I stared blankly after Erika as she disappeared beyond the corridor, then set off. Outside the command tent, it was midday. By the time the battle had ended and the report was finished, the sun had risen to its zenith.
I headed straight for the 3rd Platoon’s barracks area. My steps on the way back were light. The fatigue of battle still lingered, but perhaps because of the exhilaration of victory, my mind was clearer than ever.
The closer I got to the 3rd Platoon’s barracks, the more I could feel the boisterous atmosphere.
“The lieutenant’s back!”
“Hurrah! Long live the 3rd Platoon! Long live Lieutenant Max Jäger!”
The platoon members who spotted me all cheered at once and swarmed over. A few looked ready to toss me into the air. I raised a hand to calm them down.
“You all fought well. Without you, it wouldn’t have been possible.”
The platoon members, still unable to quell their excitement, had gathered in small groups and were going over the day’s battle.
“My heart’s still pounding. When that pile of gunpowder went off, I really thought the world was collapsing!”
“I almost stepped on that trap back there. Seriously, if I’d taken just one more step…”
I chuckled and looked over the 3rd Platoon. The first one who caught my eye was Private Klaus, standing at the center of the commotion.
“Hey, Klaus! You bastard! When we get leave, I’m buying you one hell of a drink!”
A large soldier thumped Klaus on the back. Another soldier chimed in excitedly.
“No, seriously. How did you hit that box from that distance? The wind was blowing pretty hard too…”
Klaus, the very person in question, had gone bright red and looked completely at a loss. It seemed this kind of attention was still too much for him.
“N-No. I just… got lucky. It was thanks to the bullet the lieutenant gave me…”
I slowly walked into the middle of them. As I approached, the soldiers stepped aside and opened a path. I placed a hand on Klaus’s shoulder and said,
“You may be proud, Private. That single shot you fired today saved us all.”
At my words, Klaus looked deeply moved and shouted,
“No, sir! It was because you gave me the opportunity, Lieutenant! I will continue to devote my life to serving you!”
As Klaus shouted, the platoon members around him cheered again and began patting him on the back.
Right beside them, Sergeant Gunther was watching the scene with satisfaction. I approached him and jerked my chin.
“Sergeant Gunther. Thanks to you keeping the platoon’s discipline in order, we were able to move as one even in a chaotic situation. You fulfilled your role as a noncommissioned officer splendidly.”
Gunther’s fierce face brightened. He snapped a salute in a booming voice.
“With your command, Lieutenant, our 3rd Platoon could march into hell itself! Loyalty!”
My gaze turned to Corporal Kurt beside Gunther. The moment the bastard felt my eyes on him, he put on a greasy smile and saluted.
“Loyalty! It is an honor just to serve under your command, Platoon Leader!”
A sly bastard. I chuckled and looked him up and down.
“When we were retreating, I saw you run to the rear first. Well, you do have a knack for turning tail.”
At my words, the greasy smile vanished from Kurt’s face, and he turned deathly pale. As if the nightmare of the Pioneer Battalion had come back to him, his shoulders trembled.
“T-That was…”
“I’m joking, Corporal.”
I lightly tapped the bastard’s stiff shoulder.
“I meant that thanks to you quickly taking charge of the rear, our formation didn’t collapse and we got out safely.”
Kurt let out a sigh of relief.
Lastly, I walked over to Hanna, who was standing quietly near the entrance to the barracks.
“You were the key to today’s operation, Hanna.”
I spoke in a voice low enough that no one else could hear.
“If not for you, half of us would have died the moment we stepped into the forest.”
“It was because you led us well, Lieutenant. I…”
A faint blush rose on Hanna’s cheeks. She looked up at me shyly and continued.
“I can do anything for you, Lieutenant.”
Her hazelnut-colored eyes seemed almost damp, carrying a subtle heat. She took one step closer to me and brought her lips near my ear. Along with her hot breath, a whisper reached me.
“In the battle by day… and in bed by night…”
‘Ah.’
Her bold whisper snapped me awake. Heat surged through my body, and without realizing it, my lower abdomen tightened. I discreetly checked Hanna’s status window.
[Emotion: Absolute trust and affection toward the lieutenant, a powerful desire to offer him everything she has]
‘Huh…’
Had she already come to follow me so deeply in her heart? Just a few weeks ago, she had been a woman who couldn’t even meet my eyes properly, yet now she was acting this boldly.
For a moment, my desire felt as if it might surge up, but thanks to [Strong Mind], I was able to calm myself. I glanced around. The platoon members’ excitement had yet to die down, but no one had noticed this subtle atmosphere.
I secretly gave Hanna’s hand a slight squeeze. Then I whispered into her ear in the same way.
“Wait.”
At that single word, Hanna’s shoulders gave a pleasant little shiver. She answered with a small nod, then stepped back with her face flushed.
I turned back toward the platoon members.
“3rd Platoon, quiet!”
The noisy barracks fell silent in an instant. Every gaze turned to me.
“Listen up! I have news for all of you. This was just conveyed to me directly by the company commander.”
I met their eyes one by one as I spoke.
“In recognition of our achievements in this operation, the 3rd Platoon has been ordered to take two full days of complete rest starting now! No training, no work, nothing! Eat, sleep, and rest! That is an order!”
“Waaaaaaaaah!”
A roar of cheers erupted, shaking the barracks.
“And! Special reward money for this operation will be paid to every one of you! Rest well while looking forward to a hefty purse! But remember this. This is time for you to recharge. If anyone causes any stupid trouble, know that you’ll die by my hand!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Lieutenant, loyalty!”
The soldiers grabbed one another by the shoulders and cheered. I watched the sight with satisfaction.
“All dismissed! Enjoy your rest from this moment on!”
The instant my words fell, the platoon members scattered in all directions with cheers. As if their fatigue and tension had unraveled all at once, the barracks turned into complete chaos in the blink of an eye.
I watched the scene for a moment, then quietly slipped out of the barracks.
*
My steps headed toward the regiment supply depot. If I had my way, I would have rested right away, but there was something I had to take care of in advance. The new-type magic rounds.
They were strategically very important weapons. As trump cards capable of reversing the tide of battle with a single shot, it was only right to replenish them immediately.
The supply depot was especially busy right after the battle. Soldiers carrying ammunition crates and noncommissioned officers replacing damaged equipment crowded the place. I pushed my way through them and found the plump supply officer, Master Sergeant Hermann. He was sweating profusely as he stared at a mountain of ledgers.
“Master Sergeant Hermann.”
At my call, he lifted his head with a frown.
“Ah, Lieutenant Jäger. What brings you here? I’m completely swamped right n—”
Before he could finish speaking, an ice-cold voice flowed from the inner office.
“What is it?”
It was Captain Seraphina. She was standing in front of a desk piled with ledgers, flipping through documents one by one. From a glance, she seemed to be reviewing the list of the 2nd Platoon’s appalling equipment losses. Perhaps because of that, a deep crease was carved between her brows.
“It’s nothing, Captain. Lieutenant Jäger has just…”
Before Hermann could fluster and make excuses, I stepped past him.
“I am reporting the 3rd Platoon’s material consumption and requesting replenishment, Captain.”
I placed a document I had prepared in advance on the desk. Her blue eyes scanned the paper. For a moment, the crease between her brows eased ever so slightly.
“…One hundred fifty rifle rounds, two grenades, and… one new-type magic round.”
“That is correct.”
At my concise answer, she was silent for a moment. However, Master Sergeant Hermann asked as if puzzled,
“…? Did the 3rd Platoon not participate in the operation and only conduct training?”
“No, Master Sergeant. The 3rd Platoon carried out the most important mission: infiltrating the enemy position and disabling their chain of command.”
At Seraphina’s answer, he couldn’t help but let out an incredulous breath.
“Huh, what in the…?!”
Unable to hide his shock, he glanced at the single sheet of paper I had handed over. The more he examined the perfectly neat document, the more his expression changed from moment to moment.
“Ha ha…”
In the end, he let out a dumbfounded hollow laugh and returned to his work. He opened the mountain-like list of the 2nd Platoon’s losses. The contents written there were quite a sight. Machine gun barrel replacements, disposal of numerous bulletproof vests, twelve rifles damaged. Just looking at it seemed to stress him out, and his expression twisted sharply.
‘Status Analysis.’
[Name: Hermann]
[Emotion: Contempt for an incompetent commander (Erika), awe and curiosity toward a competent commander (Max)]
[Hidden Desire: To quickly deal with this troublesome equipment loss report and get off work.]
‘Contempt and awe, huh…’
Simple, but it was an emotion that pierced through the essence of this battlefield. To a working-level man like Hermann, commanders came in only two types. Competent commanders who reduced his work, and incompetent commanders who increased it.
Just then, Seraphina pushed aside the pile of documents and rose from her seat.
“Let’s talk outside for a moment, Lieutenant.”
Without even sparing Hermann a glance, she jerked her chin at me. I gave a short nod and followed behind her.