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Heiner was taken to Portsman Emergency Hospital, located just outside Huntingham, where he underwent surgery to remove the bullet.
The gunshot wound was quite deep, with damage to several organs, but fortunately, no spinal injuries or organ failure occurred. This was thanks to the quick initial response.
News of the Commander-in-Chief's injury was initially kept secret. It was an unofficial move, made possible by the absence of reporters or other enemy forces in the vicinity.
The sniper who shot the commander-in-chief was killed on the spot.
And the horrific events that unfolded inside Huntingham Church were widely reported in newspapers everywhere. Survivors gave their accounts of the events, and reporters relayed their stories to the world.
The Frances army's brutal act of attempting to burn prisoners alive drew international condemnation.
The fact that even civilians and children were involved caused great anger among the people of Padania.
Hostility toward Frances within Padania soared to new heights, with endless proclamations demanding that the soldiers involved in the incident be punished under Padanian law.
Annette was at the center of the incident.
It was a story about a nurse who almost lost her life while trying to save the injured in a church engulfed in flames.
Many people spoke of Annette Rosenberg: the prisoners who survived with her help, the fellow nurses she worked with, the soldiers she treated...
"Even though the building was collapsing, she went back in without hesitation to rescue those still inside. From beginning to end, she prioritized saving the child's life."
"During the winter war last year, Annette went out alone into the hail of bullets to bring medical supplies. Many people survived thanks to those supplies. She was always a quiet person, dedicated to her work."
"She was a dedicated nurse. That's the impression I got. I still remember what she said as she cared for me. She kept telling me it was okay, it would be okay."
Someone said they still can't forgive her. No matter how great she does, it can't change the past.
People acknowledged that statement, but expressed different opinions.
“I couldn’t do that. That’s the important part.”
“I recognize her dedication and courage, but doesn’t that mean the past never happened?”
“Everyone deserves a chance. Everyone deserves a chance to live a better life.”
The world was noisy.
In the midst of all this commotion, Annette simply closed her eyes, quietly, as if she wanted to escape from everything.
Heiner listened to the doctor's next words, his gaze fixed on her bloodless face.
“The surgery itself went well, but... the treatment was too late.”
“...”
"It seems she will have difficulty using her left hand normally. I'm truly sorry, Your Excellency."
His gray eyes moved slowly to the side. Her left hand, splinted and bandaged, hung limply, as if dead.
Heiner asked a beat later.
“...What exactly does normal mean?”
"Assuming recovery proceeds smoothly, there won't be any serious disabilities. However, it will be difficult to exert strength in her fingers, making lifting heavy objects or performing delicate tasks like writing or embroidery impossible. Of course, if she's right-handed, that's a bit of a relief—"
“...”
“I heard she played the piano. I don’t think... She can play it as well as she used to.”
“Even as time passes.”
“I see it as a permanent aftereffect.”
Heiner stared blankly at her without answering. His face appeared impassive, yet at the same time, expressionless; it seemed terribly precarious.
The doctor who was watching this carefully opened his mouth.
“Your Excellency, I understand your feelings, but... Your Excellency is also currently sick.”
“...”
"The gunshot wound is not to be taken lightly. Please remain motionless and return to rest."
Heiner flipped through the magazines one by one from his hospital bed. The table next to his bed was piled high with newspapers and magazines.
He was the type of person who didn't pay attention to magazines that were more of a hobby than regular newspapers, but this time it was different.
This was because magazine reporters had given considerable weight to interviews with survivors. Heiner thoroughly searched through those interviews to find information about Annette.
Leonie: You must have been really scared.
M: I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to die like this. Even though we told them we were civilians and had nothing to do with it, they didn't even listen. Even when the nurse pleaded for them to at least let the child out, they ignored us.
Leonie: If you're talking about the nurse, are you referring to Miss Annette Rosenberg?
M: Oh, yes. That's right. Actually, at the time, I didn't even know that the nurse was the ex-wife of the famous commander-in-chief. It was dark, and I was so disoriented... I only found out after the enemy, who had discovered her identity, told me.
Leonie: There's already a lot of talk about her these days.
M: She's a remarkable person. Judging from what I've seen, I couldn't have imagined her to be the arrogant, selfish woman you've seen in the newspapers.
Leonie: Can you elaborate?
Heiner's eyes scanned the pages, tracing them as if they were letters. He mulled over and over every word M described about Annette.
Annette, seen through the eyes of another, was both a woman he knew and a woman he didn't know. It was a deeply strange feeling.
He thought he knew everything about her.
He was now convinced that he was the only one in the world who knew her well.
But ever since Annette chose death, his thoughts became distorted, and his convictions clouded. At some point, she ceased to be the woman he knew.
"M: I guess the world is truly unpredictable. Do people create situations, or do situations create people?"
Now everything has become ambiguous.
Leonie: That's a difficult question.
M: Whatever it was, at least for that moment, she created a miraculous situation. By sacrificing herself.
Leonie: By the way, I heard that Miss Rosenberg's left hand was badly injured in that incident.
M: I can't tell you how shocked I was to hear that news. It's such a shame. Her performance was truly beautiful...
Leonie: Have you ever heard Miss Rosenberg play?
M: Yes, it was when I was locked up. There was a piano in the church, and she played it for the child. It was truly, truly beautiful music. I forgot everything and just lost myself in the music... It was comforting. Yes, it was comforting.
Heiner's gaze lingered on that passage for a long time.
He lowered his hand, holding the magazine, after reading the same passage over and over again. He felt a tingling sensation deep in his throat.
Annette played the piano.
One of the things he once took from her, she took back on her own.
After a long time, after all the pain and suffering, amidst those terrible ruins, she finally placed her hands on the keyboard.
That fact came back to him like a heavy hammer.
Heiner closed his eyes with difficulty and slowly lowered his head. The lights illuminating the dark hospital room flickered a few times. The hand holding the magazine was faintly trembling.
And he couldn't raise his head for a long time.
The war continued amidst intense hostility.
The Huntingham Recapture Operation was nearing its final stages of success. Despite his wounds, the Commander-in-Chief received all reports via telephone and participated in key operations.
On May 18, the Commander-in-Chief's speech, along with renewed discussions on international agreements, was broadcast nationwide through newspapers and radio.
[In the summer of AU 717, the free world, won through blood and sweat, shone with hope. We remember those moments when we longed for justice for free citizens.]
Troops drawn from Frances's Army Group Central steadily advanced south. The shadow of a massive war loomed over the Cheshire fields.
But our once-brilliant future has been trampled by the horrors of war. The Axis leadership, including Frances, opposes our righteous and sincere will and threatens peace.
At the same time, reinforcements from the Waitress, whom the former Commander-in-Chief had successfully brought into the Small Negotiation, were heading to Cheshire Field.
[We want to reach a peaceful agreement. And we want Frances to show the appropriate will to do so by signing the Biche Peace Treaty, stopping the massacre of civilians, and releasing prisoners.]
While Frances redeployed its forces, Padania restored all its facilities and built a massive defensive line.
We defend justice, unwavering in the face of the threat of aggression. We honor our sons and daughters who answered our nation's call. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice, nor will we tolerate their trampled dignity.
The Commander-in-Chief, who is in charge of all this, declared:
[We will definitely win.]
And that night, Annette Rosenberg opened her eyes.
The gunshot wound was quite deep, with damage to several organs, but fortunately, no spinal injuries or organ failure occurred. This was thanks to the quick initial response.
News of the Commander-in-Chief's injury was initially kept secret. It was an unofficial move, made possible by the absence of reporters or other enemy forces in the vicinity.
The sniper who shot the commander-in-chief was killed on the spot.
And the horrific events that unfolded inside Huntingham Church were widely reported in newspapers everywhere. Survivors gave their accounts of the events, and reporters relayed their stories to the world.
The Frances army's brutal act of attempting to burn prisoners alive drew international condemnation.
The fact that even civilians and children were involved caused great anger among the people of Padania.
Hostility toward Frances within Padania soared to new heights, with endless proclamations demanding that the soldiers involved in the incident be punished under Padanian law.
Annette was at the center of the incident.
It was a story about a nurse who almost lost her life while trying to save the injured in a church engulfed in flames.
Many people spoke of Annette Rosenberg: the prisoners who survived with her help, the fellow nurses she worked with, the soldiers she treated...
"Even though the building was collapsing, she went back in without hesitation to rescue those still inside. From beginning to end, she prioritized saving the child's life."
"During the winter war last year, Annette went out alone into the hail of bullets to bring medical supplies. Many people survived thanks to those supplies. She was always a quiet person, dedicated to her work."
"She was a dedicated nurse. That's the impression I got. I still remember what she said as she cared for me. She kept telling me it was okay, it would be okay."
Someone said they still can't forgive her. No matter how great she does, it can't change the past.
People acknowledged that statement, but expressed different opinions.
“I couldn’t do that. That’s the important part.”
“I recognize her dedication and courage, but doesn’t that mean the past never happened?”
“Everyone deserves a chance. Everyone deserves a chance to live a better life.”
The world was noisy.
In the midst of all this commotion, Annette simply closed her eyes, quietly, as if she wanted to escape from everything.
Heiner listened to the doctor's next words, his gaze fixed on her bloodless face.
“The surgery itself went well, but... the treatment was too late.”
“...”
"It seems she will have difficulty using her left hand normally. I'm truly sorry, Your Excellency."
His gray eyes moved slowly to the side. Her left hand, splinted and bandaged, hung limply, as if dead.
Heiner asked a beat later.
“...What exactly does normal mean?”
"Assuming recovery proceeds smoothly, there won't be any serious disabilities. However, it will be difficult to exert strength in her fingers, making lifting heavy objects or performing delicate tasks like writing or embroidery impossible. Of course, if she's right-handed, that's a bit of a relief—"
“...”
“I heard she played the piano. I don’t think... She can play it as well as she used to.”
“Even as time passes.”
“I see it as a permanent aftereffect.”
Heiner stared blankly at her without answering. His face appeared impassive, yet at the same time, expressionless; it seemed terribly precarious.
The doctor who was watching this carefully opened his mouth.
“Your Excellency, I understand your feelings, but... Your Excellency is also currently sick.”
“...”
"The gunshot wound is not to be taken lightly. Please remain motionless and return to rest."
***
Heiner flipped through the magazines one by one from his hospital bed. The table next to his bed was piled high with newspapers and magazines.
He was the type of person who didn't pay attention to magazines that were more of a hobby than regular newspapers, but this time it was different.
This was because magazine reporters had given considerable weight to interviews with survivors. Heiner thoroughly searched through those interviews to find information about Annette.
Leonie: You must have been really scared.
M: I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to die like this. Even though we told them we were civilians and had nothing to do with it, they didn't even listen. Even when the nurse pleaded for them to at least let the child out, they ignored us.
Leonie: If you're talking about the nurse, are you referring to Miss Annette Rosenberg?
M: Oh, yes. That's right. Actually, at the time, I didn't even know that the nurse was the ex-wife of the famous commander-in-chief. It was dark, and I was so disoriented... I only found out after the enemy, who had discovered her identity, told me.
Leonie: There's already a lot of talk about her these days.
M: She's a remarkable person. Judging from what I've seen, I couldn't have imagined her to be the arrogant, selfish woman you've seen in the newspapers.
Leonie: Can you elaborate?
Heiner's eyes scanned the pages, tracing them as if they were letters. He mulled over and over every word M described about Annette.
Annette, seen through the eyes of another, was both a woman he knew and a woman he didn't know. It was a deeply strange feeling.
He thought he knew everything about her.
He was now convinced that he was the only one in the world who knew her well.
But ever since Annette chose death, his thoughts became distorted, and his convictions clouded. At some point, she ceased to be the woman he knew.
"M: I guess the world is truly unpredictable. Do people create situations, or do situations create people?"
Now everything has become ambiguous.
Leonie: That's a difficult question.
M: Whatever it was, at least for that moment, she created a miraculous situation. By sacrificing herself.
Leonie: By the way, I heard that Miss Rosenberg's left hand was badly injured in that incident.
M: I can't tell you how shocked I was to hear that news. It's such a shame. Her performance was truly beautiful...
Leonie: Have you ever heard Miss Rosenberg play?
M: Yes, it was when I was locked up. There was a piano in the church, and she played it for the child. It was truly, truly beautiful music. I forgot everything and just lost myself in the music... It was comforting. Yes, it was comforting.
Heiner's gaze lingered on that passage for a long time.
He lowered his hand, holding the magazine, after reading the same passage over and over again. He felt a tingling sensation deep in his throat.
Annette played the piano.
One of the things he once took from her, she took back on her own.
After a long time, after all the pain and suffering, amidst those terrible ruins, she finally placed her hands on the keyboard.
That fact came back to him like a heavy hammer.
Heiner closed his eyes with difficulty and slowly lowered his head. The lights illuminating the dark hospital room flickered a few times. The hand holding the magazine was faintly trembling.
And he couldn't raise his head for a long time.
***
The war continued amidst intense hostility.
The Huntingham Recapture Operation was nearing its final stages of success. Despite his wounds, the Commander-in-Chief received all reports via telephone and participated in key operations.
On May 18, the Commander-in-Chief's speech, along with renewed discussions on international agreements, was broadcast nationwide through newspapers and radio.
[In the summer of AU 717, the free world, won through blood and sweat, shone with hope. We remember those moments when we longed for justice for free citizens.]
Troops drawn from Frances's Army Group Central steadily advanced south. The shadow of a massive war loomed over the Cheshire fields.
But our once-brilliant future has been trampled by the horrors of war. The Axis leadership, including Frances, opposes our righteous and sincere will and threatens peace.
At the same time, reinforcements from the Waitress, whom the former Commander-in-Chief had successfully brought into the Small Negotiation, were heading to Cheshire Field.
[We want to reach a peaceful agreement. And we want Frances to show the appropriate will to do so by signing the Biche Peace Treaty, stopping the massacre of civilians, and releasing prisoners.]
While Frances redeployed its forces, Padania restored all its facilities and built a massive defensive line.
We defend justice, unwavering in the face of the threat of aggression. We honor our sons and daughters who answered our nation's call. We will never forget their supreme sacrifice, nor will we tolerate their trampled dignity.
The Commander-in-Chief, who is in charge of all this, declared:
[We will definitely win.]
And that night, Annette Rosenberg opened her eyes.
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