The Saga of Tanya the Evil: Everyday Frontlines ー12 Peaceful Days of Tanya and Vishaー

Episode 1: The Major vs. The Morning Bread Ration

The scent of bread wafting through the morning cafeteria—was it a phantom fragrance that deluded soldiers on the starvation front, or an enemy deception operation? Tanya Degurechaff sensed a slight anomaly. To obtain a perfect breakfast, she had to execute a strict operation, but it seemed this day’s mission carried a difficulty level beyond her projections. The feeling of wrongness had begun yesterday.

An unusually aggressive aroma assaulted the barrack cafeteria. Tanya Degurechaff sensed a subtle anomaly. To obtain a perfect breakfast, she had to execute a strict operation, but it seemed this day’s mission carried a difficulty level beyond her projections. The feeling of wrongness had begun yesterday.

[ALERT] CALORIE DEFICIENCY. BREAD REMAINING = FATAL DECREASE.

This was no act of individual barbarism. This was a brutal struggle for survival, far more intense than any battlefield, for a strategic resource called bread.

[ENTRY] TARGET ACQUIRED! COORDINATES (CAFETERIA, BREAD A-1), DISTANCE 2.5m.

Her target was First Lieutenant Weiss. His gaze was already fixed on the bread.

[ENTRY] ALERT LEVEL: III (MAXIMUM). ENEMY HAS ALREADY ENTERED COMBAT MODE.

Weiss’s eyes had become those of a beast before its prey. He took a step, then another, closer to the bread pile. His movement was like a surprise attack to deceive the enemy.

“Major, what’s the operation?”

Second Lieutenant Grant whispered the question. Tanya did not move.

“Silence. This is a struggle for survival. We are training to efficiently acquire materials under these conditions.”

Grant was bewildered. The cafeteria was peaceful. But seeing Tanya’s serious expression, he couldn’t say anything else.

At that moment, a log flashed in Tanya’s mind.

[ENTRY] ENEMY HAS INITIATED SURPRISE ATTACK. CODE NAME: BREAD SNATCH.

But Tanya wouldn’t let them get away with it. Her gaze had already caught First Sergeant Visha, attempting to flank Weiss from behind.

[ENTRY] AMBUSH CONFIRMED! VISHA’S FLANKING ALGORITHM HAS ACTIVATED.

Visha’s movements were those of a skilled operative. Her eyes passed over the bread pile, shifting to the jam jar.

[ENTRY] IS THIS A FEINT, CODED AS JAM? ENEMY INTENDS TO DIVERT OUR ATTENTION.

Tanya’s thoughts accelerated further. Her eyes caught everything: the bread pile, her subordinates’ gazes, the slightest irregularity in their breathing.

“This is an application of tactics. The struggle for bread is a survival competition applying the concept of logistics. If we can’t efficiently acquire supplies, we’ll starve to death.”

Tanya spoke this to Grant with a straight face. The other soldiers were all torn over whether or not to reach for the bread.

Tanya stood up calmly. Neither Weiss nor Visha noticed. Their minds were full of bread. Their unguarded state invigorated Tanya. This foolish struggle was exactly what stimulated her intellectual curiosity.

[ENTRY] THIS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. A STAGE TO EXPOSE THE ENEMY’S INCOMPETENCE AND PROVE MY OWN INTELLECT.

Tanya eliminated all wasted movement and approached the bread by the shortest path. Her figure was like a single silver-haired fairy dancing across a battlefield sky. She reached out her hand.

Suddenly, Weiss and Visha noticed.

“Major!?”

Weiss cried out, and Visha froze. Their movements came to a halt as if time had stopped. Tanya took one piece of bread, and then another, right in front of them. The scent of fresh-baked bread tickled her nose. It was like a fuse loaded with explosives—dangerously fragile, but more delicious than anything else.

“First Lieutenant Weiss, First Sergeant Visha. On the battlefield, supplies should be shared. It is foolish to disrupt order by giving in to personal desire. I’ll overlook this, but I won’t permit it again.”

They looked at each other. Weiss was confused, and Visha bowed her head. Tanya was satisfied with her own action as a perfect military maneuver. The fair redistribution of supplies was an excellent theory of governance.

[ENTRY] APPLICATION OF GOVERNANCE THEORY. RESULT: SUCCESSFUL MAINTENANCE OF SQUADRON ORDER.

Her log showed the success of today’s operation. She took a bite of the bread. It was a moment of supreme bliss. But her gaze was already on the bread held by her subordinates.

[ENTRY] BUT, MY BREAD HAS DECREASED BY ONE. IS THIS A STRATEGIC LOSS, OR A NECESSARY EXPENSE TO INCREASE SQUADRON EFFICIENCY?

Tanya’s thoughts would never stop.