In the Main World, White Eagle, early morning, Elysia hummed softly to the tune of Robin's signature song as she showered. Alone in the bathroom, she naturally knew all the songs Robin sang, and though their voices differed, Elysia's sweet tone lent a unique charm to the melody.
Suddenly, Elysia turned off the shower mid-wash. The next moment, Herta materialized out of thin air through the Chat Group's teleportation function.
Having gained considerable notoriety for her Cambridge exams and her over half-hour battle against Queen Elizabeth, Herta had undeniably become a public figure. With Robin, Sparkle, and Lingsha in the Dragon Nation, and Firefly aboard an aircraft carrier, teleporting to Elysia's side seemed the most logical choice.
After all, wasn't it perfectly normal for a cute girl to suddenly appear in the home of one of the White Eagle Eight?
From Herta's perspective, gazing at her completely nude counterpart, the two exchanged no words. Instead, Herta slowly began to undress as well. Due to the outdated 1850s equipment in the Evil God World, she hadn't been able to shower properly in ages. This seemed like the perfect opportunity for a good soak, and she could even scrub her own back with a little help from herself.
Some time later, the two emerged from the bathroom wrapped in bath towels. Elysia retrieved a hairdryer and comb, and began drying and gently combing Herta's hair. Though she could easily summon a Little Herta to automate the task, Elysia rubbed the soft, silky strands of Herta's tea-colored hair between her fingers, then lifted a lock to her nose, inhaling its delicate floral scent. Combing someone else's hair once in a while isn't so bad, she thought.
With both women's hair so long, it took over an hour to completely dry and style it. Afterward, Elysia selected two identical sets of casual clothes from her wardrobe, one for herself and one for Herta.
It had to be said, perhaps due to the significant difference in their bust sizes, the same outfit gave them completely different looks.
Only then did Elysia send an email to Baldy Burke, summoning him to her location.
And bring two breakfasts while you're at it.
Meanwhile, Baldy Burke, who was scurrying around his office, froze completely when he saw Elysia's email.
Why me? Baldy Burke wondered. Anyone could deliver breakfast. The members of the Church of Elysia would probably be fighting over the chance. Why specifically order me to go?
Wait a minute... why two breakfasts?
Puzzled, Baldy Burke set aside his work and headed to Elysia's home. After all, it was an order from his direct superior, and he had no choice but to obey.
Moments later, Baldy Burke knocked on the door, two breakfasts in hand. A cheerful voice called out from within, "Coming! Coming~!"
After taking off his shoes and stepping into the living room, Baldy Burke immediately spotted Herta lounging lazily on the sofa.
A life-sized Herta Puppet?
That was Burke's first impression. Although Herta herself had hand-crafted the original prototype for the Herta Puppet Factory, Burke had supplied the land and materials for the facility. He knew all about its operations: mass-producing identical, high-tech puppets.
Baldy Burke glanced at Herta again. He quickly realized there were no visible joint seams on her body, unlike a puppet. Was this the real Herta?
Isn't she supposed to be in Great Britain? he wondered. Why would she suddenly appear here?
After all, Burke himself had authorized the original intelligence mission that had identified Herta. As a high-ranking government official, he naturally kept abreast of international news and was well aware of her existence.
Before this encounter, his impression of Herta had been limited to two things: "She's supposed to be a genius" and "She's a friend of Lady Elysia."
Now, while the former remained uncertain, the latter was undeniably true!
Burke's gaze swept between Herta and Elysia. They wore identical outfits, and their hair looked freshly dried. Could it be that they had just showered together? Or even spent the night together?
As far as Burke knew, while Lady Elysia was exceptionally close to nearly every girl she knew, she had never invited anyone to stay overnight at her home before. Herta was undeniably the first!
Of course, he had no objections to Lady Elysia's romantic life. In White Eagle, such things were perfectly normal. Only the most devout followers of the Church of Elysia might disapprove.
Just then, Herta glanced at Baldy Burke's gleaming head and suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Have I been exploiting this guy for too long? she wondered. Maybe I should throw him a bone. "Would you like a medicine that can regrow your hair?" she asked.
Baldy Burke froze, his expression hesitant. "I've tried nearly every hair growth product on the market..."
"What I make is nothing like that trash," Herta retorted. "If you want it, I guarantee you'll have a full head of hair exactly like you did in your youth."
Elysia chimed in, "I can vouch for Herta's word! She's absolutely reliable, you know?"
Thud!
Before Elysia and Herta could react, Baldy Burke had dropped to his knees in a single, lightning-fast motion. "Please! I beg you! Give me some!"
Baldy Burke's initial impression of Herta—"She seems like a genius"—was now firmly confirmed. Seems like? She was undoubtedly a super-genius!
At that moment, he secretly vowed to become a staunch supporter of the Elysia-Herta pairing. If anyone dared question Herta's status, he would be the first to charge to her defense!
Elysia and Herta exchanged bewildered glances. It's just hair growth serum. Why is he kneeling?
Of course, with her hip-length hair, Elysia couldn't possibly understand the helplessness and despair of a middle-aged man helplessly watching his hairline recede.
After the hair growth serum discussion subsided, Elysia finally got down to business. "A large number of monsters may appear in the sea near Sakura Prefecture in a few days..."
As the leader, Elysia naturally took command. Herta sat nearby, quietly eating her breakfast and listening intently.