All Thanks to Max Jaeger

"…I understand, Lieutenant Jaeger. I accept your proposal."

When she agreed, I breathed an inward sigh of relief.

"Then… what do I do now?"

"First, please sit in a comfortable position. And where is the pain worst right now?"

I asked as though I'd been waiting for her to say it. She hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her left hand around her right arm.

"…My arm. From the tips of my right fingers all the way to my upper arm, there's a pain like ice picks stabbing into me… It won't stop."

"Understood."

I slowly approached Seraphina. A shadow fell across her body as she sat in the chair. Her face was pale, and her tightly pressed lips had no color. A bead of cold sweat ran down her forehead.

When I stood close to her left side, I caught a faint personal scent mingled with the clean fragrance of shampoo. Though she sat perfectly straight, her right arm was trembling faintly, while her shoulders and neck were rigid.

"Excuse me, Captain."

I gently enclosed her right hand in mine. Unlike during her attack, the skin beneath my fingertips was cold as ice.

'Touch of Tuning.'

Ding-

[The skill 'Touch of Tuning (Lv.1)' is activated.]

I felt her mana beneath my palm. The mana spread throughout her body as though frozen solid, still in a precarious state like ice blades. The very sight of it sent a chill through me.

Once again, I imagined sending a small, warm stream through Seraphina's hand. I intended to use it to widen the spring I had created earlier.

'…The spring I melted is gone. No, it didn't disappear—it froze again.'

I had known it was only a temporary measure, but I hadn't expected its effects to vanish so quickly. The limitations of a Level 1 skill were obvious.

"Kgh…."

Even with my hand touching her, Seraphina's fingers began to tremble again. The pain had returned. I focused on the skill once more. This time, I poured even more mental energy into it than before.

[The target's biological energy is stabilized.]

Once again, a warm stream flowed into her fingertips. But this time, I didn't stop at creating a spring as before. Concentrating my mind, I pushed the stream into the inside of her wrist. The spring that had frozen again melted, spreading across a slightly wider area than before.

"Haa…."

A breath escaped Seraphina's lips, strained yet seemingly relieved. Her trembling fingers fell still, and a faint flush returned to the colorless back of her hand.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]

[Status: The mana reflux attack has subsided again. Suppressed fatigue.]

[Emotion: Despair over the returning pain, and overwhelming relief and dependence on the stability that has returned once more]

'For now, I've put out the immediate fire.'

But this wasn't enough. Without releasing her hand, I spoke in a calm voice.

"As you can see, Captain, this is only a temporary measure. With my strength, I can only stabilize the flow as far as your wrist."

"Even that… is enough."

Seraphina answered in a trembling voice. But I shook my head.

'Captivating Speech.'

[The skill 'Captivating Speech (Lv.3)' is activated.]

"No. This is like blocking a tiny crack in a massive dam with a single finger. It could burst through again at any moment. A more fundamental solution is necessary."

"…You mean there is a way?"

Hope seeped into her voice. I didn't miss the opening.

"The Biological Resonance Tuning technique I use becomes more effective the wider the area of contact and the closer it is to the source of the pain. Your pain originates throughout your arm, Captain. In other words, I need to stabilize the flow through your entire arm, not just your fingertips."

I deliberately paused to observe her reaction. She seemed to realize the meaning of my words immediately and swallowed hard. Her gaze moved back and forth between my hand and her arm.

[The skill 'Captivating Speech (Lv.3)' affects 'Seraphina von Reinhardt'.]

[She has begun weighing the treatment's effectiveness against her embarrassment.]

"Of course, I won't force you. If you find it unpleasant, then at any time…."

"…No."

Seraphina cut me off. She closed her eyes as though hesitating for a moment, then opened her mouth with a look of resolve.

"…Continue, Lieutenant."

"Understood. Then, excuse me."

I unfastened the buttons on her right sleeve. Her slender, white wrist was revealed. I slowly rolled up her sleeve, exposing the snow-white skin hidden beneath her uniform. Her skin was smooth and completely free of scars.

I continued holding her hand with my left hand while pressing my entire right palm against her forearm.

"Hngh…!"

Her shoulder flinched when my cold hand touched her. Unlike before, her skin was hot as a blazing fire. Perhaps because of the mana reflux, there was no middle ground. Either she was freezing cold because of the frozen mana, or blazing hot because of the mana reflux attack. It was one or the other.

I activated the skill through both hands simultaneously.

'Touch of Tuning.'

This time was different. Two streams flowed in from both sides and joined inside her arm. The flow was incomparably more stable and powerful than before. The glacier of mana that had been frozen solid began to melt visibly.

"Haa… ah…."

A deep sigh escaped Seraphina's lips. As though a gentle warmth were spreading from the places touched by my hands, the rigid line of her shoulders gradually relaxed. Her skin, which had been hot as a fireball, slowly began to cool.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]

[Status: The pain caused by mana reflux is rapidly easing.]

A few more minutes passed. I slowly lifted my hands from her arm. When the treatment ended, Seraphina remained silent for a while. She simply stared blankly down at her right arm, where the pain had vanished. It seemed impossible for her to gauge how long it had been since she had last felt such peace.

"…Thank you."

At last, she spoke. Her voice was filled with sincerity.

"This should let you endure for several days. But since it isn't a fundamental treatment, the attack will return."

I deliberately spoke coldly. To bring her completely under my control, I couldn't let this relationship end after a single treatment.

"I need to correct the flow periodically."

"…I understand. Then whenever the symptoms grow severe, I'll receive the treatment you described."

"That's a wise decision, Captain."

After saluting, I left the company command barracks.

'Done.'

*

Several days passed.

"Lieutenant Jaeger, Corporal Hanna! The company commander is looking for you!"

A messenger came running up, gasping for breath. Hanna, who had been adjusting her gear beside me, looked at me with a tense expression. I silently nodded to her, then took her with me to the company command barracks.

Inside the barracks, Seraphina was waiting for us at her desk.

"Lieutenant Max Jaeger, Corporal Hanna Meyer. Reporting as ordered."

When we saluted, Seraphina lightly tapped the file lying on her desk with a stiff expression.

"The final report on the Ashen Forest operation has come in. I called you here to reward you for your contributions."

She first gave me a short nod.

"Lieutenant Jaeger, your flexible judgment and bold command made you the operation's greatest contributor. I've submitted your reward directly to the regimental commander, so it will be conveyed separately. If you make it safely through this operation as well… you can look forward to something good."

'I can look forward to something good, huh.'

The meaning was clear. Captain. Before I had even been commissioned for a year, I could rise from platoon commander to a position at the company-commander level. It was an extraordinarily rapid promotion.

"I will live up to your expectations, Captain."

I answered in an unwavering voice.

Apparently satisfied with my response, Seraphina shifted her gaze to Hanna.

"The Ashen Forest operation report repeatedly emphasized the achievements of one particular soldier. It said she provided crucial information that determined the course of the operation and prevented casualties among our forces."

Hanna's shoulders flinched at Seraphina's words. She involuntarily swallowed hard.

"Corporal Hanna Meyer."

"Y-yes! Corporal Hanna Meyer!"

"You distinguished yourself during the Ashen Forest operation and consistently provided your platoon commander with timely advice, contributing to the major achievements of 2nd Company and, beyond that, the entire regiment. Therefore, you are hereby promoted to sergeant. In addition to your existing position as 3rd Squad Leader, you are also being formally assigned the position of 'Special Detection Soldier.'"

"E-eh… Eeeh…!"

Hanna's shoulders trembled. Her large, hazelnut-colored eyes darted between Seraphina and me in disbelief. It seemed the words 'special promotion' hadn't been properly processed in her mind yet.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Hanna Meyer]

[Rank: Corporal -> Sergeant (Accelerated Promotion)]

[Status: Extremely shocked and delighted by the sudden promotion and appointment, unable to properly grasp the situation]

[Emotion: Boundless gratitude and reverence toward the Lieutenant, and a sense of burden over the honor bestowed upon her]

[Hidden Desire: To become the Lieutenant's most loyal subordinate and remain by his side forever.]

I chuckled inwardly. Judging by her innocent face, she still had no idea how extraordinary her achievements had been or how important a figure she was going to become.

Seraphina continued speaking regardless of Hanna's reaction.

"In addition, in recognition of your contributions to this operation, you will receive a special reward."

She took a thick envelope from her desk drawer and pushed it toward Hanna. The envelope landed on the table with a weighty thud. Hanna cautiously turned her gaze toward it.

"In recognition of your achievements during this operation, you are being awarded a special bonus. It is an amount equivalent to one year's salary. I hope it will be of some help to your family."

"O-one year…!"

Hanna's eyes widened in shock. For someone from a rural farming family, a year's salary was an enormous sum she had never even held in her hands.

"I-I… I only did what the Lieutenant told me to do! This reward is far too much…!"

"Don't think it excessive, Sergeant Hanna. It is merely the rightful reward for your accomplishments."

Only then did Hanna salute, overcome with emotion.

"Thank you, Captain!"

Seraphina gave a short nod of satisfaction. Then, after taking a moment to catch her breath, she spoke in a voice even lower and more serious than before.

"Finally, there is one more thing you must remember."

The air inside the barracks grew slightly heavier.

"Your [Mana Detection] ability is an extremely important strategic asset to the 7th Regiment. Secrecy is essential—from the enemy and from our own forces alike. Understood?"

"…Y-yes! I'll bear it in mind!"

Hanna answered loudly.

"Good. You may leave now."

"Loyalty!"

Hanna and I saluted and left the company command barracks. As soon as we stepped outside, Hanna came to a sudden stop, as though the emotions she had been holding back had finally surged up. Covering her face with both hands, she began to sob quietly.

"Lieutenant… thank you. Really… really, thank you. It's all… thanks to you, Lieutenant."

Her shoulders shook as she cried, looking completely different from the confident figure she had been inside the barracks moments ago. I silently put an arm around her shoulders.

And that night, my barracks bed creaked without pause.