(Here it is, picking up from where we left off.)
“Y-you haven’t fed me yet!!!”
This cry contained the girl’s pure thoughts, her long-standing closeness and reliance on “Sister Selene,” as well as a hint of the grievance that “I was clearly here first.”
Selene’s feeding motion paused, and she looked at March 7th, who wore an expression of “I’m hurt.”
Stelle also stopped chewing, blinking her eyes.
She looked at the pouting March 7th, then at the subtly expressive Selene, and suddenly felt that the food in her mouth tasted even better.
Selene quickly regained her composure.
She temporarily set down the spoon in her hand and the lunchbox on Stelle’s lap, steered her wheelchair toward March 7th, reached out, and gently took hold of March 7th’s wrist.
“March,” her voice remained gentle, carrying a hint of reassurance, but in her eyes, a trace of mischievous amusement seemed to flash, “Are you…
jealous?”
“I-I did not!” March 7th immediately denied it, though her face involuntarily flushed slightly.
She looked away, but she did not pull her wrist away.
“Then…” Selene applied a little force, pulling the still-bashful March 7th closer.
She looked up at her, her tone soft yet firm, “Next time, I’ll make some snacks, bring them specifically to you, and then…
feed you by hand, okay?”
“Really?
It’s a deal then!” March 7th nodded quickly, her tone filled with happiness.
“Mm, it’s a deal.” Selene smiled and patted the back of her hand, then picked up the spoon again, looking at Stelle who was waiting eagerly to continue eating, “Come, let’s continue our meal, Stelle.
It won’t taste good if it gets cold.”
“Ah—” Stelle immediately opened her mouth in cooperation.
Time slipped away quietly.
Just as Stelle swallowed the last delicious bite, she rubbed her stomach in satisfaction.
Himeko walked in, bringing with her a doll with delicate features.
“I’ve only been gone for a few months, right?” The doll girl put her hands on her hips, her tone quite displeased, “Hm?
How did the Space Station end up in this state?”
Her gaze immediately landed on Selene in the wheelchair, and on Stelle, who had just finished eating and still had a bit of sauce on the corner of her mouth.
She raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of teasing, “Yo, Selene, are you playing mom to this little brat?”
“Little Herta, you’re here.” Selene didn’t mind her teasing, turned to look at her, and revealed a gentle smile.
“It’s Herta, just Herta.
Why add ‘little’?” Herta wrinkled her nose, clearly not very satisfied with the nickname.
“It’s my affectionate nickname for you.” Selene’s tone was natural, as if stating the simplest of facts. Visit novelping.com for the full chapter.
“…” Herta stared at her for two seconds, then snorted, “Fine, considering you’re…
Selene.”
“Who is this…?” Stelle asked, curious.
“She is the true owner of this Space Station, Genius Society #83,” Himeko introduced from the side.
“Hey, Himeko,” Herta immediately corrected with dissatisfaction, “If you’re going to introduce me, do it properly.
There are so many titles you could use, why must you use the number 83?”
“Alright, Little Herta.” Selene called out softly.
“Tch.” Herta stopped fussing over the address, instead turning her scrutinizing gaze toward Stelle, who was sitting by the bed, and began pacing slowly around her, sizing her up, “You’re that…
Stellaron brat?”
She stopped and tilted her head, “I built an entire Space Station just to contain this Stellaron, yet someone has ‘returned to simplicity,’ managing to do it using the body of a little brat like you…
Tsk, how exactly did you do it?”
“The Stellaron is inside her and is currently very stable.” Selene added softly from the side.
“Interesting.
This little brat is quite interesting.
You, come with me to my office.”
She used a declarative tone, but her gaze turned to Selene, seemingly “requesting” an opinion symbolically, “I need her to accompany me for an experiment, is that alright?”
Selene smiled and shook her head, “That depends on her own wishes, Little Herta.
I cannot make the decision for her.”
Stelle immediately cast an inquiring gaze toward Selene.
“Although Herta’s personality is somewhat…
hm, unique, generally speaking, she is not a bad person.
She won’t make you participate in any truly dangerous experiments.” Selene responded to Stelle’s gaze.
“I…” Stelle lowered her head, thinking seriously, and then asked a very practical question: “Is there a reward?”
Herta was clearly stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting to hear this question.
She opened her eyes slightly wider, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief and amusement, “Huh?
In this universe, there are countless people who want to cooperate with my research unconditionally, even begging me to let them participate in experiments, and you, little brat…
actually want a reward?”
“Fine,” but she wasn’t angry, nodding readily, “What do you want?
Credits?”
Stelle picked up the baseball bat she had picked up on March 7th’s suggestion and held it out to Herta, “This.”
Herta looked at the baseball bat, her brows raising again, “This?
Are you sure?
Aside from being particularly sturdy, it has no other use.”
“Mm.” Stelle nodded affirmatively, gripping the baseball bat tightly.
“Fine,” Herta was very straightforward, “It belongs to you now.
Come, let’s add each other as friends, and I’ll send you the navigation coordinates to my office.
Come over quickly once you’re done; don’t keep me waiting too long.”
The two quickly completed adding each other on the interstellar communication software.
A second later, the Space Station navigation was sent over.
After doing this, Herta’s doll vessel seemed to lose most of its vitality, and her tone became flat and direct, “Navigation sent.
Come over yourself.”
Stelle looked at the detailed navigation on her phone and looked toward Selene and Himeko.
“Go ahead,” Himeko said with an encouraging smile.
Selene also nodded gently to Stelle.
Stelle gripped the baseball bat, took a deep breath, and followed the phone’s navigation instructions, walking toward Herta’s office.
After Stelle’s figure disappeared, Selene looked at Himeko.
“If nothing unexpected happens, our Astral Express is going to have a newcomer.”
“Mm,” Himeko nodded slightly.
“However, ultimately, we must respect her own wishes.”
“Indeed.” Selene agreed softly, her gaze turning to March 7th, who was staring somewhat distractedly in the direction Stelle had left.
“March.”
“Yes!” March 7th immediately snapped back to attention, her pink-and-blue eyes looking over, carrying the focus of someone who had been called by name.
“Could I trouble you to push me back to the Astral Express?” Selene requested, her tone gentle.
“Okay~ No problem!” March 7th immediately agreed energetically, quickly walking behind the wheelchair and gripping the handles, “Leave it to me, Sister Selene!”
On the way back to the Astral Express, March 7th pushed the wheelchair very steadily, while muttering under her breath about “Will Stelle be given a hard time by Herta?” and other such things.
Selene sat quietly in the wheelchair, responding to March 7th while letting her consciousness quietly sink deep into her mind.
There, a system interface only she could see was clearly displaying: [Current Popularity: 1,034,567]
It had broken through the million mark.
(Now, my face has been revealed enough.
It’s time to move on to the next step.)