Ch. 45 - Gourmet Club (5)

Chapter 45: Gourmet Club (5)

Alterisha’s private research lab was adjacent to the alchemy lecture room. Students often considered it just another warehouse. Professor Maizen even stored reference books there and used it as a storage space. 

Even though the place was humble, Alterisha was grateful for it. Compared to the days when she had to secretly experiment in the basement because she didn't have a proper space for research, this shabby warehouse was adequate and she didn't have to conduct her experiments in secret.

The reason Alterisha could endure the constant harassment and torment from Professor Maizen was thanks to this cozy warehouse that she had to herself. There, she could dream of the future.

"Alterisha, hand over the paper you wrote." Hearing those words, Alterisha lowered her head.

Professor Maizen said, "I'll give you an opportunity to participate in the presentation."

‘Opportunity.’

Yes, it was an opportunity.

It was the chance for Alterisha, a small alchemist, to finally spread her wings and soar high.

Professor Maizen held onto Alterisha tightly, using the ‘opportunity’ as an excuse to keep her from soaring. 

However, there was no other option. "You'll have another opportunity next year, won't you?"

"Yes."

Professor Maizen’s tone was different from usual. She spoke as if coaxing a child, or like an adult trying to take away the strawberry-flavored candy that the child was enjoying.

She tried to take Alterisha’s paper.

Alterisha clenched her fists and trembled, but she couldn't do anything. It had been a mere five years.

‘Five years? Five years is an understatement. This research is my entire life.’

She had been happy in the basement, in her tiny apartment, or even in the moldy attic. Whenever she saw progress in her research, even if it was just a little, she felt a sense of accomplishment. When she finally completed the paper, it felt as if she had given birth to a child.

She was ecstatic. It felt like she had everything in the world. But Professor Maizen seemed to enjoy torturing her. She was trying to take her child. 

"Do you understand? I’ll help you prepare a proper presentation next year.”

It was a lie. She wasn't capable of such kindness. She would likely steal next year's results as well.

"... Yes."

The answer was inevitable. It was because she had no way to withstand Professor Maizen’s vast connections and abilities. With a single word from her, someone like Alterisha would never be able to spread her wings in the industry.

"Now, hand it over."

Alterisha silently organized her paper and handed it neatly to Maizen, who accepted the items as if they were being rightfully returned to her.

"Oh, by the way. If you submit another paper, I’ll make an effort for you to participate in this year's presentation."

"... Thank you."

"Yeah, keep up the effort."

After Professor Maizen closed the door and left, Alterisha sank into her seat.

A second paper? 

There wasn't much time left until the next presentation. 

How could she prepare it in such a short period? It was merely another torment from Professor Maizen.

‘I’m giving you an opportunity, but you can’t even take it.’ That’s what she was saying. 

It was agonizing and painful. Faced with this reality, Alterisha simply covered her face with both hands.

‘What should I do?’

Until now, she had endured such torment and loneliness. She persevered, dreaming of herself flying in the distant future.

However, she painfully realized that such hope was fleeting. It would have been better if she didn't have that bit of hope. She could have given up long ago and found peace of mind. 

But Professor Maizen kept throwing her that small glimmer of hope, preventing her from giving up.

After several years, even the dim-witted Altherisha began to realize that the crumbs of hope were just that—crumbs—and that it was impossible to grasp them.

Until the very end, Maizen tortured her with hope. "If you write the next paper, I will let you participate in the presentation."

‘But... Can I really write the next paper?’

She simply had no confidence in herself.

As Flame said, in Stella Academy, even as an assistant, one could be the supervising professor of a club. What was truly absurd was that the policy had been revised due to professors finding it troublesome to take on the role of club supervisor.

Well, it wasn't so bad. After all, Baek Yu-Seol had never gotten along well with professors.

Upon arriving at the alchemy laboratory, he headed towards the warehouse located in a corner. Although it was called a warehouse, it was practically a research lab.

As he approached the warehouse and reached for the door, he made eye contact with Professor Maizen, who was coming out from the inside.

She was holding a thin envelope in her hands. 

"Hello." 

Despite greeting her, she quickly turned her head and went on her way. However, for some reason, even though she had met Baek Yu-Seol, there was no sign of her being in a bad mood. 

Moreover, Professor Maizen even had a slight smile on her lips. 

'What’s going on?'

Curious, Baek Yu-Seol pushed open the slightly ajar door and entered. 

There, he found Alterisha sitting on the floor. Startled, she started up and began picking up scattered papers. 

"Uh… Why are you here?" 

She seemed strangely flustered. Her glasses were smudged, and her eyes were slightly red. 

Baek Yu-Seol had a stiff expression as he approached her, examining the crumpled papers on the ground. 

"What happened?” Baek Yu-Seol asked, looking around. “Wait…" He paused, raising his head to stare directly into Alterisha’s red eyes. 

"The paper you said you’ve been preparing… Where did it go?" 

She laughed foolishly. "Oh... I gave it to the professor. There's an academic conference coming up soon, you know. The professor said she wanted to use my paper for that. It's a great opportunity. Having my research presented among such talented alchemists..." 

"Huh. It was just taken from you. Will your name even be on it?" 

Hearing Baek Yu-Seol’s words, Alterisha hesitated for a moment, then blushed and laughed. 

"Hehe... It's okay! This is all part of the experience. That's how this industry works. It's not just me who gets things taken away. Everyone goes through it. They all go along with it." 

That was how they endured to become alchemists. Alterisha omitted the rest of her words, but somehow, like telepathy, he understood.

The alchemy academic community had become extremely small. It was not without reason that people could say that they knew everyone in the field. 

So if one mistakenly offended a senior alchemist, they might have to give up on the path to becoming an alchemist forever.

Her words were true.

Everyone was like that. They all played along with it.

However, none of them truly accepted it. They were forced to accept it.

This academic conference was the moment Alterisha had been eagerly waiting for. Her research would be revealed to the world for the first time! 

For that moment, she endured and persevered through the pressure from Maizen Tyren. But Maizen said, ‘Just wait one more year. You'll have another chance next year, won't you?’

She accepted it. She had no choice but to accept it because that was the reality. There was nothing she could do.

"In the game... Things like this never happened."

Around this time, Professor Maizen Tyren would present the Tyren Point Potion B that she stole from Eisel at the academic conference. That timeline had, however, been altered.

So what was next? She had no choice but to turn her head to the closest and most approachable alchemist.

That was Alterisha.

‘I guess this wasn’t the time to just ask her to be the club advisor…’

Alterisha had presented her research, gaining even more recognition from all the alchemists than Professor Maizen.

Perhaps it was only natural. The research Professor Maizen stole from Eisel and modified provided a unique shift in perspective and unusual ideas, but in the end, it was at the student level. It was only natural that the results of years of research by the genius alchemist Alterisha would surpass it.

There, she gained confidence for the first time.

‘I can continue to be an alchemist!’

That was the driving force that allowed her to continue being an alchemist, even in situations of pressure, disregard, and persecution.

The current Alterisha had reached her limit. No matter how hard she tried to appear positive, the barrier protecting her inner self had become so weak that a mere tap would easily break it.

"..."

Baek Yu-Seol glanced absentmindedly at the blackboard, where the Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique lay unfinished and abandoned.

Perhaps within a month, Professor Maizen would complete the legendary formula.

Baek Yu-Seol had taken it slowly so Alterisha could complete that formula herself. However, seeing her constantly being deprived and robbed, he couldn't bear it any longer.

Recovering her research paper was one thing, but now there seemed to be no other way to give Maizen a significant blow.

"Assistant, you were working on another paper, right?"

"Huh? What...?"

"Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique."

"Ah... Huh. The one I solved with you? You know that the Alchemical Engineering Cross Technique has been an unsolved problem for 300 years. Do you think you can solve it now? I've tried to approach it from various unique angles, but it just doesn't work."

"Hmm... I remember the part where you got stuck last time. If we solved just that part, it would show us a way forward, right?"

"Hmm? Well, that's true..."

"I solved it."

"... What?"

Alterisha’s motion halted abruptly at Baek Yu-Seol’s words. She slowly raised her head and locked her gaze with him.

"But no matter how much I solved that part, I couldn't understand what it meant."

"What... did you say? You solved it for real? Really?"

"Yes. Shall I show you?"

Nodding her head like a maniac, Alterisha eagerly gazed at Baek Yu-Seol as he took out a pen from his coat pocket and wrote down a simple formula.

Then Alterisha’s large pupils widened even further, and she gasped silently, her mouth hanging open.

"Ah...!"

She had realized something. Unlike him, who could only marvel and pretend, the true prodigy’s mind flashed with numerous images, formulas, and alchemical recipes.

"This is... Unbelievable..."

Baek Yu-Seol wasn’t meant to solve this problem himself. It was crucial for her, a true genius, to submit the research paper on her own and gain confidence. Besides, she had supported him when he completed his own paper.

He had no intention of becoming an alchemist. He lacked the ideas and abilities for it. He merely relied on his specs and pretended to be smart by following recorded recipes.

But she was a genuine prodigy. A genius who would change the future of humanity.

"If we add scattering and reflection to Triny's coefficients, then apply Panussen’s flow..."

She was completely absorbed as if possessed by something, forgetting that he was sitting in front of her. Each time Baek Yu-Seol saw her, he marveled at her concentration.

Leaving Alterisha alone, he got up quietly and closed the door, leaving without making a single noise.

‘I’ve done my part.’

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