"You, you aren't being serious are you?" (Lime)

The mix of shock and hope on his face just makes me feel worse. The fact that he's suspicious about this but at the same time excited just tells me that he really is lonely.

"Yup! I am a hundred percent serious!" (Mel)

"Are you sure? Haven't you heard about me?" (Lime)

"I have!" (Mel)

"And you still want to work for me?" (Lime)

"Yup!" (Mel)

"Why?" (Lime)

"Cause you're smart!" (Mel)

"Eh?" (Lime)

"You see, I want to become really good at alchemy, and I thought that learning from you would be the best way to do so." (Mel)

"But couldn't you have gone with the other alchemy professors or researchers?" (Lime)

"But aren't you better than them? If I want to become one of the best, wouldn't learning from the best be the plan?" (Mel)

"Bu-" (Lime)

"Plus, aren't you in need of additional personnel?" (Mel)

"T-that's—" (Lime)

"There aren't any problems aren't there?" (Mel)

"N-no..." (Lime)

"Then it's settled! It's a pleasure to be working with you!" (Mel)

"S-sure..." (Lime)

"So when do I start?" (Mel)

"Y-you can start tomorrow..." (Lime)

"Ok!" (Mel)

Finally achieving my goal, I quickly return to my room. Once I returned to my room, I lay flat on my bed and let out a sigh of relief. I was finally able to become his lab assistant. With that done, I have effectively killed two birds with one stone. As a lab assistant, I can both learn from him and attempt to help him with his condition. I have no clue if I am able to actually carry out the second one, but I can at least try. He deserves better and as a part of the group that treated him badly, I feel like this is the best apology I could ever give him.

Because all of the adrenaline had worn out, I started to feel exhausted. As my consciousness was starting to fade, I suddenly get the feeling as if I forgot something important. Eh, I'll worry about it tomorrow.

The next day

I finally remembered what I forgot. I do not wish to speak nor think about it. I hate myself. As I get up feeling tired and grumpy, I started trying to recall what I need to do today. First off, I have to go over to Lime Stein's lab and get him to sign the assistant contract to signify that I am now officially his lab assistant. Second, I have to actually work as a lab assistant. This would include catching up to where his current research progress is. I assume it would probably take a decently long amount of time considering it's been a few years since he last released any kind of findings. Oddly enough, he hasn't released anything after his first breakthrough. I have deduced that there are three possible explanations for this.

The first is that he is currently in the middle of a new breakthrough. Considering the amount of time that has passed since his first discovery, his current research must be about something very groundbreaking. If it took him only a year for his first work, then it could only mean that his current research is something that will shake the very foundations of not just alchemy, but possibly everything we know about this world.

The second is that he is currently expanding his area of expertise to other branches such as engineering and such. This would make sense considering the fact that he is extremely talented. This would also make more sense if his next work involved the application of alchemy in other fields especially because he works alone and can't possibly have any other professionals collaborate with him.

The third is that he is currently on a break. This would make sense considering the fact that his first discovery itself is able to one-handedly make him enough money to laze around for the rest of his life. Out of the three possibilities, this one is the least plausible since it is clear that Lime Stein truly does love alchemy and enjoys it, but it wouldn't be totally impossible as money truly is important and can turn even the most diligent man into a lazy good-for-nothing.

With these three possibilities in mind, I went to the lab that I would be working in from now on. When I entered the lab, I realized that there were absolutely no signs of any research being done. No research tools, no alchemical materials, no traces of experiments being done, no observational records, no research papers, only nothing, absolutely nothing. Suddenly, the third possibility that I had deduced came to my mind. I started being worried that the career of the one of a kind talent named Lime Stein had ended. At that moment, I knew what I had to do, change his mind. 

I then start searching for him only to find a door that I assume to be his personal quarters. Under normal circumstances, no researcher would have thought of using their private laboratory as a place to sleep, but Lime Stein is different. No one has ever seen him stay too long outside his personal lab so everyone came to the conclusion that he sleeps in his own lab. Without thinking, I attempt to open the door. I thought that the door would be locked just like how I normally lock my doors but contrary to my expectations, the door was unlocked, and what I saw shocked me.

Lime Stein was standing in front of a mirror practicing how to smile. When I used my ability out of instinct as I always do when I see something weird, I figured out just what he was doing the entire time he wasn't doing any research. He had been practicing making a friendly face. As a researcher, I felt disappointed knowing that he could've used that time on important things, but I then realized that in his situation, it was way more important than anything he could've possibly done. After realizing that he hasn't noticed me or the door opening, I quietly closed the door swearing to myself to never speak of that incident ever.