When Asta turned around, she found Ruan Mei studying Herta with an unreadable gaze. Herta's eyes, too, seemed unsettled.
After Guinaifen and Sushang left, Asta pressed. "Madam Herta, do you know where Cauldron Chief Lingsha is?"
Herta coughed slightly and opened a [Mirror], sending Asta to Herta City. Just before stepping through herself, she glanced back at Ruan Mei. "Ruan Mei? Do you want to see her too?"
Ruan Mei shook her head. One visit to Herta City, and she might never leave.
Herta sighed. "Fine. I'll respect your choice. What I said before—about keeping you in Herta City for tens of thousands of Amber Eras—that was just anger. I may not have much empathy for others. I may be difficult. But with you, I'll try to see things from your perspective."
She vanished.
Ruan Mei stood alone, stunned. Herta? Empathy? Perspective?
[Maybe seeing Fu Xuan and Qingque together—seeing how they treat each other—made her realize she's been wrong.] ♪
It was the only explanation. I hope she means it.
"By the way, what's her excessive tsundere value now?"
[Still 608%.]
"It went up?"
[Not sure.] ♪
Ruan Mei thought. Something about the flawless crystal fragments. Something she missed.
---
Asta had grown accustomed to Herta City.
Herta Ninety-Nine led a crowd of puppets in greeting. "Madam Herta, unmatched in the universe! Madam Herta, peerless beauty!"
Herta waved a hand. The thousands of puppets fell silent. "Take us to her."
Herta Ninety-Nine led them to a Vidyadhara woman. Her eyes were hollow. Hopeless.
Asta stared. "This is Cauldron Chief Lingsha? She looks like she's been missing for a year, not a day."
Herta Ninety-Nine crossed her arms. "Outside, a day. Here, a century."
"So she's been here a hundred years?"
"Yes."
"Then Silver Wolf—" Asta's breath caught. No wonder the brash, freedom-loving hacker was so subdued now. She had been here too. Endless puppets. Endless magic hammers.
Herta smiled and leaned close. "Why so nervous, Asta? They provoked me. I didn't lift a finger. Herta Ninety-Nine and the others handled it. And their eyes... cleared up nicely."
"But you—I appreciate you. Though if that pendant stayed here, that would be fine too."
Asta clutched the sleeve pendant. She said nothing.
Herta laughed. "Just a joke. Don't take it seriously."
Asta understood. She didn't want the pendant. She wanted her to stay away from Ruan Mei.
Those two provoked Herta, and their eyes cleared. What would happen to me?
"Madam Herta, please don't misunderstand. This pendant—from Madam Ruan Mei—means everything to me. But if you gave me something, it would mean the same. You and Madam Ruan Mei—neither of you can be replaced."
The puppets fell silent. They stared at her.
Herta Ninety-Nine's heart raced. Asta had helped her. She didn't want anything to happen to her. But this—this was reckless.
She stepped forward, trying to intervene. "Asta had a little too much to drink at the wedding. She's not herself. Don't mind her."
Asta's gaze didn't waver. "I'm not drunk. And I know what I'm about to say."
Herta Ninety-Nine looked to Herta. No reaction. She could only stand there, silently praying.
Asta took a breath, clutching the pendant. "All my life, people saw me as a rich heiress. Boundless wealth. Limitless credit. Do you know how many see the cost?"
"From the time I could understand, there were etiquette classes. IPC. Xianzhou. Penacony. Every year, five thousand languages. Five thousand absurd ceremonies. Fifty thousand formulas. Why? We have the synesthesia beacon."
"My family said it was for my own good. I wanted to fly a kite. Eat sweets."
"Then I found a paper on astral research. My gray world had its first light. Signed by Madam Herta and Madam Ruan Mei."
"From that day, I read every paper you both published. Again and again. Until I could recite them by heart."
No one spoke. The air was thick.
Herta Ninety-Nine signaled Herta #33 to interrupt. Herta shot her a look. She froze.
Herta turned back to Asta. "Go on. I'm listening."