"Mm~ and that's a wrap."
When the Avengers stepped back into Herta's primary laboratory, they found the real Madam Herta standing before one of her puppets, a look of smug satisfaction written across her face.
"Madam Herta?"
Rogers hadn't expected to run into the lady herself again.
The team had dropped by to check on the Simulated Universe's latest updates and to see if Thor had turned up.
While no official appointment had been made, checking in here every day had become a sort of unspoken rule—a shared habit for the group.
However, Thor was nowhere to be found today. Remembering that he had left with Asta the previous evening, they had assumed the god of thunder would simply show up at her side.
Yet, upon boarding the space station, they realized that wasn't the case.
"What? You look like you've seen a ghost." Herta turned her gaze toward the Avengers, arching a delicate eyebrow.
Well, they kind of had.
"We just assumed you'd be busy," Rogers said, voicing the collective thought. They had expected to find either "Little Herta" or the usual idle puppet that haunted this room.
It was easy enough to tell them apart: the one with the short hair was Little Herta.
"Oh, it's not as much of a headache as you'd think. It's an update, sure, but it's hardly a massive undertaking. The Simulated Universe is designed to be self-sustaining; I'm just layering a few sparks of genius on top of the foundation."
"Sparks of genius? Speaking of which... Madam Herta, what exactly are you doing?"
Tony peered at the puppet standing before Herta. Its eyes were tightly shut, and he was curious about what she had meant by "finished." He remembered her tinkering with this specific unit yesterday.
"Since you lot took your sweet time getting here and I happened to have a rare moment of boredom, I decided to run some of the more... classic experiments on her," Herta explained with a dismissive wave.
"Simply put, I'm trying to simulate a deeper sense of humanity within the puppets. Call it the Personality Completion Project."
Personality Completion Project?
The Avengers immediately thought of Little Herta.
"Right... but she looks like she's in a bit of a rough spot?" Tony pointed toward the puppet's closed eyes.
This project actually piqued Tony's interest. He had his own AI assistant, Jarvis—who had eventually become Vision—and while that specific miracle might not happen again in this universe, the idea of boosting Jarvis's cognitive depth was always on his mind.
"She's fine. I'm just trying to get the puppet to dream."
"A puppet? An AI... dreaming?"
Tony and Bruce exchanged a look, their lips twitching. Was there even a point to an AI dreaming?
Well, if the goal was to simulate a human being, then doing something "pointless" was actually the most logical step...
But still... an AI dreaming?
It was a fascinating, novel concept. The two scientists couldn't quite hide their budding curiosity.
"You two look interested. Is it because of that Vision fellow?" Noting their expressions, Herta didn't mind giving them a little show.
"Since you're so curious, this genius shall be merciful and let you witness a puppet's dream for yourselves."
For real? An AI's dream? It sounded like science fiction bleeding into the realm of pure fantasy. But then again, considering the Curios—those objects that defied every law of physics in the cosmos—this kind of feat wasn't exactly outside Herta's wheelhouse.
The rest of the Avengers weren't quite as tech-obsessed, but they valued these rare moments of casual interaction with a being like Herta. They were happy to tag along.
With a sharp snap of Herta's fingers, a screen roughly twenty-seven inches wide materialized above the puppet's head. After a brief burst of static, the image flickered into focus.
However, the smiles on the Avengers' faces quickly froze.
On the screen, Herta and the puppet were sitting across from each other at a square table. But the power dynamic was a complete reversal of reality.
The puppet sat there, radiating pride and effortless superiority, while Herta herself looked timid and cautious—the image of a lowly corporate drone afraid to speak up to a tyrannical boss.
This... this wasn't right, was it?
The team instinctively looked away from the screen to sneak a glance at the real Herta. As expected, her smile had vanished completely.
[Madam Herta, when the research group decided to let you join, it was because we had high expectations. But looking at your report... I don't see a single innovative spark.]
The puppet's voice on the screen pulled their eyes back. Seeing the puppet act so overbearing and bossy made the Avengers try to shrink into the floorboards.
[Being allowed to participate in this experiment was supposed to be a learning opportunity for you. You should be grateful. Don't be so eager for fame; when the time is right, I'll naturally let you put your name on the paper!]
As the puppet spoke, she glanced at her empty water glass.
Ignoring Herta's miserable expression, she barked, [Madam Herta, is my glass going to refill itself?]
The image cut to black.
The laboratory was deathly silent. Facing Herta's now-smoldering expression, the Avengers wisely chose to play statues.
As the screen vanished, the puppet blinked awake. Seeing its creator standing there, the puppet spoke up with earnest devotion.
"An experiment led by Madam Herta must have been a resounding success. I hope I didn't say anything embarrassing in my sleep."
The Avengers: [...]
The good news: You didn't talk in your sleep.
The bad news: You'll never have to worry about dreaming ever again.
The heavy silence finally tipped the puppet off that something was wrong. She then noticed the Avengers standing nearby.
This was the first time she had seen the real Herta and the Avengers together while fully conscious. Linking the two with Herta's dark expression, she immediately tried to prove her loyalty.
"Was it you lot? Did you rude commoners upset Madam Herta? Don't tell me you interrupted the Great Herta's experiment!?"
The Avengers: [...]
Done with the puppet's melodramatic performance, Herta snapped her fingers, shutting the unit down instantly. She then turned her gaze toward the group, who were still trying to remain invisible.
As if nothing had happened, Herta offered them a thin smile. "Anyway, if there's nothing else, you can begin your testing now."
"Uh... hold on a second. Where's Thor? We thought he'd be here."
Despite the urge to run and escape the awkward atmosphere, Rogers forced himself to ask.
He wanted his full team present before starting the tests—not just because he didn't want to leave anyone out, but because Thor was their heavy hitter.
"Thor? He's likely still in Asgard. Is that why you're late? Waiting for him?"
Herta shrugged. "Don't bother. He won't be free anytime soon."
"Not free?"
That caught them off guard. Then again, Thor was a prince; it made sense that royal duties might tie him down occasionally.
"Asgard is currently being invaded by Dark Elves," Herta said casually. "He's right in the thick of the war zone."
The group shouted in unison, "What!?"
Wait, was that the kind of news you just drop mid-conversation?
"Madam Herta! Is there any way to get us to Asgard?" Rogers stepped forward urgently. "Thor was a massive help during the Battle of New York. We can't just stand by while his home is in danger!"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.