Seraphilia keenly discovered a lapse in the canteen's management: when clearing up after meals, there was always a small amount of'surplus' that hadn't been taken and was in good condition, especially the staple foods and those well-stewed dishes. Utilizing her relatively free movement privileges within the base as an outstanding soldier, along with the excellent cover of her Cloud Mist ability, she began a daring 'covert operation.'
AI Model: mistral-large
She chose to enter the cafeteria during the relatively quiet afternoon hours, using the excuse of 'replenishing energy after extra training.'
When getting food, she would use her ability to create a slight, almost imperceptible visual disturbance—such as making the air in front of a distant soldier on duty shimmer slightly, causing him to rub his eyes unconsciously; or making a wisp of steam in the corner a little thicker, briefly obscuring the chef's view.
In that fleeting moment, she would quickly wrap some untouched, intact food—such as chunks of potato stew soaked in broth, a large spoonful of thick meat sauce, or occasionally a whole, still-warm boiled egg—in pre-prepared oil paper and hide it in the specially made lining inside her uniform.
This required extremely precise timing and extraordinary courage. She was not greedy for this bit of food, but because the nutrition and quality of these foods were usually better and more stable than what she could buy outside with money. This was the most efficient and reliable way she could think of to improve Robin's diet without increasing expenses.
The first time she brought back the potato stew, still warm from the cafeteria, Robin looked at the food wrapped in oil paper, which was clearly from the military cafeteria, and her cerulean blue eyes blinked, looking at Seraphilia with a hint of confusion.
'Food from the... cafeteria leftovers,' Seraphilia explained succinctly, but her ears flushed slightly.
Strictly speaking, this behavior was not in compliance with regulations and could even be considered theft.
Robin didn't say anything; she just reached out her slender fingers, picked up a piece of the stewed meat that was tender and flavorful, and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly. The meat was softer and more flavorful than the smoked meat they usually ate. She lowered her head, took another bite, and then let out a soft sound: '...Mmm.'
There were no extra comments, but that silent acceptance made Seraphilia's small anxiety instantly dissipate.
From then on, this became a habit. Seraphilia's'smuggling' skills became more and more proficient, and the things she brought back often had surprises: sometimes it was two pieces of leftover fried fish from lunch, sometimes it was a small bowl of thick vegetable soup, and once, it was small cookies covered in thick sugar frosting given out during a base celebration.
She exchanged the silver coins she earned from her promotion for more durable, high-quality food and the books and stationery Robin needed, turning these 'extra gains' into immediate surprises on the dining table.
The aroma of food in the small house became richer and warmer, as if every wisp of steam carried her silent promise to Robin.
After being promoted to second class private, the daytime training and missions became more intense, sometimes accompanied by night patrols or guard duties.
Yet Seraphilia still tried to seize every night she could slip back. Her use of elemental transformation became more proficient, and the return journey gradually became smooth and hidden from the initial caution and trepidation.
She even began to try different 'cloud forms,' such as the deep gray cloud that blended into the night, or the streamlined cloud that moved faster, just to gain an extra minute with Robin.
No matter how late, if there was a chance, she would always return to the small house.
Robin also seemed to have gotten used to this rhythm. She no longer kept the light on every time, sitting by the window anxiously waiting.
But when Seraphilia climbed in through the window, she always found a small pot of water warming on the stove, or a simple midnight snack on the bedside table—perhaps some fruit she had left, or a piece of bread she had baked herself.
That tacit understanding and consideration was like a faint light in the darkness, silently guiding Seraphilia's way home.
This night, Seraphilia returned exceptionally late. During the day, she participated in a support operation to eliminate pirate remnants in nearby waters. Although she was only responsible for communication and vigilance on the periphery, her spirit was highly tense, and her physical exertion was enormous.
By the time she returned to the base, it was already late at night, and then she had to rush to extra training. By the time she found an opportunity to leave as a cloud, it was already the second half of the night, and the eastern sky was faintly showing signs of dawn.
She materialized back into human form on the windowsill of the small house, almost exhausted. As she pushed open the window, her arms felt weak, and her fingers even trembled slightly.
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