It Might Not Be a Bluff
It Might Not Be a Bluff
"Torture? No way, you..."
Only then did Bordon realize that Frien was not a civilian.
She was wearing civilian clothes and smiling as gently as an angel, so he had naturally assumed she was a civilian. But that was not the case.
Frien, who had been gazing steadily at Bordon, nodded.
"That's right. I am Medical Officer Frien, serving under Major General Daniel in the 14th Mixed Division. Since it's wartime, I also serve as an interrogation officer."
"...You are the one?"
His tone was incredulous.
That was only natural.
Because, objectively speaking, Frien's appearance was far from that of a torturer.
She didn't even have the characteristic shadow that interrogation officers wore on their faces.
'A novice?'
Because of that, Bordon assumed Frien was someone unfamiliar with torture.
'Then she'll be easy to handle.'
If he screamed and cried out in pain during the interrogation, the woman before his eyes would surely feel guilt.
'If I aim for that moment and beg to be allowed even a little rest...'
There was a chance Frien would show him a way out.
And based on that, he might be able to formulate an escape plan.
Having made his assessment of the situation, Bordon took a deep breath and spoke.
"Fine. Do as you please. But keep this one thing in mind. No matter what you do to me..."
Bordon's eyes, steeled with resolve, narrowed sharply.
"I will never sell out my homeland."
*
Before a single day had passed, Bordon had spilled every piece of information he knew.
Frien immediately reported this, and because the contents were far from ordinary, Daniel summoned all the division's commanders and staff officers to the command and control room.
Thus, once all the division's commanders and staff officers had assembled, Daniel relayed everything they had learned from Bordon.
Upon hearing it, a stir ran through the staff officers and commanders.
"So it was true that they intended to destroy the communication relay station."
"More importantly, if his words are accurate, won't the Republic launch a general offensive soon?"
"...Will they maintain the original plan even after the operation failed?"
The operation Bordon had confessed to was simple in outline.
A squad would infiltrate through the abandoned mine, destroy the communication relay station, and give a signal, after which the main force would launch an attack before the Imperial Army could repair it.
That meant the enemy's main force was already on the move.
"We cannot know the enemy's intentions, but taking proper precautions is the correct course."
"The enemy division outnumbers ours, however..."
"But it's not to the point where we can't hold them off, is it? If the enemy truly intends to attack, let them come! We'll smash every last one of them to pieces!"
While the officers exchanged opinions, Daniel let out a low sigh.
'...So General Headquarters was wrong, and Colonel Reinhold was right. I never expected the Republic to move this aggressively.'
In truth, it was Daniel Steiner's very existence that had caused the Republic to alter its original plan, but there was no way for him to know that.
'Anyway...'
Since the Republic had revealed its aggressive side, our side naturally had to prepare as well.
"Everyone focus."
When Daniel, seated at the head of the command table, opened his mouth, all eyes gathered on him.
"The information we currently possess is limited. We have no way to confirm whether Bordon told the truth or not. It could simply be a ploy to sow confusion."
Though the probability of that was low, given that Frien had already tortured him.
"But one thing is certain: the Republic has already commenced an operation and is making every preparation to attack the high ground."
Daniel rose from his seat.
"The enemy will still believe the operation has not yet failed, so they will be concealed in the vicinity of the high ground, preparing for all-out battle. Therefore, we must determine from which direction the enemy intends to launch their attack."
Daniel walked over to the operations board positioned at the front of the command and control room.
After examining the terrain, Daniel turned and fixed his gaze on a specific officer.
"From this moment, we will conduct a reconnaissance in force. The 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion will handle it. The objective is the area extending 3 km forward from Hill 75, at the lower end of the ridge line."
"Understood. Are there any specific items to be verified?"
"Observe the enemy's projected entry routes, as well as their engagement patterns and artillery response. Engagements are to be conducted in a limited manner. Additionally..."
Kudangtang!
At the sound of someone collapsing, all eyes—including Daniel's—swiveled around.
In the spot where everyone was looking, Frien had collapsed and was gasping for breath.
Her somehow unstable appearance sparked worry.
Wondering what was going on, Daniel approached Frien and knelt on one knee.
"Frien? What's the matter? Are you alright?"
Slowly raising her head, Frien spotted Daniel and blinked vacantly.
Then, she gave an awkward smile.
"Ahaha... I'm fine. It's something that happens all the time, after all."
"...Something that happens all the time?"
"It's nothing. That came out wrong. Anyway, I'm fine, so you needn't worry."
A strange sense of unease lingered, but he did not specifically press the point.
When Daniel, having risen, extended his hand as if to steady her, Frien naturally took it.
"You're always so kind, Division Commander..."
Muttering as if talking to herself, Frien pulled herself up.
After glancing around once, Frien let out a dry cough and looked at Daniel.
"Division Commander? I have a request."
Suddenly? It was out of the blue, but there was no reason he couldn't grant it.
"What is the request?"
"It's nothing major. I was just wondering if you might include me among the personnel conducting the reconnaissance in force. I've begun to feel the desire to help you build war merits myself."
For Frien to express a desire for war merits was highly unusual.
As Daniel deliberated, Frien clasped her hands together in supplication.
"Please. It's not that dangerous a mission, is it? If it looks like an engagement will happen, we can just retreat. And besides, the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion will need a capable medical officer too. Isn't that right?"
Frien sent an eye-smile toward the mechanized infantry battalion commander.
The battalion commander was flustered, but since adding a medical officer to the TO&E was no bad thing, he nodded.
Watching that scene, Daniel let out a sigh.
"Wouldn't a capable medical officer be better off working in the medical unit rather than on the battlefield?"
"Of course, that's not an incorrect statement."
Frien hesitated briefly before speaking.
"But this time, I definitely want to stand on the battlefield."
Her eyes held a deep conviction that could not be placed.
It was a force of will so strong that if he refused, she seemed as though she would desert in order to participate, so Daniel clicked his tongue.
"I don't quite understand why you suddenly want to distinguish yourself on the battlefield, but..."
After agonizing over it, Daniel decided to trust Frien and continued speaking.
"Since you want it so badly, I will grant permission."
*
By Daniel's order, the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion advanced to Hill 75, at the lower end of the ridge line.
Under the dim light of dawn upon the snowfield, military vehicles moved slowly along the battalion column.
At the center, inside a light armored vehicle protected by an escort of troops, Frien rode together with the battalion commander.
She was sharing the ride because Daniel had told the battalion commander, 'I'm counting on you to look after Frien.'
Of course, they were only sharing the ride; words were barely exchanged between the two of them.
The battalion commander was well aware of Frien's notoriety (her torture work), so he had no desire to get chummy, and Frien, also not the type to blather useless talk, simply remained quiet.
Thanks to that, the battalion commander thought to himself.
'More importantly, this woman turned an entire company in Penbark into warriors who wouldn't die?'
When he'd heard that preposterous claim, he had been utterly speechless.
Healing magic was, at most, something that made it a little easier to stop bleeding or slightly reduced pain.
If healing magic were some kind of all-powerful panacea, there would be no need for doctors to exist in this world.
'Especially nowadays, when medical science has advanced and technology that substitutes for healing magic is overflowing...'
There was no way he could believe that Frien had miraculously healed soldiers and made them fight immediately.
'What a load of bluster. Bluster...'
It infuriated him to see the idiots who revered this woman beside him as a saint, though Daniel, proven by countless achievements, might be a different story.
'Of course, this probably isn't the woman's fault.'
She was merely the victim of rumors spread by dim-witted fools.
The moment the battalion commander, having shrugged his shoulders to himself, turned his gaze forward.
Kwakwang─!
A single shell exploded up ahead, sending snow erupting into the air.
The startled driver urgently wrenched the steering wheel, causing the view to sway dizzily.
Judging that they could not break out of the column, the driver stopped the vehicle just as the sound of gunfire reached them from afar.
"What in the..."
Before the battalion commander could regain his senses, another shell detonated.
Kwaaang─
This time it burst quite close, producing an ear-splitting roar.
Urgently ducking his body, the battalion commander squeezed his eyes shut and shouted.
"It's an ambush! We have to retreat...!"
Clutching his ringing ears, the battalion commander gasped for breath, then hurriedly grabbed the radio.
Just as he was about to issue the retreat order, someone seized his wrist.
When he raised his head, Frien was looking down at him with a graceful posture.
"You must not order a retreat. You must order them to fight."
"...What did you say? Can't you see the enemy has ambushed us!?"
"It's alright. We can overcome this."
Amid the cacophony of gunfire and shouts, Frien's lips moved gently.
"Because I will make it so."
Sensing the confidence imbued in Frien's words, the battalion commander swallowed dryly.
'No way...'
He began to think that the rumors from Penbark might not be false after all.