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As Huntingham was cornered on the verge of capture, the operation changed into urban warfare.
The friendly forces were hiding in the city to defend Huntingham, and the enemy was desperate to find those hiding in the city.
As the front lines were pushed back, the Huntingham Field Hospital prepared to move to the rear. However, the problem was the wounded soldiers who could not be moved.
They needed a minimal medical staff for themselves and their remaining allies. Someone had to stay on this limb.
"Are there any more volunteers? Please raise your hand if you're willing! We're short on manpower, so if you can stay, we'd appreciate it!"
A nurse walked among those packing their bags, recruiting volunteers. Most, however, simply watched, reluctant to raise their hands.
If circumstances had been slightly different, there would have been many left. But now, a search operation was underway. They couldn't be sure what would happen.
Annette's hanging hand twitched. She looked at the nurse recruiting volunteers with anxious eyes.
Someone had to stay.
“Only you...”
Someone...
“You are the only one left in this world.”
A low, muffled voice lingered in her ears like tinnitus. Annette clenched her fists. She forced herself to ignore the nurse and began packing.
The surrounding area was bustling with people preparing to leave. Annette packed her suitcase, stuffing clothes and other belongings into it as she went.
Before leaving the hospital, Annette looked for Hans. However, he was just lying in bed, unprepared.
“Hans? What are you doing here? Aren’t you going?”
“Ah... what?”
Hans scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly.
“I think I’ll just stay here.”
“You’re not leaving? Why?”
In the case of wounded soldiers like Hans, they were given top priority for transport. There was even a separate medical vehicle specifically for transporting wounded soldiers.
He was not able to move on his own, but he had no problem moving around as long as he received help from others.
Annette spoke urgently, wondering if he was watching what others thought.
"The military has a duty to send wounded soldiers home. There's nothing to be afraid of."
“Oh, no, no. More like that.”
Hans hesitated for a moment, then continued, looking down at the white blanket covering his legs.
"Honestly... I don't have the confidence to return home and see my family. I know I'll be a burden in the future."
“Oh my god, Hans, why do you think that?”
"I was thinking realistically. I knew I wouldn't be able to do what I used to do with this body, and I wondered if there was anything else I could do. I'd just run away, you know."
Annette was speechless, her lips moving. She wanted to say no, but she couldn't offer any realistic advice.
"If I move, other people will suffer as well. I think it would be better to take my place and put someone more desperate."
“Hans, your position needs to be created even if it doesn’t exist.”
"Hey, it's okay. Don't worry. I'm just postponing my return. It's not like I'm going to die if I stay here, right?"
Hans spoke lightly and laughed heartily. His smile was as frugal as ever. In front of that smile, Annette felt a strange sense of shame.
She looked at Hans with renewed eyes.
At first, she thought he was rude. When they met again, she thought he was a pitiful young man. And now...
Annette felt similarly when she heard Justin say, "You're not like that."
Do people create situations, or do situations create people? Annette couldn't tell what was right and what was wrong.
Her world, always divided into black and white, became unclear after the revolution. Things she thought she knew became vague, and she learned things she didn't know.
Annette tried to brush the confusion off her face and, as usual, wore a faint smile.
“... Yes. See you again in Sinsier.”
“Of course. Good luck, Annette.”
As they left the hospital, a long line stretched out in front of the ambulance. Annette, unsure of what to do, craned her head, observing the situation ahead.
After wandering around for a while, Annette finally asked the nursing officer standing next to her.
“Where should nurses stand?”
The nurse's face, which had been looking away as if annoyed, became noticeably more polite when she saw Annette.
“Since we need to transport the wounded first, there aren’t enough vehicles, so those who can walk will have to walk.”
“I see. I understand.”
“Well... if you wait a moment, I’ll try to find a seat for you.”
The nurse's demeanor was quite cautious. Annette sensed she was being cautious because she was the Commander-in-Chief's ex-wife.
Annette shook her head with a stern face.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll walk.”
“At least one seat...”
“I will walk.”
A firm answer came. The nurse seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded, saying, "Yes."
“You can go to that line.”
Annette carried her bag to the place the nurse pointed to. People were milling about, waiting for departure.
A thick fog hung in the air. A sudden sense of unease gripped her: if they continued to advance in this condition, they wouldn't be able to detect the enemy right in front of them.
Annette hugged her bag tightly. The others seemed equally anxious, and a few complaints arose, asking why they weren't leaving sooner.
Before long, the transport vehicles began to depart one by one, their wheels clattering across the debris-strewn ground.
Soldiers and medical personnel followed the transport vehicles, dressed like refugees. Morale was already low, as the news that the outskirts of Huntingham were nearly occupied.
“If you move to the rear, is there something built there?”
“Do we have the capacity to send reinforcements...?”
A soft whisper spread through the ranks. Annette's face turned pale, lost in thought. Though she tried not to think about it, her thoughts of him inevitably kept coming back to her.
'I wonder if he's okay.'
It was a concern for the commander-in-chief of the country, and also a concern for one person.
No matter how talented Heiner was, the individual abilities of the commander-in-chief and the difference in military power between countries were different matters.
"Hey."
Someone whispered next to her. Annette flinched and turned around. A nurse with a delicate expression rolled her eyes and asked her.
“Excuse me, have you heard anything about this news...?”
"...Yes?"
“After that, there’s news about operations, reinforcements, etc...”
Annette made a slightly bewildered face.
It was incredibly odd to ask a war nurse such a secret. But she seemed certain Annette knew something.
“How would I know that?”
"But."
“I don’t know anything. I haven’t heard anything. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, yes..."
The woman trailed off, seemingly disappointed. Then, another nurse walking beside her nudged her waist with her elbow and said,
“Hey, why are you asking that?”
“No, you might know.”
“I might know, but I don’t know what I might know. It’s rude.”
A woman was heard muttering something. Annette pretended not to hear, kept her head straight ahead, and walked on.
In the distance, the sound of gunfire and shells continued incessantly. Even though it was now a familiar sound, it still sent a chill down her spine.
As she continued walking, she began to see other lines of refugees. It seemed that the residents who had remained in Huntingham were also evacuating further back.
The night was getting late. Everyone was exhausted. As the surrounding area became completely dark, the group stopped moving and prepared to camp.
The soldiers following the transport vehicle continued to exchange signals from their radios. Annette, spreading out a blanket, glanced at them with anxious eyes.
"This is Eagle 6. Please report the situation. That's all."
"Do you hear the vanguard? Stop moving and stand by. Over."
The murmurings of others were mixed in between the stiff, tense voices.
“There is a minefield ahead, so movement is delayed.”
“But they say the Northern Army Group was successfully stopped. Isn’t there hope?”
“The Frances bombers are dropping bombs on the mainland again...”
Even though she tried not to listen, news of the war kept trickling into her ears. Annette curled up in a corner, her blanket wrapped tightly around her.
It was uncomfortable, cold, and hard, but there was no other way. She closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. That was the easiest way to escape this situation.
At that moment, someone's words rang in her ears.
"They say a bomber has landed in Sinsier. The city is completely in ruins..."
The friendly forces were hiding in the city to defend Huntingham, and the enemy was desperate to find those hiding in the city.
As the front lines were pushed back, the Huntingham Field Hospital prepared to move to the rear. However, the problem was the wounded soldiers who could not be moved.
They needed a minimal medical staff for themselves and their remaining allies. Someone had to stay on this limb.
"Are there any more volunteers? Please raise your hand if you're willing! We're short on manpower, so if you can stay, we'd appreciate it!"
A nurse walked among those packing their bags, recruiting volunteers. Most, however, simply watched, reluctant to raise their hands.
If circumstances had been slightly different, there would have been many left. But now, a search operation was underway. They couldn't be sure what would happen.
Annette's hanging hand twitched. She looked at the nurse recruiting volunteers with anxious eyes.
Someone had to stay.
“Only you...”
Someone...
“You are the only one left in this world.”
A low, muffled voice lingered in her ears like tinnitus. Annette clenched her fists. She forced herself to ignore the nurse and began packing.
The surrounding area was bustling with people preparing to leave. Annette packed her suitcase, stuffing clothes and other belongings into it as she went.
Before leaving the hospital, Annette looked for Hans. However, he was just lying in bed, unprepared.
“Hans? What are you doing here? Aren’t you going?”
“Ah... what?”
Hans scratched his cheek and smiled awkwardly.
“I think I’ll just stay here.”
“You’re not leaving? Why?”
In the case of wounded soldiers like Hans, they were given top priority for transport. There was even a separate medical vehicle specifically for transporting wounded soldiers.
He was not able to move on his own, but he had no problem moving around as long as he received help from others.
Annette spoke urgently, wondering if he was watching what others thought.
"The military has a duty to send wounded soldiers home. There's nothing to be afraid of."
“Oh, no, no. More like that.”
Hans hesitated for a moment, then continued, looking down at the white blanket covering his legs.
"Honestly... I don't have the confidence to return home and see my family. I know I'll be a burden in the future."
“Oh my god, Hans, why do you think that?”
"I was thinking realistically. I knew I wouldn't be able to do what I used to do with this body, and I wondered if there was anything else I could do. I'd just run away, you know."
Annette was speechless, her lips moving. She wanted to say no, but she couldn't offer any realistic advice.
"If I move, other people will suffer as well. I think it would be better to take my place and put someone more desperate."
“Hans, your position needs to be created even if it doesn’t exist.”
"Hey, it's okay. Don't worry. I'm just postponing my return. It's not like I'm going to die if I stay here, right?"
Hans spoke lightly and laughed heartily. His smile was as frugal as ever. In front of that smile, Annette felt a strange sense of shame.
She looked at Hans with renewed eyes.
At first, she thought he was rude. When they met again, she thought he was a pitiful young man. And now...
Annette felt similarly when she heard Justin say, "You're not like that."
Do people create situations, or do situations create people? Annette couldn't tell what was right and what was wrong.
Her world, always divided into black and white, became unclear after the revolution. Things she thought she knew became vague, and she learned things she didn't know.
Annette tried to brush the confusion off her face and, as usual, wore a faint smile.
“... Yes. See you again in Sinsier.”
“Of course. Good luck, Annette.”
***
As they left the hospital, a long line stretched out in front of the ambulance. Annette, unsure of what to do, craned her head, observing the situation ahead.
After wandering around for a while, Annette finally asked the nursing officer standing next to her.
“Where should nurses stand?”
The nurse's face, which had been looking away as if annoyed, became noticeably more polite when she saw Annette.
“Since we need to transport the wounded first, there aren’t enough vehicles, so those who can walk will have to walk.”
“I see. I understand.”
“Well... if you wait a moment, I’ll try to find a seat for you.”
The nurse's demeanor was quite cautious. Annette sensed she was being cautious because she was the Commander-in-Chief's ex-wife.
Annette shook her head with a stern face.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll walk.”
“At least one seat...”
“I will walk.”
A firm answer came. The nurse seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded, saying, "Yes."
“You can go to that line.”
Annette carried her bag to the place the nurse pointed to. People were milling about, waiting for departure.
A thick fog hung in the air. A sudden sense of unease gripped her: if they continued to advance in this condition, they wouldn't be able to detect the enemy right in front of them.
Annette hugged her bag tightly. The others seemed equally anxious, and a few complaints arose, asking why they weren't leaving sooner.
Before long, the transport vehicles began to depart one by one, their wheels clattering across the debris-strewn ground.
Soldiers and medical personnel followed the transport vehicles, dressed like refugees. Morale was already low, as the news that the outskirts of Huntingham were nearly occupied.
“If you move to the rear, is there something built there?”
“Do we have the capacity to send reinforcements...?”
A soft whisper spread through the ranks. Annette's face turned pale, lost in thought. Though she tried not to think about it, her thoughts of him inevitably kept coming back to her.
'I wonder if he's okay.'
It was a concern for the commander-in-chief of the country, and also a concern for one person.
No matter how talented Heiner was, the individual abilities of the commander-in-chief and the difference in military power between countries were different matters.
"Hey."
Someone whispered next to her. Annette flinched and turned around. A nurse with a delicate expression rolled her eyes and asked her.
“Excuse me, have you heard anything about this news...?”
"...Yes?"
“After that, there’s news about operations, reinforcements, etc...”
Annette made a slightly bewildered face.
It was incredibly odd to ask a war nurse such a secret. But she seemed certain Annette knew something.
“How would I know that?”
"But."
“I don’t know anything. I haven’t heard anything. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, yes..."
The woman trailed off, seemingly disappointed. Then, another nurse walking beside her nudged her waist with her elbow and said,
“Hey, why are you asking that?”
“No, you might know.”
“I might know, but I don’t know what I might know. It’s rude.”
A woman was heard muttering something. Annette pretended not to hear, kept her head straight ahead, and walked on.
In the distance, the sound of gunfire and shells continued incessantly. Even though it was now a familiar sound, it still sent a chill down her spine.
As she continued walking, she began to see other lines of refugees. It seemed that the residents who had remained in Huntingham were also evacuating further back.
The night was getting late. Everyone was exhausted. As the surrounding area became completely dark, the group stopped moving and prepared to camp.
The soldiers following the transport vehicle continued to exchange signals from their radios. Annette, spreading out a blanket, glanced at them with anxious eyes.
"This is Eagle 6. Please report the situation. That's all."
"Do you hear the vanguard? Stop moving and stand by. Over."
The murmurings of others were mixed in between the stiff, tense voices.
“There is a minefield ahead, so movement is delayed.”
“But they say the Northern Army Group was successfully stopped. Isn’t there hope?”
“The Frances bombers are dropping bombs on the mainland again...”
Even though she tried not to listen, news of the war kept trickling into her ears. Annette curled up in a corner, her blanket wrapped tightly around her.
It was uncomfortable, cold, and hard, but there was no other way. She closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep. That was the easiest way to escape this situation.
At that moment, someone's words rang in her ears.
"They say a bomber has landed in Sinsier. The city is completely in ruins..."
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