She poured the potion from the silver spoon onto a test strip. "Do you know what went wrong here?"
Robb studied the liquid carefully. With his [Herb Identification] ability, he could see tiny impurities moving through the fluid.
"It's bramble vine," he said after a moment's thought. "When I was stripping the outer bark, some fibers got mixed in."
"Very good." Madam Elena finally showed a satisfied smile.
"Being able to spot flaws at this level shows you truly have a talent for this."
She returned to the counter and pulled a contract from a drawer. "This outlines the duties and pay of an assistant."
Robb took the parchment and began to read it carefully:
Arrive one hour early every morning to prepare the shop; responsible for organizing herbs and cleaning equipment; assist in the brewing of basic potions.
"The pay is…" his eyes stopped at the last line, disbelief on his face.
"That's right," Madam Elena nodded. "Two magic stone fragments per day, plus free use of the shop's brewing equipment."
"And if you manage to help brew a usable potion, you'll get a share of the profits."
It was a generous offer. Most apprentice jobs paid no more than one magic stone fragment per day.
"Now let's talk about your schedule," Madam Elena continued.
"You'll work here three hours every morning. The rest of your time is your own."
She paused. "But remember this—any formulas you learn here are confidential. And the consequences for breaking that rule…"
Her eyes turned cold. "I don't think you want to find out."
Robb nodded. In the Black Mist Forest, breaking a contract usually led to outcomes far worse than death.
"Then it's settled." Madam Elena took out a quill. "You start tomorrow. Be early."
"Wait." Andrey, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke up.
"You're hiring him just like that? No further assessment?"
"Assessment?" Madam Elena smiled faintly. "I've lived a long time. I can still judge people."
She looked Robb over carefully. "He has talent, and he's hardworking…"
"And," she continued, "to have grasped Foundations of Potioncraft this thoroughly in such a short time speaks volumes about his aptitude."
She glanced at Andrey. "Not everyone can understand that book so deeply, right?"
Andrey shrugged. "True. I spent half a year on it and barely made progress."
"So…" Madam Elena slid the contract and quill toward Robb, "this is a win-win. You need a place to practice, and I need a gifted assistant."
She pulled out a small bottle from under the counter. It held a pale blue liquid. "Before signing, drink this."
Robb took the bottle but didn't drink right away. He carefully examined the potion while activating his [Herb Identification] again.
The liquid shimmered faintly under the light, with a special flowing consistency and a glowing edge.
Its properties matched those of a truth serum described in Foundations of Potioncraft.
Judging by its clarity and viscosity, it had been refined multiple times. There were no signs of dangerous additives.
"This is a truth serum?" Robb asked, feigning ignorance.
"That's right. It reveals whether someone harbors malicious intent," Madam Elena nodded. "It's a basic precaution here in the Black Mist Forest."
After confirming it was indeed a truth serum, Robb drank it down.
Such verification was perfectly normal in this part of the world.
"Good." Madam Elena nodded with approval. "I like cautious people. Reckless ones don't last long around here."
Her expression turned serious.
"One last thing—this shop sometimes gets customers with special backgrounds. No matter what you see or hear, keep your mouth shut."
Robb nodded solemnly. Her honesty actually put him more at ease.
—A boss who lays out the rules up front is much easier to work with than one who plays games.
...
Early the next morning, before dawn, Robb stood in front of the herb shop.
Mist drifted slowly down the street, lit by occasional glowing insects fluttering through the fog.
These were "lamp moths," unique to the Black Mist Forest. Attracted by magical energy, they often gathered near potion shops.
He had Andrey to thank for arriving so early.
"That old hag hates people who are late," Andrey had warned while helping him prep materials for his second body-tempering session.
"Last month a candidate apprentice showed up five or six seconds late, and those two vine guardians at the door whipped him out of there."
Just in case, Robb came thirty minutes early.
After his meditation session the night before, he'd reviewed the chapter on herb preservation and equipment care in Foundations of Potioncraft.
If he was going to start from the most basic tasks, he'd do it perfectly.
It was one of the few useful lessons he'd learned in noble estates—if you want to earn someone's respect, show real commitment.
In the distance, a long bell sounded.
It marked the shift between night and day in the Black Mist Forest. The bell was said to carry supernatural energy that dispelled the evil gathered overnight.
As the last note of the bell faded into the mist, the shop door opened silently.
"Come in," Madam Elena's voice called from inside. "You're more punctual than I expected."
The moment he pushed the door open, a wave of strange smells hit him.
Since becoming an [Alchemy Apprentice], Robb found his ability to distinguish scents had sharpened noticeably.
A sweet-acidic smell—probably night-bloom nectar, used in calming potions.
A spicy, fishy scent—likely the root of snakefang grass, good for neutralizing toxins.
And some other unplaceable aromas, oddly familiar and foreign at the same time.
The shop's layout looked slightly different from yesterday.
The herb shelves had been rearranged, and some rare ingredients labeled "sold" were gone, replaced by unfamiliar new stock.
"Seen enough?" Madam Elena's voice suddenly came from behind him. "Sorting this stuff is more fun than just staring at it."
She pointed to a pile of clutter in the corner. "Start by organizing that. Sort everything by magical properties. Don't let them react with each other."
Robb walked over. The pile held jars and bottles of all sorts, filled with various ingredients.
Some were already reacting with each other, glowing faintly under the dim light.