She had to make sure that after she left, Robin would have enough money and supplies to get through the initial unstable period, and their small house had to be safe enough.
'Here,' Seraphilia pushed a small cloth bag and a few silver coins towards Robin, containing almost all her remaining savings.
The money bag was heavy with her hard work over the past six months, but she casually handed it over, 'Use this for now. I'll get my first month's salary as soon as possible. I've stocked up some food and firewood, enough for half a month.' Her gaze fell on Robin's pale face, then pointed to the 'cloud pack' in the corner that they had practiced so well, 'In an emergency, pack the core items and retreat along the route we planned. Wait for me at the second backup point.' Her voice was calm but carried an unquestionable command and deep concern.
Robin silently took the money bag, her cobalt blue eyes now focused on the simple base outline and predicted patrol routes that Seraphilia had drawn on the ground with charcoal.
Her fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of the page, revealing her inner anxiety.
'Are you sure you can come back at night?' Her voice was calm but carried a hint of cautious confirmation.
'Yes,' Seraphilia replied without hesitation, her ice-blue eyes filled with determination. 'As long as there are no sudden night drills or base-wide alerts. I move quickly in elementized form, and... I want to come back.' The last sentence was said softly, like a whisper in the night wind, but it was crystal clear, striking straight to the heart.
Robin asked no more questions, only nodded slightly. Her eyes were complex, filled with worry, trust, and finally, a simple instruction: 'Be careful.'
--
The recruitment office of the Navy Base's 73rd branch was set in a shabby shed next to the side gate.
It was early winter, and the sea breeze carried a damp chill. Being relatively peaceful at the edge of the West Blue, there were few applicants.
Most were desperate paupers or naive youths dreaming of a full stomach and a uniform, their eyes filled with confusion and a glimmer of hope.
Seraphilia's appearance was like a gleaming pearl suddenly falling into a muddy, coal-ash pit.
She had washed her face and hair, changing into her only unpatched old cloth, the style loose to hide her outstanding figure.
Yet, her strikingly beautiful face, silver hair that seemed to flow with Moonlight even on cloudy days, and those ice-blue eyes that were too calm for a child, instantly drew everyone's gaze.
The registration was handled by a middle-aged non-commissioned officer with a face full of impatience, his beard unkempt and eyes drooping. Beside him was a young clerk yawning and fiddling with a quill pen.
'Name, age, origin,' the officer asked mechanically, his voice weary from years of repetitive work.
'Seraphilia, 12 years old, West Blue... wandering, no fixed origin,' Seraphilia replied clearly and calmly, with a composure beyond her years.
The officer finally looked up, visibly startled when he saw Seraphilia.
His murky eyes, previously filled with impatience, now held surprise and a hint of suspicion.
'12 years old? With your looks...' He scrutinized the girl before him, his expression puzzled.
A child with such an appearance should not be in this rundown recruitment office.
'Where are your family? Why do you want to join the Navy?' He asked, his tone cautious.
'I have no family. To survive, and to...' Seraphilia paused, her ice-blue eyes meeting the officer's gaze, deliberately showing a mix of stubbornness and longing suitable for her age.
She knew that in this world, some reasons were universally accepted.
'I don't want to be bullied by pirates anymore.' This reason, in the West Blue where pirates ran rampant, was all too common and vague enough to dispel most unnecessary doubts.
The officer frowned, clearly not fully convinced by her explanation, but Seraphilia met the age requirement, and her outstanding appearance, though suspicious, did not pose any obvious problems.
He motioned for Seraphilia to undergo a simple physical examination and fitness test.