"Master! I want to learn from you!"
One Herta puppet was shamelessly hugging the leg of another Herta puppet.
The scene was… spectacularly absurd.
"Beg me~"
"I'm begging you!"
Face? Pride?
Herta had never cared for such things.
She was a genius— a genius among geniuses.
At least, that was how the universe saw her.
There might be countless geniuses in this vast cosmos, but geniuses among geniuses?
Only eighty-five.
Yet now Herta believed the number should be eighty-four.
Because Su Ran had broken her worldview.
Completely.
Even she—Herta—who had never doubted her superiority, was forced to admit:
Eighty-three was beaten by Eighty-five.
Sure, they joined the Genius Society about a century apart, but this young man was simply too outrageous.
The first time in her life, Herta felt crushed.
There was no way a normal being could do what he did.
If Nous hadn't existed first, Su Ran might've become the Aeon of Erudition.
"Herta, your persona is collapsing."
Su Ran pulled the clinging Herta upright.
"To hell with personas! Teach me!"
Only five days had passed.
And Su Ran had already completed the teleportation device.
When she personally watched Su Ran move a star, Herta's worldview turned to powder.
What principle?
What method?
What the hell kind of operation was that!?
So that was what true genius looked like.
For the first time ever, she felt like a normal person— staring up at a mountain.
As expected,
Nous cast yet another "glance" over.
Seemed He and Su Ran had exchanged a few more words.
Herta didn't know the content, but who cared?
Her heart felt twenty years younger.
Time to return to her student days— time to be the one doing the learning.
For the past two days, she'd been clinging to Su Ran's leg nonstop, hoping he'd teach her something.
"How can you be so shameless yet still sound so righteous when begging?"
Su Ran was genuinely speechless.
Where was the cold, untouchable Goddess Herta?
Cold?
Where?
All he saw was a short, clingy, noisy menace.
"Teach me~"
When shamelessness failed, Herta switched styles.
She started acting cute.
"Fine, fine! I surrender. I'll teach you, alright!?"
Su Ran nearly jumped when Herta suddenly used that sugary tone.
That was NOT Herta behavior.
"Oh?
So you like this style?
Noted!"
Herta's eyes lit up in instant enlightenment.
So THAT was the trick!
Shameless groveling didn't work— but acting cute did!
"Call me Master."
Su Ran certainly wouldn't let go of such a golden chance to bully Herta.
"Hey! Don't push it!"
Acting cute was one thing, but calling him Master?
Even she had pride!
"Well, seems you're not a very obedient student.
No point keeping you around then."
Su Ran flicked his bangs coolly.
"…Master."
Herta's face was expressionless as she spoke the word.
Sure, she had pride— but when she thought about it…
Was her pride really that important?
Her bottom line was very flexible.
Just then, Asta arrived with a friend— and froze solid at the sight.
The white-haired girl beside her stared curiously.
Two Hertas?
What was happening?
Herta noticed them.
For a brief moment, both visitors wondered:
Was Herta going to silence them?
"It's you."
Herta walked up to Topaz and circled her like a predator examining prey.
Topaz nearly had a heart attack.
When chasing debtors, she had the moral high ground.
But here?
She was powerless against the universe's most unhinged genius.
"White hair. Long legs. Pretty face. Sweet voice.
And loaded.
Aside from not having red eyes, you fit all criteria."
Topaz: "???"
What criteria!?
Even Asta gave her a sympathetic look.
Which only confused Topaz further.
"You interested in letting me tweak your face?
I can make your eyes red."
Herta asked sincerely.
"Uh—no thanks!
I'm very satisfied with my current face.
Especially my eyes!"
Cosmetic surgery? Absolutely not.
"Well don't be like that.
I'm trying to set you up with a powerful backer!
Follow him and you won't have to work your butt off all over the universe.
You might even end up like Asta."
Herta smacked Asta's behind as she talked.
"Black… Black Lady Herta, does this count as sexual harassment…?"
If they weren't alone here, Topaz would've died socially on the spot.
Why didn't she check the astrology chart before going out today?
How did she end up encountering a female delinquent?
And the delinquent was HERTA!?
"Look! See that guy over there?"
Herta pointed at the other Herta puppet.
The one that had been called "Master" earlier.
Topaz didn't understand.
She saw it.
But it was just another Herta puppet, right?
What was she supposed to see?
"That's Genius Society member Eighty-five.
Don't you want a backer like that?"
Herta's words hit her like a cosmic explosion.
"W–WHAT!?"
Topaz's eyes went wide.
That puppet… was 85!?
She quickly looked to Asta for confirmation.
Asta nodded.
Su Ran frowned.
"What are you staring at?
Never seen a handsome guy?"
"But… you currently look like Herta's puppet."
Where was the handsome guy?
There were only two Hertas plus her and Asta.
"This just means you're shallow— you only see appearances, not inner beauty."
Topaz: ...…
Just like Herta.
This genius was equally unreasonable.
Maybe even worse.
"A-actually…
I've admired you for a long time, Mr. 85."
If he was unreasonable, flattery was the safest path.
"Oh? Really?"
Su Ran's interest rose.
"Absolutely true!"
Topaz nodded earnestly.
Over a month counts as "a long time," right?
"Then I'll screw your fanbase."
Topaz: ...
No, seriously— is this man insane!?
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