"…I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be apologizing to me. You should be apologizing to the subordinates who died under you."
Seraphina's words pierced Erika like icicles. Erika bit her lip so hard it was on the verge of bleeding. The atmosphere went deathly cold. Then Seraphina's gaze turned to me.
"Lieutenant Jaeger."
I answered Seraphina's call without hesitation.
"Yes, Captain."
"Report."
I began my report at once.
"Third Platoon, reporting on the enemy infiltration mission. We bypassed the enemy patrols and magical traps, and reached the ridge near the enemy encampment—our objective point—without incident."
Seraphina nodded quietly. Walter narrowed his brow as if puzzled.
"However, after confirming the situation at the objective point, the enemy force was more than twice our estimates. I judged that not only a frontal assault, but even an operation to assassinate their command would be reckless."
"T-twice?"
This time, Franz flinched and blurted out.
"And?"
Seraphina asked curtly.
"So I changed the operational objective. Fortunately, there was a large, abandoned pile of captured gunpowder within the encampment. Rather than striking the enemy command directly, I judged it would be far more efficient to set off a sympathetic detonation in the powder stores, throw the entire encampment into chaos, and paralyze their supply system."
The moment I said that, the air inside the tent stirred.
"…A pile of gunpowder?"
Lieutenant Walter muttered as if he couldn't believe it.
"…Considering the intelligence of those orcs, I can see it."
Franz nodded emphatically. He looked back and forth between my face and the map, his eyes gleaming. I continued my report.
"We detonated the gunpowder pile with a single new-model mana round. As a result, one quarter of the enemy encampment was obliterated, and their armory and food storehouse burned to the ground. The enemy failed to recognize it as an allied attack and concluded it was a supernatural disaster, falling into extreme confusion."
"With a single shot… all of that?"
Franz murmured before he realized it. I nodded and continued.
"Correct. We completed our objective with a single gunshot, immediately withdrew, and fired a signal flare. After that, while moving toward the rendezvous point, we confirmed that an engagement had broken out on the western ridge."
My gaze turned to Erika. She could not raise her head.
"As I anticipated a greater offensive than expected, I decided not to rest on the completion of our mission and immediately moved to support Second Platoon. We seized the high ground, struck the enemy flank, and assisted Second Platoon, which had fallen into disorder, in reorganizing its battle line. As a result, we were able to successfully annihilate the enemy remnants."
"Huh…?"
"……!"
The atmosphere changed completely. Walter stroked his chin and gave an incredulous exclamation. Franz, as if entranced, mechanically nodded with every word I said. His eyes were sparkling like a boy listening to a heroic tale.
"Final casualty report for Third Platoon. One lightly wounded. Ammunition expended: under five percent by individual firearms standards. That is all."
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Emotion: Satisfaction at a success beyond expectations, high trust in Max Jaeger's bold judgment, deep disappointment in Lieutenant Stahlberg's immaturity]
Just as the status window showed, she seemed satisfied with my report and gave a short nod. For once, there was genuine sincerity in her voice.
"Good work, Lieutenant. Thanks to your flexible judgment, this operation was brought to a perfect conclusion."
After that, the reports from First and Fourth Platoons followed. At the end, Seraphina swept her gaze over the platoon leaders and spoke.
"Third Platoon is to take two full days of complete rest starting today. Focus on recovering from battle fatigue. Second Platoon will handle the collection of the dead and equipment repairs. And Lieutenant Stahlberg, you will write a detailed report on the circumstances of this battle and submit it by the end of the day."
It was a clear system of reward and punishment. Erika could not answer.
"That is all. Dismissed."
The moment Seraphina finished speaking, I stepped forward and said,
"Captain. Lieutenant Max Jaeger has something to say. I would like you to reconsider your disposition toward Lieutenant Stahlberg."
In an instant, the air inside the tent froze. Lieutenant Walter's admiration turned to shock. Franz, who had been nodding nonstop, abruptly stopped as well. The one who reacted most violently was none other than Erika.
"…What?"
She snapped her head up. In her eyes was the humiliation of having been pitied.
"Are you… insulting me right now, Jaeger?"
But I ignored her growl and looked only at Seraphina. Eyes as cold as ice. She opened her mouth.
"…Lieutenant Jaeger. No matter how well you performed, you must know when to step forward and when not to. However."
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Emotion: Anger and confusion at an unexpected action, but expectation that Max Jaeger may be different]
Seraphina paused, closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and continued. In that brief moment, she seemed to suppress her anger with reason.
"However, I will hear you out."
At that permission that was not quite permission, I began speaking calmly.
"It is true that Lieutenant Stahlberg made an error in judgment."
From the very first sentence, I acknowledged Erika's mistake. At those words, Erika's shoulders hunched once more.
"However, the state of the battle this time was entirely different from the initial operational plan."
I changed the tone of my voice and continued.
"The enemy Second Platoon faced was not a simple group of remnants. It was an organized retreating force comparable to the main unit. Their numbers were clearly too much for a single platoon to handle."
When I finished speaking, Walter and Franz wore confused expressions. They had simply thought Erika had fought a reckless battle, and it seemed they had not considered that there might have been an unforeseen variable behind it. Their gazes moved at the same time, sharply scanning the western ridge on the operational map where Second Platoon had engaged the enemy. Their eyes narrowed as though they were redrawing the scene of the battlefield.
Sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, I began to think carefully. The problem was what came next.
Whatever the reason had been, in the end, Erika had failed to choose the better tactic of retreating and reorganizing. She had caused multiple casualties and ammunition expenditure for an extremely personal reason—her pride as a commander—so she deserved to be punished.
Naturally, I wasn't trying to cover for her out of some vague sense of sympathy. That woman Erika might have a pretty face, but her actions were hardly pretty. I had no reason to go out of my way to protect her.
My intention, from beginning to end, was to actively use my skill and expand my position and influence within the unit.
'As my level rose, the risk of failure decreased. …Captivating Eloquence.'
[Skill 'Captivating Eloquence (Lv.3)' is being activated.]
I continued in as persuasive a tone as I could.
"However, Lieutenant Stahlberg did not retreat. Because her platoon desperately maintained their defensive line and held the enemy in place, the main force was able to focus on sweeping up the remnants to the east, and our Third Platoon was able to withdraw and buy time to reorganize without any interference."
At my words, Erika's expression turned confused for an instant. I was subtly repackaging her failure as a strategic sacrifice.
"As a result, Second Platoon's fierce struggle played a decisive role in stopping and annihilating the enemy retreat. The sacrifice of the two fallen soldiers was not in vain; rather, it was a heroic action that prevented even greater losses. I believe this should be evaluated not as something to punish, but as a meritorious deed."
Ding—
[Skill 'Captivating Eloquence' has been successfully applied.]
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
[Seraphina von Reinhardt accepts your claim as a rational analysis.]
[Erika von Stahlberg's hostility shifts into extreme confusion.]
[Walter is deeply impressed by your eloquence and situational judgment.]
[Franz is moved by your comradeship and broad perspective, and feels respect.]
The sound of system windows popping up was deafening.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Status: Has begun reexamining the variables that occurred during the operation, suppressed fatigue]
[Emotion: Surprise at her subordinate's unexpected political skill, acknowledgment of rationality in the presented logic, a faint sense of incongruity toward Max Jaeger's words]
Seraphina's status window had changed clearly. She was now considering the implications of my words.
"……."
Like Seraphina, Erika said nothing. But her expression was the complete opposite. Her face, flushed red like a carrot, now bore an emotion that was neither anger nor humiliation. It was, perhaps, a kind of shame and confusion. After all, it could not be easy for her to accept the fact that she had become indebted to the person she was most jealous of—and in a form that had even preserved her honor.
At last, breaking the long silence, Seraphina opened her mouth.
"…Lieutenant Stahlberg."
Her voice was still cold, but it did not have the same edge as before.
"Lieutenant Jaeger has a point. I will take into account that there were unexpected variables. However, your responsibility for losing soldiers due to immature judgment as a commander does not disappear."
She reached her conclusion.
"I will recommend the fallen for a two-rank posthumous promotion. I will grant special leave to all of Second Platoon. However, Lieutenant Stahlberg, you will submit your report as planned. Review everything about this battle and carve into your bones exactly what your mistake was."
"…Understood."
Erika barely managed to answer. The punishment remained, but its meaning had completely changed. It was no longer a reprimand, but a measure for reflection and growth.
"That is all. Truly dismissed."
When Seraphina finished speaking, Walter and Franz turned first. As Walter left, he tapped my shoulder and smiled meaningfully, while Franz looked at me with eyes shining to an almost burdensome degree.
"…Here I thought this fellow was only good at operations."
"Perhaps I, too…!"
With those words, each spoken in their own way, the two of them left the tent.
Next was Erika. She stood there for a moment, then brushed past me. The moment she passed beside me, she whispered in a voice so small no one else could hear.
"…You didn't have to do something like that. And don't misunderstand. I don't think I owe you anything for this."
"Really?"
At my question, Erika's shoulders stiffened like stone.
She whipped around and glared at me. Her face was a mix of clear bewilderment and shame at having her true feelings exposed. Her bright red face made her attempt to act tough look hollow.
'Status Analysis.'
[Emotion: Extreme shame at having been seen through, anger at being unable to find a retort, and nevertheless undeniable gratitude]
"W-what, why…!"
She tried to snap something else at me, but in the end, she could not continue. She merely moved her lips in frustration. Finally, clenching her fists tightly, she truly fled the tent as if running away.
I watched the back of her torn, fluttering jacket and thought,
'I'll collect plenty of interest later.'