Stelle woke up with a headache and body aches, her consciousness struggling to surface, as if submerged at the bottom of murky water.
She blinked blankly. Everything was dark, and the smell of wood lingered in her nose.
(Where... is this?)
She moved her stiff body and realized she was curled up in a small space.
She reached out and pushed; a door panel opened, letting light stream in.
She scrambled out of—a closet—feeling a bit disheveled, leaning on the closet door as she dazedly looked around.
The familiar room arrangement... it was her room at the Goethe Hotel.
But why was she sleeping in the closet? And why did her whole body ache? There seemed to be a throbbing bump on her forehead... Just as she was rubbing her head, trying to sort out her confused memories, a cold yet slightly lazy female voice sounded in the room:
"Awake?"
Stelle abruptly turned her head and realized that a figure was sitting in the armchair by the window, having appeared at some unknown time.
Against the light, the first thing she saw was the mysterious purple witchs hat.
When her eyes adjusted to the light and she saw the person's face clearly, she couldn't help but gasp.
(M-Ms. Herta?!)
But the next second, she noticed the difference.
Although she had the same strikingly delicate features as Ms. Herta, her long hair was moonlit ash-white, casually draped over her shoulders.
She was wearing a purple-black, off-the-shoulder Lolita dress and a matching witchs hat. A small skull pendant hung around her neck, and her purple-black eyes, lacking highlights, were calmly fixed on Stelle.
Her demeanor was mysterious and elegant, yet carried a hint of oppression.
Startled by the person who had appeared without a sound, Stelle subconsciously took half a step back and nearly tripped over the rug.
She steadied herself, scrutinizing the person. The more she looked, the more familiar the figure seemed. "You... you're... the one who took the Herta Puppet back at the Space Station?!"
Black Herta nodded slightly, acknowledging the previous "chance encounter."
Stelle watched her warily, subconsciously clenching her fists. "Who exactly are you? Why do you look so much like Ms. Herta?"
Black Herta's lips curved into an amused smile. She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand, her elbow propped on the armrest, and her voice held a hint of teasing. "Guess?"
Stelle frowned, examining the person carefully.
Sisters? Mother and daughter? Clones?
Countless melodramatic plots flashed through her mind.
Finally, the most logical (?) guess escaped her lips: "You... you wouldn't happen to be Herta's sister, would you?"
Hearing this, Black Herta was visibly stunned, a flicker of surprise passing through her purple-black eyes.
She hadn't expected the Stelle's thought process to be so unconventional and jump straight to that conclusion.
Immediately, a wave of laughter she could barely suppress surged in her chest.
(Sister? Hahaha... this is truly too amusing!)
Her purple-black eyes quickly returned to calmness, and she nodded.
"That's right, I am Herta's sister."
Her tone carried the frankness of someone saying, "You finally figured it out."
Stelle uttered an "Oh—" in sudden enlightenment, as if solving a century-old mystery.
But then a new question popped up: "But... Sister, why did you'steal' Ms. Herta's puppet?"
She used the word "steal," feeling it was a bit impolite, but couldn't think of a better word.
Black Herta immediately put on a serious face and corrected her, "Who stole it? It's called 'taking'! I just haven't seen my willful little sister in a long time, and I wanted to tease her this way to get her attention."
She sighed, her acting smooth and natural. "After all, she ran away in a fit of pique all those years ago. We... haven't seen each other in ages."
"I see..."
Stelle nodded, displaying an expression of "I understand."
Since it was someone else's family matter, she didn't feel it appropriate to comment further.
"So... why are you in Belobog? And why was I..."
She looked back at the closet that had made her back and waist ache. "...in the closet?"
Note:
Happy Lunar New Year, everyone!
I wish you all a year filled with blessings, success, good fortune, and happiness!
Important Announcement:
I will be on Lunar New Year holiday starting February 15th, 2026, and will return on February 23rd, 2026. During this time, I will focus on resting and spending time with my family.
During my break, I will prepare some new chapters, which I will post regularly after the holiday ends. Please stay tuned — the following parts are very interesting!
Thank you so much for your incredible support. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!