2nd Platoon Leader, Lieutenant Erika

The jostling of the jeep died down, and the familiar smell of dirt and dust stung the tip of my nose. We were returning to Regimental Headquarters after two weeks on special assignment. Perhaps I'd grown too used to the tranquility of the Mana Spring, because the thunderous shouts of drill commands and the noise of training echoing across the parade grounds struck me as unusually loud.

As we passed through the main gate, the eyes of the sentries standing at the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guard post turned toward us. Overt curiosity brimmed in their gazes.

"...Hey, isn't that Lieutenant Jäger, 3rd Platoon Leader? Coming back from mission?"

"And next to him... Corporal Hanna? What's with the vibe around her? She's like a completely different person."

I pretended not to hear, parked the jeep, and stepped out.

"Good work, Corporal. Head back to the platoon and get some rest for now. Unpack your things and loosen up. Stay on standby so you can come whenever I call."

"Understood, sir. Lieutenant. For the Empire!"

Hanna snapped a salute and headed toward the 3rd Platoon barracks. I turned my own steps toward the Company Command Tent. Reporting came first.

A sentry stood at the entrance of the Company Command Tent, as always. He recognized me and gave a short salute; I answered with a slight nod and stepped inside.

"Come in."

A cold voice greeted me first. Inside the tent, Serafina was—true to form—poring over the operational map. Even at the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sound of my entering, she didn't look around.

"Lieutenant Max Jäger, reporting my return as ordered. For the Empire."

"The result?"

Only then did she turn. A uniform without a single thread out of place, snow-white silver hair like a pristine field of snow, and sapphire eyes that glittered cold as jewels. I held her gaze without flinching and quietly activated my newly upgraded skill.

"Successful. Corporal Hanna's mana awakening has been completed and stabilized."

Status Analysis.

Her information unfolded before my eyes.

"Good work, Lieutenant Jäger. Any problems to speak of?"

"No, sir. It all proceeded smoothly."

I kept my report brief.

"Well done. Corporal Hanna will remain with the 3rd Platoon. Her training and management are entirely your responsibility. Mold her into the finest special asset in the regiment."

"Understood, sir."

At my answer, Serafina gave a short nod. As if that concluded the report, she turned on the spot and walked back toward the massive operational map. But her shoulders were trembling, ever so faintly. An anxiety she tried to hide but couldn't quite conceal radiated off her. It had to be because of the worsening of her Mana Overload displayed in the status window.

I saluted quietly, turned, and left the Company Commander's office.

And just before stepping fully out the door, I paused. Unable to resist my curiosity, I decided to try the final function of Status Analysis.

Sexual experience check.

The system window flickered and displayed new information.

"......"

I swallowed for a moment. Those five Nones glowing on the information window hit hard. Her private life was a blank sheet of paper, pure and simple.

Serafina's nickname was the Ice Witch, after all. The rumors that she granted no man a place beside her and kept an iron wall around her heart were entirely, perfectly true.

The question why? arose, but I already knew the answer. Caught in the horrific pain of Mana Overload, there was no way romance or sex had ever registered in her field of vision. And she couldn't exactly show another person her greatest weakness, either.

Lost in one thought after another about Serafina, I found myself outside the Command Tent before I knew it. Shaking off the distractions, I headed for the 3rd Platoon barracks. The return report was done; now it was time to look after my platoon.

The open ground in front of the barracks was buzzing with noise, just as I'd expected. Unfortunately, it was not a welcoming crowd waiting for me. Beside several large military trucks, crates of every kind of supply lay stacked in mountains. It seemed the special supplies the Regimental Commander had mentioned to me had arrived. The platoon members were clamoring like children at the sight of such fine goods, the likes of which they'd never seen before.

"Man, check out these combat boots! Look at the soles! You could dunk your feet in a river and not get a single sock wet!"

"These field rations have dried fruit in them! Damn, does this mean I never have to chew sawdust-flavored hardtack again?"

"If it weren't for the Lieutenant, when would we ever have gotten our hands on special-A grade supplies like this? The guys in the next platoon are gonna be green with envy!"

Those who spotted me dropped what they were doing and swarmed over. At the center of them stood Sergeant Gunter, proud of his bear-sized bulk. He bellowed in his trademark thunderous voice.

"Welcome back, sir! Corporal Hanna has returned safely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to the barracks!"

"Good. Thanks for the work."

I patted Gunter on the shoulder a couple of times and stepped inside the barracks. Despite being empty for two whole weeks, the place was spotless—not a speck of dust anywhere. Judging by the state of the quarters management, the men had kept themselves ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fairly well-disciplined even without me.

As I took my seat, Corporal Kurt, quick as ever to read the room, fetched a water pitcher and set it before me. The information window floated up above his head.

The guy's insides are as noisy as ever.

I smirked and took a sip of water.

"So, anything happen while I was gone?"

"Not a thing, sir! We executed the training plan you laid out for us without a single deviation. The other platoons don't even dare pick a fight with our 3rd Platoon anymore! I mean, who do they think they are, messing with us!"

Gunter puffed out his chest as if it were his own personal accomplishment, speaking with evident pride.

"Well, it's true the mood in 2nd Platoon's been pretty foul lately."

Kurt chimed in from the side.

"2nd Platoon... you mean Lieutenant Stahlberg's platoon?"

At my question, Gunter nodded.

"Yes, sir. From what I hear, while you were away on special assignment, Lieutenant Stahlberg got absolutely torn apart by the Captain."

Lieutenant Stahlberg? By Captain Reinhardt? This was a story that piqued my interest.

"What happened? Tell me everything."

At my question, Gunter glanced around once, then lowered his voice and began.

"2nd Platoon went out in our place to handle the Ashen Forest reconnaissance mission, and apparently their results left a lot to be desired. Not only did they come back without so much as stepping on an orc footprint, they returned with wounded to boot. Word is the Captain was absolutely livid."

Just then—

An irritated voice carried from the barracks entrance.

"You'd best stop right there, Sergeant Gunter."

I turned my head to find a female officer with flame-red hair tied into twin tails, arms crossed, glaring daggers at us.

Lieutenant Erika von Stahlberg. Commander of 2nd Platoon.

"It's poor manners to gossip about another platoon like that."

She forced herself to sound composed, but the faintly reddened tips of her ears betrayed her embarrassment completely.

"Well, well, look who it is. Did your feet carry you here all on their own? The star of the rumors herself, gracing us with her presence."

At my light jab, Erika's face flared up in an instant.

"Wh-who's the star of any rumors?! I was on my way back from inspecting the terrain of the next operational sector and happened to stop by! It was pure coincidence, I tell you!"

She cleared her throat and changed the subject.

"So, did that grand special mission of yours go well? I heard you took a corporal along with you."

"Nothing special. I simply carried out the Regimental Commander's direct orders."

"...Direct orders? From the Regimental Commander himself?"

At the mention of receiving orders directly from the Regimental Commander, Erika's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. A complicated mix of agitation and jealousy flickered across her eyes.

I chuckled at the sight. She hadn't changed a bit since our academy days.

This girl was a classmate of the Max Jäger I'd transmigrated into, from the Imperial Central Academy. A stubborn, tangled history stretching back to their cadet days, where she'd clashed with him at every turn, treating him as her rival at every opportunity. Cold and haughty on the surface, with nothing but pride to spare—yet in truth, she was a hard worker who wanted her ability recognized more than anyone.

"Wh-what exactly does this guy have that keeps landing him all the important missions..."

Ignoring her ongoing grumbling, I used my skill on her without a shred of hesitation.

Status Analysis.

...Wants her father's acknowledgment, huh.

The contents of the status window explained her prickly personality perfectly. She was probably scrambling to live up to the expectations of the prestigious House of Stahlberg, and to claw her way out from under the shadow of her great father.

...But why, of all people on earth, does her rival have to be me?

Next, I tried out that same function I'd used on Serafina.

Sexual experience check.

"...Pfft."

The laughter burst out of me before I could stop it. Right after Captain Serafina, now this girl too. Why did every capable woman in this world seem to build a wall between themselves and romance? Well, considering what the Harem Overload All-in-One Mod was all about, it made a certain sense. Ah, virgins—a momentous matter indeed. Since there was nothing in it for me but upside, I decided to let it slide.

Meanwhile, Erika's eyebrows twitched at the sight of my laughter.

"Wh-what's so funny?"

"Nothing. Just that you haven't changed. Not one bit."

"Haven't changed? What's that supposed to mean? Are you looking down on me right now?"

Her cheeks flushed as she flared up.

"Don't get so full of yourself over one successful mission. Wars aren't won on luck alone. Just you watch at the next training exercise—I'll show you exactly how I'll tear your 3rd Platoon to shreds!"

With those parting words, Erika spun on her heel and bolted out of the barracks like she was running for her life.