When Ruan Mei returned to Herta's side, Herta looked up at her with a thoughtful expression.
"Making friends everywhere, are we? You never used to be so meddlesome."
Ruan Mei smiled faintly, offering no rebuttal to Herta's words.
Herta simply handed her a bottle of Immortal's Delight.
"Ever since you saved that foxian, you've changed quite a bit. But whatever. I can't be bothered to care. Here, try this."
Ruan Mei looked at the Immortal's Delight Herta had given her, lost in thought. Someone she knew really liked this drink.
"What? You think it's junk food? Bad for your health?"
Bailu, sipping her own Immortal's Delight while munching on a Mofu roll, chimed in.
"It's fine, Big Sister Ruan Mei! Drinking Immortal's Delight occasionally is okay. But if you drink too much, I seriously suspect you won't grow tall."
Drawing on her fragmented memories, Ruan Mei guessed who Bailu meant.
"You're referring to Fu Xuan?"
"Mm! How did you know it was the Grand Diviner?"
Ruan Mei said nothing. She simply took a small sip of the Immortal's Delight.
Herta stood to the side, studying Ruan Mei with a thoughtful expression, searching her memories for any trace of the name "Fu Xuan."
A faint impression... Who was it again?
"Herta. No need to think so hard. Fu Xuan is the Xianzhou native blessed by Nous."
Herta blinked. With Ruan Mei's prompting, she finally recalled the rumor.
"Oh, right—that Xianzhou native blessed by Machine Head. Another short pink-haired girl?"
Ruan Mei nodded helplessly. "Nous" when it suited her, "Machine Head" the rest of the time. Truly Herta.
Bailu froze. She quickly set down her Mofu roll and made a shushing gesture at Herta.
"Shh!! Madam Herta! Don't speak ill of the Grand Diviner in public!
If the Grand Diviner finds out, she'll be furious!"
Herta crossed her arms at Bailu's warning, her expression indifferent.
"That short pink-haired girl is a Xianzhou native. Even with that so-called divination ability, it's constantly rejected by the Abundance's blessing unique to Xianzhou natives."
"In other words, every time she uses her divination, the two blessings clash within her."
Bailu scratched her head.
"So that's why the Grand Diviner always has headaches? I thought it was from working overtime day and night without rest."
"That's essentially correct."
"Then can you and Big Sister Ruan Mei cure her?"
Herta opened her eyes and looked down at Bailu carefully.
"A healer's compassion? The great philanthropist Bailu?"
Bailu quickly shook her head.
"I... I'm not as noble as you make me sound. It's just that the Grand Diviner has always been kind to me. She often settles my bills at the snack shops."
"She helps me so much, and all I can do is give her medicine to relieve fatigue and add a few candies."
Herta turned to look at Ruan Mei.
"Ruan Mei? Anything to say?"
Faced with Herta's question, Ruan Mei calmly set down her Immortal's Delight and replied with composure.
"The blessing of Nous—the pain and the power that come with that Matrix of Prescience—she likely considered all of it before accepting it."
"Since Fu Xuan chose this path herself, we should respect her destiny."
Hearing this, Bailu could only sigh helplessly.
"Ah... well... alright. But I'll find a way to cure the Grand Diviner someday."
Herta gently patted Bailu's head.
"The little Dragon Lady knows how to repay kindness. I'm rooting for you."
Bailu clenched her fists and launched a whirlwind attack at Herta—but due to the height difference, Herta yawned and easily stopped her with one hand.
"You!! You!! Stop patting my head! I won't grow tall! And I'm already several hundred years old!"
"Hmm? I know a way to make you grow."
Bailu instantly calmed down.
"Really?"
Herta glanced at the longevity lock on Bailu's dragon tail.
"Really. But I can't tell you."
Bailu gritted her teeth and glared at Herta. Wasn't this just bullying a dragon?
Bailu studied Herta carefully and gave a little snort. Calling me short? Didn't you pad yourself?
"You!! Hmph. Fine, don't tell me. But one day, I will grow tall—taller than you with your padding!"
Herta's smile froze at Bailu's indignant words.
But she took a deep breath and muttered to herself,
"Sigh. Never stoop to a child's level. It would tarnish the image of a genius."
Bailu crossed her arms and pouted.
"Lies don't hurt people. The truth is the blade that makes a genius crumble."
This time, Herta—who had been trying to maintain her image as a graceful, refined genius—immediately summoned her magic key.
Bailu was so startled she hid behind Ruan Mei.
"I... I was just telling the truth! Madam Herta, didn't you just say I wouldn't grow tall?"
Herta gritted her teeth. Bailu's words reminded her of that silly, clueless girl.
"I've lived for so many Amber Eras, Bailu. You're the first person to dare say that to my face."
"And that short pink-haired girl last time—she said my puppets were short and flat, with less... substance than Silver Wolf."
"No one in this world can make me suffer!!"
In an instant, countless magic mirrors appeared throughout Starskiff Haven. Everyone was shocked.
Even the borisin hiding among the crowd panicked.
"We've been discovered?"
"This isn't Xianzhou power. Stay calm. Adapt to the situation."
March 7th, shopping elsewhere on the Luofu, also felt a wave of killing intent. She looked up at the thousands of mirrors in the sky.
Each mirror held the real Herta, glaring at her with sidelong contempt. March 7th couldn't help but gasp.
"N-no way... She actually heard me badmouthing her behind her back last time?!"
"What do I do, what do I do? I can't just add her as a contact and say 'you haven't even graduated kindergarten' and then block her like usual!"
In the midst of this terrifying mirror domain, cold plum blossoms swept across the water's surface—and everything returned to its original state.
March 7th, on the other side of the Luofu, and Bailu, right there on the scene, both breathed a sigh of relief at the same time.
Bailu & March 7th: That scared me to death. I thought Madam Herta was really going to lose it.
"Herta. Please calm down for a moment."
Herta raised her magic key.
"At the very least, I owe Bailu a proper childhood."
Bailu looked at the key in Herta's hand. Oh no. Magic time was about to end.
"Children speak without thinking. Herta."
Herta extended her hand, motioning for Ruan Mei to hand Bailu over.
"A proper childhood is a good childhood. Don't you agree, Ruan Mei?"
"I... but... I can't lie, can I?"
The moment Bailu said this, Herta's brow furrowed once more.
Sometimes, the truth is just the truth.