The Professor's Gift

"Research funds are paid at the end of every year," Professor Brammaton said once he confirmed I had collected the certificate that doubled as my identification.

"Your monthly salary can be withdrawn from a bank tied to the university or the Kingdom of Britannia."

"Yes. Thank you for letting me know."

I already knew all this, but showing a little gratitude never hurt anyone. Bowing my head didn't cost a thing, after all.

"...Would you wait here a moment?"

"Yes. Understood."

I assumed some final procedures remained, so I waited. When Professor Brammaton returned to his office, he carried a book I had never seen before.

"Take this."

"Huh? This is for me?"

He thrust it forward like returning a library book, so I accepted it without thinking. Was this some notebook listing laws field workers weren't supposed to break? It might be like handing out reserve force call-up pamphlets to discharged soldiers.

But the title on the cover read Adventurer's Alchemy.

"...An alchemy book?"

"Not at all. It's a memoir I wrote for adventurers. You could call it a guidebook packed with my experiences and several useful tips."

What? A guidebook written by a Gold Class adventurer? For real?

That strict, muscle-obsessed training machine wouldn't lie about something like this, so it had to be genuine. Unbelievable. An active adventurer had written a book based on his own real experiences. And not some ghostwritten trash dictated by an illiterate adventurer to his regular bookstore buddy, either. This was personally authored by a Gold Class adventurer who also happened to be a Carmine University professor.

Professors usually only knew how to study and had zero clue how to write a book, but Carmine University's faculty were rare exceptions. The elite professors here were true multi-players of this era who could turn scientific content into literary prose with ease.

Which meant this book was undoubtedly flawless in both readability and substance.

"It's a reorganization of part of the thesis I wrote to earn my master's insignia, reworked during my doctoral period. I removed the sections related to our department and filled it with material useful to adventurers instead."

My chest tightened with emotion at Professor Brammaton's next words.

This world had fairly advanced papermaking, so books themselves weren't rare. But the more valuable the knowledge inside, the more astronomically expensive they became. The reason was simple. Every bastard in this other world was tier-obsessed. They'd run into an ex-girlfriend they hadn't seen in ten years and immediately ask, "So what's your tier now?"

The people living here were stingy as hell about sharing helpful tips that could actually improve someone else's life. They hated the thought of those beneath them climbing the ladder and surpassing their own tiers.

Greedy mages would charge several gold coins for three or four sheets of paper. Learning a single spell could cost the equivalent of millions of won. Fuck, those guys must be planning to replace their dead parents with newer models.

In this rotten other world with no wiki, where even teaching one simple digging trick came with endless posturing and smug superiority, a place where consciences had rotted away completely...

To think he would give a precious book like this to me, someone who wasn't even a student in his department. And for free!

That bitch Yerna, that ultimate backstabbing whore, hadn't given me a single thing. Instead she'd stolen my thesis and run off before I could, beating me to the punch!

"Khk!"

I quickly wiped the tears threatening to fall. I couldn't be caught sniffling pathetically in front of this great senior who walked the path of a true man ahead of everyone else.

I clutched the guidebook to my chest with one arm and gave Professor Brammaton a crisp ninety-degree bow.

"Until now... thank you so fucking much!!!"

"Good. Take care of yourself."

We finished our farewell in a solemn atmosphere, like a master and disciple who had struggled together for three long years. Anyone watching would probably assume he was my actual advisor.

With certificate in hand, I packed my belongings and headed for the pier where the ship bound for Sargadis waited. Since Carmine University itself sat inside a trade city, I didn't have far to go.

I hadn't prepared any separate equipment for adventurer work.

The supplies the university gave me should be enough.

The provided gear was surprisingly complete: an iron breastplate, matching arm and leg guards, and a sword. It wasn't official military issue. More like the cheap, mass-produced razor-blade junk the army handed out. No university crest, either. Still, it was sturdy enough for rough use.

Clip. Clop.

I reached the docks and looked for the vessel heading to Shehir. Shehir served as the midway stop on the route to Sargadis and was a port city on the southern coast. After disembarking there, I'd switch to a carriage for the final leg.

"Oh, you made it."

"Det?"

To my surprise, Dana was waiting for me at the harbor.

"What the hell? You came to see me off even after drinking that much yesterday? Guess my life wasn't completely wasted."

I felt a quiet wave of emotion knowing Dana had come to send me off. Yesterday, she, the other research students, and I had thrown a farewell party in the lab. With no advisor around to watch us, we'd gathered every packable food and bottle of alcohol we could find.

Using the booze as fuel, we'd stayed up all night screeching and howling like freshmen who'd just entered university. Then, following the natural law that hangovers always follow drinking, every single one of us had passed out until lunchtime today.

Yet here she was, fighting through that hangover just to see me off. Did this girl actually have feelings for me?

"It's not like I came to see you off. There's no advisor around, so I used the excuse of sending you off to legally slack off and came."

Ah, fuck.

"Pretty smart, huh? As expected from the master's gold medalist."

"Can you feel the vast difference in intelligence?"

"Wow, you're really using the exact line I used on you before? Where the hell did your scholarly pride go?"

"People grow by imitating others."

"What? So I was your role model? Hmm. How touching that you wanted to follow in my footsteps."

"If there's one thing you're number one in at this university, it's having the worst personality."

"Det? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"This bastard's personality is a complete disaster."

We chatted and laughed like always. Knowing conversations like this would become rare once I left for Sargadis somehow made them even more enjoyable.

"Hey, let's not just stand here. Come on, let's get a drink."

I spotted a nearby tavern and pointed it out. During the day it operated like a café selling light drinks and beverages, but it turned into a proper bar once the sailors returned.

"Follow me, slave boy. Starting today, this Nord—who has officially graduated from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slavery—will personally treat you to a drink."

"Treat? With what money, you beggar?"

"Ahem. Every coin in my wallet is the crystallized sweat and tears of a former slave. You should be crying with gratitude."

"I can do the grinning part, but crying might be a stretch."

"Fuck."

We sat down in the tavern, still bantering, and ordered some light beverages. Dana looked over the menu and grinned.

"Oh, I've been here before."

"Really? Who with? You don't even have a boyfriend. Don't tell me you came alone?"

"Watch your mouth. Say one more word and I'll order a hot drink and pour it straight onto that face of yours. Give you a nice burn scar."

"Whoa! An adventurer-style scar! Next time someone asks where I got it, I can brag it was left by an old friend."

"Oh? What is this? Can you reach Gold Class with just your face? Was the adventurer ranking based on ugliness?"

"Then I'd be stuck in Iron Class forever. Since I'm so fucking handsome."

"Hilarious. You mental-ward regular."

Dana chuckled and called the server over to order drinks. Two of them, including one for me.

"Wait, why are you picking my drink?"

"Just trust me. This one's really good."

"Says the girl who chugs beer that tastes like watered-down Cass."

Dana was the type to gulp down that watery beer without complaint. Could anything that suited her taste buds actually be good?

"Your Citrus Corona."

Clink.

The server set two teacups in front of me. Why the hell was it called Corona? I stared hesitantly at the drink. A violently green liquid with what looked like fish eggs floating on top.

"Wow. What a fucking visual assault."

"Why? It looks tasty."

"You think fish-egg juice looks tasty? Please live a better life."

"They're not fish eggs. It's a fruit that looks like that. They serve it to people about to set sail as a wish for safe travels."

"Ugh, shit. You're actually making me drink this? To cultivate parasites in my stomach?"

I wanted to throw it away, but we had too much history for that. I decided to trust Dana and take a sip.

The first taste was faintly alcoholic. Did they mix liquor in? In a world where distilled spirits were precious, how did they—

"Ah, these fucking British bastards!! They spiked it with other beer!!!"

Gueeeeck!!

The moment it hit my tongue I twisted like a poodle getting its balls stepped on at the groomer's, doing some kind of popping dance. This fucking sour-bitter otherworld mojito! I should have known the second Dana said it was good!

"Fuck, what is this!!! Sour! Bitter! Salty!"

"Bwahahahahaha!! Ahahahahahahaha!!"

Dana burst out laughing in a completely unfeminine roar at my reaction. This damn girl. I hope the next professor steals her thesis too.

"Ugh... This is fucking discrimination against master's students..."

Were these not fish eggs but bug eggs? It was sour enough to be loaded with vitamin C, which sailors needed, but it felt like it destroyed your sense of taste as payment for preventing scurvy. Or maybe it was preparation? Since you'd only be eating salted, smoked junk on the ship, they destroyed your taste buds in advance?

"Hehehe. It gets better after a few sips."

Dana laughed as she drank her own portion. The drink tasted like something an orphan raised without a mother would make after never learning what food should taste like, yet she drank it without complaint.

"Fuck it... Fine. Since you're buying, whatever. But I wouldn't pay my own money for this. Feels like I'll get seasick."

"Tsk. Knew you'd say that. If you don't like it, take this instead."

Dana held out a paper bag she'd brought along.

"Ugh. What is it this time?"

I made no effort to hide my suspicion. Dana simply gestured with her eyes, urging me to take it.

I set the bag on the table and peeked inside.

Rustle.

It was packed with fruit. Citrus varieties loaded with vitamins.

"Huh. How many days is this voyage that you bought this much?"

"Just eat them. It's not like you normally bother with fruit."

"Yeah. I'm so grateful I'm tearing up. If only you hadn't made me drink that juice, it would've been a perfect memory."

Out of respect for the thought behind it, I'd make sure to finish them all during the voyage.

After tucking the paper bag away, I suddenly remembered that Dana was still in the middle of writing her own thesis.

"Oh, right. So how's your thesis coming along, Dana?"

"Thesis?"

Dana frowned while sipping her drink.

"What's the point of talking about it? There's no one to review my doctoral promotion until the next professor arrives anyway."

"What? Is that bitch Yerna who ran away trying to deceive me after I got demoted to mere master's level?"

"That's a misunderstanding. There's an old saying that you don't tease death-row inmates or terminally ill patients."

"You damn bitch."

"Hehehe."

Even though this was the last time we'd see each other for a while, our conversation stayed exactly the same as always. Research students lived like slaves, so after staring at each other's faces for over three years, there weren't any fresh topics left. Yet it never felt awkward or boring. We simply continued talking in good spirits.

Puuuoooo—!

But pleasant times always end too quickly.

The sound of a horn announcing the ship's imminent departure echoed across the harbor. Dana frowned and grumbled.

"What the hell. We waited forever, and we barely talked for any time at all before it's already departure?"

"Kekeke. Our Dana, did you wake up early, take hangover medicine, and rush over because you didn't know when I'd leave, only to feel sad that I'm going so soon?"

"Ah, stop bullshitting. Go roll around with some monsters, you bastard."

Dana's earlobes had turned red as she shoved my back. Looked like I'd hit the mark.

"Anyway, Dana, don't cry just because I'm gone. Make sure you get that doctorate this time and escape your slave life, okay?"

"Shut up and worry about yourself. Get that silver medal before we meet again. Then I'll buy you a proper meal."

"Silver medal? You mean the doctoral one? A three-year cut is totally doable."

"Does dying after your master's get you a two-rank special promotion? Had no idea."

"No, fuck. Is there a rule that lets you curse someone who's leaving?"

"It's allowed when the person leaving is a former slave trying to escape slavery by himself."

"Field work, ma'am?"

"You can play grave robber all by yourself."

Pushed along by Dana, I reached the edge of the pier. The tavern server seemed to be showing consideration; he didn't follow us to demand payment. Maybe he'd seen too many people leaving or being seen off to bother.

Thinking that made my own ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reluctance to part ways feel a little ridiculous.

"..."

"..."

After a brief silence, our eyes met and I spoke.

"Well... I'm going."

"Yeah. Safe travels."

Puuuoooo—!

The horn sounded again, signaling the ship's departure.

Creak. Creak.

I walked across the wooden gangplank. When I reached the end, I turned back one last time, smiled, and shouted.

"Next time we meet, you'd better be ready to call me Doctor! I'm planning to pile up some insanely amazing achievements and become the youngest doctorate holder!"

"Ha! Look at this mere master's medalist talking big! I'll get there before you, you know?!"

Dana, still standing on the dock, smiled as she shouted back.

"And if you feel like you're about to die, just give up and come crawling back!! Bang your head on the ground and beg, and the university will probably give you a research student spot!!"

"Yeah~ Even if I die, I won't go back to being a slave~!"

As I climbed onto the deck, the scheduled departure time arrived. Dana waved at my ship.

"Take care, Nord!"

"You too, Dana!"

I waved back at my friend standing on the dock. The ship left the harbor where Dana stood and headed toward the southern region of Britannia.

Before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long, as the vessel pulled away from shore, the entire city came into view. The trade city of Ainhir. The land where I'd spent three long years as a slave, enduring every kind of hardship and building countless memories. Even Carmine University was visible in the far distance.

It had been tough and grueling, but it was my second hometown—the place that let me form precious connections and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gave me the chance to adapt to this other world. Thinking about leaving it brought a fresh wave of emotion.

"Huu."

Still, I had no intention of drowning in clumsy memories or sentimentality. My life in this shitty world was only just beginning.