Herta froze. She knew the language of violets better than anyone. But her tsundere nature made her shake her head.
"Ruan Mei... I'm not really familiar with the language of violets. Could you enlighten me?"
Ruan Mei smiled faintly and pressed further.
"Is there really knowledge that the great Madam Herta, unmatched in the universe, doesn't possess?"
Herta instinctively wanted to answer. But her tsundere instincts won out.
"Sigh. No one is perfect. I really don't know this one. Oh all-knowing Ruan Mei, please enlighten me."
"No one is perfect? Madam Herta, didn't you claim you could be an Emanator of Pure Beauty?"
Herta frowned and retorted.
"Even an Emanator of Pure Beauty can't be perfect. Neither can the Aeons."
"Think about the fallen ones. Yaoshi, Aha, Nanook, Machine Head... Is any of them perfect?"
"At most, they blazed a Path and walked it. That's all."
Seeing the topic shift to Aeons, Ruan Mei quickly steered it back.
"It represents the eternal yearning and pursuit of beauty. Just like you. Right?"
Herta froze. That's not what I wanted to hear. Even if everything she said was true.
She gritted her teeth. Her amethyst eyes reflected Ruan Mei's image.
Ruan Mei only gave half the meaning. She didn't say the other half. Does she really not know?!
Impossible. She knows. She's waiting for me to say it first.
I'll make her say it. To my face.
"Elegant, timeless Madam Ruan Mei. The language of violets does include the pursuit of beauty. But surely you know more?"
Ruan Mei glanced at her coolly.
You gave me violets, Herta. And now you're pretending ignorance.
She shook her head slightly.
"Madam Herta, that's all I know."
"You're erudite, well-traveled, and unmatched in the universe. Please, enlighten me."
Herta was pleased by the praise. But her nature wouldn't let her concede.
She signaled Ninety-Nine. Ninety-Nine immediately edited every search result for "violet" meanings to Herta's desired answer.
"Geniuses should question. And seek knowledge. Ruan Mei, search it on your phone, and then tell me the answer."
Ruan Mei glanced at Tingyun. Tingyun shook her head slightly.
Don't back down now, Benefactor. If you give an inch, she'll take a mile. Her tsundere nature will only worsen.
Ruan Mei nodded. She took out her phone. Dead battery.
Herta saw through her. She offered her own phone. Ruan Mei spoke first.
"Madam Herta. Search it yourself. Read me the answer, alright?"
Herta froze. She forced a smile.
Ninety-Nine stepped forward.
"Madam Herta, Madam Ruan Mei, it's teatime. I've prepared everything. Please, follow me."
Herta breathed a sigh of relief. Ninety-Nine is clever. Stepping in at just the right moment.
"Ruan Mei, let's go. Tea and pastries."
"Your lab has that Moonstar Pavilion, doesn't it? The place for stargazing. Let's go there."
Tingyun nodded at Ruan Mei.
Ruan Mei agreed.
"Yes. The Moonstar Pavilion."
Herta and Ninety-Nine led the way. Ruan Mei and Tingyun followed at a distance. The cat-cakes brought up the rear.
Tingyun whispered.
"Madam Ruan Mei. Madam Herta's intentions are unclear. And that Herta #99 keeps helping her."
"We need to separate her from Herta #99. I'll stay nearby and help however I can."
"Oh."
Ninety-Nine whispered to Herta.
"Madam Herta. That Tingyun keeps whispering to Ruan Mei, scheming. We need to follow the plan. Send her away first."
"Got it."
Herta smirked. She summoned her magic key and pointed it at Tingyun.
"Tingyun, Yukong's in trouble. Return to the Luofu. Now."
"Hmm?"
Before Tingyun or Ninety-Nine could react, a [Mirror] materialized before Tingyun.
Seeing herself about to be teleported, Tingyun grabbed Ninety-Nine and dragged her along.
Both vanished.
Ruan Mei and Herta froze. They stood there, momentarily lost.
Tingyun/Ninety-Nine is gone. Now how do I face Herta/Ruan Mei alone?
Even Forgotten Cake and Wisteria Cake stared at each other in disbelief.
Madam Herta... what are you doing? You just betrayed your own ally.
Ruan Mei Cake pulled Wisteria Cake and Forgotten Cake aside.
With backup now present, Ruan Mei and Herta composed themselves. Smiling, they continued toward the Moonstar Pavilion.
Forgotten Cake and Ruan Mei Cake exchanged glances. When Forgotten Cake smiled at Ruan Mei Cake—
Wisteria Cake froze in shock.
What?! When did Forgotten Cake appear?! It's over. My Ruan Mei Cake.
She shuddered inwardly.
I can barely save myself. Who cares about Madam Herta anymore?!
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TL Note
Power Stone Progress: 149/175 (5 Chapters)
Power Stone Ranking: 16/10 (10 Chapters)
If we reach the top 10 in the power stone rankings, I'll drop 10 chapters.