Upon leaving the branch, Raine and his companions headed to a nearby tavern.

Standing in front of the tavern, they glanced up at the building. It appeared to be a modest, ordinary establishment.

"Is this the place?" Raine asked.

"The food here is great," the branch leader replied. "It's on me today, so feel free to order whatever you like."

With that, the branch leader entered the tavern, and Raine and the others followed suit. Inside, the tavern was moderately lively, with people enjoying their meals and drinks in a cheerful atmosphere. Ignoring the other patrons, they made their way to an empty round table in the corner.

"Hmm..." Raine murmured.

So, this is what a tavern is like.

"Hey, don’t tell me this is your first time at a tavern?" the branch leader asked.

"I’ve never been to one," Raine admitted. "I don’t eat out often, and I usually drink at home with Helen."

"Really? Well, in that case, we’ll order for you," the branch leader said.

"Please do. Oh, and I’ll have whiskey on the rocks."

"Sure, sure..." the branch leader said, calling over a waitress. Along with Erica, he placed orders for food and drinks, which were promptly brought to the table.

"Should we make a toast or something?" the branch leader suggested.

"We did that yesterday… Oh, wait a moment. Helen, are you here?" Raine inquired.

Double-checking, double-checking.

"Perhaps it's good to say, 'I might cause some trouble, but I look forward to working with you all,'" someone suggested.

Raine nodded. "Right, that sounds about right. Thank you, everyone. I look forward to working with you," he said, bowing his head slightly.

"Likewise," came the responses from the others.

"Ah… Is that cat your main body?" Erica asked, returning the bow politely while the branch leader looked slightly bemused.

"Just learning about human emotions," Raine explained.

"I see... That's a very good thing. Cheers!" the branch leader exclaimed, raising his glass.

"Cheers!"

“Cheers!” the group echoed, raising their glasses. They each took a sip of their drinks and began to eat.

"Raine, how was your first day after the transfer?" the branch leader asked.

"Not much work to do," Raine replied. "I spent the afternoon teaching."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Raine is a great teacher. Everything was so easy to understand," Erica added.

Phew… a little relieved.

"Is that so… Well, I expect the workload will increase gradually, so I’m counting on you. You're the leader here," the branch leader said.

"You’re the leader, aren't you?" Raine thought. But, well, better him than a clueless newcomer.

"Branch leader, securing talent is still a top priority. Can you ask headquarters to help?" Raine asked.

"I’ll keep filing requests, but it's tough. Not many alchemists want to come all the way down to the southern region. You’re an exception," the branch leader responded.

"It's not like I volunteered for this," Raine thought to himself. But he couldn’t oppose his mentor, the head of the main office.

"Isn't there any other way to solve this?" Erica asked the branch leader.

"Well, if this were the military, there would be conscription... Raine, you know the industry better than anyone here. Any ideas?" the branch leader asked.

"How would I know... Wait, conscription?" Raine thought for a moment. "There's something called 'recruitment fencing.'"

"What's that?" the branch leader asked.

"I haven't heard of it either," Erica added.

"So, Erica doesn’t know either," Raine noted.

"The Alchemists' Guild only accepts those with the national alchemist qualification. But in reality, there are also non-certified individuals working unofficially. This is called 'recruitment fencing.' Essentially, it means securing talented individuals who have yet to be certified. This is often done in a mentor-disciple relationship," Raine explained.

"I was also recruited by my mentor, the head of the main office. Although, since I got my certification while still in school, it didn’t really matter," Raine continued.

"So, it's about securing talent before someone else does," the branch leader mused.

"Is that okay?" Erica asked.

"They’re treated like interns rather than regular employees, so it's a learning opportunity for them—a win-win situation. Though, it can lead to a concentration of talent in certain areas," Raine replied.

This is likely one reason why talented alchemists tend to gather in major cities like the royal capital. Because of that, there were fewer than ten alchemists here, and now there are only three.

"I see. So we could hire uncertified individuals as part-time workers," the branch leader considered.

"Yes. Given the manpower shortage, we can’t afford to be picky. It's like a student mobilization," Raine replied.

"Student mobilization... In the military, that’s considered a desperate move, but it might work here. Erica, do you have anyone in mind?" the branch leader asked.

"Hmm… Maybe I could ask some of my juniors at the magic academy? Most of them aren’t certified yet," Erica suggested.

"Yeah, the exam is quite tough," Raine agreed.

"Are they women?" the branch leader asked.

"Yes, there are a lot of female students," Erica replied.

"Interesting… It's mostly women. Six out of the eight who resigned last year were also women," the branch leader noted.

"Hmm? He doesn’t seem to know," Raine thought.

"Branch leader, about 80% of alchemists are women," Raine explained.

"Really?" The branch leader seemed genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, it’s not something that's openly discussed, but alchemy is often seen as a profession for women," Raine continued.

"Even though I’m a man," Raine added with a smirk.

"Why is that?" the branch leader inquired.

"Alchemy is a form of magic, and only those with magical abilities can become alchemists. However, men with magical abilities usually become mages, which is more lucrative and prestigious. But it also comes with the risk of military deployment. That’s why many women choose the path of an alchemist," Raine explained.

"In the northern regions, there are frequent skirmishes with neighboring countries, and those assigned there face considerable danger. So, parents often oppose their children becoming mages," Raine elaborated.

"Ah… I see. That makes sense. So that's why there are so many women... What about you?" the branch leader asked.

"For the same reasons. I believe one could rise in either profession, but I have no desire to die from a random arrow," Raine replied.

"In my previous life, I was stabbed to death with a knife. I don’t want a repeat of that," Raine thought.

"Hmm… As a former soldier, I might find that a bit cowardly, but it’s a valid choice. You’d probably end up sent to the front lines by some noble or superior officer otherwise," the branch leader admitted.

August flashed through Raine's mind.

"Erica, do you think you could recruit any juniors?" Raine asked, trying to steer the conversation back.

"Hmm… Would you be willing to help them with their studies?" Erica asked.

"Huh?" Raine was caught off guard.

"Your studies?" Raine asked.

"No, the studies of the ones I might recruit. If they know a certified Rank 3 alchemist like you would help them, it’d be easier to convince them. Naturally, they’d aim to pass the Rank 10 exam," Erica explained.

"It would indeed be a big incentive to have a Rank 3 teach them. The problem is that the Rank 3 would be me," Raine thought.

"Helen, do you think it would be alright?" Raine asked Helen for her opinion.

"As long as you teach them politely, just like you did with Erica today, without hurting their feelings, it should be fine," Helen reassured him.

"I'm not that confident about it…" Raine thought.

"Well, if it doesn’t work out, no harm done… If it breaks their spirit, we just look for someone else," Raine reasoned.

"Raine, that mindset isn't good," Erica warned.

"She is my junior, after all," Erica added.

"You really are learning about human emotions, aren’t you?" the branch leader chuckled.

"Seems like I’ve made a mistake… My apologies," Raine conceded.