The Village Behind Our Trenches

Minutes have passed since they left the trenches, still not a single living tree nor a patch of grass had laid on there sight. It could have been the dark of night concealing the area or the scars of battle stretching longer than Kazuto had imagined.

It almost feels like they never left the battlefield even once, with their small light illuminating the broken barbed wire and the pools of mud and blood they passed by.

The longer they roam however, the longer Kazuto contemplates. With each step, Kazuto could feel his spine shiver, thinking that not once he had not been yelled at by allies.

It was too good of a reality. Too good that Kazuto is starting to doubt if this was even real.

"Are you sure the Major general actually allows us to leave the trench?" Kazuto worries, uncertainty written on his eyes.

"I'm sure of it. The letter was proof enough. I wouldn't invite you to go if it wasn't allowed," Otto assured him with a small grin.

Kazuto gazes away, still uncertain. All of the sudden, Otto chuckled, attracting Kazuto's gaze as he looked at him with a confused expression.

"It's funny how your such a worrywart. It feels totally different of you. The last time I saw you, you even had the balls to go out to the open field even though death was inevitable," Otto praised him, laughing as he punched Kazuto's right shoulder as his smile became wider.

Kazuto groaned and later chuckled as well, although nervously as he held his right shoulder. The pain from his wound of not handling the rifle properly still stings, added by the punch Otto gave him made it a little more tense than usual.

"I wasn't on my right mind when that happened," Kazuto replied timidly, gazing away with a shameful look on his face.

"Wasn't on your right mind, huh?" Otto wondered. "So you've gone insane when that happened?"

Kazuto's gaze remain far, not even bothering to answer the question. Otto sighed.

"Cheer up Kazuto, Everyone has their first time on the battlefield, you'll get used to it soon," Otto patted his back, comforting him. "Like the rest of us.." he whispered.

"Yeah.."

Kazuto nodded, but his sadden gaze remained. A minute of silence erupted from the both of them, as their footsteps was the only sound they could hear. However, the silence didn't last too long.

"Oh hey, look. We're almost in the village," Otto uttered with an enthusiastic tone, pointing his lamp forward.

Kazuto raised his gloomy head towards the direction Otto pointed his lamp at, as he saw a few houses with lights in the distance.

It was the village Otto told him back in the trench. It looked quite like a medieval village, with structures made mostly of brick and stone with lime white textures, windows of oak wooden shutters, and a path made of gravel.

They soon stepped foot inside of the village, as the houses looked like they were gonna possibly fall apart and break, with cracks and bullets engraved in some of the walls.

However, no matter how wrecked it looked, it is still a good defensive stronghold if managed properly.

As they kept on walking Kazuto would gaze around the locals, with the villagers undoubtedly being elves, with their ears all pointy like a spear. But something has been bothering Kazuto's mind since he stepped foot inside.

Everywhere he looked, there's always a glare coming from someone from either inside or outside their homes.

Man or woman, children or old, rich or poor, their expressions were all the same. A glare that could pierce one's soul. Kazuto felt uneasy as he could sense a horrifying atmosphere just walking in the streets alone.

"Otto? is it just me, or the people around here won't stop watching us? It's starting to feel like they're plotting something," Kazuto whispered his concern as the two kept on walking.

"Just ignore it, their glares may be bad but it won't hurt us. Besides, look around you, we're not the only ones here who isn't elf," Otto replied with a calm tone, his eyes remained steady watching forward.

Kazuto then gazed around once more as he didn't realize soldiers the same as he were guarding the streets. Their expressions completely stern, looking vigilant and prepared, with their rifles already at their arms.

Kazuto's doubt slowly faded away as his fearful expression slowly calmed down.

The two continued walking to the streets, as they soon stopped to gaze at a two-floor house made out completely of bricks and stone.

"Is this the place?" Kazuto asked.

"It seemed like it, some of the troops from the defense this morning are taking a break here as well,"

Otto responded as he gazed at the window seeing men sitting and chatting, some leaning down in the white painted walls and others playing cards on the table.

The two soon entered the room, but as soon as Kazuto entered the door he halted with his mouth slightly open in astonishment. It felt like a museum entering such a room. Most of the furniture he looked at were old, some even vintaged even though they were newly furnished.

"Yup, this is the right place," Otto muttered as he slowly nods.

Otto then placed the lamp he was carrying to the table next to him and gaze towards Kazuto.

"Kazuto, listen. Just walk forward and turn left." He pointed with his right hand. "There awaits a door that would lead you to the shower room."

Otto then waved, walking away from the room and back outside seemingly having no intentions of waiting for Kazuto to finish.

"Wait, where are you going!?" Kazuto asked.

"I'm going to get you some new clothes. Oh, and just a slight reminder, you still smell like someone's corpse so you better hurry up and clean yourself," Otto teased him, snickering as he waved his hand.

Kazuto being self-aware tried sniffing his shoulder, and yes it still smelled like someone's corpse as his head flinched away as even he couldn't bare the stench.

Kazuto's tried looking for Otto, but he was already far away to reach. He sighed as he was now left alone in the room together with his comrades.

'Guess I'll clean myself before he comes back,' Kazuto thought to himself.

He soon follow the instructions as he later found himself walking into a hallway with barely anyone in there at all, after all it was narrow.

One thing did catch his attention as walked in the hallway. It was the portraits. Detailed paintings of elves framed and hanged in the wooden wall which he could only assume are the nobility or perhaps leaders of this country his comrades are resisting from.

After a long walk he found himself in the end of the hallway, and in the end was just a single door. A wooden brown painted door, as he sees some small puddles of water lying in the ground.

He then tried to reach the doorknob to open it. However, before he could grab the handle, someone from the other side unlocked it.

As the door creaked open Kazuto's eyes slowly widened. A short yet horrifying man stood in front him as his aura alone gave off a chill of ice in someone's bones.

It was Adolph. His black hair was freshly wet and his eyes were solemn and gloomy, with not even a hint of joy written on his eyes. It was as if he was ready to kill someone with no remorse.

Kazuto eyes quiver in fear remembering every single blow and punch his body took from him. All at once they were throbbing as his breathe became faster as he didn't know what to do.

His fists clenched tightly and his body petrified as the thought of getting killed boiled in his mind.

'I'm gonna get killed! No, I need to get a grip of myself!! I had enough already!! It's time to fight back!!' Kazuto tried to convince himself with his mind filled with dread.

The two gazed for a whole straight two seconds, as Adolph sighed in annoyance. He then slowly walked forward passing Kazuto as if the interaction never happened.

However, before he left, he uttered something to Kazuto.

"Don't waste too much water, we're not here to experience luxury." He noted.

Adolph continued walking afterwards as the hallway became silent. Soon Adolph was no where to be seen and Kazuto sighed in relief. He tried to quickly catch his breathe and calm himself from fear.

'I don't want to get closer to that guy ever again. If this place won't kill me, he will!' Kazuto thought to himself, with an expression filled with anger and fear.

He then grunted in rage, as he punched the wall with his right fist as hard as he could. A large thud was later heard in the hallway as he slowly backed away from the wall.

"ARGGHHHH, How didn't I realize!!" Kazuto screamed internally, holding his fist as he could feel his knuckles aching.

He didn't realize the walls that looked like wood was actually cement. It only looked like wood because it was painted and crafted with great detail in a form that it is nearly identical to the real thing.

Kazuto glared in embarrassment and disappointment as he walked forward to the bathroom. He soon saw a wooden tub placed in the side of the room filled with water that was clear as glass.

"Finally, some space to think," Kazuto said with a sigh.

He then slowly walked forward and placed his foot to the water, as the tip of his toenail alone gave him shivers to his spine.

'cold..' Kazuto thought to himself.

However, there was no time complaining about the cold water, nor is there anything to complain about anyways.

Kazuto let out another sign as he dumped his whole body all in one go in the tub. The steady waters became reckless and waved, as some splashed away as Kazuto could feel his body shivering from the cold.

"How long would I have to stay here until I'll be called back out there..?"