To verify the suspicion in his heart, Herman opened the core of the Research System—also his own true form.
Then he saw that the points had indeed skyrocketed, jumping in one go from ten thousand research points to one hundred thousand.
Not bad, not bad!
Wait...
Suddenly, Herman sensed something was off. Upon closer inspection of the system, he discovered that a portion of the Research System's functions—damaged when it had suffered an unknown blow during spacetime traversal—had been repaired by the Solitary Waves Theory that The Herta had solved.
The function restored by the Solitary Waves Theory was the status panel.
Which meant he could now see The Herta's personal attributes.
But why had the Solitary Waves Theory repaired the personal status evaluation function?
Herman pondered for a moment and arrived at a conclusion.
The answer to the Solitary Waves Theory could determine whether the universe's future was fixed, or chaotic and uncertain.
Naturally, it could also evaluate what kind of achievements an individual might reach in the future... and thus assess their talent and ultimate potential.
After reaching this conclusion, Herman first used the attribute appraisal on himself.
The result was:
Research Talent: Mortal — 1 point. (The research talent of a normal person is 1 point.)
After seeing his own research talent, Herman's mouth twitched slightly.
Is my talent really this terrible?
If nothing had gone wrong during transmigration, if I had arrived smoothly with the Research System in hand—yet was merely an ordinary person—could I truly have achieved anything?
After all, Universal Genius only grants the host a fifty percent increase in research talent!
After thinking it over, Herman felt that perhaps it wasn't certain. During the transmigration, not only had his body been struck by an unknown force—even the Research System had suffered severe damage.
Perhaps some core function that could have rapidly enhanced his research talent had also been destroyed...
If he had transmigrated with a fully intact Research System, perhaps he really could have achieved something in this universe filled with lunatics.
As he continued thinking, his gaze shifted to The Herta in the real world, who was still frantically writing down the solution process and final answer to the Solitary Waves Theory.
He tossed an attribute appraisal at her.
Research Talent: 1000!
Good heavens... just—good heavens!
The Herta's value was a full thousand times his own!
If Universal Genius were added on top of that system buff—a noble fifty percent increase—that would bring her to 1500!
What kind of monstrous genius was this?!
No wonder The Herta had managed to solve the Solitary Waves Theory alone in such a short period of time.
As Herman marveled inwardly, he also thought of the more than eighty members of the Genius Society in this universe—each one a research prodigy with terrifying intellect. Without exception, their intelligence would likely not be inferior to The Herta's.
These were beings who could achieve results simply by thinking.
After all, that was intelligence a thousand times beyond that of ordinary people.
No wonder a new member of the Genius Society was born only once every several Amber Eras...
Herman could not help but sigh repeatedly in admiration.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Lanvelle and Patavia had already completed their inspection of the laboratories at The Blue's First University.
Yet they had found nothing.
"How could there be no one? The person noticed by Nous should be within this academy," Patavia frowned slightly and turned to Lanvelle beside her. "Are you certain the academicians you just brought me to are truly the strongest in research capability at The Blue's university?"
Lanvelle raised her hand and swore, "They are all the top research academicians of The Blue."
After a brief pause, she added, "However... there is indeed one person of exceptional research talent we haven't visited."
"You mean Herta? No, absolutely not—"
Patavia stopped mid-sentence.
Herta was currently researching the Solitary Waves Theory—the Fourth Cosmic Conundrum of the universe.
If Herta had truly solved that problem, then she would indeed be qualified to receive Nous' gaze—and might even have the opportunity to become a member of the Genius Society.
Could it be that her earlier judgment of Herta's talent had been wrong?
Could Herta not be an ordinary scholar at all, but a once-in-several-Amber-Eras genius?
"Take me to Herta," Patavia said with a grave and serious expression.
"Yes."
The two of them immediately rushed toward Herta's dormitory.
...
Meanwhile, in her room, The Herta was still writing furiously. When she finally finished the complete formula, joy blossomed across her exquisitely beautiful face.
"The Fourth Cosmic Conundrum... I've solved it!"
Beside her, the Fourth Mirror—though its impoverished AI brain could not comprehend the formulas Herta had written—still erupted into cheers.
"Madam Herta is unparalleled in the world! Madam Herta outshines the moon and shames the flowers! Madam Herta possesses peerless intellect!"
The Herta proudly lifted her chin, fully accepting the praise from the Fourth Mirror's AI Herta. She planted her hands on her hips in triumph and directed a smug thought toward the cheat within her mind.
"You're not bad. Without you... I probably wouldn't have been able to solve the Fourth Cosmic Conundrum in such a short time. It might have taken several more months—or even a year or two."
Herman's eyes lit up. "You're thanking me? Then what will you use to thank me? I'll accept anything."
"A reward? In your dreams!" The Herta abruptly changed her tone. "Even without you, I could have researched the Solitary Waves Theory. Your existence merely saved me some time!"
"And during the period when I was fully focused on my research, you did quite a few bad things to my body, didn't you?!"
"Calling me flat-chested, saying I should eat papaya and drink milk, even squeezing— You really went too far!"
Herman protested, "I was doing it for your growth."
"Silence! I don't need to grow. My current appearance is already perfect. Even the Fourth Mirror agrees! As for large breasts or whatever—I don't need them!"
After saying that, The Herta gave a small huff inwardly.
"In any case, there will be no reward. At most, I'll give you a verbal thanks... thank you."
Herman looked intoxicated. "That sounded nice. I should hear it a few more times... Alright, I've recorded it. From now on, I'll use it as background audio in the Simulated Laboratory and loop it endlessly!"
The Herta flew into a rage. "You dare?! Delete it! Delete it right now!!"
"Nope!"
Outside, the Fourth Mirror observed The Herta after she had finished writing the Solitary Waves Theory's final formula.
She stood there with her hands on her hips... her expression shifting from smiling to furious in rapid succession.
The Fourth Mirror fell into confusion and began processing the situation with its CPU.
Had Madam Herta become so excited after completing her research that she had gone mad?
Should it call a hospital?
The Fourth Mirror began seriously considering the matter.