"Ms. Herta, do you have any way to contact Mr. Su Ran?"
Aventurine and Topaz stood before Herta, both wearing matching expressions of misery.
Su Ran had left Herta Space Station.
He left mere moments before they arrived.
If they didn't know better, Aventurine would've suspected Su Ran had a personal grudge against the IPC.
"For the last time—no.
Are you two done bothering me?
If I had a way to contact him, would I still be wasting time talking to you!?"
Herta was just as frustrated as they were.
Su Ran left before she learned anything useful!
Not a single device was fully deciphered.
The galaxy-sealing crystal sphere? Too difficult.
The teleportation device? Too precious to dismantle and not hers to begin with.
She only had usage rights, not ownership.
And Herta may be shameless, but she still had principles.
"Well… could you lend the teleportation device to the IPC for research?"
Since they couldn't find Su Ran, Aventurine could only aim for the next best thing.
"Lend? To you?"
Herta snorted.
"That thing isn't even mine.
If you want it so badly, go ask the owner.
Why ask me?"
Aventurine forced a polite smile.
Right—this was Herta.
No one in the company had the courage to pressure her.
"You two better keep your hands to yourselves," Herta warned lazily.
"That guy isn't someone you can afford to provoke.
He still has a gestating Procreation Aeon Emanator under his command.
If you anger him—
I doubt your company can handle the consequences."
If the universe fell into Stellaron Swarm Calamity 2.0, even Herta would suffer.
Still… she wouldn't put it past the IPC to do something stupid.
"I assure you," Aventurine replied, sweating, "we know our limits.
Fighting a Wisdom Emanatorand a Procreation Emanator?
No sane person would try."
Aventurine enjoyed betting— but he wouldn't bet on a guaranteed loss.
Facing two Aeon Emanator's?
He'd rather take his chances with two Ebon Deer Lords.
Topaz tried again.
"Then what about the crystal sphere that sealed a galaxy?
Could the IPC purchase that?"
"It's not mine," Herta repeated, deadpan.
"Ask the owner."
Yet another dead end.
Topaz found herself silently screaming.
"Did Su Ran leave anything behind?" Aventurine tried.
"Oh, yes."
Herta perked up.
Aventurine's eyes brightened.
"What is it?"
"He delivered a star a few days ago.
Nearly destroyed our entire system.
Want it?
I'll give it to you for free— if you can retrieve it yourselves."
Aventurine & Topaz:
…We're going home.
Stars were the most worthless thing in the universe.
Planets were rare.
Stars were everywhere.
Herta folded her arms.
"If you don't have urgent business, don't bother me.
If you do have urgent business, don't bother me.
That way we both stay happy.
I'm busy. Goodbye."
Aventurine & Topaz:
We are NOT happy!
At Su Ran's unfinished space station
A Herta puppet suddenly appeared among the group.
Everyone turned toward it with curiosity.
Especially the joints—obviously a puppet.
Roughly constructed, stiff, not at all lifelike.
Ei immediately felt superior.
Her own puppet body was flawless ordinary people couldn't even tell the difference.
Then the puppet moved.
Herta had just connected her consciousness.
The moment she saw Su Ran—
She pounced.
"LET ME SEE—!"
She lunged onto him and immediately reached for his clothes.
From an outsider's perspective?
A shameless female delinquent assaulting a man in public.
Utterly ungraceful.
"Don't do that, Herta-sis "
Su Ran held her forehead at arm's length, preventing further chaos.
"But it's your real body!
Let me study it!"
Herta stuck her tongue out unconsciously.
The life-form even the Erudition Aeon couldn't analyze was right in front of her—
how could she not be excited?
"One more move and I send you back."
"…Fine."
She froze instantly.
"So this is your home world?"
Herta looked around in curiosity.
The half-built space station…
The absurd building speed…
Much faster than anything she could replicate.
Jealousy flickered in her eyes.
Then she noticed the women gathered around Su Ran.
Every kind of beauty imaginable.
None of them impressed her.
"Not one of them is as pretty as me."
Such narcissism.
Such arrogance.
And yet because she was Herta, it sounded natural.
One person, however, caught her eye.
She walked straight to Ningguang.
"White hair… red eyes…?
Long legs?"
Herta reached out and pulled open Ningguang's qipao slit.
Ningguang instinctively stepped back several paces.
What is this creature!?
So rude!
"Say something," Herta commanded, crooking her finger.
"…What?" Ningguang frowned, confused.
Herta clicked her tongue.
"Voice isn't sweet at all.
Worse than Topaz's, honestly."
After examining her, Herta looked genuinely disappointed.
"Are you rich?"
At that moment, Ningguang understood.
Herta was verifying Su Ran's… bizarre criteria.
Yes—he really had said those things.
"In that world?"
Ningguang gestured toward Teyvat.
"I am among the wealthiest."
"...That's it?"
Herta sighed.
"No wonder he said he'd rather train a rich woman than find one already made."
Her words stabbed straight into Ningguang's heart.
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