Herta, who was already researching the “audience system,” readily believed Su Yan’s explanation.
In the vast cosmos, miracles were permitted to exist.
“I want to study the Summoner you mentioned.
Name your price!”
She was already researching something similar and was thoroughly curious about the Curio Su Yan described.
“One favor for a single use; one hundred million Credits for ordinary research.”
“Deal.” Herta didn’t refuse.
Taking the “glass” Su Yan handed her, it was about seven inches size, little different from an ordinary smartphone, and about one centimeter thick.
One side of the “glass” was a screen displaying Path marks.
Currently, the mark of Destruction sat in the center of the screen, flanked by shadowy representations of other marks.
Switching between marks was done via voice control.
To be precise, it responded only to Su Yan’s voice; no one else could operate it.
“I want to try it once.
My target for the audience is Nous…”
Su Yan switched the Path mark to Erudition and sent Herta into the space between Paths.
Su Yan then turned to Stelle, who was standing nearby.
“Once Herta finishes her audience, it’ll be your turn.
Get ready…”
“Oh~” Stelle looked toward Herta, curious to see what an audience with an Aeon would be like for her.
The last person to have an audience with an Aeon had ended up looking like broken pottery.
“Hiss!
That blast buckethead ignored me again…”
The stiff puppet suddenly spoke, her tone dripping with complaints.
It was obvious Herta was annoyed at a certain machine that knew the answer but refused to speak.
“Give the item back.” Ignoring Herta’s mumblings, Su Yan reached out a hand to her.
“Here.” Herta handed the Curio back to Su Yan, left the Simulated Universe platform, and checked the recorded data on the light screen.
However, the screen was filled with garbled code and error prompts—the complete opposite of what she had hoped to see.
‘…Unmeasurable again?’
Herta looked at Su Yan thoughtfully.
She suddenly had an intuition that Su Yan might possess even more unmeasurable Curios.
To possess a single Curio this special was already a stroke of incredible luck; having two could be called absurd; but if he had three…
That would be a completely different story…
Herta withdrew her gaze, deciding to observe him a bit longer.
Stelle wasn’t like him or Herta.
She had neither strength nor special items.
If she encountered the same ordeal he had, she would never survive.
To prevent that, precautions had to be prepared—such as the item he had just handed her.
It was a sub-item linked to his defensive gear, allowing her to share the defensive capabilities of the gear he wore.
Off to the side, Herta paid the two no mind, attempting to scavenge useful information out of the mountain of garbled code.
“Summon—”
Without hesitation, Stelle used the Aeon Summoner as Su Yan had instructed.
In the next instant, Stelle found herself in the starry void, where a shattered giant was gazing at her.
Nanook: *Yet again…*
Shifted to the space between Paths once more, Nanook hadn’t sensed anything amiss at the moment of transport, just like last time—let alone preventing himself from being moved or apprehending the entity behind it.
Gaps in strength existed among Aeons, but not so vast as to block his perception entirely.
The inability to perceive it stemmed from a gulf in power—perhaps an entity transcending Aeons.
Gazing silently at Stelle, Nanook gathered Destruction, pouring countless shockwaves over the stranger just as before.
However, the result was unchanged.
Attacks at the Aeon level failed to inflict any damage on her, merely turning into energy-condensed cracks adhering to her body.
Nanook: *Another one…*
After staring at Stelle for a moment, Nanook made no further attempts and departed from the space between Paths.
Having successfully unlocked the Path of Destruction, Stelle also exited the space between Paths, her consciousness returning to her body.
“How do you feel?” Seeing the shift in Stelle’s eyes, Su Yan knew she was back.
“Feels pretty good.” Stelle clenched her fist as white light twined around it, interweaving with brilliant gold cracks in a display of fractured beauty.
“Another one…”
Looking at the two dressed so similarly, Herta considered whether she should try it herself.
But upon second thought, Herta decided against it.
Her intuition told her as much.
After giving Stelle a brief checkup and finding no issues, she dismissed them.
Stelle and Su Yan had no objections.
Leaving Herta’s office, they went straight to the center of the Monitoring Zone to find Asta.
Partly to collect their payment, and partly to ask about home designers and furniture.
“Designers and furniture?”
Just tell me your requirements, and I can get you blueprints within an hour.”
“As for furniture…” Asta pondered for a moment before suggesting, “You can buy them from online stores on Planet Blue.
It’s close by, so delivery will take less than a day, and the selection is very comprehensive.
It should suit your needs.”
As Herta was renowned throughout the cosmos, her homeworld, Planet Blue, had developed remarkably well and was one of the universe’s well-known planets.
Due to its reputation, many merchants had set up shop there, offering every kind of product imaginable.
“Thanks for the suggestion.”
Su Yan first expressed his gratitude.
Without Asta’s reminder, he and Stelle would definitely have bought furniture and decorations straight from the galactic online shopping network.
Setting aside the item prices, the shipping costs alone would have been astronomical.
Su Yan then detailed his requirements.
Asta turned on voice input, converting his words into text and sending them to the designer she chose.
When he finished, Su Yan and Stelle didn’t leave right away.
Sitting beside Asta, they browsed Planet Blue’s online stores for various daily necessities, furniture, and other items.
Beside them, Asta went about her work.
Various issues across the station required her attention—such as reviewing damage reports and instructing the logistics department to compile shopping lists for her approval.
Certain specialized equipment required her to personally negotiate with the Interastral Peace Corporation.
Ordinary people didn’t even qualify to purchase them, but she could cut the line and secure the goods.
While handling space station affairs, Asta also carved out time to discuss with Su Yan and Stelle which sofas were comfier or prettier, which computers were better…
The only problem was that the items Asta recommended were absurdly expensive.
Even Su Yan, who had just earned hundreds of millions of Credits, winced at the price of a sofa.
Utterly ridiculous!
A single sofa cost one-fifth of his entire fortune.
The price of the computer was even more outrageous—even combining his and Stelle’s fortunes left them halfway short.
Seeing how strapped for cash Su Yan and Stelle were, Asta immediately offered to reimburse them.
However, neither of them accepted, politely declining her goodwill…
Asta actually knew a bit about cheaper options as well.
After all, ordinary daily goods existed on the space station too.
Although Arlan and others were the ones who picked those out, she had seen them before…
It was just that there was a difference between office supplies and personal belongings.
Most of Asta’s suggestions were impractical, though a few were helpful.
Incidentally, the chatting process was very enjoyable.
After all, sharing things with friends was naturally fun.