Breaking into Herta City's defense system went fairly smoothly for Bai Ming.
Of course, in terms of pure technical skill, Herta was still a bit stronger, but with the boost from that stolen power, Bai Ming resorted to a bit of "I reckon this'll work" improvisation, and managed to crack it open anyway.
And she did the entire process completely out in the open.
In other words, no matter how slow Herta's reaction might be, she would absolutely notice that Bai Ming was attacking the firewall she had set up.
Yet even after a breach large enough to pass through had been opened—
No counterattack or interference from Herta appeared.
What that meant was obvious.
A confident smile hung on Bai Ming's face as she floated into Herta City.
Mm, Herta didn't block my intrusion. So she really does still have me in her heart.
Thinking that, Bai Ming casually added her own access permissions again.
She entered Herta City smoothly.
The puppets scattered everywhere should have long been used to Bai Ming's arrival, but this time, for some reason, when they spotted her, they gathered in small groups and whispered among themselves, exchanging who-knows-what.
Passing through the central courtyard, Bai Ming greeted Noa, who was, as usual, sleeping the day away.
Only afterward did she spot Madam Herta, busy with something, in a garden with good lighting.
Normally, Bai Ming would walk over, sit beside Madam Herta, quietly say hello, and wait for her to finish before speaking, but today, just as Bai Ming walked over and was about to sit, Herta snapped—without even lifting her head—and pulled the chair away.
Bai Ming didn't feel discouraged. It wasn't like there was only one empty chair.
So she happily dragged another chair over, and before Herta could reach out again, she plopped down.
Right next to her.
As a result, the arm that had been about to wave the chair away instead landed squarely on Bai Ming's chest.
Her palm brushed across the exposed skin. The warm, soft, delicate touch made Herta freeze for a moment.
Bai Ming froze too.
Even knowing it was an accident, Bai Ming still found it a little ridiculous. The scene looked exactly like Herta was taking advantage of the chance to cop a feel.
Bai Ming grabbed the hand that was about to pull back.
She pressed it down and held it in her palm.
"Still angry?"
"If you stay this close, I can't even work up the anger."
Herta tried to pull away, realized Bai Ming's grip was tight, and sighed, giving up on retrieving her left hand.
She shot Bai Ming a rather impolite glare.
"Because of Celenova?"
"Hoh, so our Aeon knows, huh. Letting someone that dangerous near the Simulated Universe's mainframe—I'd say you've really gotten carried away."
Herta snorted softly, choosing the moral high ground and pointing fingers at Bai Ming.
But Bai Ming clearly showed no remorse.
"And?"
"Hah?"
Herta frowned and glared, but that instead gave Bai Ming the chance to look directly into her eyes.
Holding Herta's hand, Bai Ming leaned forward, smiling yet serious, meeting her gaze.
"I'm asking—Herta, if you're this angry, there must be another, more personal reason. After all, you're Herta. If it were only that, there's no way it'd make you this mad."
For a moment, Herta didn't know whether to be pleased or annoyed. Pleased that this person understood her—but annoyed that she understood her and still brought Celenova there, and even wore a maid outfit!
"Was it Screwllum who told you? I don't believe you'd be watching us in real time."
Herta didn't answer directly, instead bringing up Screwllum, clearly trying to dodge the point.
Bai Ming didn't deny it, smiling and nodding.
"Yeah. I didn't expect our Madam Herta to get jealous one day."
"Use a different word. I don't like that one."
Herta didn't deny her emotions were close to jealousy, but she disliked the term.
Facing her stubbornness, Bai Ming smiled brightly, but she chose to skip the point and continue.
"I'm honored to leave such an important impression in Herta's heart. As for Celenova, those were just jokes."
Herta pressed her lips together. She didn't dislike this unspoken understanding, and the fact that Bai Ming came back to find her so quickly had already eased most of her anger.
But as for whether to pierce that thin layer between them, Herta didn't have much inclination.
Her personality was somewhat awkward. At least for her, a clearly defined special relationship confirmed through words didn't mean much.
Or rather, for someone like Bai Ming, such worldly agreements were far too fragile.
Compared to words, actions and perception more clearly told her how close the other person really was.
Herta stared straight at Bai Ming, her gaze slightly aggressive.
"The way you look like this… it always makes me forget you've become something completely different from me."
"That doesn't sound like something Madam Herta would say."
Bai Ming shook her head with a smile.
"I don't think we're different. I don't walk a Path, so I can't be called an Aeon. I'm just a powerful mortal."
Since the mood had reached this point, even though she'd never said it before, Bai Ming couldn't help emphasizing it.
She neither followed a Path nor believed in one. She was merely a mortal who borrowed external power to steal strength from Paths.
If it was Herta, she shouldn't be fooled by surface-level power.
Herta ground her molars.
"So you're complaining about my silence?"
"In that regard, aren't we the same?"
Looking at Bai Ming's smile, impulses rose in Herta's heart.
Some were intimate, some tinged with irritation.
Seeing that face, she found it hard to truly be angry.
It felt more like habitual complaining and capriciousness.
Herta sighed silently.
Then she grabbed the back of Bai Ming's neck with her other hand. As the distance between them rapidly shrank, she bit down on Bai Ming's lips.
Almost like she was deliberately being mischievous.
Mixed into the closeness was a hint of retaliation. After leaving two rows of teeth marks between Bai Ming's lips, Herta released her, her face faintly flushed.
Forcing herself to ignore the embarrassment, she said bluntly,
"Sorry. I'm in a bad mood right now. Not really interested in being 'the same' with you."
Looking at Herta's bright eyes and blushing cheeks, Bai Ming touched the bite marks on her lips, a bit helpless.
"You don't look like you're in a bad mood."
"That's because I transferred it onto you."
Seeing the two rows of teeth marks, Herta's lips curled slightly.
Honestly, Bai Ming looked kind of funny. Even though she was the culprit, it didn't stop Herta from laughing at her without guilt.
"Alright, alright, you're right."
Bai Ming raised her hands in surrender. For Madam Herta to kiss her first—she really must've pushed her too far this time. But Bai Ming's compliance instead made Herta feel unsatisfied.
"Tch. Why didn't you resist? No good, let's redo it."
Bai Ming's pupils shook. She stared in disbelief at Herta saying something like that.
Herta, however, saw no issue.
Since they met, their interactions had never been this compliant.
Weren't they always sparring with each other?
Herta had even prepared a bunch of countermeasures—only for Bai Ming to surrender immediately.
Wasn't that preparation wasted?
"What? When I'm up against you, if I don't fight back a bit, it just feels wrong."
"Are you some kind of pervert?"
"What nonsense. I'm Herta. My preferences are the truth—everyone else is the pervert!"
How could someone be so shameless?
It was an old joke, but Bai Ming couldn't help thinking it.
Does this girl really have no sense of embarrassment?
"You sure you want me to attack you?"
"What, you dared to bring random women back, and now you're saying you don't dare?"
Herta looked at Bai Ming with a provocative gaze.
Bai Ming felt this girl probably didn't mean it that way, but honestly, right now she really resembled a domineering succubus.
In the past—and even now—within Bai Ming and Herta's relationship, Bai Ming usually seemed the weaker one.
Partly because she'd been the one to provoke Herta first, and partly because early on she'd lacked strength, while Herta was outrageously willful.
Over time, that dynamic became fixed.
Even now, though Bai Ming's strength far surpassed Herta's, she'd grown used to it.
It wasn't that she'd never considered changing it—just that it wasn't necessary. Both of them found this dynamic comfortable.
But now—looking at Herta, who seemed to have transformed into a domineering succubus—Bai Ming felt, for the first time in a while, the urge to properly "return the favor."
Mm, doing it once in a while didn't seem bad.
With that thought—Bai Ming raised the hand she was holding, yanked hard, and kicked the chair aside.
Herta followed the pull, falling straight into Bai Ming's arms.
The wide witch hat slipped onto the table beside them.
Caught off guard, Herta ended up straddling Bai Ming's lap, slightly frowning as she stared at her.
Just as she was about to speak, another hand climbed up her back.
Her outfit already exposed her back; the sudden touch made her shiver. Force traveled along her spine, pressing her upper body down, and she was pulled into a kiss with Bai Ming.
This time, Bai Ming took the initiative, and she was extremely aggressive.
Herta tried to reclaim control, but with just a little force, Bai Ming rendered the proud shut-in powerless.
Even her left hand was tightly interlocked with Bai Ming's fingers, impossible to pull free.
--+--
T/N: If you want advance chapters, you can find it at [email protected]/AspenTL