Research Life of a New Professor at Magic University

On that night, swayed by the advice given at the drinking session, I sent a notification without even going through the interview process.
And today is the day I’m supposed to talk–no, meet–my first graduate student.

There’s still plenty of time until the appointment.
I stepped out of the office and looked around the new research lab.
I didn’t bother tidying up beforehand to make a good impression on the newcomer.

Well, there was nothing to tidy up anyway.
The small cabin, about 10 meters wide and long, was almost empty.
Beyond neatness, it gave off a sense of emptiness.

The only things filling the space were two empty shelves, a stone table, a wooden table, and three chairs.
The table was clean, and only one thick book was on it.
The shelves were aligned along the left wall near the entrance, and the long tables were placed across about half of the vertical midpoint. The tables were flush against the right wall with their short sides.

Because of this arrangement, the path from the lab’s entrance to the office’s entrance was narrow enough for only two people to pass through.
Placing just one experimental apparatus in the two divided spaces would leave little room to move.

As I pondered over the basic materials and ingredients to fill the shelves and tables, I heard the door creak open.

Entering through the open door was a beautiful elf with long black hair.
There was nothing particularly striking about her appearance, but despite her young age, she exuded a maturity unlike any elf I had met.
Perhaps it was due to her tall stature and the impression given by her black hair.
Well, adult elves don’t really pay much attention to age anyway.
From my perspective, whether they’re 200 or 800 years old doesn’t make much difference.

‘Moreover, it’s still two hours before our appointment.’

Seems like I underestimated the elves’ sense of time.
Reflecting on my decision a week ago, I couldn’t help but think it was too hasty, and then a clear and calm voice resonated.

“Hello, Professor. My name is Arienael, and I am a graduate student.”

As we got closer to the point where we could talk, other details became visible.

Firstly, the black eyes and the elf’s characteristic long, pointed ears.

Although her attire wasn’t significantly different from that of other human students, what stood out was the abundance of leather products compared to fabric.
Additionally, it seemed like practicality was prioritized over aesthetics.
Well, it makes sense to wear comfortable clothes in a lab, right?
But still, I liked it.

“Well, nice to meet you. But you’re here quite early.”

Speaking like this at my age feels awkward, but I guess I’ll have to get used to it.

“Ah… I heard arriving a bit early is better than being late for an appointment. If you need to do something, I can wait until you are done.”

‘A bit early?’ The days of hardship ahead seem to be looming already.
Initially, I planned to properly read her application and make plans until the scheduled appointment, but it seems I’ll have to give up on that.
I don’t have enough lifespan to have someone sit idly for two hours.
Even if I were to take the Elixir of Everlasting Life, I wouldn’t adopt such a sense of time.

“Well, you came earlier than planned, but it’s okay. Next time… no, never mind. Welcome to the lab.”

I was about to tell her to come on time next time, but I held back.
She’s willing to come early and work, so I couldn’t reprimand her.
Maybe with just one word, I could change her firmly ingrained habit after living for more than ten times my age.

“It feels awkward to talk while you’re still standing, so take a seat. You can use one of the chairs over there.”

I didn’t think we needed the table, so I didn’t move. That was a mistake.
With nothing in the middle, two chairs facing each other left us no choice but to gaze into each other’s faces.
Why did we sit so close? This is too awkward.

“Although strange, let me tell you more about our lab. My original major is spellcraft, but as you can see, here we research Applied Magic. Elements, spells, mana, alchemy, enchantments, etc… I’ve basically brought together everything. After all, all aspects of magic are interconnected. So, there’s no need to worry if your major wasn’t spellcraft.”

The elf’s black pupils remained fixed on my face throughout the conversation.
It made me uncomfortable, so I hastily finished the introduction and avoided her awkward gaze.

“Ah, I see.”

Ah, what are you seeing?

I almost glossed over it because of her pleasant voice, but that response was strange.
It’s as if she were hearing this for the first time.
It’s normal for undergraduates not to know much about their professors, but I had a slightly different situation.

The magic circle construction research I conducted during my doctoral years was a hot topic not only in spellcraft but also in the entire magic world.
My expertise in potion brewing, an area I was once unfamiliar with, even contributed to a lifelong appointment for a colleague who was almost ignorant in the field. Fuck!

Although the news in academia may only be known among scholars, shouldn’t a student applying to a graduate research lab know about it?
Even if she didn’t know before, shouldn’t she at least know when she was told about the position?
For a place where she’s supposed to dedicate at least a few years of her life…

…I just remembered.

She’s an elf.

Maybe she chose the research lab, planning to take a few months of rest.

“Sure.”

Where should I start?

“It might be a bit sudden, but let me ask: What’s your reason for joining my research lab?”

“Reason?”

“Yeah, it’s not common for an elf to join a magic university, right? It’s even rarer to pursue a master’s or doctoral degree, so I’m curious.”

Typically, this would have been a question to ask during an interview and should be roughly stated in the application.
But if a student enters without even knowing the professor’s credentials, did I have any other choice?

“Oh, I’m interested in potion brewing. I wanted to research in this field.”

“An elf interested in potions? That’s unusual.”

Elves generally have good natural healing abilities and are somewhat proficient in healing magic.
Wait, do they even consume potions?

“We usually don’t need them.”

“Do you sell it to other races then?”

“No, not really. Some elves have low resilience and don’t respond well to nature-based healing magic. Although the number is small, they exist consistently. It’s because of their innate constitution; it can’t be changed.”

I’ve seen this somewhere before. Born as the children of the forest but not receiving the protection of the forest.
Their situation is similar to humans who cannot use magic. In fact, more humans cannot use magic.

However, the affinity with nature is an inherent characteristic of elves.
It’s like treating them as if they were born without an arm or with impaired vision.

“I’ve heard of those cases before. Do they consume the potions?”

“No, those elves don’t consume potions.”

Why? What if they need it?

“Oh, is it due to cultural or religious reasons of the race?”

“It’s not that they don’t consume them; they can’t. Generally, potions made for humans have little to no effect on elves. If they’re lucky, they might have a mild effect, but they usually have none. In severe cases, they might even have adverse effects.”

This is the first I’ve heard of this. Of course, I know that magical spells or items can have different effects depending on the race.
But usually, it’s not to this extent.
Besides, if the appearance is similar, they usually work well together, so I’ve been assuming that human potions would also work for elves.

“This is news to me.”

“Yes. It’s not something I want to publicize. I want to find potions that can be used for such individuals.”

“Aren’t there any researchers doing that? It seems like something people would be interested in, even if it’s out of curiosity.”

“I’m not trying to blame anyone, but humans don’t research unless it’s profitable. Besides, even among elves, the number of those who need potions is tiny, so it can’t be helped.”

“That’s a sad story.”

“Yes. With the money spent on developing such potions, you could save thousands of injured or sick humans…I can’t blame you for that. The only ones to save the elves are ourselves. We can’t keep relying on humans forever.”

Hmm… it’s a sad situation indeed.
She really didn’t learn anything about me.
None of the dozen or so papers I’ve presented as a co-author or a lead author were related to potion brewing.
Sure, I participated in some, but even those were far from the topic we’re discussing now.

Of course, it doesn’t mean I can’t research potions in my lab.
Still…something feels off about this.

“I understand the situation, Ari… Arida…”

“Arien is fine.”

“Right, Arien.”

‘Applied Magic Research Lab’ indicates a commitment to research across various fields.
Since no specific specialization has been decided, any topic related to magical research can be pursued under the umbrella of ‘Applied Magic.’
Whether it’s elemental magic, Conjuration, mana manipulation, etc., as long as it falls under the category of ‘Applied Magic.’

Alchemy is included, and potion brewing could also be explored as a subfield.

However, if her desired research area is so specific, there must be better labs. She should have gone to the alchemy department instead.
Why did she look for a professor in the Department of Magical Studies? This university’s alchemy department is well-respected, even within the kingdom.

“Having clear motivation is a good thing for starters.”

“I want to make potions for children who can’t receive treatment and suffer from pain.”

Indeed, it is noble, yet for humans, it’s a daunting goal that may take generations to achieve.

But for elves, it’s different. They might think they can achieve it within their lifetime if they excel. To come to a magical university to learn research from humans… Wait a moment?

“Do you have something you can’t talk about?”

Contrary to my earlier expectations, this elf didn’t just flow in without thought.
She has a clear and definite goal and came here to achieve it.
She must have planned everything from before admission to graduate school.

Would someone like that apply to a research lab without adequately researching it? And to a new professor in another field?
Based on her reaction earlier, it doesn’t seem like she came because of my research achievements or fame.

‘Or is there some other reason?’

Ugh. Let’s stop overthinking. It’s useless to scrutinize a student.

Lost in thought, the silence grew longer.
Although the other person is a junior, it would be rude if it continued any longer.
With that thought in mind, I was taken aback as I lifted my gaze.

I realized the source of the discomfort I’ve been feeling since earlier.

The elf has been sitting in the same position since she first sat down.
And her gaze, reflected in those black eyes, remained fixed on my face without wavering.

“Are you observing me?”

Translator’s Corner

Changed conjuration to spellcraft. (06/04)

-Ruminas