Herta heard this and fell silent. She could only close her eyes to hide her inner panic.
"I only messed up once this time. Not bad, right?"
That smug expression on Herta's face.
One: she was hiding something.
Two: it was practically screaming at Ruan Mei: Praise me! Compliment me! Sing of the great Madam Herta's accomplishments!!
Even Wisteria Cake shot Herta a glare.
You messed up twice. And without me, the kitchen would still be exploding.
Poor Herta #1612 got blown clear out of the kitchen. (Reference from the PV—some of you might have seen it.)
Ruan Mei smiled faintly. She leaned in and whispered in Herta's ear.
"Wisteria Cake's expression already told me everything."
Herta froze. She quickly summoned her magic key and, before Wisteria Cake could react, teleported her away.
Ruan Mei chuckled inwardly. Without your strategist, Herta, you're really something.
Unaware of Ruan Mei's thoughts, Herta sighed.
"Sigh, Ruan Mei. You should know—mistakes pave the way to success."
"I came to discuss a new Simulated Universe experiment with you."
Ruan Mei gave a soft "Oh." Her cool, distant gaze remained fixed on Herta.
That gaze held doubt. Interrogation. In those frosty eyes, Herta's own reflection stared back.
Herta instinctively stepped back. Ruan Mei advanced. Until Herta could retreat no further.
"Stop!! There's something else. Besides the Simulated Universe."
Ruan Mei blinked, studying her.
Knowing Herta, she'd make excuses. She'd never voluntarily bring up running from my confession.
Herta adjusted her magic hat and feigned composure with a cough.
"Ahem. I wanted to invite you back to the space station. Your Starcrusher Swarm King is having... issues."
"Hmm? What's wrong with it?"
Herta's gaze darted away. She couldn't meet Ruan Mei's eyes.
Truth be told, with Ruan Mei gone, the Simulated Universe data got boring. I missed her. But I couldn't bring myself to reach out.
So, in my frustration, I took it out on the Starcrusher Swarm King.
Even though it only lives for fifty-six seconds, I kept erasing it. Reviving it. Erasing it again...
One day, I reset it about a thousand times.
Now, whenever it sees me, it just gives up. The Starcrusher light in its eyes has completely dimmed.
"How to put it... it might have some psychological trauma now."
Ruan Mei understood immediately. She could guess what Herta had been doing.
A slightly smug, ethereal voice echoed in her mind.
[Sigh. Poor little thing. An Emanator, no less.]
[But it's Ruan Mei's creation. Stuck on Herta Space Station. Opens its eyes, and—bam—magical finality.]
(A/N: Stelle hasn't visited the space station in ages. March 7th and Firefly are keeping her busy. No one's farming the Starcrusher Swarm King.)
[It cries. It wails. No one can save it. So pathetic.] ♪
Ruan Mei picked up her teacup, took a sip, and replied coolly.
"So, if I don't return to the space station, the Starcrusher Swarm King will never know peace. Is that it?"
Herta picked up a plum cake and smiled, waving a hand dismissively.
"It's just a little traumatized. Nothing I can do about it. Of course, I'm not forcing you to come back."
"Oh?"
---
Minutes passed. The two geniuses remained silent, each calculating the other's next words.
A foxian voice interrupted.
"Benefactor. I've bid farewell to the Express crew and Generals Feixiao and Yukong. I've returned."
"Oh, and this is?"
Herta's gaze shifted to Tingyun. *The sixth sense warned me about her?*
She began calculating.
Another Xianzhou native. But Lingsha taught me something: the gap between geniuses and ordinary people is absolute.
You're just like Lingsha. This crisis isn't as dire as I imagined.
Herta half-closed her eyes, confidently flicked her bangs, and declared with proud aloofness,
"Herta and I are both Genius Society members. We've known each other for several Amber Eras. And you?"
Tingyun blinked. Clever as she was, she caught the subtext immediately.
(Both geniuses: emphasizing the gap between us.)
(Several Amber Eras: I'm a Xianzhou foxian. Long-lived, yes. But compared to Herta? I won't live long enough. I can't stay by benefactor's side forever.)
Tingyun smiled gracefully and stepped closer to Ruan Mei.
"Me? I'm just a forgotten Foxian my benefactor saved by chance."
"Staying by Ruan Mei's side is simply to repay her kindness. Hmm... come to think of it, she only agreed to let me stay yesterday."
"And you, Madam Herta?"
The question carried not just pride but also challenge.
Herta gritted her teeth. These Xianzhou natives and foxians... why can't they be more like Asta?!
She shot Tingyun a glare of absolute zero.
"Do you know what Ruan Mei said to me on the Luofu's Star-Gazing Terrace a month ago?!"
Tingyun froze. She forced a smile.
She didn't know the details. But facing Herta, who seemed to have unleashed her ultimate move, she felt a flicker of panic.