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Chapter 20
This is the report on the results of the recent invasion:
Our assault operation ended in great success.
The damage wasn’t great because the enemy’s defenses were weak.
Many units managed to advance more than 50 meters without being annihilated.
Soldiers on the front lines were celebrating arm in arm, singing songs of victory.
They were invigorated with the belief that the day when they would push the front line back to the riverbank was near.
To celebrate the victory, each soldier was given a small amount of alcohol.
The morale of the infantrymen was high with the success of the offensive and some long-awaited luxury.
So it’s not surprising that the atmosphere was upbeat.
Looking solely at the results, we endured the enemy’s fierce attacks, wearing down their forces while recovering distance with minimal losses.
It was a tactical victory without complaints, and it seems the General Headquarters announced it to the public in that way.
“…”
Yet, amidst that fervor…
A small number of individuals watched the scene, their fists clenched in frustration.
There were a few soldiers who viewed yesterday’s results as a defeat.
***
“Rodri.”
“What’s up, Shorty?”
The night following the success of an assault operation is a rare holiday for the few assault soldiers.
That night was no exception, and the platoon leader told us to take a rest.
“Can I sleep next to you starting tonight?”
“Huh?!”
“It’s a measure against rape. I’ve been asking Senior Gray to help with that up until now.”
“…Oh, I see.”
However, unlike the last holiday, Platoon Leader Garback did not hold a party.
Because his liver had ruptured, alcohol was out of the question. He could have died.
So, thinking about the Platoon Leader’s health, I advised him to go to the hospital immediately.
It seemed the Platoon Leader wasn’t in the mood for a party today either, as he heard my suggestion and walked to the hospital, saying, “Hmph, I see.”
How can that guy still walk?
“I don’t mind, but I won’t be here tonight.”
“…Huh?”
“Senior Allen invited me.”
After I said that, Rodri looked a little embarrassed and turned his face away from me.
The veteran scout Allen had already completed treatment after being wounded and retreating early in this battle.
I’m just glad there were no life-threatening injuries.
“Looks like you remembered what he said.”
“I learned from Senior Gray. I’m not going to be a kid forever.”
Rodri said this with a manly look on his face.
I could sense his determination not to run away anymore.
He seems to have grown a lot today, both as a person and as a soldier.
“So, where were you invited?”
“Well, that’s a bit…”
The fact that he’s being vague about the details of the invitation means that he probably intends to go to a place like that.
“Oh, right. Rodri, if you’re going to such a place, I have a good pick-up line for you.”
“Hey, did you know where I was going?”
“This was something I heard from a lovely person when I was being flirted with before.”
…It brings back memories.
Now that I think about it, Salsa also went to such a place after an assault after being invited by a senior.
“‘A good woman instinctively recognizes a good man. That means you’re a good woman.’”
“…What? That sounds like such a cheesy line.”
“I think it’s a good line. You should practice so that you can say it easily.”
“I didn’t expect that. You like that kind of frivolous guy, huh?”
I smiled back at Rodri, who looked at me with a puzzled expression.
***
Around the time the sun set.
All the male soldiers had already gone somewhere.
I was left alone in the trench.
“…”
Today, the atmosphere at the front line was bright with victory.
I experienced this mood during the last victory celebration as well.
“It’s incredible how you can laugh so happily even though people are dying…”
It was only now that I realized just how crazy this environment was.
There may have been some units that managed to advance unscathed, but such cases were rare.
In this recent assault, it’s likely that nearly every platoon suffered some losses.
“…”
Perhaps everyone has become accustomed to the deaths of their comrades.
Or are they just hiding their sadness and pretending to be cheerful?
…If that’s the case, perhaps these victory celebrations are a ritual to overcome the deaths of comrades.
“Senior.”
I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that Senior Gray had died.
Very few people knew how cool and brave he was.
The only ones in the army who knew about his final moments were the Platoon leader, myself, and Rodri.
“Senior…”
For a soldier, death is both salvation and the goal.
It would be so much easier if I could just cling to those words Senior Gray once said.
I still cannot accept that Senior Gray was lucky to have been killed.
“…”
So, I will mourn quietly alone.
And from tomorrow onwards, I will accept his death and move on.
My senior gave me so much.
He spoke kindly to me when I was struggling, helped me when I was in danger, and in the end, he opened Rodri’s heart as well.
I can’t just brush over his death like that.
Rather, I don’t want to.
Just for today, I’ll allow myself to grieve.
“…”
In the empty trench, I leaned my body against a small ditch near Rodri’s belongings and began to sleep.
Right now, it’s fine. No one is watching.
I then stifled my voice and cried for a while, wiping my face and closing my eyes.
I’m sure Rodri would tease me if there were any traces of tears.
***
Soldiers are always close to death.
The more time I spend on the battlefield, the more I feel like human life becomes increasingly light.
Why do we have to fight and kill our enemies?
The reason must lie in the resentments and grievances between countries from long ago.
The more we fight, the stronger that hatred will surely become.
Just what do the higher-ups envision by continuing to play this territory-taking game?
Could they be secretly developing some new weapon that could overturn the status quo?
Or is it just as Platoon Leader Garback said…? Will things stay like this forever unless we can break through the enemy’s lines and strike at their rear?
“…Hah.”
Being just a private, I have no way of getting the answer.
How many times will I have to cry over the loss of my comrades before this war ends?
No, how many times can I survive safely and cry?
And one day, it will be my turn to die.
What kind of death throes will I let out?
While I kept repeating these unanswered questions in my head…
“…Suu, suu.”
Before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep.
Later that night.
“I’m never trusting those bastards again…”
Since I had been on hospital duty last night, I hadn’t gotten much sleep.
The death of Senior Gray must have left me feeling quite exhausted mentally.
Because of that, I guess I was a little oblivious to my surroundings that night.
“What do you mean, ‘heaven?’ I’ve never been to such a horrible place before!”
I later heard that it seemed to be a tradition in Garback Platoon to invite new soldiers to the town at night and throw them into a male brothel naked.
When I asked, “Who started such a stupid tradition?” the name of a very respectable but flashy senior came up.
Rodri was no exception, and as a result of Senior Allen’s mischief, he was made to charge into the room completely naked.
“Ugh. That Shorty is hugging my backpack…”
Unlike Salsa who was helplessly trampled, Rodri had apparently made a desperate attempt to resist.
He somehow managed to find a way out, and without even picking up the clothes he had taken off, he escaped and ran back here.
“Please don’t wake up…”
And thus, this led to a tragic incident.
My sleeping position wasn’t very good, and I had a habit of hugging whatever was near me.
It was as if his backpack became a body pillow in my arms.
“…Uh?”
“Ah.”
As Rodri grabbed my arm to pull out a change of clothes from his backpack, I finally woke up.
“…”
“…”
How would this scene appear to someone who didn’t understand the situation?
To describe the situation objectively:
It’s the middle of the night, and Rodri is completely naked, straddling me as I sleep soundly and grabbing my arm.
“…………”
“Wait, no! This isn’t what it looks like, Shorty!”
I glared at Rodri in silence.
Luckily, it was pitch black all around.
Thanks to that, I was able to avoid seeing Rodri-kun’s equipment clearly.
“……………………”
“Calm down; it’s a misunderstanding. Now let go of what you’re holding in your hand.”
“…………………………………………”
“Just calm down. I’ll explain properly, so first calm down.”
While Rodri kept repeating “calm down,” it was actually him who was flustered.
I was actually pretty calm at this point.
I thought about how Rodri was still quite young and probably overflowing with youthful desires.
Maybe he had a preference for undeveloped girls like me; I had various misunderstandings, but I at least wanted to hear him out.
The problem was…
“What are you doing, Private Rodri…?”
“Wha—Corporal Verdi?!”
At that moment, whether it was good timing or bad, Corporal Verdi woke up and came to check on us.
“…Hah. Do you remember the incident with Naridome?”
“Wait, this is a misunderstanding! Let me explain!”
“It’s understandable that you may be overwhelmed by your youthful passion, but I don’t think it’s right to direct such animalistic lust at your comrades.”
“N-No, it’s not like that!”
The reason Corporal Verdi was there was that he had been reporting on the situation regarding Platoon Leader Garback in the upper command’s tent since evening.
He was tired from that and had returned to this trench to sleep without engaging in any escapades.
“Well… I owe Rodri for saving my life, and although I don’t want to, as long as it doesn’t violate military regulations…”
“I told you it wasn’t like that, you little brat! That’s not it!”
“Just put on your clothes, Private Rodri. I’ll question you in detail.”
“I want to put them on too!”
After that, Corporal Verdi began lecturing him for a while.
I succumbed to sleepiness, told the Corporal I was going back to sleep, and dozed off again.
In the end, the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up thanks to his explanation.
Based on the testimony of Senior Allen when he returned, and the fact that I had fallen asleep again while holding his backpack, it was determined that Rodri’s explanation was credible.
However, for a while, he was teased by the senior platoon members, who gave him the dishonorable nickname “Erodri”.
“…Well, I’m glad you could quickly fit in with the platoon.”
“…”
Of course, it was just a joke from the seniors, and they were probably just showing their affection for Rodri who had started talking to them.
It might also have been a form of revenge for all the cheeky remarks he had made to them until now.
As a result, Rodri began to complain to himself that the military was an unreasonable organization.
“It’s okay, I don’t think of you as Erodri.”
“Shut up!”
And just like that, Rodri’s heart that had just begun to open closed tightly once again.
Rodri seems to have a surprisingly serious personality.
Official art for volume 4 of the manga.
Ozy Translations 
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