"This time, it's really not!" The leader of the group replied, his face flushing red at Theresa's exasperated retort. They had done this sort of thing a few times before and paid their fair share of fines for wasting security resources.
But this time was really different!
Usually, these people would have immediately confessed and offered their wrists for handcuffs the moment they saw her. Theresa finally perked up a little and looked at the other group.
"Alright, tell me what's going on?"
---||---
About two hours later, having finally completed her shift, Theresa, after removing her security team shoulder patch, the first thing Theresa did upon returning to her dorm was kick off her shoes and collapse on the sofa without even changing into slippers.
"Aghh~~ What a day~~" A trembling voice emanated from Theresa's mouth. She wriggled around on the sofa several times before finally finding her most familiar position.
"Ugh..." With a satisfied groan, Rita, with a hint of exasperation, took a pair of fluffy Homu slippers from the shoe rack by the door and placed them beside the sofa.
"Theresa-sama, even if your physical condition is exceptional, it's still best not to run around barefoot too often. After all, there are no carpets on the floors of this villa."
"Oh dear~" Theresa flipped over, stretching luxuriously before collapsing again.
This small person spoke with an old-fashioned tone, but the underlying childishness in her voice created a strange disconnect. "You're always so strict! Can't I relax a little during this rare free time~?"
The current Theresa was no longer the Theresa who had just met Rita two months ago. Perhaps Theresa herself hadn't expected that she would be turned into half a good-for-nothing by Rita in just two short months.
Rita now also lived in the villa. Even with Kiana and the others around, the villa had plenty of empty rooms. Housing a dozen people wasn't a problem at all.
Especially now, with the villa occupied by only Theresa, Rita, and Himeko. Fu Hua and Li Sushang lived in the retro-style courtyard, while Otto and Kallen lived elsewhere.
Kallen and Himeko, like Natasha, were stationed almost permanently at the front lines. Otto himself was practically living in the laboratory, trying to pickle himself in it. The vast villa was left with only Theresa, feeling a bit like a child left behind.
And so, Rita, sensing the opportunity... and so, in order to take care of Theresa and perfect her path as a maid, Rita packed her bags and moved in.
Rita now single-handedly managed the cleaning, cooking, and other aspects of the villa. Not even in the past had Theresa enjoyed such meticulous care.
Waking up in the morning, she would find Rita holding her clothes at the bedside. Walking into the bathroom, she would find her toothbrush with toothpaste already applied, along with a glass of lukewarm water for rinsing.
Just as she put down her toothbrush, a warm towel would be pressed to her face, the movements so gentle that she would have an urge to turn around and go back to sleep, only to be forced awake by the dampness.
Turning to the dining table, she would find a steaming glass of milk, toast with crispy edges and a soft center, bacon strips, sausages, fried eggs sprinkled with white pepper, and soft-boiled eggs with runny yolks that burst with flavor with every bite...
Theresa was speechless. She had no idea how Rita knew all of her preferences. She hadn't told Rita anything! She had thought only her magical cooking could conjure these things...
---||---
["Theresa-sama's breakfast preferences." This was a dark underground exchange where a transaction that violated human ethics, skirted the edges of the law, and disregarded privacy rights was taking place.
"Heh... You know what I want, friend." A faint chuckle echoed in the darkness.
"Of course. Since I've come, I've surely brought what you desire."
Several photos were placed on the table, pushed toward the other party.
"Pleasure doing business..." A sheet of paper filled with preferences was also pushed out, dense and incredibly detailed.]
---||---
As the person being traded, Theresa was, of course, unaware of the "Evil of the Fire MOTHs." After two months of constant care, Theresa had been raised into someone who couldn't function without Rita.
After all, few could resist the temptation of having five meals a day prepared for them. Although she felt guilty about living such a coddled life, it was really, really comfortable!
"Theresa-sama is right; balancing work and rest is very important," Rita said, setting down Theresa's slippers before turning to squeeze a glass of fresh bitter melon juice for her.
Sometimes, Rita wondered why the Fire MOTHs had so much bitter melon, of all things, stocked up. Later, she understood why.
Otto had specifically set aside a plot of land in the vegetable growing base to cultivate bitter melon, grandiosely stating that bitter melon was difficult to grow, making it a dynamic sensor of the garden's environment, and that it was rich in nutrients, and so on...
Rita had read through the numerous reasons Otto gave for cultivating bitter melon, seeing nothing but "righteousness" on the surface. But after spending an entire night examining the virtuous report, she saw two twisted words between the lines—embezzlement.
Was this the dark side of the Fire MOTHs that couldn't be seen? It was truly...
Rita didn't know how to evaluate Otto's blatant acts of corruption, but it was strange, very strange.
"By the way, Rita," Theresa said, taking a long drink of the bitter melon juice before looking up at Rita, "About Bianka..."
"Bianka-sama will definitely be fine," Rita almost reflexively said, interrupting Theresa mid-sentence, something she rarely did.
"That's not it..." Theresa scratched her head. "Have you seen that trending topic on [Spark] recently?"
Rita silently nodded. "The top exploration team [Judgment of Shamash and Hundred Flowers] accepted the S-rank commission to eliminate the [Desert Emperor], the overlord of the Middle East. The route of the mysterious [Girl and Cat] overlaps with the commission area."
"So that means they're likely to meet, right?" Theresa tilted her head and asked.
Rita nodded. "All the Honkai Beasts along [Girl and Cat]'s route have been eliminated. Even the [Desert Emperor] will certainly not back down."
Theresa sighed. It was almost an open secret who "[Girl and Cat]" referred to, but Rita was unwilling to mention it.
"Actually..." Theresa paused, then winked mysteriously at Rita, "I might know the two of [Judgment of Shamash and Hundred Flowers]~"
Rita, who was preparing to brew herself some black tea, raised her head.