“Oh my. You’ve lost a finger. Must have hurt quite a bit.”
Back at the barracks, Lena and Leo received treatment. Lena was taken deeper into the infirmary, while Leo faced an army surgeon who casually examined his missing thumb as if it were nothing.
“This is gonna sting a bit. You’re not going to ask for a stiff drink for a simple procedure like this, are you?”
Leo was terrified at the thought of having the wound stitched up without anesthesia, but the surgeon’s nonchalant attitude gave him some courage.
“No, sir. I don’t need any.”
“Of course you don’t. Why so serious? Here, bite down on this. Wouldn't want you to chip a tooth.”
Fortunately, the stitching was over quickly.
It hurt like hell, but he endured it by biting down hard on the cloth the surgeon had given him.
“There you go. Try not to strain it too much until we take the stitches out. And lay off the booze if you can.”
“Yes, sir. And how is my friend’s treatment going?”
“That young lady who lost her arm? I saw her being taken in. Shouldn't be a problem. The wound was clean, so there’s little risk of infection. Nothing to worry about.”
“...Thank you, sir.”
As the surgeon had said, Lena recovered quickly.
They drained pus from her wound a few times, and yesterday, after sniffing the injury, the surgeon declared it free from infection and removed her from the critical care list.
The army surgeons were incredibly skilled.
Many of their tools were identical to those used in Leo's original world.
Although the overall standard of medicine in this world had declined after priests with divine healing powers emerged, the military was an exception.
The kingdom understood that even with countless priests, it would be impossible to treat all battlefield injuries. Thus, they had continued to invest in the training of army surgeons.
Treating the wounded was also strategically crucial. With proper care, a wounded soldier could return to active duty within a few weeks, or a few months at most. They were a valuable resource that couldn't be wasted.
It took two months for Lena and Leo to reach the battlefield, and over four months had passed since the war began. Yet, there were still more troops waiting to be deployed than those already fighting.
With the ability to replenish their ranks becoming a decisive factor in the war, neither kingdom could afford to abandon their wounded.
Leo visited Lena's ward every chance he got.
Having quickly regained her strength, she received permission from the military doctor after two weeks and suggested they go outside.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Yes. I'm much better."
The two leisurely basked in the sunlight.
It was a sunny day with the intense heat slightly subdued. They remained silent for a while.
Leo was the one who broke the silence.
He relayed to Lena a story he had heard while on duty as a soldier guarding the barracks.
"The prince is coming."
"Really? That's good."
Lena didn't seem particularly interested.
As silence threatened to return, she quietly asked,
"We'll be going back soon, right?"
"...I've also applied for a return."
Lena was expected to receive orders to return home once her treatment was complete. No matter how desperate the need for soldiers on the battlefield, a warrior who had lost an arm couldn't be used as a combat soldier.
Leo also planned to return with her. Losing a finger usually wasn't enough to warrant a return order, but as a volunteer soldier, he was eligible to apply for a return with such an injury.
"Yeah... I want to go home."
Lena looked northward, where her home was, with a melancholic expression.
Leo silently stayed by her side.
* * *
A few days later, reinforcements led by Prince Arnolf de Klaus arrived at the front. The prince assessed the situation at the front, held meetings with the generals, and made rounds to boost the morale of the soldiers.
The prince also visited the barracks.
The entire barracks was in a frenzy all day in preparation for the arrival of the esteemed guest. They cleaned the barracks, washed the bedding, inspected the equipment, reviewed emergency procedures, and even built new fences.
And then they all lined up to welcome the prince.
[ Achievement: First Encounter with the Prince - Gained minor favor with all princes. ]
[ Achievement: Met Arnolf de Klaus - Gained minor favor with all nobles serving the Klaus Dynasty. Gained minor favor with Arnolf de Klaus. ]
As the prince was about to pass by Leo, the achievement notification popped up. At the same time, the prince paused, his gaze fixed on Leo.
“This soldier seems perfectly healthy. Why is he here?”
Almost all the soldiers assigned to barracks duty were wounded, and Leo was the most physically fit among them.
The barracks administrator, standing beside the prince, explained Leo's situation.
“Unfortunately, this soldier lost his right thumb in battle, Your Highness. He is an outstanding soldier who achieved the feat of slaying two knights.”
He slightly exaggerated Leo's achievements.
“Slew two knights? A mere soldier? Impressive. What a shame for such a warrior to lose his thumb… Truly unfortunate.”
The prince looked at Leo for a moment longer before moving on.
The next day, several soldiers from the barracks, including Leo, were summoned to a military parade.
The parade was meant to boost the morale of the reinforcements the prince had brought.
At the end of the parade, there was a ceremony to award soldiers who had demonstrated exceptional valor.
Lena was also summoned, but it was decided that it wouldn't be good for morale to have a soldier missing an arm on the platform, so Leo was sent as her representative.
Leo was publicly praised as the hero who had slain two knights on the battlefield. The prince, on the spot, bestowed upon him an honorary knighthood. Generous rewards were also promised to other soldiers who had distinguished themselves in combat, including Lena.
Thousands of soldiers erupted in cheers.
Leo felt no joy.
* * *
Leo's application for discharge was approved. He had asked the barracks administrator to arrange for him and Lena to leave together on the same day.
The administrator was even more helpful than before.
He didn’t even ask for a bribe this time. He exempted Leo from duty and allowed him to stay in the barracks.
Perhaps it was because he was now an honorary knight, or perhaps it was due to the achievement he’d received from the prince… Leo didn't really care.
Relieved from duty, he spent every day by Lena’s side. Her wound had mostly healed, but she wasn't fully recovered yet.
“I want to go home soon, but they said I can’t leave until they take these things out.”
To close Lena’s wound, the surgeons had used a number of silver clamps. He’d heard that silver significantly reduced the risk of infection.
The silver clamps held the wide wound closed from the inside, and stitches were sewn over them. Once the wound healed, they would make a small incision to remove the clamps.
“I guess they won’t let me run off with their expensive equipment still inside me, huh?”
Lena chuckled.
They fell into comfortable banter, but it didn’t last long. Lowering her voice, Lena brought up the future.
“I’m going to learn how to cook when I go back.”
“...Cooking?”
“Yeah. I want to open a small tavern. A place where people can enjoy simple food and drinks.”
“Sounds like a place that serves a whole lot of booze and no food.”
“Not at all! I’m going to be a great cook!”
She placed one hand on her hip and puffed out her chest. It was a posture Leo had often seen her strike when she was feeling confident, though she used to do it with both arms.
“You’ll give me free food, right?”
“Of course! Friends get freebies.”
And somewhere along the way, she started calling him a friend.
“Oh boy, you’ll be bankrupt within a month.”
“No way! Besides, I’ll get a hefty reward for my service, so I can afford to fail a couple of times!”
“Hahaha. So you’re already planning on failing.”
Lena went on and on, describing her plans for the future in vivid detail. It was clear she’d given it a lot of thought while bedridden.
She didn't mention anything about marriage.