Caelus paced the room, his voice steady but tinged with tension. "What do you mean you haven't heard from Herta?"
He tried to stay calm—tried. But the thought of his girlfriend missing for thirty-six system hours gnawed at him. What had started as a routine visit to the Simulated Universe had turned into a whirlwind of confusion as Screwllum explained the situation. Herta had vanished, apparently swallowed by some void within the Simulated Universe. And what had Screwllum called it? An "Unknowable Domain." Caelus didn't care for the jargon. All that mattered was finding Herta.
Without hesitation, he delved into this so-called Unknowable Domain.
As expected, the path was fraught with enemies, just like every other twisted "Universe" the geniuses of the station had concocted. Strange abilities coursed through him, granted by the environment itself. Under different circumstances, he might've found it all fascinating—perhaps even exciting. But now, all of his focus was on clearing each wave, cutting through enemies with precision. He fought Kafka's replica, hordes of Xianzhou Abundance Creatures, and Automatons with relentless determination. He couldn't afford to lose. Not today.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he found her. Herta stood at the edge of a deep void, staring into it, lost in thought.
"Herta?" Caelus called softly.
There was no response. She didn't even flinch. It was as though she couldn't hear him. An idea sparked in his mind, and, feeling a little playful despite the situation, he leaned in close to her ear. His voice dropped to a low, intimate whisper, the way he would when they were wrapped up in each other.
"Herta."
A small, surprised squeak escaped her lips. "C-Caelus?! What are you doing here?"
Caelus pulled back slightly, his voice more serious now. "Looking for you. I came by to visit, and Screwllum said you've been missing here for thirty-six hours."
Herta blinked, her brows furrowing as she processed the information. "Thirty-six hours? It would seem that time moves differently here…" She trailed off, looking almost apologetic.
Caelus gave her a skeptical look, one that said he wasn't buying the excuse.
"…Okay, I forgot," she admitted, her tone exasperated. "But look—"
Before she could launch into a rant, he stepped closer, silencing her with a sudden kiss. It was soft but filled with the urgency of all the emotions he'd been holding back. Even though she wasn't in her usual "special" doll body, the connection was unmistakable.
When he pulled away, his voice was firm but tender. "I'll do my best to explore this Domain for you, as a good assistant should, but don't make me worry about you again, Herta. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
Herta blinked, clearly flustered. Words tumbled out of her, not quite making sense. She hadn't been expecting such raw emotion from him—let alone this much care.
"Fine… let's just go," she muttered, trying to regain her composure. "You said you'll explore this place?"
Caelus nodded, a soft smile tugging at his lips. "I promise."
"Good." Herta's eyes sparkled with a sudden idea. "I have a plan, and if we succeed, I'll definitely have something special for you."
Caelus raised a brow, intrigued. "Oh?"
She leaned in close, pulling him down by the collar so she could whisper in his ear. Her words were soft, but they sent a rush of warmth up his spine.
Caelus blinked, his cheeks flushing a faint red. "Oh… OH! R-Really?"
Herta grinned, her tone playful. "Really."
Caelus chuckled, his earlier stress beginning to ebb away. "Then consider this place the Knowable Domain."
Herta giggled at his remark before the two turned to leave, their steps lightened by their newfound plan.
Screwllum said nothing the entire time. It seemed that Caelus had forgotten that he was monitoring him the entire time and perhaps it was better that way. As curious as he was about human mating rituals, even he knew there was a certain level of distance he should feel when it came to his colleagues love life.
