She poured the medicine from the silver spoon onto a test strip: "Do you know what's wrong with this?"
Ron carefully observed the pool of medicinal liquid. With the help of his [Medicinal Herb Identification] ability, he could see some tiny impurities moving around in the liquid.
"It's a thorn vine," he said after a moment's thought. "When I was peeling off the outer skin, some fibers got mixed in."
"Very good." Mrs. Allen finally showed a satisfied smile:
"Being able to spot flaws of this caliber shows that you truly have a talent for it."
She returned to the counter and took out a contract from the drawer: "This is the assistant's job description and compensation."
Ron took the parchment and began to read it carefully:
Arrive at the shop an hour early every morning to prepare; responsible for organizing medicinal herbs, cleaning equipment; and assisting in the refining of basic magic potions.
"The reward is..." His gaze lingered on the last line, somewhat incredulous.
"That's right, two magic stone fragments every day, plus free use of the shop's refining equipment."
Mrs. Allen nodded. "Of course, if you can help concoct a qualified potion, you will receive an additional share."
This is quite generous. You should know that most apprentices' part-time jobs only pay one magic stone fragment a day at most.
"Now that we've discussed the compensation, let's talk about your work arrangements," Mrs. Allen continued.
"You will work here for three hours every morning, and the rest of the time is yours to do as you please."
She paused, then added, "However, I must remind you of one thing: all the recipes you learn here must be kept secret. The consequences of breaking the rules..."
The old witch's eyes turned cold: "I don't think you want to know either."
Ron nodded. In the Black Mist Forest, the consequences of breaking a contract were often more terrible than death.
"Then it's settled." Mrs. Allen took out a quill pen. "Start work tomorrow. Remember, early."
"Wait a minute." Andrei, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up:
"You're just hiring him like this? Don't you need to do any further evaluation?"
"Inspection?" Mrs. Allen smiled slightly. "I've lived for so many years, I still have a good eye for people."
Her gaze swept over Ron: "He has good talent, and he works so hard."
"Moreover..." Mrs. Allen continued, "His ability to master 'Fundamentals of Potions' to such a high degree in such a short time is a testament to his aptitude for potions."
She glanced at Andrei: "Not everyone can read this book so thoroughly, right?"
Andrei shrugged: "Indeed, I've been researching for half a year without making any progress."
"So…" Mrs. Allen pushed the contract and quill pen in front of Ron:
"This is a win-win situation. You need a place to practice, and I need a talented assistant."
She took a small bottle from under the counter containing a pale blue liquid: "Drink this before signing the contract."
Ron took the bottle but didn't act immediately. He carefully observed the potion while silently activating his [Herbal Identification] ability.
The pale blue liquid exhibits a unique fluidity under dim light, with a slight sheen at the edges.
This characteristic is very similar to the Word Potion he saw in "Fundamentals of Potions".
Moreover, judging from the transparency and fluidity of the liquid, it should be a finished product that has undergone multiple purification processes and is not mixed with any dangerous ingredients.
"Is this the Truth Potion?" Ron asked, feigning ignorance.
"That's right, it can show whether a person is malicious." Mrs. Allen nodded. "In the Black Mist Jungle, this is a basic precaution."
After repeatedly confirming that it was the Truth Potion, Ron drank it all in one gulp.
This level of verification is perfectly normal in the Black Mist Jungle.
"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 serious:
"However, I must remind you that there are often guests of special status here. Whatever you see or hear, you must keep it a secret."
Ron nodded solemnly; this reminder only made him feel more at ease.
An employer who explains the rules beforehand is always easier to deal with than one who hides them.
...
Early in the morning, before dawn, Ron was already standing at the entrance of the herbal medicine shop.
The morning mist drifted slowly through the streets, and occasionally, small, glowing insects could be seen fluttering in the mist.
These are "light butterflies" unique to the Black Mist Forest. They are attracted by magical fluctuations and often appear near medicine shops.
We arrived so early thanks to Andrei's reminder last night.
"That old woman hates people who aren't punctual." Andrei was helping him organize the materials for his second body-strengthening session at the time.
"Last month, a candidate apprentice applied for the job, but because he was five or six seconds late, he was pulled out by the two moving vines at the door."
So, just in case, Ron arrived half an hour early.
After finishing his meditation last night, he began to review the content on the preservation of medicinal materials and maintenance of equipment in "Fundamentals of Potions".
Since we're starting with the most basic tidying up, we must do it perfectly.
This was one of the few useful lessons he learned at the noble estate—to gain the approval of others, one must show sufficient sincerity.
At that moment, a long, drawn-out bell rang out from afar.
That was the sign of the alternation of day and night in the Black Mist Forest. It was said that the sound of the bell contained some kind of extraordinary power that could dispel the evil spirits that accumulated at night.
As the last chime faded into the morning mist, the shop door opened silently.
"Come in," Mrs. Allen's voice came from inside the shop. "You're more punctual than I expected."
The moment the door was opened, a variety of peculiar smells wafted out.
After changing his job to [Potion Apprentice], Ron found that his ability to identify these scents had significantly improved.
The nectar that tastes both sour and sweet is probably from the night-blooming jasmine, which is the main ingredient used to make calming medicines.
The spicy and fishy smell is probably from the roots and stems of snake tooth grass, which can neutralize most of the toxins.
There was also a certain indescribable flavor that made him feel both familiar and strange.
The store's layout seems to have changed somewhat compared to yesterday.
The medicinal herbs on the shelves had been rearranged; some rare materials labeled "sold out" were gone, replaced by some new items whose names I didn't know.
"Have you seen enough?" Mrs. Allen's voice suddenly rang in my ears: "Organizing these things is much more interesting than looking at them."
She pointed to a pile of miscellaneous items in the corner: "First, sort these out. Note that they should be sorted according to their medicinal properties, so that they don't interfere with each other."
Ron walked closer and saw that the pile of junk contained various bottles and jars, each containing different medicinal herbs.
Some have even begun to react with each other, emitting a faint fluorescence in dim light.