The control knob clicked back into its default position, and the myriad of readings on the main console stabilized.
Seated in the master control chair, Herta glanced at the data streams.
For once, her small, delicate face was devoid of its usual critical expression.
“The calibration is precise,” she announced, a rare note of approval in her voice.
“It seems the operational adaptability of this form is higher than I anticipated.”
Chen, still inhabiting his Herta-shaped body, was just about to offer a witty retort to this uncharacteristic praise.
But before he could, he saw Herta hop down from her chair, closing the distance between them in a few quick, purposeful steps.
She looked up at him, her gaze sweeping—seemingly unintentionally—over the area below his waist, which was currently concealed by the doll’s dress.
Then, in a tone as casual as if she were asking about the weather, she got straight to the point.
“Does your current form simulate a complete female physiological structure?” she inquired.
“To be specific, does it include functional reproductive organs and their related systems?”
Chen’s mind, still processing the compliment, simply returned an error.
“…Huh?”
Herta tilted her head, clarifying with unnerving bluntness.
“I mean, do you have it down there?”
“…???”
His entire being—no, the entire doll—froze solid.
His mind was a canvas of pure, unadulterated white noise.
He had braced himself for any number of questions.
Inquiries about his energy source, the principles behind his transformation, or even accusations of being a pawn of an Emanator of Elation…
but he had never, in his wildest, most absurd nightmares, expected this big shot from the Genius Society to focus on something so…
so practical.
This question was way too direct!
Was this something a person could just ask, face-to-face?!
And what kind of clinical description was “do you have it”?!
Couldn’t she at least use some proper academic terminology?!
Seeing the delicate little face of her doppelgänger instantly go blank, Herta only seemed to grow more interested.
She tilted her head to the other side, tapping the floating data slate she carried with her.
On its holographic surface, a three-dimensional model of Chen’s current form had already been rendered.
Only the lower torso remained a fuzzy, unresolved blur.
“Hmm?
Is this a difficult question to answer?” Her tone was laced with genuine confusion, as if she had just asked something as simple as ‘what’s one plus one?’ “The completeness of the form simulation directly impacts the realism of the energy circulation pathways and its potential for application scalability.
I need to know the details of your doll’s underlying architecture.”
Chen opened his mouth, but for a long moment, not a single word would come out.
What could he possibly say?
That he had never bothered to pay attention to such details?
That after transforming, his self-exploration had been limited to pinching his own cheeks and calves, with absolutely no intention of studying the structural specifics of his lower body?
Just as he was wrestling with his own mortification, Herta’s eyes suddenly lit up with a new idea.
She leaned in closer.
“Oh, I forgot,” she said, a spark of realization in her voice.
“You might not be familiar with your own underlying structure either.”
“In that case, why don’t you just touch it yourself and find out?”
“!!!”
Touch?!
Make him touch himself?!
Right here, under Herta’s own watchful, analytical gaze?!
A tiny, frantic figure inside Chen’s mind was waving its hands in a desperate, full-body refusal.
But then, another, quieter voice began to whisper from the depths.
Wait a second…
it’s not really a loss, is it?
After all, this current form was modeled after Herta herself—as delicate and perfect as a porcelain doll.
Soft hair, smooth skin, wearing an adorable little dress…
He’d never had much resistance to this particular loli form anyway.
checking his own body.
For science.
It wasn’t like he was doing anything weird…
and Herta herself had suggested it.
She definitely just saw this as an experiment, with no other thoughts whatsoever…
After a fierce internal battle, the “it’s not a loss” argument ultimately won out.
Chen bit his lower lip, his expression firming with a sense of grim determination.
With a trembling, hesitant hand, he reached toward the hem of his own dress.
His movements were stiff and jerky, as if he were performing an incredibly complex and dangerous experiment.
The moment his fingertips brushed against the delicate lace trim, he instinctively flinched.
This earned him a dissatisfied frown from Herta.
“Hurry up.
Stop dawdling.”
“I know, I know!” Chen muttered under his breath.
He took a deep, steadying breath and, in one swift motion, abruptly lifted the hem.
His fingers met smooth, delicate fabric, and just beyond that…
was equally smooth skin.
There were no extra structures, no unexpected contours—just the flawless finish of a perfect porcelain doll.
No extra organs at all.
He paused, then carefully felt around again, just to be absolutely certain he hadn’t missed anything.
Only then did he let out a long, slow sigh of relief.
At the same time, however, he felt a subtle, almost imperceptible pang of loss—as if something was missing that should have been there, though he couldn’t for the life of him say what.
“Well?
How is it?” Herta asked eagerly.
Chen let the hem of his dress fall back into place, the blush on his face still refusing to fade.
“…Nothing.
There’s nothing.
It’s just smooth all over.”
“Oh?”
Without a word, Herta immediately leaned in, her own hand reaching out to lift Chen’s dress.
“Let me see.”
“Hey!”
Chen quickly clamped his hands down on his skirt, his face flaming red as he protested, “Men and women shouldn’t be so familiar!
Wait, I’m a doll now too…
but you still can’t just look!”
“It’s just an experiment, what’s the big deal?” Herta frowned, clearly annoyed, as she tried to pry his hands away.
“I need to see for myself to record accurate data.”
After a prolonged and rather pathetic tug-of-war, Chen finally gave in.
He resignedly let go, squeezing his eyes shut with an expression of utter despair that screamed, ‘Just do as you wish and let this end.’
Herta, showing not a shred of hesitation, lifted the hem of his dress and leaned her small head in close.
She observed the area with intense focus, occasionally poking with her fingers as if she were inspecting a piece of precision instrumentation.
After what felt like an eternity to Chen, Herta finally let the dress fall with a satisfied nod.
She turned and walked back to the control chair, picked up her data slate, and began writing furiously.
As her fingers flew across the holographic screen, her tone carried a distinct note of satisfaction.
“Recording complete.
Chen, Herta-form: lower body structure is completely consistent with my own dolls.
No reproductive organs or related systems installed.” She looked up from her notes, a smug little smile playing on her lips.
“It seems my design philosophy was correct after all.”
Chen finally let out the breath he’d been holding.
He nervously adjusted his dress, then asked, his curiosity getting the better of him, “Why not install them?
I’d think with your level of technology, it would be easy, right?”
Herta continued tapping on her slate without looking up, her tone dismissive.
“What’s the use of installing that stuff? Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
It’s a complete waste of computational power and energy.”
She paused, then patiently elaborated as if discussing a fundamental scientific principle.
“Simulating a full reproductive system consumes a massive amount of energy and introduces countless unnecessary variables.
Hormonal fluctuations, cyclical responses…
all of these would negatively impact the form’s stability and energy circulation efficiency.
For me, dolls are tools to assist in experiments, not for procreation.
Therefore, there is absolutely no need to install such features.”
She set down the data slate and turned to look him straight in the eye.
“Besides, don’t you think this is more perfect?” she asked, gesturing to her own doll-like body.
“No extra organs, no unnecessary troubles.
Just a perfect experimental specimen.”
Looking at Herta’s proud, smug little face, Chen suddenly felt that his earlier embarrassment and frantic internal conflict had been a complete and utter joke.
He shook his head helplessly.
Then, a thought occurred to him.
“So, your own dolls…
they’re all like this?”
“Of course,” Herta puffed out her small chest proudly.
“My dolls are all designed according to the most perfect standards.
How could they possibly have that kind of superfluous junk installed?”
Then, as if a fascinating new idea had struck her, her eyes lit up.
“But…
if you want to have it installed, I could give it a try for you,” she offered brightly.
“I’ve been researching biological organ simulation technology lately.
You’d make a perfect test subject.”
“No, no, no!” Chen waved his hands frantically in refusal.
The last thing he wanted was to become one of Herta’s test subjects.
“I think it’s perfectly fine as it is!
Really!”
Herta pouted, a flicker of disappointment on her face.
“How boring.
I wanted to observe the changes in energy circulation after installation.” She glanced back at the data on the control console, then at Chen.
“Alright, form inspection complete.”
“Next, let’s test your energy output efficiency.
Ready?”
Chen was about to nod when a sudden wave of paranoia washed over him.
He looked at Herta and asked with the utmost seriousness, “This next test…
it won’t involve me touching myself again, will it?”
Herta gave him a strange, quizzical look.
“Of course not.
This is an energy output test.
You just need to stand on the testing platform and release your energy.” She paused, her head tilting in genuine curiosity.
“Why?
Do you enjoy touching yourself?”
“!!!”
Chen’s face flushed a shade of crimson so deep it could have powered a small starship.
He desperately wished for a hole to open up in the floor and swallow him whole.
Looking at Herta’s innocent, harmless, and utterly baffled little face, he had only one thought.
The world of geniuses was truly something an ordinary person like him could never, ever hope to understand.
[Elysian’s Note:
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