The moment Bai Ming saw the message was from March 7th, she immediately became serious.
"Hehehe, it's a message from March~"
Bai Ming's fingers immediately flew across her phone screen.
[Bai Ming]: Yes, I do!
[March (Girlfriend pending)]:Then come over. I'm just outside here.
[March (Girlfriend pending)]:I'll be waiting.
Although she didn't understand why March 7th was so close by, since she had said so, there could only be one reply!
[Bai Ming]: Outside here?! Eh——! I'll be right there!
Snapping her phone shut decisively, Bai Ming immediately addressed Herta beside her: "Hertie! There's an emergency! I need to step out for a bit! I'll look at the Curios another time!"
"Eh?!" Herta looked utterly bewildered. "What? Where are you going?!"
"Why, of course—" Bai Ming's expression shifted to one of extreme seriousness. "—to pursue my happiness!"
"Pursue your... happiness?" Herta was stunned for a moment.
But Bai Ming was already brimming with excitement. "No time to explain! I have to hurry! I need to be a punctual person in front of March!"
Having said this, Bai Ming prepared to slip away like grease. However, after just a few steps, she seemed to remember something. She glanced back at the fragments of the Godslayer Sword in the storage locker, her gaze turning serious.
She then turned around and hurried back to stand before Herta.
"What now?" Herta looked up at Bai Ming, who stood a head taller. "Not chasing your happiness anymore, brat?"
"No!" Bai Ming shook her head. "Hertie, there's something I'd like to ask of you. Is that okay?"
"Ask something of me?" Herta looked at Bai Ming quizzically. "What is it? Let's hear it. If I find it interesting, I might agree."
"It's just…" Bai Ming leaned close to Herta's ear and spoke softly.
"…This?" After hearing what she said, Herta's expression grew even more puzzled. "Brat, can you tell me why you want to do this?"
"This…" Bai Ming scratched her cheek. "I don't really know how to explain it. But, Hertie, I'm willing to pay a certain price for this!"
"A price?" Herta let out a cold laugh. "Hah. Brat, the Credits on you were even paid by Asta. Talking about payment with me now? If I asked for tens of billions of Credits, could you come up with it?"
"Hertie, you wouldn't be that cruel, would you?! You're the cutest girl in the entire space station!" Bai Ming grabbed Herta's hand. "A cute girl's lips are warm; how could they utter such a cold refusal?!"
"You…" Hearing this, Herta's face flushed red. "Brat! Don't push it! Do you think I have to give you whatever you ask for?!"
"..." Bai Ming just looked at her with big, pleading eyes.
"Don't look at me with those eyes!"
"..." She intensified the'pleading puppy' stare.
"Playing cute is useless!"
"..." She started panting softly,mimicking an eager puppy.
"Alright! You're so annoying! Honestly!" Herta pushed away the Bai Ming who was pretending to be a little dog panting in her face. "Honestly! In all my years, I've never met anyone as shameless as you!"
"So, Hertie, does that mean…?!" Bai Ming, whose face was still being held by Herta's hand, managed to ask with great effort.
"Let me prepare first! You think it's something simple?!"
"Eh——?!"
"I love you so much——!"
Bai Ming hugged Herta and planted a kiss on her cool cheek. "Then I can rest easy! See you later!"
Watching Bai Ming's retreating figure as she dashed off, Herta bit her lip, looking thoroughly displeased.
Darn it! How can this girl be so shameless?! She just kissed me without warning! Couldn't even give me a heads-up… And after kissing me, she just leaves! With so many Curios here, doesn't she want to see more? Even Asta needs my permission to enter!
Herta held her cheek, glancing at the sword fragments still floating in the air nearby.
What's so important to her about this thing, anyway? It's been at the station for ages… Besides floating there, does it have any other function? Whatever. It's just a boring object.
This way, next time I see that brat, I can just tie her up and take her straight to the lab. Herta's mind began formulating a complete plan. She was determined to research Bai Ming inside and out. Thinking of this, her body began to spin involuntarily.
Oh no! Can this body just not stop?!
---
Meanwhile
Bai Ming was completely unaware of Herta's mental storm. Her mind was entirely filled with thoughts about March 7th's message.
She's right outside?!
Sure enough, the moment she stepped out, Bai Ming saw March 7th. However, besides March, she also saw Asta.
"Eh?!" Bai Ming blinked her beautiful golden eyes. "When did you two meet up? I didn't hear anything about it?"
Asta offered a serene smile, answering Bai Ming's question directly. "That's perfectly normal. Because we only just ran into each other, right after you went inside. Isn't that right, March 7th?"
Asta's statement wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. The two had indeed 'run into each other' just then, but meaningful contact had actually begun much earlier. However—it seemed unnecessary to contradict her on this point.
"Y-yes, that's right," March 7th said, sounding a bit strained. "We only just ran into each other!"
"I see!" Bai Ming wore an expression of sudden understanding. Then, she noticed March 7th seemed a bit off. "March, what's wrong?"
"N-nothing's wrong!" March 7th felt a bit flustered under Bai Ming's concerned gaze.
"Nothing?" Bai Ming reached out, placing one hand on her own forehead and the other on March's. "No fever… Wait!" Bai Ming looked at March and raised an eyebrow. "I understand now!"
March's heart skipped a beat, but she asked anyway, "Understand what, Bai Ming?"
"Why you look so unhappy… It must be because it's been too long since you last saw me!" Bai Ming cupped her cheeks and wriggled delightedly. "March, you and me, we're like two peas in a pod! If you miss me, just say it! No need to hide it in your heart. We're a match made in—"
Before Bai Ming could finish, she felt the familiar sensation of a karate chop descending toward her head. It was from March 7th. But this time—it stopped sharply in mid-air, not landing on Bai Ming's head.
This time, it was Bai Ming's turn to be confused. "Huh? Why didn't you hit me?"
"You… you actually like being hit like that?"
"I love it!" Bai Ming clasped her hands together,tilted her head, and began batting her eyelashes at March incessantly. "It's a symbol of our love! Isn't there a saying? The more you hit, the stronger the bond!"
"This…" Hearing this, March felt a secret thrill in her heart. She stole a glance at Asta beside her. Bai Ming acting like this… she should feel at least a litte threatened.
However—completely contrary to March's expectations, seeing Bai Ming and March being so intimate—to a degree that suggested their relationship was anything but ordinary—Asta's expression showed no change whatsoever. It remained the same polite, smiling face she'd worn when greeting Bai Ming earlier.
This made March 7th worry. Is she still hiding some trump card?
Thinking this, March unconsciously tightened her grip on Bai Ming's hand. Feeling the warmth, Bai Ming's cheeks also began to heat up.
"March… Oh, right!" Bai Ming looked over at Asta. "Station Head! That thing…"
"I know," Asta replied, still perfectly composed. "It's already prepared. Should I bring it out now?"
"Yes!" Bai Ming nodded vigorously. "Please, Asta!"
"..." March 7th already vaguely guessed what 'that thing' was.
Bai Ming, overflowing with enthusiasm, took March's hand. "Hehehe! March, it's time to show you the cake I mentioned before!"
So that's it. There was a reason Bai Ming had asked about her cake preference. This girl was all about being direct. She's such a dummy… But after going to all this trouble, she probably won't leave now, right? Thinking this, March's mood improved considerably.
"Mhm! Cake!"
Holding hands with Bai Ming, March walked with her, led by Asta who went ahead. The three of them arrived together at the outer area. As soon as they stepped out, March saw a rather unique scene.
With the Antimatter Legion crisis resolved, the space station personnel had returned to their usual routines. The living area was naturally filled with researchers who weren't yet on duty. Of course, it was their own time to spend as they wished. But in the somewhat crowded living area, there was actually… an empty table?
"This…"
"Sit, why aren't you sitting?" Asta's voice came. "This is a specially reserved spot. Why are you two just standing there motionless?"
"We'll sit, we'll sit right away!" Bai Ming replied to Asta while pulling March over to the table Asta had reserved in advance.
Once they were seated, Bai Ming eagerly began explaining the origin of the cake to March beside her.
"Asta helped me pick it!" Bai Ming said happily.
"Why was she the one who picked it?*
"Eh—?" Bai Ming hadn't expected March to be so worked up, but she patiently explained, "Because we're on a space station! I didn't know where to buy the flavor you wanted… Of course, I had to ask the Station Director who knows everything."
"This…" Bai Ming's reasoning was irrefutable. March was momentarily at a loss for words.
Asta chose this moment to sit down beside Bai Ming and said with a smile, "Indeed, March 7th. That flavor preference of yours is quite unique. Fortunately, I had some specially stored away, so I managed to get it."
As she said this, Asta glanced at March 7th. Her expression remained as composed as before, but March could clearly sense something extra in Asta's gaze now. It was—the air of a victor?!
This! Unacceptable!
March gritted her teeth and said quietly, "Actually, I don't really like that flavor of cake all that much. You've troubled Miss Asta too much." As she spoke, she subtly pulled Bai Ming a bit closer to her side. She looked at Asta, refusing to back down. Her protective, territorial glare said it all.
But Asta remained perfectly composed. "Is that so? Well, if March 7th doesn't like it, we can just throw it away."
"Throw it away?!"Hearing this, Bai Ming immediately turned back, waving her hands frantically. "This thing is so expensive! How can we just throw it away?!"
"It's not very expensive," Asta said, glancing at the cake on the table. "Just a little over three million Credits. It's fine to throw it away."
"Three… three million…" March felt a pang of guilt. "Is it really worth that much…?"
"Because it was originally a custom order of mine," Asta said, looking at March, a trace of well-concealed smugness flickering in her eyes. "But since Bai Ming requested it so earnestly, I'm giving it to you. No need to hold back~"
"Hehe~" Bai Ming clasped her hands together, tilting her head slightly. "I knew the Station Director was the best! Last night you gave me such a nice room too… I've never slept in such an amazing bed in my life! It was just like being on vacation! The life of the rich is truly wonderful!"
Having said that, Bai Ming cupped her face, wearing an intoxicated expression as if reminiscing about the experience.
"..."
Hearing these words, March 7th felt as if something had struck her heart. She felt her heart sink into some deep, cold ocean, devoid of any warmth.
"Bai Ming."
"Eh?" Bai Ming turned back to March, giving her a silly, cheerful grin. "What's up?"
"You… thought the room Asta gave you was really nice to stay in?"
"It was great!"Bai Ming didn't hold back her praise. "The pillows were soft, the bed was huge! You could even—" But before Bai Ming could finish her sentence, March nodded.
"I understand." She stood up and gave Bai Ming a very bright, sunny smile. "Keep doing your best from now on! Don't embarrass the Express!"
After saying this, March turned and ran off.
Watching her retreating back, Bai Ming frowned slightly and muttered to herself, "But what I wanted to say was that I wanted to bring you over to sleep there too…"
In this scene, Asta was about to say something, but her phone received a message from Arlan at that moment.
[Arlan]: Miss, the repairs on the docking platform are nearly complete.
[Arlan]:May I permit the Astral Express to dock at the station?
[Asta]:Yes, please proceed. Thank you for your hard work.
[Arlan]:You're welcome. It's my duty.
After replying, Asta hesitated for a moment before speaking to Bai Ming. "The docking platform repairs are almost finished. It seems the Astral Express will be able to depart from the station soon."
"I see…" Bai Ming nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly remembered something and blushed. "Oh, right, Asta. I… I have something I want to give you!"
"Eh?" Asta was surprised at first but quickly regained her composure. "Then let's talk as we walk."
"But what about the cake?"
"There will be opportunities to eat it later," Asta said, looking at Bai Ming with a smile.
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A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Zenless Zone Zero: Loving Daily Life Starting in New Eridu
patreon.com/deadlygoober