The Dark Mage Of The Magus World-Chapter 118 - 119: The Apprentice’s Trial

"Hold on a moment before you go."

Lary rose from his seat, his gaze sharp.

"Let’s see if your alchemy skills have dulled. I have an order for a batch of Memory Elixirs—brew one for me."

Hutson felt a strange sense of déjà vu—like a graduate student under his advisor’s scrutiny in his past life.

Without another word, Lary led him into his private laboratory. Inside, shelves were lined with vials, glowing in soft, eerie hues. Every ingredient for the Memory Elixir was already prepared.

The Memory Elixir was a potion that stabilized mental energy, a staple for sorcerers. Whenever they conducted high-risk experiments or suffered from mental exhaustion, a single sip could restore clarity.

A high-tier potion, its market price ranged between sixty and seventy magic stones per vial.

For Hutson, however, it wasn’t particularly challenging. It was actually simpler than the Twilight Draught he had brewed before.

With practiced hands, he began processing the ingredients, moving effortlessly through the steps of alchemical refinement.

However, he deliberately made minor miscalculations in some areas—just enough to appear imperfect.

When the potion was complete, Lary inspected it, nodding thoughtfully.

"Not bad. There are a few areas you could refine further, but for a first attempt, this is impressive."

Hutson listened intently as Lary pointed out every flaw—including the exact spots where he had intentionally held back.

His keen observation left Hutson momentarily speechless.

He’s even sharper than I expected...

Rather than protest, he absorbed the feedback as if he were engraving it onto his soul, eager to correct and improve.

Hutson tried again.

This time, he allowed himself to perform a little better—not enough to seem unnatural, but just enough to show clear improvement.

When the potion was complete, Lary examined it carefully, then clapped him on the shoulder.

"Excellent work! I have an order for fifty of these. You’ll be working hard for the next few days. I’ll pay you twenty magic stones as compensation—consider it both practice and payment."

Hutson immediately understood—this wasn’t just a test.

Lary was putting him to work.

Still, he had no complaints. At least he was getting paid. Even if it wasn’t much, it was still better than nothing.

Besides, Lary had helped him so much—he didn’t mind returning the favor.

Hutson wasted no time and got to work immediately.

With an abundance of ingredients at his disposal, he could brew seventeen to eighteen vials per day. The entire order would be completed in just two or three days.

Meanwhile, Lary, freed from the tedious work, retreated to his study, leaving Hutson alone in the lab.

Before leaving, he gave a final instruction:

"Head home by dusk. If anything comes up, call for me."

"Understood, Master."

Hutson felt invigorated—as if he had returned to the days when he toiled under a strict mentor’s watchful eye.

For him, this wasn’t just a job—it was training.

Most sorcerer apprentices had no access to this many materials for practice. Every batch was an opportunity to sharpen his alchemical prowess.

However, he was careful not to make every potion perfect.

Even with his AI chip assistant aiding his craft, it would be too suspicious if every single batch turned out flawless.

Instead, he produced a mix—some high-quality, some standard, and even a few subpar batches.

A true craftsman doesn’t achieve perfection every time.

Two days later, the task was complete.

Hutson had carefully controlled his performance, ensuring he appeared better than the average sorcerer apprentice, but not excessively so.

Lary inspected the fifty finished potions, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

"Impressive work. I frequently get these kinds of orders—if you’re interested, I’ll call on you again."

Hutson readily agreed.

"Of course, Master. Just let me know."

The pay was modest, but he gained valuable experience. Besides, he didn’t mind a little hard work—especially when it brought him closer to mastery.

Many apprentices would kill for such an opportunity—even if there were no payment at all.

Of course, Lary wouldn’t trust just any apprentice with his orders. Inferior hands could cost him money instead of making him profit.

But Hutson’s skills had earned his trust.

And that trust meant less work for Lary.

An apprentice, after all, exists to handle the master’s menial tasks.

Before Hutson left, Lary gave him another piece of news:

"You’ve advanced to a Third-Class Sorcerer Apprentice. That comes with a few privileges—you can now access the second floor of the library."

Hutson’s eyes lit up.

"Do I need to register for access?"

The library held vast knowledge, and he had many gaps to fill.

Lary shook his head.

"No need. The moment you advanced, Moonlight Woodland automatically recorded it."

Hutson nodded in understanding.

"I see. I wonder what kind of tasks they’ll assign me now..."

Lary’s expression grew thoughtful.

"It could be anything. The war only recently ended, and there’s still much that needs to be dealt with. Third-Class Apprentices are valuable assets to Moonlight Woodland."

Hutson gave a bitter smile.

"I just hope it’s nothing too dangerous."

All he wanted was to train in peace until he could advance to a full-fledged sorcerer.

But in Moonlight Woodland, assignments weren’t optional.

Once an order was given, it had to be followed.

Only after becoming a full sorcerer would he be freed from his obligations.

To Moonlight Woodland, a Third-Class Apprentice was finally someone useful.

First-Class and Second-Class Apprentices had little value—too weak to be of use.

Except in times of war.

Then, the weak became nothing more than expendable pawns.

Leaving Lary’s residence, Hutson made his way into town, purchasing food and supplies.

His home had been neglected for too long, and he needed to restock.

With 3,785 magic stones in his possession, he was, by apprentice standards, immensely wealthy.

He made his next objective clear—

Ancient Potions: 900 magic stones per vial.

Amanda’s Elixir: 100 magic stones per vial.

"I finally have enough magic stones to buy proper potions."

From now on, his days would be dedicated to study and meditation, all in pursuit of the final threshold—

The rank of a true sorcerer.

He had no intention of leaving Moonlight Woodland unless absolutely necessary.

Until he became a full sorcerer, he would not take a single step beyond its borders.

Patience was the path to power.

And he would wait as long as it took.