Assessment Passed, Compensation

She poured the potion from the silver spoon onto a test strip. "Do you know what went wrong here?"

Ron carefully examined the puddle of potion. With Herb Identification, he could see tiny impurities drifting through the liquid.

"Thorn Vine." After some thought, he said, "Some fibers got mixed in when I was stripping off the outer bark."

"Very good." Mrs. Allen finally smiled in satisfaction.

"Being able to spot flaws this subtle proves that you do have talent in this area."

She returned behind the counter and took out a Contract from a drawer. "This lists the assistant's duties and compensation."

Ron accepted the Parchment and began reading it carefully.

He was to arrive at the shop an hour early every morning to prepare; organize herbs, clean equipment, and assist with brewing basic potions.

"The compensation is..." His gaze stopped on the final line, and he could hardly believe it.

"That's right. Two Magic Stone Fragments per day, plus free use of the shop's brewing equipment."

Mrs. Allen nodded. "Of course, if you help produce qualified potions, you'll receive an additional share of the profits."

The terms were exceptionally generous. Most apprentices earned no more than one Magic Stone Fragment a day from part-time work.

"Now that we've discussed the compensation, let's talk about your work schedule." Mrs. Allen continued.

"You'll work here for three hours every morning. The rest of your time is yours to arrange freely."

She paused. "But there is one thing I must remind you of. Any formulas you learn here must remain confidential. The consequences of breaking the agreement..."

The old witch's gaze turned icy. "I don't think you want to find out."

Ron nodded. In the Black Mist Forest, the consequences of violating a Contract were often more terrifying than death.

"Then it's settled." Mrs. Allen took out a quill pen. "You start work tomorrow. Remember, arrive early."

"Wait." Andre, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly spoke.

"You're hiring him just like that? You don't need to assess him further?"

"Assess him?" Mrs. Allen smiled faintly. "After living this long, I've developed some skill at judging people."

Her gaze swept over Ron. "He has decent talent, and he works this hard."

"And besides..." Mrs. Allen continued, "to study Basics of Potionology to this level in such a short time shows just how gifted he is at Potions."

She glanced at Andre. "Not everyone can understand this book so thoroughly, right?"

Andre shrugged. "True enough. I studied it for half a year and got nowhere."

"So..." Mrs. Allen pushed the Contract and quill toward Ron.

"This is a win-win arrangement. You need a place to practice, and I need a talented assistant."

She took a small bottle from beneath the counter, filled with a pale blue liquid. "Before signing, drink this."

Ron took the bottle without moving immediately. He cautiously examined the potion while silently activating Herb Identification.

Under the faint light, the pale blue liquid displayed a peculiar fluidity, with its edges glowing slightly.

Those traits were very similar to the Truth Serum he had seen in Basics of Potionology.

And judging from the potion's clarity and fluidity, it should be a finished product that had undergone multiple purifications, with no dangerous ingredients mixed into it.

"Is this Truth Serum?" Ron asked, pretending not to know.

"That's right. It can reveal whether someone harbors malicious intent." Mrs. Allen nodded. "In the Black Mist Forest, this is a basic precaution."

Only after repeatedly confirming that it was Truth Serum did Ron drink it in one gulp.

This level of verification was indeed perfectly normal in the Black Mist Forest.

"Very good." Mrs. Allen nodded in satisfaction. "I like cautious people. In a place like this, those who are too reckless don't live long."

Her expression turned solemn.

"But there is one thing I need to remind you of. We often receive guests with unusual identities. No matter what you see or hear, keep your mouth shut."

Ron nodded solemnly. This reminder actually put him more at ease.

—An employer who laid out the rules in advance was always easier to deal with than one who kept everything hidden.

Early the next morning, while the sky was still dim, Ron was already standing outside the Herb Shop.

Morning mist drifted slowly along the street, and occasionally, glowing little insects could be seen dancing through the fog.

These were the Black Mist Forest's distinctive Lamp Butterflies. Drawn to fluctuations of magic power, they often appeared near Herb Shops.

He had Andre's reminder from the previous night to thank for arriving so early.

"That old woman hates people who aren't punctual." Andre had been helping him organize the materials needed for Second Body Tempering at the time.

"Last month, a Candidate Apprentice came to apply. He was five or six seconds late, and the two living vines at the entrance whipped him straight back out."

So, just to be safe, Ron had deliberately arrived half an hour early.

After finishing meditation last night, he had begun reviewing the sections in Basics of Potionology on preserving herbs and maintaining equipment.

Since he would be starting with the most basic organizing work, he had to do it perfectly.

This was one of the few useful lessons he had learned at the noble estate—if he wanted to earn others' approval, he had to show sufficient sincerity.

At that moment, a long peal of bells rang out in the distance.

It marked the transition between night and day in the Black Mist Forest. Rumor had it that the bells contained some extraordinary power capable of dispelling the baleful aura accumulated through the night.

When the final chime faded into the morning mist, the shop door opened soundlessly.

"Come in." Mrs. Allen's voice came from inside the shop. "You're more punctual than I expected."

The moment he pushed open the door, a host of strange scents washed over him.

After becoming a Potion Apprentice, Ron found that his ability to distinguish such scents had improved significantly.

The sour yet sweet scent should be nectar from Night-blooming Jasmine, the main ingredient for Calming Potion.

The pungent scent tinged with fishiness was likely the roots and stems of Snake-tooth Grass, which could neutralize most toxins.

There were also some indescribable smells that felt both familiar and unfamiliar to him.

The shop's arrangement seemed to have changed somewhat from yesterday.

The herbs on the shelves had been rearranged. Some rare materials marked "Sold" had disappeared, replaced by new stock whose names he did not recognize.

"Seen enough?" Mrs. Allen's voice suddenly sounded beside his ear. "Organizing these will be much more interesting than staring at them."

She pointed to a pile of clutter in the corner. "Start by sorting and putting these away. Be careful—sort them according to their medicinal properties. Don't let them affect one another."

Ron stepped closer and saw that the pile contained all kinds of bottles and jars filled with different herbs.

Some had even begun reacting with one another, giving off a faint fluorescence in the dim light.