Saga of Tanya the Evil Episode 3: Deus Vult

At the northern front, Tanya Degurechaff stands before an Imperial Commander, basking in the glow of commendation for her combat prowess. She hears the words, 'A rear-line assignment for an ace like you is quite appropriate,' and anticipates a tranquil, safe posting away from the horrors of war. Her internal jubilation, a quiet victory over the battlefield's chaos, feels like a reprieve. However, her hopes are quickly crushed by the true nature of her new assignment: a test pilot for experimental technology.

High above the ground, Tanya endures a terrifying test flight with the Elenium Type 95 computation orb. The device is a violent, spitting beast, straining her body with its instability. From below, Dr. Adelheid von Schugel, the orb's creator, pushes her to 'Higher, Second Lieutenant! Test the theory to its limits!', ignoring all warning signs. The experiment culminates in a catastrophic overload, the orb exploding and sending Tanya plummeting in a ball of fire.

Bandaged and enraged, Tanya confronts Dr. Schugel in the sterile corridors of the research facility. She screams at him, detailing the orb's fatal flaws and his utter disregard for life. Schugel, however, remains unmoved, dismissing her lived experience as a failure of execution rather than design, declaring, 'If the theory is perfect, then the theory itself is a defective product!' Their exchange is sharp, a clash between scientific detachment and the brutal reality of the front lines.

In the quiet of her room, Tanya meticulously crafts a transfer request, calculating that 'Even the front line is better than being a guinea pig for that madman.' She envisions a return to active combat as a safer alternative to Schugel's experiments. The personnel office, viewing her youthful initiative as admirable, grants her request. A letter arrives, confirming the Type 95's development has been halted, and Tanya smiles, believing she has cleverly outmaneuvered fate.

Time itself fractures around Tanya, her room dissolving into a maelstrom of colors as a wooden nutcracker doll animates. The voice of Being X booms, mocking her lack of faith and her cold, empty heart, stating, 'Your soul is still lacking in faith. It is time for a miracle to stir your heart.' Tanya retorts with bitter accusations, seeing Being X as a cruel tyrant. The entity declares its intent to grant her an undeniable 'miracle,' regardless of her disbelief.

Tanya wakes gasping, desperately trying to dismiss the encounter as a nightmare. She searches her room for any sign of the impossible, but all is normal. Her relief evaporates into cold dread when she spots a small paper on her desk, previously absent. On it, the words 'Deus lo vult... God wills it' confirm that Being X's influence is no dream, and her reality has been irrevocably altered.

Against her will, Tanya is coerced into another test flight with a supposedly stabilized Type 95. Schugel claims a divine revelation led to its improvements, but Tanya is gripped by terror. As she ascends, the orb pulses with overwhelming, sacred energy, seizing control of her. Her body enters a trance, forcing her to recite a prayer: 'I praise the name of the Lord... and give thanks for His mercy!' A blinding, cross-shaped explosion erupts, annihilating a distant target with horrifying power.

Floating amidst the afterglow, Tanya is surrounded by a repulsive divine aura. The voice of Being X returns through the broken nutcracker, revealing the horrifying truth: the Type 95 is now bound to her faith. He declares, 'From now on, you shall not use this power without an offering of prayer.' Tanya understands with despair that Being X has forged a 'cursed' tool, forcing her to worship him to survive. She screams, realizing her free will has been utterly hijacked.

The Rhine Front, 1924, is a brutal tableau of trench warfare. Tanya leads her mages, the Type 95 now a tool of devastating efficiency. She moves with surgical precision, wiping out enemy battalions with single, explosive blasts. Her subordinates observe her constant prayers during combat with awe, mistaking her forced devotion for genuine piety. In reality, Tanya seethes with resentment, performing these 'miracles' only because she has no other choice for survival.

In the Imperial General Staff building, Major Lergen reports on Tanya's activities, visibly disturbed. He describes her as 'She isn't a child... she is a monster in a child's skin,' highlighting her ruthless tactics. However, Generals Zettour and Rudersdorf are only impressed by her combat results. They dismiss Lergen's concerns, focusing instead on Tanya's ability to turn the tide of the war. Zettour begins to formulate plans to deploy her in a much larger, more critical capacity.

At a rear base, Tanya informs her exhausted subordinate, Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov (Visha), that she has been recommended for officer training, a move that would send her to the capital's safety. Visha, overwhelmed with gratitude, believes Tanya is genuinely looking out for her. Before parting, Visha presents Tanya with a gift: a frilly, feminine dress that Tanya observes with utter confusion and contempt. Tanya’s true motivation, the removal of a witness to her 'fake' religious zeal, remains hidden.

Tanya travels by train to the Imperial Capital, Berun, savoring her imagined academic life at the military academy. She dreams of quiet days, good coffee, and a safe office job, believing she has finally found 'a safe haven from that Being X.' Simultaneously, Generals Zettour and Rudersdorf finalize plans for a new rapid-deployment mage wing. They conclude that 'Degurechaff will be the cornerstone of our new strategy,' unknowingly dooming Tanya’s hopes for a peaceful existence in the capital.