"What do you mean by that?" Herta's voice held a trace of confusion. "Wait... let me check this puppet."
With that, the Herta puppet's eyes instantly dimmed, like a marionette with its strings cut, losing all luster and freezing in place.
A few seconds of silence passed, and the atmosphere in the office solidified. March blinked, looking at Daziel, then at the motionless puppet, momentarily baffled.
Suddenly, the Herta puppet's eyes lit up again. This time, the casual air was gone from her voice, replaced by a deeper seriousness. "You wait. I'll come over myself in a moment."
"...Come over yourself? You mean Lady Herta's main body—Big Herta?" The name slipped out of Daziel's mouth naturally.
"Pfft!" March couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, quickly covering her mouth, though her shoulders still shook. "Daziel, what kind of name is that! How could you call Lady Herta that?"
"What do you know? 'Big Herta' is the way!" Daziel shot her an exasperated glance. That name, 'Big Herta', was personally stamped and approved by Herta herself. A writer from the Genius Society once tried to give her some title like 'The One and Only Herta', but Herta found it tacky and directly decreed 'Big Herta' – simple, crude, yet faithful, expressive, and elegant in its own way. It suited her style. This clueless girlfriend persona of March really limited her information channels; she doesn't read the Genius Society magazines, so she doesn't even know fun anecdotes like this.
"He's right. You can call me that," Herta's voice came again, affirming Daziel's term. "Further talk is pointless. You two wait right there. Don't leave this room."
Before her words finished, the little Herta puppet's eyes dimmed once more. It tilted straight backward and fell to the floor with a thud, connection severed completely.
Looks like the situation is trickier than expected. Herta's main body is coming personally. This is no small matter. Daziel looked at the motionless puppet on the floor, his expression growing serious. In the original Astral Express timeline, this wouldn't happen for several version updates. Its early arrival now... is it good or bad? If she really comes, can I still... perform the 'righteous purification' on her? Given Big Herta's personality, she probably wouldn't accept it easily, right?
A sense of unease spread through Daziel's heart.
However, time ticked by, minute by minute. The office remained silent, save for his and March's breathing. Big Herta's "in a moment" seemed exceptionally long.
"Hey, Daziel, do you think Lady Herta is messing with us?" March finally couldn't stand it anymore. Arms crossed, cheeks puffed, she plopped down onto Herta's large desk. "It's been almost an hour! What 'come over myself'? More like 'personally stand us up'!"
Daziel shook his head, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Probably not. Lady Herta has an odd personality, but she likely wouldn't joke about something like this. Maybe... the situation is more complex than we thought?"
Just as he finished speaking, the office door opened silently.
A woman with a graceful figure walked in slowly.
She wore a floor-length black dress, the hem dotted with fine, star-like patterns that shimmered slightly as she moved, resembling a night sky. On her head, a wide-brimmed wizard hat obscured most of her face, revealing only a beautifully lined chin and a touch of rosy lips. Black stockings tightly encased her long legs, and she wore simple high-heeled ankle boots, each step producing a crisp, rhythmic sound. She didn't have the instantly stunning appearance of a mature beauty, but rather the look of a young woman. Yet, the aura she exuded was breathtakingly powerful.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Big Herta spoke, her voice slightly weary. She raised a hand to gently touch her temple, where fine beads of sweat had formed.
"Whoa!" March's jaw dropped. "Th-This... is this Lady Herta's... main body?" she stammered, clearly intimidated by the woman's powerful presence.
Daziel was also momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure.
"In the past half hour, I attempted four thousand, one hundred and twenty methods, consulted a vast amount of research data left by Dr. Primitive in the archives, referenced every solution for meme contamination outbreaks since the Amber Era, and tried every meme removal technique in inventory, yet I still cannot eradicate this meme lingering deep within my consciousness," Big Herta's voice was low and husky, carrying a rare note of helplessness. She looked at Daziel. "Tell me everything you know."
Daziel organized his thoughts and slowly explained, "It might not be just a simple meme. Perhaps it's something deeper... hmm... Are you familiar with the term 'DLC'? It's similar to that. The meme is just the surface phenomenon, while deeper down lies some kind of rule-based power. With the two layered together, naturally, conventional meme removal methods won't work."
Following that, Daziel detailed the information he possessed, including the deeper rules potentially hidden behind the "Aetherium Wars" game and his speculation about the combined effect of the meme and the "DLC," telling Herta everything.
Big Herta listened quietly, her expression growing increasingly grave, her delicate brow furrowing tightly.
"I see. Involving the power of rules, is it?" she repeated thoughtfully. "From the moment you defeated me, you were already thinking about this, wasn't I right?" Big Herta suddenly stepped closer to Daziel, her gaze like torches, seemingly trying to pierce his very soul.
Daziel scratched his head slightly awkwardly, but his gaze remained frank and fearless. "Even so, Lady Herta, besides me, I'm afraid there's no one else who can solve this meme's DLC problem right now." He paused, then continued, "If possible, I would use a relatively gentle method, like I did with the other champion candidates, to remove the meme contamination for you. Of course, you can also choose to continue researching a solution yourself. I am merely offering a quicker option."
"What? Do you think that I, Herta, can't solve this problem without you?" Big Herta raised an eyebrow, a hint of displeasure in her voice, as if Daziel's confidence had provoked her competitive spirit.
Daziel shook his head, his tone calm but firm. "I never thought that. I am simply stating the facts and presenting my suggestion. You are free to choose. However, there are many people in Belobog waiting for me to save them. My time is limited."
Herta fell silent for a moment, gazing deeply at Daziel. Finally, she sighed slowly, a note of compromise in her voice. "You win. I truly don't have any better methods. Besides, after losing a battle to you, having to cooperate in some way seems to be part of some rule-based power as well. That point, I cannot easily change either."
She paused again, adding with a warning tone, "However, I don't need to do this personally. Don't even think about it with my main body, you hear?"
Daziel asked confusedly, "Then what should I...?"
"Tsk, use this, of course," Big Herta pointed towards the deactivated Herta puppet lying on the floor. "I'll sever her connection to my consciousness in a moment. You can do whatever you want. After you're finished, I'll reconnect. Once the meme is removed, I'm completely discarding this puppet anyway. You can take it home and play with it."
Hearing this, the corners of Daziel's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Take it home to play with isn't really necessary... With March around, why would I play with a Herta puppet?
He didn't answer directly but asked tentatively, "Lady Herta, your puppet design... I assume you paid great attention to detail?"
Herta's expression shifted subtly, seeming to instantly grasp the deeper meaning behind Daziel's words. She remained silent for a few seconds, her rosy lips parting slightly as she slowly said, "I did indeed use soft material for that part. Go try it and you'll know."
Receiving confirmation, Daziel felt completely reassured. Since little Herta's upper and lower body are cold puppet joints, the only hope lies in this most primitive place.
Daziel nodded. "Understood, Lady Herta. I will do my best."
Big Herta turned, took the still somewhat dazed March by the hand, "Let's go. We'll wait outside."
"Huh?" March didn't react immediately. "Go... go where?"
Big Herta glanced at March, a meaningful smile playing on her lips. "What, did you want to stay inside with him? I wouldn't object."
"N-No way!" March blushed instantly, frantically waving her hands in denial. "I... I'll wait outside."
With that, Big Herta quickly pulled March out, thoughtfully closing the office door for Daziel before leaving. The last sliver of light vanished as the door clicked shut, and Herta's voice came through, tinged with urgency, "Hurry up. Don't keep me waiting too long."
"Got it," Daziel responded, his gaze falling upon the Herta puppet on the floor, his expression gradually becoming... peculiar.
Outside the room, the cold lights of the space station spilled down, washing the corridor in pale white. Big Herta sat upright on a metallic chair, eyelids shut tight, exuding an inviolable aura, seemingly waiting calmly for the impending fate.
Daziel stood alone before the petite Herta puppet. He slightly adjusted the baseball bat in his hand, knuckles white from gripping it tightly, complex emotions flickering in his eyes.
"Lady Herta, are you ready?" Daziel's low voice echoed in the empty room, carrying a hint of subtle tension and some strange anticipation.
Outside, Big Herta slowly opened her deep eyes, like stars suddenly igniting in the night sky. An indescribably complex mix of emotions flashed within them – embarrassment, anger, helplessness, and a subtle trace of anticipation and curiosity.
"Begin," Her voice was calm and detached, as if speaking of something entirely unrelated to herself, yet it held an almost imperceptible tremor.
Hearing Big Herta's command, Daziel nodded slightly, took a deep breath that expanded his chest, and slowly exhaled. He slowly raised the baseball bat in his hand, the movement solemn and deliberate, as if performing some sacred ritual.
Daziel knelt near Herta's doll, analyzing its clothes with attention to small details he couldn't normally look at too closely.
He placed his arms around Herta's doll while looking at her delicate face; despite being just that, a doll, her skin was so... Clean and soft.
Daziel brushed the back of his hand across her face while speaking in a slightly hesitant tone, "Well... It's just a doll, right... And Madam Herta deactivated it... So... I guess I don't need to be so gentle... Right?"
Almost as if arguing with himself, Daziel moved down a bit, lifting the Herta doll's dress, revealing her graceful legs, with a slightly different appearance than standard, after all, they had marionette details... But, it was kind of charming.
Daziel then skipped the pleasantries, pulling off her panties in one go, lifting those delicate yet different legs, while gazing at the unexpected sight of an adorable little pink flower.
He arched an eyebrow, surprised, as he said, "Didn't expect... it would be so detailed..."
And, without really thinking, Daziel thrust in all at once, going balls deep into the doll.
And, unexpectedly... It felt really good.
"H-Herta definitely pays attention to detail..." Daziel said, slightly hoarse, as the speed of his hips increased more and more, hitting the doll with maximum force, which was practically bouncing with each thrust.
Outside the door, March paced restlessly, an indescribably complex feeling churning inside her. Although reason told her Daziel wasn't involved with another woman right in front of her – the subject wasn't even human, just a puppet – emotionally, she still felt an unshakable sense of awkwardness and wrongness. Even if it's just with a puppet... it's still too weird!
She occasionally stood on tiptoe, trying to peek through the door's peephole, but her vision met only blurry darkness; she couldn't see anything clearly.
"That guy Daziel, he's getting harder and harder to figure out. Doing this kind of thing to Herta's puppet now... who knows what outrageous things he'll do in the future," March couldn't help muttering, her pretty face etched with worry and curiosity, her heart itching like a cat's scratch.
Suddenly, a dull impact sound came from the room, followed immediately by a series of strange, indescribable noises that would make one blush...
March's body trembled, nearly jumping in fright. She frantically pounded on the closed door, calling out anxiously, "Daziel! Are you okay? What's happening in there?"
Silence from within the room. No response, only those strange sounds continuing, growing louder, clearer... March's heart leaped into her throat, her blood seeming to freeze. She had no idea what terrible thing was happening inside. Had the meme contamination gone out of control? Or had Daziel encountered danger?
"Ugh... How could... th-this... is... why?! I clearly severed the consciousness link completely, why am I still...?!"
However, just as March was frantic with worry, the previously calm Big Herta beside her suddenly reacted as if struck by a heavy blow. She violently clutched the area beneath her skirt, her exquisite face instantly contorting, and began to writhe painfully on the ground. Intense agony washed over her like a tide, filling her with shame and fury. Strange sensations from deep within her body that couldn't be spoken of nearly made her collapse. She wanted to struggle up, open the door, and stop whatever was happening inside. But a peculiar numbness spread through her like electricity, leaving her weak, unable to even sit up straight. Soon, she was completely overwhelmed by the surging sensations and pain, her consciousness blurring, almost fainting.
Inside the room, Daziel was intently "fiddling" with the petite Herta puppet. Although the puppet's special part used soft material simulating a realistic touch, the design seemed excessively narrow. Perhaps even Big Herta herself hadn't anticipated this puppet would one day be used for such a special purpose. Thus, Daziel expended tremendous effort on this "arduous" task, finding it quite laborious. Furthermore, since the little Herta puppet was ultimately made of special non-biological materials, fundamentally different from a real human body, Daziel's experience was exceptionally strange, even unprecedented.
An image suddenly surfaced in his mind: the upcoming Honkai: Star Rail collaboration with Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works], and a widely circulated meme from it—Type-Moon Heavy Industries. Fate/stay night was originally an adult game. Perhaps Nasu Kinoko, young and full of vigor back then, had a peculiar way of thinking. When describing the heroines, he often used various industrial tools as metaphors. Comparing Artoria to a vise, Rin Tohsaka to a water pump, Sakura Matou to a furnace—these metaphors, while vivid, always felt strangely odd and dissonant.
And now, with the little Herta puppet, Daziel seemed to finally grasp Nasu Kinoko's unique creative approach back then.
Nasu Kinoko was right!
After the exploration concluded, Daziel felt unprecedentedly exhausted, as if he had just fought an incredibly draining battle. He pulled up his pants, let out a long sigh, and then stepped out of the room.
The moment Daziel stepped out, he froze on the spot, as if petrified.
The sight that greeted him left him utterly dumbfounded.
Big Herta was clutching her lower abdomen tightly, her delicate face flushed crimson like a ripe apple. Her eyes, a mixture of shame, anger, and an indescribable complexity, burned like fire as she stared fixedly at Daziel, who had just emerged. March was fussing beside her, carefully supporting Big Herta's swaying body, her own pretty face full of concern and worry, occasionally asking something softly.
"Wh-What on earth happened?" Daziel was completely bewildered, unable to comprehend how this bizarre scene had occurred. Did something go wrong with my method of 'meme removal'?
Big Herta took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her chaotic emotions, her chest heaving violently. Her voice, however, still trembled uncontrollably, "I... I don't know why this happened either. I clearly severed the consciousness link with the little Herta puppet, but... those... those strange sensations still flooded into my main body like a tide..." She bit her lip so hard her pearly teeth nearly drew blood, seemingly enduring some unspeakable yet irresistible agony. "I... I wanted to stop it, but... it was already... too late..."
Daziel's face changed abruptly, as if struck by lightning. He instantly understood the whole sequence of events.
Rounding it up... doesn't this mean I basically just did that to Herta's main body?!
This... isn't this way too awkward?!
He opened his mouth, wanting to explain or apologize, but found his throat seemed blocked. A thousand words were stuck, unable to come out, unsure how to alleviate this hellishly awkward situation.
Big Herta seemed to notice Daziel's predicament and helplessness. She managed a smile that looked worse than crying, her voice weak, "You... don't worry too much about it. I... I don't blame you... This kind of thing... perhaps it was also... fated, unavoidable..."
"What do you mean? Fated?" Daziel grew even more confused, completely failing to grasp the meaning behind Herta's words.
Big Herta shot Daziel a petulant glare, her eyes complex, her tone carrying a hint of grievance and helplessness, "You! It's been so long since you came to the Simulated Universe to help me with tests. Don't you know? Through the Simulated Universe, I vaguely glimpsed a passage of text from Terminus, the Finality. It's a terrifying prophecy about the end of the universe..." She paused, her eyes becoming incredibly deep, as if able to penetrate the universe's truths, her tone turning solemn. "And you... are the key to this apocalyptic catastrophe. As for the method to resolve the crisis... it seems to be inextricably linked to what just happened."
"Just my luck, getting involved in such troublesome matters," Herta's voice was filled with deep resignation and self-mockery.
Hearing Herta's words, Daziel's mind was instantly thrown into turmoil, unable to calm down for a long time. There's something like this too?! He suddenly recalled the prophecies Elio had mentioned before, the vague future divined by the Shackling Prison on the Xianzhou Luofu, and now, the message from Terminus spoken of by Herta. These three entities with powerful predictive abilities had all, through different paths, vaguely pointed towards the same future filled with destruction and despair. Could it be... the arrival of this universal apocalypse is truly like a script of fate, unavoidable no matter how one struggles?
Big Herta keenly noticed the worry and gravity on Daziel's face. She sighed softly, her tone softening as she gently reassured him, "You don't need to worry too much either. At least here in the Genius Society, several of us stand with you." She looked up, her gaze firm and sharp, her voice filled with convincing power. "Just let nature take its course. This concerns the survival of the entire universe. When that day truly arrives, you definitely won't be alone."
Daziel nodded, the heavy stone in his heart easing slightly, though still feeling immense pressure. "I understand," he murmured, his voice holding a subtle tremor.
After saying this, Big Herta's complexion gradually returned to normal. Though still slightly flushed, the earlier pain and shame were gone. She turned her head, reassessing Daziel before her, her tone suddenly becoming serious again, "Right, that Masked Fool from the tavern asked me to give you a message."
"That Giovanni?" Daziel already guessed who.
"That's right, that lunatic." Herta wrinkled her nose, clearly unimpressed with Giovanni. She paused, then relayed word for word, "'The Genius Society's best puzzle is missing two crucial pieces: one is a destiny even I, Herta, dare not easily acknowledge, and the other is pressed tightly against your observation window, greedily breathing this world's air.'"
"I didn't pay much attention to it at the time, nor did I understand what this 'destiny I dare not acknowledge' referred to. But now," Herta finished, glancing meaningfully at Daziel's large baseball bat, "I think I'm starting to understand."
Daziel felt awkward under her gaze and quickly tried to cover himself with his hand.
"So... what do you plan to do now, Lady Herta?" Daziel asked cautiously, trying to change the subject and break the awkward tension.
Herta's gaze hardened. The previously calm eyes instantly ignited with furious flames, her tone turning ice-cold, seemingly capable of freezing the surrounding air, "Although all this might be fated, those clowns of Elation dared to make me a part of their fun. This matter... I will absolutely not let it rest!"
Her voice was like shards of ice in the dead of winter, filled with a chilling killing intent.
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