Truth

Li Ang looked at the two honey-like potions and calculated the income from this commission.

As before, Li Ang used his badge to summon Ginny. Before long, the workshop doors were pushed open, and Ginny's respectful figure appeared at the entrance.

"Apprentice Li Ang, may I ask..." Halfway through her words, her gaze fell upon the two honey-like potions on the workbench. She froze on the spot. Her mouth fell open unconsciously, as though she had witnessed the most unbelievable sight in the world. Pointing at the two bottles, even her fingers trembled as she stammered in shock:

"Su... supreme quality? Goddess above... You... you actually brewed supreme-quality Calming Potions!"

Ginny's face was filled with disbelief. She even wondered whether she was dreaming. Otherwise, how could something so absurd be possible?

An apprentice who had joined the school only days ago had brewed supreme-quality Calming Potions—something that at the very least required an Apprentice Wizard to accomplish? And two bottles at that?

However, Ginny quickly realized her loss of composure. She hastily bowed to Li Ang and said respectfully:

"I'll calculate your payment for this commission right away. Please wait a moment." After Ginny's careful calculations, Li Ang's payment for this commission came to nine gleaming silver coins and several copper coins.

In high spirits, Li Ang returned to his dormitory on the third floor. This money was enough for him to eat premium meals every day for a month, and he could also use it to buy some necessities, such as a magic lamp.

He pushed open his dormitory door and found the room spotless. The items on the desk had also been arranged in perfect order.

Lottie was sitting on the wooden chair before the desk. Hearing the door open, she hurriedly rose to her feet, forcing an exceedingly strained smile onto her pale face. Her somewhat swollen eyes darted away, not daring to meet Li Ang's gaze.

More than half of Li Ang's good mood vanished in an instant. He shut the door, his brows knitting slightly. "Lottie? Why do you look so pale? What happened?"

He noticed Lottie nervously twisting the hem of her clothes between her fingers. It was a sign of extreme unease. Had one failed potion brewing really struck her so hard? Or had something else happened?

Lottie lowered her head, her voice trembling with obvious shame. "Mr. Li Ang... I... I'm sorry... I deceived everyone..."

Li Ang's heart stirred, and he formed some guesses. He did not rush her, merely watching quietly and waiting for what came next.

"I... I actually... never condensed an Astral Star at all..." Lottie's voice carried a sob as she finally gathered the courage to raise her head, looking at Li Ang through tear-filled eyes.

"The examination when I arrived... that wizard... he... he used to be my grandfather's friend."

She sniffled, doing her best to keep her tears from falling.

"He... he pitied the Polk Lineage's situation, so... so he tampered with the records a little and let me slip into the reserve apprentice ranks."

Hearing this, Li Ang's brows could not help but furrow, but he did not interrupt Lottie. He continued to listen quietly as she spoke.

"He said... he said he would only help me this once. If I still couldn't condense an Astral Star before the first potion examination a month later, then... then there would be no turning back..."

"I originally thought... with a month's time, if I worked desperately hard, maybe... maybe there was still hope..." Her voice grew softer and softer, filled with despair.

"But today... the explosion in class... Instructor Edwin examined my spiritual power... He... he found out..."

Lottie's tears finally rolled down her cheeks. "Instructor Edwin said that according to Tower rules, someone in my situation should have their qualifications revoked immediately and be expelled from the Tower... But... but considering that the Polk Lineage is a wizard family, and that my grandfather had once contributed to the school... he gave me one final chance..."

"One week..." She held out a trembling finger.

"Only one week. If I can successfully condense my first Astral Star within a week and independently brew a qualified bottle of Night Owl Potion, he'll pretend this never happened... Otherwise... otherwise..." She could not continue. She could only look helplessly at Li Ang, her eyes filled with fear and pleading.

"I know this is too much... utterly shameless..." Lottie's voice was full of self-loathing. "Mr. Li Ang, you've already helped me so much... and I... I still dare to make such a request... I truly don't know what to do anymore... The only person around me who might be able to help... is you..."

As she spoke, she seemed to make up her mind about something and took a somewhat worn notebook from her clothes.

Lottie held the notebook in both hands and offered it to Li Ang. Her cheeks flushed bright red with shame.

"Th-this is the notebook of potion-brewing insights my grandfather left behind... It records his understanding and techniques for brewing certain potions... Although... although it may be nothing to someone as talented as you... this is the only thing I have that I can offer..."

"I know... I know this payment is nowhere near enough to make up for the time and effort you would waste... But I truly... truly have nothing else... Please..."

Li Ang looked at the notebook carrying an aged aura, then at the tearful girl before him, who was on the verge of collapse. The little displeasure he felt over her using privilege to cheat gradually faded away.

He suddenly understood Matthew's change somewhat. Sometimes, differences in class truly created an unbridgeable gulf. Take this matter, for instance: Lottie herself had done nothing wrong. She had merely accepted the kindness another wizard had shown to her and her Lineage. Yet even so, Li Ang had still felt a trace of displeasure just now, believing that the girl before him had exercised privilege and broken the rules.

He reached out, but instead of taking the notebook immediately, he gently pushed back Lottie's hands holding it.

Lottie's eyes instantly dimmed, filling with despair as she thought Li Ang had rejected her.

However, Li Ang's voice was calm and gentle. "I can help. But this notebook is your grandfather's keepsake. It holds extraordinary meaning for you and your Lineage. Keep it yourself."

Lottie froze, staring at him blankly.

"If you don't mind," Li Ang continued, "lend me the notebook afterward so I can copy it."

Lottie stared blankly at Li Ang at first. Several seconds later—

"Mr. Li Ang... thank you... thank you..." She choked up, nearly incoherent. "Thank you... I really... I don't know what to say..."

Li Ang sighed softly. "One week is very tight. Tonight, go back and copy out Basic Meditation Principles once to deepen your impression. Come here tomorrow morning for training."

"As for now," Li Ang said with a smile, "go eat something first."

A hearty dinner could make someone forget their worries for a while. After bidding farewell to Lottie, whose face had regained a little color, Li Ang began thinking about how he could help her.

The first thing that came to mind was deepening her understanding through copying. But without a pen like his, the insight gained this way would not be much.

Yet Li Ang did not dare casually grant Lottie permission to use that feather pen. After all, she came from a wizard Lineage. If she discovered the pen's secret... If the pen was not an option, then only Calming Potions remained. Though he had never used one directly, the effect of Calming Potions was to assist meditation, so they should help her condense an Astral Star.

But this concerned Lottie's fate, and Li Ang did not dare use the workshop's herbs directly, fearing some mishap.

It seemed he would have to leave the Tower tomorrow. It just so happened that this batch of apprentices had been suspended from classes and were all copying flyers.