As they approached the central area of the marketplace, Robb couldn't help but look around with wide eyes.
Everything here felt fresh and new to him—
All kinds of strange vendors shouted their wares one after another:
"Fresh serpent gall! Just harvested this morning!"
"Top-grade illusion scale powder! Imported straight from the realm of fairies!"
"Clearance sale! Half-price on failed experiments!"
The market stalls were filled with dazzling goods, many of which Robb had only read about in books—
Glowing little people sealed in glass jars, floating colorful crystals, magical beasts frozen in place by spells…
A merchant with goat horns enthusiastically waved at them: "Take a look, sirs! Authentic goblin craftsmanship!"
"Don't pay attention to him," Andrey whispered. "That guy sells fakes. Loves to trick new apprentices like us."
Not far away, a snake-woman vendor with a long tail was weighing a chameleon-like salamander. Her slender forked tongue flicked as she spoke:
"Hisss… this batch came from the edge of the Abyss… three times stronger than normal… buy from me, I'll give you a discount…"
"Let's not get distracted…" Andrey patted Robb on the shoulder. "The important thing now is getting the ingredients for the Scorching Essence Oil. Let's go."
As they made their way through the market, a scene in the distance caught Robb's eye.
A middle-aged man in white wizard robes was leading more than a dozen apprentices toward the central hall of the academy.
"Who is that wizard?" Robb asked softly.
Andrey followed his gaze, and a trace of respect flashed in his eyes:
"That's Master Fernandes, a full-fledged wizard specializing in elemental magic. He holds paid consultations every month to answer questions from gifted apprentices."
"A full-fledged wizard?" Robb felt a jolt. He was both in awe and slightly terrified of beings at that level.
In his mind, a formal wizard had the authority to turn an apprentice into experimental material—an unstoppable and terrifying power.
Andrey seemed to sense his concern and smiled:
"Don't worry so much. Full wizards are indeed powerful, but most don't abuse their authority. Especially those who choose to be mentors—they truly enjoy mentoring talented students."
"You mean… they won't just randomly grab an apprentice for experiments?" Robb still found it hard to believe.
"Of course not," Andrey shook his head.
"They only punish apprentices who break important academy rules, or deal with those who've begun to mutate into dangerous threats. Honestly, if you show enough talent and potential, they'll be eager to help and guide you."
That gave Robb something to think about—it didn't align with what he'd previously believed.
"Then why does everyone seem so afraid of them…?"
"Because the power gap between a formal wizard and an apprentice is just too big—it's like comparing different species."
Andrey explained seriously, "Even advanced apprentices are like children in front of a real wizard."
The explanation eased Robb's nerves somewhat. At least he didn't have to worry about being snatched away for doing too well.
Maybe in this kind of environment, the best way to survive was to excel while staying within the rules.
"If we have time after getting the materials, you should check the mentor notice board," Andrey suggested. "It lists what each wizard is willing to teach and their criteria for taking students. Even if you're still a candidate apprentice, it doesn't hurt to start learning about it."
"Thanks," Robb said sincerely.
…
When they pushed open the weathered wooden door of the potion shop, a wave of intense smells hit them instantly.
The interior was dim, with bronze candelabras casting flickering shadows from the packed shelves onto the walls.
"We need…"
Andrey pulled out a crumpled notebook and began checking the list: "First, three portions of red sand grass."
He pointed to a glass jar speckled with red spots. "That's it—make sure the roots are intact."
Robb looked around the cluttered shelves, overwhelmed by the sheer variety of materials.
"What's this?" Robb pointed at a round container with semi-transparent spheres floating inside. They looked like eggs.
"Moon Jellyfish egg sacs," Andrey replied without looking up. "Used in making invisibility potions. Super expensive—twenty shards of magic stone each."
"Over here," Andrey moved to another shelf. "Phoenix tail pollen… ah, found it."
He carefully took down a jar of golden powder that glimmered like tiny sparks under the faint light.
"This stuff's fragile. If it touches any moisture, it's useless."
"We also need the stalks of carbon-breath grass…" He kept searching. "The one that gives off smoke—yeah, that one."
Robb watched as Andrey moved smoothly between shelves, often pausing to inspect the quality of certain items.
"This silver-glow mushroom looks a bit old," he muttered, examining a faintly glowing fungus. "But it'll have to do."
Once the final ingredient was added to the cloth bag, Andrey clapped his hands: "Alright, that's everything. Enough for you to practice multiple times."
He hesitated, glancing at his noticeably deflated coin pouch.
Just as they were about to leave after paying, the shopkeeper's raspy voice called out: "Wait a moment, young sirs."
An old crone with a deeply wrinkled face spoke. One of her eyes, glowing faint green in the candlelight, stared at them:
"Are you two interested in potion-making? I happen to be hiring an assistant…"
Robb's interest was piqued, but Andrey quickly tugged him toward the exit: "Sorry, we have other business."
They walked a fair distance before Andrey explained with a sigh:
"That old woman's infamous for being strict. Her assistants never last long. Sure, she offers a high salary, but refuses to pay even a single shard during the trial period. Eventually, no one wanted to waste their time there."
That made sense—it fit what he'd expect.
"Really?" Robb said thoughtfully. "Still, if she's offering high pay, she must have real skill."
Andrey picked up on his tone: "Wait… don't tell me you're thinking of—"
"I'm going to give it a shot tomorrow," Robb nodded and explained:
"I need hands-on experience. Instead of spending a fortune on materials and guessing on my own, I'd rather learn from someone skilled."
"Well… alright," Andrey sighed. "But I'll warn you again—that shopkeeper has a nasty temper. If you don't meet her standards, you might not even make it past day one."
"I understand," Robb smiled. "That's why I need you to come with me tomorrow."
He helped Andrey pack up the materials. "I'll go back later and schedule a time with her."
Seeing Robb so confident, Andrey felt a strange premonition—maybe this time would be different.
He handed Robb the cloth bag filled with all sorts of ingredients, a subtle look of concern in his eyes.
"This should be enough for now," Andrey said, sounding a bit pained. "Just remember—every failed attempt wastes materials."
Robb took the bag, sensing his concern.
He's probably afraid I'll mess up and try to return the ingredients, Robb thought.
After all, fifty shards of magic stone was no small amount for the exiled thirteenth prince.
Back in the room, Andrey wasted no time in starting Robb's potion training.
Their tools were crude—a chipped clay pot served as the furnace, some crooked iron rods were their stirrers, and the measuring tools were homemade cups with rough markings.
"First, chop the red sand grass root."
Andrey kept his head down, watching the reactions in the pot while instructing:
"Yes, just like that. Don't discard the fine roots—those contain the most fire energy."
As ingredients were gradually added to the pot, a strange heat began to swell within.
Tiny bubbles burst on the surface of the red liquid, releasing soft crackling sounds.
"Now add the phoenix tail pollen."
Andrey suddenly raised his voice: "Wait! Don't dump it in directly! That'll trigger a violent reaction! Sprinkle it gently and evenly."
Robb carefully followed the instructions. The golden powder formed a perfect ring on the surface before slowly sinking, sending out fiery ripples.
The first attempt was a success under Andrey's guidance. For the second batch, Andrey deliberately stayed quiet, letting Robb do everything solo to test his true skill.
To his surprise, Robb's movements were smooth and confident—as if he'd practiced hundreds of times.
Every measurement and step was precise, his timing impeccable.
While true potion-making was still far off, for this relatively simple body-tempering essence, Robb seemed more than capable.
"Could this kid really have a talent for alchemy…?"
Andrey muttered to himself. "When I was learning from Father, I had way better tools than this… and still failed so many times…"
Just as the second bottle of "Scorching Essence Oil" was completed, a translucent message suddenly appeared in front of Robb:
[First potion complete √]
[Class change conditions met:
Basic Alchemy (Proficient: 9/100) √
Successfully completed one potion √
Would you like to change your class to: Alchemy Apprentice?]