The Witch's Weakening Resolve

"Lieutenant Jäger, over here."

Soon after, the gunfire ceased. The 2nd Company had successfully overrun one of the enemy's defensive strongpoints. The battle had lapsed into a lull, and for the moment, we were granted a chance to catch our breath.

"Damn it all. Let me breathe for a second."

"Those orcs… they just keep coming in endless waves…."

The soldiers leaned against makeshift barricades and wooden palisades, gasping for air as they rested, muttering in low voices.

"What the hell is that shield even made of? How is it that sturdy?"

"It's just a stupidly thick slab of iron. On our side, it'd be the equivalent of armor plate. No ordinary rifle round is punching through that."

"Huh. So you're telling me the thing weighs several hundred kilograms? How do they even lift it?"

"That's exactly what makes orcs terrifying. Their technology is primitive, but the raw strength of each individual soldier is overwhelming."

"And on top of that, they've got their shamans… tch."

"It's not for nothing they say you should never engage orcs ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in close combat."

And that was precisely when it happened.

Tap.

Someone lightly tapped my shoulder from behind as I leaned against a wooden post, catching my breath.

"Impeccable timing, Lieutenant."

I turned to find 1st Platoon Leader Walter. He had pulled off his helmet and tucked it under his arm, roughly wiping a face caked in blood and dirt with his sleeve.

"The 1st Platoon's coordination was excellent as well, Lieutenant Walter. The moment you drove into their flank, they couldn't tell which way was up."

"Ha! Spare me the empty flattery. All I did was put a spoon to a table you'd already set."

Shortly after, Erika and Franz joined us from the other side of the forest.

"Haah, haah… Damn it, Max Jäger."

Erika strode toward me, breathing hard. Her red twintails were a tangled mess of sweat and dust, and soot smeared her pale face.

"How in the world… did you know they were packed behind that shield wall? We didn't have a clear line of sight!"

I gave a shrug.

"They trusted their shields too much. The stronger the faith, the bigger the blind spot."

"…Hmph. Big words, as always…!"

Franz was looking at me with something close to worship in his eyes.

"Truly, you are a credit to the officer corps, Lieutenant Jäger!"

Just as the gathering threatened to grow noisy, the soldiers snapped to attention in unison and parted to open a path. A wave of cold air washed over us. It was Seraphina.

"Salutes!"

Every one of us platoon leaders was the first to snap off a salute. Seraphina swept her gaze over each of us in turn before it came to rest on me.

"Excellent work, Lieutenant Jäger. Had it not been for the breach you created, our casualties would have been severe."

"You flatter me, ma'am."

"The rest of you coordinated well too. The 1st Platoon's flanking support in particular was well judged."

She finished her brief praise, then drew a careful breath.

She was desperately holding on right now. The recoil from the mana rounds she'd fired earlier must be detonating inside her body. And yet she refused to remove the commander's mask. In a voice deliberately hardened into severity, she issued her next orders.

"But there will be no rest. Their first defensive line has fallen, which means they'll try to lure us deeper into the forest."

Her gaze flicked rapidly across the four of us.

"Lieutenant Walter, take the 1st Platoon to the left flank. Franz, your 4th Platoon takes the right. Erika — the 2nd Platoon continues providing support from the rear."

"Leave it to us!"

"Yes, Captain!"

"Understood!"

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

The three platoon leaders immediately gathered their men and scattered in every direction. Only then did Seraphina lean back against a tree. Cold sweat beaded across the forehead of the woman who was gasping for breath.

So it finally broke through after all.

"……Lieutenant Jäger. A moment, if you would."

Seraphina called to me, her voice carefully restrained. I moved to her side at once.

"My shoulder… it feels blocked. Just for a moment…"

"Of course, Captain."

I swept the surroundings with a quick glance. Thankfully, no one was paying us any attention. Everyone was too busy tending to the wounded, swapping magazines, and preparing for the next wave of combat.

I reached out and placed my hand over the shoulder of the woman leaning against the tree. Through the stiff fabric of her uniform, I could feel the taut tension knotted in her shoulder muscles.

Touch of Attunement.

Through my palm, I could feel the flow of her mana. It was raging far more violently than before — the backlash from firing off those mana rounds in rapid succession, no doubt.

I focused my will and sent a wave of warmth flowing through. I pictured a small campfire being kindled at the very heart of a raging blizzard.

"Mmh…!"

A ragged breath escaped Seraphina's lips. As the warmth of the campfire spread outward, the fury of the blizzard that had been whirling madly through her eased, if only a little.

The tension drained from her body. Her upper body, still braced against the tree, tipped ever so slightly forward, and the stiff collar of her uniform parted a fraction at the throat. Through that narrow gap, I caught a fleeting glimpse of porcelain skin trailing down beneath her snow-white nape, and the generous curve of her full bust.

"Captain, Imperial combat uniforms are treated with a fine layer of mana resistance. If you want to receive the full effect of the Bio-Resonance Attunement Method, it would be better if you undid a little of your clothing."

I spoke with the truth and a lie mixed in equal measure. A fine layer of mana resistance treatment? That part was fact. But the claim that it would diminish the effect — that was the lie. My Touch of Attunement skill couldn't have cared less whether she was dressed or not. It operated through the skill itself, not through mana, so only the contact area and the skill's level mattered.

"…What did you just say?"

Seraphina's eyes sharpened at my proposal. The woman already carried a frosty air about her, and now she turned positively glacial. But I didn't waver; I pressed on.

Charming Speechcraft.

"There's no need to worry, Captain. This is purely a matter of treatment efficiency."

Seraphina's gaze wavered in turbulent confusion.

Just a little. That's all I need.

"The sooner you return to peak condition, the sooner you can command the next engagement — wouldn't you agree, Captain?"

She bit her lip and hesitated for a long moment. Then, at last, she shook her head.

The warning tone announced my failure without mercy.

"…I understand what you're getting at. But… for now, for now, this much is enough."

In the end, her pride had triumphed over her desire. Baring her bare skin was evidently something she could not permit herself. But I wasn't particularly disappointed.

A "faint twinge" of regret, hm?

She had refused, but she hadn't entirely let go of the notion. For now it was merely a faint regret — but soon enough, it would grow into a profound one.

"Understood, Captain. It was an unreasonable request on my part. In exchange, I'll concentrate as best I can to maximize the effect through the uniform."

I answered with deliberate courtesy, carefully hiding any trace of disappointment.

Well, there's no rush.

There was no need to force the issue. I was the only person alive who could relieve her Mana Overload. The thirsty man digs his own well, as the saying goes — it was only a matter of time before Seraphina came to me.

If I pushed her now, all I'd harvest was resentment. But if I withdrew politely, here and now? Later, when the pain came crashing back like it was flaying her bones, she would remember this exact moment and regret it. She'd think: why didn't I listen to the Lieutenant back then? Waiting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a little while was nothing compared to perfectly breaking the pride of a woman this high-strung.

I slowly slid the hand that had been kneading her shoulder downward. Through the sleeve of her uniform, I traced the slender muscle of her arm.

"Pardon me."

With my thumb, I pressed firmly into the hollow between muscle and bone along the inside of her upper arm, then descended in slow circles toward her elbow.

"Nnngh…."

Seraphina dropped her head. Her silver hair spilled down over her shoulders and chest. She clenched her fists tight, clearly fighting to endure it, but she couldn't stop her fingers from twitching every time my hand passed over her.

I deliberately put more force into my grip, digging deep into the muscle. From the soft, tender flesh of her inner arm near the armpit, all the way down to the crease inside her elbow. Feeling her bare skin beneath the coarse texture of her combat uniform, I worked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my way slowly down.

Soon the massage was finished, from her upper arm to the tips of her fingers. When I withdrew my hand, Seraphina's body swayed faintly after me — then caught itself.

"That's enough. You should be fine for some time now."

I took a step back. Seraphina raised her right arm and stared at it blankly. She clenched and unclenched her fist, wiggled her fingers, rotated her shoulder.

A lightness as if the invisible shackle that had always bound her had simply vanished. The faint crease between her brows smoothed away as if it had never been there at all.

"……It feels lighter."

she murmured. Mixed into that voice, normally nothing but cold, was pure, undisguised astonishment. As though she couldn't quite believe it, she ran her hand gingerly down the arm I had treated.

"Lieutenant Jäger."

Seraphina held my gaze for a long moment, then spoke with her expression firmly composed.

"…My thanks."

"I'm glad I could be of help. Salutes."

I returned a brisk, matter-of-fact salute and turned away, walking back toward the cluster of my platoon. Even as I moved off, I could feel her gaze clinging to my back like sticky sap. I'd say that seed was well and properly planted.

A smile crept onto my lips of its own accord. But the satisfaction didn't last. The instant I habitually checked the Minimap hovering in the corner of my vision, every trace of amusement drained from my face.

"……Well, damn."

The edge of the map was bleeding red all over again.