Chapter 12
The Prisoner-Exchange Ceremony
Translator: Rae
***
The prisoner exchange ceremony was scheduled to begin at exactly two o'clock in the afternoon.
With precisely five minutes to spare, the Crown Prince came out of the Reisen camp’s tent.
Clad in a flamboyant suit, he appeared somewhat tense, his gait as stiff as a wooden marionette.
“It’d hurt to get hit by him. Probably hurt just to punch him, too.”
Felix whispered surreptitiously to Jude.
The Crown Prince of Reisen was more heavily built than expected. Rather than robust, it might be more accurate to describe him as massive and fleshy.
In any other circumstance, Jude would have played along with the joke, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere.
Asili, dressed in her medical gown, was standing and chatting with a nurse.
‘Did they say a military doctor was accompanying them?’
He had heard that the repatriated allies would be examined at a temporary intermediate base hospital, but he had no memory of being briefed that she would be part of the escort.
Despite having stepped away from administrative details for a while to direct classified operations—not that a commander of his rank would typically oversee such minutiae anyway—a sudden surge of irritation flared within him at this unknown fact.
However, as soon as he realized there was absolutely no reason for him to feel that way, he found himself dumbfounded by his own reaction.
“It’s time to move.”
After being snapped out of his thoughts by Felix’s guidance, Jude made his way toward the prepared platform.
A desolate plain, a red carpet rolled across it, and a solid wood desk sat atop. It was a desk just large enough for two people to sit with a proper distance between them.
Two photographers stood waiting in front.
The setting was humble for a meeting between high-ranking figures from the two main powers of the war, but considering the circumstances of the conflict, it wasn't unacceptable.
Truthfully, only the photographs mattered. The pictures were the only things that would be featured in articles and distributed across the globe.
“Please sign the agreements placed before you.”
The Crown Prince of Reisen and Jude signed the documents finalizing the prisoner exchange, then swapped them to sign once more.
They shook hands formally for the press photos intended for international newspapers and then parted ways, returning to their respective sides without any further conversation.
Simultaneously, the prisoners from both camps began to walk in two lines at a slow, matching pace toward their own allies.
“There’s something quite grand about this.”
“Indeed.”
Meanwhile, watching the scene from a distance, Asili and Jenny whispered in hushed tones.
Many viewed this prisoner-exchange ceremony as the starting point for peace negotiations.
They hoped that if this went smoothly, it would lead naturally to an end-of-war treaty without much difficulty.
However, the atmosphere on the field was thick with tension more than expected. With such major figures in attendance, there was a lingering anxiety that something catastrophic might occur.
“You know, Doctor. Doesn't it make you proud that our Grand Duke is so much more impressive than the Crown Prince of Reisen in every way? It makes my patriotism just surge.”
“Goodness, Jenny.”
“Why? You think so too, don't you? You have eyes.”
Asili scolded Jenny for her playfulness but couldn't help a short laugh.
Asili had briefly shared the sentiment. Beyond just physical appearance, Jude remained calm and composed throughout, in stark contrast to the somewhat cowed Crown Prince of Reisen.
It might have been because they held the upper hand in the war, but Jude’s natural bearing had always been like that.
‘He was always that way.’
Back when she knew nothing of his background, Jude had appeared exactly the same to her. For someone living as a dependent with nothing to his name, he was incredibly relaxed. The moment she realized her lips were curling upward at the sudden memory, Asili’s face stiffened as if the smile had never existed.
“Stop chatting and get ready, Doctor Asili, Nurse Jenny.”
“Ah, yes sir.”
Fortunately, Dr. Hibicus issued his instructions at that moment, allowing them to end the conversation. The two moved to their designated positions.
The other military doctors and nurses did the same.
They were to escort the repatriated allies to the intermediate base hospital. After undergoing quarantine for infectious diseases, the soldiers would be classified by the severity of their needs and transferred to various regional hospitals.
Asili and Jenny’s role was to identify and sort out the visibly critical casualties before they boarded the transport vehicles.
Because of the large number of people, even just visual sorting took a significant amount of time.
As they reached the final group and the end came into sight, Jenny carefully stretched.
“There’s going to be a mountain of work waiting at the hospital. Farewell to sleep, I suppose.”
“I agree. Ah, Jenny. Why don't you go ahead and help the patients board now?”
“Shall I? Will you be alright on your own?”
“Of course, there’s not much left anyway. Ah, wait a moment. Could you come this way, please?”
After sending Jenny off, Asili picked out a soldier from the last row who was walking slowly, leaning heavily on a crutch.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Yes, you.”
“May I ask why...?”
With an anxious expression, the soldier approached, limping on his crutch. From up close, it wasn't actually a crutch. It seemed he had simply picked up a random stick because he was in pain; it was the wrong height and looked incredibly uncomfortable.
“When were you injured?”
“Ah, well... I remember a shell exploding, but my memory is faint.”
“It’s understandable to have gaps in your memory after such a shock. Did you receive any treatment?”
“No, none. In the POW camp, they assumed I’d d*e soon and just left me be. The guards said it was a miracle I survived at all. Though, seeing as I’ve ended up like this, I’m not sure if it’s much of a miracle.”
“Of course it is. You’ve survived, and now you’re going home.”
Asili gave him a gentle smile, and the soldier scratched his head, offering a small laugh in return. But soon, his face clouded with anxiety again as he watched his comrades moving further away.
“But... what’s going to happen to me? Am I not going with the others?”
“Ah, depending on the severity of the injury, some patients might be transported separately.”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
“Still, we need to make an accurate assessment so you don't have issues later. Shall we take a look at your leg?”
“Pardon?”
As Asili reached toward his leg, the soldier flinched violently and recoiled.
The flustered soldier locked eyes with Asili, who had looked up with a puzzled expression.
“Ah, it’s... it’s not a pretty sight. It’s too gruesome for a lady to look at…”
“I’m a doctor. I’ve seen far worse than this, so you don’t need to worry.”
“But...”
The soldier hesitated under Asili’s urging. However, he continued to clutch the loose fabric of his empty trouser leg, refusing to let go.
***
As soon as he descended from the platform after signing, Jude handed the agreement to Felix and headed straight for the barracks.
Dr. Hibicus arrived shortly after and began reporting on the status of the Allied transport. Jude listened in silence, then asked the moment the report concluded:
“Was there originally a plan for military doctors to accompany the transport? Weren't they supposed to wait at the intermediate base hospital?”
“We dispatched a few to accompany the group and classify the critically wounded during transit.”
“...”
“Is there a problem, sir?”
“No, it’s nothing. I’ll see you at headquarters.”
“Understood. I’ll take my leave then.”
Jude gave a small nod and a dismissive wave. Dr. Hibicus bowed and left the barracks.
Felix, who had been waiting for the meeting to end, gathered the documents.
“Shall we depart, Your Excellency?”
But Jude didn't stand; he lingered.
Staying longer only made him a target, and since the classified operation had officially begun today, there was no reason to remain.
Yet, for some reason, he found it difficult to leave.
“The agreement.”
Jude held out his hand, and Felix handed over the document with a puzzled look.
As Jude read through the agreement slowly, word by word, Felix checked his watch anxiously.
Even if Jude found a mistake now, there was nothing to be done. Felix simply could not fathom why Jude was acting this way.
“Your Excellency.”
“I know.”
The moment Jude closed the final page, Felix pushed him again.
Jude reluctantly stood up.
Leaving the tent, his eyes immediately fell upon Asili, who was in a tussle with a one-legged soldier.
Of all people, it had to be her—and she was the first thing he saw. Exasperated, Jude instinctively pressed a hand to his forehead.
This was a problem. He wasn't sure if the situation was the problem, if Asili was the problem, or if he was the problem.
Perhaps all of the above.
“Your Excellency, the vehicle is this way.”
“Go ahead.”
Responding dismissively, Jude ultimately began striding toward Asili.
Seeing her everywhere was becoming an ordeal, and avoiding her was proving to be a chore. He knew he should avoid her, no matter how annoying it was.
But right now, Asili was clutching the loose pant leg of the one-legged soldier, clinging to him as if pleading. To see such a sight and just pass by... well, let’s just say his pride wouldn't let him run away from that.
“Doctor Asili. What is going on here?”
"Ah!" Startled, Asili looked up and locked eyes with Jude, reflexively letting go of the fabric. The soldier, who had been pulling with all his might in the opposite direction, immediately toppled over and tumbled across the ground.
“Oh! Sir, are you alright?”
Her face flushed with embarrassment as she hurried to check on the soldier.
Aside from the unsightly scene they’d made, she felt so guilty for dropping a patient who was already missing a leg that she couldn't bring herself to look up.
It was then.
“Huh?”
A dark, round object came rolling out from the hem of the soldier's trousers—the very part Asili had been trying to unfurl to see the injury.
For a moment, a heavy silence fell over them.
***
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