When soldiers want luxury items, where do they buy them?
There is a place called a "commissary" set up in the military base.
A commissary is essentially a retail space where various items are sold, not only luxuries but also letters and envelopes to send to family, local specialties, and more.
And the commissary doesn't just handle retail items, it also manages "sex entertainment" – erotic establishments.
Originally, sex-related shops were separated from the retail area…
However, due to a shortage of supplies, the retail space has shrunk, and they have been combined with the sex services.
Wine and sweets now cost almost ten times what they did in peacetime.
This is because the workforce has been absorbed by the military-industrial complex, reducing the production of luxury items.
The decline of such entertainment industries has had a significant impact on the military.
When humans are deprived of alcohol and sweets, the next thing they indulge in is prostitution.
Widows who had lost their husbands and were struggling to make ends meet would come to the commissary to sell their bodies to support their children.
As a result, the price of alcohol has gone up, but the price of prostitution keeps dropping.
No wonder the majority of the commissary is taken over by the sex industry.
I have never been to the commissary before.
I am still too young to drink, and I have no interest in sex services.
And I had no intention of going there in the future, but…
"A soldier from the Touri Guerilla Company has caused a fight in the commissary, and there are injuries. We request your assistance."
"Puku puku puku."
"…Understood. I will come."
On the night of a rest day.
In the middle of training with Argie, I was called by the person in charge of the commissary.
***
"Hey, are you really going? I can go and mediate in your place."
"It's okay, Sergeant Gavel. There are injured people, so I think it's best for me to go myself."
Sergeant Gavel looked a bit worried when I told him I was going to the commissary.
I understand it's a place with sexual services, but I don't find it particularly uncomfortable.
Due to the influence of memories from my past life, I have a high mental age.
I also understand men's tastes and preferences.
"But, you know, that place is really bad for your education."
"Sergeant Gavel, have you forgotten that I am older than you?"
"But, well… fine. You've been warned, alright?"
The innocent Sergeant Gavel repeatedly tried to dissuade me from going to the commissary.
He must think I can't handle such places.
"Despite appearances, I'm older than you, Sergeant Gavel. Naturally, I have that kind of knowledge, and I'm not at an age where I would be embarrassed."
"Hahh…"
"If you doubt me, come along. Let's go and clean up the mess that our subordinate made."
"O-Oh."
With a light sigh, I headed to the commissary with Sergeant Gavel, who wore a dubious expression.
***
"Wow…"
"See, I told you."
It was my first time visiting the commissary.
The commissary was already… quite an experience.
"You can hear moans from everywhere."
"Yeah, they're probably at it."
I now understood why Sergeant Gavel had returned from the commissary with a flushed face.
There wasn't a single place in the commissary where skin wasn't visible.
On a platform with a good view, half-naked women struck seductive poses for the gathered soldiers.
From behind flimsy partitions, sensual sounds echoed.
"Um, the soldier from Touri Guerrilla Company… Corporal Ember, right? Where could he be?"
"Section E. That's right in the middle of the red-light district."
The sign near the commissary entrance had a picture of a naked woman painted on it.
At the water station at the back, men and women who have presumably finished are lined up.
There was a pungent smell, and the unique odor hanging over the area near that line made me want to vomit.
"Let's hurry, Sergeant Gavel."
"Yeah."
It's easy to understand why Sergeant Gavel would want to run away from such a place.
Honestly, I didn't want to stay long either.
Even if it was due to a subordinate's mistake, to be called to a place like this…
"He's running off with the goods!"
"Catch that guy!"
"Tsk."
Apparently, the security situation is not very good, with many cases of pickpocketing and theft.
Surely it would be better if they put more effort into maintaining public order?
No, they probably don't have the manpower to do that.
"You! Give me back my money!!"
"I'm gonna kill you!"
Fights broke out suddenly on the roadside, and people around pretended not to see.
…The quality of our soldiers has clearly declined.
This was a sign of how desperate the Austin military had become.
It's hard to expect discipline and morality from forcibly conscripted recruits.
"This place is the slum of the military."
A dingy area rife with theft and prostitution.
All around, men were making wild noises while shaking their hips.
Indeed, as Sergeant Gavel said, this place is like a slum.
The commissary was supposed to be a market-like facility where various goods were bought and sold, but now…
"Is there nothing but sex services in the commissary these days?"
"There's also merchandise for sale. Look, over there."
Following his pointed finger, I saw a man handing over a small bottle of liquid with a grin.
"See, it's V."
"Thank goodness. I can't do without this."
Under the signless shop, shady-looking people were making secret transactions.
Liquid in a small bottle with no label… It can't be an illegal drug, can it?
"What are they trading? Should we question them?"
"It's just cheap liquor. V is a weak, tasteless alcohol."
"Is it a substitute for proper alcohol?"
"Wine's too expensive, so people buy V."
Corporal Nauman said with a sour look on his face, 'I can't understand why people drink stuff like that.'"
The commissary was circulating a poor-quality, cheap alcohol called "V."
Apparently the taste is weak, the quality control is poor, and some people are even getting sick from it.
"That liquor is a relief shipment from the Sabbath."
"Sabbatian liquor?"
"That's right. The undiluted liquid is too strong, so they dilute it before selling it."
"I see."
"That must be their idea. They transport the alcohol in a concentrated form and then dilute it with water to increase the volume. It makes sense."
I glanced over at the bottles lying nearby.
I recognize that brand.
This is a typical Vok liquor that Mr. Gorski liked to drink.
…V must stand for Vok.
"…I think they just like strong alcohol."
"Really?"
"At least I've never seen anyone diluting Vok with water."
They would pour Vok straight into upturned helmets, filling them to the brim.
Drinking strong liquor was a mark of manliness.
They probably never even considered diluting it with water.
"I heard it can be used as a disinfectant."
"By the way, the third leading cause of death for Sabbatian soldiers is alcohol poisoning."
"Are they idiots?"
The fact that distilled liquor was the first item sent as aid gives us a good idea of the national character of that country.
***
"Was this fight caused by Corporal Ember?"
"He apparently hit a prostitute."
When we arrived at Section E, we found Corporal Ember sitting cross-legged with a swollen face.
I recognized his face.
He is the soldier who reminded me of Platoon Leader Garback, who attacked the soldier who deserted in the face of the enemy.
"Lieutenant Touri, I apologize for the trouble I have caused you."
"No, it's fine. Could you explain the situation?"
"Of course, I will answer any questions you have."
He stood up and saluted sharply. His demeanor was confident, without a hint of guilt.
"Huh? What are you two kids doing here?"
"Hello. I am Lieutenant Touri, his superior officer."
"…You're his superior?"
A gruff old man glared at me from behind Ember.
It seemed this old man was the one involved in the trouble.
"What kind of training do you give your men? Damaging a prostitute like that!"
"I apologize for the trouble he caused."
"This isn't going to be solved just by apologizing, you idiot!"
The old man grabbed my collar and yelled, his eyes showing disdain.
"Hey you, what are you doing to the Lieutenant?!"
"Shut up you damn bastard! Hey girl, I don't know if you're a lieutenant or what, but you have to pay for it!"
"Uh…"
The old man spat as he yelled at me.
Upon sorting through his insults, it became clear that he was a pimp who made a living by arranging prostitution.
These pimps are the ones who currently control the commissaries.
"That soldier hit one of our girls. Poor thing, she has a huge bruise on her face now. She can't work like this."
"…I'm very sorry for that."
"It's a huge inconvenience, damn it!"
Ember had an argument with the prostitute and punched her in the face.
When I confirmed this fact with him, he admitted it was true.
If that's the case, then the fault lies with us.
"Corporal Ember. Assaulting civilians is strictly forbidden by military regulations."
"I am aware of that, Lieutenant."
"Then why did you hit the prostitute?"
"I couldn't stand it anymore. I deeply apologize and am prepared to accept any punishment."
Ember bowed deeply to me.
He seems remorseful and has a clean attitude, showing no signs of making excuses.
"You can punish him however you like, but the problem is the damage we've suffered. You'll need to pay for her treatment and compensation for her time off."
"That is…"
"Hey Lieutenant, if you're such a big shot, you've got money, right? Pay up."
The pimp appeared completely uninterested in Ember's punishment.
The only thing he's concerned about is how much money he can get from us.
However, if the fault lies with us, we need to address it.
"Okay, but let's first talk about treatment…"
"Excuse me, Lieutenant Touri. Regarding that matter…"
"Yes, Corporal Ember?"
I intended to take this issue back and discuss how to handle it.
If a soldier assaults a civilian, appropriate compensation is necessary.
I can't give him an immediate answer here, including how much compensation to pay.
"There's no need for compensation. I hit her because she tried to scam me. I'll accept punishment for the assault, but I won't compensate them."
"What the hell?!"
That's what I was thinking, but Ember interrupted the conversation and made this suggestion.
The pimp erupted in anger, but Ember stood his ground.
"…Could you please tell me about this scam in more detail."
"Yes, Lieutenant."
It was then that I heard the full story from Ember.
To summarize Ember's testimony, it appears that this group of pimps was conducting marriage fraud in an organized manner.
It all started when an acquaintance of Ember announced to his unit that he was engaged to his prostitute.
Apparently the prostitute had some debts, but he agreed that he would pay them off in exchange for getting married to her.
The soldier was happy, and his comrades congratulated him.
However, Ember had heard similar stories multiple times in other units.
Feeling suspicious, he went to the commissary and asked about the soldier's mistress.
When they met, she repeated the story about her debts and wanting to marry after the war.
When he asked the mistress, "Do you have a fiancé?" she immediately replied, "No."
Angered, Ember pressed her for details, and she admitted they were instructed to scam soldiers by promising marriage and taking their money.
She showed no remorse, saying, "That's what we were instructed to say," and "I'm letting them dream," and threatened him, saying, "Don't say anything unnecessary, it's interfering with business," and, "I'll make sure you never walk around the commissary again."
"How could I stay silent when my comrades' hearts were being toyed with? I had to hit her."
That was why Ember hit the prostitute.
It's terrifying to go off to war alone and die in battle with no one to remember you by.
How comforting would it be to have your fiancé waiting for you when you return home?
"Such things are none of my concern! I don't care if there's an engagement between the prostitute and the soldier. Just give me the money!"
"How dare you speak like that when you've been swindling my comrades out of their money! You should be ashamed of yourself!
"I don't care about whatever promises were made between them. The fact remains that your soldier hit one of my girls!"
…I now understand why Ember was angry.
He lashed out to defend a comrade from marriage fraud.
If this story is true, there is room for sympathy.
"I understand, pimp. Please take me to the prostitute first."
"What? Are you going to interrogate her? No way, I'm not letting you interfere with our business."
"I am a medic and can use healing magic. Let's start by treating her injuries."
I think the woman also probably has her own reasons for engaging in such activities.
If they weren't short of money, they wouldn't resort to prostitution in a war zone.
However, if it is true that fraud is widespread, it needs to be addressed.
"I will handle this matter. I will report it to the higher-ups and ensure appropriate measures are taken."
"Forget that, just pay up! Or I'll hit you!"
"I'm sorry, but if you continue any longer, I will treat this as extortion and maintain order. Are you prepared to have the military turn against you?"
"Tch…"
"First, I'll heal the injured woman. After that, we will verify the facts and discuss further actions."
Realizing I wouldn't back down, the old man clicked his tongue in frustration.
Did he think I would cave to threats?
There's no way a soldier would be intimidated by mere violence.
"Corporal Ember. You should have immediately reported this to me instead of resorting to violence. You will be punished appropriately for assaulting a civilian."
"Understood."
"I will be issuing a warning to the Touri Guerilla Company regarding this matter…. I will also be contacting the higher-ups."
Maintaining security in the commissary is crucial.
If we neglect security in these establishments, they become hotbeds of trouble.
I should bring this up with Verdi from my position as a lieutenant.
"I understand your feelings, but please also consider the civilians, Corporal Ember."
"Consider them?"
"Everyone is struggling to survive."
In present Austin, there is no guarantee of food for tomorrow.
There will be people who will deceive and take advantage of others in order to survive.
It was all because of this war.
"I've got your name memorized. I'll file complaints with the military every day."
"…Feel free."
Feeling uneasy under the pimp's scrutinizing gaze, I followed his lead to the prostitute and healed her injuries.
…She also had a sexually transmitted disease, so I gave her medication for that too.
***
"Uuuuuuuuh!!!"
Later…
After reporting the incident to Verdi, a warning was issued throughout the entire military.
"I can't believe this!!!"
When my company was also warned, one of the soldiers broke down crying and collapsed face-first into the ground.
This was likely the soldier who Ember mentioned had been deceived.
"Ugh, uuuhh!"
It's hard to watch a grown man lose his composure and cry out in turmoil.
Seeing this, the surrounding soldiers seemed to become more aware and cautious.
"Corporal Ember, that soldier is…"
"Yes. He's the man I had a fight with before."
But what was surprising was…
The deceived soldier was the same one who had previously fought with Ember and had a tendency to flee from battle.
Given their past altercations, I had assumed they were on bad terms.
"I still don't get along with that guy."
"I see."
"But even with someone like him, he's still a comrade. I couldn't stand seeing them toy with his heart."
Saying this, Ember grinned with a face bruised from corporal punishment.