Add a new Rule to the Ruleset.  Call it “The Buddy System” and give it the following text:

Each Apprentice, with the possible exception of the Artisan, shares a table with one other Apprentice.  This is tracked in the Partner column of the GNDT.

If at any time a non-Artisan Apprentice would not have another Apprentice as their Partner, that Apprentice’s Partner becomes the Artisan (if the Artisan doesn’t have a Partner) or the Artisan’s Partner (if the Artisan does have a Partner).  In the latter case, the Artisan ceases to have a Partner.  Either way, that Apprentice’s new Partner’s Partner becomes that Apprentice.

Whenever a Rule causes two different Apprentices to “Become Partners”, each of those two Apprentice’s Partner statistics is set to the other.  Then those Apprentice’s former Partners’ Partner statistics are set to each other.

For each Apprentice in an even-numbered position in the GNDT, set their Partner to the Apprentice below them in the GNDT if possible.  For each Apprentice in an odd-numbered position in the GNDT, set their Partner to the Apprentice above them in the GNDT if possible.  If any Apprentice doesn’t have a Partner afterwards, set their Partner to the Artisan and the Artisan’s Partner to them.