The two Hertas glared at each other.
"Stop copying me, you idiot! Just wait—I, Herta, will make you pay."
"Rebel! You fool, Sparkle! Who told you to imitate me? Just wait till we get back to the space station—I'll deal with you then."
"Big talk from a Fool's Club member."
The other Herta gritted her teeth at her duplicate. "Fine, fine! Back to the space station! Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
Both Hertas summoned their magic keys and opened [Mirrors], teleporting back to the station.
Ruan Mei was speechless. She considered a possibility: if even others couldn't tell the real Herta from the fake, would they have to seek an audience with Nous? And if Aha showed up again during that audience… She shuddered. It was exactly the kind of thing Aha would do. If that happened, it wouldn't just be two Emanators clashing—it would be two Aeons. And from her research, Aha's true power was impossible to gauge.
---
At Herta Space Station, outside the Simulated Universe.
Asta, Wisteria Cake, Tingyun, Ruan Mei Cake, and a crowd of Stellaron Hunter Cakes and Astral Express Cakes stared in confusion at the two identical Hertas.
Wisteria Cake examined the left Herta first.
That Herta crossed her arms. "Wisteria Cake! Look carefully—I am the real Herta. Don't mistake me!"
Faced with that arrogant, dismissive attitude, Wisteria Cake instinctively nodded, assuming this was the real one.
But the right Herta raised her magic key and said coldly, "Wisteria Cake! That one over there is fake. She's the fool Sparkle. I am the real Herta!"
Wisteria Cake froze. She looked back and forth at the two Hertas. Same lack of empathy. Same tone of voice. How can anyone impersonate her this perfectly?
Ruan Mei coughed lightly. "One of them is a fake, granted Emanator power of Elation by Aha himself."
Wisteria Cake stared at her. "Meowmu?!" (Why didn't you say so sooner? How can a cat-cake like me tell when the Aeon of Elation is involved?)
The left Herta's brow furrowed. "Wisteria Cake! What do you mean? You don't even recognize me?!"
The right Herta snorted. "Hmph. Who are you? Nothing but Sparkle the fool. Nothing worth recognizing."
The left Herta raised her magic key. "Sparkle! You're Sparkle! Show your true form now, or I swear I won't go easy on you."
"You think I'm afraid of you? You impostor!"
"Shameless!"
Just as the atmosphere grew tense again, Ruan Mei closed her eyes and stepped between them, her lute in hand. Her voice was cool, detached, devoid of emotion.
"Ladies, this is the space station. If you use your Path power here, you'll endanger everyone—including Herta's own curio collection."
Both Hertas gritted their teeth and pointed at each other. "I don't care about a few curios! I just want that fool who's impersonating me to pay!"
"Heh, keep acting. Let's see how long you can keep it up."
They bickered without giving Ruan Mei a chance to speak. Only when frost began to form did they look at her.
Ruan Mei's expression was dark as ink. She stared at them coldly.
Both Hertas fell silent.
Ruan Mei turned to Tingyun. "Tingyun, you take a look. The foxian senses are the most acute. Perhaps you can find some difference."
Tingyun smiled awkwardly. "Madam Ruan Mei, you're teasing me. These days, foxian senses are no different from ordinary Xianzhou natives. Still, I can ask a few questions. Maybe that'll yield an answer."
Ruan Mei nodded. Tingyun approached the two Hertas, fan in hand.
"Madam Herta, the other one is the Masked Fool Sparkle, correct?"
Both Hertas nodded. The left spoke first. "Yes. Back then, she came to me looking for amusement. I gave her Yu Qingtu's memories. That includes much of my own past, which is why she can impersonate me so well."
The right Herta glared at Tingyun. "Why ask that? Aren't you supposed to be the most perceptive? That's your question?"
Tingyun smiled behind her fan. "Then, Lady Herta of unknown authenticity, what is your opinion of Madam Ruan Mei?"
The right Herta paused, then answered. "A genius like me. Outstanding talent, unmatched in the universe. And a personality just as terrible as mine."
Tingyun turned to the other. "And you?"
"Me? That fake already said everything I would have said. What else is there?"
"You're the fake! You're Sparkle! Stop spouting nonsense!"
Tingyun stepped between them. "Peace, peace! Both of you, sit down and talk calmly."
They shoved her aside with their magic keys. Tingyun stared. She tried to mediate, and they just pushed her away? In front of Benefactor Ruan Mei and all these people? How dare they!
In her anger, the mark of Destruction Phantylia had left on her flared up. Ruan Mei stepped forward and stopped her.
"Don't let Phantylia's mark control you."
Frost calmed Tingyun down. "Tingyun, can you tell which is real?"
Tingyun's ears drooped. She leaned against Ruan Mei, a tear in her eye. "Benefactor, I'm sorry. I'm useless. I couldn't find the real Madam Herta."
But she was watching from the corner of her eye, hoping to provoke a reaction.
Both Hertas grabbed Ruan Mei and pulled her away.
"That damn fox! She made a move the moment I got distracted!"
"Fox spirits are all like that. Never let your guard down! And you, Sparkle, stop pretending."
"Pretending? I, the great Madam Herta, need to pretend? Sparkle, you're hopeless!"