「Cutting it short—this time, you have two choices.
The first is, of course, to inherit the legacy of Elysium and confess your feelings to Herta!!
There will be rewards. And you, Madam Ruan Mei, would never give up on that, right?」 ♪
The familiar voice suddenly appearing in her mind caught Ruan Mei off guard. The legacy of Elysium? Confess to Herta?
Ruan Mei turned to look at Herta's holographic projection. Though her expression remained unruffled, within her heart rippled a shock she had not felt in years.
"The all-knowing Madam Herta, I have a question for you."
Herta stared at Ruan Mei, vaguely sensing that whatever question came next would be nothing short of earth-shattering.
She couldn't help but wonder inwardly. Is she asking me about the nature of "divinity"? Or perhaps about her observations regarding that Stellaron brat?
"Herta, I want to ask—"
But before Ruan Mei could finish, Herta cut her off with her usual proud composure.
"Stop right there. When it comes to Emanators, Aeons, Stellarons, Nous—our understanding is more or less the same. Don't waste time on questions like that."
Ruan Mei shook her head slightly.
For a brief moment, Herta—genius member of the Genius Society—fell into pensive silence.
What exactly did Ruan Mei want to ask? Why was she being so serious?
Just as Herta was lost in thought, seeking answers, Ruan Mei asked with cool detachment.
"Herta, is there someone you like?"
"Ah?! What?!"
Herta's expression shifted—from bewilderment, to shock, and finally to stammering evasion. She could not bring herself to meet Ruan Mei's cool, clear gaze.
"Wh—what!! Me? No—how could Madam Herta possibly have someone she likes?! Not once in several Amber Eras!!"
"Oh."
Herta crossed her arms and turned away, muttering under her breath.
"Honestly, Ruan Mei. Why ask such a pointless question? Are you joking? Geniuses never concern themselves with such things. And they certainly don't joke around."
As Herta rambled on in explanation, Ruan Mei turned away and pursued the familiar voice in her mind.
"There's a second choice, isn't there?"
「Mm? You don't want this one? Ah well. The legacy of Elysium will take time to cultivate. Here—this is the second.」♪
「Fulfill the Wisteria Cake's wish. Your reward shall be related to the divinity you seek.」
Ruan Mei paused, considering this. A reward tied to divinity?
If her memory served, that Wisteria Cake was one of her cat-cake creations—modeled after Herta.
Her research on how life ascends to divinity had long since reached an impasse. Simply fulfilling a cat-cake's wish was hardly difficult.
Whether the hand behind this was Aha or Fuli, be it Him or Them—a small attempt could do no harm.
"Ruan Mei, what is wrong with you today?! Why do you keep spacing out?!"
Herta's indignant voice pulled Ruan Mei back to reality. Clearly, the ever-composed and rigid Madam Herta had been unsettled by Ruan Mei's earlier question.
After all, even as Emanators of Erudition, pursuing divinity, they were still—in most respects—human.
Ruan Mei regarded Herta with her usual calm.
"Herta. I want to return to the space station."
"To see that Stellaron brat? Or something else?"
"To see Wisteria Cake."
Herta blinked in surprise. Ruan Mei wasn't going to observe the Stellaron?
"Ah? Wisteria Cake? Do I have something like that in my space station? Wait—is it one of your creations?"
Ruan Mei did not answer. She simply turned and walked away.
---
Herta Space Station, on the platform.
Ruan Mei gazed down at the blue planet not far away.
This planet should have been destroyed nineteen times over. Yet it "lived"—because Herta had saved it, again and again.
By contrast, the planet Ruan Mei herself had created had long since been destroyed by Phantylia, thanks to her own detachment and seclusion.
"Phantylia. I have marked this grudge."
As Stelle walked against the flow of the crowd toward the platform, she spotted that cool, distant figure from afar.
"You're here."
Because of that memory—and the changes it had brought—Ruan Mei had not used reverse truth serum on Stelle.
For the Ruan Mei of now, the reward of "divinity" was what she sought above all else.
Stelle studied Ruan Mei carefully. So this was Ruan Mei? Rewards existed outside the Simulated Universe too?
"You're Ruan Mei? Are there rewards?"
Ruan Mei offered a faint smile and replied in kind.
"This isn't the Simulated Universe. You want a 'reward' from outside it?"
Stelle thought for a moment, then nodded.
Ruan Mei touched her lute, gazing into the distance. Following that memory, there was no need to deliberately send Stelle to fight the Starcrusher Swarm King.
It was merely data she had already obtained. Better to be kind to her.
After all, the version of herself in that memory had also walked the path of the Trailblazer, Stelle—destined to eventually reach the stars.
"This is sixteen thousand Stellar Jades."
With a casual gesture, Ruan Mei's pouch released a small mountain of Stellar Jades.
Stelle froze on the spot. This happiness was far too sudden.
"Is there a commission? A mission?"
Ruan Mei turned her gaze back toward the blue planet, her voice detached.
"No commissions. No missions. Merely a small reward."
Stelle scratched her head dumbly. This Ruan Mei was far more generous than that woman who promised a planet-destroying warship and delivered nothing.
"March 7th says I shouldn't take things for nothing. I'll go run the Simulated Universe right now—help you observe more data."
With that, Stelle hurried off, Stellar Jades in tow, as if afraid Ruan Mei might change her mind.
Watching her go, Ruan Mei couldn't help but smile faintly. She plucked a note from her lute.
"She still cares so much about Stellar Jades. What I gave her this time should be enough for a hundred pulls."
Ruan Mei glanced around the Herta Space Station. The researchers here—she truly had no desire to know a single one of them.
Wisteria Cake should be in the Sealed Compartment. To reach it from the Master Control Zone, she would likely have to pass through the crowd.
Ruan Mei's cool brow furrowed slightly. The very air around her seemed to chill. She produced a dose of "Neglect Serum"—[which causes nearby humans to subconsciously overlook her presence].
After all, so-called passersby could sometimes bring unnecessary complications. Particularly for someone like Ruan Mei—aloof, averse to casual contact.
No sooner had Ruan Mei stepped from the platform into the Master Control Zone than Arlan passed by with several researchers on patrol.
"Shh. Brother Arlan. The air here feels awfully cold."
"Your imagination. No anomalies here. Move on to the next sector."
They walked right past Ruan Mei. Thanks to the Neglect Serum, they did not notice her at all.
Ruan Mei stepped forward—then paused at a corner, catching a crisp bark.
Woof, woof! [Asta! I think that's Madam Ruan Mei!]
Asta, finishing her day's work and taking Peppy for a walk, froze. The syndesthesia beacon—Peppy had actually detected Ruan Mei?
"Where is she?"
Woof, woof. [Right in front of you.]
Asta blinked. She looked up. There was no one there. Only the faint, elusive scent of plum blossoms—distant, cool, aloof.
"Madam Ruan Mei. Welcome to Herta Space Station. I'm Asta, the station master. This is Peppy. She's already found you."
"Would you meet with me?"