4. Dinner Conversation with the Elf Graduate Student (2)
After getting ready just enough, we left the lab and headed for the back gate. The walk wasn't super short, but we couldn't chat much along the way. We were too busy responding to all the people who greeted us as we passed. There were fewer familiar faces than usual, but even so, by the time we reached the cafeteria and sat down, I hadn't gotten to ask much about elven eating habits.
"Somehow, it feels like people are staring at us."
I glanced around at her words. Even in this corner spot, eyes were focused our way. I could guess why.
"Elves aren't common. You've been at a magic university for four years—you must be used to stares like this by now."
"True, but it feels worse than usual."
"That's probably because of me."
"Ah-ha. Quite the confidence. You must be used to it, huh?"
My academic achievements were genuinely impressive. This elf still had no idea what a big deal it was to work under me. Bragging about it myself felt awkward, so I just ordered food without responding.
Arienael picked crawfish stew and salad. I added chicken stew and grilled fish.
"So meat's okay after all?"
"...Are we still on that?"
Arienael looked a bit exasperated, but I couldn't hold back my curiosity.
"Yeah. You said seafood's fine because you're a 'forest' race. Anything not found in the forest is okay?"
"Mostly? Even those picky ones eat crops without issue."
Fair point. Elves could commune with plants, after all. Treating animals special while chowing down on veggies seemed odd.
"What about freshwater fish from streams or swamps? They're in the forest, so part of it? Or separate?"
"......Do we really have to nitpick that far? Ask an elf who avoids beast meat. I eat anything, so I don't know."
"Cows don't live in forests either... so why avoid beef?"
"Can I have some of that stew?"
I'd prefer she avoided giant bugs. Could come in handy later if she dodges menu picks again. Anyway, she was blatantly signaling to drop it, so I let it go. Kinda disappointing.
Even after finishing the meal, our chat kept going. Since this doubled as a welcome, it was better to learn about each other than just eat and split.
"You're really only that age? Not lying, right?"
"You don't believe me? I'm not senile."
Maybe because of my white hair.
"No, you look the same age as my human classmates. Some are even older than you, Professor."
"Yeah. By the time they started university, I'd already graduated. And I got my later degrees faster than most."
"Wow."
"That look—like you never even considered it."
"Of course. Makes me wonder what I was doing at that age."
"From an elf's view, isn't everyone basically the same age?"
"Ehe, do you have to put it like that? And growth-wise, there's not much difference—we're adults by then too."
Unlike her calm, quiet first impression, Arienael didn't shy from personal talk. She threw in human-style interjections and jokes just fine.
"Now I'm curious too. What do elves do at that age?"
"Once you're an adult, age doesn't matter much. Me? I spent all my time shooting arrows."
"Hunting?"
"More like scaring off humans logging illegally. Took tons of practice to do it without hurting them."
Why did a chill suddenly run down my spine? I found myself eyeing her back and shoulders again. Good—she wasn't carrying a bow now.
"I've always wondered this: why don't elves go to school much? Academies are human-centric, sure, but universities have plenty to offer. There are other non-human races around—not that many, but enough. Elves especially seem to skip university and research, even though you're great at magic."
"No real need to learn. Waste of time."
"But that's why problems happen. Even from what you said earlier. Spending a few years learning out of a thousand-year life—that's a waste? If elves hated gaining knowledge, fine, but you don't."
"Huh, when you put it that way... I don't know the exact reason. We don't go much, true, but tribes don't forbid it. No real aversion either."
Rare, but there are elves in magic research. No time to ask about them in casual chat like this.
"I do have a guess, though."
"What?"
"Elves can't stick to one path. Pouring long-term passion into a single field doesn't fit our nature."
"Just personal differences?"
"No, all the elves I know are like that. To us, humans are weirder. How do you dedicate fifty-plus years to one thing... in a life under a century?"
"Never thought of it that way. To humans, elves seem to know everything impossibly well. And do so much. Even with all that time, how do you master that too?"
"Exactly. Lots of versatile elves, right? Can't be helped. Learn a bit of this, move to that, then something totally different. Never dive deep, so tech progress rides on humans, and our culture's stagnant for millennia. Yet humans praise us as 'knowledgeable' and 'wise'—it's embarrassing."
So she probably stopped threatening loggers with arrows ages ago. Anyway, this chat was more fascinating than expected. Never dwelled on it before, but it fit: elves learn fast, tons of talent, but reaching the absolute pinnacle in any field? Shockingly rare. Not just academia—combat too. Top swordsmen, mages, even the best spiritist alive? No elves.
Sticking to research till a goal's met must be tough for them. Guess I need to throw her study materials from every field, customized to her racial traits... Impressed by my own thoughtfulness.
Then Arienael asked, as if it just hit her.
"So why'd you get into magic research, Professor?"
Obvious question. Same answer always.
"I like it."
"Doesn't it take tons of studying?"
"Exactly. Where else can you get paid for this?"
She wore the exact face others did: exasperated, regretting the question.
"Why university, then? You can research anywhere. Talented mages often go to mage towers over schools, I've heard... Oh, sorry."
Plenty of ways to keep researching without teaching. Work for kings or nobles, join guilds, take workshop jobs for cash, or straight-up mage towers like she said. Even military or adventurer groups fund you. Some loners set up private labs.
"Mana tanks with no other gifts go there."
"Isn't mana amount the real talent?"
"Just one kind. Magic isn't just mana—you know that. Tons of mages outsource spell dev to others 'cause they can't."
"Not all. Great spells come out too. Most grand mages are tower grads."
"True, but towers are too closed-off. Limits your moves. For pure focus, university's best."
I hated wasting time on anything but research. Though ironically, lab setup and grants ate my time now. Whatever—same everywhere at first, no complaints.
"Lots of mages can't even explain their own spells. Unique physiques mean only the inventor can use 'em. Can't publish those, no matter how useful, so they seek other paths. Towers get a lot of those—probably the misunderstanding."
"Fascinating. Mages vary so much person-to-person."
"Yeah. Hardest job to pin down. My turn to ask."
"What?"
Wondered why she joined my lab, but straight-up sounded off, so indirect it is.
"I get why you came to university and grad school. But why natural studies as undergrad? Shouldn't it be alchemy? And as a forest race, did you even need it?"
"Oh, that. At first, I wasn't chasing potion recipes. Thought boosting forest affinity might work."
"Didn't pan out, huh."
"Yeah. The more classes, the clearer it wouldn't. Human knowledge has sneaky biases too—mostly human-focused even when useful."
"Healing magic? Elves struggle with holy power, sure, but potions are similar. Easier path?"
"Sounds silly, but... I'd wasted so much on natural studies. Botany was meh, but herbology had new stuff. Only way to salvage it: potions."
"Got it."
Not really. Why my lab? I do have potion cred, sure. But she couldn't know that beforehand. Wanted to press, but too risky—might sound like "doesn't fit, leave."
By now, outside was pitch black.
"Nice meeting you, Arienael. And welcome to the lab again."
"Yes, Professor Atwill. Even in one day, I learned a lot."
"I stole your evening, so deadline's extended a bit."
Her face darkened fast—remembering she'd barely dented that textbook.
"Tomorrow night."
"Wait, Professor, so originally it was tomorrow morning?"
"Afternoon. Gave it at noon—full day."
Arienael's black eyes lost their spark, mouth agape in despair. Still, we felt more comfortable now. Hope she doesn't think I'm a pushover. Wasn't too nice, right?