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ArabicHonkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 7
Chapter 7: Oh Ho Ho! An Irminsul? Let’s Test It!
Himeko looked at the newcomers stepping into the parlor car and offered a warm, welcoming smile.
“Ms. Herta, Asta, welcome to the Astral Express.”
The petite puppet standing before them was none other than Herta herself—a renowned member of the Genius Society, an Emanator of the Path of Erudition, and the true master of the Herta Space Station.
Herta ignored the pleasantries entirely, planting her hands firmly on her hips. “Don’t try to change the subject, Himeko. Where did you all run off to just now?”
Himeko maintained her composed smile. “We simply went out for a bit. Is something the matter, Ms. Herta?”
Clicking her tongue, Herta marched irritably past the navigator, stopping right behind Stelle. Without a word of warning, she reached straight down the back of Stelle’s collar and yanked out a tiny, blinking metallic device.
“Don’t try to hide it,” Herta demanded, holding the Miniature Tracker up to the light. “The tracker I placed on Stelle suddenly lost its signal for exactly three hours, forty-seven minutes, and thirty-two seconds.”
She paced back and forth, laying out her deductions with clinical precision. “As long as it remains within a range of one light-year, my tracker will maintain a perfect signal. The only thing capable of traveling more than a light-year away in such a short amount of time is the Astral Express. However, the Astral Express has been parked at the space station’s platform this entire time.”
Herta stopped and pointed an accusatory finger at the crew. “So, confess and be treated with leniency, or resist and be treated with severity. Where did you all disappear to?”
Stelle stared blankly at the blinking device in the puppet’s hand, utterly dumbfounded. “When did you even put that on me? I didn’t consent to being microchipped!”
Herta gave the Trailblazer a dismissive side-eye. “You are a very important experimental subject of mine now. I slipped it onto you back when you first entered the Simulated Universe.”
A massive drop of cold sweat seemingly materialized on Stelle’s forehead. She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, realizing it was entirely on brand for the genius.
Rather than confessing directly, Himeko shifted her gaze toward Samuel. Herta, never one to miss a subtle cue, followed Himeko’s line of sight and locked eyes with the young man standing quietly near the couches.
“By the way, there’s you too,” Herta noted, tilting her head. “Who are you?”
Samuel offered a slight, easy smile. He had no intention of hiding his identity from someone like Herta. In fact, making her aware of his existence and his world was highly beneficial. Herta was an unmatched talent. Having a Genius Society member on standby to help him clear monsters and improve System tasks sounded like a fantastic long-term investment.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” he said smoothly. “My name is Samuel. I am an Irminsul.” He gestured vaguely to the space around them. “The place Himeko, Stelle, and the others just visited is my world. An entirely different world from this one.”
The sheer concept made Herta’s mechanical eyes widen. Her irritation vanished, instantly replaced by a ravenous, burning curiosity.
“An Irminsul? You are an Irminsul? And you have a whole world attached to you? Fascinating.”
Abandoning all concept of personal space, Herta marched right up to Samuel. She began poking his arms, pinching his cheeks, and circling him like a prized specimen, observing every inch of his physical form to uncover what made him tick.
Watching Herta grope a complete stranger, Asta flushed a deep shade of crimson. The lead researcher was so utterly mortified by her boss’s behavior that she wanted the floorboards of the Astral Express to open up and swallow her whole.
After thoroughly prodding him, Herta finally stood up straight and looked Samuel up and down with a critical eye.
“In terms of tactile feedback, there is absolutely no difference from a normal human, though your facial symmetry is slightly above average. It seems I will need a much more in-depth understanding of your biology.”
Herta reached into her coat and produced a massive, terrifyingly sharp syringe from nowhere, flashing Samuel a wide, unhinged grin. “Since you are so handsome, is it convenient for me to draw a large tube of blood? Actually, it would be even better if you could just lie down on the dissection table in my lab!”
Samuel stared at the needle, completely taken aback. The girl truly had zero boundaries. She just went straight for the most extreme option available. Even though his current body was merely an avatar of the World Tree, he felt a deep, unsettling chill at the thought of being strapped to her table.
Raising a hand, Samuel pointed firmly toward the parlor car doors. “Please see yourself out.”
Denied her prize, Herta’s face instantly scrunched up into a look of deep unhappiness, and she puffed out her cheeks in protest. “If you won’t give me a sample, then you won’t give it. Why are you kicking me out? Come on, let’s negotiate a little!”
Samuel simply crossed his arms and ignored her.
“Himeko,” he called out, shifting his attention. “Let’s eat. The food is getting cold.”
Himeko chuckled softly and invited Welt, March 7th, and Dan Heng to take their seats at the dining table. Pom-Pom waddled over with an extra set of cutlery, happily inviting Asta to stay and join them for the meal.
Asta took a seat to Himeko’s right. Reaching into a nearby basket, Himeko picked up a brightly colored fruit that Stelle had harvested that morning and handed it to the researcher.
“Asta, try this,” Himeko offered. “Stelle picked this fresh from Samuel’s world this morning. The flavor is quite extraordinary.”
Asta took the fruit delicately and smiled. “Thank you, Himeko.”
The moment the words ‘Samuel’s world’ registered in Herta’s audio receptors, the puppet practically teleported to the table. She grabbed three of the fruits, shoving them unceremoniously into her pockets and arms.
“You should have led with that!” Herta declared. “I will be taking these back to the space station for immediate chemical analysis.”
The crew exchanged knowing smiles. There was a reason Herta was considered a genius; her eccentric, hyper-fixated nature was something ordinary people simply couldn’t replicate.
The group settled in to eat and chat, though Herta spent the entire meal hovering near Samuel, relentlessly trying to negotiate the terms of a complete physical examination.
When the meal finally concluded, Herta stood by the carriage door. Just as she was about to step off the train, she spun around and pointed a dramatic finger at Samuel.
“You just wait! I will be back! Next time, I will definitely convince you to get on my table! Hmph!”
Having delivered her parting threat, Herta turned on her heel and made a swift, cool exit.
Asta let out a string of awkward, apologetic laughs, bowing slightly to the crew. “Everyone, I still have a mountain of administrative work to do, so I will be taking my leave as well. Thank you so much for the hospitality.”
With that, Asta bolted off the train, sprinting down the platform to catch up with her chaotic boss.
Samuel, Himeko, and the rest of the crew shared a collective sigh of relief before clearing the dining table. Once the dishes were handled, they gathered their cleaning supplies, ready to head back to the Source Continent.
Deep within the Source Continent, the Star Adventure Group’s newly acquired Treehouse was bustling with activity.
Himeko, Welt, Stelle, March 7th, Dan Heng, Furina, and Samuel were all wearing matching aprons, scrubbing the massive wooden interior from top to bottom.
Furina had come running over the moment she heard they were working. Seeing Stelle and the others covered in dust, the former Archon had eagerly volunteered to help. She took charge of the water supply, ensuring Stelle and March didn’t have to run back and forth to the nearby stream.
“Water Magic Bullet!” Furina chanted dramatically.
She gave her Apprentice Staff a theatrical twirl and fired a condensed sphere of water directly into a waiting iron bucket. The sphere burst on impact, perfectly filling the bucket halfway without spilling a single drop on the freshly swept floor.
Stelle dropped her mop and gave Furina an enthusiastic thumbs up. “Beautiful form! Perfect accuracy!”
Basking in the praise, Furina planted her hands on her hips and let out a triumphant, slightly foolish laugh, the stray cowlick on top of her head twitching happily.
“Hmph hmph! But of course! I am the Hydro Archon, after all. Controlling water is merely second nature to a star of my caliber!”
Off to the side, Himeko was carefully wiping down the curved wooden walls, watching Stelle and Furina goof off. Seeing their bright, energetic faces, she smiled softly, a deep sense of nostalgia washing over her.
Samuel, who was currently scrubbing the floorboards nearby, noticed the distant look in her eyes. He paused his work and leaned against his mop.
“What is it?” Samuel asked quietly. “Feeling nostalgic? Thinking about your past?”
Himeko nodded, not bothering to hide it. “Yes, just a little.”
Samuel looked around the massive, empty interior of the Treehouse. “Are you all planning to move in today? There isn’t a single piece of furniture in here yet.”
“We are,” Himeko confirmed. “It is not easy to find a place this perfect, so everyone wants to settle in as soon as possible. Samuel, thank you again for providing us with such a wonderful home.”
Samuel waved a hand dismissively. “There is no need for all that politeness. A house is meant to be lived in, after all.”
Welt adjusted his glasses as he walked over to join the conversation, a rag draped over his shoulder. “Samuel is right, but we truly appreciate it. The architecture of this Treehouse is flawless. It is purely natural, essentially formed by hollowing out the core of a colossal, living tree.”
He ran a hand along the smooth, seamless wood. “There are no traces of cement, nails, or artificial binding agents anywhere. I read that this place used to be a residence for the Elf Clan, which explains the emphasis on harmony with nature. The timber used here is incredibly special; even with the interior completely hollowed out, the tree’s vitality remains completely unaffected. It is the perfect sanctuary.”