"Are you really as young as you say and proclaim?" Dr. Walter couldn't help but ask Aric. He had read the papers Aric had sent, and the way he articulated ideas about gut biomes for a young teenager was mind-blowing. This might be common knowledge for a university student, but not for someone of his age.
"Dr. Walter, I'm sure you've done your research. There's nothing to lie about here, and I don't think I look older than the age on my ID," Aric replied, making sure to deliver it as a kind of joke.
"Ha... ha... ha..." Dr. Walter laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry, your knowledge of agriculture blew our minds, and we'd like you to join our university. The government will even grant you citizenship in Switzerland if you want it in the future," Dr. Walter said. "No offense to India, but we really think you'll be able to grow better in Switzerland, and our country will provide all the resources you need for further research. You've done a wonderful job here, but I feel your research can really change the world, and we'd like to help you more." Dr. Walter's words felt rehearsed, like they had been practiced beforehand.
It was robotic, but Aric could also tell that Dr. Walter was speaking under instruction, probably from upper management or at least his boss. Aric didn't immediately agree.
"Can I talk to my parents and get back to you on that? Give me a couple of days to make a decision."
"Yes, of course. Your parents' opinions are very important in this life-changing matter. We'll return at the same time the day after tomorrow. We'll be staying at the Swaagat Hotel," Dr. Walter replied.
Aric nodded, but the conversation didn't end there. As a scientist himself, Dr. Walter wanted to know how Aric had been able to progress so quickly in such an amazing field, while large companies, universities, and countries around the world had failed to do so. Aric had an answer ready from the start.
The answer was Mira.
She was the one with the knowledge, as Aric had fed her the library beforehand, and it was easy for her to provide the information while Aric simply repeated her words. Suffice it to say, the duo was impressed. Mathew was new to the field, but even he could tell that if he wrote a paper on any of the topics Aric discussed, he would quickly earn a PhD.
Dr. Walter's eyes sparkled as he spoke about the different ways to modify seeds to improve yield. Of course, his words weren't proven yet, but Aric had sent them seeds that they couldn't replicate. Now that Aric was discussing ways to improve yields, it seemed to have opened new doors for Dr. Walter, and he couldn't wait to try the ideas in his lab back at ETH.
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However, he knew that taking Aric with him to Zurich was more important than conducting his own experiments. After a brief discussion, both men left. After they left, Aric's aunt and mother came down to the living room.
Suffice it to say, his aunt had questions and had already forgotten the cold treatment Aric had given her earlier. When she learned that the two visitors were university professors from Switzerland asking him to join a university in Zurich, her jaw dropped.
Aric saw no point in lying to her anymore, as they would be moving soon, and it was time to rip some of the band-aids off. His mother looked at Aric deeply when he spoke of his acceptance to a university but didn't stop him from explaining.
His aunt seemed happy that he had been accepted abroad, but Aric could sense some bitterness as she complained about how her daughter would never be like him. Thankfully, Aric didn't mention that his parents would also be moving, or it would have caused a real outburst. His aunt had questions about the university, and Aric answered them honestly, explaining how he got accepted into ETH.
Of course, he downplayed his work, saying he had simply written a paper and sent it. She was impressed and remarked how she could tell other relatives to do the same and maybe receive the same treatment.
Soon, she left, and a few minutes later, Aric's father knocked on the door. He already had the passports, having received them in the mail. Aric's father was ecstatic when he learned that the 'call' from Europe had finally arrived. A year ago, when Aric had expressed his desire to move to Europe for his studies, his father had already started preparing for the move. Now that everything was falling into place, it felt like a dream.
"They asked you to become a citizen of Europe?" Eklavya asked.
"Not Europe. Switzerland. Europe isn't a country, Dad," Aric replied, placing his palm on his forehead.
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry," Aric's father said, unbothered by his mistake.
"And Switzerland isn't even part of the European Union, so EU laws don't apply there. We'll be safe," Aric said.
"Safe? Why? Is being a billionaire a crime there?" Avni couldn't understand why her son was talking about safety, given that in India, they couldn't openly discuss the wealth they sat on, which was already too much for her to handle.
"No, no, that's just a figure of speech," Aric replied, biting his tongue. Safety was a relative matter, considering the amount of chaos he planned to stir in the future. It was also one of the reasons why he was eager to get to Switzerland and have the government support him.
The country was known for its neutrality, and he wanted to be a part of it for as long as possible. That would give him the time and power he needed.
"You should accept their arrangements and move as soon as possible." Eklavya said.
"I will, but before that I need to milk out more from them." Aric said with a evil grin in his face.