"Speaking purely in theory, the woman known as Polka Kakamond does indeed have remarkably strange patterns of movement."
"Some say if you call out her name anywhere in the cosmos, Polka will somehow sense it... Let's not debate the truth of that for now."
"What we know for certain is that if you see her face, she will definitely 'come after you'."
Listening to Herta's account, an odd comparison sprang to Lynelle's mind—it reminded her of a certain anomaly contained within a high-end, non-public foundation.
"I already tried it—shouting her name into the void, attempting to establish communication. Sadly, I received no response whatsoever."
Herta spread her hands. "So, I decided on a more... radical approach. Namely, the Simulated Universe."
"This way, if she is drawn by the potential exhibited within the simulation, we naturally gain an opportunity to converse with her without taking such enormous risks."
"If that fails... through the 'Scholar's Strife,' we can still reconstruct the truth behind Emperor Rubert II's death, thereby obtaining information on Polka. That, in itself, would trigger her awareness."
Pushing the boundaries of knowledge, huh...
Lynelle instantly grasped what Herta's plan entailed.
"...Whichever method ends up being used, count me in when the time comes."
Even with the original storyline as a form of guarantee, Lynelle decided to get involved in this matter.
After all, the plot wasn't some immutable scripture. If something truly went wrong, her presence would make it easier for an Aeon to take notice.
Moreover, her Authority of Corruption could actually prove somewhat useful in an environment like the Simulated Universe.
Of course, her involvement introduced another risk—what if, in the midst of everything, they discovered that Lynelle's own abilities were something from beyond the boundaries of knowledge?
That would be a real spectacle.
"You can join after you return from the Charmony Festival. The next round of Simulated Universe testing won't be for nearly two months."
"Let me think... The Charmony Festival is less than half a month away. Factoring in your participation time, remember to tell Stelle to come back immediately after the festival ends."
"Got it~"
Lynelle promptly stood up, ready to leave, only to be yanked back by Herta.
"Don't rush off just yet. Before I left this time, I checked with Ruan Mei about your physical condition. That fight with the Starcrusher Swarm King certainly took a significant toll on your 'attrition levels'."
"While the Charmony Festival, being the Family's most important celebration, is unlikely to present situations requiring your intervention, it's better to be safe."
"In a couple of days, once Corruption-chan's body adjustments are complete, you should head directly to the Xianzhou to recuperate."
"Huh?" Lynelle tilted her head. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay on the space station with you for a few more days?"
"Shoo, shoo..." Herta turned her face away.
"Having you here just distracts me from my research... Do you have any idea how many hours of daily research time I lose when you're hanging around me?"
"And with both Screwllum and Ruan Mei currently on the station, I really don't want to be taking daily... leave."
"Hey now..." Lynelle's pretty face flushed slightly.
"My dear Madam Herta, perhaps you should look up at the office ceiling and recall what you're saying. Those hours were clearly because you insisted on—"
"Alright, that's enough. No more chatter." Herta quickly pressed a finger against Lynelle's lips, which seemed poised to utter some review-failing outrageous claim, her tone slightly flustered.
"In short, get yourself to the Xianzhou and restore your condition. Avoid unnecessary complications."
"But isn't having 'dream complications' pretty normal for Penacony..."
--+--
Although Herta instructed Lynelle to go to the Xianzhou for a period of rest, until Corruption-chan completed her bodily adjustments, Lynelle was effectively tied down and unable to leave.
Thinking about it, the month leading up to the Charmony Festival neatly divided Lynelle's time perfectly into thirds between Belobog, the space station, and the Luofu—a balance so even it deserved a 'like.'
However, while Lynelle was still wandering the space station with Corruption-chan in tow, over in the world of Honkai Impact, Kevin had already come knocking.
"What is it, Kevin? Did something happen outside, or has the Hyperion finally come knocking on our door?"
Seeing Kevin, who had first sent a message through Gray Serpent, then had Klein relay the notification—going through all these loops rather than entering the Elysian Realm himself—Lynelle couldn't help but feel the corners of her mouth twitch upward.
"Anti-Entropy and Schicksal have indeed located quite a few of World Serpent's external bases recently, even taking down a major central node," Kevin's voice was as detached as ever.
"However, they could never locate the Elysian Realm, not even with the full assistance of that Bishop Otto."
"Right, speaking of Otto, where's that guy been lately?"
"I have a general idea of his whereabouts. However, due to a transaction between us, I cannot disclose it to you at this time."
"The price for Gray Serpent obtaining the Gem of Serenity, right... Fine, I won't press you. I got plenty of interesting things from Vill-V anyway."
Lynelle instantly deduced the only possible link between the two. Considering Kevin's personality, she didn't intend to put him in a difficult position.
Besides, given the current situation, even if Otto wanted to pull some extra stunt, he probably didn't have much of a stage left.
"So, the reason you sought me out this time is..."
"It concerns Otto."
"?"
A question mark slowly materialized above Lynelle's head.
"Otto utilized the Imaginary Singularity in Nagazora City to conduct an activation experiment for the Cosmic Juggernaut, simultaneously testing the feasibility of his plan... But that's not the main point."
"The point is, the Honkai energy density in Nagazora City is currently rising at an extremely rapid pace. A Honkai Beast tide could be triggered within a matter of days—and this represents an opportunity."
"You mean... the Herrscher of Thunder?"
"Correct." Kevin nodded. "This is the best opportunity to ensure the successful 'Eclosion' of the Herrscher of Thunder."
"However, due to security concerns and their lack of information regarding Eclosion, relying solely on Anti-Entropy, it's likely they will fail to make the correct judgment."
"Furthermore, to guarantee the smooth progression of his experiment, Otto has also deployed certain measures within Nagazora City. Meaning, if we do not intervene..."
"Mei will simply waste this opportunity."
Lynelle nodded. "Understood. I'll take Seele with me then. It works out; her Core fusion process is progressing fairly smoothly. If she wishes to..."
"As you see fit. World Serpent does not forcibly detain anyone. She has always had the freedom to leave at any time," Kevin stated flatly.
"However, if the opportunity arises, you could have the Herrscher of Thunder visit the Elysian Realm as well..."
Watching Kevin, who seemed rather keen on getting Mei to visit as well, an oddly fitting description popped into Lynelle's mind.
Was this... some form of exchange student program?
--+--
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.