Ruan Mei set down Herta's sleeve pendant and looked up at Tingyun with her cool, clear eyes.
"Peace is the priority?"
Tingyun twirled Crescent Moon and Cloud-Gatherer in her hands as she spoke slowly.
"Peace first—that's what will truly change Madam Herta's excessive arrogance. Make it stick in her memory."
Ruan Mei pondered this. That woman actually ran away at such a critical moment. She really does need to change.
"I'll listen to you. I'll rest for a while."
Tingyun nodded slightly.
"Of course, Benefactor Ruan Mei. I'll stand guard here."
Ruan Mei turned and left, closing her eyes in the Dreamcradle Pool.
Time passed.
---
"Ruan Mei. Welcome to Herta City."
Ruan Mei looked around. Endless Herta puppets chanted her name.
And seated upon the throne, the real Herta gazed down at her with a challenging, dismissive smirk.
"Ruan Mei. You came after all. But for me... far too late."
"Hmm?"
Herta suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her, fixing her with those amethyst eyes.
"That fox—Tingyun. What did she do to you before I arrived?"
"Nothing at all."
"Oh?! Good."
Herta pulled her close and whispered in her ear with a smirk.
"You'll never escape Herta City. Not for one Amber Era. Not for ten thousand."
All the Herta puppets laughed, sang, and danced.
"Madam Herta, unmatched in the universe! Madam Ruan Mei, Herta's one and only! Madam Herta..."
"My Ruan Mei. Welcome to my Herta City. You can never leave me now."
"Everything you are is bound to me. Your research, mine to command. Your eyes will see only me!!"
In an instant, Herta's Path power swelled beyond even the Starcrusher Swarm King. The insect-like creature beside her crumbled to dust.
Ruan Mei jolted awake. She gazed at the stars outside her window, her heart still racing.
What is the true extent of Herta's power? Is it truly as terrifying as in my dream?
Space. Time. Both are hers to command.
If she really takes me to Herta City... what would my future become?
[Don't worry. If Herta takes you to Herta City and her arrogance remains unchanged, I can use my memories to find a way out. I'll help you escape.] ♪
"Are you Aha?"
[This... ahem. Stop guessing.] ♪
"Then are you Mythus? Or Fuli?"
[I said stop guessing.] ♪
Ruan Mei set down her lute and sighed softly.
"Sigh. Things between Herta and me shouldn't have come to this."
[My fault? Countless Amber Eras, and you were still just colleagues. If I hadn't shown up, another ten thousand years would've passed with nothing changing.] ♪
[The aloof stay aloof. The tsundere stay tsundere. You'd both just keep using research as an excuse to spend a little more time together.] ♪
Ruan Mei closed her eyes and fell silent again.
[Actually, I have a way to help you if Herta resorts to force.] ♪
"Oh?"
[Create a curio based on the plum blossom cake.] ♪
"No. I can't break my promise to Herta."
[Then shall I find you someone? Someone whose Path power rivals Herta's?] ♪
"Who?"
[Someone I knew in another world. A different iteration. I could give her those memories. If I asked, there's a ninety-nine percent chance she'd help you.] ♪
"Forget it. I'll trust Tingyun."
[Trust me too. As long as I'm here, there's always a chance.]
Ruan Mei gathered the flawless crystal fragments. One from confessing to Herta. One from helping Feixiao. One from Firefly. One directly from her.
"Three fragments left. What's your next task?"
The ethereal voice hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly.
[Suppose—just suppose—that attaining divinity, reaching the pinnacle of the stars, came at a price. The complete loss of all emotion. All memory. What would you choose?]
Ruan Mei's mind drifted back to her first meeting with Herta. That arrogant expression.
---
"Yu Qingtu, this is the genius you mentioned? Ruan Mei?"
Then, every meeting across countless Amber Eras. Almost always after her experiments failed, Herta would come to her.
"Congratulations. Genius experiments always fail. I'm no exception. Here, I brought tea and pastries."
Herta's tone always carried a hint of delight—an indescribable care.
And finally, their journey together on the Luofu.
The mortal fireworks of the Xianzhou Luofu. Turning back, she stood where the lanterns faded. She confessed. Herta pulled down her hat, hiding her expression, and fled.
---
[Your answer?] ♪
Ruan Mei shook her head slightly.
"No answer is the best answer. At the very least, I never want to forget Herta, never want to lose the memories we've shared."
"Even if our terrible personalities sometimes cause friction and misunderstanding."
"But on the road ahead—the path to divinity—I want her by my side."
[Amazing!! Hearing that answer makes me happy for you. Here. A new task.] ♪
"Hmm?"
[Make Herta confess to you. And before that, she must shed all arrogance. She must learn mutual respect. Ideally, become like Fu Xuan.] ♪
Ruan Mei blinked. Fu Xuan is still tsundere. But she knows when to be proud and when to be genuine.
Unlike Madam Herta, whose pride and tsundere nature always come first.
"That's... difficult. Tingyun said the same."
[Seems you understand Herta pretty well.] ♪
Ruan Mei smiled faintly.
"In all the universe, I understand her best."
[Sigh. Tingyun can give her a little crisis. But only a little. It'll take Yu Qingtu to really shake her.] ♪
[But if Yu Qingtu actually shows up... you might have a crisis of your own.] ♪
Ruan Mei frowned. What if Yu Qingtu...
She quickly shook her head. Yu Qingtu knew Herta first, yes. But in her memory, they only ever argued.
Sometimes over the plum cakes she gave to Herta. Arguing, then fighting. Once, they destroyed half the space station. They had to repair it and hire new researchers.
---
Herta City.
Herta jolted awake.
In her dream, she had brought Ruan Mei to Herta City. She declared she would never escape.
Then a flawless, prismatic light appeared—and took Ruan Mei away.
Herta gritted her teeth.
"Damn it! Can't even have a dream without something weird happening?!"