Chapter 15: Fern: ... Pervert
~Runeterra World~
Silco casually picked up a compass and played with it,
"An enamel dial made in Demacia, a flywheel movement... This is the pinnacle of their craftsmen's skills. I spent a lot of effort collecting it."
Singed didn't speak, only quietly watching Silco's monologue.
"And this pocket watch is the masterpiece of those noble families in the upper city. It is said that the case is made of the shell of a Shellfolk – although it's only the size of a fingernail."
Silco gently wiped the dust off the pocket watch. The mechanical structure inside could be easily observed through the crystal case. This was a work from thirty or forty years ago, but due to good maintenance, the silver-white movement still maintained its original appearance, making a "click-clack" sound in the air when running.
"Mr. Silco..."
Singed hesitated.
"So, you plan to use these scraps of metal from decades ago to imitate the puppet named Herta in the light screen?"
Silco threw the pocket watch into the pile of metal scraps and sighed,
"You should also know that the technology shown in that light screen is something we can't reach in our lifetime."
"Everything you do is just a waste of effort,"
Silco said silently in his heart – but he didn't want to say it too bluntly, so as not to hurt the professor's heart.
At first, he also yearned for the technology in the light screen, especially after seeing Silver Wolf's divine skill that could modify reality.
He couldn't help but feel greedy, but after realizing the gap between the light screen and the Undercity, he decisively decided to give up.
In his opinion, this was no different from a moth flying into a flame – using the limited time in life to try to bridge the technological gap like a chasm was hardly a wise move.
"I understand what you mean."
Singed nodded, but then added, "But if I didn't have this pursuit, I wouldn't have today's achievements."
"Before cooperating with you, I was also a scientist."
Silco didn't continue to persuade him. Having worked with Singed for many years, he knew the professor's temper very well.
He slowly got up, gently brushed off the alchemical dust on his body, and before leaving the laboratory, he looked back at Singed and said in a low voice,
"I'm sorry, professor, I may not support your hobby for too long. Of course, if you are willing to use these machines to research new weapons, that's another matter."
After speaking, the strong men beside Silco slammed the laboratory door shut.
The noisy laboratory returned to silence again. The ticking of the red copper clock hanging on the wall accompanied the gradually receding footsteps. Apart from that, there was no other sound.
After Silco and his party walked away, Singed came to the secret door of the laboratory alone. After he raised his hand to open it, there was a narrow little room hidden inside.
Unlike the mess in the laboratory, the small room was not only clean and tidy, but also decorated very warmly, like a girl's boudoir. An old teddy bear was placed in the center of the boudoir, next to a huge mechanical pod, as if waiting for something.
Singed slowly walked to the mechanical pod, carefully moved his gaze from the button on the pod to the transparent hatch, and when he saw the girl inside, there was a slight tremor in his turbid eyes.
– Unlike ordinary people, the girl's calm face reflected a metallic luster.
"Before becoming a scientist, I was also a father."
Silco only guessed part of his thoughts correctly.
From beginning to end, he never thought of perfectly replicating a precise puppet like "Herta". That kind of perfect and vivid puppet could not be manufactured in Zaun... or even Piltover. Even if he was quite confident in his alchemy research, he did not lose the rationality and self-awareness of being a scientist.
But after glimpsing Herta's almost perfect appearance, he gained a lot of inspiration for a while.
He hadn't thought about applying puppet technology to large-scale war killings for the time being.
But if it could be applied to Orianna, allowing his daughter to have a lively and vivid posture like Herta, and be able to open her eyes and look at him...
He was willing to give everything for it.
—
[ In the light screen, Himeko looked at Stelle with a smile, and invited,
"Stelle...you know you have another choice. There is an Astral Express train parked on the platform. If you are willing, you can come with us."
"The train has dealt with Stellaron a lot. What you are worried about is also the answer we are looking for. Besides..." Himeko paused, glanced at Herta, who was akimbo beside her, "We can always come back and let Herta do research, she is very interested now."
Herta also quite agreed with Himeko's suggestion, who told her that she is a person who is quick to come and go with interest.
Just as Stelle was about to say something, Himeko said that she was not in a hurry for her answer, but was waiting for her on the platform, during which time Stelle could go to see the people she wanted to see.
But as soon as Himeko finished speaking, Stelle's phone suddenly vibrated, and then she received a text message from Herta.
Herta: "Hey, Stelle, I'm Herta. I have good things for you. Come to my office quickly! Waiting for you!"
"?"
Stelle looked at Herta in front of her with question marks, and then silently replied with a question mark. But the puppet who was chattering in front of her suddenly became quiet and motionless.
Stelle: "You are right next to me, can't you just say it directly?"
Herta: [Automatic reply], Hello, I am not available now, and I will not contact you later.
Stelle: "Uh... what's going on?"
"It seems that you have received Herta's text message?" Himeko smiled faintly and looked down at the Herta puppet beside her,
"As you can see, Herta relies on puppets to communicate with you remotely, but Herta does not have only this puppet. She has placed many puppets in the space station. She needs to deal with events in which place, she can log in to the nearest puppet for remote control, which is very convenient."
"If I remember correctly..." Himeko pondered slightly, "She has more than 200 puppets in the space station, scattered all over the place. You can meet them everywhere you go." ]
[ ..... ]
~Frieren: Beyond Journey's End World~
"More than 200!"
Stark widened his mouth in surprise.
"If there were more, it should be able to organize an army of puppets to crusade against the Demon King's army, right?"
Fern carefully examined the Herta puppet and shook her head:
"How do these puppets look like they have any martial power? And I don't know what material they are made of. If they are easily damaged, Ms. Herta should also feel distressed, right?"
As she was talking, Fern noticed that Stark was resting his chin on one hand and staring at the Herta puppet motionlessly.
"Mr. Stark? What are you thinking?"
"Ah, I'm thinking..."
Stark's face showed some longing.
"If Ms. Herta could give me a puppet, that would be great."
Before he finished speaking, Frieren, who was sitting next to Fern, suddenly felt the temperature in the room drop sharply, which made her secretly feel bad.
Stark was like a normal person and didn't notice the disgust in Fern's eyes at all.
The evening breeze from outside the window lifted her long hair, and also made the little purple mushroom feel a little sour, and she didn't want to say a word.
"Fern?"
The careless Stark finally realized that something was wrong.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Fern turned her side and turned her head to the side, puffing her cheeks angrily.
"... Pervert."
—