Ron nodded. The lingering discomfort from the body tempering hadn't fully subsided, but since he had already agreed to go, there was no turning back.
"Then I'll go with you," Andre offered, thoughtful. "That shopkeeper… supposedly has quite the background."
"You mean?"
"I'm not entirely sure," he shrugged. "But anyone who can open a shop in the Black Mist Forest definitely isn't ordinary."
The two retraced their steps. Morning light had already dispelled most of the gloom that had blanketed the forest earlier. As they passed a cluster of mutated fungi, Ron noticed the fluorescent mushrooms looked more vivid than before.
"This is…"
"Your perception has improved," Andre explained, a knowing smile on his face. "After body tempering, all five senses become sharper. The change you're noticing now is probably equivalent to the leap from a normal person to…"
He paused, searching for the right words. "…a qualified Knight Squire. Still not at the level of an Elementary Apprentice, but getting there."
Ron's heart stirred. The improvement was definitely obvious. Not just visually—he could now perceive faint magical fluctuations in the air more clearly. Of course, some of this benefit came from the bonus granted by his Potion Apprentice job change. But he wasn't ready to share that with Andre just yet.
"We're here."
They stood before the herbal medicine shop. The worn wooden door was firmly shut, and a bronze wind chime hung on the doorframe. The breeze stirred it, producing a soft, crisp sound.
"Strange…" Andre frowned. "It should be open by now."
At that moment, the wind chime suddenly began to shake violently, producing a sharp, piercing ring.
Then came a raspy voice from inside: "Come in. I've been expecting you for quite some time."
Ron and Andre exchanged a quick glance. Both could see the wariness in each other's eyes.
In the Black Mist Forest, anything out of the ordinary could spell danger.
Still, they had already come this far. Turning back now might arouse suspicion—or even hostility. Sometimes retreat was riskier than pressing forward.
They pushed open the door. A mix of strange, pungent aromas immediately greeted them.
Thanks to his enhanced perception, Ron could now clearly distinguish the magical signatures in the air—some radiating vitality, others brimming with poison.
The shopkeeper sat behind the counter, a crystal ball emitting wisps of purple smoke before her.
He hadn't dared look too closely during his previous visit, but this time, Ron took a proper look. Her face reminded him of the witch Yubaba from Spirited Away—sharp eagle-like nose, a hunched posture, and deeply wrinkled skin that looked like dried riverbeds. The resemblance made her appear both bizarre and terrifying.
At that moment, the old witch studied them with glowing green eyes filled with deep, unreadable meaning.
"The blessing of the Sun…"
Her voice broke the silence, her gaze locked onto Ron. "Though incomplete, still a rare thing."
Ron's heart skipped a beat. He had changed his clothes. The golden markings should have been fully concealed.
"No need to be surprised," the shopkeeper said, revealing a faintly amused smile. "In the face of mystical perception, such simple disguises are meaningless."
Her gaze shifted to Andre.
"And you—the little prince of the Farouk family. Planning to cash in on your family's legacy?"
Andre's expression froze. "You are…"
"Relax, child. You may call me Mrs. Ellen," she said, waving her hand as she began tidying up some cluttered tools on the table. "I have no interest in the squabbles of your royal family."
She then pulled a rusty iron box from under the counter.
"Your grandfather used to visit often when he was young. Just fifteen years old, always shouting about becoming a great Wizard…"
She suddenly paused, her gaze drifting as if caught in memory.
After a moment, her attention snapped back to Ron.
"So—you're here to apply for the assistant position?"
"Yes," Ron answered, trying to keep his tone calm.
Though the old woman didn't seem hostile, her mere presence brought an overwhelming pressure, a clear sign of her superior strength.
"Hmm…" Mrs. Ellen studied him for a moment. "Good talent in Potion Studies, solid foundations. However…"
Ron stiffened. How could she tell his level with just a glance? He hadn't even begun to demonstrate anything.
"However," she continued, standing up, "theory alone isn't enough."
She motioned for them to follow. "Come. Let me see your practical skills."
They followed her past rows of shelves to a back room.
As the door opened, a wave of potent herbal scent swept over them.
It was a simple brewing room. Several workbenches stood ready, cluttered with instruments. On the shelves, various herbs—some glowing faintly—were organized neatly.
"Use these," she gestured to a set of materials on one of the workbenches. "Brew a bottle of Mind Enhancement Potion."
She noticed Ron's momentary hesitation and offered a small, cryptic smile. "Don't worry about failing. These are all basic materials. Besides…"
Her smile deepened. "With your current level, there shouldn't be any serious issues."
Ron stepped up to the bench and began examining the ingredients.
His [Herbal Identification] skill, gained through the job change, activated automatically. It let him accurately assess the properties of each herb.
The selection included:
Moonlight Grass, with translucent silver leaves soaked in moonlight—ideal for calming the mind;
Mandragora Root, sliced thinly with faint blue glows along the edges—used to gently stimulate mental focus;
Thorn Vine, its thorny stem tips glinting with red light—commonly used to stabilize medicinal interactions;
And a few other unfamiliar herbs, whose properties Ron could still evaluate thanks to his identification skill.
"They're all ones I've studied. This should be manageable," he murmured.
The combination of herbs was subtle. Moonlight Grass calmed the spirit, Mandragora Root energized it, and Thorn Vine acted as a preservative. The rest of the herbs complemented this core interaction.
The real difficulty lay in the proportions. Even the slightest imbalance could ruin the whole potion.
Ron mentally reviewed what he had learned from Fundamentals of Potions. Though basic, the Mind Enhancement Potion required a nuanced understanding of each ingredient's characteristics to produce a refined result.
"Feel free to use any of the tools," Mrs. Ellen said casually, her gaze never leaving Ron. She was clearly observing every move.
Andre leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, trying to look relaxed. But inwardly, he was tense. He feared that a mistake might anger the old witch—and trap them both.
Ron took a deep breath and started preparing.
First, the Moonlight Grass. He carefully tore the leaves along the veins, preserving the integrity of the herb's active properties.
Next, the Mandragora Root. Cutting it horizontally would release too much energy at once. Instead, he sliced it at a diagonal to allow for slower, controlled release.
Then came the Thorn Vine. Its outer layer had to be peeled with a silver blade. Using other tools would trigger adverse reactions with the other materials.
[Herbal Identification (Entry)] Experience +1
[Magical Potion Brewing (Entry)] Experience +1
Every motion refined his understanding. His improved perception helped him sense subtle interactions between the components, letting him judge timing and quantities with remarkable precision.
"Good technique," Mrs. Ellen finally said. "It seems you've studied your fundamentals well."
Ron remained silent, focused on the task. He was now adjusting the potion's composition.
His upgraded senses allowed him to detect minute shifts in the potion's state. He could feel the subtle turbulence within the mixture as he added each ingredient.
When the final component entered the copper cauldron, the potion's color began to shift—from murky to clear, until it finally settled into a warm amber hue.
"Just in time," Mrs. Ellen said, glancing at her pocket watch.
She leaned closer and inspected the liquid in the pot. "Color and consistency are within the standard range."
Scooping a bit with a silver spoon, she fanned the aroma toward her face and nodded slightly.
"Excellent precipitation of medicinal properties," she concluded. "You clearly understand the nuances of these materials."
Just then, her expression turned sharp.
"However…"