Resource Allocation: "Potential" Assessment

Ron opened his eyes and answered cautiously, "I discovered some clues about the 'Rhythm' of mental power, which has allowed me to use my meditation time more efficiently."

"Rhythm?" The attendant nodded, a thoughtful look flashing through her eyes. "That's a very insightful angle... Even those with excellent aptitude rarely manage to break through from that direction."

She pondered for a moment before continuing, "Besides meditation, have you practiced any other skills?"

Ron calculated how he should answer. He obviously couldn't expose his cheat, but it was necessary to display some special talent appropriately.

"I've gained some insights into both Potions and swordsmanship," he said cautiously. "Especially Potions. I've been working at Mrs. Allen's shop."

"Mrs. Allen..." The attendant's expression shifted subtly. "No wonder... That explains how you were able to break through so quickly."

Her attitude grew more serious:

"Although your aptitude gave you a very low starting point, you managed to break through from Sixth-Rank Star to Primary Apprentice in just a few months. That reminds me of a case from several years ago."

"What case?" Ron asked curiously.

The attendant's gaze carried a hint of recollection and fear.

"That was also a Candidate Apprentice with an extremely low starting point. When he arrived, not only was his mental power aptitude at the very bottom, but his face was so ugly that people couldn't help staring... Yet within just a few years at the School, he rose rapidly through the ranks. Now, he's already standing at the threshold of becoming a Formal Wizard."

Ron's heart skipped a beat as he recalled some rumors Andre had told him. "Are you talking about... Oliver?"

The attendant's eyes quickly turned wary. "You know him?"

"I've only heard of him." Ron hurriedly explained, "I heard that he's made great achievements in curse research."

The attendant nodded slightly, but the wariness in her eyes did not completely fade.

"Oliver is indeed a rare genius, but the path he chose... isn't one everyone should imitate."

She seemed deeply reluctant to discuss that name. With a turn of phrase, she returned to the matter at hand.

"All right. Since you've passed the mental power assessment, I need to register some basic information. After that, you can apply for resource allocation."

The entire process was calm and efficient. The attendant carefully recorded Ron's basic information and ability preferences, then asked him about his intended direction of development.

"Which field do you plan to focus on?" the apprentice on duty asked. "This will affect your task assignments and the types of resources you receive."

Ron thought for a moment. As someone with multiple professions, his path of development was naturally more diverse.

But considering his current circumstances and the abilities he had already displayed publicly, he still needed to choose carefully.

"I'm interested in both Potions and spell research, but for now, I'm more inclined toward Potions."

That was his final answer. It matched his actual abilities and also aligned with Mrs. Allen's recommendation.

"Potions..." The attendant nodded and wrote down the choice. "Mrs. Allen has always had an excellent eye. Since she chose you as her assistant, she must have seen your potential in this area."

Next, the attendant took out a thick list, flipped to a certain page, and handed it to Ron.

"Based on your aptitude and breakthrough time, you've been rated as having 'Lesser Potential.' This means you can only choose items from this list."

Ron browsed through the list, and his heart sank. The items listed were indeed quite basic.

There were several merely passable extraordinary materials, a few bottles of ordinary potions he could already brew, and some introductory books on wizardry skills like his copy of Basics of Potionology.

What interested him most was the section labeled "Meditation Method."

It listed several Gem Rank Advanced Meditation Methods, but the conditions for obtaining them were nearly harsh to the point of being impossible—

He would need to sign a service Contract with the School lasting more than fifty years. Moreover, these Meditation Methods could only raise a practitioner to the level of a High-level Apprentice. They contained nothing beyond that.

Likewise, the conditions for obtaining Zero-Ring Spell Models were exceptionally strict. They also required signing a contract specifying a certain period of service to the School.

"These conditions..." Ron frowned slightly.

"Don't complain. This is already better than what most apprentices with Lesser Potential can obtain..."

The attendant said calmly, "The School's resources are extremely limited. It's impossible for everyone to receive the best things."

"Sorry, ma'am." He took out Mrs. Allen's letter, its seal still intact. "Mrs. Allen asked me to give this to the attendant."

The attendant accepted the letter, her eyebrows lifting slightly.

She carefully examined the seal on the envelope and only opened it after confirming that it was genuine.

As she read the contents, her expression gradually became startled. She even turned the letter over to inspect the signature and seal carefully.

"This..." She looked up at Ron, and her gaze had clearly changed. It now contained a hint of scrutiny and reassessment.

"Mrs. Allen rarely writes recommendation letters for anyone, and the wording of this letter..."

She left the sentence unfinished, but Ron could feel the weight that letter carried.

"Please wait." The attendant rose and walked to a secluded corner, where she took out a rune stone and began speaking in a low voice.

The rune stone glowed faintly. After a moment, a dignified male voice came from it.

The voice was too quiet for Ron to make out the exact words, but he could sense that it belonged to someone far more powerful than an attendant apprentice—possibly a Formal Wizard.

Ron stood where he was, his thoughts stirring faintly. He wondered what Mrs. Allen had written in her recommendation letter to provoke such a reaction.

Not long afterward, the attendant returned to the testing room with a different list in her hands. Her expression had regained its composure, but she could not conceal her curiosity about Ron.

"Based on Mrs. Allen's recommendation and the confirmation of a wizard from the School, your authority has been raised to the 'Intermediate Potential' level."

She handed over the list. "This is the corresponding resource list."

Ron accepted the new list and quickly scanned it. The difference was astonishing.

Not only was the variety of items much greater, but the conditions for obtaining them had also become far more lenient.

Some precious extraordinary knowledge that required decades of service now only required a shorter service period. As for some basic items, he could even choose them directly without any additional conditions.

"Additionally," the attendant continued, "in view of your talent in Potions, you've been assigned the task of brewing potions. You'll need to submit the required quota of potions each month, while the rest of your time can be arranged freely. You may occasionally be assigned some fieldwork, but far less than ordinary apprentices without any special talent."

Ron's heart stirred. This was undoubtedly the task assignment best suited to him.

A fixed quota of potions would hone his brewing skills while leaving him enough time to pursue other forms of cultivation.

"Now, you can choose items from the list," the attendant said. "Choose carefully. This will affect your development for a very long time to come."

Ron nodded and once again read through the list carefully.

He knew how important this choice was, and rapidly compared and weighed his various options.

After pondering for a long while, he decided to choose a complete set of Potion Brewing vessels, along with a close-fitting protective undershirt.