The Stellaron Hunters?
“You want my Stellaron?”
Herta had heard of Elio, the slave of destiny who walked the Path of Finality.
After all, he was the rumored founder of the Stellaron Hunters, wanted across the cosmos by the Interastral Peace Corporation.
“Yes.”
Elio readily admitted it.
Obtaining Herta’s permission to take the Stellaron she had sealed away on this space station was one of his objectives for this visit.
“…”
After Elio admitted it, Herta pondered for a moment before saying,
“You can have the Stellaron, but you must tell me what was deleted from the surveillance footage.”
Although the Stellaron Hunters were wanted criminals pursued by the Interastral Peace Corporation, Herta understood that they weren’t her enemies.
Besides, Herta was certain that Elio had helped Asta find her while she was unconscious and gravely injured.
She didn’t mind handing this troublesome Stellaron over to him.
“The genius killer appeared.”
Elio’s tail swayed gently, but he didn’t name her directly.
Polka Kakamond?
Although Elio hadn’t mentioned her name, Herta knew he was referring to Polka Kakamond.
There was a well-known theory within the Genius Society: geniuses met only one of two ends.
They either died naturally of old age or were killed by Polka Kakamond.
If it had been the legendary Number Four, who had erased the face from every self-portrait of her across the universe, then the accident Herta had suffered made sense.
Polka had attacked her.
She was the one who had allowed the Starcrusher Swarm King to survive beyond its fifty-six-second limit.
However, since Herta was still alive and well, and the little one’s data core remained intact, someone must have stopped her.
“Were you the one who stopped her?”
At present, Elio was the only one Herta knew of—aside from herself—who had the ability to stop Polka.
Or perhaps she should say, the only cat?
“All I did was help your student, Asta, find you and guard you while you were unconscious until the protector you’d secretly stationed here, Four-Sided Mirror, returned.”
Elio merely explained what he had done.
He had no intention of taking credit for A-Cha’s accomplishments.
A-Cha had been the one fighting Polka Kakamond all along.
Herta’s survival and Little Herta’s undamaged core were both thanks to her.
“Another genius was present? Were they also the one who deleted the surveillance footage?”
Hearing Elio’s answer, Herta immediately guessed what had most likely happened.
Without her knowledge, a genius and Polka Kakamond had clashed aboard her space station over her and the little one.
In the end, Polka Kakamond had failed to gain the upper hand.
At the same time, the other genius had no intention of making contact with Herta, so they had deleted the surveillance records.
“I promised her I wouldn’t say.”
“Looks like I guessed right.”
Elio’s answer confirmed Herta’s suspicions.
Since the other party had no desire to meet her, Herta tactfully refrained from pressing the matter.
Now that her questions had been answered, she continued,
“I’m not exactly happy that she deleted the surveillance footage, but if you get the chance, please thank her for me.”
“Also, how do you plan to take the Stellaron away? Do you need my cooperation?”
Herta had nothing else she wanted to ask Elio.
“If the opportunity arises, I’ll pass on your thanks. As for the Stellaron…”
Elio paused, rose from the corner of the console, and landed lightly on the floor.
“I’ll send someone to retrieve it in a while. You simply need not interfere.”
With that, Elio dissolved into a wisp of black smoke and vanished, leaving only one final sentence behind.
“Until we meet again, Ms. Herta.”
Little Herta had a dream.
She dreamed that she had become Nous and was calculating the answers to all things in the universe, only to arrive at forty-two.
Then she saw a familiar yet unfamiliar array of shadowless lamps shining down on her, just like when she had first awakened on Herta’s workbench.
She had been repaired?!
“If you’re already online, stop pretending to be in standby mode and get up.”
A familiar voice came from beside her.
Little Herta turned her head.
“Old wit—ow!”
“Who are you calling an old witch?!”
Before Little Herta could finish, Herta grabbed her adorable cheeks at lightning speed and stretched them to both sides.
“Ow, ow, ow—wait, why can I feel pain?! Why did you install a pain-perception module in me?!”
For the first time in her life as an Intellitron, Little Herta experienced pain.
After confirming that the petty Herta had made it impossible for her to turn off the module, she hurriedly begged for mercy.
“Mom, I was wrong! You’re the most beautiful and kindhearted young beauty in the world! Let go! Let go! It hurts so much I’m going to die!”
“Hehe.”
As Little Herta begged for mercy, a clear, melodious laugh rang out.
Hearing the laughter, Herta released Little Herta’s cheeks and turned to the woman beside her.
“What are you laughing at?”
Ruan Mei, a black-haired beauty dressed in a teal cheongsam and Genius Society Member #81.
Because the conflict had occurred in the laboratory Herta had given Ruan Mei, Herta had specially called her to the space station.
Of course, she hadn’t summoned her to assign blame.
She wanted to discuss precautions against Polka Kakamond and find out exactly what else Ruan Mei had left on her space station.
Especially whether there were any other dangerous specimens like the Starcrusher Swarm King.
“I simply think the two of you are very close.”
Ruan Mei replied.
Herta rolled her eyes at Ruan Mei before turning to Little Herta.
“4423, this is—”
“No need for an introduction. I know her! Someone this beautiful must be Ruan Mei, right?”
Cutting Herta off, Little Herta jumped down from the assembly table and ran straight over to Ruan Mei.
Herta, whose introduction had just been interrupted: ‘How irritating!’
Thump!
“Ow! Why did you hit me again? Was I wrong?”
Little Herta clutched her head and glared resentfully at Herta’s raised fist.
“You were right. She is Ruan Mei. But next time, wait for someone to finish speaking before you interrupt!”
After Herta’s retort, Ruan Mei spoke to Little Herta.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, little one.”
“First, please allow me to apologize. The Starcrusher Swarm King I left behind nearly killed you. I’m very sorry.”
Ruan Mei’s voice was gentle, especially as she apologized.
It was like a soft breeze brushing past.
“You don’t need to apologize. I was the one who let it out, so I’m the one who should be apologizing. I’m sorry for messing with your things without permission, Ruan Mei.”
As far as Little Herta was concerned, Ruan Mei hadn’t done anything wrong.
Little Herta herself had jumped to conclusions and made a complete mess of everything.
“I accept your apology. Here, this is a gift for you.”
Ruan Mei took out an exquisite pastry and handed it to Little Herta.
“Thank you, Ruan Mei! It’s delicious!”
Little Herta accepted the pastry and wolfed it down without the slightest hint of caution.
After finishing it, she licked her lips and looked toward Herta.
“By the way, who saved me in the end?”
Little Herta had thought she was certain to die back then.
She had never imagined she could still be repaired.
“The moment you collapsed, the Starcrusher Swarm King reached the limit of its lifespan. They annihilated themselves.”
Herta answered.
“At the same moment? What a coincidence.”
Suspicion flashed in Little Herta’s eyes.
“Yes, it was exactly that coincidental.”
Herta had no intention of telling Little Herta the truth.
She casually dismissed it as a coincidence, then changed the subject.
“More importantly, run a self-diagnostic on your new body and see if there are any problems.”
“Also, do you remember what happened when you collapsed?”
★ ★ ★
T/N: If you spot mistranslation, do tell me!