Regarding the reaction of the simulated Xipe.
And that aura, unique to an Aeon, that radiated outward the moment THEY looked over.
'Little Herta' felt a fleeting daze, as if the entity before her were the real thing.
The sense of reality grounded in the foundation of Remembrance was so potent that even she, the creator, felt her senses blur.
"Is this right...? I'm the one who made this, aren't I?"
'Little Herta' watched with a mix of confusion as the simulated Xipe averted THEIR gaze. She couldn't help but feel that this level of realism was exceeding her expectations.
But it had only been a few days; the gathered Memoria within the Simulated Universe hadn't undergone any massive qualitative change. So why did it feel like the authenticity was skyrocketing?
Moreover, there was a technical snag. She had tried to run the simulation process through her software, only for it to crash because of this inexplicably high fidelity.
"How can it even work like this..."
'Little Herta' scratched her head in frustration. It was a first—an experiment failing specifically because it was too realistic. Was that even logical?
She logged out of the Simulated Universe.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw that Herta had arrived at some point. Standing before her was AR-214, wearing an expression as if she were undergoing a formal inspection.
Upon seeing 'Little Herta' wake up, the girl scurried over like a puppy desperate to find its owner and hid by her side.
Herta watched the scene, her eyebrows arching slightly.
"Heh. You went to Penacony and brought back a little girl—what's the plan? Don't tell me you're starting to feel maternal like Ruan Mei?"
"It's not 'mothering.' Her Entropy Loss Syndrome hasn't been cured yet, so I'm just letting her stay with me for now."
'Little Herta' didn't intend to dwell on the subject of AR-214. She turned her head and gave the girl a reassuring smile.
"Don't mind her. Herta's always been like this. I might get tied up with my research and lose track of you, so if you get bored, feel free to wander around Amphoreus. It's quite lively there."
"Mm, it's okay. I know Madam Herta doesn't mean any harm."
AR-214 nodded with a smile, though she seemed to swallow back something she wanted to say. She had actually come over to ask 'Little Herta' a question.
It was about her name.
AR-214 wanted a name of her own. She had tried to come up with one, but nothing ever felt right.
Since 'Little Herta' had mentioned wanting to name her, she wanted to use whatever the other chose. She was almost impatient for it.
But she could see how busy the other was. Having learned so many secrets back on Penacony, 'Little Herta' likely had a mountain of work ahead of her.
AR-214 had thought she might ask now, before the research truly began in earnest.
Then, while she was waiting, Madam Herta had suddenly walked in. The sharp tone Herta used when speaking to 'Little Herta' made AR-214 hesitate to bring up such a trivial personal matter.
"Well, since you're busy, I'll go take a look around Amphoreus then?"
"Sure. If anything happens, just message me anytime."
As 'Little Herta' spoke, she began pulling up the data she had just generated in the Simulated Universe to show Herta.
Herta, however, suddenly looked at AR-214 and spoke up.
"This one is a total blockhead. If you don't say it outright and expect her to figure it out herself, you'd have better luck waiting for Yaoshi to drop by and cure you personally."
"Huh?" 'Little Herta' looked at Herta, utterly baffled. What was she blathering about?
Herta simply wore an expression that said, 'I'd rather not admit I know you.'
"See? There you go."
"Hehe~"
AR-214 followed Herta's lead, looking at the confused creator before covering her mouth to stifle a giggle.
Though she knew Herta was only speaking up for her because of 'Little Herta,' she felt an immediate, closer connection to Madam Herta.
Even a blockhead like 'Little Herta' caught on eventually.
AR-214 must have had something to say but didn't get the chance.
She immediately glared at Herta. "What was that for? Who are you calling a blockhead?!"
She'd just been preoccupied with the Simulated Universe data and was thinking about discussing it with Herta; her brain just hadn't switched gears yet.
"Hmph~"
Facing that utterly non-threatening glare, Herta gave a dismissive snort and ignored her completely.
She walked toward the Simulated Universe, intending to see what kind of data had been churning inside, while simultaneously giving the two some space.
'Little Herta' withdrew her gaze and looked back at AR-214.
"What is it? If there's something on your mind, just tell me. Even if I only went looking for you because of Elio's prophecy, I brought you back, so naturally, I intend to take responsibility for you."
"Ugh, that phrasing..."
AR-214's pretty face flushed a deep crimson.
When it came to social interaction, her experience and knowledge were almost entirely derived from the internet and various fictional works.
So, while 'Little Herta' was just saying she'd look after AR-214's well-being, it sounded incredibly suggestive to the girl's ears.
Besides, didn't that phrasing imply that if she wanted to stay by the other's side forever, she actually could?
Fortunately, she had decent mental fortitude. She didn't descend into a total daze or lose her ability to speak.
"Cough... actually, it's about the name you mentioned before... I wanted to ask about it before you got too busy."
"A name, huh..."
'Little Herta' had indeed given it some thought.
The name Firefly was beautiful, but its imagery was rather tragic; she wouldn't give AR-214 a name like that.
Then there were those red-rimmed glasses—if she drew a parallel to Eva, it was easy to think of the character Mari.
But looking at this real girl standing right in front of her, she couldn't just use a reference.
She had to strip away those prior impressions and choose something fresh. That felt more appropriate for someone who had decided to leave the Glamoth Iron Cavalry behind.
If she looked past all that, her thoughts drifted toward names that carried a blessing.
For instance—Reveria.
(T/N: Original word used was Qingmeng, meaning Pure Dream, also from an old Chinese poem. The best English equivalent that sounded good was Reverie, but that was already taken for the Hotel, so just replaced e with an a.)
It was drawn from the line: A boat full of clear dreams weighs down the Milky Way.
It wasn't that the imagery was a perfect match for AR-214, but rather a wish that in the future, AR-214 would have the luxury to dream in peace.
The Iron Cavalry, the Propagation, Penacony, the Lord Ravagers... essentially, she was a pure girl who had been given no choice but to endure it all.
Her hope was that in the future, AR-214 would have a choice.
That she could be free from the Propagation's influence on her body and live like a normal girl, enjoying a life that was both ordinary and wonderful.
"How about the name Reveria? It comes from a poem from my hometown..."
She gave a brief explanation of the name's origin.
She had worried it might be a bit too simple, but AR-214 seemed genuinely happy, especially after hearing the story behind it.
"I love it... it's such a beautiful image. It reminds me of a time I accidentally became separated from the Legion."
For some reason, AR-214 thought back to that experience of being lost with a few other Iron Cavalry.
Though she hadn't been dreaming then, looking back now, it felt like one of the few shimmering lights worth remembering in an otherwise suffocating life.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL