available as wild greens.
There was also a water source; I had found a small stream, so I thought there would be no problem…
"Ugh, ugh…"
…The problem was that I had no means to start a fire, so I had to drink the water raw and ended up with diarrhea.
The water in this area was contaminated with parasites.
I became unable to move after suffering from diarrhea for several days.
I tried to get hydration from fruits, but I ended up vomiting everything.
Eventually, my skin dried out and my voice became hoarse, and dehydration advanced to a point where I could clearly feel it.
I needed to drink water, but the water from the stream was very dangerous.
Right now, I had neither a metal helmet nor a bottle. I was wearing only my underwear—a very modest outfit.
Even if I managed to start a fire, I had no way to boil the water.
There was no way to drink water safely.
Death from dehydration was becoming a real possibility.
Amidst all this, as I was weakening both physically and mentally…
I came across one major stroke of luck.
It was…
"Hmm, who are you?"
"P-Please… help me."
"Help you?"
I had found a group of soldiers in Austin uniforms taking a break by the river.
They were probably regular soldiers of the Austin Army.
"…Hmm, you do look to be pretty dehydrated."
"She'll die if we don't give her water."
"Hmm, I guess there's no other way."
Despite almost dying shortly after returning, I managed to join (or rather, reunite with) the Austin Army.
"I was captured by slave traders."
"I see."
After receiving clean water and salt from the unit's commander and regaining some strength, I was interrogated by the male commander of the transport unit.
"Why were you traveling at your age?"
"I'm a medic in the Austin Army. I was traveling to return to the military."
"What? You're military? Then why are you here?"
"Yes, Commander. I was a medic in the Austin Army and participated in the Battle of the North. However, I was injured during the battle and swept away by the Tar River, becoming a straggler."
I explained my situation calmly.
Including how I ended up in the Sabbath and returned with the alliance.
"…The Northern Battle was last year, right? What have you been doing up until now?"
"By unfortunate chance, I drifted to the Sabbath, and until the recent alliance was established, there was no prospect of returning."
"Also, being a Chief Medic at your age…"
"I can demonstrate a healing spell if you doubt me."
"No, there's no one injured right now."
The commander looked puzzled after hearing my story.
He likely had doubts about my claims.
"Sorry, but our unit is on a transport mission to the front lines. If you're aiming for Winn, you'll have to continue traveling alone."
"In that case, could you please take me to the front lines? If you doubt me, I believe Captain Aria will vouch for me. She has assumed the role of my guardian."
"Hmm…"
The commander seemed quite intent on dismissing me. He probably didn't want to take someone as suspicious as me along.
But if I were left here, I might die for sure this time.
I desperately tried to persuade the commander.
"It's been over a year since I last spoke with Captain Aria, so she may have been promoted by now."
"…Ah, Captain Aria has been promoted to Major."
"Major? I see, she's moved up quite a bit."
"However, she met a brave end last year. Her promotion was due to that achievement."
At that point, I first mentioned Captain Aria's name.
When I mentioned Aria, I learned that she had met a tragic end during the Battle of the North.
"Captain Aria… has passed away?"
"Are there any other officers who can vouch for you?"
"…I am acquainted with her father, Major Renvel, and also her cousin, Lieutenant Verdi. If you go to the Medical Division, you'll find that I also know Medical Sergeant Director Dollman and Medical Director Reitalyu."
"Hmm, so you're an acquaintance of Major Verdi."
As I was shocked by the news of Aria's death and holding back my tears…
The young officer in front of me looked at me with an unexpected expression.
"We are the transport unit of the Major Verdi's reinforcement battalion. If you are truly an acquaintance of his, we can arrange a meeting."
"Really?"
"Yes. Of course, we will need to conduct a thorough body check."
Apparently, this unit is a transport unit belonging to the Verdi Battalion. Looks like he was promoted to Major.
And the young man with a rough demeanor turned out to be…
"I'm Sergeant Gavel. I'm Lieutenant Colonel Renvel's grandson and Major Verdi's cousin."
"Huh?"
"The Major Aria you mentioned earlier is my aunt."
He was a young sergeant from the Renvel family.
***
Sergeant Gavel was a rookie soldier two years younger than me.
I got the impression that he looked young, but I never imagined he was younger than me.
"I graduated from the military academy this spring and was allowed to begin duty immediately."
"Oh."
He graduated from the military academy at the age of 15 and enlisted in the war with the rank of sergeant.
However, he still is a rookie soldier with no experience on the battlefield.
So at first, he was appointed head of a safe transport unit.
"I'm going to be a commander, so I don't have to go to the front lines."
Not only Sergeant Gavel, but it is rare for people who have just graduated from a military academy to be suddenly sent to the front lines.
Even Verdi was only 17 when he joined Garback Platoon.
He spent about two years training in the rear before moving to the front line.
"So, how do you know Major Verdi?"
"Yes, I will answer that. I was in the same platoon as Major Verdi when I was a rookie."
"Oh, how lucky. You got to see that person in action up close."
Sergeant Gavel has been asking me a lot of questions about Verdi.
For some reason, he had a somewhat enraptured expression on his face.
"Major Verdi is an amazing person. He is someone who can exhibit calm judgment in dire situations."
"That's right, he's really amazing."
Sergeant Gavel seemed to be infatuated with Verdi.
His eyes lit up with joy when I spoke about Verdi's valor during the Noel Retreat.
"Austin's current dominance is thanks to Major Verdi. He is truly an incredible man."
"Yes."
"It's not an exaggeration to say that Major Verdi is the lifeline of Austin."
According to what I heard, the war was progressing favorably for Austin thanks to Verdi's efforts.
They had already succeeded in driving the enemy out of the country and were now dealing with the remnants of the enemy.
…If the situation is as reported, the war might be over by the time I arrive.
"Glory to our great Major Verdi!"
"Yes, glory to Major Verdi."
However, official reports are often unreliable.
Soldiers are always only told that they are "in a favorable position."
Regardless of the actual situation, all I can do is continue to heal the wounded.
***
"Umm, shall I carry something as well?"
"Huh? No need."
I wasn't given any particular work to do now that I was under Sergeant Gavel's protection.
I was simply instructed to walk along and follow. I was only given a spare uniform from the cargo.
"You'll topple over if you carry any baggage because it's too heavy."
"Well, I am trained to endure heavy equipment to some extent."
"No need to boast. Leave this kind of thing to the men."
The transport unit basically transports supplies using horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws.
In a few years, railroads and vehicles will be deployed to the military, and hand-drawn carriages will no longer be needed.
This war is likely to be the last one in which long-distance transport by manpower is used.
"While we appreciate your spirit, that's not the job of a medic."
"You're just like the cargo we're transporting. Just let yourself be carried."
The soldiers in the transport unit who did this heavy lifting were mostly wounded soldiers who had retired from the front lines.
They have a rough temperament and give the impression of being somewhat intimidating.
They are people who, despite having been injured, chose to continue being soldiers instead of being discharged.
"Also, who carries what has been allocated."
"I see…"
These transport soldiers are muscular from carrying goods with their own bodies.
I also train, but my muscles are nowhere near theirs.
"Well, I appreciate your spirit, Chief Medic."
Sergeant Gavel playfully patted my back.
I am technically older than him, but in the military, rank is everything.
I felt a bit uncomfortable being treated like a pet, but I accepted it gracefully.
***
Sergeant Gavel wasn't a very outstanding officer cadet.
I heard that he often skipped training, his grades in classrooms were below average, and he barely managed to graduate.
Verdi was known for his excellent results, and considering that Aria was second in the military academy, Gavel was the underachiever in the Renvel family.
As such, Verdi had no intention of utilizing him on the front lines.
He was lacking many qualities needed as a commander.
When he said, "I don't have to go to the front lines because I'm a commander," it was merely a subtle way of Verdi indicating that he had no intention of using him as a frontline commander.
For better or worse, Sergeant Gavel was protected by Verdi.
However, (the now) Lieutenant Colonel Renvel, was said to have recognized his potential.
He evaluated Gavel, who had poor performance and often slacked off, as "similar to how I was when I was young."
He asserted that Gavel was a late bloomer and would become a fine commander if he was nurtured.
At this point, Sergeant Gavel was 15 years old.
The same age as when I was first thrown into the Western Front.
This inexperienced young man had not yet begun to think for himself as a soldier.
He had spent his days just following the orders of his superior, Major Verdi.
Of course, soldiers don't need to think. They just need to execute the orders given to them.
So Gavel's actions were correct for a soldier.
The problem was that he was not a soldier but a commander.
Soldiers don't need to think because commanders are supposed to do the thinking for them.
As a unit leader, he alone had to think carefully and act accordingly.
Thus.
This is understandable for a 15-year-old, but he had been living life in a carefree manner.
He was simply following orders and transporting goods with his mind shut off.
He hadn't even imagined what he should do or how he should act as a commander.
…It was just like how I was when I failed to save Lakya.
***
It was by chance that I realized this.
"Sergeant Gavel, we have an emergency. I've spotted what appears to be enemy forces."
"Huh?"
Since I had nothing to do, I started scouting for enemies as a form of rehabilitation to get used to the battlefield…
And I had inadvertently spotted enemy soldiers.
I looked again, and indeed, several soldiers with reconnaissance scopes were watching us. They were probably enemies.
"It's about 400 meters to the two o'clock direction. If this is an ambush for our unit, I estimate the enemy to be a company-sized force."
"W-What are you saying?"
I was honestly quite flustered because I hadn't really expected to find any enemies.
But since it was a transport unit, it wouldn't be surprising if it was targeted.
"W-Where are they? I don't see anything. Are you messing with me?"
"Sergeant, it's under the small woods. I can see it too; it's definitely the enemy."
"What?!"
"Well done, little miss."
The transport soldiers also confirmed the enemies he had spotted.
The members of the unit begin to get noisy and chatter.
"How did you determine it's a company-level force?"
"Since the platoon is made up of only scouts, the enemy is likely to be at least a company in size. The terrain here doesn't seem suitable for a battalion to set up an ambush, so I guessed it to be a company."
"Oh, not bad. It would be a shame to just have you as a medic."
The transport soldiers, despite the enemy being right in front of us, were unusually calm and were patting my head with a smile.
…They're quite composed. Have they been through many tough situations?
"What are you so calm about? Is it really a company-level ambush?! There are enemies over there?!"
"Yes, I believe it to be the size of a company, just like the girl said."
The man who appeared to be a former scout also shared the same assessment.
The Gavel Transport Unit was a reinforced squad, about 20 strong.
There was a considerable difference in numbers when it came to taking on a company.
"So, what should we do, Sergeant?"
"Eh, m-me?"
"Who else who give the orders besides you, the unit commander?"
"Y-Yes, I suppose you're right."
Suddenly asked to make a decision, Sergeant Gavel blinked in confusion.
It was harsh to entrust the youngest with the decision, but that's how the chain of command works.
"W-Well. Let's retreat, take a detour."
"…Understood. Which way should we retreat?"
"Umm, let me think. Ah…"
"Do you want to detour to the front line or retreat back to base?"
"L-Let's retreat."
Sergeant Gavel gave a strained voice to issue the order.
He probably judged that retreating was safer.
Although, I don't think the enemy will let us off the hook that easily.
"…Ah, the enemy forces are advancing. They've realized we detected their ambush."
"Ugh."
"Sergeant, let's quickly move the unit to the forest. We'll be annihilated if we don't hide."
"What!? There are so many enemies now! Ahhh?!"
At this moment, Sergeant Gavel was extremely young and inexperienced.
Verdi was able to calmly give instructions, but…
It was harsh to expect that from a rookie commander.
"Everyone, retreat! Abandon the cargo! This is a matter of life and death!"
"Sergeant Gavel?"
"Let's run. There's no way we can win when we're barely armed. Just leave the cargo."
He fell into a panic and shouted only "Run."
Indeed, it is textbook to abandon the cargo and escape when a transport unit is attacked in a hopeless situation.
…But that's only if it's a hopeless situation.
"Please calm down, Sergeant Gavel."
"I am calm! I'm composed! Just start the retreat quickly─"
"It's fine, just calm down!"
Weapons and ammunition are scarce in Austin right now.
The cargo Sergeant Gavel was about to abandon is invaluable to frontline soldiers.
"Sergeant, I suggest we quickly evacuate to the forest area on the right while keeping the supplies."
"W-What are you, crazy? If the enemy comes…"
"Look closely, there's still time before we make contact."
I spoke to Sergeant Gavel to encourage him and help him stay calm.
We shouldn't flee just yet.
Judging from the enemy's condition, the current situation is not a hopeless battle.
"We need to get away before we make contact."
"Whether you decide to flee or not, you need to ascertain the enemy's strength in order to properly report back. It may be frightening, but don't look away; keep your eyes on the front."
My own intuition was telling me too.
This isn't a life-or-death situation yet. Even if we hold out here, it won't lead to disaster.
"Let's assess the situation. We were fortunate to detect the enemy's ambush. Therefore, the enemy had no choice but to reveal themselves."
"Eh, ah. I see."
"In modern warfare, the defender has the overwhelming advantage. We can turn the situation around with only this level of disparity."
The soldiers in the transport unit looked at me with wide eyes.
But I remained fearless and suggested to this inexperienced commander…
"How about it, Sergeant Gavel? Why not try and achieve something great?"
That's what I suggested.