[HSRGSS] Chapter 86: A Bad Feeling

Damp, shoulder-length pink hair clung messily to Asta's smooth neck and cheeks, with droplets constantly forming at the tips and trembling as they rolled down, while the water droplets slid along her graceful jawline, then followed the curves of her body, disappearing from sight.

A faint blush of pink spread across Asta's exposed skin, hazy with steam, extending from her slender calves all the way to her rounded shoulders.

Time seemed to freeze, suspended by this sudden wave of warm, moist air.

Within that fleeting instant, Lucian finished viewing Asta's 'VIP content.'

He felt genuinely confused.

'Am I born with a lucky pervert trait?'

It was just like some anime protagonist who always stumbled and somehow managed to land on beautiful girls and enjoy those 'benefits.'

'Yes, that must be it.' Lucian closed his eyes and nodded slowly. 'A transmigrator ought to have this kind of trait...'

"You!"

As Lucian was deep in thought, Asta shouted—her voice was so sharp it almost tore through the thick walls of the space station, full of shock, embarrassment, and a hint of anger at her privacy being invaded.

Asta's eyes swept like lightning toward the small round table beside her, where a hardcover book lay open.

She did not even see the title before she grabbed the thick book with a force that could have smashed through the space station itself.

Whoosh!

Her arm swung out in a sharp arc, sending wind and water flying as she hurled the book straight at Lucian—the heavy spine traced a deadly arc under the light, brimming with murderous intent.

Just as that hardcover—enough to knock out even a Voidranger—was about to strike Lucian, he casually reached out and caught it with perfect ease.

Right after, Lucian grabbed the bedsheet and tossed it over Asta, wrapping her body up.

Not only did he cover up the view, but he also restricted Asta's movements.

"What are you trying to do?!"

Asta's chest heaved violently, the blush on her cheeks deepening from both anger and steam.

"Herta gave this to me, told me to pick a room, and I ended up running into you by accident." Lucian pulled out the advanced access pass, explaining calmly. "In other words, this is just a misunderstanding. I didn't mean to see you bathing."

Even though his voice was not loud, it was clear enough, carrying an almost detached calmness, as if he had not just seen her in that compromising situation.

Asta's eyes, still burning with fury, locked onto the golden advanced access pass in Lucian's hand, and in that instant, the anger on her face froze in the most abrupt way.

Only then did Asta recognize Lucian—his face matched the one posted on Herta's announcement.

"Y-You're Madam Herta's honored guest? The third person on the space station to have an advanced pass... Mr. Lucian?"

"Yeah, that's me." Lucian nodded calmly.

Asta had never expected such a scene—Herta's honored guest, by sheer coincidence, had seen her completely naked.

And the worst part was, she could not make a fuss about it.

It couldn't be helped.

Lucian was, after all, Herta's guest—it concerned both Herta's reputation and her own.

From childhood, Asta had always been the darling of her parents and had never been seen naked by a man—not even her female friends had seen her naked.

Now, just like that, she had given it all away...

It was hard to accept, but she had no choice.

Asta took a deep breath, trying to comfort herself with the thought that at least Lucian was ridiculously handsome.

In the end, all her fierce energy and anger, everything that was about to explode outward, was stopped dead by this ironclad fact, stuffed back down in the most awkward way.

"Hiss..."

Asta took a sharp breath, short and forceful, then straightened her back, trying to regain the composure expected of the lead researcher of Herta Space Station.

Unfortunately, her slightly trembling fingers and blood-red earlobes betrayed the chaos in her heart.

"Please leave first... I need to get dressed..."

Asta's voice tried to maintain the elegance of a rich heiress, but if one listened closely, there was a faint, almost undetectable tremor at the end.

Lucian nodded calmly, following Asta's instructions with smooth, unhesitating motions.

However, as he was about to turn and leave...

"Wait!"

Asta called out to him again.

Lucian looked back and saw Asta's face burning red.

"Help me unwrap the bedsheet, please... I can't move..."

"Sure."

Lucian turned again and, with a casual flick, let the bedsheet slide off her, exposing Asta's naked body again.

However, Lucian did not look this time and left the room without turning his head.

Drip-Drip-Drip—

In the room, only the sound of water droplets hitting the mat remained—it was so regular it made one's heart race.

Before long, came the frantic rustling of soft fabric, as clothes were pulled on in a hurry.

'He really didn't seem to have any bad intentions...'

As Asta dressed, she replayed the previous scene in her mind.

Even though Lucian had seen her naked body, he had also used the sheet to cover her, and even when he left, he did not try to sneak a look.

In fact, his calm eyes and steady voice really seemed free of any desire.

Asta was well aware that she was beautiful and wealthy, so she had encountered plenty of lecherous stares in her life.

However, those wicked looks were nothing like Lucian's, so Asta could still tell the difference.

'It really must have just been a misunderstanding... He isn't familiar with the space station, and there was no one to guide him, so it isn't his fault...'

As she thought this, Asta finally let it go, though meeting Lucian again might still be a bit awkward...

After getting dressed and tidying the room, Asta finally stepped out and happened to see Lucian standing by the window in the corridor, gazing at the sea of stars beyond with a serene expression.

He was standing there quietly, taking it all in.

Only now did Asta realize that she was still underestimating how handsome Lucian was, as under the starlight, he looked like the brightest star within reach.

As the daughter of an extremely wealthy family, she had met plenty of rich heirs, but none of them had Lucian's kind of charm.

"If you like stargazing, Mr. Lucian, you can stay in the room next to mine. It has the best view of the star cluster."

Asta walked over, trying to ease the awkwardness.

It was only natural.

Lucian was, after all, Herta's honored guest.

It should be noted that there were very, very few people Herta treated as honored guests, so although she had never heard of Lucian's name before, Asta still knew how to judge a person's status.

Lucian turned at the pleasant voice beside him and glanced at Asta.

Now, she was dressed in a white dress that outlined her graceful figure, the clothes she always wore in the game.

Her pink hair, now dry and smooth, draped over her shoulders, and she wore the calm smile of a young lady, as if the embarrassed girl from earlier had never existed.

Lucian smiled and spoke up.

"Alright, I'll take your suggestion."

Just like that, the room next to Asta's became Lucian's.

Ding~ling~ling~

Asta's phone suddenly rang.

As she took her phone and looked at the screen, it was Herta calling.

[Asta, I forgot to tell you, help me welcome Lucian. Have you seen him?]

"Mr. Lucian... is right next to me..."

[Good, give him a proper welcome and help him pick a room, then just grab any of my puppets and bring one over to my lab right now, together with him.]

"Understood, Madam Herta."

Right after hanging up, Asta couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

'A proper welcome? Yeah, by sacrificing my own innocence...'

Asta couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

Herta was really unreliable when it came to little things like this.

If she had just said something beforehand, someone could have been arranged to greet Lucian, and he would not have wandered into the 'forbidden lotus pond.'

"Mr. Lucian, Madam Herta wants you to come see her. I need to pick her puppet to bring along."

"Puppet?"

Upon hearing 'puppet,' Lucian frowned and suddenly had a bad feeling.

'Don't tell me... is she going to use her puppet to settle the bet?'