"This operation will be a full-regiment engagement."
She continued her explanation in an emotionless voice. The details of the operation themselves were nothing special. The main outline was that while the 2nd and 3rd Battalions carried out a feint, the 1st Battalion would take the main attack.
"That concludes the briefing. Do your utmost in your respective positions."
When Helga finished explaining the operation, the regimental commander ended the meeting in a low voice. The officers all snapped off salutes at once, then began to disperse one by one amid a heavy silence.
I, too, was just turning to leave the barracks.
"Captain Reinhardt, Lieutenant Jaeger. Remain for a moment."
Major Helga's voice caught me from behind. Seraphina and I stopped in our tracks, and the other officers glanced at us with puzzled looks as they filed out of the conference room. Erika also shot us a look before leaving first.
The massive door closed, and only four people remained in the conference room: the regimental commander, Helga, Seraphina, and me. Only then did the regimental commander relax his stiff expression and approach us.
"Captain Reinhardt's 2nd Company will be the spearpoint of this operation."
There was weight in the regimental commander's voice. He pointed to a file lying on the desk. On its cover was written, "2nd Company Combat Evaluation and Report on the Ashen Forest Operation."
"What you showed in the Ashen Forest was more than a simple victory. You struck at the enemy's core with minimal losses and adapted flexibly to unforeseen variables. In particular, Lieutenant Jaeger, your judgment was very impressive."
"Thank you."
I answered obediently and lowered my head. But inwardly, I did not miss the opening and used [Status Analysis].
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Karl von Dietrich]
[Emotion: Strong confidence and expectation regarding the operation's success.]
[Hidden Desire: Wants to make this operation a success, become a hero of the Western Front, and advance into central politics.]
'...Advance into central politics, huh.'
I laughed to myself. He had spoken grandly about the fate of the Empire and all that, but in the end, this old fox's true motive was his own advancement. Well, it wasn't a bad thing. An ambitious commander was bound to give his subordinates more chances to distinguish themselves.
The regimental commander smiled in satisfaction and gave Major Helga a look. Helga pointed at the map with her baton and explained.
"The key to this all-out engagement is speed and surprise. The 2nd Company will stand at the vanguard and strike the enemy's weakest eastern flank, creating a breakthrough. After that, the main force will surge through that gap into the enemy's heart."
Her explanation was concise and clear. After she finished, Major Helga handed the baton she was holding to Seraphina.
"Captain Reinhardt will explain the detailed deployment of the 2nd Company herself."
"Understood."
Seraphina took a step forward and accepted the baton from Helga. It was the moment her snow-white fingers wrapped around the ebony baton.
"......!"
At that moment, Seraphina's fingertips twitched faintly. It was not enough for her to drop the baton, but the movement was a shuddering tremble, as if she had been electrocuted. I did not miss it. Her complexion went as pale as paper for an instant, then color soon returned. She tightened her grip on the baton as if nothing had happened.
But I saw it. She was clenching her teeth right now. That was how severe the pain must have been.
'...It's starting again.'
I immediately activated my skill.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Condition: Premonitory symptoms of a Mana Backflow seizure. Suppressing extreme pain with strong mental fortitude.]
"...As stated, the enemy on the eastern flank is expected to be the weakest, so the 2nd Company will attack that location with support from the artillery unit."
Seraphina continued the report calmly. Her voice did not waver, but every knuckle of the fingers gripping the baton had turned as white as paper. I did not take my eyes off her status window. The phrase [Suppressing extreme pain with strong mental fortitude] stood out in particular.
"...The basic outline is for the 1st and 3rd Platoons to carry out a central breakthrough as the main force, while the 2nd and 4th Platoons provide rear support as reserves. However, what is most important is still..."
It was the moment she raised her arm to point to a spot on the map with the baton.
"Kh...!"
Seraphina could not hold it in and let out a small groan. Her complexion was now visibly pale, and the tip of the baton that had been pointing at the map lost its direction and wandered through the air. The unsteadily trembling baton soon began to slip from her sweat-dampened hand.
"...Captain Reinhardt?"
The regimental commander's kindly gaze sharpened in an instant. Major Helga also furrowed her brow and watched Seraphina's trembling arm with a puzzled look. The air in the conference room froze.
'It finally burst.'
[Hidden Trait: Mana Backflow (Mana Overload) - Chronic internal injury. Currently in seizure.]
I confirmed the words [Currently in seizure] displayed in the status window. There was no longer any time to hesitate. I stepped forward. The gazes of the regimental commander and Major Helga naturally turned toward me.
"Captain, for a moment."
I stood beside Seraphina and reached out naturally. My hand lightly overlapped hers, which was holding the baton. The warmth of my palm spread over the back of her hand, which had gone cold.
'Touch of Attunement.'
Ding—
[Skill 'Touch of Attunement (Lv.1)' has been activated.]
In that instant, I felt the flow of mana rampaging inside her body through my palm. No—it was not something that could be called a flow.
It was a glacier, frozen solid and precarious as if it might shatter into pieces at any moment. Countless tiny shards of ice ground against one another inside it like awls, producing a brutal cold and pressure that dug all the way into the bone.
As the terrible chill seeped in through my palm and seemed to crawl up my spine, I shuddered despite myself. I understood the moment I saw it. This was not something I could carelessly touch with a mere level 1 skill.
Even so, I had to do what I could. First, I imagined it: a thin, warm stream of water flowing into a massive block of glacier.
Then, through the place where my hand met hers, a small stream of water flowed out. That stream crossed over the glacier and formed a small spring. Centered around that spring, the glacier slowly began to melt.
[Stabilizing the target's bioenergy.]
"Hng...!"
Beside me, I heard Seraphina swallow a very faint breath. The convulsions in the hand gripping the baton ceased, and a faint hint of color returned to her pale cheeks.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Condition: Mana Backflow seizure has subsided. Suppressed fatigue.]
[Emotion: Puzzlement at the sudden alleviation of the seizure.]
[Hidden Trait: Mana Backflow (Mana Overload) - Chronic internal injury. Temporarily alleviated.]
'Did that do it?'
But I soon frowned. The spring that had grown larger as it melted the ice stopped expanding at some point. Looking closely, I saw water repeatedly freezing and melting at the edge of the spring. In terms of body parts, it was roughly at the wrist. That seemed to be the limit.
'If I want to melt more of the ice... raising the skill level would be the surest way. Or increasing the contact area.'
Through Seraphina's hand, I had barely managed to suppress the seizure, but it seemed I could not cure it completely.
That was where I ended my thoughts. But this was not the time to stand still. The gazes of the regimental commander and Major Helga were pricking me like needles. Now it was time to make up for the sudden act of placing my hand over my superior's.
First, I naturally moved the hand that was overlapped with Seraphina's. The baton then drew a smooth arc over the map. Soon, the tip of the baton pointed to a certain spot.
"The point the captain was about to explain is here—the three-way intersection where the enemy's supply routes cross. By striking this location first and causing confusion..."
At my natural action, the stiff expressions of the regimental commander and Helga softened somewhat. The two of them looked at me as if seeing a capable subordinate assisting his superior after a mistake.
And in that brief moment, Seraphina regained her composure. She gently drew the baton out from under my hand and cut into my explanation.
"Lieutenant Jaeger is correct. The severing of the supply route must come first."
She took over my briefing and continued in a voice that had somehow regained its steadiness.
"The breakthrough in that area will proceed after securing a bridgehead with support from headquarters' engineer unit..."
I quietly withdrew to my place. Soon, Seraphina's report ended, and silence settled over the conference room. The regimental commander broke the silence.
"Excellent."
With a satisfied expression, he gave a single light clap. Major Helga, standing beside the regimental commander, nodded without a word.
"Captain Reinhardt's flawless plan, and Lieutenant Jaeger's agility in perfectly supporting it. Seeing the coordination between the two of you, I can already see the success of this operation."
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Karl von Dietrich]
[Emotion: Pride in the attitude of a subordinate assisting his superior. Lenient acceptance of Seraphina's mistake.]
[Name: Helga von Strauss]
[Emotion: A strict evaluation of Seraphina's small mistake, and acknowledgment of Max Jaeger's natural support.]
Fortunately, it seemed the two of them had taken Seraphina's hesitation as a small mistake and let it pass. You know how it is. When giving an important briefing in front of a superior, you suddenly forget something and panic.
Having let it pass like that, the regimental commander gave us his final words.
"That is all. Now go and prepare for the actual battle. May the glory of the Empire be with you."
"Loyalty!"
Seraphina and I saluted at the same time and turned around.
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Condition: Strong suspicion regarding the abnormality that occurred in her body.]
[Emotion: Great confusion at the cozy sense of stability remaining where Max Jaeger's hand touched her.]
And as soon as we left regimental headquarters, Seraphina called me to the company command tent.
"Lieutenant Jaeger, follow me."