Wearing the new ornament didn't actually affect Bai Luan much. Its material was light and conforming, and it was adjusted just right.
Bai Luan quickly got used to its presence, even often completely forgetting that there was such a thing on his neck.
However, this didn't mean that nothing in his life had changed.
At least, in the eyes of some keen observers who cared deeply about him, this change was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Yes, I'm talking about the Herta Puppet.
She truly quickly noticed these subtle changes, after all, she was a photographer.
That day, when the Herta Puppet strolled into Bai Luan's lab as usual, preparing to capture some footage of him working diligently, her gaze instantly caught sight of the black choker.
She first froze for a few seconds, even forgetting to blink (though blinking or not didn't matter to her), staring intently at Bai Luan's neck.
So alluring! I love it!
She suddenly leaned in close, circling Bai Luan for a short while, meticulously and earnestly admiring the new ornament from every angle possible—front, side, and even the curve when he slightly tilted his head—as if appraising a rare treasure.
After admiring it, she raised her hands high and sincerely exclaimed:
"Ms. Herta is peerless! I've wanted to do this for a long time!"
Bai Luan: ...
He slowly squatted down, looked at the happy Herta Puppet in front of him, then reached out and gently pinched her cheek.
"What do you mean you've wanted to do this for a long time? Saying such straightforward things every day, aren't you afraid Ms. Herta will add new restrictions for you?"
The Herta Puppet pulled away from Bai Luan's hand, then said as a matter of course:
"So I'll restrain myself in front of her."
Hearing the Herta Puppet's reply, Bai Luan couldn't help but find it amusing.
There always seemed to be a lot of schemes between the Herta Puppet and Herta.
The one he repaired was particularly obvious.
But... I can also add behavioral restrictions for her, why isn't she afraid of me?
"Why don't you pretend in front of me?"
The Herta Puppet looked up, her small face answering very decisively, without any hesitation, and even with a hint of pride.
"Because you spoil me."
Bai Luan: ...
『She hit the nail on the head
That's Herta's usual high Break Effect damage
One day, the two of them will join forces and form the Twin Towers Heroes bond
I can't imagine how you'll survive for now』
Thank you for reminding me.
Mute your mic.
Thanks.
After Bai Luan said that, the System indeed stopped talking.
It switched to typing directly.
『It's okay, if I can't talk, I'll type it for you~
There are always more solutions than problems』
Seeing the System say that, Bai Luan showed a smile.
Still typing here!
Have you finished your thesis!?
『Mmm-hmm-hmm~~ (crying sound)
I just wanted to have some fun time』
Now he was in a good mood.
The Herta Puppet waved her hand in front of Bai Luan, bringing his attention back.
"Are you thinking of me? Smiling so happily?"
"Yes, yes."
Bai Luan replied casually, his smile still there.
『You're lying!
You were clearly persecuting me with the thesis just now!』
Shut your little mouth!
After saying that, no matter how much the System yelled, 『Come on, someone, there's a person deceiving the innocent Herta Puppet here!』, he no longer paid attention to the System.
The Herta Puppet looked at the ornament, growing more satisfied the more she looked. As a photographer, she couldn't help but comment:
"The design of this style clearly comes from Herta's aesthetics.
And it doesn't conflict with the design style of the clothes you usually wear. After putting it on, it's visually very harmonious and doesn't look out of place."
She paused, then leaned in closer, seemingly making a more detailed observation.
"While not being out of place, it also seems to have some kind of curio effect?
It maintains a subtle presence, hmm... like 'unobtrusive yet impossible to ignore'.
As expected of Ms. Herta, she accomplished such a thing with ease."
『Oh, still an old connoisseur』
System, I'm really begging you.
Can't I just go queue up?
『What do I say if you've already said it all?』
Bai Luan sighed inwardly.
He really had no more tricks up his sleeve.
The Herta Puppet looked at Bai Luan's ornament and asked:
"Can I touch it?"
Bai Luan was startled by the question and asked:
"Isn't that within the scope of your behavioral restrictions?"
Of course it is, but This Genius has long since broken through a mere behavioral restriction program.
She had only been pretending nothing happened until now because she wanted to write a backdoor program into her own program, to make it easier to break through any behavioral restriction programs she might encounter in the future.
But now the opportunity to touch it was right in front of her, and she didn't believe any Herta could resist this.
However... the Herta Puppet looked at the location of Bai Luan's phone.
She knew that Herta would occasionally hear some messages from Bai Luan's phone.
To prevent Ms. Herta from discovering that she had broken through the behavioral restrictions prematurely, at least verbally, she still had to be confined by the behavioral restriction program.
"Of course it's included in the behavioral restrictions."
Although the Herta Puppet said so, her small hand had already reached over, smoothly touching Bai Luan, without showing any signs of being restricted by the program.
Eh?
What's going on?
Bai Luan was a little surprised and cast an inquiring look at the Herta Puppet in front of him.
But the Herta Puppet didn't explain, she just put the index finger of her other hand to her lips, then winked at him playfully.
Keep this a secret from Ms. Herta.
Bai Luan looked at the Herta Puppet playfully winking at him.
The Herta Puppet is cute... No, that's not the important thing.
Bai Luan, Bai Luan, you can't degenerate like this.
No matter what, you can't really become someone whose mind is full of "Herta is great," "Herta is cute," "I'll support Herta for life"!
With this mindset, he glanced at the Herta Puppet again.
The Herta Puppet is cute... He had to accept a reality—he seemed to have already been conditioned this way by Herta in the Little Black Room.
Forget it, this life is just like this.
However, looking at the Herta Puppet, she wasn't going to explain what was going on.
Out of curiosity, Bai Luan's thoughts began to wander, wondering why the Herta Puppet was able to break through the behavioral restrictions.
Did she unlock it herself?
Or... did that special drink she had last time allow her to permanently break through the program restrictions?
Bai Luan was more inclined to believe it was the effect of the memory quality (Memory Substance), after all, breaking through that behavioral restriction program was quite difficult.
If explained from the effect of the Memory Substance, it would make more sense, as no one could be sure of the effects of Memory Substance.
Moreover, the Herta Puppet had been very well-behaved until today, not doing anything beyond the restrictions.
It couldn't be that she had already broken through the restrictions, and to achieve some unknown goal, she had been enduring and pretending until now, only to have her facade broken by a choker today, unable to resist exposing herself, right?
Or, even more coincidentally, she just happened to have broken through the double behavioral restrictions written by herself and Herta in the past few days through her own efforts, and then coincidentally wanted to touch the choker today?
Neither of these explanations sounded as logical as the Memory Substance theory.
And Bai Luan didn't plan to think about this matter any further, because after the Herta Puppet finished touching the choker, she didn't stop and was now poking his abs.
He felt that if he let her continue, she would start attacking some strange places.
So Bai Luan stood up.
The Herta Puppet also appropriately withdrew her hand.
But in her little notebook, she had already secretly noted down the extent of what Bai Luan could tolerate at this moment.
Once she had thoroughly figured out all of Bai Luan's bottom lines and tolerance levels, she would then carefully consider how to further develop the possibilities for interaction.
There's still plenty of time,
Just take it slow in the future.
Every Herta should be thinking about how to develop Bai Luan.
At this moment, Bai Luan's phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was a message from Herta.
Herta: Give the phone to the Herta Puppet...
She found out so quickly?
As expected of Ms. Herta.
Bai Luan handed his phone to the Herta Puppet.
The Herta Puppet looked at him with some confusion, seemingly asking "Why give it to me?", but still took it.
After seeing the content, she felt like the sky had fallen.
Herta: You're quite capable, aren't you.
Herta: Are you coming over yourself, to let me rewrite your new program.
Herta: Or should I drag you over and then write it for you?
Darn it, exposed!
I really shouldn't have been so hopeful!
Many days of disguised effort,
Have gone down the drain today.
But... but she felt that her breaking character today was perfectly fine!
No Herta could resist this!
The Herta Puppet looked at Bai Luan and tugged at his sleeve.
"One last time,
Can I touch it again, please?"
『Herta Puppet used Pleadingly
It was super effective』
I told you to mute your mic!