"I-I thought you might be Madam Elena's daughter or relative…" Robb awkwardly averted his gaze, his voice tinged with obvious confusion.
She laughed again—this time more unabashedly. "Daughter? I'm an old crone who's lived for centuries. Where would I get a daughter from?"
Only now did Robb realize: though her appearance was entirely different, her speech, her sharp gaze—they were unmistakably Madam Elena's.
"But you—" He didn't quite know how to describe what he was seeing.
"There's no need to be so shocked." Madam Elena turned slightly as she explained, "During the few days each month when magic fluctuations are most active, I can temporarily return to my youthful form."
She stretched, as if relishing the comfort of her young body.
"That's also why I closed early today. During these days, I usually shut the shop and focus entirely on potion-making to catch up on a month's backlog of orders. Regular clients like Hugo know the drill."
Robb nodded, but his enhanced perception picked up far more.
With his recently strengthened spirit as an elementary apprentice, he could clearly sense the terrifying magical fluctuations emanating from Madam Elena.
That deep, abyss-like energy field wasn't something an ordinary or even advanced apprentice could possess.
A startling realization flashed through his mind: Madam Elena's current power… might already be at official wizard level.
"I'd intended to tell you this earlier," the pink-haired, stunning sorceress continued, seemingly unaware of Robb's inner turmoil. "But your conflict with Marcus landed you in confinement, so…"
Robb was curious why Madam Elena usually appeared so feeble and aged, but he wisely didn't pry.
Everyone had their secrets, and probing into them was rarely a smart move.
"Still, your timing isn't bad," her tone lightened. "Surprising, yes—but since you're here, let's talk business."
"Yes, Madam."
Now that they'd fallen back into their usual dynamic, Robb felt less awkward and respectfully responded, "I came to inform you that my confinement ended early. Also, I'd like to ask you a few questions."
Madam Elena gave him a curious look, her emerald eyes glinting with sharp insight.
"Not just your confinement, is it? Your aura's changed—you've broken through to elementary apprentice level, haven't you?"
Robb gave a small nod. "Yes. It happened by chance while I was in the confinement chamber."
"By chance?" Madam Elena raised one elegant brow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "Breaking through in that environment isn't something that just 'happens by chance.'"
She stepped around the counter and walked forward.
Her youthful body moved with grace and ease, completely unlike the hunched figure Robb was used to seeing.
"Your aura is stable. Spiritual fluctuations are even." She assessed calmly. "Better than most who've just broken through. Seems like the confinement room did you a favor."
Robb didn't deny it. "That's true. The isolation helped me focus on meditation and training."
"So then, what do you want to ask?" Madam Elena folded her arms under her chest, the pose unintentionally emphasizing her figure.
"I have two questions," Robb replied without glancing at her, keeping his words brief—he knew she preferred efficient conversations.
"My first question is about higher-level meditation methods. The basic technique no longer meets my needs."
Madam Elena nodded, unsurprised.
"Basic meditation is like an alphabet primer for toddlers—meant to be outgrown. Your spirit has definitely reached the point where it needs more advanced guidance."
"And the second?" she asked.
Robb hesitated, but chose to ask bluntly, "How much do you know about Oliver?"
At that name, Madam Elena's expression turned serious. The youthful, radiant face was suddenly shadowed by a weight and maturity that didn't match her appearance.
"Oliver? He came to see you?"
Robb gave a simple account of Oliver's visit and how he used magic crystals to get Robb out of confinement.
"That's not good news. That kid never does anything out of pure kindness. Every 'favor' he gives is part of an intricate, calculated plan."
Her fingers tapped the counter, the rhythm uneven and tense.
After a pause, she slowly walked back behind the counter. Her long fingers brushed over a row of locked drawers before stopping at one that looked utterly unremarkable—except for a faint, intricate sealing rune etched into it.
"About your first question…" A small silver key had somehow appeared in her hand.
She inserted it into the drawer's lock. With a barely audible click, the drawer slid open.
Madam Elena pulled out a small booklet bound in dark leather. Embedded on the cover was an irregular blood-red gem, glowing faintly and eerily under the shop's dim light.
"I do have some advanced meditation materials. This one, for example."
As her fingers brushed the cover, the gemstone reacted to her touch and flickered.
Her eyes became distant, deep—like they pierced through time itself.
"The Whisper of the Star-Eater—also known as the Stellar Meditation. It's a gem-tier technique, a full tier above the basic ones. Legend says it was created by a wandering sorceror whose mind was shattered by the eldritch horrors that dwell among the stars. He crafted this method while teetering on the edge of madness and clarity."
She paused on a page in the book that displayed a complex rune structure.
It looked like dozens of basic meditation runes interwoven in an impossibly intricate way, forming a larger, complete energy circuit.
"It channels spiritforce according to the movement of the stars, greatly improving efficiency—but there are risks," the pink-haired sorceress continued.
"It's perfect for someone who's broken through to elementary apprentice, and it might even carry you all the way to official wizard…"
Robb held his breath, eyes locked on the rune diagram.
Even a fleeting glance at it gave him an eerie sense of attraction, as if the symbol itself carried a kind of summoning force.