Stelle: "It means taking advantage of the all-you-can-eat buffet, right."
"You could say that." Herta nodded.
Stelle: "Then it's strange. I heard that Voracity possesses endless appetite, with countless large mouths growing on its body."
"With a few big bites, who knows how many stars fall into darkness."
"Even the speed at which the Voracity Aeon eats insects can't compare to the speed at which the Propagation Aeon develops its insect population?"
Herta slowly frowned.
The sense of an invisible large hand controlling everything behind the scenes grew stronger and stronger.
Equilibrium?
Uncertain.
Let's see further.
After slightly modifying the simulation program to avoid the threat of Voracity, Stelle restarted the test.
Through this test, the question she had just raised received an answer.
Yes, not only did the Voracity Aeon's all-you-can-eat feast fail to win against Propagation, but it even joined Propagation in affecting two-thirds of the living regions in the entire universe.
Countless star systems perished as a result.
This triggered an even greater event—
The Order Aeon Ena could no longer sit still.
Propagation and Voracity, one managing birth and the other managing consumption, were wreaking havoc across the universe.
If this continued, the entire universe would lose order.
THEY must be stopped.
Ena extended an invitation to the Preservation Aeon Qlipoth to crusade against Propagation and Voracity.
Whether promises were made or because Propagation and Voracity had destroyed countless sub-space crystal walls, the Amber Lord did not refuse.
Herta became even more excited.
She urged Stelle to continue rolling the dice.
The two majestic figures of Order and Preservation disappeared, and Stelle arrived in an unfamiliar sea of stars.
Insects, noise… there was nothing.
Stelle waited in place for a moment.
After an unknown length of time, laughter suddenly appeared.
"Akivili!"
Both Stelle and Herta's eye corners twitched, their hearts crying out that this was bad.
Why did THEY appear as well?
"My Akivili! Is the die I gave you fun? I want to ask: how many faces does my die have?"
Aha appeared just like that, openly and honorably.
Without the slightest defense, without the slightest omen.
Stelle thought for a moment and decided not to follow procedures and to play abstract instead.
"What die or no die, you're just a ball!"
"Really? Heeheeheehee… Eh, maybe it really is. Akivili, you thought of even more than me! I can't help but want to hug you!"
"…Stop it. Who knows if your embrace will suddenly gain an extra bomb."
Due to her first Simulated Universe experience, Stelle did not trust Aha.
Aha: "I'm very sad, Akivili. Our friendship is actually filled with pitiful suspicion…"
"But it's okay. I want to give you a reward. How about a little trick?"
"Smash the game's economic system, or instantly send you to meet other Aeons?"
Aha clapped excitedly with a cheeky grin.
"You'd better be careful when making your choice, otherwise you might ruin the entire account."
"You've done enough!"
Stelle could finally confirm now—
Damn Aha, this time THEY still knew THEY were a fake, just a god inside a virtual universe.
"Everything I do is to help Ena!"
Aha laughed loudly while clapping. The materialized balls and playing cards on THEIR body embraced each other, looking comical yet somewhat eerie.
"Aha is always happy to help others. Helping other gods is my pleasure—"
At this point, THEIR gaze landed on Stelle.
"The path of Trailblaze is blocked by insects and ancient beasts. Won't you join in, fake Akivili?"
"Accept my idea and there will be great benefits. About the Astral Express and Tayzzyronth, and perhaps even that thing you've been longing to know…"
Facing THEIR gaze filled with a hair-raising smile, Stelle felt chills rising from the bottom of her heart.
The Aeons she had encountered in previous simulations all had discernible patterns of action.
But who the hell knew what Aha was thinking?
"Stop!"
Stelle suddenly woke up.
"Mr. Screwllum?"
A person had appeared beside Herta… no, a genius from an inorganic life race.
"Pleased to meet you, Lady Stelle."
Screwllum bowed and performed a gentlemanly salute, his posture even more standard than a human's, without any flaws.
Herta looked somewhat regretful.
"Screwllum stopped the Simulated Universe for your safety. Who knows if Aha blew up Akivili's train by now."
Stelle said with a serious face: "Lady Herta, that's not funny."
Herta did not reply to her and looked toward Screwllum.
"Screwllum, we need to check if the system has been affected."
The geniuses busied themselves for a moment.
Conclusion: it seemed there was no effect.
Screwllum spoke politely: "Question: If we send Lady Stelle back to the previous simulation save node, is there a probability of continuing the exchange with Aha?"
Herta: "Try it."
"You really, really know how to order people around more than the General!"
Stelle pinched Herta's small face in displeasure and pulled it hard.
Since she was a puppet anyway, it wouldn't hurt.
As for the true body?
No one knew where the real person was, so she couldn't pinch it.
"Have you pinched enough? If you have, hurry up!" Herta urged.
Stelle rolled her eyes dramatically.
After entering the Simulated Universe, she continued rolling her eyes.
However, she was inwardly pondering one of Aha's previous sentences.
What she had been longing to know… wasn't it the Aeon that the Sky Haven Clan once believed in?
What did THEY encounter during the Swarm Disaster period, and was there a strong connection to the destruction of the Sky Haven Clan?
These questions were not convenient to ask Leon directly.
Even if Leon didn't mind, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
After all… Leon's past was far too filled with vicissitudes.
Exploring someone else's past was impolite, but since she was now passively exploring inside the Simulated Universe, it shouldn't count, right?
From Leon's tone, he seemed to have some understanding of the Simulated Universe's functions, so he most likely knew it was possible to reproduce his past.
But Leon had not commented on it.
Not issuing any reminder or opposition meant that he at least did not reject her continuing to explore his past.
Stelle thought this way.
"Aha, come out quickly!"
There was no response.
Stelle gradually grew bored.
So did Herta.
"It's been half an hour already. So boring, let's play a game."
Herta chuckled:
"Who do you think would get along best with Aha — me, Screwllum, Ruan Mei, Stephen Lloyd, or you?"
Stelle curled her lips:
"That must be me!"
"Oh." Herta found it even more boring and replied casually.
"What do you mean 'oh'? It definitely can't be you."
Stelle mocked while continuing to wait.
But soon, she swore—
She really couldn't laugh anymore.
Her eyes almost rolled all the way to the sky.
Why hadn't that damn Aha appeared yet?
"Heeheeheeheehee~~~"
There, THEY appeared.
As soon as Aha showed up, a huge storm of false data swirled around THEM, every strand carrying the scent of joyous laughter.
"Oh~ Akivili, smile for me."
THEY wanted Stelle to be happy, but Stelle's eyes rolled to the sky.
Yet she discovered that Aha insisted on making her laugh.
Damn it…
Stelle could only force a wide, fake grin.
"Ah~~ Akivili, your smile really makes me feel close!"
"Close is right. Then let me ask you, why is your head so pointy? Are you a boy or a girl?"