Chapter 4

"Slave girl will fully affirm all your troubles!!!!!! Go ahead!!!!!! It's good to let out a loud cry with all your might!!!!!!!"

The distinctive husky voice echoed throughout the square. The smile on the slave girl's face was sly, but there was no hint of ulterior motives. Her smile, which somehow contained a sense of purity, shone with an untroubled brightness that seemed to dispel the other person's guard.

As the full affirmation time began, Ren pouted.

The moment she tried to join the queue, the feeling of someone slipping in front of her. It was just a matter of timing, and it wasn't the other person's fault, but it felt as if she had been cut off from something she was about to use, which made her irritable.

However, if she complained about this, it would just be a case of sour grapes. She decided to wait patiently, knowing that she would get her turn after a while.

The exhausted alchemist began to speak hesitantly.

"As you can see, I am an alchemist and an associate professor at the Academy……"

An Academy graduate. Hearing his background, Ren's expression became even more sour. The Academy was the highest institution of learning in the country, and the female magician she knew was also a graduate.

An alchemist adventurer, a researcher from the Academy. With such a background, she couldn't help but feel a dislike.

First of all, Ren thought, the faculty of the Academy were the epitome of the intellectual class. They were all people with a lot of leeway and intelligence. For Ren, who grew up in the countryside with little education, they were far too distant. She imagined them as a gathering of intellectual, rational, and logical people.

To be in such a place and to complain about stress seemed like a luxury.

Adventurers were often rough and quick to resort to violence, and provoking each other was a daily occurrence. It was a competitive society where rivalries were openly displayed from other parties. Really, what kind of troubles could a scholar, whose job was to face a desk, have?

Ignoring Ren's resentment, the slave girl enthusiastically affirmed the alchemist's background.

"That's amazing!!!!!! The Academy's alchemists are a treasure trove of historically excellent talent!!!!!!! Being an associate professor there means you've passed through a narrow and difficult gate!!!!!!!"

"Haha, yes, that's true."

"Is it!!!!!!! The alchemy department is one of the three original departments of the Academy!!!!!!! It is a place of authority not only in this country but also worldwide!!!!!!!"

The alchemist's young face showed a tired smile at the slave girl's bright and full affirmation.

"I see, you know a lot……haha. I thought so too……"

The encouragement from the slave girl didn't seem to resonate with him. He only gave a dry smile.

It felt like pouring water into the desert. Even Ren, who was not a party to the conversation, found the alchemist's state suspicious. He spoke in a tone that sounded like water leaking from a tin can with a corroded bottom.

"Well, during my student days, I was noticed by a professor and was quickly promoted to associate professor. I was giving lectures while working on papers and research……"

"Good job!!!!!! I can imagine how difficult it must have been to balance your own research and teaching students!!!!!!"

"No, not really…… Research was more like a hobby for me. As I was setting up the environment and repeating experiments, the professor gradually began to claim my research results as his own……"

The content was heavier than expected.

Ren's clumsy predictions were far off the mark. The level of his troubles was completely different.

Isn't this a bit too heavy to be just a complaint? Or rather, isn't it a crime in itself?

Unlike Ren, who was speechless upon hearing this, the slave girl, being a professional, immediately affirmed the alchemist's troubles.

"That's terrible!!!!!!! What you came up with should be yours!!!!!!!"

"Yes, that's right. At first, he asked for a joint name. The professor said he lacked achievements and asked to borrow mine. I thought it was fine, but gradually, joint names became the norm…… Before I knew it, I was a co-author, and this time, my name was completely removed……"

"What a scoundrel!!!!!!! He's like a thief who acts like the owner of the house he's burgled!!!!!!! He's a piece of trash who has forgotten he's a thief!!!!!!!"

"Haha, that's right."

As a first-time visitor, the conversation between the slave girl and the alchemist's young man didn't quite sync.

Regular customers, like Sister, knew the slave girl's way of affirming. They knew how to be effectively consoled, so they could quickly progress to the point of shouting out their pent-up feelings.

However, the alchemist's young man was different. He was not good at talking to people, mumbling his complaints and clenching his teeth in frustration.

"When I finally couldn't take it anymore and said I was going to quit, the professor threatened me, saying things like 'You won't be able to make it anywhere else' or 'The academic world is a dog-eat-dog place, so it's your fault for being weak' or 'I'll crush anyone who tries to run away'……"

"To steal someone's achievements and not recognize their value is the worst kind of scoundrel!!!!!!! A naked king who has grown arrogant in a narrow place!!!!!!! The one who can't make it anywhere else is him!!!!!!! You should throw him away and start a new life!!!!!!!"

"Yes. Even so, I said I was going to quit because I had offers from private research labs. Then the professor suddenly changed his attitude and said he would make me an associate professor if I kept quiet. I didn't know what to do…… Maybe I should have accepted the deal……"

The alchemist's young face showed a dry smile.

"It's okay!!!!!!! The worst are those who exploit others because of their weakness!!!!!!! Those who claim the world is a dog-eat-dog place and wave their own convenient strength around should be thrown into a dungeon to learn what true dog-eat-dog is!!!!!!!"

"I know…… I'm just weak. But I don't know what to do now…… I don't know the world outside the university, and I don't have the confidence to live elsewhere, so…… maybe I should just……"

Ren was startled by the weak tone that leaked out. It was a terribly weak and feeble voice. More than that, the smile that seeped out from him was so strange that it chilled Ren's heart. It was a murky, black smile that spread as if he had given up on everything, as if his bones had been crushed to dust.

"Give up on everything and do as the professor says……"

The alchemist's young voice was dying. The dry words that came out were crumbling.

Honestly, Ren couldn't understand or empathize with the alchemist's young man's troubles. Still, she could tell that he was in an abnormal state, pushed to the brink.

He was clearly at a crossroads in his life, making a significant decision. He was so worn out that he was throwing this important decision to a random girl on the street.

His words clearly indicated that he was about to go off the right path. Ren hesitantly looked at the slave girl, thinking that fully affirming this might be a bad idea. The slave girl didn't hesitate.

"Stay strong!!!!!!!"

How much of a difference was there between Ren, who was cowering as a bystander, and the slave girl, who faced the conversation head-on without fearing the other person's darkness, maintaining a firm smile and shaking her silver hair, shouting to blow away all the world's dregs.

"You shouldn't care about what that person says!!!!!!! The professor is a prime example of an old harm!!!!!!! I want him to realize that he is a criminal hiding behind his authority!!!!!!! I want the industry's authority to be destroyed!!!!!!!"

"Aah, uuuuuuuu"

A straightforward truth.

He must have been holding back a lot, reaching his limit. The slave girl's clear voice finally made the young man burst into tears.

"Vuu…… I'm sorry. It's embarrassing for a man to cry, isn't it?"

"That's not true!!!!!!! There's no qualification to cry!!!!!!! Anyone can cry when they want to!!!!!!! Just like a baby cries when it's born, anyone can cry at any time!!!!!!! From birth to death, people can cry as many times as they want!!!!!!!"

"U, uu…… waaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

"That's right!!!!!!! Cry with all your might!!!!!!! Don't worry about your surroundings!!!!!!! Cry out with all your strength!!!!!!!"

"Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh