Through mud and dirt

As a history teacher, war is a topic that Diedrich frequently stumbles upon in his syllabus when teaching in class. Thus, he considers himself an expert in this field.

But learning about war and fighting in one really is a different thing. Diedrich's feet stepping on the muddy trenches, hand holding the long heavy rifle, head wearing the weird-looking spiky german helmet that no one around his division like, he has a complex feeling in his heart. As in the future, he might become the history someone will teach their child about.

Talking about the helmet, the spike is actually designed to deflect sword blows at the head, but most of the time it just makes the soldier wearing them a much easier target for the enemy. An unsurprisingly failed design.

You can't blame the designer too, as no major power knows exactly how future warfare will be like at this time. They could only through trial and error learn from their mistakes and improve from it. Some seemingly small errors could cause the death of thousands of soldiers at times. The only difference is, how much error will they make in this war. At least for Diedrich, he will much prefer a spiky helmet than a blue and red combo of uniform.

And now, with the reinforcing mage unit blasting at the French trenches, stopping the enemy advances, the 26th Infantry division is finally given order by the high command to retreat from Sarrebourg to the rear. Allowing them to rest and refit for a few days, replenishing supplies and the troops lost. Suffering around 11,000 casualties which are about 40% of the army, it will take some time before the division is ready for combat again.

Carrying the bodies of their injured or dead comrades at the dead of night, with dust and blood on their bodies, physically and mentally exhausted they left. Their battle is now over. Another division behind them has already finished preparing their trenches to cover the retreat, ensuring the retreat won't result in a complete collapse of the frontline.

Helping an injured young German who survived a mage explosive round with only a broken bone, Diedrich helped him into a carriage which is full of other too injured soldiers. With a tired thank you as gratitude from him, Diedrich bid him goodbye before going back to his squad. The other soldier won't have the luxury to ride a carriage, they will have to march back to the rear by foot.

And thus together with Baugalf and the other two surviving German, they begin forming a line and started their march towards the rear, which is in the Empire territory.

Walking on the dirt road in an organized line full of soldiers and carriage while the moon is hanging over the sky, the march is silent and slow. The whole division after going through their first bloody battle isn't in the best mood, most people had lost a friend or two tonight, while the other who is able to walk has suffered at least some kind of scratches or minor wounds on their body.

However, Diedrich's mind is still kinda relieved that they have now left the dangerous trenches. His mind spacing out a bit, releasing the stress he accumulated these few days.

"Diedrich, you alright?" With a familiar voice of Baugalf coming in, he turns around and looks at his too tired sergeant. "Looks like you space out, still thinking about the battle just now?"

"Kinda, just, been through too much." With his mind still blank, Diedrich asks what is in his mind. "And I haven't been able to adapt to the frontline I guess, the relaxing atmosphere makes my mind wander."

The blood coming from men's blood, the scream of pain and suffering, he wonders if anyone will adapt to it.

Hearing his answer, Baugalf proceeds forwards beside Diedrich to start a conversation with him.

"You will, if you survive long enough." Giving a tap on Diedrich's shoulder, Baugalf tried to boost Diedrich's spirit. "I'm about the same as you, the only difference is that I have been through training for years."

"They teach us discipline, to march in column, to use our rifle and bayonet." Remembering his time in the army, Baugalf continued with his slightly dry voice. "The only thing keeping me calm is the importance of order and discipline that has been carved deep inside my soul, and some muscle memories"

"I'm just as afraid of killing people just like you, no amount of training will help that. I remember myself vomiting and having nightmares after my first kill. The French's blood on my hand, looking at him bleeding to death after I shot him in the stomach, screaming out loud for help. An unpleasant experience indeed."

"But with time, I just got used to it. I barely care about the people I murdered, their family, their loved ones. I just…" Stopping for a while, Baugalf continued. "I just want to go back home alive."

Going back home alive huh. Diedrich hearing this phrase, can't help but show a bitter smile.

'Staying alive, something that I never thought about before truly. Who knows that staying alive is such a hard mission to achieve? The machine gun, the mage, artillery, or just a simple bullet can end my petty life.' Remembering the horror of war, Diedrich can now understand why some soldiers have PTSD after a war.

He remembers the first night in this world which is yesterday, sleeping in a poorly prepared trench after the skirmish. The cold wind blows onto his face from time to time, his heart full of fear of whether an artillery shell will fall upon him. And as expected, he didn't get much rest.

'But home...Home huh?' Remembering his family in his previous world, Diedrich feels warm water coming out from his eyes.

Fighting in a war, his mind is so focused on adapting that he seems to ignore that he has come to a world he isn't familiar with, unable to see his old loving family again. Maybe he should be glad that he hasn't yet found a partner in his previous world.

His parents should be fine with their financial status, their pension should feed them till they leave the Earth. And with that, he doesn't really have anything to worry about now except for staying alive, which isn't as easy as it sounds.

' But...I still miss you. Mom, dad.' Sighing a bit, Diedrich tried to hold the water inside his eyes.

"Say, Baugalf. Why do you join the Army?" Wiping off his tears without Baugalf noticing, Diedrich tried to distract Baugalf while satisfying his curiosity. The idea of volunteering to risk your life for the country is still foreign to him, just like what the original owner of this body did. "No offense, but you don't look patriotic enough to willingly put yourself in the trench."

"Why did I join the army? Hmm, good question." Thinking for a while, Baugalf answers. "Well, I could be a poor harbor labor in Hamburg that could barely feed his family, or an honorable soldier of the Empire who risked his life on the battlefield to feed his family. I ended up choosing the latter."

"Good salary, some compensation if I die. The benefits will allow me to send my child to college. The only downside is that I need to spend my time in this godforsaken trench, so why not?."

'So literally selling your life huh?' Foot still marching, Diedrich realizes the price of life isn't that high. "But...is it worth it? Fighting in a war for this while risking your life or a limb."

"Well, I consider myself a lucky person, so I think I can handle it." Shrugging his shoulder, Baugalf answered again. "And with the current gain in the war, I think we will be on the winning side. It doesn't look like a bad idea to me at least."

"If I'm lucky enough, I might even get a promotion soon to avoid the frontline battle." With some hope coming from Baugalf's eyes, he can imagine the day of wearing an officer's uniform and coming back home, kissed by his still young wife and hugged by his cute little daughter.

"Hmm, I hope so certainly." Optimism huh, funny. "Also, do you know anything about that mage squad just now? Is it from our division?"

Looking from the trenches, the squad of mage certainly left a lasting impression on anyone in the 26th Infantry Division just now. Flying from the sky covering their retreat, the leading young female especially has caught Deidrich's attention through her performance on the battlefield.

Barely able to look at her, Diedrich could only see the blonde long hair of her, and also the explosion round she was shooting. It is beautiful, flying elegantly above the sky, and bringing judgment on the enemy.

"Them? I think they are a Mage platoon coming from some Division, I don't see any familiar faces just now. If it's from our division I would have recognized it." Shaking his head, Baugalf continues. "But we really need to give credit to them, or else our retreat will be a disaster."

"Indeed, we really need to thank them." His mind is filled with scenes of the devastating power of mage, a feeling of envy mixed with admiration rises from his heart. Looking at his palm, Diedrich asked. "Hey, have you ever thought of being a mage, wielding their immense power? You will certainly be treated better in the army..."

"Mage? Don't think too much kiddo." Realizing what Diedrich is thinking, Baugalf decides to wake him up from his imagination. "The potential of being a mage is determined when you are born, there aren't any recorded cases of people awakening their mage capability after they grow up. It's just like your organ, if you have it, you have it. And if you don't, well, you can't do too much about it."

"Trust me, be satisfied with what you have right now. Thinking about it too much won't help you in any way." Ending with a conclusion, Baugalf gives his life advice to Diedrich, hoping that he could understand it. "Be grateful for what you have alright?"

And just when Diedrich wanna argue a bit with Baugalf, some hassle in front of their lines gains their attention.

"Hey! People over there, come give us some help will ya? We need you." A German soldier interrupted them with a shouting. Coming ahead towards Diedrich's direction and waving, he signals them to come forward.

As Diedrich and the squad follow his direction, what enters their eye is a carriage that accidentally falls into a small pit. The horses pulling it was harmed by the fall and its leg now broken, crying in pain. The other however ignores its suffering, focusing on the more important subjects.

"Kill me! Oh God, end this suffering!"

"My leg! My leg! No this isn't true! Why can't I feel it anymore!?"

"I can't see anymore! What is happening to me!? Tell me now!"

On the field not far away, are a dozen soldiers covered with bandages while moaning with pain. All losing at least a limb or a body part, some unwilling to accept it.

This particular carriage is carrying soldiers who are crippled, designated to be sent straight off to the Empire as they are no longer fit for services. The soldier lying on the grasses, with the smell of disinfectant and blood entered into Diedrich's nose. Treated roughly, no one really bothers to comfort them of their suffering although it's their comrade.

"One, two, lift!" With that, Diedrich biting his teeth, together with his squad lifted the 300kg carriage up from the small pit. With the sound of dirt crumbling, the carriage slowly but surely returns to the flat ground. Going back to its normal state, Diedrich sweat a bit from it.

However, the horses don't seem to be able to pull the carriage now with its broken leg.

Not far away, an officer of obvious high rank is talking with the obviously grumpy Baugalf while their squad is lifting the carriage. And with a salute, Baugalf reluctantly receives the order given down.

"Squad set up camp here, we will be taking care of them tonight." With an unwilling tone, Baugalf transferred the order down, announcing their stay tonight. "The horse will be supplied later, your bath will have to wait."

"Booo!" The squad hearing the order isn't happy about it, complaining, booing. Tired and restless, a camp in the wild isn't the most popular decision. Nonetheless, they will have to obey or face the punishment for disobedience.

Setting the tent down given by the officer, the squad proceeds to move the injured inside it, rebandaging some of the injured whose blood still hasn't quite stopped, it's a messy scene really.

Bandaging a struggling soldier who is screaming around due to his pain, one of Diedrich's comrades brings up a cloth from somewhere and immediately stuck it inside his mouth. With only muffled sound left and his face of madness, the method is cruel but effective nonetheless.

'But I certainly hope I won't end up like this.' Looking at the rest of the injured soldier, sent a chill down Diedrich's spine of his possible fate in the future. And subconsciously, he begins to treat them a little gentler.

And after all the troublesome moving, the group finally settled down around the campfire they had started, gaining some heat from it. While the sky remains dark with only the sound of soldiers marching towards or from the frontline, they finally have their well-earned rest. Stinky and dusty from the lack of bath this week, they eventually slaughter the injured horse and cook its meat with the fire, making it serve its last purpose on this Earth.

Biting through its slightly sweet taste, horse meat is surprisingly tasty, or it could just be he's been eating dull potato and some local vegetable they found for these two days.

Taking another bite, Diedrich gets to know more of his squad now.