{He's here, he's here, he came wearing a mask.}
{Quick question, should Theresa become Otsukiyo this soon? Judas could also transform into chainsaw mode. Or should it wait until Belobog changes? After all, the Stone Mask is a key item, like a mask passed off as a gift from Joy.}
Herta's proposal was acceptable to the Stellaron Hunters as well. Dan Heng said he had no interest, while Himeko and Welt said that Stelle and Theresa could participate. March 7th said her strength was only average, so she would pass.
Thus, Herta took Stelle and Theresa to where the Simulated Universe device was stored.
It was a vast, dark-blue space. At the far end stood a complex yet exquisite clover-shaped device, with a Herta automaton standing nearby. "The Simulated Universe device? Hey, another Herta automaton!"
Stelle pointed at the Herta automaton and shouted. Herta rolled her eyes at her and said that she had placed more than two hundred Herta automatons across this Space Station.
"Alright, we're here. This is the Simulated Universe we developed. Its purpose is to uncover the secrets of the Aeons, as well as the love, hatred, and events that have occurred throughout the universe."
"And we've designed seven Paths: Preservation, focused on shields and counterattacks; Remembrance, focused on freezing and banishment; Destruction, focused on brutal low-health bonuses; Joy, focused on follow-up attacks; Nihility, focused on damage over time; Abundance, focused on healing and boosting damage; and Hunt, focused on stacking critical hits."
"You'll naturally understand the specific abilities once you enter."
"Stelle, you go first."
"There's only one slot at the moment. We'll consider opening more trial slots later."
Herta's words made Stelle carefully step forward. Following Herta's instructions, she closed her eyes and relaxed her mind. As the Simulated Universe device began operating, Stelle's consciousness arrived in a Snowfield.
Hey, hey, can you hear me?
Herta's voice came through, making Stelle want to complain. Shouldn't this be visible instead?
Because of your special nature—after all, you have a Stellar Core inside you—I disguised you as the deceased Aeon Aqevili to see whether we could lure out some simulated Aeons to contact you.
If one really appears, just answer according to my prompts. Don't panic.
With Herta's words, Stelle began her journey through the Simulated Universe. Since this was the first test, Herta told her to choose whatever blessings she liked.
Stelle thought that she had been glanced at by the Aeon of Destruction before, so Destruction was probably the better choice.
During the journey that followed, she encountered Qlipoth, the Aeon of Preservation, and then Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance.
She tried to communicate with him, voicing the question Herta had already prepared. Yet Fuli answered with a string of chaotic, disordered words before withdrawing and leaving.
Stelle ended this Simulated Universe journey without understanding what had happened.
"Stelle, how did it feel? I couldn't contact you just now. What did the simulated Aeon Fuli say after meeting you?"
Herta looked at Stelle curiously and asked.
"I'm not sure. What he said was too jumbled. I couldn't understand it."
Stelle scratched her head. Herta sighed at that, then looked toward Theresa.
"My turn, right? Let me say this beforehand: I might not attract their attention. Herta, you should prepare to be disappointed!"
Theresa hurriedly said. Herta nodded and eagerly had Theresa test the Simulated Universe.
Theresa, I will help you seal away memories that do not belong to this world, so they will not be glimpsed by others or those Aeons.
The Herta Space Station System's voice rang out, and Theresa thanked it in her heart.
Theresa carefully stepped onto the login device and closed her eyes. Accompanied by the machine's hum, her consciousness entered the Simulated Universe.
When Theresa opened her eyes, she found herself inside a massive tavern.
"Hey, Herta, didn't you say we needed to fight monsters? Why did I arrive at a tavern?"
Theresa hurriedly called out, but to her surprise, Herta did not answer.
"Ah, looks like something went wrong again. Where is this?"
Theresa looked around the tavern in confusion. The people here were strange too, every one of them wearing a different mask. She suddenly realized that she did not seem to be wearing a mask herself. Wouldn't that make her stand out?
"Yo, little sister, are you new here? Where's your mask?"
A twin-tailed girl wearing a fox mask walked over. Dressed in a cool, light kimono, she pulled Theresa down to sit beside her and smiled.
"Who are you?"
Theresa watched the twin-tailed girl before her warily.
"Whoever you think I am, I can be that person~"
"Welcome to the Masked Fool tavern. My name is Sparkle~"
Sparkle narrowed her butterfly-shaped rose-red eyes behind her fox mask and smiled at the adorable Theresa.
"Here, this drink is on me~"
Sparkle smiled at Theresa, while the others, all wearing masks, happily watched the bewildered girl.
As for that drink, it was a cup of alcohol mixed with toothpaste and stirred vigorously. They were all looking forward to seeing what would happen if she drank it~
Seeing the expectant Masked Fools, Theresa pretended to take a drink. Then she suddenly grabbed the startled Sparkle and poured the alcohol into her mouth.
"Mm-hm?"
Sparkle suddenly let out a soft cry. Theresa clearly saw hearts appear in her eyes and immediately knew there was something improper about that drink.
"Damn it, I got careless and didn't dodge?"
"I actually got played?"
Sparkle stared at Theresa with hearts in her eyes and smiled.
At that moment, Sparkle seemed delighted, yet there was something off about her expression.
"Sis, you're so fragrant~~"
Sparkle giggled as she hugged Theresa, giving off such a strong feeling that she was about to kiss her that Theresa broke out in a cold sweat.
"Let go of me—World's Cutest Flying Kick!"
Theresa kicked Sparkle's mask, sending the fox mask flying. Then Theresa discovered in surprise that there was another mask underneath—a goofy-looking one.
Unwilling to give up, Theresa climbed on top of Sparkle and began frantically peeling off masks. What she did not notice was that every time she removed one mask, one of the Masked Fools laughing in the tavern vanished.
At the same time, more and more masks piled up around her. Theresa's stubborn streak had flared up. She was determined to see this through!
"Hehe, it's useless, hic~"
"You'll never finish taking off my masks (*?▽?*)"
Sparkle laughed with a drunken hiccup. She made no move to stop Theresa.
Naturally, Theresa did not believe her nonsense and continued tearing off masks frantically. She did not know that the Masked Fools in the tavern had gradually disappeared, followed by the tavern itself. When Theresa finally came back to her senses, she found herself sitting on Sparkle's stomach, surrounded by a huge pile of floating masks.
But beneath her was not Sparkle at all. It was a massive pile of overlapping masks with all kinds of exaggerated expressions. She was actually sitting in a heap of masks.
{Theresa is about to become a prankster~}
Daily meme. This uploader's video was very interesting: Silver Wolf getting her butt slapped by Liu Ying.
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