Acheron found Bai Ming's proposal to be utterly nonsensical.
Herta was a genius, after all. Why would Madam Herta be so bored as to run off to this tiny world just to have a go at Polka Kakamond?
Bai Ming, however, didn't share that sentiment.
"You don't get it. Someone like Herta is incredibly competitive, and she's been nursing a grudge against Kakamond for ages. If there's a real chance to mess with her, Herta will definitely jump at the chance to scrap."
"..."
Seeing that Acheron still looked unconvinced, Bai Ming gave a mysterious smile.
"Let's place a bet, then. I bet Herta joins in."
"Setting aside whether Madam Herta comes or not, I think she'd be furious if she knew you were using her as a gambling chip."
"Oh, please! It's such a small thing. We just won't tell her!"
Bai Ming winked at Acheron and then asked, "I'm heading to Herta City. Are you coming with me, or will you wait here for my return?"
"I'll wait for you here."
Acheron declined the invitation.
Bai Ming didn't push it. After syncing the flow of time between the inner and outer layers of the small world, she chose to depart for Herta City.
Fortunately, Bai Ming wasn't locked out by the firewall this time.
She appeared before Herta with a fair bit of swagger. Although she felt that Herta would likely agree if she simply asked her to come along, Bai Ming decided to be fair.
She wouldn't mention her own desires; she'd just focus on the matter of Polka Kakamond.
"There's an opportunity to trade blows with Polka Kakamond. Want a shot?"
Herta, who had been about to speak, froze for a moment. She set down her teacup with a serious expression, her gaze suddenly becoming razor-sharp.
"Details. Now."
"I'll keep it brief. It goes something like this: I was researching IX recently..."
Bai Ming gave a quick summary of the background, but before she could even get to the part about Polka Kakamond, Herta's expression turned utterly unreadable.
That look seemed to be demanding how Bai Ming had managed to stir up such a mess in just a few days of being away.
However, as soon as Polka Kakamond was mentioned, Herta's eyes lit up again.
"You're saying that woman, Kakamond, threw herself into the trap single-handedly using a puppet?"
"It wasn't exactly 'throwing herself into a trap,' since I had no intention of targeting her in the first place," Bai Ming corrected Madam Herta with a helpless sigh.
"You specifically came to find me to deal with her, and you're saying you're not targeting her?"
"What Kakamond wants is to explore the truth of that world. Once you go in and fight her, will you really be able to resist telling her?"
"Hmm... well, I certainly would reveal some intel. Otherwise, the fight would be dreadfully dull."
Although Herta loathed Kakamond's past actions against her, she appreciated Polka Kakamond on an academic level. If she didn't, she wouldn't have kept trying to invite Kakamond into her little circle in the original world.
And while Herta didn't mind using certain 'methods,' she clearly cherished the chance for a clash between geniuses.
So, Bai Ming spread her hands with a smile.
"See? How can that be called targeting? It's just a tiny, tiny little reminder about wandering into my territory uninvited."
Herta rolled her eyes at her.
What a load of rubbish.
A 'reminder'? She could have just tossed her out and been done with it. Instead, she'd come all this way just to fetch her.
"I can't be bothered with you. Let's go. Take me to this world of yours. I want to see what that simulated Aha you kicked out looks like now."
Besides Polka Kakamond, Herta was also very curious about the simulated Aha that had been thrown out and then recruited by Bai Ming. The chaotic data that thing had left behind in the Simulated Universe was, to put it mildly, quite memorable.
Herta stood up and walked over to Bai Ming, taking her hand as if ready to depart.
But Bai Ming blinked and, with her other hand, pulled out a mask and held it out.
"You're obviously supposed to log in from here. That place is the border of Nihility; you didn't think you were going in person, did you?"
Herta arched an eyebrow.
She reached out, taking the mask and examining it for a moment. Then, with an air of indifference, she tossed it onto the nearby table.
"Actually, I am a bit curious. And besides, I have you to protect me, don't I? What is there to worry about?"
Now it was Bai Ming's turn to have a headache.
While she could indeed guarantee that Herta wouldn't be touched by even a speck of Nihility while with her, what if?
Nihility was an insidious thing. What if Herta got infected just by looking at the great black sun hanging there one too many times?
She didn't dare gamble on those odds. Even if they were to go, it would have to be after Bai Ming had solved the issue of the Self-Annihilators. Then, even if Herta was tainted, Bai Ming could step in and fix it.
Not now, while she was still a novice at this, bringing someone to such a dangerous place.
"Ugh... my dear Madam Herta, let's not be so trusting right now, okay?"
"What do you mean 'your' Madam Herta? You should call me 'My Dearest Madam Herta'!"
Herta poked Bai Ming's forehead hard with her finger.
"You should be laughing in your sleep that you have my trust. To say such a thing—the day I stop believing in you, you'll be the one crying."
"Right, right. My Dearest Madam Herta."
"Ugh... why does everything sound so sappy when it comes out of your mouth?"
Disgust was written all over Herta's face, but her eyes were dancing with amusement.
Since Bai Ming was so insistent, Herta wasn't bent on going in person right this second. So, after her finger dropped from Bai Ming's forehead, she picked up the mask again.
"Fine, fine. I'll settle for this. Anything to keep you from complaining later about me being a difficult woman."
"Why are you attacking me from a different angle every day now?"
Bai Ming watched Herta with a chuckle. The woman's current demeanor was quite a contrast to her usual self.
"Wait, were you just thinking about something inappropriate?"
Herta felt a sudden shiver. Looking at Bai Ming's expression, she didn't have proof, but she felt like the girl was up to no good. But Bai Ming didn't blush or stammer, showing no weakness at all.
"You attack me and then try to pin it on me? Just put on the mask and get in there already."
"..."
Herta stared at Bai Ming for a while. Finding no flaws, she gave a light huff, sat back down in her chair, and donned the mask.
The power of Elation stirred, reaching out to that small world at the edge of Nihility and weaving the form of Big Herta within it. Then, Madam Herta's consciousness followed the path of Elation and synced into the body.
Herta opened her eyes and looked around. It seemed like a very ordinary world at first glance.
Aside from a rather conspicuous, barely human-shaped Sin Thirster that looked entirely out of place, there wasn't much worth noting.
"Hmm... let's find where that woman Kakamond is first. I wonder if she'll notice if I call her name here."
Herta muttered Kakamond's name quite openly. Whether the other woman would notice or not would be a key factor in Herta's assessment of Kakamond's abilities.
Meanwhile, Bai Ming watched as Herta lost consciousness in the chair. She sighed and walked over, picking the woman up in her arms.
Looking at the masked Herta, she whispered a wry complaint, "At least go lie down in the room before you go under. Starting while sitting in a chair... aren't you afraid of falling off?"
"..."
Of course, Herta, already immersed in the joy of clashing with Kakamond, couldn't hear her.
Even if she had, she likely wouldn't have cared. After all, it was precisely because Bai Ming was here, standing right in front of her, that Herta felt comfortable enough to put on the mask and drift off so carelessly. She knew Bai Ming wouldn't just leave her there.
After carrying Herta back to the bedroom and tucking her in, Bai Ming didn't linger.
Before leaving, however, she had a sudden spark of mischief. She took a stamp and pressed a chibi version of herself onto Herta's cheek.
Then, she materialized a Light Cone and placed it by Herta's pillow before finally leaving Herta City.
Back at the edge of Nihility, Bai Ming looked at Acheron, arched an eyebrow, and flashed a victorious grin.
"You should have seen it by now. Herta joined in with plenty of enthusiasm, didn't she?"
"I saw. Though, I thought you would bring Madam Herta here in person."
Acheron gestured toward the world inside. There, Herta had already found Kakamond, who was still exploring.
Kakamond was currently shocked that Herta had entered this place in her own likeness. In this world, the only ones who looked human—aside from NPCs—were Sin Thirsters who were on the verge of letting go of their obsessions.
Herta, meanwhile, was equally taken aback that Kakamond had turned into such a ghoulish mess.
All in all, both sides were so surprised by the other's situation that they didn't immediately come to blows. Instead, they had settled into a coffee shop quite harmoniously and started chatting.
Bai Ming withdrew her gaze for a moment, shooing away the simulated Aha that was trying to play a prank.
"She wanted to come, but I stopped her. Besides, I don't think you'd want to see others stepping foot in here either."
"I certainly don't like seeing it. But things are different now. Since you can create a world like this, I believe you can also solve the problem of the Self-Annihilators."
Acheron was just like Herta. At times like this, she had an extraordinary amount of faith in Bai Ming's abilities.
After all, almost everything Bai Ming had said or promised in the past had either come true or was on its way to becoming reality. It was hard not to believe her.
However, for Bai Ming, this unconditional trust was a mixture of pressure and warmth.
"...Why do you all love saying things like that? That was Herta's reason, and now you're saying it too."
"Madam Herta said that as well?"
For some reason, upon hearing Bai Ming's remark, Acheron's expression shifted slightly, settling into a look of deep thought.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL