Lieutenant Jaeger, Are You In There?

"Hey, 3rd Platoon! Snap to it and pitch your tents already! Anyone who doesn't pitch in gets no dinner tonight!"

At Sergeant Gunther's shout, the members of 3rd Platoon began scrambling around.

Just then, the other platoon commanders approached me.

"Lieutenant Jaeger."

The first to speak was Lieutenant Walter, commander of 1st Platoon. He stroked his mustache and looked back and forth between Kardor's corpse and me, his expression filled with admiration.

"What in the world is up with your sharp eye? How did you spot that monster's weakness so quickly? If you hadn't aimed for its eye, we might have wasted all our ammunition."

"No matter how tough orcs' bodies are, their eyes aren't. I got lucky. I happened to notice it when the bastard staggered."

I made up a plausible excuse, but Walter didn't look convinced.

"Yes, the eye. The eyes are a vital point for most living creatures. But to think of that in such an urgent situation and issue the order perfectly… Really, even humility can become harmful when taken too far. Your command today was flawless. To be honest, when you shouted, I nearly followed your orders without even thinking."

Lieutenant Franz, commander of 4th Platoon, chimed in, his eyes shining.

"Exactly! I saw the soldiers' eyes change the moment they heard your voice, Lieutenant. It was as if they'd been put under a spell."

Describing the effect of [Captivating Speech] as magic was quite an accurate metaphor. I gave a wry smile to myself.

And behind them stood Erika. She had her arms crossed and was pretending to look elsewhere as though uninterested, but I could see her ears perked up.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Erika von Stahlberg]

[Status: Excitement and fatigue from battle]

[Emotion: Inferiority over Max Jaeger's overwhelming achievements in battle, and embarrassment at the memory of 'that scene' quietly resurfacing.]

Inferiority and embarrassment over that scene, huh. Even after coming this far, is she still worrying about that? I chuckled and approached her.

"Lieutenant Stahlberg, how is 2nd Platoon? It looked like quite a few of the enemy had massed over there earlier."

She flinched and looked at me.

"Hmph! Who's worried about whom? My 2nd Platoon is fine. ……Well, we didn't suffer much damage thanks to you… because you did a good job holding the flank, but……."

She trailed off and avoided my gaze. But her fidgeting fingers and flushed earlobes clearly revealed her true feelings.

'She does have a cute side.'

It was then that a messenger came rushing from the command tent.

"The company commander has summoned all platoon commanders to the command tent. It's for a situation report and a meeting on future operations!"

"Understood."

We left the rest to the soldiers and headed for the temporarily erected company command tent. Inside, a makeshift table and a map had been laid out, and Seraphina stood in front of them.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]

[Status: Suppressing a mana reflux attack through sheer willpower, exhilaration from victory]

[Emotion: Deep trust in her subordinates (especially Max Jaeger), satisfaction at the report to higher command]

"I just finished communicating with regimental headquarters."

She pointed to the radio on the table.

"The regimental commander personally commended us. He gave especially high praise for the killing of Kardor."

"Oh…!"

Franz let out an exclamation of admiration.

"But don't get carried away. This is only the beginning."

Seraphina brought the elated mood back under control.

"Now that we've driven back the enemy's main force, we can begin occupying and fortifying the forest. We'll remain encamped here and hold the front until our supply route is secured. This operation is going to last quite a while."

"Understood."

"Each platoon will divide up the area and take shifts standing guard, while off-duty personnel get as much rest as possible. And Lieutenant Max Jaeger will serve as today's company duty officer. That's all. Dismissed."

The meeting ended. Walter, Franz, and Erika saluted and left the tent. Erika glanced at me as she left, but said nothing and turned away with a reddened face.

Once her subordinates had left, Seraphina sank deep into her chair as though the tension had finally left her. Her fingertips trembled faintly as she pressed a hand to her pale forehead. She must have been enduring pain even now.

'Status Analysis.'

[Status: As her tension eases, the suppressed pain is slowly rising. Wondering when to seek out Max Jaeger.]

I took one last look at Seraphina, then turned and left the command tent. Outside, the forest was already shrouded in deep darkness. The enormous trees blocked out the sky, allowing only sparse starlight through, while the heat of the day had faded and a damp, chilly air lingered.

When I returned to 3rd Platoon's area, Sergeant Gunther had already finished organizing the encampment. The orcs' barracks were unsettling and posed a risk of booby traps, so the soldiers had pitched tents in pairs in the clearing around them, or dug trenches and covered themselves with ponchos.

I fastened my uniform collar and put on the duty officer's armband. The night air had grown even colder, and the forest's characteristic dampness clung to my skin.

The encampment was quiet. The heat of victory had subsided, and the soldiers were lying down to sleep with their exhausted bodies. The only sounds were the occasional footsteps and shift changes of the sentries, or the rustling of leaves in the wind.

I slowly patrolled the outskirts of the encampment.

"Halt. Password."

"Flash."

"…Loyalty. Good work."

"Good work to you too."

The sentries in the darkness saluted. I patted their shoulders and checked the [Minimap]. There were no red dots. The orcs had just suffered a crushing defeat, so tonight would likely be quiet.

Finally, I headed back toward 3rd Platoon's area. A single shadow stood there, blending into the darkness.

"Corporal Hanna."

I deliberately called out to her as though I had confused her rank.

"C-Corporal Hanna Meyer…?"

"Heh, are you still just a rookie corporal?"

"……."

Hanna put on a wounded expression at my teasing.

"That's too much, Lieutenant. If we're talking about time in the army, haven't I served longer than you?"

"Oh? Are you daring to say the platoon commander is greener than you?"

"…That's right."

"What…?"

"…I'm kidding."

Heh-heh. As she said that, Hanna smiled innocently. She was so adorable that I approached her with both arms spread wide.

Then, as though claiming that space as her own, Hanna slipped into my embrace. Even amid the cold night air, her warmth came through with unusual clarity.

Smack.

I kissed her and activated the skill.

'Status Analysis.'

[Name: Hanna Meyer]

[Emotion: Overwhelming love, a desire to be praised, and the thrill of this moment alone together]

[Hidden Desire: I hope Lieutenant Jaeger makes it safely through this operation too. I want to remain by his side forever.]

"Forever…."

I chuckled and wrapped my arms more firmly around Hanna's waist.

"You don't seem like the type, but you're surprisingly greedy, Sergeant Hanna."

"……?"

Her expression showed that she didn't understand, but only for a moment.

"Then… do you dislike it?"

She mumbled with her face buried against my chest.

"Of course not."

I gently ran one hand down the back of her head. Her pale nape, revealed between strands of brown hair, gleamed temptingly in the darkness. I pressed my lips against it and breathed hotly over her skin.

"Hngh…!"

Hanna's body flinched. I whispered into her ear.

"Your performance today was perfect. Detecting Kardor, and reporting threatening targets to the captain at exactly the right moments, all of it."

"You're overpraising me…. I only…."

"Don't be modest. You deserve praise. And…."

I discreetly surveyed our surroundings. The patrolling troops were far away, and the shadows of the trees concealed us perfectly. There were no other dots nearby on the minimap, either.

"You deserve a reward too."

I slid a hand inside the top of Hanna's combat uniform. When my hand, chilled by the cold night air, touched her hot bare skin, Hanna flinched in surprise and swallowed a moan.

"L-Lieutenant… We're outside…."

"So, do you dislike it?"

"……."

Hanna fell silent for a moment. Her hazelnut-colored eyes cautiously swept over our surroundings. Soon, after confirming that we were alone, she opened her mouth.

"……No…."

She was being honest. I stroked up along her side and activated the skill.

'Touch of Tuning.'

Ding-

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

[It heightens the target's senses and induces faint pleasure.]

The energy flowing from my fingertips stimulated her nerves. It felt like being tickled by feathers, yet also like an electric current running through her—a thrilling sensation on an entirely different level from a simple caress.

"Haaah… ngh!"

Hanna's legs gave way, and she clung to me as though collapsing. Pretending to support her, I pressed my thumb firmly near her ribs to stimulate her.

"Hngh, ah…! This is strange… Everywhere your hand touches, Lieutenant… it feels strangely tingly and ticklish…♡"

"Keep your voice down. Someone might hear us."

At my mischievous warning, Hanna hurriedly covered her mouth. But she couldn't hide her ragged breathing or heated gaze.

I slid my hand higher and squeezed the soft flesh beneath the cup of her bra. Her body, made extremely sensitive by the skill's influence, overreacted to every movement of my hand.

"Mmph, mmph…!"

Tears welled up in her eyes. They weren't tears of pain, but a physiological reaction to pleasure that was simply too intense. I savored her reaction and slowly withdrew my hand.

"That's enough for today."

"Ah…."

Hanna let out a soft, disappointed cry. She looked up at me with a flushed face and a pitiful gaze.

"There may be fighting tomorrow too. Save your strength."

I said this as I straightened her disheveled clothes.

"And… Hanna, come to my tent around dawn. I'll give you a massage after my duty ends."

Her expression brightened instantly.

"Yes…! I'll be waiting, Lieutenant♡"

She planted a quick kiss on my cheek, then trotted away into the darkness. I wiped the saliva from my cheek and chuckled.

'Cute, though.'

The night deepened, and the forest remained quiet. But my mind was busy calculating what would happen next. Time with Hanna was enjoyable, but a more important conquest remained.

I told the remaining sentries that I would get some sleep and returned to my tent. On the minimap, I could already see a green dot moving from the command tent toward my tent.

I sat inside the tent for a while. Soon, I heard someone calling to me from outside.

"…Lieutenant Jaeger, are you in there?"

It was Seraphina.