Everyone looked curiously at the mask in Theresa's hand, which radiated an air of wisdom, but no one reached out to inspect it, though Herta, Stelle, and March 7th were all very curious.
"That mask is a manifestation of a Masked Fool's power of the Path. It isn't physical; only other Masked Fools can touch it."
Dan Heng explained to the three eager girls. They sighed disappointedly upon hearing this, while Theresa put the mask away in the Herta Space Station System.
"By the way, Theresa, what abilities do you have now?"
March 7th looked curiously at the adorable Theresa as she asked. Everyone else was also concerned with what Theresa had mastered.
"I'm not entirely sure either. It looks like I'll have to test it in battle, but I don't dare try the Simulated Universe again. I'm afraid I might draw out some simulated Aeon again. After all, I have the aura of the Unyielding on me."
Theresa explained to everyone. They nodded as well. They really couldn't act recklessly; the Stellaron Hunters might be able to handle it, but that didn't mean Herta Space Station could.
"We've troubled the Space Station for quite a while now. Ms. Herta, it's time for us to continue our journey. We also need to purchase Stellar Jade from you as fuel for the Astral Express's warps."
"One warp requires one hundred and sixty Stellar Jade as fuel. We want to buy sixteen thousand Stellar Jade. Same old price, ten thousand Credit Points apiece, right?"
Himeko said to Asta, who nodded instinctively.
However, Herta said that the Stellaron Hunters had helped the Space Station through so much trouble that, this time, she would personally gift the Express Crew sixteen thousand Stellar Jade in repayment for the Stellaron Hunters' kindness. After all, the value of the researchers here and Asta was simply outrageous.
After thinking it over, everyone looked to Himeko and Welt to make the decision.
"Then the Express Crew will gladly accept. Thank you, Ms. Herta and Station Master Asta, for your generosity."
"Then let's head back to the train."
Welt spoke, and everyone bid farewell to Herta and Asta.
"By the way, Stelle, do you want to stay here, or come aboard with us and become a Stellaron Hunter?"
March 7th looked at Stelle and asked. Stelle hesitated when she heard that.
"I suggest you travel with the Stellaron Hunters. If you stay here, once my interest in you fades, at most you'll become a researcher. You might as well join the Astral Express. Just come back from time to time to help me test the Simulated Universe."
Herta looked at Stelle and advised her. Stelle nodded upon hearing it.
"Herta, can I make a request?"
Theresa's eyes darted about as she asked with a smile.
"Sure, as long as you don't do anything stupid. What do you want?"
Herta looked at Theresa warily. She had truly been scared by Theresa's antics.
"Hey, don't look at me so fearfully. It's not like I'm going to eat you~"
"I want one of your Puppets as a body pillow. It could also help the conductor clean the train."
Theresa said with a giggle, using Sheshe's tone. Everyone assumed Theresa was merely teasing Herta, but after hearing that she wanted a Herta automaton, they thought it was a good idea. At critical moments, Herta could also connect to the Puppet to communicate with them and share intelligence.
"Hey! I want one too!" *2
Stelle and March 7th shouted excitedly. Herta rolled her eyes at them. They weren't as proper as Theresa; who knew how they would play with her Puppets?
"No one except Theresa. These realistic Puppets are expensive to make. Other than their joints feeling very unlike a real person, they're no different from one."
"Don't tell me you two have ideas about Puppets too?"
Herta looked at Stelle and March 7th warily as she asked. The two laughed awkwardly, which was practically an admission.
"I knew it. Theresa, then, I'll grant access to the Puppet to you, Miss Himeko, and Mr. Welt. Oh, Dan Heng, are you interested?"
Herta looked at Dan Heng and asked. Everyone immediately turned strange looks toward him.
"..."
"I haven't fallen to that level. More importantly, I still have many things to deal with right now. I don't have that kind of idea."
Dan Heng hurriedly cleared himself of any suspicion that he had designs on Herta's automata.
"Mm, not bad. Other than Stelle and March 7th, the Stellaron Hunters are fairly proper. That's a relief. I don't want to log into a Puppet on your side one day and be disturbed by some strange sensation."
Herta said with the smile of a seasoned driver. Asta immediately smiled too, because her dark-hearted side had imagined the bizarre expression of a Herta automaton making a V-sign with hearts in its eyes.
Y(*?▽?*)Y Probably like this.
"Then I'll give you the Herta automaton in this office. Don't mess around with it. I don't want to log in one day and find someone testing my Puppet."
Herta smiled in the tone of a seasoned driver.
"Miss Herta, don't corrupt the children."
Himeko shot Herta a smiling glare and looked toward Stelle and March 7th.
As for Theresa, she said it was nothing. She had already watched too many little movies to count.
"Ahem, all right, Ms. Herta, we should be leaving. Theresa, carry her Puppet. Having it help the Express Crew clean as a maid from time to time seems pretty good too."
Welt said, sounding somewhat excited. Everyone immediately raised an eyebrow. Old Yang's fetish seemed to be maids?
"I never expected Uncle Yang to be this wild."
March 7th whispered what she thought was quietly to Stelle. Stelle blankly indicated that she had no idea what March 7th was talking about, because she was only a child who had been born less than two days ago.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. A Stellaron Essence less than two days old and one point seven meters tall."
"Let's go. Stop staring longingly at the Puppet Theresa's carrying. She won't let you test it, and besides, you're a girl. You don't even have the equipment for that."
March 7th dragged Stelle along as she teased her. Stelle reluctantly walked beside March 7th, gazing wistfully at the beautiful, adorable Puppet.
"Then goodbye, Asta, Herta."
Theresa and the Stellaron Hunters bid Herta and Asta farewell, while Arlan saw them off.
Some researchers watched in shock as Theresa openly carried off a Herta automaton. They looked enviously at Theresa and the Puppet, unsure which one they should envy.
Everyone returned to the resupplied and repaired train. They all wore Imaginary Storage Devices, or spatial storage devices, Herta's latest technology for conveniently carrying their daily necessities.
{It's basically the inventory in a game.}
"Welcome back! The train has been repaired. By the way, did you buy the Stellar Jade needed for warping?"
Pam welcomed everyone back with an expectant shout.
He was about to start cleaning. He was a bit of a germaphobe with mild obsessive-compulsive disorder. But that couldn't be helped; Pam, who had been born alongside the Astral Express, could not leave the train. If he didn't find something to do, he would be terribly bored!
"Ta-da! Conductor Pom-Pom, we've completed all the tasks you gave us! Sister Himeko even received sixteen thousand Stellar Jade personally gifted by Ms. Herta. That's enough for us to warp back and forth a hundred times!"
March 7th happily hugged Pam as she shouted.
Daily meme. Love triangle scene?
Before you continue