Herta Space Station, Containment Bay Section.
The impromptu Voidspawn Annihilation Squad, with March 7th as its tentative leader, was making its way out from the Fathomless Tower, Miss Herta’s private Curio collection room.
They were surrounded by display cases, their transparent light-screens projecting images of the floating Curios within, sparking their curiosity and drawing their gaze.
March 7th couldn’t help but feel her burning desire to complain ignite.
“This place is filled with all sorts of strange gadgets, so-called ‘Curios.’ Herta collects all this stuff but never uses it, just lets them collect dust in here.
I have no idea what for.” Dan Heng commented flatly, “Aren’t you the same?
You love collecting those little plastic figures.” “Those are called scale figures!
And you’d do well to stay out of the business of 2D anime girls!” Still, the analogy Dan Heng drew was spot on.
Perhaps Herta’s reason for collecting these Curios was the same as March 7th’s for collecting figures—they didn’t need to have a purpose.
Their value was sufficiently demonstrated by simply being admired.
—o— Zao Wu approached a stack of cubes.
The boy reached out to touch them, and though his hand was stopped by the display case, a string of text materialized on the transparent blue light-screen.
[Curio No.
269: Packaged Happiness.
A portable device within the cube that can be used to identify and collect ‘happiness’-type emotions.] Zao Wu carefully counted the cubes storing the portable devices and found there were twenty-one.
He counted a few more times, but the number was different each time.
Just as the boy was growing confused, Silver Wolf suddenly called his name.
“Zao Wu, over here!” With a rare excitement, she stood before a Curio display case, hands on her slender hips, eyes glued to the object inside.
The Curio she was focused on was a bright yellow pistol that looked like a child’s toy.
“This is that Rating Gun I told you about!” Silver Wolf reminded him.
Zao Wu’s eyes instantly lit up.
“So, what’s Sister Silver Wolf’s score?” Scores were, after all, the most important part of game design.
“What, you want to compete with me~?” Silver Wolf smelled a challenge.
The camera seemed to pan down to the girl’s shorts, as if the word “BATTLE!” was emblazoned across them.
Zao Wu nodded with a smile.
“Okay.” Silver Wolf’s excitement surged.
“Then, should we set up rewards and punishments?
A game with nothing at stake is no fun!” “What kind of reward does Sister Silver Wolf want?” “Or should I say, what kind of punishment~?” “Ooh, feeling confident, are we, little Zao Wu?” “Let me think for a moment…” “I’ve got it!
If my score is higher, you have to be my butler for a day!” “But aren’t I usually a butler?” Zao Wu asked, curious.
To repay the Stellaron Hunters for accepting him, Zao Wu had taken it upon himself to act as a butler, caring for everyone to the best of his ability.
Of course, Kafka’s joking words had also been a significant deciding factor.
A blush crept onto Silver Wolf’s cheeks.
Her eyes darted about, her lashes fluttering as a hint of urgency colored her tone.
“It’s not the same as that!
You have to be my exclusive butler, you get it?
Exclusive!” “During that time, you’re not allowed to look at anyone else, not even Kafka!” “You can only look at me, gaze at me gently, and let me become…” …the only one in your eyes.
“I understand,” Zao Wu replied with a smile, clearly not reading too much into it.
“Then what if Sister Silver Wolf loses?” “M-Me, lose?” “Even though that’s impossible, since you asked…” “Let’s just make it an equal trade.” “If I lose, I’ll become your exclusive maid for a day.” “Day or night, for that entire day, you can do… whatever you want with me~” “Hmm, that’s fine too.” Zao Wu’s reaction was surprisingly calm.
Perhaps the boy’s mind was too pure, having never once considered what sort of outrageous things he could possibly do to Sister Silver Wolf.
Unlike Silver Wolf, who was already caught in a vortex of fantasy, her face growing redder as she unconsciously pressed her thighs together.
Because she had suddenly realized… It seemed like no matter whether she won or lost this Rating Gun contest, it was a reward for her either way!
Ahem, can’t let my intentions be too obvious!
Silver Wolf quickly composed herself and said to Zao Wu, “You go first, Zao Wu!” “Alright.” Zao Wu didn’t hesitate.
He walked up to the Rating Gun and raised his hand to touch the screen.
A string of text immediately appeared.
[Curio No.
752: Rating Gun.
This gun will score any creature within its line of sight.
The scoring logic is unknown.] [The strange gun’s closed eye suddenly snaps open.
It swivels around for a moment before staring at you with ill intent.] [—0 points!] the Rating Gun announced in a flat, emotionless voice.
Zao Wu froze, stunned.
“No way!
This piece of junk has to be Stellaron Hunter curse word mistaken!” Unexpectedly, the one who should have been celebrating her guaranteed victory, Silver Wolf, was the first to show any anger.
She was furious on Zao Wu’s behalf.
All her interest and fondness for the Rating Gun instantly plummeted to rock bottom.
“The bet’s off.
This piece of junk… I’m going to hack the station’s system right now and smash it!” “It won’t matter even if Herta shows up, I said it!” Zao Wu felt a stir in his heart, like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples spreading outward.
The ripples may eventually cease, and the water’s surface may become still once more.
But the pebble that sank to the bottom of the lake would remain there forever.
Besides, he wasn’t actually as hurt as Silver Wolf imagined.
On the contrary, he found “0 points” to be rather special.
“It’s okay, Sister Silver Wolf.” “Besides, once a game has started, you shouldn’t quit halfway through.” “Isn’t that what you taught me, Sister Silver Wolf~?” “A game, huh…” “Hmph.
I guess you do run into shitty games like this sometimes.” “But I always grit my teeth and beat them in the end.” “Fine.
I’ll test it once.” With that, Silver Wolf stepped in front of the Rating Gun, fixing it with a slightly cold gaze.
The Rating Gun issued another score.
This time, however, its voice was inexplicably mixed with a strange electronic static.
[1 point!] Silver Wolf feigned astonishment.
“What!
Even I only get one point?” “Maybe this stupid gun’s scoring system is inverted.” “That would mean you, Zao Wu, with your 0 points, were actually judged to be the most outstanding one!” Silver Wolf’s explanation sounded surprisingly plausible.
Zao Wu was equally surprised, but he was willing to admit defeat and wouldn’t take the excuse Silver Wolf was offering him.
“You don’t have to comfort me like that, Sister Silver Wolf.
A loss is a loss.” “After this mission is over, I’ll be your exclusive butler for a day,” Zao Wu promised in a low voice.
“What are you two talking about!” March 7th suddenly leaned in.
“Nothing, just a boring Curio,” Silver Wolf said, grabbing the arm of Zao Wu, who was about to say something, and pulling him away from the Rating Gun.
“Boring?” March 7th was confused.
She quickly read the Rating Gun’s description and became intensely curious about what score it would give her.
But the result only left the girl fuming.
“Silver Wolf was right!
This is totally boring!” “How could this young lady possibly be a one!”