Lilith's Cottage, evening.
The moment Locke stepped out of the examination hall, he immediately noticed the crowd waiting outside—just like during the Potionology Assistant exam—with numerous job offers already prepared.
These people quickly locked onto Locke, the sole examinee who had passed the Breeder examination this time.
A swarm of individuals rushed toward him, including Second-Class Wizard Apprentice assistants and even a few First-Class Wizard Apprentices who had come in person.
"Breeder Augustine, I am an assistant from the Freck Brothers Studio. I'm here to invite you to consider joining our studio. We've recently secured an academy order for cultivating mid-to-high-grade Clean Rain Vines among other Magic Plants. We need talented Breeders like you… Our studio can offer you a generous monthly stipend of 1,200 Magic Stones..."
"Breeder Augustine, our studio also wishes for you to join us. Currently, we have several commissions from nearby small Wizard organizations to cultivate specialized improved Magic Plants… Though our monthly payment is only 900 Magic Stones, our studio boasts multiple medium-sized communal laboratories available for your free use!"
"Junior Locke, I am Breeder Lancaster. I represent the Green Sprout Studio and would like to extend an invitation to you."
A First-Class Wizard Apprentice from the crowd suddenly spoke with a confident smile. His words drew not only Locke's attention but also the surprised gazes of the surrounding recruiters from various Breeder studios.
The Green Sprout Studio was one of the largest Breeder studios within Lilith's Cottage, with a legacy spanning at least five hundred years.
Gaining entry into this studio was no easy feat—each position was highly coveted.
It was said that Breeders who trained there had a high likelihood of becoming Wizard Seeds or Senior Breeders.
Currently, Mary, the Wizard Seed specializing in the Breeder field within Lilith's Cottage, was the head of the Green Sprout Studio.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"Why is the Green Sprout Studio—the one known for nurturing the academy's future top Breeders—recruiting here at the Breeder exam site? They rarely lack personnel."
"I heard they've recently secured numerous special Magic Plant orders from the academy's combat departments—all lucrative contracts. They must be overwhelmed and are looking to recruit a newly certified Breeder to train from scratch."
"The Green Sprout Studio has been profiting greatly from wartime demands. Their current Magic Plant cultivation orders are three to four times what they'd be in peacetime. Small studios like ours can only handle minor commissions for nearby Wizard organizations—nothing compared to the scale of their projects. They wouldn't even glance at our meager contracts."
Much like Potionology Assistants, who had to choose their research focus, formal Breeders had moved beyond general education and entered the phase of selecting niche fields for specialized study.
Therefore, the advantage of more experienced breeders lies in their wealth of knowledge, while the drawback is that their expertise may not necessarily align with the current major projects of the studio.
As a result, large breeder studios within the academy have developed the practice of nurturing their own breeders from scratch.
Breeder Lancaster smiled confidently as he addressed Locke, "Junior Locke, I've reviewed your resume."
"While your background doesn't contain many outstanding achievements, you possess three remarkable qualities. First, your rapid advancement rate is exceptionally fast. Second, you've simultaneously passed the Potionology Assistant examination."
"Lastly, your ranking in the preliminary rounds of the Breeder Competition was impressively high—this has genuinely caught our attention, even... attracting the notice of Senior Mary herself."
Breeder Lancaster continued, "Our Green Sprout Studio is willing to offer you 1,500 Magic Stones per month."
"Moreover, Green Sprout Studio has a well-established system. As long as you perform well, we have a reasonable promotion structure. You could advance like I did—from a studio employee to an ordinary partner, entitled to a share of the studio's annual profits rather than just a salary."
Lancaster spoke enthusiastically. "With enough high-quality published papers and new projects created for the studio, you could eventually become a senior partner."
"Joining our studio's decision-making circle as a First Class Wizard Apprentice officially owning a studio would significantly elevate your social status."
"Of course, upon joining, your Plantation must follow the studio's arrangements. Under Green Sprout Studio's guidance, you'll cultivate specific Magic Plants and conduct corresponding research."
Clearly, this was something Lancaster personally desired, as his eyes gleamed slightly when mentioning it.
Lancaster added, "Currently, Senior Mary serves as Green Sprout Studio's administrative partner. She might even spare some time each month to design the types of Magic Plants you'll cultivate in your Plantation and determine future research directions..."
"I truly see potential in you. Will you join us, Junior Locke?"
Locke frowned slightly. Joining these studios essentially meant becoming an employee.
It was no different from working as a healer at a clinic.
As for the so-called promotions to partner, senior partner, or even administrative partner—those were just the studio's recruitment tactics.
The more prestigious the studio, the better the benefits, but the greater the restrictions on breeders. Green Sprout Studio was particularly unusual in even interfering with breeders' Magic Plant research directions.
This was rare because some Wizard Mentors, like Madam Morgana, also preferred to influence their students' research directions. Green Sprout Studio undoubtedly clashed with such mentors.
This also demonstrated the confidence of Green Sprout Studio—an established studio within the academy that had nearly become a permanent institution.
Of course, students from major aristocratic factions would likely never stoop to joining these studios.
Nor did Locke have any intention of joining them.
For most wizards, obtaining a Breeder Certificate might just be a means to join better workshops—earning money, gaining access to experimental resources, and participating in First Class Wizard Apprentice-level projects.
These were things they likely couldn't achieve on their own.
But Locke was different. He had already developed several Magic Plant projects himself, especially the Crystal Palmfire Lotus.
He had no need to join any workshop and waste his time.
Besides, he vaguely remembered that Mary's ranking in the White Wizard Association's preliminary competition was several places below his.
Locke shook his head at the overly confident Lancaster. "No, I have no intention of joining any workshop."
"Lancaster."
He didn't use the term "senior," and the reason was simple—he could sense the other's Mana, which was only around three hundred, even weaker than Angulo and Essie.
Though Locke had just recently advanced to First Class Wizard Apprentice, his Mana had already reached 455. Hearing Lancaster constantly call him "junior" left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
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