Thanks to the patron, HT G!

*Disclaimer: Please don’t post this chapter in novelupdates since I don’t want to mislead other translators.

Chapter 1

—–

This is sudden, but does everyone know about the game genre called FPS?

It is an acronym of the First Person Shooters game genre. 

The first person perspective is extremely difficult. 

Your vision can get bad depending on your equipment, you can often get dizzy from the movements, and you can’t react in time if they get you from a blindspot. 

So, there are often unreasonable times when you would suddenly die even when you were just running around normally. 

But that’s an interesting point in itself, and there’s the joy of killing your opponent in the most unreasonable way by taking advantage of those blindspots. 

I was a god in those FPS games. 

Outstanding enemy detection capabilities, aim that surpassed common sense, reflexes to react on the spot, and most of all, the ability to read the next moves of my opponents.

It is because I had all of those skills at a high level that I became a champion in a certain battle royal game.

I even got a sponsor and became a pro gamer.

I was simply your plain gaming addict in peaceful Japan though.

In the world of war, I was invincible as long as I held a gun. 

 

—When it came to the cyber world that is. 

 

The wars in games are plain and simple entertainment. 

Once the battle is over, I would have stupid banters with the people I killed, and we can laugh together. 

“—Rah!” 

“Guh!” 

But in the wars of real life, the soldiers that have their throat slit, would let out a darkish spray from their nose and mouth along with foam, and won’t be able to speak ever again.

“Come on, you little girl! Don’t space out, we are rushing in!” 

“Eh, ah, okay.” 

The captain -a young man that was pretty much the same age as me in my previous life- stabbed to death a soldier coming at us. 

And then, he bravely stepped into enemy territory after giving a scolding order to the surroundings. 

My duty is to follow his orders, so I could only run after the captain. 

“We will capture this hill. Follow me!!” 

In this place where roars and death cries were let out here and there, in this place where the stench of excreta and tainted meat filled the air, I stepped into some sort of weird liquid.

I ran up the hill that was enemy territory while getting sticky from the body fluids and oil of other people on this day when I participated in a war for the first time. 

58 meters. That’s the distance we gained in this war today. 

It is the distance we obtained after we advanced and retreated over and over, using many lives as stepping stones. 

Around 800 people. 

That’s the amount of comrades in arms that we have lost. 

800 people died to advance 58 meters. 

The lives of people become distance. 

Distance is territory. 

In other words, the territory of our country has advanced by 58 meters. 

“Gahahahaha! This is a grand victory, right, little girl?” 

“…Congratulations. This was brought upon by Captain-dono’s courage and command.” 

“Be glad that your first campaign was under my command. I will use you resolutely, efficiently, and until you drop dead, so die without any worries!” 

Today, in this neighboring state war -the west war- I have been assigned as a medic. 

Ha…hahahaha.

“I will buy 1 meter with your life!”

“I plan on fulfilling my duty for the sake of the country.” 

“Don’t worry. If you die, I will tell your grand tales to your bereaved family.” 

Aah, this is insane. 

 

I am Touri Noel. My name is Touri and my surname is Noel.

I was an FPS addict in my former life in Japan.

My gender has changed in this life; I have become a girl. 

By the way, the name Touri is one I got from the director of the orphanage, and Noel is simply the name of the place. 

My parents were caught in the war, bombed, and died -apparently. 

But I was told a villager ran away carrying me within the burning village. 

He entrusted me to the orphanage and disappeared somewhere. 

I was taken in by the Noel Orphanage and raised there, so I am calling myself with the surname Noel. 

The Noel Orphanage is by no means prosperous. 

They will look after you until a certain age, but once you reach an age where you can support yourself, you either leave or work to earn money for them. 

I am also within those. I hit 15 years old and became an adult, so I had to go out to work. 

“You have…affinity for healing magic.” 

“Eh, really?” 

“I am sure it will shine if you polish it. Want to do government service?” 

On such an occasion, it was discovered that I had affinity to healing magic through the conscription examination. 

Users of healing magic are decently scarce, so…

“Even if you don’t do government service, you will become a conscription target with an affinity for healing magic. You will be given favorable treatment if you were to join yourself.” 

“…” 

“Also, you will get a high salary. Your orphanage will certainly become prosperous with this.” 

I ended up in military service almost by force. 

“Director-sensei, thanks for taking care of me until now.” 

“…Touri, don’t push yourself. If you get injured, don’t hesitate to come back here.” 

Honestly speaking, I wasn’t that against joining the military. 

It is because I had the confidence of becoming an excellent soldier with my achievements in games in my previous life. 

Also, this world I was reincarnated in is always at war, contrary to Japan. 

Who knows when and where you will lose your life. 

Then…

“I will come back here again…if…the war ends.” 

“Touri…” 

“Please take care.” 

When soldiers die, they can contribute to the financial affairs of the orphanage as ‘service condolence gold’.

Even if I were to die, I would become funds to take in orphans like me. 

I have a big debt of gratitude towards the Noel Orphanage, so if there’s no knowing when I will die, I wanted to use my life for the benefit of the orphanage.

By the way, there were two people from the orphanage this year being conscripted to the army. 

Me and the prankster Bernie Noel. 

Bernie is the same age as me, and we played together often when we were children. You could say we are childhood friends. 

He said that he would come meet me even if he is in military service. 

It was really reassuring that there’s at least one acquaintance of mine with me when I am heading to war. 

But…

He suffered an ambush on the first day of his assignment, was covered in the fire magic of the enemies, and apparently was burned to death. 

He was from Noel just like me, so I was treated like a family member of Bernie. I was granted the opportunity to see his corpse.

I was talking with a smile the other day with him, and yet, he died with a face filled with pain, his body charred, and his eyes wide open.

He was my only acquaintance in the army and my childhood friend. His death was really painful. 

Tell me this is a lie. 

“My condolences that yesterday became actual combat all of a sudden. It went on from yesterday till today, so the enemies should be taking a break too.” 

“…Yes.” 

The next day I was suddenly sortied into the battlefield.

I ended up having to take orientation by the captain again. 

“Alright, you apparently can use healing magic. Stay behind me for a while—” 

“I can’t use it.” 

“…Hm?” 

This is when I noticed there was a big misunderstanding here.

It is true that I ended up joining the military because they saw my affinity in healing magic, but I haven’t learned it yet. 

Not only have they not taught me healing magic, I was sent to the battlefield without even being explained the military discipline properly.

I was told to learn it at the actual place. 

“…Then, what can you do, little girl?” 

“I can’t do anything.” 

“Then, what did you come here to do?” 

I didn’t come here because I wanted to. 

I was sent to the battlefield with practically no choice.

Well, I feel like I would get punched if I were to say that, so I won’t though. 

“I thought about contributing to my country even if I couldn’t do anything.” 

“Ha! Your spirit alone is top notch, little girl. You are conceited!” 

“…Guh!!” 

I got punched in the end. 

“You are currently deadweight, a pillbug, a parasite that only eats away at our reserves. I will introduce you to a veteran medic, so learn the technique already.” 

“Thank you very much.” 

This is a horrible world. Is this what a real war is? 

This is a world with a decently fantasy feel, so I thought they would be having war more harmoniously. 

Like a hero’s spell making things go ‘BOOM!’ or the breath attack of a dragon going ‘BUAH!’.

“Now then, follow me. Don’t step on the corpses around. They have maggots after all.” 

“…I will be careful.” 

There’s no stuff like heroes. War is the same as my previous life where bloodstained killing happened between humans and humans.

It seems like wars stink and are dirty even in a fantasy world. 

“You were assigned to the unit of Gaback as a recruit, huh. My condolences.” 

“…” 

At the place where I was brought to by the captain and was told ‘now, learn’, there was a kind-looking lady with a nurse cap.

It was a beauty with big boobs that had a charming beauty spot. 

“That idio—hn, cough. The only thing he has in his head is to charge forward, so it must be rough to tag along with him, right?” 

“I have been assigned just recently…” 

“Oh, is that so? Then, you will understand eventually.” 

What I was told by that kind-looking lady were insults about the superior officer. 

To be more precise, it seems like this lady’s rank is higher than the captain though. 

“Gaback is outstanding as an assault soldier, you know? The exhilaration of killing enemies surpasses his fear of being killed after all. He would charge into enemy lines without fear, and he himself is pretty skilled, so he has gotten a pretty good amount of achievements.” 

The veteran medic said this much and then made a slightly troubled face. 

“However, he is famous for using his own subordinates as shields. The moment he thinks he has rushed in too much, he would use his subordinates like a lizard’s tail to be the first one to run away.” 

“…” 

“Moreover, without any guilt at all. It seems that Gaback thinks the losses are lessened when his subordinates die instead of him.” 

She told me something I didn’t want to hear.

“My name is Gale. Health Department Chief, Gale. My rank would be on the same level as a second lieutenant.” (Gale) 

“Ah, my apologies. I am Touri, 2nd Class Medic.” (Touri) 

“Yeah, nice to meet you. I will be teaching the basics of a medic. I will also tell Gaback to take good care of you. Live as long as you can.” (Gale) 

I see. 

From what I have heard of Gale-san, it looks like I have pulled the worst type of superior. 

“However, just for your information, you must absolutely follow the orders of a superior even if they are stupid orders. That Gaback mercilessly executes anyone who goes against his orders.” (Gale) 

“I know.” (Touri) 

“In the case you are executed for going against orders, the condolence gold for your bereaved family is also gone. If you are going to die anyways, die just as that idiot orders, okay?” (Gale)

Going by that logic, it seems like it is certain I will be dying eventually. 

I thought I would be able to put my FPS skills I polished in my previous life to good use if I were to come to the battlefield though…

In the first place, all the actions of the soldiers hinge on the orders of their superior. 

There’s almost no chance of moving by your own judgment. 

“Well, try to live as long as you can. I look forward to working with you.” (Gale)

Even though the wars in games are so fun, wars in real life are hell. 

I have noticed just now that I was way too optimistic because there were some half-baked fantasy elements. 

Aah, I begrudge my self that aspired to become a soldier. I shouldn’t have cared about the stuff about the orphanage and ran away without any shame or regret. 

But I have already entered hell.

Let’s just do my best and struggle with all I have.

 

“Uhm…[Heal]! Like this?” 

“Oh my, great job.” 

It has been 3 days since I have been assigned to the western war front. There were no big battles aside from the first day. 

We were having a lecture with the Health Department Chief Gale together with a few other recruits. 

“Congratulations, you are now a medic.” (Gale)

“Thank you very much.” (Touri)

The lectures of the department chief were easy to understand, and all the rookie medics can now use healing magic. 

No matter the shape, you are apparently acknowledged as a medic if you can use healing magic. 

Even if our healing magic is currently just sham healing magic that’s only on the level of healing scratches. 

“There’s a few dozen medics on this frontline. Turning that around, it also means that there’s only that many soldiers who can use healing magic in this vast frontline.” (Gale)

“Understood.” 

“You 5 will become an extremely important asset. Work hard.” (Gale)

The one standing at the top of these dozens of medics is the Health Department Chief Gale that’s in front of our eyes. 

I heard there’s close to 100,000 soldiers gathered in this frontline. 

Medics would be around 0.04% to 0.05% of the total percent of soldiers. 

It seems like healing magic users are super valuable. 

“Touri, your mana is a bit on the high side. That’s why, you might be able to use healing magic 2 times if you try hard.” (Gale) 

“2 times, huh.” (Touri)

Looks like my limit is 2 times. 

Isn’t that a bit lacking when it comes to a magic specialist? 

Department Chief Gale has used healing magic 4-5 times in the middle of her lectures though. 

“Yeah, that’s a wonderful number for a recruit.” (Gale)

“For a recruit…” (Touri)

“You can train your mana after all. If you survive and amass experience, the amount you can use will increase more and more. Once you can use it more than 10 times, you can be transferred to the backline unit as an outstanding practitioner.” (Gale)

I see. Basically, the number of uses is still low because I am at a low level. 

And as a reward for increasing my amount of mana…I can move to a safe location.

…Shouldn’t it be the other way around? 

“Uhm, excuse the question, but wouldn’t it be more efficient to send the healing magic users to the frontlines after they have obtained experience in the backlines and increase their number of uses…?” (Touri)

“There’s no time, place, and facilities in the backlines to slowly teach the medics. This country is already on its last legs. To think they would suddenly send a young girl like you that can’t even be called a soldier into the frontlines.” (Gale)

Aah, so they really don’t have the leeway. I would like to retort that they should treasure their healers more if they are that valuable. 

The war has gone on for more than 10 years. I am sure the decently skilled soldiers and leaders have already been promoted. 

I think that’s why such a stupid policy has gone through. 

“Ah, right, I will teach you how to use the Shield spell, Touri.” (Gale)

“Shield?” (Touri)

“That’s right. You will die instantly if you follow that Gaback without any means to protect you on the fly. It is originally a spell oriented for armored soldiers, but it is a spell that we often learn as medics.” (Gale)

‘The ones who are interested, come to the side of Touri’ -the Department Chief said and coughed. 

I am extremely interested in this spell. It might have a direct connection to my survival rate. 

“This Shield spell allows you to deploy a mana barrier in the moment.” (Gale)

“Barrier?” 

“Light offensive spells, arrows, and projectiles can be blocked with this. It can’t block spells with attack power comparable to intermediate and higher spells, and also guns though.” (Gale)

A light purple glass-looking plate appeared in front of the palm of the Department Chief.

I tried touching it and it was a decently strong plate. 

“This can save your life in emergencies. Not only yourself, but the lives of your allies as well.” (Gale)

“Oooh…” 

“This is a necessary spell to learn for Touri, but the others can try practicing it if you are interested.” (Gale)

This certainly does look important. 

I think there were similar skills to this one in the game of my previous life. 

That one could block bullets and any other thing though. 

I am extremely grateful for advice like this from a veteran medic.

I will properly learn the techniques taught to me and prepare for the unreasonable actions of Gaback.

This is how my war life in an isekai with no cheats raised its curtains. 

The me at that time had no way of knowing…this war that has continued on for more than 10 years was just its prologue. 

This battle that would be called the War of the East and West will be creating more and more victims at an accelerated rate in the land I am serving in. 

Utilizing people as expendables without thinking of them as humans. The true curtains of madness had not even been open yet. 

But the me at that time had touched the thing called war for the first time and was simply scared of it all.

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