With winter ending and the new year about to begin, it was early spring.
I was slowly walking through the base at Winn, escorted by Gavel Company.
"…Now we just have to wait for the Intelligence Department and the Development Department."
"Looks like we're just idly waiting around now."
The work of a staff officer is usually very busy, but there are times when I find myself with a lot of free time.
This happens when other departments are delayed and discussions cannot take place.
"Oh?"
It just so happened that on this day General Staff had no business to handle.
So, I was granted half a day of leave.
And then…
"It's quite noisy. Is there some kind of trouble?"
"Ah, that's probably because they're preparing for a concert."
"A concert?"
Since it was quite noisy, I went to check it out and found a large crowd gathering at the assembly hall.
Recreational activities are occasionally held at the Winn base to provide entertainment for the soldiers to boost morale.
"The military band is going to hold a concert today."
"Wow… That sounds wonderful."
These recreational activities range from football tournaments and sports festivals to music festivals.
And it just so happens that the military band is holding a concert today.
"My schedule has cleared up. Would it be alright if I went to watch the concert?"
"Touri? I wonder about that."
"…Oh, is that no good?"
The military band is a unit specialized in music. They perform military songs and popular music to boost the morale of the soldiers.
They cannot be dismissed as just a unit that performs. They also play a vital role in healing the wounded soldiers' spirits and inspiring them to fight.
Today's concert was likely meant to inspire the soldiers who were feeling tense as they awaited the decisive battle.
That's why I wanted to join in.
"You're the Chief of Staff, you know? How much space do you think you and your guards will take up?"
"…Ah, that's true."
"And today's concert is supposed to be a casual, fun event. That's that's why the military's higher-ups weren't invited."
"I see."
"Even a second lieutenant like me would cause them to feel intimidated I showed my face. If you, a major, were to bring along your guards, they would likely shun you."
Apparently, I was too high-ranking and therefore not very welcome.
I was interested in the military band's concert, but…
"Well then, that's unfortunate."
"It can't be helped. We can't attend either since we are your guards."
"I apologize."
"Becoming a high-ranking official means dealing with these sorts of things. Just accept it."
As you move up in rank, there are many things you can no longer do.
"…I miss the days when I was just a medic doing low-level work."
"I can perform a bit on the guitar later if you'd like, Major Touri."
"Come to think of it, Nauman was also a former member of the military band."
"Yes. I wanted to join in too, as I have some acquaintances there, but… it can't be helped."
According to Nauman, military band concerts are usually a big success.
I heard you can even bring alcohol to the concert and the audience joins in the fun.
This sounds like the kind of event Argie would enjoy.
"Huh? Now that I think about it, I don't see Argie anywhere."
"She skipped training and drank alcohol. We're forcing her to work at the factory."
"…"
…She's someone who never learns.
"Would you have given Argie a break if she had trained properly?"
"Yeah, I gave those who have been working hard the day off today. There's no need for all of us to be on guard duty at the base."
So if Argie had been working hard in training, she could have enjoyed the music and drinks.
It's really a shame.
"…Hmm, wait a minute."
"What's the matter, Lieutenant Gavel?"
"That's right… Argie isn't here right now."
Lieutenant Gavel muttered this and began to think.
Nauman and I curiously looked at him.
"What do you mean, Lieutenant Gavel?"
"It's just… I was thinking that maybe Touri's wish might be fulfilled."
"My wish?"
After Lieutenant Gavel said that, he turned to face me.
"Touri, could you borrow a nurse's uniform that fits you?"
"Eh?"
That's what he asked me.
***
"You're Argie today. I borrowed her rank insignia for you."
"Oh."
Lieutenant Gavel said this and handed me Argi's rank insignia.
I attached the insignia to the unfamiliar nurse's uniform I was wearing.
"If it's a problem for Touri to come, then you should just use Argie's identity."
"Is it really okay to lie about my identity?"
"Let's say it's a surprise inspection to see if the military band was making any anti-government remarks. The need to hide your identity was created due to the operation. It will look like you borrowed a subordinate's rank insignia."
"Do you think such an operation would be approved?"
"Approval of the operation is your job as the Chief of Staff. You're the one who decides."
"Oh…"
Lieutenant Gavel used forceful logic to justify identity fraud.
…It's true that approving military actions falls under General Staff. As the head of that department, it's technically my job.
It feels like an extremely authoritarian move, but I think it will probably be fine.
"You wanted to attend the concert, right? It's better not to have regrets before the decisive battle."
"Lieutenant Gavel…"
"You always try your best. I think a little indulgence like this should be allowed."
As he said, it was true that I wanted to see the concert.
Moreover, hiding my identity would make it less noticeable and easier for the guards to assist.
A major's military uniform is white, glittering, and imposing.
"It's refreshing to see you in a nurse uniform, Touri."
"I think it suits you better than your usual military uniform."
"Thank you."
I decided to have Gavel Company secure the surrounding area in disguise.
This way all the guards will be able to attend the concert.
In case of an emergency, they would be prepared to protect me.
"Oh, the military band is marching in."
"It's about to start."
So, under perfect conditions, it was the first time in my life that I got to see a military band concert.
"Thank you for gathering here today! The 48th Indoor Military Music Festival Concert, hosted by the military band, will begin soon!"
On stage, someone in a clown costume bowed respectfully.
The clown appeared to be the conductor, and when he raised his hands, the band behind him played a loud fanfare.
"What an enthusiastic applause."
"It seems like it'll be fun. This is my first time participating as well."
And as the clown waved the conductor's baton, a magnificent fanfare rang out, and the concert began.
***
"It was my first real battle. I was waiting in the trenches when the Sabbatian troops charged at us. As an infantryman, I shot away with my comrades, and we ended up killing most of the Sabbatian troops."
The clown was on the microphone in between the songs.
Most of his performance was comical, like a stand-up routine.
"Then one surviving Sabbatian soldier slid into the trench. My comrades and I frantically aimed our guns at him. But that Sabbatian soldier, realizing that his comrades had been wiped out, turned pale…"
Now I understand what Lieutenant Gavel meant when he said it was a casual concert.
Even though it was a concert, both the performers and the audience were laughing and having a great time.
The atmosphere was not solemn like a classical concert, but rather down-to-earth similar to an idol performance.
"The Sabbatian soldier bowed to us as if to say, "Excuse me," and climbed up the trench to return to his own side.'
"Hahaha!"
"We almost let him go by mistake, but quickly came to our senses and shot him. However, the Sabbatian soldier, in his panic, slipped down from the trench and dodged our bullets."
Along with his storytelling, lively music began to play.
An upbeat song begins, with a tempo similar to the background music during a chase scene in a movie.
"This is a song I wrote based on that experience, "The Rhapsody of the Careless Sabbatian Soldier." Please enjoy─"
As he finished speaking, the clown conductor danced energetically, and the soldiers burst into laughter and cheers.
"For the time being, the Sabbath is currently an ally. How does it look to be telling stories about killing them in the end?"
"Let's not get into the details. They wouldn't allow such things to be said if the military brass were here."
The military band's microphone performances were quite sarcastic.
Many soldiers still harbor dissatisfaction with the alliance with the Sabbath.
That's why some people express their discontent through jokes about killing Sabbatian soldiers.
"…I came here to check whether anyone was engaging in anti-government behavior. I feel like it would be bad if I reported something like this."
"It's up to you to decide whether to report it or not."
"Then I'll refrain from doing so."
Cracking down on these kinds of satirical jokes would only increase discontent.
People in leadership positions need to have the tolerance to laugh off such sarcasm.
"But the music is really good—it's pop, lively, and I quite like it."
"That clown guy is apparently a very famous composer."
"Ah, that makes sense."
Besides, cracking down on such a talent would be a loss for the country.
It would be better if he put his talent for composition to good use and contributed to the morale of the soldiers.
…If he's doing satire while being aware that the higher-ups might be thinking that way, then he's an impressive person.
***
"Now, the next song is… composed based on the recent 'Miracle of Argalia!'"
"Oh!"
As the concert was heating up and we were enjoying ourselves…
The clown conductor started a comedic routine about the Battle of Argalia.
"20,000 Aerys soldiers are approaching. 200 of Austin's best soldiers are waiting to fight them, in a miraculous defensive battle that will be etched into the history of modern warfare!"
"Do we have a song about us?"
"It feels a bit awkward."
The Battle of Argalia was heavily propagandized by the government.
Perhaps because of this, the military band also used it as a motif for their composition.
"Well, to be honest! I think the results are a bit exaggerated. But, as always, the official announcements are the truth!"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, it's better to exaggerate what you can! Just like a woman's chest! …Lieutenant Touri might have been more popular if she had exaggerated her chest instead of her achievements!"
"Hahaha!"
…..
"Um, Touri? Are you okay?"
"Well, I never expected that he would make such a sarcastic remark. I'm a bit shaken."
"I'm going to kill that bastard! Those achievements aren't exaggerated!!"
I see, this is certainly a performance that you wouldn't want the higher-ups to hear.
It's full of rebellious rock spirit.
"I'll be executed if the person in question hears what I just said, so please keep it a secret, everyone! Now, please enjoy 'The Night Battle of Argalia'"
"I'm going to file a complaint about this! I'll be back in a bit."
"Please calm down, Lieutenant Gavel. Nothing good will come from storming the stage."
"But…"
Lieutenant Gavel was so enraged that he tried to charge onto the stage, but we all stopped him.
To ordinary soldiers, the achievements of the Battle of Argalia probably seem like another case of exaggerated results.
In fact, official announcements have indeed previously exaggerated military results in the past.
"So this is what it feels like to be the target of satire?"
"I guess it's like the price of fame."
…Since I felt like they were mocking my fallen comrades, I was a little angry too.
But making a fuss and undermining the morale of other soldiers wouldn't be helpful.
"Besides, the music is still fantastic. It's thrilling and captures the atmosphere well."
"How can you be so calm…Even though you were really provoked."
"Oh, I don't care about sarcastic comments towards me."
The only thing that made me angry was that the achievements my comrades made at the risk of their lives were dismissed as exaggeration.
As for the chest comment, it doesn't bother me since Rodri had teased me about that plenty.
"Hehe."
In fact, I found the latter part of the performance somewhat amusing and ended up laughing.
Perhaps the experience of being the subject of satire was so novel that I could only laugh.
Seeing this, Lieutenant Gavel muttered, "That clown is dead…"
…No, it's not like I'm hiding my rage with laughter.
***
"And now, the final performance that everyone has been eagerly waiting for: a show with the cabaret troupe!"
"Nice!!"
In all, the concert lasted for several hours.
The soldiers were having a great time and quite intoxicated.
"Oh, there's a cabaret too?"
"What is cabaret?"
"…Ah, it's a performance where women in revealing outfits dance for entertainment purposes."
By the end, the stage was filled with many beautiful dancers.
They were all dressed in provocative costumes.
I see, so this is part of the show as well.
"What will you do, Touri? Shall we see it through to the end?"
"…Well, let's watch it for now."
While I was a little hesitant, I decided to see it through to the end since I had come all the way here.
The dancers were only dressed provocatively, but nothing too explicit.
"The soldiers are staring intently."
"They're probably sizing up their company for the night. …What, are you interested?"
"No, I just thought they looked like ants swarming around candy."
"That's a very apt description."
Perhaps because it was still light out, the dancers made no signs of taking off their clothes.
…I guess if you want to see the skin, you have to buy it at night.
"Indeed, this would be hard to show to high-ranking officials. My image of the military band has definitely changed."
"They usually do very formal concerts, you know? Today's concert was aimed at ordinary soldiers, which is why it's a bit vulgar."
According to Nauman, the military band is quite a formal organization.
They had previously followed orders from the military and frequently held entertainment concerts.
However, the strict classical music concerts were apparently not well received by the soldiers.
It was problematic when soldiers yawned through the entire show even though the concert was organized to serve as a social event.
The military band replaced the former band conductor with the clown with the desire to put on a concert that, although vulgar, the soldiers could enjoy.
Their concerts have always been packed since then.
"It's fine to admire the beautiful ladies, but please make sure you dispose of your trash properly! Hey, don't throw it on the ground! I'll throw you in the punishment cell."
Including the provocative opening speech, this concert is incredibly popular.
As someone who appreciates the arts, I found many aspects to be quite useful.
I'm glad I came to this concert, even if I had to disguise my identity.
"Looks like it's over now."
"Shall we go back?"
After the women performed their enchanting dance for about ten minutes, they waved and smiled as they walked off the stage.
Presumably, their "business" would begin shortly.
"Thank you all for coming today! Please come again next time! Oh, and clean up any spilled drinks yourself! The military band has to clean up after the show!"
The clown conductor continued to shout at the departing crowd to clean up after themselves.
…I bet it must be a pain to clean up after every performance.
"This has been a very nice break. Thank you, everyone from Gavel Company, for joining me."
"I had fun too. I didn't like that joke though."
"Hahaha, I'll make sure to have a word with the conductor. He's an acquaintance of mine."
"Please do."
Nauman scratched his head with a concerned look.
The provocative MC is indeed rock-like, but it can be uncomfortable for some.
You have to keep it moderate so as not to cross the line.
Just as I was thinking about this…
"I'm gonna kill you, you damn clown!!"
"Huh? The audience—"
A soldier with a red face stormed onto the stage.
He hit the clown conductor over the head with all his might with a liquor bottle.
"Hey, calm down!"
"Contact the medical department! This is bad, he's seriously injured!"
"Let me go, I'll kill him! I'll crack that damn clown's head open!"
In an instant, the venue was thrown into chaos.
The conductor, who had been energetically leading the performance moments ago, is now spurting blood and convulsing on stage.
"I'm going to the stage, Lieutenant Gavel!"
"Y-Yeah."
I later learned that the soldier who had stormed in was a subordinate of an officer who had been mocked by the clown during the concert, who had said, "It would have been better if a child was commanding."
Having witnessed the officer agonize for hours before making the decision, he could not forgive the clown who was stirring things up from the sidelines with hindsight.
"Clear the way! Medical personnel coming through!"
"Quickly, take a look at him! He's going to die!"
The clown's face was already completely blue when I reached the stage.
There were shards of glass embedded in his head, and he seemed to be suffering from a brain hemorrhage.
"…I'll start treatment immediately. Are there any other nurses or medics here?"
"We're looking for them now!"
"Please continue to do so."
There's almost no time left.
I retrieved the surgical tools from Argie's nurse kit and began stitching the wound right there.
"Drainage is also necessary. I need more hands…"
"I can help with stitching. Let me assist you."
"Nauman…"
With the assistance of Nauman, who had experience in wound treatment, we were able to close the bleeding area.
…This should prevent him from bleeding to death. Now we just need to stabilize the intracranial pressure.
"I'm Nurse Nevis, here to help."
"That would be helpful! Please secure the peripherals and prepare the fluids."
"Understood… Wait, are you performing open brain surgery?! With just nurses?!"
"Don't worry, everything is under control!"
After a while, a professional nurse arrived.
She was surprised because medics are essential for open brain surgeries.
We can't close the skull without the use of [Heal]
"I called the medical department, but they said it would take a while for a medic to arrive."
"Let's do what we can for now. …[Heal]"
"Eh? Ah, you can use [Heal]?"
"I'm wearing a nurse's uniform, but I'm actually a medic."
It had been a while since I last performed open brain surgery, but it went much smoother than I had expected.
Halfway through, medics rushed to the scene and we managed to fully close the wounds.
"Guuuh, uh…"
"Hey, can you hear me? Do you know your name?"
"Mu, urgh… I'm Rashid, the conductor."
"Oh, you're back."
…He still looks unwell, but his consciousness is returning.
He should survive with proper treatment.
"That bastard, it didn't kill him? Get out of the way, let go!"
"Don't move! Stay still!"
"It's that clown's fault! He doesn't understand our struggles; he just plays with instruments and mocks us—"
Once the clown regained consciousness, the restrained soldier began shouting again.
He glared at me with a demonic expression and struggled to resist.
"Why did you treat such a man? Damn it, damn it!"
"…"
"There are so many others who should be saved! Please, let me kill him!"
He begged us with tears streaming down his face.
But the restraints on him did not loosen.
"I can understand how you feel, having your respected superior insulted."
"Right?! He mocked that person, making him a laughingstock…"
"But no matter the situation, personal punishment through violence is never acceptable."
In the military, violence for discipline is often seen, but it is tolerated because it is effective for training.
Acts of violence that turn into murder, like this, are unacceptable.
"Are you alright, Mr. Clown?"
"Uh, ugh. I'm saved…"
"…You too went a bit overboard with your jokes. Please be more careful in the future."
However, that doesn't mean that the clown was completely blameless.
I imagine there are quite a few people who find his jokes offensive.
It's best to give a gentle warning.
"If you take your jokes too far, they can earn you resentment."
"Haha, ha. No, no. I won't be discouraged by something like this."
"Huh?"
"I have a role to play to cheer up the soldiers. Even if it puts my life at risk, I can't quit…"
However, my advice didn't reach the clown at all, and he was full of motivation to continue.
He stated his resolve as if it were his catchphrase.
…Is he incapable of learning?
"This damn clown…! I'll hit him again, let me go, damn it!"
"I will not yield to violence. Rather, this has become a fine heroic tale. Thank you very much. Hahaha!"
"You bastard!"
Even though his face was white, he still didn't stop sarcastically riling him up.
At this point, you could feel his conviction.
"Umm, Mr. Clown. You're the conductor, Rashid, right?"
"Eh, yeah. What is it, nurse?"
"Do you recognize my face?"
However, jokes like that can cause trouble.
Since there were also some jabs close to criticizing the higher-ups, it might be wise to give a little warning.
"Your face, nurse?"
"I'm in disguise today, wearing a nurse's uniform… but usually, I wear a staff officer's uniform."
Saying that, I smiled sweetly at the clown.
Then, I grabbed his chin and lowered my voice slightly.
"What was that about my chest again?"
"…"
With that, the clown finally caught on.
His face froze, and he began to tremble like a fawn.
"Ah…"
"No way… Major Touri?"
"…"
Not only the clown but also the surrounding soldiers, even the enraged perpetrator, looked at me with pale faces.
The atmosphere became extremely tense.
"…S-Sorry, ma'am."
"Your voice is too quiet."
I continued to smile at the clown with a hint of intimidation.
No matter how much people enjoy it, it's not good to speak rudely to others.
Later, I heard that both the clown and the soldier who hit him were taken away for a thorough scolding.
…I hope they learned their lesson.