As soon as I pulled back my authority, the pocket dimension crumbled, returning us to reality.
I adjusted my Herrscher drip and took the opportunity to look around.
"Where are we?"
It looked like some kind of patient room, though it had clearly seen better days than the wreck it was now.
"I brought you back to my planet for more specialized care. The space station wasn't suitable or safe anymore," Herta replied, adjusting her hair before putting on her witch hat.
Then a mirror materialized in front of us. Its purple frame expanded, and the "glass" turned into a gateway to another place.
"Anyway, let's get going. An occasion like this calls for a celebration, don't you think?" Herta asked smugly, with hands resting on her hips. "I guarantee you'll like it."
She walked toward the mirror and gestured for me to follow, but I didn't move right away. I glanced back at the mess I'd caused in the room.
'I know the puppets will clean it up eventually, but it still bothers me to leave my own mess behind.'
"Is there something wrong?" Herta asked.
"It's nothing. Just give me a second," I said. The world slowed down, and without wasting time, I sprang into action.
The nanomachines scattered across the room joined together, becoming extensions of my limbs. They grabbed everything in sync, and with a touch of magic, the room was restored.
"Mission accomplished," I said, dusting off my hands as the nanomachines returned and blended back into my clothes.
"Quite a magnificent show, you'd make a great househusband," Herta joked, clapping her hands.
"It's a tempting career path that I'd considered," I said, taking her hand. "But I'd prefer this researcher's life with you."
"How corny." She chuckled, pulling me into the mirror. "But I don't dislike it."
The scenery shifted in an instant, and in an instant, we arrived somewhere familiar.
"The Main kitchen?" I asked in surprise.
I'd been here before, and I always found it fascinating. If I were to describe this place, it would be a factory with a kitchen, an aquarium, and a garden attached to it.
There were many machines and greenhouses connected through assembly lines, all of which were operated/managed by Herta's puppets of different sizes.
A sight straight out of a cartoon.
"That's right," Herta nodded as one of the puppets rushed over, holding a cooking book above her head. "You must be hungry, no? So just wait there, this genius will personally cook you a feast."
"This humble junior is honored," I said, bowing dramatically with a hand over my chest before retreating to a seat nearby.
"Let's see…a magic that makes a delicious feast," Herta murmured, flipping through several pages before coming to a stop. "Oh, this will do."
As Herta worked on her magic, Herta puppet #3 approached and handed me a cup of tea with some cookies.
"Yo, it's been a while." I greeted her, accepting the drink. "Thanks."
"Good to see you finally awake and well, little Roy." She said, her lips curling upwards at the corners. "We've also been updated about your new status with my original self. Congratulations, I suppose."
She kept teasing, even clapping, which I chose to ignore. Instead, I sipped the tea and ate a cookie, savoring the fragrant warmth spreading through me.
'Delicious.' I closed my eyes briefly, enjoying the richness of the ingredients.
It had been a long time since I'd eaten anything, and appetizers just felt right. Before I knew it, I found myself imagining our future together. Researching, having fun, stopping universal threats, maybe even starting a family at some point…
Wait a minute….
"If I am going out with Herta, and she's your creator, doesn't that technically make me your stepfather?"
"…There's some logic in your words, but I can't follow how you even started this train of thought." She said with a deadpan face, to which I simply shrugged off.
"So how about you call me father—no, papa. Call me papa."
"..." Herta puppet #3 narrowed her eyes before she finally sighed and relented. "It seems waking up from your coma messed with your head. But fine, if it makes you happy."
She intertwined her fingers on her back and gave the most stoic expression I've ever seen from her.
"Papa," She said monotonously. "Gimme headpats."
*Geugh!!!*
I dropped to my knees and coughed up not blood violently. This was critically cute, not even my Herrscher heart was prepared for it.
[Achievement unlocked: Daughter(s) acquired!]
'Thanks for the support, Great Sage.' I thought sarcastically as I gathered strength to stand up again and wiped my mouth.
"...Are you alright? I can take you to the infirmary right now if you want." She asked with genuine concern, but I shook my head.
"No, it's nothing. Don't worry about it," I said, giving her the headpats she deserved.
Herta is just too cute.
Speaking of her, I wonder how she was doing. I turned my head and looked curiously at what she was preparing.
On the cutting board sat a thick slab of meat unlike anything I'd seen. It had a thick layer of fat coated in white, and on top of that, it also had cyan horns sprouting from it.
"What kind of meat is that? I have never seen it before," I asked, since my space cooking knowledge was rather limited.
"A cut from the tail of an atmospheric floating organism," Herta explained, reaching into her hat. "Usually made into 'Cumulous Steak', a dish only expert chefs can prepare correctly, which makes it a symbol of luxury at high-end restaurants. But that doesn't matter for someone like me."
She pulled out a sharp bone sword from her hat and raised it over the meat.
"Cooking is a piece of cake for a genius."
I immediately sensed something was off when I looked at the scene.
"Wait, isn't that Shatterbone Blade?"
I recognized it from Herta's curio catalog, but also when the Simulated Universe was still just a way to farm Stellar Jades.
I glanced toward Herta puppet #3 for answers, only to find her already holding up a riot shield. I laughed at the absurdity of the scene; her own followers were now protecting themselves against her.
Most people would be terrified because of this. But who was I? The Herrscher of Providence, the sole magician of this universe, and most importantly, Herta's lover.
So should I be afraid?
Nah, I'd—!
*BOOOM!*
The blade struck the meat, and it exploded into countless pieces, sending fragments flying in every direction.
'4, 6, 7, 9…'
My eyes tracked every flying chunk, and nanomachines surged out, forming hands to catch all pieces in the vicinity. As for the rest that were farther away, they were caught by Herta herself and other puppets.
"All caught," I said as the meat was returned to the cutting board. "Not a single one got dirty."
"Nice assist. Although it didn't go as expected, the outcome is still within acceptable parameters," Herta said, letting out a satisfied smile. Despite the kitchen accident, her clothes remained spotless, and her confidence remained unwavering as always.
'Acceptable?'
I looked at the cutting board and noticed the meat was cut into uniform pieces, which was impressive considering what had happened.
'Was that a coincidence? Or does she actually know what she's doing?'
Truth to be told, I've never seen her cooking before this, but I already knew that her methods tended to go…bombastic, for lack of a better word.
I did not doubt that this genius Emanator could make something delicious, but if I had to guess, the regular way of cooking would be too boring for someone like her.
That would certainly explain her tendency to snuggle chaos into the recipe and turn cooking into an unstable science experiment that often ended up blowing the kitchen.
While she was distracted, I leaned toward my daughter and asked discreetly. "Out of curiosity, what's her success rate with these cooking experiments?"
"Normally 43%," Herta Jr. the Third whispered back. "Half of those are cakes made for Screwy and Ruan Mei as a gift to celebrate their failed experiments."
'Can an intellitron even eat a cake?'
No, scratch that, it wasn't important now. But 43%? That's…concerning to say at the very least. Perhaps I should lend a hand—!'
*BOOOM!*
I paused, staring blankly at the source of the explosion.
"…Did she pull up a fire-breathing salamander to melt the compound butter on the steak?"
"That appears to be the case." She confirmed. "The reaction between the 'Most Raucous' with the butter made from the same ingredients as 'Ambergris Cheese' and 'Space-Time Prism' seemed to cause this chain of reaction."
"..."
I was honestly impressed, and I am at a loss for words.
'As a fellow researcher, I shouldn't intrude on her experiments, but…' I crossed my arms and smiled.
"Well, nothing stops me from joining the fun?"
If you can't stop the chaos, join them…or so they say.
My clothes shifted into an apron, and I stepped into the blast zone.
'Since Herta is handling the food, I should take care of the drinks, no?' I walked to the other side of the counter, where the other mini-daughters were. They lifted their tiny heads to look at me. 'And let's stick to the theme and let it be…exotic.'
After hearing my request, they left briefly before returning with a basket full of ingredients.
"Let's see what we've got…" I said, inspecting them up close. "Sodas, sauces, jams, fruits, among many others. As expected, all are of excellent quality." I rolled up my sleeves and washed my hands. "It's time to cook."
I recognized some of them from the game, for example, SoulGlad, Dream Jam from Penacony, but there was one kind of peculiar fruit that stood out from the rest.
"Isn't this the 'Fruit of the Alien Tree'?" I asked, holding this exotic yellow fruit up in the air. "Consuming this won't turn us into an Abomination of Abundance, right?"
"No, it is safe," Herta replied from the other side. "The one in your hand is the product of generations of selective breeding to dilute the power within it. As long as you aren't close to mara struck, it should be fine to consume it moderately."
"Is that so?" I cut a small piece and tasted it. "Oh, it's sweet, the taste and texture are similar to persimmon."
[Report: Detected a surge of power of Abundance within your body. Effects noted are: slight energy and physical recovery with no significant signs of abnormality. It matches by 37% with the residual energy left in your body.]
'Interesting. It must've been from some medicine that Herta used on me. I wonder if I can siphon its powers,' I thought as I cut a bigger piece. "Here for you, say ahh."
I held it up to her.
Herta turned, looked briefly surprised, then flushed a healthy shade of pink as she smiled beautifully, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear and leaning in, her lips brushing my fingers as she took the bite.
'...That was dangerously cute,' I thought as I watched her chew happily. 'We kissed not long ago, but Herta is just an inimitable beauty!'
"Thanks, Royce. It was delicious." She said, turning back and pumping her fist. "Guess it's finally time for this genius to give her all."
"...Good luck," I said, which went unheard due to the explosions that succeeded, but I paid it no mind and returned to my station. "And I'll do the same."
I plan to make us a mocktail, and for that, I would follow the guide of a mixologist genius, whose drinksmithing skill was so advanced that even Nous had to take a look.
Yu Qingtu, genius #55.
I remember stumbling upon a scientific article regarding her recipes, and there were two core aspects that I noticed about them.
One, she often gave her cocktails gaudy names, such as Thalan Toxi-Flame or The Pinkest Collision.
Two, each cocktail she made possessed special characteristics. They were either toxic, hallucinogenic, or something else entirely.
Of course, I am not trying to poison or drug anyone; what I was after was the final product, which was only obtainable after removing the harmful elements.
Fortunately, there are 'purified' recipes online, so there was a sort of guideline to follow and improvise with the ingredients in my hand through experiments, but since I don't have any experience with professional drinksmithing, I wonder how it will turn out.
However, before starting, I first needed to get acquainted with the tastes.
I followed the same steps, tasting them in small samples, though for fruits, I always cut larger pieces and fed them to Herta.
Just the sight of her enjoying them made my heart flutter.
For a moment, a mini version of myself appeared on my shoulder, chanting praises for HertaCivilization.
"Madam Herta is a peerless gem!"
"Madam Herta is an unrivalled genius!"
"Madam Herta is an inimitable beauty!"
I flicked him off my shoulder. While I appreciated the enthusiasm, I couldn't afford to be distracted by my own delusions.
And to maintain my concentration, I had perfect music for the occasion.
"Mocktails, Mixers, Ice."
"The snacks are real nice."
"🎶…"
The cooking has finally come to an end.
The experiment with mocktails turned out to be a fun experience. I didn't expect mixing certain ingredients could cause an eruption. Regardless, it reached an acceptable result after a few attempts.
The kitchen, on the other hand, didn't survive Herta's shenanigans. Gordon Ramsey would've fainted upon stumbling upon its ruins and ashes, even Kitchen Nightmares would look tame in comparison. Still, everything turned out fine in the end.
We sat across from each other as the food was served. The aroma was amazing, and the presentation was appetizing, albeit exotic, but what about the taste? Just as I reached for my fork, Herta beat me to it.
"Here's the payback," She suddenly said, holding up a forkful of steak coated in a brownish-blue sauce near my mouth. "Say aaahh."
…At this point, no matter the taste, it would be just a federal crime to refuse this.
I took a bite, and it was way better than I'd imagined.
Tender, juicy, with a buttery richness that tied it all together…Or maybe it just tasted better because she was the one feeding me.
"Well? Is it good?" Herta asked, resting her cheek on her palm, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she observed my reaction. "I call it the 'Hersteak'."
"Best steak I've ever eaten in my entire life," I replied, chewing faster so I could speak more clearly. "I am not a steak expert, but the tenderness and aftertaste…"
As I rambled, Herta smiled as she picked up her mocktail and took a sip, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully.
"This distinct taste is familiar," Herta said and returned her gaze to me. "You followed Yu Qingtu's recipe, right?"
"You could tell immediately? As expected of you," I nodded in understanding. "I used an online recipe, but substituted with our local ingredients. I tried giving it a different flavor profile while still maintaining the signature taste. What do you think of it?"
Herta hummed as she took another sip. "I've had plenty of her drinks, made personally by that genius herself, and I have to say, yours hold up quite well. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she made this. Though next time, I want something original made by you. I want to know your taste."
"I'll do my best." It seems that I'll have to take this seriously.
"Anyway, enough talking, I am sure you've been starving," She said, cutting another slice of the steak. "Want another bite?"
I could tell she was teasing by her smirk, but it was a bait I was willing to throw myself into.
"Yes, but not without me feeding you too!"
I cut my own slice, and we fed each other at the same time.
Indeed, Herta was just too cute.