The five British officials were initially extremely vigilant. Herta noticed each of them holding a slender wooden rod—or, more accurately, a magic wand.
Herta glanced upward, but the wide brim of her hat obstructed her view. She reached out with her right hand to adjust it, finally spotting the circular, pitch-black Dimensional Rift floating in the sky.
Given that these officials believed a disaster was unfolding in the Outer World and had come to address it, their initial caution was understandable. However, upon seeing Herta, they visibly relaxed somewhat, though they maintained a minimal level of alertness.
One of them stepped forward and asked, "Madam, may I inquire how you arrived here?"
A Dimensional Rift with no monsters in sight, coupled with an oddly dressed individual, made the situation clear. This was most likely an extremely rare Outsider incident.
Still, they needed verbal confirmation.
Herta didn't answer directly. Instead, she crossed her arms, raised an eyebrow, and retorted, "Pointing weapons at strangers? Is that how you greet newcomers in Britain?"
Although Herta's combat ability was practically nonexistent—or, more accurately, she had just become Herta and had no idea how to fight—she felt absolutely no fear.
This absolute confidence stemmed from the overwhelming number of trump cards she held.
Hearing this, the squad leader, who had just stepped forward, glared at his teammates. After ensuring everyone lowered their weapons (magic wands), he bowed slightly to Herta. "We sincerely apologize, madam."
Herta nodded lightly and casually fabricated a story. "I was just in my laboratory when I suddenly found myself here. So... where exactly am I?"
The captain's face lit up with pride. "This is Earth! And this is Great Britain, the greatest nation on this planet!"
With this, Herta's identity as an Outsider was confirmed. The captain glanced upward; the Dimensional Rift seemed to have fulfilled its purpose and was slowly dissipating.
Turning back to Herta, he explained the basic information about the Dimensional Rift. "This is a natural disaster we don't fully understand. You must have been very unfortunate to be caught in it and accidentally transported to our world."
"I'm sorry, but you may not be able to return to your original world for a while. You'll need to stay here for the time being. Rest assured, Great Britain will do its best to accommodate most of your requests and make you feel as comfortable as you would at home."
"By the way, madam, what is your name?"
Herta pondered for a moment before replying, "Just call me Herta."
Although her current identity in the Honkai: Star Rail game was "The Herta," she couldn't very well introduce herself as such. It would sound too bizarre. Besides, she didn't have any Herta Puppets with her yet. If she ever managed to create them, she could simply call them "Little Herta."
The team leader continued, "Madam Herta, are you a mage?"
After all, Herta's outfit practically radiated magical energy. Anyone seeing her would instinctively assume she possessed magical abilities.
Herta shrugged indifferently. "If that's what you think, then sure."
For Herta Herself, there was essentially no difference between magic and science. Imagine a modern person traveling back to ancient times and producing fire with a lighter or playing music from a speaker. To the ancients, wouldn't these seem like miracles or magic?
Similarly, when rapidly advancing technology presents futuristic techniques to modern eyes, they appear indistinguishable from magic. This is the essence of Herta's "magic": science so far ahead of its time that it seems magical.
Conversely, even if it were true magic, Herta would still see it as merely an undiscovered branch of science, easily learned and mastered through study.
In the game, whether Herta wields genuine magic or futuristic technology remains a mystery known only to herself. This brings us back to our initial point: for Herta, there is no distinction between magic and science.
Returning to the present, after Herta personally "confessed" to being a Mage, the Captain's expression visibly brightened with excitement. Upon reflection, this was understandable, given Great Britain's renowned status as a land steeped in magic.
Did an Outsider—especially one who wielded magic—mean they could introduce entirely new and unprecedented forms of magic, thereby expanding the nation's magical reserves?
Involuntarily, the Captain's attitude grew even more deferential. After all, he had personally escorted this "Outsider," and his contribution would undoubtedly be significant.
The Captain gave a slight bow, extended his right hand toward Herta, and said in a refined, gentlemanly tone, "My name is Byron Ellison. I'd be honored to serve as your guide and show you around Great Britain."
However, Herta didn't shake his hand. Instead, she casually walked past him toward the Magic Gate, sensing a palpable aura of calculation and opportunism emanating from him.
Previously, whether it was Robin in the Dragon Nation or Firefly's first encounter with European Union officials, their interactions had always been marked by genuine friendliness and concern. This time was different. The smile on Captain Ellison's face felt utterly insincere.
Even in his previous sentence, the Captain had deliberately mentioned his name, likely hoping Herta would remember him.
When Herta ignored him, the Captain didn't take offense. Instead, he hurried to catch up and walked alongside her, asking, "Ms. Herta, may I ask what your previous home was like? What kind of magic exists there, and what types of magic can you wield?"
It was clear that if he couldn't get any information out of Herta, this persistent man would likely continue to pester her. But what magic did Herta actually know?
The solution was simple. Herta smiled faintly and replied, "The magic I know? Oh, there's far too much to list! For example, I can conjure flowers, make shaved ice, brew sweet tea..."
Every spell she rattled off was just mundane, everyday magic of the Frieren brand, completely improvised.