[Tribbie Space]
Madam Herta stepped into the new data space, and the scene that greeted her eyes made her slightly startled.
This was not the expected cage or tragic sight, but a room decorated to be extremely cozy, even luxurious.
Western classical-style furniture, soft goose-down carpets covering the entire floor, countless various throw pillows and plush toys scattered in the corners, forming comfortable nests.
Warm-toned lighting softly illuminated the room, and the air was filled with a scent like a mixture of lavender and dessert.
There were no windows, yet it didn't feel oppressive at all; instead, it was like a secluded haven of peace.
(This living standard... each one is better than the last.)
Madam Herta's mouth twitched silently. She couldn't help but recall Cyrene's tragic appearance, suspended in mid-air by countless cold chains, her clothes tattered. Compared to the extremely comfortable environment before her, the difference was like heaven and earth.
Her gaze swept across the room, finally landing on a large pile of soft throw pillows in the center of the room—there was a particularly eye-catching, flame-like red.
She slowly approached.
As if sensing the presence of a stranger, the red mass stirred and lifted from the pile of pillows.
A mature and beautiful face appeared in Madam Herta's sight.
Her thick red hair cascaded like a waterfall, almost spreading onto the carpet, adorned with a few delicate white flowers.
She wore a white dress elegantly embellished with blue patterns, and a golden belt at her waist outlined her graceful curves.
Her deep blue eyes were like tranquil lakes, but at this moment they held the haziness of just waking up, and her pointed ears twitched slightly.
(This is... Tribbie?)
The moment she recognized the face, Madam Herta was slightly startled.
This... isn't this a bit too mature?
(Isn't Tribbie a little tot? This is clearly... a grown-up Tiripis!)
The red-haired girl seemed to have just woken up from a dream, her eyes filled with deep confusion, her watery blue gaze vaguely focused on Madam Herta.
On her sleepy face, there was no alertness or fear. Instead, after seeing Madam Herta, she showed a certain... dependent expression?
Madam Herta spoke tentatively, trying to keep her voice soft: "You..."
Before she could finish her sentence, the red-haired girl in front of her suddenly did something that made Madam Herta's brain instantly crash—
Like a chick returning to its nest, she suddenly pounced from the pile of pillows, spread her arms, and firmly hugged Madam Herta's waist, burying her beautiful face deeply into Madam Herta's unremarkable chest, and even rubbed her head against it playfully.
Immediately after, a soft, nasal voice, sweet enough to melt ice and snow, muffledly emerged:
"Mama..."
Madam Herta: "!!!"
(Huh????)
This single word exploded like a thunderclap in Madam Herta's mind.
She froze completely, as if under a petrifying spell.
Her purplish-black eyes widened unusually, filled with an incredulous blankness.
(Mama?! Me?! She called me Mama?!)
In the corner of her vision, a line of shimmering, colorful text popped up just in time:
[Hehe, still a junior student! This family drama is much more interesting than the simulated universe! -Aha's message]
Madam Herta stiffly lowered her head, looking at the "oversized daughter" nestled in her arms, exuding a pleasant floral scent.
The other party's brilliant red hair was like a warm flame, yet it made her scalp tingle.
She had lived for so long (including her past and present lives), experienced transmigration, system binding, becoming the vessel of "Rupert III," being hunted by Envoys... all sorts of major ups and downs, but never had she felt so helpless, so... eager to escape immediately, as she did now.
Time seemed to freeze.
Madam Herta could clearly hear her own slightly erratic heartbeat, and the steady, long breaths of the girl in her arms.
After a long while, Madam Herta finally managed to recover from this immense shock, trying to regain her voice and sanity.
She took a deep breath, and with movements as unstiff as possible, gently pushed the red-haired girl in her arms.
"Um... you let go of me first..." Her voice carried a trace of imperceptible tremor.
Feeling the push, the "Tiripis" in her arms immediately looked up.
A misty layer of grievance instantly clouded her deep blue eyes, her small nose twitched, her mouth slightly pouted, and it looked like tears were about to fall.
"Mama... don't you like me anymore?"
She said with a choked voice, hugging even tighter, as if afraid of being abandoned, "I'm very good... don't push me away..."
That look, that tone, was full of the helplessness and accusation of a small abandoned animal.
As she spoke, she began to rub against Madam Herta again, acting spoiled, with no intention of letting go.
Madam Herta felt a tingling sensation on her scalp, and her temples throbbed.
(What... what should I do?)
She felt like she had encountered a situation even more troublesome than facing Anaxa's Rising Dragon Fist and Magic Skill.
Just as Madam Herta was in an unprecedented predicament, wondering if she should forcibly activate system permissions to temporarily isolate this guy—
[Emergency Communication! Madam Herta, monitoring shows that Station Master Asta has left the Master Control Zone and is moving towards the office. She is expected to arrive in two minutes. Based on behavioral pattern analysis, there is an 87.3% probability that she is coming to report work or ask for instructions. Please advise. -System]
Madam Herta: "..."
Her mouth twitched violently.
(What is all this?!)
She glanced at the red-haired girl in her arms, who was still whining and refusing to let go, then perceived the emergency message from the system, and made a decisive choice.
She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her inner frenzy.
The immediate priority was to deal with Asta!
[Herta Space Station]
Asta stood before the familiar office door, taking a soft breath to calm her inner nervousness.
Unlike facing the Herta Puppets normally, this time she was facing Ms. Herta herself!
Although their appearances were almost identical, the intangible oppressive feeling stemming from the level of life was incomparable to that of the puppets.
She carefully checked her attire, confirming there was nothing impolite, then raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.
"Come in." The familiar crisp voice came from inside the door.
Asta pushed the door open and entered.
"Ms. Herta" was seated in the large main control chair, her back to the door.
She held an optical panel shimmering with data streams, seemingly reviewing some important research materials.
And the "Herta" puppet stood before the massive "simulated universe" control console, her fingers rapidly tapping on the optical screen, seemingly adjusting certain parameters.
Everything looked... perfectly normal.
"Ms. Herta." Asta bowed respectfully, her voice unconsciously carrying a hint of caution.
"Herta" then seemed to be startled from her contemplation, slowly turning her chair, her purple eyes falling on Asta: "What is it?"
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