A Skill for a Difficult Superior

Serafina shoved the stack of paperwork aside and rose from her seat.

"Let's step outside for a moment, Lieutenant."

Without so much as a glance at Hermann, she beckoned me with a tilt of her chin. I gave a short nod and followed her.

We left the bustling supply depot behind and came to a stop in the shade of a tree in a small clearing a short distance away. Sunlight poured down over our heads, scattering through the gaps in the leaves.

"…It's nothing so remarkable. I simply still have things left to discuss with you about the operation."

So Serafina began, and then asked,

"First… yes. That soldier with the mana detection ability—how was she? Corporal Hanna Meyer. Did her ability hold up properly in actual combat?"

This operation had been the first mission Hanna had taken part in since her awakening at the 7th Mana Spring. It was only natural for a company commander to want to verify her performance firsthand.

"Corporal Meyer's performance was flawless, Captain. Without her, breaking through the enemy's magical traps would have been impossible. She detected every threat without a single error, and her detection range was considerable."

"I see."

Serafina replied briefly. Her status window shifted almost imperceptibly.

Then Serafina asked another question.

"And the new experimental magitech round—how exactly did you employ it? Did you fire it yourself?"

Since this too was a critical piece of materiel, she seemed determined to verify it thoroughly. I answered with the plain truth.

"The method of employment was firing through a sniper rifle—the standard marksmanship procedure. However, I did not fire it myself."

"Then who did?"

One of Serafina's eyebrows rose a fraction. Apparently, it surprised her that I, the platoon leader, hadn't fired such an important round personally.

"Private First Class Klaus of 3rd Squad carried out ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the shot."

"Private First Class Klaus…."

She repeated the name quietly to herself. It was probably a name that held no place in her memory. Even a look at the records would show nothing but an unremarkable soldier with not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a single special note.

"Was there a particular reason?"

Serafina asked why. But I couldn't answer honestly—the reason came from my [Status Analysis] skill. So I offered a convenient lie instead.

"…Private First Klaus is a soldier I've kept my eye on for some time. During marksmanship training, his ability to hold a stable firing position and control his breathing exceeded that of his fellow soldiers. He also has exceptional eyesight and has often been assigned observation duties. I judged him to have a talent ideally suited to sniping, and since the reconnaissance mission a while back, I've been actively making use of that ability."

"……"

When I finished, Serafina stared at me in silence. Her lips were pressed firmly shut, as if she had no words. After a brief pause, she finally spoke.

"……Again? Remarkable. After Corporal Meyer, now Private First Class Klaus. You truly have an unusual eye for spotting talent in your soldiers. That alone would be impressive enough—but to apply it directly in the field and see it through to actual success, no less…."

Serafina swept her gaze over me for a moment, her expression caught somewhere between admiration and suspicion. I met her eyes without flinching.

"You flatter me. I merely did what any commander ought to do."

"No need for false modesty, Lieutenant."

She shook her head and continued. Her voice dropped almost imperceptibly.

"Because the commanders who can't manage even those obvious duties are the majority. Even I… from time to time, there's quite a lot I miss."

Her gaze drifted briefly toward the 2nd Squad barracks before returning.

"In any case, I'll record the details regarding Corporal Meyer and Private First Class Klaus myself. I'll see to it that they're formally assigned to appropriate positions and given the training to match."

And then Serafina said,

"I'll handle the distribution of those new magitech rounds personally as well. So that they can be issued directly from the regiment to your platoon."

My eyes widened slightly. For a company commander to personally handle supply matters was a considerable gesture of favor.

"…Thank you, Captain. It will be a great source of strength for my men."

"It's simply the reward your achievements have earned."

Our conversation seemed to be winding down.

"Off you go, Lieutenant. I should rest a little myself."

Serafina turned to head back toward the barracks. And that was the exact moment it happened.

"……!"

Her shoulders went rigid, and her body gave the faintest shudder. A bead of cold sweat formed on her brow and fell. She tried to walk on as though nothing had happened, but her legs seemed to give out beneath her, and she staggered at once.

"Kgh…!"

Reflexively, she grabbed the tree beside her. As if fighting down unbearable pain, the tendons stood out sharply on the back of her white hand. Before I knew it, her face had gone paper-pale.

"Captain…?"

Instinctively, I activated [Status Analysis].

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'This is…'

Currently experiencing a seizure. The pain of her already severe [Mana Overload] had grown even worse. My eyes narrowed at the unexpected situation.

"Are you all right, Captain?"

"…No. I merely felt dizzy for a moment."

She forced a composed answer, but her body looked anything but fine. Her hand moved unconsciously to clutch at her own chest.

"Nngh…!"

Her body swayed again. I moved quickly to support her. The arm beneath my hand was cold as ice.

"Captain, this is—"

Before I could say another word, Serafina's rebuke came down like a blade.

"…Let go. Of me."

Her voice was cracked. She even forced strength into her arm, trying to shake my hand away.

'Charming Speechcraft.'

"Remaining in this state is dangerous, Captain. You must go to the infirmary."

Ding—

Her blue eyes wavered violently. For the briefest instant, the tension drained from her body and she seemed to lean into me. But it was an illusion.

"I told you… to let go."

Squeezing out the last of her willpower, she shoved my hand away hard.

Ding!

The sharp warning tone announced my failure.

'Status Analysis.'

She had refused outright. As if she had no intention of revealing the fatal secret of her [Mana Overload], her emotional state displayed unmistakable wariness. She was avoiding the infirmary too—because her weakness would be left in the medical records, plain as day.

'Damn it.'

I swallowed the curse silently. This was the first time [Charming Speechcraft] had failed since I'd demanded wages from Sergeant Gunter. It meant that Serafina's pride and her iron will to protect her secret were powerful enough to shatter the skill's mental interference.

'…Nothing I can do about it, then.'

I stepped back a pace. Pushing further was pointless.

Leaning against the tree, she was drawing ragged breaths, trying to steady herself. After several deep inhales, she managed to straighten up. The pallor had returned to her cheeks only slightly, but the cold sweat on her brow betrayed her completely.

"…Pretend you saw nothing, Lieutenant."

She finally spoke. Her voice still trembled faintly, but there was nothing light about its weight.

"It was merely fatigue from the battle catching up with me. Nothing more."

She said it looking me straight in the eye, as if nothing were wrong. But I could see the anxiety flickering in the depths of those blue eyes.

"…Understood."

I gave a short answer and snapped off a salute. She said nothing more, gave me one last long look, and turned sharply on her heel. She didn't stagger the way she had before, but her steps were unsteady in some way I couldn't quite name.

Only after her figure had vanished completely did I finally exhale the breath I'd been holding. The scene from moments ago, and her status window, kept circling through my mind.

'Severe strain has accumulated on her body, it said….'

Even if the seizure had subsided, there was no room for relief. The phrase about severe strain accumulating on her body gnawed at me. How long could she endure like this? Sooner or later, a limit would come—it was inevitable.

That woman was carrying a time bomb inside her body, one that could go off at any moment. And a time bomb whose second hand was ticking faster and faster.

How could she possibly command on a battlefield in that condition? A seizure like today's could strike again at any ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠time. And what if it happened in the middle of combat? The thought alone was horrifying. The entire company could be thrown into danger.

And a woman like that was my direct superior.

"Shit."

The curse burst out of me on its own. This damn world never made anything easy. I forced myself to shake my head and push the thoughts away. There was nothing I could do right now.

If I moved carelessly, I'd only wound Serafina's pride and might destroy our relationship entirely. Better, in the long run, to maintain my position as a capable subordinate guarding her secret and rebuild our rapport slowly.

'…No, wait a moment.'

Then something flashed across my mind. The skill list I'd seen when I leveled up after the incident with Hanna—one of the skills I'd judged useless and skipped over.

'[Touch of Attunement].'