When the two left, Ron stood alone by the window, pondering this sudden variable.
"No matter. If anyone dares to spy on my research results, I’ll just bury them in the yard as fertilizer... From what Lady Allen indicated yesterday, I should have full disposal rights."
Ron shook his head, turned around, and went back to his laboratory to continue his research.
.........
At the same time, in a secret conference room of the Central High Tower of the School.
Soron Griffiths and Yuni Seraphin were having a private conversation.
"So, you’ve noticed that little guy called Ron too?"
Yuni played with a piece of crystal in her hand, her eyes flashing with amusement.
Soron nodded, reaching to rub his temple:
"His talent is indeed exceptional, and his rate of progress is astonishing. I’ve never seen anyone grasp so much knowledge and skills in such a short time."
"It’s not just a matter of speed."
Yuni added:
"What’s most surprising is that he seems to excel in numerous fields beyond ordinary comprehension. Whether it’s Spiritual Control, Elemental Affinity, or Magic Potion Making, he performs like a seasoned expert."
"Moreover, from my observations, he has also successfully activated some kind of bloodline ability."
Soron squinted his eyes: "This kind of all-rounded development is extremely rare, most apprentices focus on one or two fields."
Yuni set down the crystal: "Do you know who this reminds me of?"
Soron nodded lightly: "Corina’s student, Trish. Although her comprehensiveness is not as good as Ron’s, her growth rate is also astonishing."
The two exchanged a glance, with a knowing look in their eyes.
"Do you think he might also have other special talents?" Soron inquired.
Yuni pondered for a moment: "’Medicinal Body Resonance’ is indeed a rare talent, but it doesn’t explain his astonishing progress in all fields, unless..."
"Unless he is hiding an even more powerful talent or ability," Soron continued the thought, "or he used some unconventional method."
The two lapsed into silence, each contemplating the implications of this possibility.
Finally, Soron broke the silence:
"In any case, his potential cannot be overlooked. We should adjust his ranking in the Candidate Wizard sequence."
Yuni nodded in agreement: "He’s currently ranking nineteenth, I suggest promoting him at least two places, into the top seventeen."
"Why not directly into the top fifteen?"
Soron proposed: "At the Candidate Wizard sequence meeting in half a month, we can officially present this suggestion."
Yuni hesitated slightly: "The top fifteen is an important threshold, are you sure he’s reached that level?"
Soron smiled: "Don’t forget, we’ve both gained quite a bit of ’favors’ from him. Wouldn’t it be a waste not to cultivate such a talent early?"
Yuni thought for a moment and finally nodded: "Alright, I’ll support your proposal, but..."
A hint of caution flashed in her eyes: "Corina seems to have shown interest in him as well, which might create some... competition."
Soron’s smile remained calm:
"Competition is common, but true talent will always be discovered. I believe the future of Ron Ralph will be more brilliant than we imagine."
.........
As night fell, the workshop was brightly lit.
The familiar big-mouthed parrot flew in from the open window and delivered a letter into Ron’s hand.
He smiled faintly, unsurprised to see the rank promotion displayed in the booklet.
Feeding the prepared honeyed treat to the messenger, he received a grateful chirp in return.
Meanwhile, in a small room at the backyard, Lilia sat at the bedside, gently caressing her newly arranged humble abode.
Though only marginally better than her room in the Candidate Apprentice dormitories, at least here it’s safe and clean.
Most importantly, she was away from Keynes’ threat.
She changed out of the elaborately prepared fancy dress into the ordinary work clothes Ailan provided for her.
As she looked at her now plain self in the mirror, Lilia sighed lightly.
Ailan had already explained the rules to her, the most stringent of which was not to enter any experimental areas without permission, especially those rooms on the second floor.
"It seems I still need some time to fully integrate here," Lilia muttered to herself, a hint of determination flashing in her eyes:
"But it’s okay, I have patience."
She took a small bottle of potion from her bag and gently shook it.
This was a calming potion she made herself, helping her sleep soundly in unfamiliar environments.
"Tomorrow begins a whole new life." Lilia took a sip of the potion, lay down on the bed, and closed her eyes.
Whatever the future holds, at least for now, she has found a temporary safe haven.
And for someone like her, being safe for a day is already a great fortune.
.........
The first rays of morning sunshine poured through the window onto the floor of the simple bedroom, Lilia had already woken up, sitting by the window, combing her long hair.
This was her third day at Ron’s workshop, and each day she tried to reassess her value and identity.
She had already reported her whereabouts to Lady Allen, but the elderly lady was not surprised by her choice.
She merely reminded her to study well under Ron, while Fina seemed a bit reluctant.
Yesterday, Ailan assigned her the task of organizing the potion materials inventory, and the complicated names and properties of the materials gave her a headache.
"Today, I must do better." Lilia spoke softly to the small mirror, her eyes showing a rare determination.
Initially, when she came here, she held thoughts of seeking shelter and aligning herself with those in power, but the experiences of the past few days gradually changed her mind.
Ron was neither cold nor overly familiar with her, always maintaining an appropriate distance, which greatly surprised her.
In her past experiences, men almost always showed some degree of desire in the face of her beauty.
But Ron seemed entirely indifferent to this, his eyes focused only on Magic Potion Making and extraordinary knowledge.
More importantly, she discovered Ron’s strength was far more unfathomable than rumored.
Yesterday evening, Lilia accidentally saw Ron practicing Elemental Manipulation in the backyard.
With a gentle movement of his fingertips, the gold-red halo shone brilliantly like a miniature sun, its power awe-inspiring.
Such elemental control ability, perhaps even some Advanced Apprentices receiving individual instruction might be around this level.
"I must seize this opportunity and study diligently..."
Lilia took a deep breath, stood up and tidied her clothes, ready to start a new day.
When she arrived in the main hall of the workshop, she found Ron already waiting there, with various Magic Potion materials and tools laid out on the long table.
"Good morning, Master Ralph." Lilia greeted respectfully.
"Good morning, Lilia."
Ron nodded in response: "Today, I want to teach you some basic magic potion knowledge to test your learning ability."
Lilia’s eyes lit up: "Really? Thank you very much!"
Ron smiled slightly: "No need to thank me excessively, teaching a student with potential also benefits the mentor."
Over the next few hours, Ron patiently explained the core concepts of Basic Magic Potion Making and some simple formulas.
Unlike Lady Allen’s stern and direct teaching style, Ron focused more on guiding thought, often helping Lilia understand complex concepts through questions and demonstrations.
"You see, although Moonflower and Silver Star Vine seem contradictory in properties on the surface, if mixed in a specific ratio and added with a suitable amount of stabilizer, they can create a unique synergistic effect."
Ron explained while demonstrating the handling of materials.
Lilia observed and learned with full concentration, occasionally asking questions.