"As you understand, a more precise description is: your current state, the essence of your abilities, bears a high similarity to the 'Herrscher of Corruption' and can be considered its conceptual upgraded variant."
The System, with its emotionless electronic voice, delivered rather explosive information. "At the same time, thanks to the residual information of certain deeply connected individuals recorded within the Iron Tomb's database, you possess the ability to 'summon' these informational projections under specific conditions."
Madam Herta was silent for a moment, her slender index finger gently tapping her chin, her ash-white long hair sliding over her shoulder as she slightly tilted her head.
She quickly grasped the key point and asked with a hint of uncertainty, "Individual information records? Summon? Do you mean... I can even summon Golden Descendants or similar to fight?"
"Affirmative, Madam."
The System replied, "As long as an individual has sufficiently clear records in the database, theoretically, an informational projection can be summoned to assist in combat or execute specific commands. Of course, its existence time and strength are limited by your current state and energy supply."
"Hiss—"
Madam Herta took a slight gasp of cold air. Although her expression remained unchanged, a ripple seemed to pass through her eyes.
She muttered to herself, 'Good heavens, isn't this the Honkai version of the Herrscher of Corruption combined with the Honkai: Star Rail version of the Elysian Realm? It's both corruption and summoning; my setup is quite fashionable... Forget it, I'll make the best of it. Thinking too much gives me a headache.'
Collecting herself, she asked a more crucial question: "So, what exactly is my current 'damage'? How big of a hole do I need to fill to restore my 'complete form'?"
A clear progress bar immediately popped up on the panel, with vivid red numbers next to it: [Core Integrity: 20%], [Damage: 80%].
"80%..."
Madam Herta clicked her tongue. This number was so straightforward it made her stomach ache (if she still had a stomach). "So, you mean I have to find a way to fill this 80% 'bottomless pit' to truly become a genuine Envoy without usage limits? Before that, I'm just a 'pretender' with the title of an Envoy, right?"
"Accurate summary, Madam."
"Alright,"
Madam Herta elegantly spread her hands, a natural composure belonging to Madam Herta in her movements. "Then let's talk about the next step. Which world am I going to 'work' in next? I need some mental preparation... though in this space that's nothing but white and a panel, I suppose there's not much to prepare."
The small patterns on the System panel flickered a few times: "Searching for suitable worlds and available missions... Search complete. Target world locked."
"Oh?" Madam Herta seemed to have gained some interest, leaning slightly forward. Although her face under the brim of her hat was still expressionless, her tone carried a hint of confidence belonging to the "former Rupert III" (for a few seconds). "What world? Tell me."
The System, with its small Herta-like, slightly naive voice, clearly stated, "Responding, Madam, the target world is: the Honkai: Star Rail world."
Madam Herta nodded, with such a small movement that it was almost imperceptible: "Hmm, the Honkai: Star Rail world, this..."
The System Space fell into a dead silence.
After a few seconds, Madam Herta repeated in an extremely slow voice, "You... say that again? My ears seemed to have a problem just now; I heard an inauspicious name."
The chibi Herta head on the System panel tilted, "thoughtfully" reminding her in a mechanical voice, "Madam, after detection, your auditory system and associated cognitive modules are operating normally; no malfunctions were found. Repeating: the world you are about to go to is—the Honkai: Star Rail world."
Madam Herta gently clapped her hands, her movements as elegant as if she were at a tea party, but her tilted head and unwavering tone created a strange contrast: "Yes, the Honkai: Star Rail world. Then guess where 'I' originally came from? Didn't I just 'die out' of that place? What, is this 'revisiting old haunts,' or 'returning on the seventh day after death'?"
The System seemed to sense some invisible pressure, and the small flower patterns on the panel's edge even curled up, quickly explaining: "Pacification protocol initiated. Please rest assured, Madam, this target world is not the same branch as your original timeline; it is another independently developed parallel timeline."
Upon hearing this, Madam Herta seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, speaking in an almost operatic tone: "Ah—is that so? Then I'm relieved..."
Then her tone took a sharp turn, with a hint of sarcasm, "...as if!"
She suddenly stood up, her Lolita skirt swirling in a magnificent arc, hands on her hips: "Then I ask you, System! In the Honkai: Star Rail of that timeline, is there a lady named Polka, who likes to perform 'surgery' on people with a small knife?"
The System instantly replied: "Yes."
Madam Herta spread her hands, making an extremely speechless expression: "So? Do you mean for me to travel a thousand miles to offer my head, a small gift with profound meaning? Or to test whose knife is faster, Miss Polka's from a parallel world or her counterpart's? Or perhaps even collect another 'Polka's scalpel' as a souvenir?"
She looked at the System, trying to discern something from that panel: "I say, can we change worlds? Like a more peaceful one, a beginner world where at most I'd have to fight goblins?"
The System was silent for a moment, and the panel began to scroll through highly tempting slogans such as "High Risk, High Reward," "200% Point Bonus," and "Fast Repair is Not a Dream," while persuasively stating: "The potential income of this world's mission is extremely high, which can greatly accelerate your repair process, Madam. And there are special mechanisms to obtain additional resources..."
Madam Herta narrowed her beautiful purplish-black eyes, a dangerous glint flashing through them (though still without much highlight).
She extended a slender index finger and gently poked the panel, her tone inquisitive: "You're acting very strangely... so eager to persuade me to go to that world? You seem... to particularly want me to go there?"
The System panel instantly froze, and the chibi Herta's head turned into a (⊙ˍ⊙) expression.
Madam Herta continued slowly, drawing circles on the panel with her fingertip: "Speaking of which, this 'System' of yours, in terms of its form of existence, is essentially a complex program and information aggregate, right? Theoretically... isn't it also within the scope of my 'enhanced Herrscher of Corruption' business?"
A huge crying emoji with wide, noodle-like tears immediately popped up on the panel (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`).
Immediately after, a virtual document, sparkling with a golden border and bearing a suspicious clown smile watermark, 'slapped' open before Madam Herta.
[Supplementary Agreement on the Repayment of 'Joy Debts' and Temporary Employment]
Party A (Creditor): Aha!
Party B (Debtor/Temporary Employee): Madam Herta (and associated System)
Witness: None (Aha! deemed it unnecessary)
Agreement Summary: Whereas Party A provided crucial assistance (colloquially: life-saving) when Party B individual "Madam Herta" encountered a crisis in the original timeline, successfully allowing Party B's core consciousness to remain and bind to the auxiliary system.
In return, Party B shall, in subsequent cross-world missions, prioritize worlds deemed "fun" by Party A and actively create "joyful" events.
Party A shall pay "Joy Points" according to the magnitude of the "fun," which can be directly exchanged 1:1 for System repair points.
Madam Herta silently looked at this contract, full of "joyful" style. After a long time, she finally sighed helplessly and rubbed her smooth forehead: "Sure enough... once it's related to Honkai: Star Rail, there's no way to avoid this Lord of Joy, right?"
She felt her elegant and composed persona was about to break.
"So, I'll go, alright?"
Madam Herta said resignedly, "But the prerequisite is that you must guarantee I survive! I don't want to step into that world only to be sensed by Polka, then have a silver light fly over and make me a mere background character in the opening animation! That would truly become 'fun' in Aha's eyes!"
Suddenly, she thought of an even more terrifying question, her body stiffening slightly: "Wait! System! What about Polka from 'my original' timeline? I've gone to a parallel world; can she still notice me?"
System: "...Yes. Conceptual markers possess weak trans-timeline sensing capabilities. As your power recovers, this sensing may strengthen."