"If you've got nothing better to do, you could go clean out all the Fragmentum monsters inside and outside the space station."
Inside Herta's office, Herta glanced at Clara, who was sitting in a chair, chin propped on her hand, legs swinging idly back and forth.
"Having you watch me here is interfering with my experiments."
"Interfering? You bet it's interfering. Why else would I be sitting here watching if not to interfere?"
Herta: …
Clara's cheeky, grinning face was giving Herta a headache.
"Suit yourself."
After a period of silence, Herta tossed out those words and stopped paying any attention to Clara, calming her mind to focus on observing the data from Stelle's body.
"Hmm…" Seeing Herta completely ignore her, Clara couldn't help but feel a bit bored.
"Hertaaaa."
Far too bored, Clara decided to find some amusement in Herta herself.
"…"
Whether she was too focused on the experiment to hear, or simply didn't want to acknowledge Clara, Herta showed no reaction.
"Herta~ Big sis~"
Clara hopped down from the chair, walked over to Herta's side, and called her name in a saccharine, sugary-sweet voice.
"…"
Herta remained just as before, paying Clara no mind.
Seeing this, Clara understood. It wasn't that Herta was too focused on the experiment—she just plain didn't want to deal with her.
Having confirmed this thought, a smile slowly curled at the corner of Clara's mouth.
"C'mon, let me see if you're developing properly, Big Sis Herta~"
Clara extended her wicked hands toward Herta's body, letting them roam freely all over her.
Herta examines Stelle's body, I examine Herta's body. Hmm~ Absolutely perfect.
"What do you think you're doing?" Feeling Clara's hands wandering over her form, Herta pushed Clara away, her expression somewhat exasperated.
Herta had originally planned that no matter what Clara said or did, if she just didn't engage, Clara would naturally get bored and leave…
But it seemed she had still underestimated her…
If she didn't stop her quickly, who knows what else she might do later.
Even though this was just a puppet, the sensation of Clara's hands roaming over it was still remarkably realistic. Because of that, Herta really couldn't take much more.
"I'm just helping you get a check-up, Big Sis Herta~ With all the experiments you run every day, it's inevitable some hidden issues might crop up in your body. As your dear little sister, of course I have to care about your physical well-being~"
"This is just a puppet. If it breaks, I'll swap to another one," Herta massaged her forehead and sighed. "Not to mention the whole universe, there are plenty of puppets just within this space station. So, you really don't need to worry about that."
"But your spirit still gets tired, Big Sis~" Hearing this, Clara's face took on a look of concern. "Running so many experiments every day, even as an Emanator of Erudition, your spirit must get a bit weary, right?"
Listening to Clara's words, Herta paused slightly. This was the first time in… so long… that anyone had shown concern for her…
Since joining the Genius Society, becoming an Emanator of Erudition, and enjoying a revered status across the universe, how long had it been since she'd received anyone's genuine concern?
Herta didn't know. It was too long ago…
But today, that long-lost, comfortable feeling of being cared for had once again surfaced in Herta's mind.
"Thank you."
Thinking this, Herta's tone softened considerably, and her mental impression of Clara gained many more positive points.
Of course, even with many more positive points, the negative still overwhelmingly outweighed the positive in Herta's view of Clara.
But at least for now, Herta was willing to let Clara occupy a positive space in her mind… for a little while.
"No need to thank me~" Clara chuckled, then continued: "Big Sis Herta, I know a really comfortable massage technique. It even helps relax the spirit. Would you like to try it, Big Sis Herta?"
Innocent concern flickered in Clara's expression, as if she was genuinely thinking of Herta.
"Hmm, I'll try it." Rarely putting down her experiment, Herta nodded and agreed to Clara's massage offer.
But after waiting a bit, Clara hadn't moved. Herta looked at her with a puzzled gaze.
"Well… Big Sis Herta," Clara sighed, her expression seeming a bit troubled. "Even though your consciousness is attached to this puppet, and the sensations it feels are transmitted to you… When it comes down to it, there's still some interference. The effectiveness of the massage would be greatly reduced."
Herta: "So?"
"So…" Clara grinned, her face full of apparent "sincerity." "Big Sis Herta, just tell me where your real body is, and I'll go give you the massage right now."
"Is that so? I'm at… right, I'm currently at… Wait, no!" Hearing this, Herta nodded and started to blurt out her main body's location, but before she could finish the address, she caught herself.
She looked at Clara with a deeply cautious expression.
"What are you trying to do?"
"Huh?" Seeing Herta's wary look, Clara seemed a little hurt. "I… I just wanted to help Big Sis Herta, that's all…"
"Really?" Herta was clearly skeptical. Who'd be fool enough to believe the words of a Masked Fool?
"Really!" Clara nodded with great seriousness, then let out a somewhat dejected sigh. "Sigh, if Big Sis Herta is uncomfortable with it, then forget it. No need for little ol' me to go looking for trouble…"
Herta studied Clara suspiciously for a moment, then ultimately chose to "believe" her.
"Fine. I'm currently at [redacted address]."
"Got it~" Upon hearing this, Clara committed the address to memory, then couldn't help letting a wicked smile slip out.
"Big Sis Herta, hehehe~ hehehe."
"Wait patiently for little Clara to come and lavish attention on you."
The instant she obtained the address, Clara revealed her true intentions. The next second, she vanished from the office, heading in the direction of the address.
Herta: …
"Sigh…" Herta rubbed her head helplessly. "What a living Buddha."
After this lament, Herta returned to her research on the Stellaron creature's experiments.
You ask why Herta isn't the least bit worried? Isn't she afraid Clara might do indescribable things after finding Herta's main body?
Of course she isn't worried. Just now, Herta had kept her wits about her. After all, Clara had far too much prior form… Herta didn't dare fully believe her words.
Therefore, Herta had given Clara the address of her previous location.
That still counts as giving it, right?
So, this round goes to Erudition!
…
I have completed the author to TL pipeline, 2 chapters per day. 150+ chapters in advance on patreon.
patreon.com/intraneer
Give power stones please I survive solely off of number go up.