Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 10 The Frankish Empire

Dean Tungus quickly returned to his residence.

He looked at the three of them and was very satisfied with their current learning progress. Patty Isa and Cord Newman were learning steadily, but what was most gratifying was that Locke's learning speed was slightly beyond his expectations.

Originally, Tunguska was worried that Locke would become lazy again after the financial pressure was gone, and that he would need to give him a little nudge.

But after spending time together, he has given up on the idea.

Of his three apprentices, Locke was the most talented and also the most hardworking.

Therefore, Dean Tunguska now looks at Locke with a smile, and is actually very satisfied with him.

After Dean Tunguska finished instructing Patty Aisa and Cord Newman, he looked at Locke and said, "You want to buy magic vine seeds from me?"

"Too."

“You have indeed reached the stage of completing the spell model.”

Dean Tungus explained, "Completing the Hand of Vines requires specific magical plant seeds. This is because the Hand of Vines spell is a trick model disassembled from the complete first-circle spell, the Enchanted Vine Spell."

"Therefore you must use the matching magic vine seeds—the seeds of the Mandragora vine."

Dean Tungus took out a graphite box and carefully opened it. Inside were four seeds that looked very rough and were about the size of a thumb, like potatoes.

Dean Tungus carefully used tweezers to remove one of the seeds and then placed it in a small flowerpot filled with soil. "The seeds of the Mandrake vine are specially cultivated by the official wizards of our upper academy. They have been cultivated for dozens of generations, so they are stable, very resilient, and hard to kill."

"You just need to put it in the soil and it will gradually take root and sprout. But you need to water it once a week, expose it to sunlight every day, and avoid direct sunlight, just like you would a regular plant."

"Although mandrakes don't die easily, if the quality of the mandrakes is particularly poor, it will affect your spells and even your chances of becoming a third-class wizard apprentice."

"You should have learned about mandrake from the book as well."

Locke nodded.

In addition, one must also use one's spiritual energy to nurture this seed every day.

This was a very difficult thing at first.

Because I am essentially just an ordinary person who knows some basic occult knowledge, it is basically impossible for me to mobilize my spiritual power and modify the seed.

It is possible because the seeds of the mandrake were specially designed by a formal wizard using plant magic. However, even so, it still takes a considerable amount of time for the individual to learn how to use their mental power to irrigate the seed.

Dean Tungus said, "The first Mandrake seed will be sold to you for 5 magic stones. The second seed will no longer have any price discounts, so the price of the second seed will be 15 magic stones."

Locke raised an eyebrow. "Professor Tunguska, are these seeds really that expensive?"

Tungus said, "Of course."

"However, these magical seeds are generally very difficult to kill."

Dean Tungus closed the graphite box and then covered it with two layers of silk. "Moreover, Corfu's magical resources are very precious. I only had four mandrake seeds in total, and after giving them to you, I only have three left."

"If a fourth wizard prodigy appears in the rest of my life and chooses the Hand of Vines spell model, I will provide him with a seed without magical vines to learn."

Dean Tungus said, "The only time Aurelian Academy can replenish its magical resources is when it changes its dean."

Locke nodded, his mind giving up on the idea of ​​asking Dean Tunguska for two more mandrake seeds.

If you have three Mandrake seeds, you can synthesize them into a Tier 2 crafting item, which directly improves the quality of the seeds.

But Locke has now abandoned the idea. There are two reasons.

First, Corfu Island's magical resources are too scarce, so it's impossible for Dean Tunguska to support his ideas.

Otherwise, the wizarding aspirants of Aurelian Academy for the next fifty years will not be able to choose the [Hand of Vines] spell model to learn.

Dean Tunguska must consider the possibility that in the future, a wizarding apprentice with the highest compatibility with wood element particles, just like himself, might appear in the academy.

The second reason is that synthesis can bring about unknown changes.

If I were to use this material rashly, which is currently the most important thing to me, it might prevent me from completing the Vine Hand spell.

Then the gain outweighs the loss.

"Once we leave Corfu, board the wizard's ship, cross the endless mysterious sea, and head to the southeastern corner, I can then find a way to buy mandrake seeds and conduct synthesis experiments," Locke pondered. "Right now, my goal is to use the Deep Blue Gem to quickly become a third-class wizard apprentice and learn my first spell."

Dean Tungus said to Locke, "By the way, Locke, some of your family members have been looking for you outside the academy recently."

“They were stopped by the guards outside Aurelian Academy, and they seemed to be having some trouble, but I’ll help you resolve that issue and find them houses to live in near the academy.”

“You can go and visit your family members soon; here are their addresses.”

Locke paused for a moment. He had been so focused on his studies that he had forgotten about the Augustinian family from which the original owner of this body came from.

Locke glanced at the address and thanked the dean, saying, "Thank you, Professor Tunguska."

Locke stood up, put away his textbooks, picked up the pot containing the mandrake seeds, nodded to Patty Esa and Cord Newman, and turned to leave the room.

In the past six months, even though I've focused on my studies and mostly stayed out of other people's business, I've still heard about some things that happened in Corfu.

After conquering the Kingdom of Anjou, the Frankish Empire suddenly launched another attack on the Norman Kingdom and destroyed it again within four months.

As a result, one-sixth of the students in the college found themselves in the same awkward situation as the Anjou people six months ago.

In their letter to themselves, the Augustinian family mentioned that after fleeing the Kingdom of Anjou, they sought refuge with distant relatives in the Kingdom of Normandy.

It now appears that with the fall of the Norman Kingdom, the original owner's family members were once again left with nowhere to turn, which is why they risked everything to evade their pursuers and arrive at Aurelian Academy.

However, they were lucky. They were now at Aurelian Academy, where they held a special position as prospective wizards, which allowed them to receive the academy's protection.

In the present day, with the Frankish Empire having destroyed two major kingdoms on Corfu, and the remaining four kingdoms having a combined land area smaller than the territory of the Frankish Empire, the Academy of Aurelian may be the only place that can protect them.

Locke walked along the elegant corridors of the academy and saw several Norman students lamenting the atrocities committed by the Franks, while the Frankish students mocked them.

Locke thought to himself, 'It seems the Frankish Empire truly wants to unify Corfu. Corfu will become increasingly chaotic, a world war will erupt within Corfu, and everyone will be drawn into it.'

"Peace will disappear."

'But that doesn't really concern me anymore.'

'Anyway, I'll be leaving here on a wizard's ship in a year and a half. With my connections, the Augustin family should also be able to get the protection of Dean Tunguska. As long as we stay near Aurelian Academy, we can at least live a peaceful life.'

Out of the corner of his eye, Locke saw Professor Olde, the history professor, appear in the elegant academy garden corridor. Professor Olde smiled and nodded at him, then walked briskly toward the students from the Norman Kingdom who were crying and complaining.

Clearly, he intended to target these poor students whose country had just been destroyed.

(End of this chapter)