Staring at the bewildered Stelle, a crazed arc stretched across Caelus's lips as he pointed accusingly.
"Stelle! Stelle! Stelle! Stelle!"
"Why does the Stellaron energy inside you fuse so perfectly within me?"
"Why do we share physical sensations?"
"Why do we have telepathy?"
His voice was hysterical, his smile ecstatic. Caelus pressed his face, now a canvas of exaggerated expressions, right up to Stelle's, his mouth pulled into a wide, manic grin.
"There's only one answer."
"Stop it~!"
As if unable to face the cruel reality, Stelle, her face deathly pale, clapped her hands over her ears and crouched down, letting out a sound like she was shattering.
"Stelle!"
Caelus bent down, his grand, impassioned tone twisting into wild laughter.
"You! You are the other me existing in this world! Ahahahahaha—hhohohoho!"
"No!"
Her slender body trembled as if shocked by electricity, her pupils quaking. Stelle stared at her own hands in utter disbelief and horror.
"I'm actually… I'm actually the Caelus-whelp of the newborn eastern dawn, the Caelus-whelp of the setting sun!?"
"Hohohoho, my dear Stelle, you must understand, cursing me is cursing yourself. Knowing that, feel free to say whatever you want. If I dare talk back even once, I lose~!"
Caelus slung an arm around Stelle's shoulder, laughing like a certain warlord rejoicing west of Wulin and north of Yidu—a booming, resonant sound.
"I… I… am actually a whelp!?"
The devastated grey-haired girl knelt on the ground, muttering to herself in a daze.
"Hiss~ Wait a second, it seems I am a whelp…"
Taking a sharp breath, a thoughtful look emerged in Stelle's eyes. The light gradually returned to her gaze, banishing the utter despair.
Uh oh, this Stellaron essence truly clarifies the mind and purifies nature!
Caelus's brow twitched, his gaze turning sharp and cold. He raised his right hand, his long fingers curling into a claw, aiming straight for his own chest.
He attempted to interrupt Stelle's breakthrough, but he was a step too late.
"I AM a whelp!"
This time, it wasn't a soft murmur, but a declaration! Like a sudden, profound enlightenment reached on some fated ground!
Her expression held not a trace of dejection or regret anymore. The posture of her awakened self radiated boundless pride.
"Heh~"
Her grey bangs lifted without a breeze, revealing deep, brilliant golden eyes beneath.
Stelle glanced down at her left chest. She could feel the transformative pressure, the warm sense of being covered.
"Do you really think, at this point…"
She lifted her head, her gaze meeting the identical golden eyes staring back at her.
A smirk touched Stelle's lips. Her expression turned sinister, reminiscent of someone who had found grim understanding forged in suffering.
"That this level of contact would still make me feel shy?"
If the Caelus-whelp is me, then that means… she can disregard all morality, act with utter abandon!
"Prepare to die!"
A cruel curve formed on her lips. Stelle reached out, her hand also contorted into a claw, aiming not at herself this time, but directly at Caelus's body.
"You!"
Caelus was completely stunned.
Stelle's attack was utterly unexpected. He hadn't imagined the mere Stellaron essence—Stelle—could mount such a counterattack. He couldn't dodge!
Suppressing the phantom discomfort from the pressure on his non-existent limb, Stelle's lips split into a provocative grin as she mouthed the words:
"Now, my dear Caelus, why don't you try acting arrogant again?"
Stelle's voice was as warm and gentle as a spring breeze in March, yet Caelus could feel the frigid chill of the Arctic Circle contained within it.
It sent shivers down his spine!
"Do you dare squeeze… Lord Stelle, I was wrong!!"
The sneering mockery died abruptly. Caelus's expression changed completely, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
His face twisted through several expressions before finally settling into a fawning smile directed at Stelle.
"Hehe, my dear Caelus, why so humble before, yet so haughty now?"
Stelle crossed her legs elegantly, smiling sweetly, her gaze towards Caelus filled with playful mockery.
"It truly makes this little one laugh!"
"Come on~ Call me 'Grandpa' a few more times!" Stelle commanded, like holding the emperor hostage to control the court.
"Don't push your luck!" Caelus retorted, insisting he was the emperor!
"Then call me 'Daddy'~!"
"…"
Meanwhile, Herta had become little more than a background element in the war between the two grey-haired individuals.
If this were a manga, Herta's entire figure would undoubtedly be covered in shadow lines right now.
Putting aside Caelus's earlier exaggerated faces and performance art, Stelle's current maneuver… it made even the vastly experienced Herta's head throb. Among the myriad civilizations in the galaxy, no matter which culture, ethics, or legal system one considered, none had rules against… handling oneself. Even the third leg.
But damn it, was this something a normal person would actually do?
Considering Stelle and Caelus's track records, for a fleeting moment, Herta seriously doubted whether using these two 'things' to test the Simulated Universe had been a terrible mistake.
But that solution factor… it fit the Simulated Universe's calculations far too perfectly.
"You two! What do you think my office is for? If you want to fight, go do it in bed!"
Seeing the metaphorical car in front of her about to hit the highway and go full throttle, Herta's expression darkened steadily. "Get out!" she snapped irritably. She pulled out her signature ornate hammer from beneath her skirt—a weapon taller than herself—lifted it high, and swung it down right in front of them.
With these two, physical arguments were far more efficient than words.
"We're truly sorry!"
Stelle and Caelus, each sporting a fresh bump on their forehead, bowed in perfect synchronization.
"You've collected all the data you needed, right? We cooperated with everything required. If there's nothing else, we'll be heading back now."
As if flipping a switch back to his usual persona, Caelus naturally took Stelle's small, soft hand.
Stelle froze. It wasn't entirely because he'd taken her hand, but also because Caelus turning allowed her a perfect view of his profile.
The normal Caelus possessed an understated, cool temperament, like a serene, clear gem whose beautiful lines were perfectly traced by light.
Stelle felt… undeniably attracted to herself!
This flicker of narcissism was like a tiny spark. Usually, it wouldn't matter, but right now, it landed squarely on a dynamite fuse, lighting it instantly.
Sizzle—the sparks raced through her veins, reaching her heart, and then… BOOM!
What on earth did I just DO?
Her heart felt like it exploded. A crimson blush instantly flooded Stelle's cheeks, even the delicate skin of her earlobes turning bright red.
The hand held by Caelus grew damp with sweat, her palm burning hot as if she'd just been gripping a scorching fire poker.
Even if I can be uninhibited when dealing with myself, wasn't going that far a little… strange?
Stelle guiltily averted her gaze, unable to look directly at Caelus's profile. She glanced around frantically, searching for something else to focus on.
Her eyes quickly found it—the half-eaten offerings placed before the 'coffin'.
The heat burning inside Stelle instantly cooled down.
Caelus hadn't noticed the Stellaron essence's rapid emotional rollercoaster in those few seconds; otherwise, he certainly would have seized the opportunity to mock her mercilessly.
"Wait, there's one more thing!"
"Pops, can't you just say everything at once?" Caelus grumbled, dissatisfied.
"?"
A question mark seemed to float above Herta's head.
P-Pops?
The surprise lasted only an instant. Recalling Caelus's mental state, Herta immediately let it go.
"I'll get straight to the point. My academic partners and I are working on a huge project. If it succeeds, we could potentially solve the ultimate riddle that has plagued us for several Amber Eras—the mystery of the Aeons."
"Kids, I can see you're built different, remarkably talented, undoubtedly testing prodigies the likes of which are seen once in a millennium… care to join our Metaverse project?"
"What the heck is 'Metaverse'?" Caelus's expression was slightly odd.
Isn't it the Simulated Universe?
"Heh, the name isn't important. Besides, my partners don't seem to like that name either. Let's just call it the Simulated Universe!"
"Anyway, do you want to help me with testing?"
"Testing?" Stelle blinked upon hearing this, like a farmer who had diligently learned dragon-slaying techniques finally encountering a real dragon. "Beg me~!"
This is called putting knowledge into practice!
"I'm begging you. Please come and test~!"
Herta said this in a soft tone, her expression completely unchanged.
"Hehe~"
Seeing the cool, aloof, beautiful researcher humbled before her, asking for help—even if only for a fleeting moment—felt incredibly satisfying to Stelle. "No problem, I'll help with this!"
Just as Herta was about to nod in satisfaction, a calm voice interrupted.
"She agreed. I haven't."
Herta's eyebrow twitched. She suppressed her rising irritation. "Now what is it?"
"Helping with the testing is fine, but payment is required!" Caelus stated plainly, making a gesture for money.
"No problem."
Herta agreed without hesitation. Anything solvable with money wasn't a real problem; her station master had plenty of it!
"I don't want Credits."
"Then what do you want? Curios? Or other resources?"
Caelus wagged his finger, his face showing disdain as if asking who could possibly be swayed by such vulgar things.
A smirk played on his lips. Caelus lowered his finger, pointing directly at Herta:
"I want you."
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I have a little challenge for you! For every 100 POWER STONES, I'll release ONE EXTRA CHAPTER!
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