Robb had just finished his work at the herbal shop. As usual, Madam Elena was stern, but surprisingly patient today while teaching him how to concoct an anti-toxin potion.
"Don't be late tomorrow," the old witch reminded him before he left. "I've got a few new formulas that need testing."
Walking back to his dorm, Robb's mind was full.
It had been a while since he officially became an elementary apprentice. Outwardly, not much had changed—but he could clearly sense a shift in how people treated him.
"Apprentice Robb!" a familiar voice called from behind, interrupting his thoughts.
Turning, he saw Gregor—a fellow candidate apprentice who rarely spoke to him.
Gregor came from a merchant family and had always made a habit of sucking up to those in power. He never spared a glance for those with poor or average aptitude.
But now, Gregory's attitude was completely different. He jogged up with a broad, flattering smile.
"I heard you've passed your apprentice qualification! Truly admirable!"
"What do you want?" Robb asked coolly.
"Oh, nothing urgent, of course," Gregory replied with an even more ingratiating smile. "I just wondered if you needed a capable assistant? I'm quite experienced with documentation and archive research. I'm also good at accounting and fluent in three ancient dialects. If there's anything I can do…"
Robb immediately understood: the man was seeking protection—a servant contract.
In the Black Mist Forest, becoming a registered apprentice's servant at least ensured basic survival. For candidate apprentices with no future, that was already a solid outcome.
"No need. I prefer to work alone," Robb rejected flatly.
Gregory's smile froze, but he forced himself to keep up appearances.
"If you change your mind, please feel free to find me! I live in Room 34, West Wing…"
Robb didn't wait for him to finish. He turned and walked away.
But he hadn't taken more than a few steps before another voice stopped him.
"Apprentice Robb~"
A syrupy sweet female voice called out from the side.
Robb turned to see a curvaceous female apprentice walking toward him with light steps. Her robe was intentionally loose, revealing large swaths of pale skin.
He recognized her—Isabella, a candidate apprentice from a southern noble house.
She was often seen with Emily, frequenting apprentice gatherings and social events.
"I heard you're very gifted in potion-making," Isabella said sweetly, batting her large eyes. "I'm really interested in that field. Could you maybe tutor me a little?"
She deliberately leaned closer, trying to press her ample chest against his arm. A thick perfume mixed with an intimate musk wafted toward him.
But Robb, with his heightened senses as a newly advanced Apprentice Wizard, immediately picked up on something off.
Beneath the feigned awe in her eyes was clear calculation and practiced manipulation.
More disturbingly, his enhanced perception detected faint "usage marks" on her body—subtle magical traces that suggested she had experienced many sexual encounters.
She was no innocent girl. This was a seasoned seductress.
Just as Robb moved slightly to avoid her touch, more female candidate apprentices approached.
Each one was dressed provocatively, their words shamelessly suggestive.
"Apprentice Robb, I can do anything for you…"
"My family has some influence in the Kingdom of Farwynd. If you ever need—"
"I've been trained in many... pleasure techniques. I promise you'll never—"
Their words made Robb nauseous.
He knew their true intent: they wanted to attach themselves to a rising apprentice in exchange for protection—offering their bodies as a bargaining chip.
To them, he was nothing more than a convenient stepping stone, someone to cling to and discard when necessary.
"Silence!" Robb said coldly, unleashing a subtle spiritual ripple from his body.
It was one of the abilities he'd gained after becoming an Apprentice Wizard: Mental Disruption.
While not lethal, it was more than enough to disorient these unqualified apprentices.
[Mental Disruption (Novice) Experience +1]
Perhaps because the skill was now fully registered, Robb could feel his control over it had significantly improved compared to when he first acquired it.
A wave of invisible force rippled outward from him, instantly making the surrounding apprentices dizzy.
Their thoughts became jumbled. Some stumbled back, others collapsed to the ground, dazed.
"I'm not interested. I don't need servants," Robb said evenly, but his tone was chilling. "Don't pester me again. Or I won't mind removing a few of your spare parts."
He turned and walked away, leaving behind a group of dazed apprentices exchanging looks of envy and frustration.
Back at his dorm, Robb had just locked the door when a knock sounded.
"It's me, Andrey," came a familiar voice.
Opening the door, Robb found the blond 13th prince standing there, his expression somber.
"I heard you gave the candidate apprentices a lesson they won't soon forget," Andrey said, forcing a smile.
"Word travels faster than wind…" Robb stepped aside to let him in. "Those leeches were really getting on my nerves."
"It's normal," Andrey shrugged. "Every apprentice who climbs the ladder gets that 'welcome ritual.' Those without hope always look for a new leg to cling to."
Robb nodded, then noticed something off.
Andrey's usual elegance and poise were still there, but his eyes held a flicker of worry and inner conflict—like something was weighing on him.
"What's wrong?" Robb set down the potion tools he'd been organizing and looked at him seriously. "You seem troubled."
Andrey sighed and sank into a chair.
"It's nothing. Just some annoying demands from my family again."
He forced a smile, then changed the subject.
"Anyway, I heard you passed the apprentice exam. That's great news. Did the academy give you fair resource access?"
Robb didn't answer right away. Instead, he poured two cups of herbal tea he'd gotten from Madam Elena, handing one to Andrey.
"Thanks," Andrey accepted it and took a sip. "What is this? Not bad."
"A mix of Calming Grass and Moonroot," Robb said, sitting across from him. "Madam Elena says it helps with mental fatigue. Looks like you could use it."
Andrey's mouth twitched slightly—the comment had hit home.
He stared into his cup, lost in thought, as if weighing how to respond.