The surroundings returned into Herta's lightless office. There are currently twenty steps between the two of them.
Polka Kakamond looked at Herta—to be precise, on her current mental cognition. It was intangible, yet this exact state throws the entire world into disarray.
It was not merely understanding. It was not intellect. Hell, it was not related to anything to Erudition at all!
Nearly everyone misunderstood the Aeon of Erudition!
All except for the eighty-three members of the Genius Society.
Since Nous' appearance, only eighty-three members gained their recognition. These were the people who truly understood Nous' intention.
Out of the eighty-three, three of them were "killed" by Polka Kakamond.
It was for this exact reason Herta placed her on her sights.
"For someone like you, I did not expect cooperation with them."
"You did not expect His appearance?"
Herta's words caused Polka Kakamond to raise an eyebrow. The unusual address to an Aeon was eccentric, to say the least.
"Nobodydid." She responded after a while.
"Divinity even the divine could not see through…" Herta muttered. "How interesting."
Her casual shoulder shrug masked her desire to find answers related to the said Aeon.
"From the traces left, you are intent on eliminating every genius who can create a Knowledge Singularity. Mind telling me why?"
"Truly, how blessed the ignorant are." Polka Kakamond made a comment. "Even if I give an answer, geniuses will never change their ways."
Her words suggested the inevitable.
Within every instance of a person stepping beyond the Circle of Knowledge was the creation of a Knowledge Singularity. The latter pertains to the ground-breaking discoveries that alter the universe's way forever. It was nothing short of defining an era itself.
The creation of Nous was one example of its outcome.
One could imagine the shock in Polka Kakamond's mind when she discovered thousands of people who could do something like that.
Of course, logic required everything to be grounded—even to Aeons. If they can artificially create Knowledge Singularities, the universe would have ended a long time ago.
The most direct and accurate inference Polka Kakamond had was the connection of these people to one singular being. That being affected their original futures, thereby throwing the predetermined futures in disarray. This created an effect similar to Knowledge Singularity; it was not the Knowledge Singularity itself.
As for the real deal, only Herta can make it happen.
'...and it should be like that.'
All the conclusions Herta made were spot on. Her changes caught Polka Kakamond's eye, cementing how she could truly create another Knowledge Singularity that changes the world.
"It is about time to put kids to their beds."
Polka Kakamond's remark merely elicited a smile on Herta's face.
When it came to clashing egoistical remarks, none could shake her—not even Polka Kakamond herself.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
The sound of high-heels contacting the ground became more apparent. The distortion of distance between them no longer worked.
Each step of hers rendered all possibilities of losing null. Coincidences and probabilities stopped working as normal.
Now, the sole probability left was Herta's death.
Just then…
'—!'
A low and indescribable sound emerged right out of Herta's ears. She felt a familiar gaze descend everywhere.
She did not react to the events that followed.
Pshk-!
The scalpel sliced through Herta's neck. Drops of blood flew right after Polka Kakamond swung the surgical blade with extreme precision. Its trail stained Herta's holographic portrait with blood.
Click.
Tick.
The ticking of a clock's arm was loud.
Herta traced the wound on her neck with the same sly look. However, something seems to have changed.
"The evening bell does not toll today."
Under Polka Kakamond's inquisitive look, Herta finished the sentence.
"Because I said so."
Swoosh-!
The fresh air of the prairie swept her cheek.
It was then she found herself on another world.
In Herta's previous position was a man Polka Kakamond had never met before. His blue hair and golden pupils matched his sly and playful persona.
He sat on one of the seats before pouring tea in two cups.
"Would you mind satisfying my curiosity?" He then asked. "Did you get some inspiration from the Doctors of Chaos?"
*****
Things go as far as a few minutes ago.
{Alert. Drastic changes over the chosen Pathstriders have been detected…}
"How cruel. That person went as far as to wipe out every single Pathstrider I chose."
It elicited a frown on Aleph's face. He wasn't as heartless as the other Aeons.
Bam-!
He caught Hua's dao with two fingers. The residual impact shattered the soil where they stood on.
"Intent is something coming from our most sincere wishes. Be it to protect, to kill, to win… everything works out. Once you realize this, Sphere Boundary, Juezhao, or even your Blade Mantra can reach the next level."
It has been a total of three weeks since Aleph snatched Hua from Earth. They gradually adapted to life in Fanghu. Just the countless cultures within this Xianzhou Flagship was enough to sate their curiosity for a long while.
Aside from that, they did not miss out on daily training.
Right after Aleph finished speaking, Hua asked:
"Did something happen?"
Shiing-!
She sheathed her dao to its scabbard.
"Something huge happened. The people I chose to become my Pathstriders died in an instant."
"...They are the bait."
The thousands of years of memory made Hua's thinking more flexible.
"I won't let them suffer any injustice." He replied. "I placed them under my authority from the beginning. Their mind will not dissipate upon death. Reviving their physical bodies is a trifle."
As he spoke, thousands of shooting stars rained down on the sky. It did not discriminate whether it was daytime or nighttime.
Every single person killed found themselves standing in their prior position. Not a bit of bloodstain could be seen on their clothes.
Most importantly…
"Ah. I need to tend the crops."
"Am I misremembering things..?"
"That same dream again…"
Nobody had the memory of being killed. It was as if time was rewound.
'Time and Infinity go hand-in-hand.' Aleph thought. 'More authorities meant more flexibility. Just like how I like it.'
Aleph finished drinking water on the tumbler he held. The cold drink in a hot climate satisfied his human desires.
He handed the tumbler to Hua, to which the latter also drank without batting an eye.
"I am going out for a while. I'll be back before lunch."
"I'll call her over now."
With a nod, Aleph disappeared on the spot. He arrived on the Herta Space Station with ease.
He saw the confrontation between her and Polka Kakamond. He waited for a while until he saw Herta's inquisitive nature being satisfied.
He spoke directly to her mind.
"You must have had enough fun already. Playtime's over."
Aleph did not wait for a response. That instant was enough to place Polka Kakamond in an exact copy of the environment now.
He then distorted her senses, using Herta's image to speak to her.
"...Because I said so."
The world around them turned into the paradise that Albion could not reach.