In Sumeru, pretend to be a scholar!

"You've been making quite a stir lately."

In a corner of the Lambad tavern, three men sat around a round table.

Wang Yan picked up a cup of wine, a special date wine from Xumi, which was refreshing and not very strong, and was popular with many scholars.

"I also have to thank Kavey's paper; otherwise, I wouldn't be famous."

Wang Yan, holding a wine glass, gestured to the person on his left, who was none other than Kavi.

Several days have passed since the scholar's provocation, and Wang Yan has gradually established himself in the translation industry.

I went to Lombard Tavern for dinner after get off work today and ran into Kavi and Elhesen, so we shared a table.

Kavi also raised his glass and gestured to Wang Yan: "If it weren't for your translation, my paper wouldn't have been so brilliant. It's all thanks to you."

"Not at all, even the best wine needs advertising. If you hadn't added my name to the thesis, I certainly wouldn't be who I am today," Wang Yan said politely again.

Kavi smiled and shook his head: "No matter how good the publicity is, you still need substance. If you weren't so capable, I wouldn't have used your translator..."

The two of them went back and forth, praising each other.

To Wang Yan's right, Elhesen said with a cold expression, "Heh, you two are being a bit hypocritical with your mutual flattery."

As soon as Elhesen finished speaking, Kavi bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Hypocritical?! Al-Hysen, can you please stop being so sarcastic!"

Kavi slammed his glass down on the table, his face flushed slightly from excitement and the alcohol. "This is basic politeness and mutual appreciation between Wang Yan and me! Is sincerity something you call always wearing a 'keep away' face and being stingy with your words?"

When dealing with other people, Kavi is often very patient.

But whenever Al-Hysen opens his mouth, he always gets so angry that he trembles.

Al-Hysen picked up his glass, took a slow sip without even lifting his eyelids:

"Excessive and superficial mutual flattery is of no practical significance other than wasting time and creating a false atmosphere of harmony."

"Wang Yan's translation objectively contributed to the completion of your thesis and the expansion of its influence, while your thesis objectively enhanced his industry reputation and fee standards."

"This is a mutually beneficial relationship at the factual level. Your conversation just now was merely using meaningless politeness to cover up this fact. What is this if not hypocrisy?"

His voice was calm, as if he had no emotional fluctuations whatsoever.

"You...you!" Kavi was momentarily speechless, stumped by his rigid logic, but quickly found a new point of attack: "Is it only possible to talk about cold 'facts' and 'interests' between people?"

"Expressing gratitude and acknowledging someone's talent is only natural! When you help someone, or someone helps you, do you just say 'it's an equal exchange' and walk away? Is there no warmth left in your life besides logic and efficiency?"

"temperature?"

Elhesen looked up and calmly looked at Kavi: "Temperature cannot guarantee the accuracy of the translation, nor can it ensure that the paper passes the review. Acting on emotions can easily affect judgment."

"For example, if you are trying to refute a fact-based evaluation with 'social skills' because of your emotional fluctuations, this itself deviates from the core of the problem."

"The core of the problem is that you're too heartless!" Kavi almost slammed his fist on the table. "Yes, I know you're smart, you're capable, and you see everything clearly! But can you consider other people's feelings even a little? Wang Yan has only been in Xumi for a short time. As... well, at least as newly acquainted friends, shouldn't we give him affirmation and encouragement? Isn't that right?"

Al-Hysen tilted his head slightly, seemingly deep in thought, but his words were still infuriating: "'Feelings' are subjective and changeable variables. Taking them into account would significantly increase communication costs. Besides, I'm not denying Wang Yan's abilities."

"On the contrary, I highly recognize his language skills. Precisely because he is indeed capable, your redundant politeness seems even more unnecessary. Since we met, you have praised each other more than ten times. But I think that capable people should accept recognition readily, and those who recognize others should base their recognition on facts. This is more efficient and there is absolutely no need for repeated mutual praise."

"Efficient, efficient, all you know is efficiency!" Kavi rubbed his forehead, looking defeated. "Life isn't writing a thesis; not everything needs to be done with maximum efficiency! Why be so efficient when drinking and chatting with friends? Are we supposed to pre-determine how many sentences each person can say, and then immediately leave after we're done drinking?"

"Theoretically, if the schedule is tight, this might be a reasonable solution." Elhesen nodded, completely ignoring the sarcasm in Kavi's words.

"You... I'm really talking to a brick wall!" Kavi was exasperated, then turned to Wang Yan, who had been watching with great interest, for help. "Wang Yan, tell me! Was what we were saying just now really hypocritical?"

Wang Yan watched with great interest.

Previously, we could only watch the two bicker in the storyline, but now we can watch it live.

Upon hearing Kavi's plea for help, Wang Yan glanced at the other man's sullen expression and then at Elhesen's ever-calm face.

Wang Yan suppressed a laugh and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Well... from a purely rational and logical point of view, it is indeed difficult to refute Secretary Elhesen's point of view."

"However, Kavi, I think you're not wrong either. Expressing goodwill and maintaining basic social etiquette are also part of how human society functions. They don't necessarily have to be opposed to 'efficiency.' Perhaps it can be understood as... well, different communication styles?"

"See, Wang Yan already said it's a difference in communication styles!" Kavi, as if he had found a way out, immediately said to Elhesen, "It's precisely because of your style that you always offend people!"

"I haven't felt that this has caused me any real trouble," Al-Hysen replied calmly. "Filtering out people who can't accept this way of communicating also improves my social efficiency."

"You'd better actually have some social skills..." Kavi was completely speechless. He could only glare at Elheisen, then tilt his head back and take a big gulp of his drink. "Fine, fine, I'm not arguing with you anymore. Arguing with you is more tiring than drawing ten design drafts! Let's drink!"

Seeing this, Elhesen stopped talking about it, raised his glass and gestured to Wang Yan and Kavi, as if the little argument had never happened.

He never took his arguments with Kavi to heart.

In fact, according to Al-Hysen's social logic, his willingness to argue with Kavi meant that he approved of Kavi.

Otherwise, Elhesen wouldn't have replied at all.

For example, a researcher of a certain group consciousness was brought to his senses by Elhesen's disregard.