"Fifty thousand! Fifty thousand!"
Delta stared with unbridled excitement at her high score. After days of being "tortured" by this game, she had finally surpassed the second-place score!
She turned back with a grin: "Adjutant Lin—"
"Hehe! Lin, you lose!"
"..."
Vil-V, her hands empty, gloated as she looked at Lin, who was left with the single Joker card in his hand. She skillfully pinched the Joker between her index and middle fingers and drew it away.
Old Maid—when the game reaches its conclusion and one person is left holding the card that cannot be paired, they are the loser.
Clearly, Lin had lost. He sensed that Vil-V had cheated, but his own sleight-of-hand was like a flickering candle before her sun; he couldn't even see how she had done it.
If one cannot prove cheating, the only conclusion is that no cheating occurred.
"Let me think... what should I make you do..." The mischievous glint in Vil-V eyes made Lin immediately shift his gaze to Delta.
Lin asked the suddenly silent Delta, "What's wrong?"
"No, nothing." Delta froze for a moment, then sat back down in front of the arcade machine, staring at the screen she was nearly sick of, saying nothing.
"Then you take the cards from me..."
Late at night, Delta leaned back in her chair, lost in thought before the projected screen.
Over these many days, her tolerance for hunger and thirst had become quite high. What troubled her today was something else entirely.
Something she couldn't put into words, something she didn't quite understand herself.
After the recording finished, Lin stood up. "That's it for today. Let's go eat—"
"I'm not hungry."
Delta stood up as well. After dropping that casual remark, she pushed open the door and walked out.
Standing in her room, Delta used her tail to grab the hilt of her custom greatsword as she passed it, lifting it up, while her own hands gripped another giant sword of the opposite color.
She closed her eyes, assumed a dual-wielding stance, and took a deep breath, letting her heart grow still.
Schwing!
In the next second.
As if performing a dance, the heavy greatswords fluttered like silk ribbons in a dancer's hands. The dual blades whipped up a violent storm within the narrow room, yet they didn't damage a single inch of the walls.
With a sharp stride, the blades slashed across each other in front of her, the fierce wind stinging her face.
"Phew..."
Delta lowered the greatswords, opened her eyes, and contemplated her hands.
Over these days, her heart had quieted significantly. Movements that were once stiff had improved through her calm state of mind. There was no doubt—this was the credit of that seemingly useless "game."
She leaped lightly onto the windowsill, pushed open the glass, and sat there, her tail coiling around her right leg. Holding her knees, she gazed out at the bright moon.
What does a person fight for?
"Will you undergo the Project Soldier Surgery?"
"..."
"Consider this a piece of advice: whether the surgery succeeds or fails, you will no longer be human."
"..."
"If you've made up your mind, sign here. Welcome to Fire Moth."
Scattered memories flooded her mind. Delta bit her lower lip hard, her gaze fierce and filled with a restless, unventable fury.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of knocking pulled Delta from her memories back to reality. She glanced at the door but ignored it.
Knock, knock, knock.
"..."
"Miss Delta, if you don't open the door, your one thousand records of throwing tantrums are going to be broadcast to the whole world for everyone to enjoy."
Lin waited a few seconds at the door before hearing the sound of something hitting the floor. Then, a pair of angry footsteps rapidly approached the door. It swung open, revealing Delta lovely, fuming face.
"What do you want!"
"Eat."
Lin shoved a plate of chicken curry rice into her hands and turned to leave.
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"..."
"Adjutant Lin! You bastard! Do you really insist I call you that!"
Lin stopped, turned back, and looked at Delta calmly, as if to say, Speak up if there's something.
Delta gritted her teeth as she looked at the lavish, steaming meal in her hands. She looked back at Lin. "You... why did you bring me food?"
"...Because it's been like this for the past few days."
"But what about today! Didn't I say I wasn't hungry!"
"It's already made. If you won't eat it and give it back, I'll give it to Pardo."
Pardo?
Delta remembered her—the member of the Thirteenth Squad who frequently sought out Lin. Their relationship seemed exceptionally good; Lin wasn't nearly as intimate with other squad members. Moreover, Lin called her simply "Pardo," whereas he used full names for everyone else.
"I'll eat! Why wouldn't I!" At that thought, Delta lowered her head and shoveled a large mouthful of rice into her mouth. When she looked up, her face was smeared with rice grains and orange-yellow sauce.
"...Just eat." Lin shook his head and moved to leave, only to be called back by Delta again.
"Wait. I have something to tell you."
Lin entered Delta room. He didn't sit down, instead standing by the door as if he didn't intend to stay long.
Delta was stuffing her mouth with rice. Saying she wasn't hungry was definitely a lie; she had been famished for a long time. Furthermore, while Lin was a guy with very "wicked" tastes, his few saving graces included being a superb cook.
It was no exaggeration to say the food Lin made was the best she had ever tasted—though that might have been the hunger talking.
After finishing, she pushed the plate away, rested her bare feet on the table, and coiled her tail around her right leg, its three flexible fingers weaving through the gaps between her toes. She looked at Lin from across the room, her face full of annoyance.
It looked as if she were the superior and Lin were the subordinate who wasn't permitted to sit.
"What was your reason for coming to Fire Moth? And why did you undergo the Project Soldier Surgery?"
Lin hadn't expected Delta to ask this. He was momentarily stunned by surprise, then asked back in confusion, "What was yours?"
Shouldn't they have come here harboring the same goal?
Delta waved her hand dismissively. "If I didn't join, I would have starved to death."
"..."
If I didn't join... I would have starved to death...
Lin could never have guessed such an answer, nor expected Delta indifferent expression.
"My sister and I became orphans by accident and were left to wander. Not even the orphanages wanted us. Just as we were about to starve, we were found by Fire Moth members looking for volunteers for the Project Soldier Surgery. What choice did we have? Of course we joined. They even asked if I was willing—did we even have another choice?"
"And your sister?"
"..."
Delta did not speak. She turned her head away, looking at the two greatswords leaning in the corner.