Stelle: Lin Nai Can Become My...

"Got it, got it!"

Lin Nai slapped away Herta's hand, which looked suspiciously like it was taking advantage of him, and moved two steps aside.

Herta did not mind.

She could touch him again later... no, she could conduct a thorough examination later.

"But I was only gone for a few months. How did the Space Station end up in such a state?"

"Sorry, Madam Herta!" Asta immediately stood straight. "This was my—"

"Alright, Asta. I know it had little to do with you. It was normal that many people could not have anticipated something so sudden."

Herta cut Asta off.

In her eyes, Asta had already done well enough. No one at the Space Station had been injured, either.

Asta nodded, then left first at Herta's signal to take charge of the Space Station's overall situation.

Herta's return was also a much-needed dose of reassurance for the Space Station's researchers.

"You're back, Herta."

At that moment, Kizuna approached with Stelle, March Seven, and Dan Heng.

Herta noticed Stelle immediately.

Kizuna introduced Stelle beside her. "This is the true master of the Space Station, Herta, the eighty-third member of the Genius Society."

Stelle nodded.

In truth, she had no idea what the Genius Society meant.

After all, she had only just been "born."

Herta placed one hand on her hip and said unhappily, "If you're going to introduce me, introduce me properly. Why bring up the Club?"

"Which of my extraordinary achievements sounds less impressive than 'eighty-third member'?"

As she spoke, Herta poked Lin Nai in the waist.

Lin Nai rolled his eyes.

Then he clasped his hands before his abdomen, cleared his throat, and announced loudly, "Ahem."

"Before you stands..."

"A woman who solved the Lone Wave Algorithm problem and the Spark Model conjecture in her youth, and discovered a method for transforming Sigma baryons in adulthood."

"In middle age, she proposed the Herta Sequence and published a paper on rejuvenation."

"In old age, she rejuvenated herself. Then, in her youth once more, she unraveled the mysteries of Imaginary overflow phenomena, captured a Stellar Core from beyond the heavens, and sealed it away."

"She has also saved the planet she resided on from crises brought by The Destruction nineteen times, paid homage to Aeons twice, and is the renowned genius, Madam Herta."

"Hmph~" Herta proudly put both hands on her hips. "That's right! I'm Herta!"

Kizuna gave a polite smile. Lin Nai had definitely been forced by Herta to memorize that entire speech.

Lin Nai: Back when I was studying, Herta made me memorize the broadcasts from the portraits in her office.

Stelle scratched her head and thought for a few seconds.

It seemed she did not have any nickname. After all, she was merely a one-day-old baby.

In that case...

"Hello, I'm a Stellar Core spirit."

"???" *N

Everyone stared blankly at Stelle.

No.

Who introduced themselves like that?!

"Hmm... you're quite interesting." Herta blinked as she said this.

"So the Stellar Core is this little brat now, right?"

Having already learned the rough details from Lin Nai, Herta looked Stelle up and down.

How interesting...

After circling Stelle a few times, Herta clicked her tongue.

"Tsk, tsk. It's incredible. To contain that inactive Stellar Core and spare the blue planet from disaster, I sealed it inside the Space Station."

"Yet someone went back to basics and solved it with this little brat's body... and it's especially stable."

Herta looked at Lin Nai. "Did you have anything to do with it?"

"...A little?"

Watching from the sidelines counted as having a little something to do with it, right?

At the very least, he had seen how Stelle was born.

"I won't ask for the specifics. Since you did not mention them, they are either unimportant, or I will learn them eventually anyway."

Herta waved a hand and held out the other, signaling Stelle to crouch down a little.

Stelle was confused.

But seeing how much Lin Nai trusted Herta, she obediently crouched down.

Then...

Herta used her puppet's little hands to freely have her way with the girl's face.

"Pretty soft..."

"Mmph..."

"Speaking of which, can I use her for some research?"

"Then, Herta, you'll have to ask Stelle what she thinks." Lin Nai reached out and grabbed the back of Stelle's neck.

He pulled her free from Herta's clutches and lifted her up.

Stelle looked at Lin Nai and pointed at her face. "It hurts. Uncomfortable."

"Is that so... Want me to rub it for you?"

"Okay."

Stelle nodded and obediently let Lin Nai touch her, even seeming to make a catlike purring sound.

Intrigued, Lin Nai rubbed Stelle beneath the chin.

So interesting!

It felt like he was petting a small animal.

Herta's expression turned somewhat subtle. What was with this little brat? Was she a little strange?

"So, little brat, what do you say?"

"How much?" Stelle looked at Herta while accepting Lin Nai's caresses.

"...Oh? This little brat has quite the business sense. I like that."

"Herta, don't bully her too much."

"Tch. I'm interested right now, so I'm willing to accommodate anything. There's a Stellar Core inside her! How interesting!"

Herta folded her arms and proudly raised her fair, delicate neck, which was as porcelain-like as it was faintly flushed.

"Be grateful! If I help you, it'll be a service even the Interastral Peace Corporation could not hire, no matter how much they paid!"

"Mm, let me translate Herta for you. She wants you to stay at the Space Station."

Lin Nai withdrew his hand and shifted his gaze to the Stellar Express parked in the distance. "Of course, you have another choice."

To set out on a journey.

"The train?"

Stelle followed Lin Nai's gaze. While he had been comforting the researchers, she had heard Kizuna explain many things.

The Stellar Express.

The Nameless.

Trailblazing.

Hmm...

It was a little complicated, but she could more or less understand.

Chapter 32: Stelle: Lin Nai Can Become My...

Kizuna spoke up at that moment as well.

"That's right, Stelle. You can leave with us."

"The Express has dealt with plenty of Stellar Cores. What concerns you is also an answer we are seeking."

"Besides... we can always come back and let Herta conduct her research. She's brimming with interest right now."

Herta nodded in agreement. "That would be nice. It might even bring a little novelty."

"When I don't need this little brat, I can't be bothered to worry about her... Honestly, worrying about one person is already enough to drive me mad."

As she spoke, Herta did not forget to give Lin Nai beside her a smack.

Lin Nai's mouth twitched.

Still, he did not refute her.

Herta had indeed put some thought into his affairs.

Although she had dumped most of it directly onto Asta.

But that did not matter.

"Speaking of the Stellar Express... Kizuna, this guy will leave with you when the time comes."

Herta pointed at Lin Nai and spoke to Kizuna.

The sudden statement.

Brought a stunned expression to Lin Nai's face.

"Me? Leave with the Stellar Express?"

"Yes." Herta nodded, her expression serious. "Lin Nai, you need to grow."

After all these years.

Having seen Lin Nai under high-pressure conditions twice, Herta had more or less figured something out.

At the Space Station.

The destructive power Lin Nai displayed had amounted only to his fists and feet, along with that so-called ring of light.

But just now, Herta had watched everything from beginning to end.

If Lin Nai had run into trouble, she would have needed to act and drive away the Doomsday Beast.

Yet Lin Nai had endured one of the Doomsday Beast's attacks head-on.

And he had fired an extremely high-temperature beam that killed it.

This meant that in dangerous situations, Lin Nai would grow stronger!

It could be considered a small experiment.

If Lin Nai followed the Express out for a while, perhaps he would return with something new for her to research.

"Besides, it's not like I'm forbidding you from coming back."

Herta turned away, refusing to look at Lin Nai behind her, and said: