"Hey, hasn't Sam come back yet?" Clara didn't spot any sign of Sam or Firefly around the house and turned to Kafka with a puzzled look.
"After finishing this mission, Elio sent Sam off on another one." Kafka let out a light laugh, answering Clara's question.
"Hmm… alright then." Hearing that, Clara couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. If Sam and Firefly had returned, she could've taken her to the Herta Space Station for a good time.
"..." Watching Clara's expression closely, Elio quietly breathed a sigh of relief in his mind. Good thing he'd just made up a random mission to keep Sam busy. Otherwise, if Clara dragged Sam to the Herta Space Station and stirred up trouble, things could've gotten messy.
Well, then again, given all the trouble Clara managed to cause on her own, one more incident might not have made much difference.
"So… when are you all starting the mission?" Clara thought for a moment before asking Elio and the others.
"In a little while. Why, what do you have in mind?" Elio replied, eyeing Clara cautiously.
"What's with that look? You're making me seem like some kind of troublemaking demon lord," Clara said, hands on her hips, clearly annoyed by Elio's expression.
"Aren't you?" Elio shot back.
Clara: …
"Putting aside the facts, isn't this just me boosting our Stellaron Hunters' reputation?
Look how famous we've become across the universe!"
"Well, thank you so much for that," Elio sneered, offering a "compliment."
"Hehe, it was nothing, really." Clara scratched her head, actually looking a little embarrassed.
Elio: ?
"You didn't actually think I was praising you, did you?"
"Weren't you?"
"…"
…
Above Planet Sapphire, the Herta Space Station
"Wowww, it's so huge! As expected of big sis Herta. To have such a massive space station… Clara's really jealous~" Gazing at the enormous space station before her, Clara acted like a girl who'd never seen the world, her face brimming with excitement.
"The Interastral Peace Corporation built all this for me. It doesn't have much to do with me personally," the puppet controlled by Herta shook its head, maintaining a distance of over two meters from Clara.
That last whack had nearly given Herta psychological trauma.
"But that's only because big sis Herta is so amazing. If I applied, the IPC would never build a space station for me," Clara sighed with disappointment.
Herta: ?
What are you disappointed about? The IPC would build you a space station over their dead bodies—you just blew up their headquarters! They're not chasing you down for that already? And you want them to build you a space station?
Well… actually, the IPC has been after Clara this whole time.
"If you like it, while I can't give you the space station, I could at least rename it after you."
"No, no, this is big sis Herta's thing. How could Clara possibly covet it?" Clara shook her head, declining Herta's offer.
But the moment the words left her mouth, Clara's expression shifted instantly into a mischievous grin:
"Big sis Herta, did you think I'd say something like that?
But actually, no—Clara never turns down a kind offer.
So, I'll gratefully accept big sis Herta's generosity today~
From now on, the Herta Space Station is officially renamed… the Clara Space Station!"
Herta: …
You took a polite remark seriously, didn't you?
Herta couldn't help but grumble inwardly, though she didn't dwell on it too much. After all, once she'd said it, she wasn't about to take it back. Besides, a name was just a name—it didn't matter much to her. So, rename it if she wanted.
But calling it the [Clara] Space Station… the IPC might come knocking later because of that…
The thought gave Herta a bit of a headache.
"How about… you pick a different name?"
"No way, no way! I want my name to echo across the universe!" Clara beamed, striking a triumphant pose.
Herta: …
The last time Herta was this speechless was… well, the last time. Given that Clara had blown up the IPC headquarters, probably every corner of the universe—except maybe some backwater, isolated planets—knew the infamous name "Clara" by now.
Whatever. The IPC has issues with Clara, but what does that have to do with me, Herta? I admire Clara personally and want to be friends. If the IPC has a problem with even that, then there's nothing more to say.
"So, why did you come to the Herta Space Sta— the Clara Space Station?"
"Huh? So hurtful! I didn't expect big sis Herta to forget so quickly." At those words, Clara's eyes instantly welled up, as if she were about to burst into tears.
"Didn't big sis Herta invite me here to be a test subject…"
"Sigh…" Herta took a deep breath. This girl, Clara—being a Stellaron Hunter was such a waste of talent. In Herta's opinion, Clara should've been acting in space operas. Her acting skills were absolutely unmatched.
"My apologies, my memory slipped.
Follow me."
…
Herta walked ahead, leading the way. The researchers passing by all showed her respectful looks, while also eyeing Clara with curiosity.
Anyone personally escorted by Lady Herta couldn't be ordinary. Plus, most researchers found Clara's face somewhat familiar—probably some big shot from a certain faction or field.
"I didn't expect big sis to have such high prestige in the space station. Not like little old me, oppressed within the Stellaron Hunters, boohoo~" Watching the researchers around her, Clara wiped away the tears that didn't actually exist in her eyes.
Herta: …
Where is this faint scent of green tea in the air coming from?
Herta ignored Clara, and the two soon arrived at Herta's office.
"Wowww! So this is the Simulated Universe? Truly the work of geniuses."
Once inside the office, Clara's eyes sparkled (fake sparkles) as she gazed at the enormous "universe" before her.
Having logged who-knows-how-many hours grinding in the Simulated Universe in the game, she'd long lost any sense of novelty about it.
But to show her admiration for big sis Herta~, Clara still put on an interested act.
"Hmph! Of course." Hearing that, Herta straightened up, her small face filled with immense pride.
This was the masterpiece of several geniuses. The Simulated Universe would be the first step toward unraveling the secrets of the Aeons!
"Alright, alright, let's get started." Unable to contain her excitement, Herta pointed to a chair beneath the Simulated Universe and said to Clara:
"Sit there, close your eyes, and relax your mind."
"Okay-dokey~"
Watching Clara take her seat, Herta walked over to the control panel beside the Simulated Universe, fiddled with it for a moment, her face lit up with excitement.
"And so, the mysteries of the Aeons… shall begin to unfold today!!!"
As Herta's words fell, Clara's vision went dark instantly, pulling her into the Simulated Universe.
Once Clara entered, Herta kept her eyes fixed on the screen. Only when Clara's image appeared on the display did a look of joy and a smile spread across Herta's face.
"The Aeons…"
Herta muttered to herself, her face alight with excitement.
While Herta's attention was entirely on the screen, Clara, sitting in the chair, quietly opened one eye.
'Big sis Herta~ Hehehe, hehehe.'
…
Clara: About the Clara Space Station
Oh, that? It's just named after me, but it still belongs to Herta.
Well… at least for now~ o(￣▽￣)ブ
…
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