The chirping of insects had subsided and the scent of early autumn filled the air.
In a corner of the Austin position, the formation of the Touri Guerrilla Company was quietly underway.
"The request for reinforcements has been approved. The soldiers should be arriving soon."
"Yes."
During this time, the mining front was relatively quiet.
Only occasional skirmishes broke out, and the front lines were mostly stalemated.
"We don't know how long the training period will be. We might be given a mission immediately as soon as the numbers are gathered."
"Understood."
"In the meantime, make sure to communicate well with your subordinates."
Sergeant Gavel advised me.
As he said, communication with comrades is crucial.
"Communication… so that means a drinking party, then?"
"You have a surprisingly simple thought process."
"Is there another method?"
"Normally, you'd start with interviews. But, well, a party isn't a bad idea either."
Certainly, the interview should come before the drinking party.
Before I realized it, I too had been poisoned by the Sabbath.
"Besides, we're not old enough to drink yet."
"Right."
In Austin, drinking is not allowed until the age of 18.
It is known that children who drink alcohol can suffer from acute alcohol poisoning.
"Then we will start with the interviews."
"That will do."
I'm 17 this year, and Sergeant Gavel is 15.
We are still too young to enjoy alcohol.
"The ones you should talk to first are Corporal Maeve and the 'puku puku' woman. The rest are the sappers and platoon leaders who are due to be assigned to their posts."
"The 'puku puku' woman… her name is Argie."
"She just makes 'puku puku' noises and ignores me when I talk to her. Since I haven't heard her name, she's the nameless 'puku puku' woman."
"…"
Sergeant Gavel said this with a straight face.
Well, it's understandable given Argie's attitude.
"Make sure you have a good talk with that woman, Lieutenant Touri."
"Y-Yes."
It is the role of the superior officer to effectively "educate" troublesome individuals.
Although…
"She's a woman even Director Reitalyu struggles with. She won't be easy to deal with."
"…"
If someone like Reitalyu has given up on her, can someone like me handle her properly?
***
"I've heard about it. They say you'll be the commander from now on."
"Yes, please take care of me."
That evening.
The first person I went to greet was Corporal Maeve, also known as "The Grenade Thrower."
"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today."
"No need to be so formal. You're my superior officer now. I'll feel embarrassed if you don't act more authoritative."
"I'm just an upstart who volunteered for the military. I'll be relying on your extensive experience, Corporal Maeve."
"Hmm, you're a different kind of troublesome superior compared to Sergeant Gavel."
Maeve is a muscular man in his 40s or 50s with a shaved head and a slightly scary face.
His chest hair was thick and poked out from his uniform, giving him a somewhat rough appearance.
"A superior needs to have a sense of dignity. You need to exude an aura that assures everyone that things will be fine under your command."
"I see."
"If a superior goes around bowing to their subordinates, it'll make everyone anxious. You need to interact with them with the same confident attitude you showed on the battlefield the other day."
"Confident…"
Maeve grinned and advised me as such.
By "the other day," does he mean when I killed Mr. Gorski?
Even if he says to be confident…
"Remember that chilling smile you had? With a face like that, no one would dare to oppose you."
"…Like this?"
"No, that just looks like your cheeks are cramping."
I tried the practiced business smile, but Maeve looked troubled.
I wish I could naturally smile like Reitalyu.
"Sorry, I was a bit excited at that time… I had lost someone important and lost control."
"I see. So, this is the real you."
"Yes."
"Hmm, this is tricky."
When I apologized, Maeve scratched his head.
"When a commander is young, we tend to worry if everything will be alright."
"Yes, I understand that feeling."
"But you had the presence to make your subordinates obey you. Unlike the Sergeant, you had an intimidating aura, I guess."
Maeve gave me a roundabout, carefully chosen suggestion.
…I didn't intend to come across as intimidating.
"Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you could try to be like that."
"I understand. I'll do my best to meet your expectations."
"Well, there's no need to push yourself too hard. It'll be ridiculous if you end up spinning your wheels."
On the battlefield, it's often better for soldiers to be consumed by hatred.
In a sense, that's a given.
It's only natural that those who are driven to kill the enemy perform better.
"Hey, at worst I'll just beat them into submission. I'll leave the healing to you."
"Please keep the corporal punishment to a minimum."
With a bitter smile, I responded to Maeve's broad grin.
***
"So, my wife finally had enough of me."
"Did your wife leave you then?"
"Yeah. That was over twenty years ago. I was foolish back then, thinking I understood women. I guess it was the consequence of that arrogance."
After chatting with him, I began to get a sense of who Maeve was.
He had been quick-tempered in his youth and had a bad habit of getting into fights.
Because of this, his wife left him and he was in a very rough state for a while.
However, he was admonished by a traveling monk, reformed his ways, and began praying to God for forgiveness.
Having turned over a new leaf, Maeve tried to find stable employment but was shunned in his hometown.
So, he decided to enlist as a soldier in order to put his impressive physique to good use.
"I wanted to at least ensure the safety of my wife and children."
"I see."
"Well, I was also short on money."
Afterward, Maeve continued to fight as a grenadier until he lost the fingers on his left hand.
In terms of military service alone, it appears he has served longer than Platoon Leader Garback.
Even after his injury, he continued to contribute as a quartermaster in Austin.
His achievements were so highly evaluated that he was dispatched to Sergeant Gavel's transport company as his "advisor."
It takes a great deal of trust for a veteran soldier to be chosen to be an assistant to a young commander.
Maeve earned her position through a long history of contributions to the military.
"I wonder if my wife will ever forgive me."
"I'm sure she will if you apologize sincerely."
"I'd love to drink with my grown-up children if she does."
Maeve said this wistfully as he wrapped up his story.
***
After finishing the interview with Maeve, I was about to return to the tent when…
"——!!"
"Hmm? It's quite noisy outside."
"Is something happening?"
The camp suddenly became chaotic, with unsettling shouts echoing.
It seemed something unusual had occurred.
"I'll go check it out."
"I'll come too. There might be a need for strength."
"Thank you."
We must respond immediately if it's the enemy.
I steeled myself and ran with Maeve toward the source of the commotion.
I have a bad feeling about this…
***
"Hey you damn bitch! Why are you opening the liquor box without permission?"
"P-p-p-puku?"
At the scene, Argie was being restrained by soldiers in front of the food supplies.
"Puku-puku-puu"
"This damn woman…!!"
My bad feeling was right.
I guess the stories about her having a penchant for stealing were true, as Argie had attempted to steal some wine from the Touri Company's warehouse.
I felt a headache coming on.
"U-Umm, hello."
"Oh, Maeve! And Lieutenant Touri too."
I couldn't help but sigh.
Is it normal for a grown adult to steal right after being assigned to a new position?
"Please tell me what happened."
"As you can see, this woman was secretly opening the liquor box."
"Puku-puku-puku."
"…Thank you for the report. I will take it from here."
"Please."
The soldier who restrained Argie stood up and saluted Maeve and I.
…After returning the salute, I turned back to Argie with an exasperated expression.
"Nurse Argie, you are suspected of embezzling military supplies. Do you have any explanation?"
"Puku-puku-puku, puku-puku-puku…"
"Hey, are you mocking us?"
She had been caught in the act of theft and had sweat pouring down her forehead.
Despite that, she didn't make any excuses and was just staring away, making puku-puku sounds.
"I'll punch you if you keep this up."
"Eeek?!"
"Argie. I would like you to explain the situation. Please speak in Austinian."
"Eep…"
Even when I tried to urge her to explain, she just shook her head with a frightened look on her face and whined.
Occasionally, she would glance upward as if seeking protection…
"Hah, I'm at a loss for words. Grit your teeth."
"Puku?!"
Such shallow appeal is probably unlikely to work on the battle-hardened Maeve.
"Eh, are you going to hit me? Hit a nurse?!"
"Lieutenant Touri, may I do it?"
"P-puku puku!"
As expected of Maeve, he's someone you can rely on in situations like this.
He understands that there are situations where you must not give in.
"Please wait a moment, Maeve. I'll talk to Argie."
"Understood."
I stopped Maeve and turned to face Argie again.
When someone does something wrong, they should be punished. This is true everywhere, not just in the military.
However, I need to make her understand why she is being punished right now.
We need to have a serious talk to get her to change her way of thinking.
"Argie, theft is a serious crime. If the supply inventory doesn't match, it will affect the unit's operations. Our allies might be killed if the march is delayed because of this."
"Eeek… But it was just one bottle."
"Theft is a crime for which you can't complain even if you are beaten half to death. Please think about the meaning of soldiers being given priority in the distribution of food while the general public is suffering from food shortages."
First, she needs to understand why it's wrong.
Rather than immediately resorting to violence, we need to have a dialogue and get her to reflect on her actions.
"Puku-puku."
"In order for you to understand the seriousness of the situation, you will be punished. Do you understand?"
"P-yes… I-I'll report it to the head of the medical department!"
"…"
"Assaulting a nurse is unacceptable! I will request my dispatch be canceled. Eeek!!"
…I thought I'd explained it in my own way, but Argie only argued back.
She showed no sign of remorse and seemed intent on pushing through her demands.
"Lieutenant, it might be faster to hit her first and then talk."
"Phew, phe phe phe."
"Ugh, don't spit all over me. What's up with this nurse?"
Is this… the result of her personality being twisted due to the violence she endured?
Or did she end up like this because of her inherent nature?
Which one is it?
"Eeek!!"
"Don't struggle, you damn bastard!"
If she has been distorted as a result of being assaulted, there is room for sympathy.
But, in a situation like this, what would Platoon Leader Garback do?
"…Maeve, could you please handle this?"
"Got it."
If you committed theft of food in Garback Platoon, you'd likely be beaten half to death… or maybe nine-tenths.
I personally don't like corporal punishment, but it's also true that it can be useful for training newcomers.
"Get a grip, you little shit!"
"Puaaaaah!"
…The problem is, will she hold a grudge against me and do something strange to me?
It would be a disaster if poison were mixed into our food.
"Don't get cocky, you thief!"
"Giiiiyaaa!?"
Maeve grabbed Argie's shoulder and mercilessly slammed his fist into her body.
The dull sound of flesh being hit echoed through the camp.
"Ugh, ugh…"
"What are you sleeping for? Get up!"
The dull thuds continued to echo through the camp.
Seeing someone being beaten isn't exactly pleasant.
It was heartbreaking to see Argie bleeding, vomiting, and begging for help.
"…"
This is the first time I had ever administered corporal punishment.
I judged it was necessary for her training, but…
Did I have no responsibility in this?
"Ouch, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, I swear!"
"Shut up!"
I knew about her tendency to steal, but I failed to take preventive measures.
At the very least, I should have at least given her a stern warning.
I should also reflect on my own failure to do so.
"Sniff, sniff…"
"I guess this is about right."
A few minutes later, Argie lay on the ground, battered and bruised.
Her entire body was swollen red, looking as pitiful as a salted fish.
She resembled how I was when I was a rookie.
"Help, please… treat me, fix me up."
"…No. As punishment, you will stand as you are for three hours. Until then, you will not be allowed to receive any medical treatment."
"Huh…?"
Argie stared at me with a look of disbelief.
We had to stand for half a day in Garback Platoon, so I was being a bit lenient here.
"Hey, Nurse, don't ever do something like this again. Stand there and reflect on your actions."
"…Ugh. This is so cruel. This is too much."
Argie continued to cry, glaring at both Maeve and me.
Despite being ordered to stand, she showed no sign of trying to get up.
"My leg is broken. How am I supposed to stand up?"
"You can stand on one leg. Tough it out for three hours. I won't treat you until do."
"Impossible, it's impossible."
She will probably hold a grudge.
After being thoroughly beaten, I also used to harbor complaints about Platoon Leader Garback in my mind.
Though, this might also be an important task for superiors.
"Then stay there, stuck to the ground and die—"
"Umm, Maeve. I have one more request."
"Oh, what is it, Lieutenant Touri?"
I still don't know how to behave as a superior officer.
If anything, I prefer speaking on the same level as my peers.
Also, since I didn't give Argie a prior warning, I too should receive a punishment.
That's why…
"The fault of a subordinate is also the fault of their superior."
"Uh, yes?"
"I'd like to request that I receive the same corporal punishment as Argie."
"What?"
I'll allow myself to be beaten up for a change.
Come to think of it, there was a time before when Lakya locked herself in the bathroom and missed the meeting on time, and I got beaten up in front of my subordinates.
After that incident, the members of the Touri Medical Platoon started to listen to what I said.
"Uh, Lieutenant Touri?"
"It's collective responsibility. If Argie does something wrong in the future, I will also receive the same punishment."
"Puku…?"
"So please, make sure to control yourself, Argie."
Argie is looking at me as if to say, "Is this girl out of her mind?", but this is not unusual.
The practice of "collective responsibility," where not just the guilty but even uninvolved others are held accountable, is common in the military.
It can be quite mentally taxing to be held responsible not only for yourself but also for unrelated people.
Moreover, by accepting corporal punishment myself, I can lessen any resentment Argie might feel towards me.
"Well then, Maeve. I'll teach Argie how to take corporal punishment."
"Eh…"
Also, I'm used to corporal punishment, so I have a high tolerance for pain.
I can't even remember how many times I was beaten in Garback Platoon.
"Don't hold back, Maeve. It's necessary."
"…Understood. Please don't hold a grudge."
"Yes. Please make sure to administer the punishment equally, as you did with Argie."
Maeve nodded and clenched his fists tightly with a determined look.
***
The punishment was quite effective.
"How is it? You can stand surprisingly well even with broken bones."
"…You're staggering."
Despite looking confused, Maeve mercilessly smacked me across the face.
Both of us, who were similarly beaten up, huddled together and looked up at the sky.
"Hasn't it been three hours already?"
"There's still an hour left."
"Are you an idiot?"
"Oh, you're insulting your superior? I'll give you additional punishment."
Standing like this reminds me of my time with the Garback Platoon.
Back then, Platoon Leader Garback would watch from the tent, and Senior Allen and Rodri would come by to tease me.
…Now, those memories are just nostalgic.
"Commander, why do you seem a little happy about being beaten up? Is this your hobby?"
"Of course not. I was just reminiscing a little about the past."
That's how I was trained as a rookie.
Making mistakes repeatedly, being educated, and accumulating important lessons with each beating.
If Platoon Leader Garback were still alive, would I still be getting beaten today?
"More importantly, Argie. Have you reflected on your actions?"
"Puku."
"You will be disciplined in the same manner if you do it again. Be prepared."
"…The same thing will happen to you."
"If Argie can stop stealing, this kind of injury is a small price to pay."
Argie looked at my swollen face with a disgusted expression.
She seemed unable to understand.
"So when can I drink wine?"
"Wine is a luxury item, and you can't drink it every day on the front lines. It's provided for special occasions, so enjoy it on those days."
"At night, before bed, when I'm scared. I can't sleep without alcohol…"
"If that happens, I can listen to you if you're comfortable with it. Relying on alcohol won't lead to good results."
For starters, there probably aren't many people in Austin today who are wealthy enough to drink wine every day.
Military supplies are prioritized, so some entertainment industries have ceased.
Even a single bottle of wine Argie tried to steal is a valuable item.
"…Puaa."
"Oh, right. Argie, let's have a little chat."
"A chat?"
I turned to Argie and said:
"Can you tell me a bit about yourself?"
And so, we had a slow and thoughtful discussion under the night sky.