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

Episode 7: A Hot Spring Trip and a Child's Fee

For the officers and men of the Imperial Army, a holiday was a strategic rest period to restore their exhausted minds and bodies in preparation for the next operation. Major Tanya Degurechaff understood this logic. However, when she heard their destination was a hot spring inn, her mind log showed a slight resistance.

“Isn’t this wonderful, Major?”

Visha said in an exhilarated voice. Tanya clicked her tongue inwardly at her pure joy. This ‘forced physical and mental refreshment’ was nothing more than an inefficient sentimentalism.

However, the hot spring inn they arrived at was more quaint and traditional than she had imagined. The scent of tatami mats tickled her nose. The unique smell of sulfur drifted on the wind from the open-air bath. The soldiers all wore expressions of relief. Visha, in particular, was exploring every corner of the inn with sparkling eyes.

The innkeeper handed her a small yukata with a beaming smile. It was clearly a child’s size. Tanya’s rational thought circuits fired off a warning.

[ALERT] IDENTIFICATION CODE, MISMATCH. TARGET IS 'IMPERIAL ARMY MAJOR.' SUPPLIED ITEM IS 'CHILD'S YUKATA.'

Tanya silently accepted the yukata. Her calm judgment had concluded that causing a scene here would be inefficient from a ‘personnel management’ standpoint.

It was time for dinner. While a variety of extravagant dishes lined the tables, what was placed in front of Tanya was a clearly smaller, child-like plate. She took it as an insult.

“Major, would you like to have some of mine?”

Visha asked worriedly, but Tanya shook her head. This insult was a personal matter. Her pride as a soldier would not permit it. Her mind log was already showing signs of a growing anger.

The incident occurred during check-out.

After the innkeeper had finished calculating the cost for everyone, she smiled at Tanya and said,

“The total is XX Imperial Marks for the adults, and XX Imperial Marks for the little one!”

Those words completely shattered Tanya’s composure. From behind her, she could hear a few new recruits snickering.

[ALERT] RECOGNITION, CONFLICT. I AM AN ‘IMPERIAL ARMY MAJOR!’ NOT A ‘LITTLE ONE!’

Tanya’s eyes burned with rage as she glared at the innkeeper. But the words that came from her mouth were not an emotional tirade.

“Are you mocking my rank with this absurd ‘child’s fee’? I am Major Tanya von Degurechaff of the Imperial Army! To evaluate my achievements, rank, and the immense magical power within this body by such a petty standard is beyond idiotic!”

Tanya’s thoughts raced as she lectured the woman.

“My salary alone outstrips the entire operating budget of your inn! My existence on the front lines of the Imperial Army determines the survival rate of tens of thousands of soldiers! By calling me a ‘little one,’ are you denying the march of rationality itself—of the Empire, no, of human history?!”

At her utterly serious roar of rage, the innkeeper's face went pale, and she took a step back. The soldiers around them stood frozen in astonishment.

“Major, Major! Please calm down!”

First Lieutenant Weiss rushed to intervene. He bowed apologetically to the innkeeper and paid the full adult fee for Tanya.

Tanya was grateful for Weiss’s actions, but her rage did not subside.

[ENTRY] ‘CHILD’S FEE’ EVALUATION, UNACCEPTABLE. THIS INSULT IS AN ATTACK ON MY IDENTITY.

The hot spring was supposed to be for a mental and physical reset. However, this ‘irrational’ experience had not healed her mind at all; instead, it had awakened a new battle within her.

On the way back, Tanya stared out the window, formulating a plan of revenge in her mind.

“...That woman. Next time, I’ll pay the full fare for every guest myself—and bury her in the weight of my wallet. That is the way of a true soldier.”

Her journey, which was meant to be a quest for mental peace, had transformed into a new battlefield.