Patavia, who had been hurrying anxiously toward The Herta's dormitory, suddenly heard a rapid emergency notification chime and immediately stopped in her tracks.
Lanvelle, beside her, revealed a puzzled expression. "Scholar Patavia, Herta's dormitory is just ahead. Shouldn't we be speeding up? Why did you suddenly stop?"
"That ringtone only sounds when there is an urgent message from the Interastral Peace Corporation or the Intelligentsia Guild." Patavia took a deep breath, a trace of unease flashing through her eyes.
What?!!
Lanvelle's heart jumped violently, her eyelids twitching. "Could it be that the Lord Ravager Phantylia has led the Antimatter Legion in an invasion of the Interastral Peace Corporation's headquarters, Pier Point? Is a war sweeping across the cosmos about to begin?!!"
"I don't know. But once we open the emergency notification, we'll know what major incident has occurred at the IPC or the Guild."
After speaking, Patavia immediately opened the emergency message on her phone. The moment she read it, her pupils contracted sharply, shock surging across her face.
Lanvelle noticed the change in her expression and hurriedly asked, "Could it be that not only the Antimatter Legion under Phantylia invaded, but even the strongest Lord Ravager, Ifrit, joined the attack?!!"
"Neither. The emergency message from the Corporation and the Intelligentsia Guild does not describe a war against Destruction... but the ascension of a genius."
With a complicated expression, Patavia looked at Lanvelle, the official representative of The Blue, and spoke.
"The place where that genius ascended is The Blue. The gaze that Nous cast just now was to deliver the invitation to the Genius Society to her."
Lanvelle trembled once.
Then again.
Then violently.
Finally, an expression of wild ecstasy spread across her face.
A member of the Genius Society born from The Blue!
That was simply too wonderful!
As long as that genius showed even the slightest care toward her homeworld—The Blue—then The Blue would be able to grow and flourish.
Lanvelle asked urgently, "Scholar Patavia, who exactly is this newly ascended genius you're referring to?!"
"She is the very person we were looking for—The Herta, a freshman at The Blue's First University. Through her own wisdom and effort, she solved the Solitary Waves Theory."
Patavia's expression grew even more complex as she continued.
"She is now the 83rd Seat of the Genius Society. The emergency messages from the IPC and the Guild have both instructed me, as a scholar currently on The Blue, to attempt contact with her and represent the IPC in seeking cooperation."
!!
Lanvelle stood frozen in place.
Herta—the girl who had not yet stepped beyond the ivory tower—had truly become someone invited by an Aeon!
She had truly become the 83rd Seat of the Genius Society!
She had really done it. She truly possessed that talent unique to geniuses!
Her earlier rejection of the Intelligentsia Guild's recruitment, her declaration that she would join the Genius Society—it had not been arrogance...
It had been confidence!!
Standing there, countless thoughts flooded Lanvelle's mind. In that moment, she realized that she—and indeed all officials of The Blue—had underestimated Herta.
Herta was a true genius!
She was the hope of The Blue rising within the universe!
It could even be said that the very fact Herta had been born on The Blue was like ancestral graves smoking with auspicious fortune for the civilization of The Blue!
"Scholar Patavia, the news you just told me is truly too shocking. I need to step away for a moment to calm down," Lanvelle said after taking a deep breath, suppressing the boiling emotions in her heart.
Patavia waved her hand.
Tap, tap.
Lanvelle walked some distance away, drew in another deep breath, then took out her phone and reported to the official federal leader of The Blue about Herta's ascension as a genius.
...
The high officials of The Blue were still in a meeting when the leader's phone suddenly rang.
Everyone in the conference room frowned.
"It's Lanvelle," the federal leader said calmly after glancing at the caller ID.
"Lanvelle's call? She should know we're in a meeting at this hour. Could something have gone wrong while she was hosting Scholar Patavia of the Intelligentsia Guild?"
"If something truly went wrong, that would be unacceptable. After all, she represents the Intelligentsia Guild!"
"Leader, please suspend the meeting and answer the call."
After a brief discussion, everyone agreed that the leader should take the call.
The federal leader nodded slightly, pressed the answer button, and turned on the speaker.
Very quickly, Lanvelle's urgent report echoed throughout the conference room.
About Nous' gaze.
About the birth of the 83rd Seat of the Genius Society—The Herta.
About how The Herta had cracked the Fourth Cosmic Conundrum—the Solitary Waves Theory...
Soon, the entire conference room fell silent.
Every official present wore expressions of astonishment and disbelief.
None of them had imagined that Herta would become a genius.
Especially those who had previously dismissed her as merely a student sheltered within the ivory tower, ignorant of the Intelligentsia Guild's power—their mouths now hung wide open.
As for the federal leader, after the initial shock, an excited smile spread across his face—so wide that it nearly twisted his features.
"Wonderful! The 83rd Seat of the Genius Society was born on our Blue. This is the glory of The Blue!"
"The cosmos is vast beyond measure. Civilizations number in the billions."
"Yet throughout countless Amber Eras, the Genius Society has produced only a little over eighty members. For one of them to be born on The Blue is our honor!"
"We must seize this opportunity. We absolutely must maintain a good relationship with this genius lady!"
"By the way—what do you all think about awarding Herta the title of Academician of the Blue Federation this year?"
After speaking, the leader of the Blue Federation swept his gaze across everyone in the room.
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
...
Every person in the conference room raised their hands in approval.
After all, the Blue Federation had established contact with the wider cosmos long ago. They understood the terror of genius-level intellect.
Even superpowers of the universe, such as the Interastral Peace Corporation, sought cooperation with such individuals.
For example, they knew that after the Interastral Peace Corporation experienced the Second Emperor's War, it had once planned to eradicate all mechanical lifeforms and automatons.
Yet just as the IPC was preparing to act, the 76th Seat of the Genius Society was born on Screwllum.
His name was Screwllum.
His birth directly changed the IPC's stance. The plan to eliminate all mechanical beings was canceled, and instead, cooperation was established with Screwllum!
—And now, the Blue Federation had the opportunity to approach the 83rd Seat, Herta.
Inviting her to become an Academician of the Blue Federation was not merely an initiative.
It was the Blue Federation's honor.
Its fortune.
Its glory!