Chapter 8
The infirmary was the cleanest building on the entire base, tucked away in a corner of the compound. As soon as I stepped inside, the sharp smell of disinfectant stung my nose.
Standing beside me, Hanna fidgeted restlessly with the sleeve of her uniform.
"Lieutenant... Am I really so strange that I need to come all the way to the infirmary?"
"Not strange. Special, Corporal."
I spoke in a reassuring tone.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. This is just a simple examination."
We headed to the examination room farther inside. When I opened the door and stepped in, a woman looked up from the documents she had been organizing.
She had braided her honey-gold hair and swept it over one shoulder. The white coat draped over her uniform added to her intellectual air. Her warm brown eyes curved softly.
"Oh my, Lieutenant Max."
She recognized me and smiled.
"You haven't come because you've been hurt somewhere again, have you?"
Captain Elise von Kleist. A noble-born prodigy and a capable military doctor. Whenever I needed treatment in the infirmary, she had cared for me with a gentle touch.
I quietly used the [Status Analysis] skill.
[Name: Elise von Kleist]
[Race: Human]
[Affiliation: Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment Medical Corps]
[Rank: Captain (Medical Officer)]
[Status: Slight fatigue from excessive workload]
[Emotion: Genuine delight at an unexpected visitor, curiosity about the lieutenant]
I returned her greeting with a brief salute.
"It's been a while, Captain Kleist. I haven't been injured. I stopped by briefly on the company commander's orders."
"You mean Captain Reinhardt?"
Elise looked puzzled, but soon gave me her characteristic gentle smile and turned her gaze to Hanna.
"Is this related to the soldier beside you?"
I explained on Hanna's behalf.
"This is Corporal Hanna, a member of my platoon. She is here for a mana reaction test."
"A mana reaction test?"
Elise's eyes widened. She looked back and forth between Hanna and me, clearly uncomfortable.
"But that is... officially, it's a special examination conducted only for priests or mage candidates. For ordinary soldiers, the procedure is..."
"This is being conducted under Captain Seraphina's authority. Here's the order."
I took out the documents Seraphina had prepared in advance and handed them over. Elise read through them carefully, then looked at Hanna again with an astonished expression.
"...I understand. I need a little time to prepare, so please wait a moment."
Elise led us to the examination room farther inside. It was a small room containing a bed and several medical instruments. She had Hanna sit on the bed and spoke.
"For an accurate measurement, you'll need to remove your top. The mana-measuring crystal orb must make direct contact with your skin."
"What? Oh, my clothes..."
Hanna's face flushed bright red. She looked helplessly back and forth between her two superior officers. Her hands, clutching the front of her uniform, trembled faintly.
"But... Lieutenant, you're watching..."
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito's buzz. Taking off her top in front of a male superior officer was almost unthinkable. Elise seemed to realize that as well and looked at me awkwardly.
"Lieutenant, perhaps you should wait outside for a moment..."
"...No."
But I spoke firmly.
"Maintaining confidentiality is essential for this examination. The company commander also ordered me to personally oversee the entire process."
I deftly mixed in a lie. Of course, Seraphina hadn't said anything like that... but I was overstepping my authority a little to steer the situation as I wanted.
I turned my gaze toward Hanna. She looked like a frightened little animal.
'Charismatic Speech.'
Activating the skill, I spoke in the gentlest, most reassuring voice I could manage.
"This is nothing to be embarrassed about, Hanna. It's merely an important process for confirming the special talent latent within you. As your commander, I have a duty to be with you and protect you through this moment. Don't be anxious. Nothing will happen."
A strange power filled my voice. A power that calmed anxiety and swept away doubt.
Ding-
[The 'Charismatic Speech' skill affects Hanna Meyer.]
[Hanna begins to trust your words and feel reassured.]
[Name: Hanna Meyer]
[Emotion: Extreme shame, trust in and reliance on her superior]
The effect was immediate. Though hesitant, Hanna slowly began to move. After taking one deep breath, she started undoing the buttons of her uniform one by one with trembling hands.
Her bare skin gradually came into view. Her body had been honed by training, but rather than being muscular, it possessed smooth, supple lines. Her full breasts were enclosed in a plain, standard-issue cotton bra. At last, every button had been undone, and she hesitantly opened her uniform top to either side. Once she had removed her bra as well, Hanna bowed her head deeply while covering her breasts with both arms. Her skin was bright red from the nape of her neck to her ears.
Elise had been watching the scene with an awkward expression. After clearing her throat a couple of times, she opened the silver box beside her. Inside was a transparent crystal orb about the size of a fist.
"Then, let's begin."
Elise picked up the cold crystal orb and approached Hanna.
"Please lower your arms for a moment."
Hanna bit her lip and lowered her arms. Her concealed breasts were left completely exposed. Their ample curves were soft and full, and at their peaks, pale pink nipples stood stiff from shyness and the cold.
"Ahem, ahem..."
Elise gave an awkward cough to dispel the tension, then carefully brought the crystal orb over Hanna's left breast.
"It may be a little cold."
"Gasp...!"
Hanna's shoulders hunched at the cold touch. Soon, the crystal orb, which had been completely colorless, began to emit a faint glow. At first, tiny particles of light floated inside it like specks of dust, but before long, the entire orb was softly suffused with a faint yet unmistakable blue light.
"...Good heavens. It's true."
Elise's brown eyes filled with astonishment. Without taking her gaze from the crystal orb, she spoke.
"I can't believe it... A mana reaction like this from an ordinary soldier. ...Corporal Hanna's talent is genuine. It's an exceedingly rare case."
"Are you certain?"
Elise explained.
"I only knew of it in theory. Among ordinary soldiers, the chance of this talent manifesting is one in several tens of thousands... No, even rarer than that. This is the first case I've ever seen during my service as a military doctor."
She turned to me with a look filled with excitement and curiosity.
"How on earth did you know, Lieutenant? This kind of talent appears only once or twice in the entire Empire in a century, if that..."
At that moment, Hanna's shoulders trembled and she let out a small groan. Only then did Elise come to her senses and hurriedly cover Hanna's body with a clean sheet.
"I'm sorry, Corporal. I got too excited..."
"It's all right..."
Hanna curled up beneath the sheet. I approached her and covered her with the uniform top she had taken off.
"It seems the examination is over. May we return now?"
"Ah, yes, of course. I'll compile the report and submit it to the company commander immediately."
Elise gave Hanna one last smile.
"Don't worry too much, Corporal Hanna. This isn't a curse but a blessing. If you ever feel anything strange in your body or have any questions, come find me anytime."
"...Thank you."
Hanna replied in a small voice.
*
A few hours after sending Hanna back.
I headed to Seraphina's tent. When I knocked, I heard a response.
"Come in."
Seraphina was waiting for me at her desk. The report from Elise lay in front of her.
"I received the report. So it was true."
'Status Analysis.'
['Status Analysis (Lv.2)' is being used on 'Seraphina von Reinhardt'.]
[Name: Seraphina von Reinhardt]
[Status: Certainty about a new strategic asset, her assessment of Max Jaeger has risen by one level]
[Emotion: Satisfaction at results exceeding expectations, relief that her secret has not been discovered]
"...Lieutenant Jaeger. You have exceeded my expectations. In addition to winning a victory in the Ashen Forest, you discovered a valuable talent. I had no idea that, beyond simple bravery, you also possessed the ability to see through people's talents."
"You're too kind."
"I will report this achievement directly to the regimental commander. But there is something more important."
She held out another document.
"Corporal Hanna must now be placed under special supervision. I hereby entrust all authority over her training and protection to you, Lieutenant Jaeger."
"...To me?"
"Yes. You were the one who first discovered her talent, and you are the superior officer she trusts most, are you not? You are the best person for it."
"Understood."
I gave a brief reply and left the company commander's office.
A few days later, I was summoned to the regimental commander's office. The regimental headquarters was a stone building on another level from the temporary barracks. The sound of my military boots echoed sharply throughout the corridors.
A woman stood outside the door to the regimental commander's office. Her jet-black hair was neatly pinned up, and she wore an impeccably pressed major's uniform. With her arms crossed, she scanned me from head to toe with sharp gray eyes.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Helga von Strauss]
[Race: Human]
[Affiliation: Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment, Adjutant to the Regimental Commander]
[Rank: Major]
[Status: Coolly analyzing the new officer before her, on duty]
[Emotion: Professional curiosity]
[Hidden Trait: Tactical Insight]
The regimental commander's adjutant. No wonder she had such an imposing air.
"Lieutenant Max Jaeger?"
"That's right."
"I've been waiting for you. Go in."
She spoke curtly and opened the door for me. When I entered, the regimental commander greeted me from behind a heavy oak desk.
"You've come, Lieutenant Jaeger."
"At your service! Did you summon me, Colonel?"
"Sit."
A white-haired veteran smiled kindly at me. He was Colonel Karl von Dietrich, commander of the Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment. A battle-hardened veteran of many campaigns. Even seated behind his desk, he radiated an intimidating presence.
'Status Analysis.'
[Name: Karl von Dietrich]
[Race: Human]
[Affiliation: Imperial Army 7th Infantry Regiment]
[Rank: Colonel]
[Status: Satisfaction from reviewing the report, expectations for a capable subordinate]
[Emotion: Benevolent on the surface, but keenly observant and evaluative]
[Hidden Trait: Seasoned Commander, Excellent Political Sense]
Colonel Dietrich lightly tapped my report as he continued.
"I've heard all about your exploits. The destruction of the orc shaman's altar, the rescue of the missing reconnaissance squad, and... the discovery of a soldier with the talent to detect mana. Each one is a remarkable achievement."
"That's more praise than I deserve."
"No need for false modesty. The achievements you've made have raised the morale of the entire regiment."
He nodded toward Major Helga, who stood beside him. Helga set a document down on the desk before me.
"A recommendation for a commendation. If it were up to me, I'd like to award you another medal, but you received the Iron Cross and were promoted ahead of schedule only two weeks ago."
The document Helga handed me detailed my name and the achievements of this operation. Beneath them were the regimental commander's handwritten signature and his recommendations.
"Instead, I've decided to award you a bonus. The amount is equivalent to half a year's pay. I've also arranged for your platoon, 3rd Platoon, to receive new supplies as a priority. Waterproof combat boots and new body armor will be issued before the end of this month."
"Thank you, Colonel."
I rejoiced inwardly. I had secured my platoon members' loyalty without spending a single penny. The regimental commander smiled in satisfaction and patted me on the shoulder. This was the real point.
"And... I have one more special assignment for you."