Lilith's Cottage, Breeder Assessment Site.
Locke noticed that there were five Breeder Assistants participating in this assessment, only two of whom—including himself—were from Lilith's Cottage. The remaining three were from other minor Wizard organizations.
At the Formal Breeder assessment site, there were three Formal Wizards from Lilith's Cottage. Their white Wizard robes bore the badges of Senior Breeder certification, along with medals for the award-winning Magic Plants they had developed in the Southeast Corner Domain.
The most distinguished among them was undoubtedly the figure seated in the center, clad in a purple Wizard robe and wearing a violet Wizard Hat, around which a sapphire arcane orb hovered.
This was Madam Morgana, Sophia's mentor.
Locke withdrew his gaze from Madam Morgana and, along with the other four Breeder Assistants, bowed to the three Formal Wizards—who also served as Senior Breeders—overseeing the assessment.
The three Breeder Assistants from the minor Wizard organizations were visibly more nervous. Their movements were stiff from tension, and even their voices trembled slightly as they spoke during the bow.
In smaller Wizard organizations, Formal Wizards were often limited to one or two individuals, holding even higher status than those in Lilith's Cottage. Such organizations were practically ruled by their word alone.
Beside Morgana stood Jonas Cortes, a Formal Wizard and Senior Breeder, renowned for inventing a high-tier Magic Plant called boundary marker moss, capable of generating a first-tier Barrier on its own.
The Barriers surrounding the various Alchemy Cabins in Lilith's Cottage were cast using the seeds of this advanced Magic Plant as spellcasting mediums.
It was a textbook example of a high-tier Magic Plant, said to possess characteristics utterly incomparable to apprentice-level variants.
High-tier Magic Plants were the domain of Senior Breeders.
So far, Locke had only worked with mid-to-low-tier Magic Plants.
Jonas Cortes, a silver-haired elder, cleared his throat and said, "Verdant Nursery, Seven-Colored Star Garden, Symbiotic Company, and our two Breeder Assistants from Lilith's Cottage—is everyone present?"
"Then, let the assessment begin."
Jonas Cortes nodded slightly to Madam Morgana and the other Senior Breeder, though his deference to Madam Morgana was noticeably greater. Her standing among Formal Wizards was higher as well.
He then addressed the participating Breeder Assistants: "Breeders hold a very special place in the hearts of Wizards specializing in plant magic within the Southeast Corner Domain. We explore Magic Plants, study them, document them, and preserve them..."
With a wave of his hand, the entire assessment site—previously a plain stone chamber—suddenly transformed into a scene of birdsong and floral fragrance. Tender green shoots sprouted from the crevices in the walls, and radiant blossoms bloomed throughout the stone room.
The younger Breeder Assistant from the symbiotic company couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful."
Jonas Cortes affirmed, "Indeed, it's simply too beautiful."
"The field of breeding is an aesthetic pursuit. Senior Breeders can even personally alter local ecosystems and recreate Magic Plant habitats. Your aesthetic sensibilities will be reflected in the Magic Plants you cultivate with your own hands."
"Therefore, I've always believed that the hidden talent of a Breeder is... your aesthetic judgment. Your taste determines how far you can ultimately go."
"Young successors in breeding, as a Senior Breeder, I welcome you to formally enter the field of Breeding Studies today. Please mentally prepare yourselves for today's examination."
"This examination represents Lilith's Cottage's standards for what a qualified Formal Breeder should achieve. The assessment begins now."
Locke understood clearly that among First Class Wizard Apprentices, there were those who had taken the Formal Breeder examination for over a decade—even several decades—without passing.
The disparity between First Class Wizard Apprentices was immense.
Some were on the verge of becoming debt slaves, utterly unable to sustain their Meditation Method studies, while others managed various projects—compared to them, he was merely a small fry.
Jonas Cortes was about to announce that the first round of the Formal Breeder examination would begin with the theoretical test.
But at that moment, Madam Morgana, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke up. She was a plump middle-aged woman, yet her face exuded elegance and grace. Adorned with jewelry, she wore three large gemstone rings on her right hand and a deep-sea pearl necklace around her neck.
Each pearl on that necklace was likely harvested from magical creature oysters in the deep sea—no ordinary treasures.
Madam Morgana abruptly said, "Jonas, wait a moment."
Locke kept his head lowered. He sensed Madam Morgana's gaze lingering on him briefly before shifting to others.
All he wanted was to pass the Breeder examination normally and obtain his Breeder Certificate.
He hoped the feud between Madam Morgana and his mentor Sophia wouldn't affect him.
Jonas Cortes turned to Madam Morgana. Even among Formal Wizards, there were clear hierarchies—Madam Morgana evidently had greater seniority and Mana reserves. "Jonas, I think previous examinations only tested Breeders' technical skills and theoretical knowledge, which is far too narrow."
"This year, as the chief examiner, I propose adding another assessment component—testing candidates on the breeder code of practice..."
"This is mainly to ensure our successors learn reverence—to respect the rules rather than treat them as optional, to be trampled or altered at will like some people do."
"We must set a proper example for the next generation."
"Mr. Jonas, Mr. Malcolm, what do you two think?"
Both Jonas and Malcolm were momentarily at a loss. The examination format had remained relatively consistent over the years, following an established framework.
But this year, chief examiner Madam Morgana had directly altered that framework.
Neither knew whether they should agree.
After all, this was likely to draw inquiries from the senior advisors and the academic supervisors.
But Madam Morgana, who resided at Lilith's Cottage, had numerous students and was one of the most senior Formal Wizards, second only to Harun Vera. Her status was unparalleled, making her one of the top academic authorities.
As mere ordinary Formal Wizards, the two of them couldn't openly refute Madam Morgana's earnest suggestion. At the very least, they had to give her some face.
After some deliberation, Jonas and Malcolm could only reluctantly agree, albeit with little confidence. After all, Madam Morgana was the chief examiner, and setting the exam scope and content was her prerogative.
Still, Malcolm and Jonas negotiated with Madam Morgana that this newly added exam component could only serve as a comprehensive performance reference and not be used to directly eliminate candidates in this round.
Good performance would earn bonus points, while poor performance would result in deductions.
This way, they could minimize the impact of the sudden addition while still preserving Madam Morgana's dignity.
In truth, Malcolm and Jonas had anticipated this situation long ago. As a senior Formal Wizard of Lilith's Cottage, Madam Morgana's actions were often beyond certain constraints, and few dared to openly refuse her requests.
Moreover, the breeder code of practice was indeed content published by the White Wizard Association, requiring every Breeder to study it thoroughly to prevent another incident like the Azure Ring Society's Abyssal Plant Cataclysm.
Thus, this newly added exam component was, in fact, relatively reasonable.
Still, Madam Morgana's addition unsettled all the candidates except Locke.
The Breeder exam was already difficult enough, and now this sudden change left them feeling at a loss.
Locke, however, inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. No wonder my teacher made me memorize the breeder code of practice several times before the exam.
It seems she had already anticipated Madam Morgana would do this.
After all, a student knows their teacher best—those two are practically family.
(End of Chapter)