We swiftly brought Stelle to a large cafeteria with the grey-haired young woman going full Artoria mode on the poor cook's as she swept six dinner plates filled with goodies into her stomach.
And once that was all done... She just curled up in her chair and stared up at the ceiling as the half eaten oak roll in front of her was the only survivor of her gluttony.
"I don't actually like oak rolls... The earthy flavor is too strong. And I have never even been on a planet, let alone know what dirt tastes like." Stelle said with a dull frown before shrugging.
But besides Stelle's antics I was more focused along with the rest of the Astral Express as Asta, the station's master and Herta's walking ATM card walked into the cafeteria with someone else walking beside her.
'Uh oh... There be the Herta. At least her doll form.' I thought as Herta's eye's which were oddly organic looking on a doll body looked between Stelle and me with interest.
And once the two reached us. Asta didn't even get to introduce us. Nor did Himeko, even as she went to speak, but was cut off as Herta spoke first and with purpose.
"Truly! The Eurudition has blessed me this day. A specimen that lost it's memories and is safely hosting a Stellaron inside of itself. And someone who can create permanent matter out of nothing but energy."
Herta leaned in towards me with further interest as she placed a hand across her chin as she said. "Not only just matter. But matter born of intense imaginary energy that gives it Curio like effects. Does that mean you can just make Curios at will?"
And Curios weren't just one-off wonders. They were powerful objects that had been altered by the aeons, fate, and just randomly formed with special abilities. Sometimes helpful in some way and other times... Very dangerous.
Just like the baseball bat that Stelle stole. That bat was conceptually unbreakable. Possibly ONLY the very Aeon of Destruction could actually break the thing. Maybe at that.
Likewise, there were plenty other curios with weird effects and abilities that were kept, studied, and sealed here on the Herta Space Station.
But as to Herta's 'question' I didn't reply. As hurricane Herta gave a hum of thought before she said with a tilt of her head. "But no, that ability isn't all you have, Jake Bariss. You are a walking fountain of chaotic probability. If it wasn't for how I saw you gain the gaze of Fuli. I would be sure you were an Emanator of the Elation."
Finally Herta finished off with a hum as she asked. No demanded with a wide smile. "Can you do it Jake? Can you manifest a new item, a new blessing, or some other power right here and now?"
Herta was a universe-level genius... I wasn't subtle with my expressions I guessed when I pulled my tickets. And thus she likely picked up that I was manifesting these abilities through some means unseen to her.
For a moment, I considered explaining the Chaos Gatcha to her even as Herta was someone trustworthy to an extent as she was only interested in gaining new knowledge. Yet still had lines she woudn't cross in order gain said knowledge.
If this was Ruan Mei in front of me... Even though in my view she was a good deal hotter than Madam Herta. There was no way in hell I would cooperate with her in studying myself and my powers.
As Ruan Mei was very much the type to do some kooky shit to get the answers she desired.
There was a pause before I said thoughtfully. "Uhm... My powers are weird Madam Herta, and I would rather not speak about them in the middle of a crowded cafeteria." I said a bit sheepishly at the end as MANY people were looking at us right now.
Which made sense when you accounted for the Station Master who was leading an active Herta doll and the two were talking to the Nameless, who just helped the station deal with an invasion from a piece of the Antimatter Legion.
Herta tsked out loud before she looked to Himeko and my face as she said. "How much for the two Himeko. You can't hoard the two or I won't be able to sleep at night with so many mysteries leaving this little Station."
Asta finally then coughed awkwardly as she said helplessly. "Madam Herta... The Astral Express is going to remain here at the station for at least the next week. They aren't running away."
Madam Herta's doll form blinked before she looked back to Himeko who gave a thin smile before she said blandly. "We are not the IPC, Madam Herta... We do not carry human cargo across the universe. Nor will we sell our own companions."
Then she added with a small but elegant smile as she took a sip of her black tar-like coffee. "However, you are perfectly free to rent the Nameless if you are willing to pay the price for non-invasive and safe testing."
Himeko gave Stelle and me a look before Stelle said firmly. "I will only agree if you pay me double what you pay Jake! Girls need more money to take care of themselves!"
I gave Stelle a dull look before I said flatly. "Stelle, you literally don't even have any memories. Don't like about wanting to waste your money on things like makeup and whatnot!"
Plus she was a Pathstrider... Things like an 'Ugly' pathstrider whose body was sculpted and augmented by imaginary energy simply weren't a thing.
Stelle shook her head before saying firmly. "Yeah but I still need to buy snacks and-"
I cut her off as with a loud clang. I dropped a ten fucking pound brick of solid gold onto the cafeteria table which made March 7th choke in surprise on her iced juice drink.
And with zero shame at all Stelle threw her arms over my shoulder and said seriously. "Heeeeyyyy my big brother. As your adorable little sister, I can't help but appreciate you so much! Do you need me to warm your bed up before you get in? Maybe help give you a massage at the end of the day?"
Asta however, leaned in towards the bar of heavy gold that the Herta doll had snatched away while Stelle was trying to butter me up for more pocket money.
"Madam Herta... This gold's conductivity seems to be of a much higher quality. As well as being much more receptive to Imaginary Energy as well!"
'Huh doesn't Asta's stupidly massively rich family have ties in the mining and resource collection side of the IPC as well? Makes sense she would notice it.' I mused before I said casually.
"Ah, while making the gold, I made it innately more receptive to Imagine Energy so that I could make more of it more easily in a brick form." I explained before Herta's eye's laser'd in on me as she demanded.
"Jake... Can you make something as complicated as a quantum dimensionally folded supercomputer? Or are you limited only to single materials being made at a time?"
I paused at the heat in her question before I said honestly. "Uhhh, for something complicated, I need to see and scan it before I recreate it? And the energy cost of the creations is basically just tied to how energy-dense the objects and matter are."
Then it hit me... She was going to try to have me fucking make spatially folded in on itself GPU's and RAM sticks basically for her Simulated Universe project!
NOOOO I didn't reincarnate to basically become a lone man computer part printer!
Herta smiled, but it was an evil thing as she chuckled and said. "Good... Very good, come along Jake. And you two Stelle, you both will not be found wanting for pocket money as I study you!"