Chapter 11: Hero

In times of war, the pursuit of good often goes by a single name: Hope.

"Remember, you are all heroes," Aetil said, his voice echoing through the Wounded Soldier Battalion. Around her, soldiers lay with lost limbs and shattered dreams, eyes hollowed by despair. The camp, meant to be a refuge, had become a place where hope seemed as broken as the men within it.

"NCO Aetil, allow me to remind you one last time that you have already spent all your pocket money for this month," the logistics officer said, his tone weary.

"I'm hungry, just get me some canned food," Aetil replied.

"You already took a dozen cans of meat today. Did you really eat it yourself?"

"I have a big appetite, don't I?" Aetil's smile was sharp, but his eyes were darker.

The logistics officer sighed, his frustration clear. "Do you want to go and help those useless injured and disabled soldiers? That is a bottomless pit, I advise you not to waste them."

Aetil's gaze turned icy, a dangerous glint making the officer step back. Behind Aetil, Violet stood silently, her presence as imposing as a shadow.

"You call them useless junk?" Aetil said, his voice low.

Without another word, Aetil gathered a pile of canned goods and packed them into his bag. The logistics officer, cowed by Violet's cold stare, didn't dare to intervene. Violet, the Major's war puppet, was a living legend, feared and respected in equal measure.

"Aetil Gardenia," Violet said, her voice halting.

Aetil turned, surprised to hear her full name from her lips. "You have a name? Wait, can you talk?"

"Yes… Major taught me to read and write. I know you, sir, Sergeant Major Aetil," she replied.

"Alright, alright, be careful on the battlefield," Aetil said dismissively, turning to leave with his haul. Violet followed, her mission from the Major fresh in her mind.

"Violet, I have a task for you," Major Gilbert had said earlier. "The war will end soon, and so that you can better integrate into society after the war ends, I order you to find a friend."

Violet had tilted her head, confused. "Major, the mission is unclear. Please state the specific task and the exact criteria for its completion."

"Well… Is there someone Violet cares about?"

"The person I care about most is Major," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact.

"What about other people besides me?"

A white silhouette flashed through Violet's mind. "Aetil… Sir…"

"Good, go find her," Gilbert had ordered, and Violet had run out without another word.

Now, in the present, Aetil trudged towards the wounded barracks, his burden heavy. Violet followed silently, her presence like a shadow. They reached the camp, where the air was thick with the scent of unwashed bodies and despair.

"Aetil… Doctor…" a soldier called out weakly, his hand severed in a mine explosion.

Aetil opened a can, spearing the meat with a knife and offering it to the injured man. "It's okay, I'm here."

Nearby, nurses whispered among themselves. "He's doing it again. Absolutely filthy."

Aetil approached a soldier whose spine had been broken, rendering him paralyzed. He was incontinent and confined to a bed. The nurses shrank back as Aetil replaced the soiled sheets with fresh ones.

"You all worked hard," she told the nurses gently. "Go cook. I brought canned food."

The injured man looked up at Aetil, tears filling his eyes. "Is there any point in living for people like us?"

Aetil stood abruptly, her voice rising. "Who else thinks like that?!" Her words carried through the camp, drawing the attention of all the wounded soldiers.

"You say there's no point in living? You say you're disabled? Then tell me, are the deaths of our comrades also meaningless?" Aetil paced among the soldiers, his eyes fierce. "You lost your sight, your limbs, your dignity—but you hold the backbone of our country!"

Dropping to his knees, Aetil's voice broke with emotion. "Thank you for all you've given. My small gesture and weak voice can't make up for the injustice you've suffered, but I hope my kneeling brings some comfort."

The soldiers, moved by his words, began to gather around her. Tears flowed freely as they clung to Aetil, seeking solace and hope in his presence.

"Everyone, don't give up. Don't lose hope," Aetil said, rising to his feet. "At least, I love you all."

At the entrance of the camp, Violet watched silently, her eyes never leaving Aetil. For the first time, she saw her not just as a comrade but as a beacon of hope.