"...Um, Herta, are you... okay?"
Stelle looked at Herta, whose legs were trembling slightly, and couldn't help but ask.
"I-I'm fine... don't worry about it."
Recalling Clara's explosive display just moments ago, Herta's heart couldn't help but quiver a little.
It was just a puppet. So why could her attacks reach my very consciousness?
Herta felt that if Clara kept hitting her, she might just burst into tears on the spot.
So, Herta chose to sever the connection with that puppet body and made a quick escape.
Even after switching to another puppet, the fiery sting on her backside still pierced straight through to her soul...
"What are you doing here?"
Stelle thought that after just arguing with Screwllum, Herta wouldn't be back so soon.
"Huh? What kind of question is that?" Hearing this, Herta fought back the sensation still lingering on her rear and spoke to Stelle with clear annoyance. "Why don't you go outside right now, check whose name is written on the office door, and then say that to me again, hmm?"
Hearing this, Stelle actually ran over, glanced at the door currently lying on the floor, and read the name written on it.
Then she jogged back and reported to Herta:
"It says:"
"[This is Lady Clara's office. Visitors, halt.]"
Herta: ?
"Hah?" Herta thought she must have gone deaf. She hurried over to the door to take a look.
Sure enough, the words for "Herta's Office" on the door had, at some unknown time, been replaced with the phrase: "This is Lady Clara's office. Visitors, halt."
Seeing this, Herta's expression turned rather ugly. First, the space station's name changed to Clara's. Now, Herta's own office was becoming Clara's. What's next? The entire Herta Space Station becoming Clara's?
And after that, might as well turn myself into Clara's belonging entirely.
Anyway, regarding this matter of the office name being changed, she absolutely had to demand an explanation from her!
Herta steeled her resolve internally. If she let Clara run rampant like this any longer, where would it end?
Then she walked up to Stelle and said to her:
"You, go do whatever it is you need to do. I don't care what you and Screwllum are planning. Just don't bother me, okay?"
"Uh, okay..." Seeing Herta like this, Stelle felt no need to press further. She headed towards Screwllum and then entered the Simulated Universe.
"Ooh~ You go do~ whatever~ you need~ to do~ I don't care~ what you and Screwllum~ are planning~ Just don't bo-ther me~ okay~~"
After Stelle entered the Simulated Universe, Clara, currently portraying Sparkle, appeared beside Herta.
"Sis Herta~ Who knew you were such a tsundere."
Herta: ...
Why is this dark-haired little devil so annoying?
Herta fixed her eyes on Clara and slowly spoke:
"The name written on my office door, why... uh."
Herta had just begun to question Clara, but upon seeing her suddenly raise her hand, Herta instinctively and hurriedly used both hands to cover her own backside.
"Sis Herta, what did you say? Could you repeat that?" Clara turned her hand over, examining her unpolished fingernails as if inspecting non-existent manicure, and asked with feigned puzzlement.
"...Uh..."
Remembering the ordeal she had just endured, Herta shivered all over, forcing out a strained smile.
"N-nothing. I was just thinking, with the door broken like that, what's the point of writing a name on it anyway."
"I'll have Asta buy a new door later and have your name engraved on it."
"Oh? I never imagined Sis Herta could be so kind. Then little Clara won't stand on ceremony~" Clara clasped her hands together and flashed Herta a sweet smile.
"D-don't mention it." Herta's smile was terribly forced, looking as if she might cry the very next second.
It's just a name, just a name. Even if the name changes, this office is still mine...
Don't mind it, don't mind it, don't mind it.
Herta kept trying to hypnotize herself internally.
"In that case, little Clara can't just accept Sis Herta's kindness for nothing. Here, this is for you." Clara rummaged in her cartoonish pocket and pulled out a small, chibi-style figurine of herself. "Whenever Sis Herta encounters trouble, danger, or something she really doesn't want to do, you can just crush this doll."
"What happens if I crush it? Will you come help me solve the problem?"
"Well, no." Clara shook her head. Me, help you solve problems? I'd be doing well enough if I didn't go over and add to your problems instead.
"Then what does happen?" Herta asked, confused. If it doesn't solve the problem, what's the point of crushing it under those circumstances?
"For psychological effect, of course! After crushing it, your heart will feel much calmer. Then you can settle down and think of a good solution properly."
Clara said with a giggle.
Herta: ...
"Well, thank you so much," Herta said, rolling her eyes at Clara, but she still took the little figurine.
"Mhm." Clara gave a light hum, then continued. "Alright, enough teasing."
"The doll won't solve the problem, but it can solve the person causing the problem."
"What do you mean?"
"Just what it says."
"After crushing the doll, it will trigger a massive explosion, turning everything within several quadrillions of light-years centered on the doll itself into complete nothingness~"
As she said this, Clara even made an exaggerated exploding motion with her hands.
"So, Sis Herta, you better use it carefully, okay?"
"If you accidentally break it during an experiment, you won't even have a place in heaven to cry about it~"
Herta: ...
"The fish has taken the bait, Herta. We can proceed with the plan." Sensing Silver Wolf's appearance within the Simulated Universe, Screwllum's transmitted voice reached Herta.
Hearing this, Herta first nodded towards Screwllum's general direction, then lowered her head and offered Clara a word of thanks.
"Whatever your intention might be with this gift,"
"You giving me a present makes me happy. Thank you."
Clara: ?
Watching Herta bow her head in thanks, a huge question mark popped up above Clara's head.
Is this still the Herta I know?
...
I have completed the author to TL pipeline, 2 chapters per day. 150+ chapters in advance on patreon.
patreon.com/intraneer
Give power stones please I survive solely off of number go up.