Locke said to Tilly, "I'm assigning you a task. A third-class wizard apprentice named Pierre will arrive this afternoon. He's my friend, so do your best to ensure his safety during the experiments."
"You'll be responsible for testing the effects of Memory Ointment on wizard apprentices. Record his memory improvement daily using standardized forms, and document all suspected side effects."
"This will continue for three months."
Tilly hugged her documents and replied, "Understood, boss."
"I've got it all memorized."
She clearly valued this job greatly, repeating Locke's instructions under her breath to ensure she remembered every detail perfectly.
Locke then turned to the three Wizard Seedlings under his supervision, his tone softening slightly. After all, these weren't his employees or students—they were merely loaned to him by Professor Sophia for a limited time.
He needed to maintain just the right attitude toward them.
Speaking more gently, Locke said, "I'm giving you a learning opportunity. You'll be responsible for conducting control group experiments with mice using Memory Ointment, recording the status of three test groups daily."
"One group receives no ointment, one group gets half the standard dose, and one group receives the full daily amount. The three of you will monitor each other to prevent data falsification. This is a rare educational chance for you."
"If you have any questions, you may ask Tilly."
"As a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, she's fully qualified to guide you. Make the most of this valuable learning experience—it will serve you well in the future."
The three Wizard Seedlings all bowed to Locke, promising to study diligently.
Locke wasn't entirely misleading them—this truly would count as both work experience and educational training.
When they eventually became Second-Class Wizard Apprentices and sought employment, this experience would become one of their most impressive credentials, significantly boosting their competitive edge.
In principle, if Professor Sophia hadn't had so few students, Locke would have needed to administer an exam to select who deserved such an opportunity.
Therefore, the two locally-born Wizard Seedlings and the overseas-born Leo Siss had no complaints whatsoever—in fact, they were quite enthusiastic about the arrangement.
After some hesitation, Leo spoke to Locke: "Senior, I've been studying Green Cleansing Grasp using your creation—the Super Mandrake Vine. But I have some questions. May I ask you?"
"I've consulted Senior Tilly, but she admitted she wasn't certain either. My confusion mainly concerns the interpretation of Ogham Tree Runes."
The two local wizard apprentices looked at Leo in surprise. They always became so nervous around Locke they could barely speak, and never imagined Leo would dare seize this casual moment to pose questions to Lord Locke.
Locke paused momentarily, then smiled.
Leo originated from the mundane world overseas, born as a gladiator slave, which greatly influenced his character—both for better and worse.
But on the positive side, he was indeed far braver than many sheltered flowers.
He possessed certain qualities that ordinary White Wizards lacked.
In this regard, Locke felt they shared some similarities.
Locke gave a slight nod. "I'm heading to the Healing Hand Clinic soon, so I'll only give you five minutes. Ask away."
Leo let out a relieved sigh. After interacting with other Wizard Seedlings living on Dwarf Street recently, he had learned that not all seniors refrained from collecting "tuition fees."
Some seniors under certain Wizard Mentors not only demanded these fees but also required Wizard Seedlings to share the Magic Stones they earned from side jobs.
Their reasoning was that since their skills were taught by the seniors, the seniors had the right to a share of their earnings.
Only after learning this did Leo realize just how good Locke had been to them.
For someone like him, born a gladiator slave, this kindness carried an especially unusual warmth.
Leo immediately laid out his questions, and Locke answered concisely and swiftly.
Five minutes later, Locke spoke to Leo, who was still deep in thought. "Hmm, you've gained some understanding of Green Cleansing Grasp. That's good."
"Even though your talent is only Tier 3, as long as you maintain this habit of diligent thinking, one day, your efforts will bear fruit. Talent doesn't define everything."
Encouraged, Leo nodded excitedly. "Senior, thank you for your encouragement."
"I'll strive to become a Potionology Assistant with you as my goal. I'll work very hard for you."
Locke exchanged a few more casual words with him before turning and mounting his Engel Swift-Spin Snail.
The snail swiftly left the city, heading toward the valley where the Healing Hand Clinic was located.
"My plantation and Pharmaceutical Room are both developing at a steady pace. That's good." Locke dismounted the snail and entered the Healing Hand Clinic. "I've also made some progress in learning the Lesser Emerald Potion recently. Once I master it completely, the money I can earn here will become quite substantial."
Locke walked up to the second floor, where Angulo and Essie, now his friends, quickly approached to greet him.
Essie said, "Locke, you're finally here. Today, we have a particularly troublesome Second-Class Wizard Apprentice—she's suffering from a curse related to Magic Plants. Among the three of us, only you're a Breeder. Come take a look."
"Oh, right, this is Angulo's patient. Angulo couldn't handle it and came to me for help, but what could I do?"
Beside her, Angulo coughed awkwardly before speaking to Locke. "Locke, this patient's condition is complicated. Come take a look—my Wizard Mentor insisted I cure her."
Locke looked at them in confusion. "A Second-Class Wizard Apprentice? Can she even afford this? Shouldn't she be treated on the first floor?"
Essie quickly explained to Angulo, "This patient is a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice from Verdantia University, here for a Potionology research exchange. She has a sixth-level qualification and came with her mentor."
"But she was ambushed by the Blood Curse Court along the way. So, the higher-ups at our academy demanded we treat her for free, otherwise it would make our academy lose face. Verdantia University seems to value her highly—her name is Ruixing, I believe."
"She studies Potionology herself, but since only First-Class Wizard Apprentices can take the Magic Potion Assistant Certification exam, she hasn't obtained any certificates yet."
Locke blinked—that name sounded vaguely familiar.
Wait...
Verdantia University...
A playful expression crossed Locke's face. "I think I might have met this person before."
Angulo and Essie looked puzzled. Essie asked, "Locke, I don't recall you ever leaving Lilith's Cottage much."
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