Sylvia finally got to see Pom-Pom, the Astral Express mascot, in person.
Its fur wasn't particularly long but was fine and dense, giving it a fluffy, plush-like appearance.
The train's interior was more spacious than it seemed in the game, and the decor was noticeably luxurious and refined.
Honestly, Sylvia kinda wanted to experience what it was like to live aboard the express.
Too bad she didn't have the free time lately to join the crew and venture off to Jarilo-VI for adventures.
After all, aside from having already promised Kafka to handle some matters on The Blue, her second date with Firefly probably wasn't too far off either.
Then there were the custom foldable spatial devices she was designing for Bella and Mount No. 1.
Sylvia texted Asta for her thoughts.
According to Asta, there were researchers on the station studying that field, but the specialist in question was working on a project far removed from spatial folding and had been injured during recent events. Their mental state wasn't great.
If Sylvia wanted a custom job, they probably couldn't spare the time.
After learning about Sylvia's connections with the Xianzhou, Asta then suggested seeking help there instead.
Hmm…
Sylvia had originally hoped to get it sorted right there on the space station.
Saving herself the hassle of running back and forth would've been nice.
But there was no helping it.
If the researcher's mental state wasn't good, she couldn't very well ask them to drop their own project to help an outsider like her.
After touring the Astral Express and snapping several photos with Pom-Pom, Stelle finally arrived at the platform.
And she brought her answer with her.
--+--
Just before the express was set to depart, Asta and a Herta puppet also came to the platform, joining Sylvia to bid farewell to Himeko and the others.
"Hey~ Sylvia, you've gotta take me to the Xianzhou sometime!" March 7th waved energetically at Sylvia, eagerly awaiting the promised tour of the Luofu.
"Alright, alright, just give me a call whenever you're heading to the Luofu," Sylvia replied with a laugh, deliberately ignoring Dan Heng's slightly complicated expression.
The train slowly began to move.
Watching the Astral Express gradually pick up speed and depart the station, Sylvia felt a sudden urge to set the scene with some fitting music.
It was almost a shame not to have On My Way playing right then.
She still remembered that tune pretty well.
Recently, she'd been learning a bit of music online with Robin every day and had made some progress.
If she practiced enough, she might even try recreating some songs she remembered from her past.
The Herta puppet beside her had already turned to leave.
But before going, it cast an intrigued look at Bella.
"This little thing is quite interesting too. Sylvia, how about lending it to me for research when you have time?"
"Awoo…"
Bella instinctively sensed danger. The small puppet's gaze carried a terrifying 'lab specimen' vibe, making Bella quickly look to Sylvia and whimper pitifully.
"She's quite clever, you know. Don't treat her like some expendable test subject."
"Tch, what do you take me for? Anyway, it's settled. Also, the Simulated Universe update will be done in a couple of days. You come test it first."
With that, Herta walked to a corner of the corridor and went completely still.
Clearly, she'd logged off again.
After watching the Astral Express vanish completely from sight, Asta snapped back to attention and turned to Sylvia with a bright smile.
Sylvia smiled back and nodded, then spoke up first:
"Asta, I'm planning to head back to The Blue first. As for Bella and Mount No. 1…"
Her idea was to have the space station look after them for a couple of days while she took Bella to the Luofu.
She'd get the Artisanship Commission to make a couple of convenient carrying devices—practically Poké Balls.
"I've already contacted the surface authorities on The Blue for them. With Madam Herta's guarantee, the landing permit was approved almost immediately."
"…Huh? They approved it for Bella's… situation?"
What level of creature was a Doomsday Beast again? And Bella was an upgraded, enhanced version.
The Blue actually dared to grant her landing clearance?
But clearly, Sylvia had underestimated Herta's influence over The Blue.
To put it bluntly, aside from essential civilian and development needs, almost all of The Blue's production resources were prioritized to support the space station's operations.
It was a policy that firmly emphasized clinging tightly to Herta's coattails.
Moreover, even setting Herta aside, every single talent gathered at the space station was the 'one and only' standout from their respective planets.
The weight such a space station carried was immense.
And now, with Asta appointed as its station head by Madam Herta herself, pulling out the 'Herta' card for a guarantee meant smooth sailing with no hesitation.
Not that Asta would ever spell all that out.
"With Madam Herta and me as guarantors, it's fine as long as she doesn't enter the city proper."
"Right, I see."
Sylvia didn't dwell on it. She nodded and walked over to Bella.
"I'll be off then. See you later!"
--+--
Riding Bella all the way from the space station back to The Blue was an absolute thrill for Sylvia.
As for Mount No. 1, that guy seemed to be having the time of its life in the Security Department. Seeing how content it was, Sylvia decided to leave it be.
Back at her residence, Sylvia finally had a moment to take out the puppet Herta had left behind.
Holding the Herta puppet, she laid it flat on the sofa.
"Whew—so cute."
Sylvia gazed at the miniature Herta before her.
It felt like a novel experience, almost like playing with a high-end figurine.
Especially since Herta's outfit was adorable, and her face was crafted exquisitely—almost deliciously so.
Honestly, Sylvia really liked this style of fashion.
But thinking about what she was about to do next made her face flush slightly.
She brought her hands together in a brief, apologetic gesture toward the motionless puppet.
'It's all for the sake of experimentation. I'm sure Madam Herta would understand.'
Muttering to herself, she reached out, placed her hands on the puppet's shoulders, then kicked off her shoes and socks before swinging a leg over to straddle it.
Looking down at the Herta puppet pinned beneath her, Sylvia's hands slid slowly from its shoulders to its neck, then to its face, tracing its features…
This was the first time Sylvia was seriously examining the texture of a puppet.
The skin felt delicate, paired with just the right body temperature and softness.
She wasn't sure how it was designed, but to the touch, it was nearly indistinguishable from human skin.
Yet, at the joints, Herta had deliberately left them feeling like firm, spherical articulations—a clear reminder that this was a puppet, not a real person.
Sylvia stared at 'Herta,' swallowing hard.
Then she silently repeated to herself:
'I can ride her… I can ride her…'
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.