Grand Warlock: My System Gave Me Infinite Classes

Andrey looked around and lowered his voice:

"Cynthia has been unusually quiet lately. That's very strange. As far as I know, she's the kind who always gets even."

Robb let Andrey in and closed the door behind him. "You think she's planning something behind the scenes?"

"Very likely," Andrey nodded. "What worries me even more is that she's been spending a lot of time with Oliver recently."

"Oliver?" Robb frowned deeper. "Marcus's older brother, the one skilled in curse magic?"

"That's right." Andrey pulled out a slip of paper from his coat. "My informant brought this last night. Cynthia went to Oliver's lab and stayed there all night…"

Robb took the note and read it quickly, his expression darkening. "That's definitely not good. But all we can do for now is pick up the pace."

Andrey nodded. "I get that. I've been ramping up preparations for my bloodline awakening ritual too. By the way, how's your exam prep going?"

"Pretty well," Robb said, pointing to the scattered notes and formulas on the table. "Lady Elena gave me some key pointers. I can now confidently make most of the potions likely to be tested."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" Robb asked cautiously.

"It's me, Norris," came a slightly rushed voice from outside. "Captain Hugo asked me to bring you a letter."

Robb and Andrey exchanged a glance, then Robb carefully opened the door.

Norris stood there, holding a tightly sealed envelope. "Captain said to hand this to you directly. It's about your alchemy certification."

Robb accepted the letter, thanked him, and quickly shut the door before tearing it open.

"From Lord Hugo?" Andrey leaned over curiously.

Robb nodded and read the contents. His brows furrowed, then slowly relaxed.

"Hugo says my examiner is likely to be Master Magnus. He specializes in judging potion purity and stability."

"That's great news!" Andrey clapped Robb on the shoulder excitedly. "Magnus is known for being fair and impartial."

Robb nodded, making a mental note of Hugo's help once again. "Yeah, that means as long as I ensure the potions are good, I won't have to worry about interference."

"I should go then, so I don't get in the way of your prep."

Andrey stood, and as he reached the door, he added, "Oh right, if you need any auxiliary ingredients, just say the word. I've got favors stacked with the gray dwarf Otto, he can get rare stuff for cheap."

After seeing Andrey off, Robb carefully put away the letter and grabbed a materials list, ready to consult Lady Elena on some lingering questions.

When he pushed open the door to the apothecary, the chime rang crisply, but the usual hunched figure of Lady Elena was nowhere in sight.

The store was dimmer than usual, and the air carried a lush, cloying scent, similar to night-blooming jasmine, but thicker and sweeter.

"You really picked a perfect time to show up, boy."

A familiar raspy voice floated from the back room, except it sounded a bit lighter than usual, almost flirtatious.

Robb turned to look and once again saw the stunningly beautiful witch in her silk nightgown, standing behind the counter organizing herbs.

Her long, flowing pink-purple hair shimmered in the dim light like a waterfall of starlight. Her skin was alabaster, her eyes bright and gemstone-clear.

"Lady… are you going through that 'time of the month' again?"

Robb couldn't help but blurt it out. He already knew that Lady Elena's magic surged once a month, briefly restoring her youthful appearance, but the contrast still shocked him every time.

The pink-haired witch chuckled, a sharp yet amused sound unique to her.

"Why, do I surprise you every time I look like this?"

She took a flower from her hair and casually tucked it behind her ear, an unconscious gesture that made Robb stare for just a moment longer.

"All right, let's get to the point. You came here about the certification, right?"

"Yes, ma'am." Robb snapped back to reality and laid the material list on the counter. "I wanted to ask about stabilizing the clarity potion."

Lady Elena set aside her herbs and leaned in a little, inspecting his eyes carefully.

At this distance, even though her magical aura stung slightly, he could smell that strange, almost intoxicating floral scent.

"You haven't slept properly in days, have you?"

She frowned slightly, and subtly suppressed her magical field.

"You may look fine, but that deep fatigue can't fool me."

Robb hesitated, then gave a sheepish smile. "You caught me. I've been running nonstop practice sessions these last few days."

Lady Elena tapped the desk with a slender finger, thinking for a moment, then turned toward the back room.

"Come with me."

Robb followed her into a cozy side room, furnished with a tea table and lounge chairs.

She gestured for him to sit, then opened an ornate wooden box and took out a crystal vial.

"Drink this, it'll help clear your mind," she said, offering it to him. Her long lashes cast soft shadows on her flawless face. "But remember, this isn't a long-term solution. Overusing your mental reserves always comes at a cost."

"Thank you, ma'am," Robb said gratefully.

After verifying the potion, he took a careful sip. A cooling rush surged from his throat to his brain, instantly wiping away fatigue and sharpening his focus.

"What is this?"

"A blend of moonlight extract and soulbloom," the witch replied, twirling a strand of her shimmering hair. "My own formula."

"All right then," she continued. "Let's hear your question."

"It's about the clarity potion." Robb opened to a marked page in his notebook. "I noticed that adding stardust pollen can destabilize the solution if the temperature is even slightly high. Is there a way to make it more heat-resistant?"

Lady Elena nodded, a hint of approval in her eyes. "Good question. That flaw exists in the standard recipe. But if you pre-mix the pollen with three drops of moon dew, its stability increases significantly."

"Moon dew…" Robb repeated, quickly jotting it down.

"And another thing," Lady Elena added, leaning forward so her elegant collarbones caught the light.

"Magnus favors potions with even coloration. Consider using silverroot."

Robb looked up in surprise. "You already knew Magnus would be my examiner?"

The corner of her lips curled into a mysterious smile.

"There are no true secrets in the Black Mist Order, child. Not to those of us with keen ears."

She walked gracefully to a cabinet and deftly retrieved a bundle of herbs from different drawers.

"These are for you," she said, placing several neatly packaged ingredients on the table.

"Each one is top quality, enough for all your pre-exam practice."

Robb took them with a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. "This is too generous, ma'am."

"No need to be so formal," she said, waving a hand and smiling warmly. "You're the most talented student I've ever seen. I have high hopes for you. Besides…"

She paused, her emerald eyes gleaming with a kind of satisfaction Robb had never seen before.

"You might not have noticed, but your growth lately has already begun to return some… 'favors' to me."