Professor Dr. Ratio continued, "They wanted to collaborate with Herta and invited me along as a technical consultant.
"I gladly accepted, so I could observe up close how the members of this 'Big Brain Club' squandered the company's assets.
"But... the timing was far too precise. Perhaps someone leaked the news, allowing the attackers to exploit the occasion. Herta, meanwhile, seemed quite accustomed to such provocations, which also made me very curious about the peculiarities of this affair."
Asta listened to the professor's comments on the matter from beside him. "I've long heard that you're one of the Guild's finest, Mr. Ratio. It's an honor to have your assistance."
"Spare me the flattery," Dr. Ratio said, taking a few steps forward and looking at Screwllum. "Your time and mine are both precious. Besides, discussing the finest of ordinary people in front of a genius strikes me as rather humorous."
He chuckled softly, then turned to Stelle. "Miss, tell me-what did you do the last time you saw that puppet?"
Stelle blinked. "Uh... went with Arlan to walk the dog?" she said uncertainly.
Asta frowned at that, a note of reproach in her voice. "What? You played with Peppy without inviting me?"
But then Stelle's brow furrowed even more deeply. "Wait... no, wasn't Little Fish the one walking the dog...? What was Arlan doing again?"
"So you still didn't invite me!" Asta said.
Dr. Ratio narrowed his eyes at Stelle. "Stop playing dumb and think."
"Quiet. I'd just remembered something, and you scared it away."
Perhaps she had spent too long with Jiang Yu and his fishy ways were rubbing off on her. Faced with Dr. Ratio's urging, Stelle actually gave such a blunt reply before returning to her thoughts.
Dr. Ratio stood there without speaking again.
Through his observations over