Added to the Gacha as Rukkhadevata (Honkai Star Rail)

"You're leaving?"

"Yes, Little Herta. Won't you try to persuade me to stay?"

The next morning, Lumina pushed open the door to Herta's office and bid farewell to the researcher, who was engrossed in her Simulated Universe research.

"Persuade you to stay? Why would I do that?" Herta retorted, not pausing in her work. "Your only value to me lies in providing data. Now that your data has been recorded in the Simulated Universe, you're of no further use to me."

"So, for the time being, you're of no value to me anymore."

"Leave if you want. What do I care?"

Hearing Lumina's teasing, Herta stopped what she was doing, crossed her arms, and calmly stared back at her with an impassive expression.

"Wow, Little Herta, you're so heartless..." Lumina chuckled, amused rather than offended. In fact, her smile only widened.

"Drop the 'Little'," Herta snapped coldly.

"What's wrong with 'Little'? Why should I stop?" Lumina replied with a mischievous grin, stepping closer to Herta and looking down at her.

"Considering your stature compared to mine, wouldn't 'Little' be fitting?"

Herta: ...

Though Lumina's expression remained pleasant, the mockery in her tone was unmistakable.

Lumina stood at 1.7 meters tall, while Herta was only 1.4 meters tall. Standing face-to-face, the height difference was so striking that they resembled a mother and her six-year-old daughter.

"This is merely one of my puppets," Herta declared. "My true form isn't this short."

Lumina stood less than two fists' width away from Herta. To project authority, Herta had to tilt her head back and meet Lumina's gaze directly.

However, Herta's upward tilt only made her appear even more endearing in Lumina's eyes, rather than intimidating.

"Tch..." Herta clicked her tongue, her mood souring as she noticed Lumina's subtle shift in expression.

Ignoring the sound, Lumina gazed at Herta's charming face, reached out, and gently ruffled her hair. "Judging by your tone," she chuckled, "is your true form also shorter than mine?"

Herta had said "not this short," rather than "not shorter than you." As a member of the Genius Society, she certainly understood the nuances of language.

Therefore, there could only be one reason for her choice of phrasing: her true form was also shorter than Lumina's.

"Take your Filthy hands off me!" Herta's expression turned icy as she felt the touch on her head.

"Filthy hands?" Lumina repeated, withdrawing her hand and holding it up for Herta to inspect. "Look, do these seem like filthy hands to you?" Lumina smiled and playfully wiggled her fingers.

Herta: ...

Watching the hand strike various poses, Herta had to admit that Lumina was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

Whether it was her appearance, her aura, or her figure...

And this hand before her, like a meticulously crafted work of art... If Herta were a hand fetishist, she might have already licked it.

Fortunately, there were no "ifs." Herta wasn't a hand fetishist.

Ignoring Lumina's question, Herta stated coolly, "This puppet is just modeled after me as a child. It's normal for it to be shorter."

"I'm not much shorter than you myself."

Herta sized Lumina up and down, her gaze unchanging, as if stating a simple fact.

"Wow♪" Lumina exclaimed, feigning surprise. "Herta, you're actually this tall in person?"

"I don't have anything planned right now. Why don't we hang out and get to know each other?"

Lumina smiled faintly, her expression revealing nothing beyond her feigned surprise. She seemed genuinely interested in meeting Herta's true form.

"You might be free, but I'm busy," Herta retorted coldly. "I don't have time to waste on you."

As a member of the Genius Society, Herta wasn't naive. Though Lumina's facade remained calm, Herta had already seen through her intentions.

This head-patting maniac probably has her eyes on my real body now...

Herta wasn't afraid of Lumina, but avoiding a meeting was still the wisest course.

"Really? That's such a shame." Lumina's smile vanished instantly at Herta's rejection, her face falling into a pout.

"Stop pretending."

Herta dismissed Lumina's sudden shift with two curt words.

"What pretense? I'm genuinely disappointed I can't meet the real Herta," Lumina replied, shaking her head and speaking with sincerity.

"Hmph." Herta scoffed, not believing a word Lumina said.

In truth, Herta had misjudged Lumina. While her changing expressions might have been feigned, her words were sincere. Lumina genuinely regretted not being able to meet Herta in person.

After all, if Herta's puppet was this adorable, how utterly charming must she be in reality? Lumina was burning with curiosity!

"Alright, weren't you leaving? Why are you wasting so much time here?" Herta glanced dismissively at Lumina before returning to her research, effectively dismissing her. "Get going already. I'll text you once I've finished analyzing the data you left in the Simulated Universe."

But Lumina either didn't grasp Herta's hint or, more likely, understood perfectly but chose to ignore it.

"How could chatting with a beautiful girl possibly be a waste of time?" Lumina replied. "Especially when that beautiful girl is Herta herself! Not only do I not consider it a waste, but it makes me incredibly happy♪"

Lumina clasped her hands behind her back, leaned forward slightly, and winked at Herta. In that moment, all her charm seemed to radiate outward.

Herta: ...

Even the formidable Herta paused, momentarily stunned by Lumina's words. Her hands stilled, and she refocused her gaze on Lumina, her expression serious.

"Lumina..." Herta said, her eyes now fixed on Lumina with unwavering sincerity.

"Trust me. Go create an account on a social media platform right now."

"Specialize in teaching people how to deliver flirtatious lines."

"Believe me, within a single Amber Era, you'll become the number one in the universe."

Herta's tone left no room for jest, as if she genuinely believed Lumina was destined for this path.

"Wow, really? Should I take that as a compliment, Herta?" Lumina's smile widened.

"Okay! Thank you for the compliment~ I'll definitely take your advice♪"

Herta: ...

Staring at Lumina's radiant smile, Herta blinked in surprise before shaking her head and muttering in exasperation:

"You really are an odd one..."

"For me, being called 'odd' is just another compliment♪"

Lumina couldn't shake the feeling that Herta's lips had momentarily curved upward ever so slightly.