Quickly gathering the food Theresa had ordered, the young woman leaned forward as she passed it over, hoping to catch a glimpse of the "ghost."
The young woman never believed for a second there was a real ghost. The tall tales were obviously full of exaggeration.
But rumors always had a grain of truth. The three great eaters had to be based on real people!
So thought the young woman who had just joined Fire Moth.
But when she looked down, she saw nothing. When she looked up again, the "buns" were already far from the counter.
It was as if they had teleported. From a distance, she could only see the "ghost" talking with a maid and a blonde woman, stuffing all the buns into the blonde's hands.
In that instant, the young woman felt like she recognized the familiar, tiny figure.
That little silhouette... she thought she'd seen it back in ARC City...
The young woman remembered. She had indeed seen her before! It was when Fire Moth had first set up the defensive line in Sapphire City.
She was among the first batch of survivors rescued by Fire Moth, brought back to the headquarters after spending some time at the front.
Out of gratitude to Fire Moth and admiration for the soldiers who risked life and limb for them, the young woman had chosen to work at the cafeteria counter, taking a significant step down from her previous status to become an ordinary food server.
She knew she had no combat ability, nor the courage to share the soldiers' burden on the front lines. The once-strong career woman had had her nerve shattered by the sudden disaster.
So, this was the only way she could contribute her small part. She resolved to always give any soldier she met an extra scoop of the best food, regardless of whether they were the ones who had saved her.
This sentiment was practically a consensus in the cafeteria. Soldiers had the right to cut in line, and everyone would urge them to use that right, just in case some were too modest.
The longest queues would scatter the moment soldiers appeared. People would stand around with their empty trays, looking at the sky, the floor, the air—anywhere but the line.
Only after the soldiers had resignedly gotten their food would everyone orderly return to their original spots and resume queuing.
Similar scenes played out in every corner of the base.
And now, the young woman looked at the departing group, then at the point card in her hand that served as Fire Moth's temporary currency. In that moment, she suddenly understood why she was called the [Invisible Ghost].
Why? So she could pay normally, of course!!
*How cunning... er, how clever of her to use her short stature to her ad... disadvantage... no, advantage, to escape the privilege of a free meal?!*
*You want to pay for food?! Not on my watch!!*
Taking a deep breath, the young woman quickly darted out from behind the counter and rushed after the trio.
Almost simultaneously, the three of them turned around the moment the woman gave chase, their eyes locking onto the young woman holding the point card high in the air.
Rita maintained her usual smile, waiting curiously for what would happen next.
Bianka, still chewing on a bun and holding the remaining fourteen plus the three cups of soy milk, looked on in confusion at the approaching woman.
Only Theresa instantly understood why she was being chased. Her expression changed dramatically. She grabbed Rita with one hand and Bianka with the other and began scrambling toward the elevator on her little legs.
Seeing her target about to escape, the young woman no longer cared about her unfamiliar surroundings. She yelled at the top of her lungs:
"**Lady Judah paid for her food! She's getting away!!**"
That shout nearly made Bianka choke on half a bun.
*Wait, did I hear that right?! What does she mean, 'paid for food'? Why would you run away after paying? And why are you chasing her if she already paid?!*
*Payment fugitive? What kind of twisted new phrase was that!*
But the reaction of the people around them was enough to shock the sheltered Bianka for a full day.
Whether they were eating or getting food, everyone stopped what they were doing the moment they heard the young woman's cry and turned their collective gaze toward the fleeing trio.
Then, those closest to Theresa's group stood up and, pretending to be out for a stroll, casually blocked their path.
However, they didn't dare to blatantly stop them. But Theresa, a Fire Moth squad leader through and through, expertly weaved and dodged through the human obstacles, dragging her two bewildered companions with her, and lunged into the elevator.
Activating the elevator at the last second and shutting the door on the pursuing young woman, Theresa finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew... that was a close call. I almost wasn't able to pay for that..." Theresa patted her small chest, completely relaxed.
"Lady Theresa... what was..." Bianka had even stopped chewing her bun, her face a mask of confusion.
Theresa waved her hand. "It's nothing, just a small matter. Everyone here is very nice."
*They must be nice if they chase you for paying, but why?* That was the part Bianka still didn't understand.
"I understand," Rita said. While Bianka was content to be confused, Rita had already thought it through.
"Lady Theresa wanted us to understand the depth of reverence the people hold for the warriors of Fire Moth. So much so that they cannot bear to see us spend money on food, feeling as if they have failed us somehow."
"Only by knowing the weight of such responsibility and expectation will the soldiers fight harder for everyone's sake, allowing them to save more energy to become even stronger. That was truly thoughtful of you, Lady Theresa."
After finishing her explanation, Rita gave Theresa a respectful bow.
"Ah... this..." Both Theresa and Bianka were stunned by Rita's "discovery."
*My god, is that what it was? That's amazing!!* Even Theresa herself hadn't realized that was her objective!
"Is... is that true?!" Bianka's eyes widened. After standing frozen for a second, she looked at the buns in her hand, then at the pretending-to-be-composed Theresa, and suddenly felt a wave of emotion welling up from within.
*So that's what this was about... To help me understand the meaning behind my efforts, to show me the heavy burden that all warriors carry, Lady Theresa used this method to guide me.*
*She's... She's so thoughtful!!*