We were busy treating the gas victims until late into the day.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much effective treatment for them.
Since it wasn't an external injury, the effects of [Heal] was weak, and oxygen cans only provided a slight relief.
Surprisingly, antibiotics were effective, but they were precious, so we couldn't use them abundantly.
Regrettably, I had to tell mildly injured patients that there was nothing we could do and send them home.
The campsite that day was a scene from hell, with vomit and bloody sputum flying everywhere.
***
"You must be tired, Sister Touri."
"Lenalee."
After a very busy night for the first time in a while, morning came.
My sister-in-law, still as grumpy and expressionless as ever, came to visit me at my hospital bedside.
It was Lenalee.
"Good morning. Is there something you need from me?"
"Yes. I heard the medical department is busy. I thought I'd lend a hand."
She must have trained the night before. The smell of earth and sweat lingered on her.
…The communication officers must not have been busy last night.
"I've come to collect the rank insignia and documents. The deadline for submitting them is today at noon."
"Is this about the demotion? Thank you."
Lenalee came to collect my submission.
Honestly, there were still many patients lined up, and I didn't have the time to submit it myself, so it was very helpful.
"Yesterday's offensive appears to have been a victory for us. They say we wiped out the enemy with a new weapon."
"Yes. …It was a very cruel weapon."
"Aren't you happy about the victory, Sister Touri?"
"Even if they are enemies, it's still hard to see people die."
Lenalee seemed pleased with yesterday's victory. From what I heard, it was a complete victory.
However, thinking about the suffering of the gas victims, I could not bring myself to be completely happy.
…Perhaps it's hypocrisy to think such things when participating in a war.
"It's a wonder how you got together with Brother Rod with that kind of personality."
"Yes, well…"
If Rodri were alive, he would undoubtedly celebrate today's victory without hesitation.
He was not only kind but also resolute in killing the enemy.
I am just indecisive and lack resolve.
"At this rate, the war might end before I join the infantry."
"I hope that happens, Lenalee."
"…I've worked hard on my training, though."
Lenalee murmured a bit disappointedly.
It's true that the war might end before she becomes an infantryman, but… Lenalee's efforts won't be in vain.
"No. It's never a waste to build up your strength in these times. You need to be able to run away from kidnappers, at least."
"Are there really human traffickers?"
"Yes, I was almost kidnapped myself. You should never trust strangers, Lenalee."
"…Is the security in our country that bad?"
Having served in the military for a long time, Lenalee is probably unaware of the current state of turmoil in the country.
She wouldn't think that human trafficking is rampant.
"Here are all the documents. I'm returning the rank insignia as well."
"I've certainly received them."
While having this conversation, I handed over the compiled documents to Lenalee.
She took it expressionlessly and checked the contents.
"Oh, and by the way, Sister Touri. I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it?"
After a few seconds of checking, Lenalee looked up at me.
"Could you make some time for me again sometime?"
"Time?"
"If you don't mind, could you tell me about Brother Rod?"
She murmured a bit shyly.
"I still don't intend to forgive Brother Rod, though."
"…"
"What did he accomplish after abandoning our family? Could you please tell me?"
I think that is Lenalee's way of making a concession.
This is her own attempt to digest the anger she still harbors towards Rodri.
"I understand. I'll make time once the offensive against the mine is over."
"I'm looking forward to it"
Lenalee seemed to have sorted out her feelings by taking time to mourn her family.
No, perhaps she had always wanted to hear about Rodri from me but was just being stubborn.
"In return, please tell me about Rodri too."
"With pleasure, Sister Touri."
I also want to hear more about Rodri before he became a soldier.
Only Lenalee knows Rodri as an older brother.
He was a very caring person and I'm sure he would have been a good older brother.
"Well then, see you later."
"Yes."
I hope this offensive ends soon so I can have a nice leisurely cup of tea with her.
I waved goodbye to my sister-in-law as she left with a faint smile on her face.
***
On this day, the Austin Army used chemical weapons early in the morning.
The Austin army, having completed the capture of the trenches at the foot of the mountain, released gas towards the mountaintop.
They knew that gas attacks wouldn't be very effective against enemies in higher positions, but they likely thought it would cause some damage.
Additionally, there was the reason that the chemical weapons had a short shelf life and it would be wasteful not to use them.
And this gas attack also achieved results.
Seeing the approaching gas, the Flamer forces panicked and fled.
Having been subjected to a gas attack the previous day, just seeing the yellow-green smoke triggered their trauma.
Even though most of the gas didn't reach them, the Flamer soldiers scattered like a swarm of spiders.
Behind such a cruel gas offensive…
"We can't keep this up. Abandon him and remove his oxygen canister. Use it on patients we can save!"
"I understand… I'm sorry, soldier."
Following yesterday, the medical department was once again overwhelmed with treatment and procedures.
The soldiers who had been brought in were rapidly deteriorating and beginning to die.
"Ough, ugh! Wheeze, wheeze."
"…It's dried dandelion. Please drink it."
"Impossible, ehho ehho! Can't drink. Please, give it to me by mouth!"
"If you have trouble swallowing, we'll put it in a tube and inject it into your stomach."
When gas is inhaled, fluid gradually accumulates in the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary edema.
The patient will eventually drown in their own bodily fluids if left untreated.
Therefore,
"Medic, I need to pee! It's coming out, please let me go to the toilet!"
"Your injuries are serious, so it would be a problem if you moved. I'll give you a bottle, so do it here."
"This is too much!"
The best treatment is to excrete the fluid in the lungs through urination.
Antibiotics are effective for gas patients because one of their side effects is diuresis.
However, since antibiotics are very precious, we started using dried dandelion as a diuretic substitute partway through.
"Ah, I feel a little better. That dried dandelion from earlier? It's working really well. Can you give me some more?"
"It's toxic if you drink too much."
Dandelions also have a diuretic effect. Moreover, they are easy to obtain as a recreational item, making them an ideal substitute.
Perhaps because it's a favorite food of some self-proclaimed villain, there was a considerable stockpile of it within the military.
However, it's harmful to the kidneys, and excessive consumption can be fatal. Be careful not to drink too much.
***
While I was busy working from the early morning…
"Hey, can someone get a medic over here?"
"Oh."
Someone suddenly barged into the medical tent, shouting loudly.
Looking up, I saw a young sergeant stride into the tent.
It was Sergeant Gavel.
"What's the matter, Sergeant Gavel?"
"Sorry, I have an emergency case in my unit. It's urgent, so I need you to respond quickly."
"… In that case, I'll head over myself. Is that okay, Cale?"
"Yeah. Go ahead, Little Boss."
Normally, the order of treatment is determined by triage, but I can't refuse a treatment request from a sergeant.
Sergeant Gavel had enough authority to call a medic, bypassing the triage process.
"I'm ready. Where should I go?"
"Follow me."
Honestly, I didn't want to leave because we were so busy…
I left the care of the patients to Cale and hurried to Sergeant Gavel's unit.
His unit was about to depart on a transport mission and had stopped temporarily a few kilometers north of here.
…It's in the opposite direction of the front lines. What could have happened?
When we arrived at our destination with various doubts in my mind, I found a soldier lying on the ground with his face swollen.
There are signs of severe beatings, and he's barely breathing.
This is… no way.
"Sorry, I went a bit too far with the corporal punishment."
"…"
…The reason I was called in was to deal with the aftermath of corporal punishment.
Moreover, it was indeed a life-threatening condition if treatment was not given immediately.
"…"
"Don't look at me like that. I wasn't the one who hit him!"
After glaring at Sergeant Gavel, I quickly ran over to the injured soldier.
In addition to facial and rib fractures and a dislocated shoulder, he also appears to have developed a pneumothorax.
…Even if it was for discipline, the violence was excessive and sloppy.
"I told him to keep the discipline moderate. I don't really like hitting people, but this guy!"
"With that attitude, the rookies will only get more defiant, Sergeant. But yeah, maybe I went too far."
Next to Sergeant Gavel was a muscular middle-aged man—the grenade-throwing guy, looking apologetic.
He must have been the one who administered the harsh discipline.
"This rookie has been extremely rebellious ever since he joined the unit, giving me a lot of trouble. Just today he came and started a fight, saying in a casual tone, 'How can someone like you be a commander?'"
"I see."
"Then Maeve… this guy said he needed to be educated and beat him to a pulp. I didn't care, but it was too much."
"But Sergeant, we can't take this guy into battle like this. What if he disobeys orders during combat?"
"Well, that's true. But you didn't have to nearly kill him."
Listening to their conversation, I got a rough idea of what happened.
This defiant rookie was disciplined by the grenade-throwing guy for his attitude.
It wasn't harassment but a method to increase the rookie's survival rate by thoroughly beating him.
By reducing the risk of disobedience, it's an act of tough love towards the rookies, even if it means being resented.
From the perspective of the one being beaten, it's an utterly unreasonable story.
"How is it, can you save him?"
"Yes, he'll be fine."
The grenade-throwing guy just misjudged the degree of force needed.
I treated many similar rookie patients on the Western Front.
…Let's just blame it all on the war.
"I'm sorry for the trouble. I didn't think he'd be so fragile with such a big attitude."
"I would like you to be more careful from now on. The medical department certainly doesn't have much free time."
"This time, it's my responsibility. I apologize. Ah, Medical Sergeant Touri?"
"Yes. Strictly speaking, I'll be demoted in an hour, but that's fine."
Sergeant Gavel looked me in the eye and apologized sincerely.
His youth and honesty might be his strengths.
"The treatment should take about 15 minutes."
"Sorry, then I'll leave it to you… Sigh, I'll have to write a report later."
"It's your fault," he said, kicking the grenade-thrower. He then took out a board and documents with an annoyed look.
Is he actually a capable commander?
"You're a real lifesaver for coming here. The documents with your statements will be easier to get approved by Major Verdi."
"…"
"He really likes you, huh? It's annoying though."
If it hadn't been for that last comment, I might have been inclined to think better of him.
Looking back, it was as if my fate was being controlled by someone.
Just before the sun reached its peak, I was dispatched to the tent where the Gavel Transport Company was stationed.
The second gas attack on the mine that took place early in the morning.
An offensive using a heinous killing weapon banned by treaties in the previous life.
If no one had done anything, Austin would have won easily and the war would have ended.
Both Verdi and Lieutenant Colonel Renvel.
Even Bern Valou believed the mine capture operation would succeed without incident.
Two 'geniuses' capable of changing history on their own were born in this era.
One was the 'Villain' Bern Valou, who emerged from the brink of Austin's destruction and built its current dominance.
The other was the 'Foolish Commander' Sylph Nova, who continued to work for the homeland her father loved, despite being betrayed by both the people and the government.
…If Bern had known she was here, he wouldn't have carried out such a plan.
The only advantage of gas weapons is that they are cheap and can kill a large number of enemies.
This operation has a major flaw, and Bern himself was aware of it… but he was overconfident, thinking, "Flamel won't be able to exploit that weakness."
The Austin's General Staff did not intend to use gas weapons against the Sabbatian Army.
It was clear that any advantage this weapon would provide would only be temporary and would soon become ineffective.
They only adopted the cheap gas tactic this time because the war was almost over and the enemy was significantly inferior in technology.
Even in my previous life, the lifespan of gas weapons was also very short.
Gas masks quickly became a countermeasure, and their effectiveness diminished.
Even if it had not been banned by treaty, it would have been a weapon that quickly became obsolete.
Yes, gas weapons are inherently flawed weapons.
It was a one-hit wonder, a strategy to kill people on first sight.
So in order to make the most of that one opportunity, Austin gathered a lot of enemies in the mines.
Without considering that there would be someone who wouldn't fall for that one-time trick.
***
"What?!"
"What's going on? There's a commotion up ahead."
Just as I was about to finish my treatment.
A chill ran down my spine, making all the hairs on my body stand on end.
"I hear gunfire. Someone's shooting nearby."
"Impossible. Today's operation was supposed to be without firearms… Is the enemy making a desperate charge?"
It was a familiar feeling of death.
A primal instinct warning me that things were about to go very wrong.
It felt like someone inside me was shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Wait, there's fire. Smoke is rising from the central command center where Major Verdi is."
"What did you say?!"
My quickening heartbeat, the pressure in my chest, and the cold sweat warning me of imminent danger.
"Ah─"
"What's the matter, Medical Sergeant Touri?"
Our Gavel Transport Unit was temporarily stationed in a forested area closer to Austin than the front lines.
There is no way we could hear gunfire here unless the enemy had broken through the front lines.
"I tried contacting headquarters, but there's no response… Something definitely happened."
"What will you do, Sergeant Gavel?"
"…Prepare for combat, everyone. We're heading back to headquarters to ensure Major Verdi's safety. Be ready for a fight if necessary."
Sergeant Gavel decided to return to headquarters after some hesitation.
It was uncertain if we could complete our transport mission with our current force if the enemy was advancing into this area.
He judged that it was too risky to continue the operation without knowing which route was safe.
"Sergeant Gavel, what should I do?"
"Huh? Oh, you don't need to come. It's too dangerous if you get caught in the fight. Return to the medical department."
And so, the Gavel Transport Unit abruptly decided to head back to headquarters.
I was ordered to return to the medical department.
"This area might already be a combat zone. If possible, could your unit protect me as well?"
"Sergeant, it's a bit cruel to leave a medic alone in a combat zone."
"Ah… Fine, then you come with us."
Group action is essential in emergencies.
It would be extremely cruel to tell a medic to return alone.
"Alright, we're going to rescue Major Verdi. Everyone, double-time! You'll be left behind if you're slow."
"Yes, sir!"
Thus, I came under Sergeant Gavel's command.
And the fact that I was protected by the Gavel Transport Company…
"Everyone, move out!"
…Proved to greatly alter my destiny.