Robb didn't deny it. "Yes, Madam. I attempted it for the first time last night."
"How did it feel?" Madam Elena's expression was unreadable, neither pleased nor concerned, just a purely professional inquiry.
"Overwhelming," Robb chose his words carefully. "I saw the stars, heard strange whispers… and glimpsed some indescribable horror, some entity devouring stars and galaxies."
At that, the old witch's expression shifted slightly, but she quickly returned to calm.
"I see… It appears you truly possess uncommon inspiration."
She seemed to fall into deep thought. "Most people, their first attempt yields nothing more than faint starlight, maybe a few broken whispers at most. Yet you saw that, the Devourer itself. That's… unexpected."
As she spoke, Madam Elena stood and approached him, leaning slightly on her cane. Her face held a complex expression.
"Robb, do you know how long it typically takes to enter the first stage of Whispers of the Star-Eater?"
Robb shook his head. He honestly didn't.
"For most apprentices, even the highly talented fourth-tier ones, it takes at least three months just to barely construct the initial glyph. But you…"
There was a hint of suspicion in her voice. "You managed it on the very first night?"
Robb's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't realized his progress was so abnormal. "Maybe it's because of my solid foundational training?"
"No, it's not just your foundation." Madam Elena shook her head. "This suggests you have an extremely high affinity with Whispers of the Star-Eater, perhaps even a natural resonance."
She fell silent for a moment, clearly reassessing something. "There's definitely something unusual about you… something I haven't yet seen. Regardless, this is a good thing."
"And about the mental contamination and the dream I experienced while meditating…" Robb asked cautiously.
"Ah, yes, that part is crucial."
Madam Elena nodded. "Any advanced meditation technique causes mental contamination to varying degrees. Whispers of the Star-Eater is especially potent in that regard. The more gifted you are, the more inspiration you have, the greater the impact. Because those with strong inspiration can perceive 'truths' the average person cannot."
Her tone grew more serious, even laced with a warning.
"In the world of mages, there's a saying: Inspiration is a curse. The more inspiration you have, the more likely you are to encounter truths too early, truths that can unravel your mind, drive you to madness, or worse. Many promising young mages fall into insanity long before they ever fulfill their potential."
Robb nodded thoughtfully. "So that's why some gifted people choose slower, more stable paths, even if they're talented?"
"Exactly." Madam Elena gave him an approving glance. "Knowledge has no inherent morality, but every kind of knowledge comes with a price. Sometimes that price is time or coin. But the highest knowledge often demands your sanity in return."
She paused, considering whether to say more.
"Your mental resilience is surprisingly strong. But don't let that make you overconfident. The contamination caused by advanced meditation is cumulative. Every session adds to it. If you rush too fast, you could accumulate irreversible damage."
"I'll keep that in mind," Robb replied seriously, grateful that he had the pocket watch to help cleanse him.
Madam Elena didn't press him about how he dealt with the contamination, as if assuming he had his own methods.
"Then let's proceed with today's instruction. But first, let me verify your current state."
Her hand suddenly reached out. Though aged, her fingers were still firm and precise. She placed them on Robb's temples, and a cold pulse of energy entered the outer layer of his consciousness.
Robb instinctively resisted the intrusion but forced himself to stay calm, allowing Madam Elena's mental probe to scan his mind.
Her spiritual power moved like a seasoned serpent, nimble, exact, gliding through his mindscape, checking every detail for abnormalities.
After a moment, she withdrew her hand, her expression subtly complex.
"You're in good shape, better than I expected. It seems Whispers of the Star-Eater really is well-suited to you."
In truth, if not for the trait-triggered inspiration, Robb's cultivation of Whispers would have been a slow but manageable process, likely causing only mild contamination. Combined with the Artificial Stardew's mitigation, the effects would've been even smaller.
Madam Elena probably hadn't expected Robb to advance so rapidly.
What followed was a deeper lesson in consolidating the initial glyph and gradually expanding the depth and breadth of his meditation.
This instruction went far beyond the previous day's, more detailed, more refined. She even personally demonstrated key elements, making it easier for Robb to grasp.
"Remember, don't rush."
Before he left, the old witch warned him again. "The first stage typically takes at least half a year to properly stabilize. Even if you're talented, stay cautious."
Robb nodded solemnly, showing he understood.
"I've seen too many geniuses destroyed by their pride," Madam Elena said with a piercing look. "Don't become one of them."
As he left the herbal shop, Robb's thoughts were a whirlwind.
The cold wind rustled the tree branches, producing whispers eerily reminiscent of the Whispers he had heard between the stars. A chill ran down his spine.
"The Devourer… what is it really?" he wondered, recalling the horrific vision from the previous night's meditation.
That gargantuan being, beyond mortal understanding, had swum through the starfield, consuming star after star like a ravenous beast feeding on prey.
"That can't just be a hallucination…"
Robb paused and looked toward a faintly visible tower nestled among the distant mountain ridges.
It was the home of a formal mage, its tip constantly glimmering with strange light, like a lighthouse in the dark… or an eye that never blinked.
"Who really is Madam Elena? And why does she possess a meditation technique like this?"
That question sat heavily in his chest, like a stone.
Ever since their first meeting, he'd sensed a shroud of mystery surrounding the old woman.
There was more than just wisdom in her emerald eyes, there was something ancient, something impossible to gauge. As if she'd lived far longer than any normal human.
And during certain nights of the month, when magical energy surged, she would inexplicably regain a youthful, beautiful appearance. That, too, was no ordinary feat.
"Whispers of the Star-Eater…" Robb murmured the name softly, feeling the strange cadence of the words on his tongue.
"Where did this meditation technique truly come from? Could it really be the product of just one mad wizard?"
His thoughts tangled like a maze, each answer leading only to more questions.
He took a deep breath, grounding himself again.
"Regardless, this method is undeniably beneficial to me." He weighed his options.
"If Madam Elena is willing to teach me, I must seize the opportunity, whatever her deeper motives may be."
"After all…" Robb looked down at his hands, whispering to himself, "In this world, power is survival. If I let paranoia stop me, I'll accomplish nothing."
The evening breeze scattered the mist from the treetops. Far off, the tower's light grew brighter. Robb pulled up his hood and turned toward the dormitory.