Peppy blinked, staring at Asta in shock.
"Woof?!" (What did you just say?!)
Asta snapped back to reality.
"Peppy, don't misunderstand. I meant—if I became a genius too."
"Then I'd be on the same starting line as Madam Herta and Madam Ruan Mei."
Peppy let out a smug chuckle.
"Woof?" (Same starting line, so you can compete fairly? So... do you care more about Madam Herta, or Madam Ruan Mei?!)
Asta's face flushed at Peppy's barrage of questions.
"Peppy!! Don't talk nonsense!! I'll teach you a lesson!"
Peppy vanished in an instant. Asta could only sigh.
"If you share a table with the researchers this week, forget about that Emperor Dragon Crab from Seastar!"
Peppy came running back, terrified.
"Woof!!" (No!! Asta, even a dog wouldn't eat space station researcher food!!)
Asta covered her smile and gave a light snort.
"Hmph. That's what you get for teasing me. Now come back to the Master Control Zone with me."
---
Herta Ninety-Nine was aboard a starskiff, heading back to the space station. Suddenly, the Sky-Facing Commission foxian piloting the vessel reverted to its true form.
A twin-tailed girl with beauty marks beneath her eyes and a jingling bell appeared, her expression gleeful and cunning.
"Hello there, Herta puppet."
Herta Ninety-Nine glared at her coldly.
"A Masked Fool from the Tavern? Hmph. I have a name. I am Herta Ninety-Nine. Not some mere 'Herta puppet.'"
Sparkle smirked dismissively.
"Fine, fine. Herta Ninety-Nine. Do you know who I am?"
In seconds, Herta Ninety-Nine had scoured the Interastral Peace Corporation's network for everything on Sparkle.
"Sparkle? What do you want? Because of your missing gaming friend?"
Sparkle waved a hand. The starskiff suddenly veered toward an asteroid.
Herta Ninety-Nine seized control of the skiff's systems, wrenching it away at the last second.
"You're insane. Truly pursuing Elation with reckless abandon."
Sparkle shrugged casually.
"Sigh. My friend sees life as a game. I see Elation as my life."
"Whether my friend is missing or not? I don't really care. The curtain fell on Penacony long ago."
Herta Ninety-Nine shot her a cold glance.
"If you're not here because of Silver Wolf, then what? Do I have a mask you want?!"
Sparkle pretended to think, then adopted a completely uncharacteristic "serious" tone.
"Madam Herta Ninety-Nine. I had a dream. Would you like to hear it?!"
Herta Ninety-Nine flung credits in her face.
"No. Take me back to the space station. Another word, and I won't be polite."
"Then don't be polite!!"
"You!!"
Herta Ninety-Nine summoned her magic hammer and swung. Sparkle donned her mask and teleported aside.
"Oh dear, can't hit me! A mechanical, wooden puppet can't hit me!"
Herta Ninety-Nine leaped again.
Sparkle vanished again.
...
Half a system hour later, having exhausted her amusement, Sparkle finally spoke calmly.
"In my dream, I saw Aha. Aha said that if I brought two geniuses together..."
"Then They would glance upon me. Make me a new Emanator of Elation."
"All the masks in the universe—Masked Fools, Mourning Actors—would be mine. I would become Aha's mortal avatar."
Herta Ninety-Nine glared at her.
"Daydreaming. Talking in your sleep. Only you Masked Fools."
Sparkle yawned and continued softly.
"Take me to the real Herta. From now on, everyone on your side follows my lead. I'll guarantee Ruan Mei falls in line."
Herta Ninety-Nine refused without hesitation.
"Unnecessary."
Sparkle sighed dramatically.
"Sigh. Then I have no choice. I'll just have to be a strategist for Madam Ruan Mei instead!!"
Herta Ninety-Nine's brow furrowed. As she hesitated, the starskiff arrived at the space station.
Sparkle hopped joyfully onto the platform, anticipation gleaming in her eyes.
"So this is the mysterious sci-fi Herta Space Station?!"
"Hmm? The sky above the blue planet is bluer than any planet I've visited."
"If I could just tweak the color with a brush... let me think... grey might be nice too."
Herta Ninety-Nine grabbed her and warned repeatedly.
"Don't even think about touching the blue planet. Consequences will be on your own head. Madam Herta isn't on the blue planet right now anyway."
Sparkle blinked. Herta Ninety-Nine opened a [Mirror] to Herta City.
Sparkle sensed it immediately: time and space in Herta City were bound and sealed.
Even with her mask's power, escape would be impossible.
Herta Ninety-Nine stood nearby.
"Didn't you want to bring the two geniuses together? Come. Meet the great, unparalleled Madam Herta."
Sparkle hesitated.
Herta Ninety-Nine taunted her.
"What's wrong? Scared just looking at Herta City from afar?"
Sparkle gritted her teeth. Her smile remained, but it was forced.
"I've met an Emanator of Nihility. Meeting an Emanator of Erudition doesn't scare me. There's nothing in this world that can frighten me."
The moment she set foot in Herta City, she realized how wrong she was.
Far more terrifying than she'd imagined.
Seated upon her throne, Herta cast a cold, sidelong glance at Sparkle. Her tone brooked no argument.
"Hmm? Ninety-Nine, who have you brought? Just a pathetic Masked Fool?"
In an instant, absolute-zero Erudition chill spread toward Sparkle and Herta Ninety-Nine.