Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 532 Meeting Albert Again

The Celtic wizard said to Locke, "Your timing is quite good. There are three opportunities a year for Golden Crown Mountain to apply for the True Knowledge Institute project fund: January 1st to January 7th, May 1st to May 7th, and September 1st to September 7th."

“It’s May 3rd now. If you finish writing your project proposal a few days later, you’ll have to wait until September 1st to submit it. Time is life. You can only stay in Zhenzhi Academy for a total of five years, which is the same as you can only stay in Jinmian Mountain for five years. These five years are extremely precious to you.”

This is also why Catherine the Great requested to join the group six months in advance.

Locke understood that this action had allowed him to essentially freeload off the True Knowledge Institute for most of the year, as he continued to enjoy various benefits during that time.

The Celtic wizard asked Locke, "You should be clear about the four-tiered True Knowledge Institute Fund project now, right?"

Locke nodded and said, "I understand, Teacher Celt. This point was also covered in the course on everything. The True Knowledge Institute Fund Project is divided into four levels, from the lowest level, the fourth level, to the third and second levels, and the highest level, the first level, the True Knowledge Institute Fund Project."

"Generally speaking, when we talk about the Zhenzhi Institute Fund Project, we are referring to the third and fourth grades. Almost every researcher can apply for this level of Zhenzhi Institute Fund Project."

Locke said, "Each level of the True Knowledge Institute Fund project can only be applied for once. Therefore, this time I applied for the third-level True Knowledge Institute Fund project."

Second-class and first-class Shinchi Institute grant projects cannot be applied for directly. Only after applying for a third-class Shinchi Institute grant project, submitting project materials after approval, and achieving research results that exceed the grant committee's expectations and are beyond expectations, can one then apply for second-class and first-class Shinchi Institute grant projects.

This is why most researchers spend five years working on a Zhenzhi Institute Foundation project.

Because if their project is successful, they can further develop and expand their achievements, and apply for more advanced Zhenzhi Institute grants.

If you do well in the third class, you can get into the second class; if you do well in the second class, you can apply for the first class.

If you can apply for first-class status and still exceed the requirements... then you might be able to apply for... a special-class grant.

And that is also the reason why many young first-ring wizards and super geniuses come to this Institute of True Knowledge.

Morrison, the director of the Yunze Cup tournament committee, once told me that to make full use of the True Knowledge Academy, I had to get all the projects available there, namely the three major projects.

But after Locke entered the Institute of Knowledge, he discovered that it was already difficult for most researchers to get a second-class Institute of Knowledge grant project, let alone a first-class one.

As for the sub-projects of special grants and key single-project programs, that's a different matter.

Special funding requires competing for resources with the most brilliant first-ring wizards in the entire Academy of Truth.

Because there are only one or two places that can be allocated to this True Knowledge Academy each year.

As for the sub-projects of the key individual projects, that depends on Catherine the Throne's mood; it's entirely up to this third-ringed wizard to decide.

But who can understand the thoughts of a third-ring wizard?

Therefore, this makes it even more difficult.

The absence of standards actually means that standards can be infinitely high.

The Celtic wizard stamped the magic seal on Locke's project application and said, "Then, go ahead and apply."

Locke said, "Thank you, Lord Celt."

The Celtic wizard gave no response, but simply watched Locke's departing figure, his brows furrowing slightly.

……

A day later, in the Dragon Fern Garden of Mount Golden Crown, in Catherine the Witch's office on the highest floor of the Castle of True Knowledge, the Celtic wizard cautiously bowed to Catherine the Witch and gave her instructions.

The witch Catherine casually flipped through the spellbook in her hand. "You're doing a decent job. Celt, you need to hurry."

The Celtic wizard knew what Catherine the Witch was talking about, and immediately his forehead was covered in sweat.

The witch Catherine asked, "Celtics, let's put aside your own affairs for now. I want to ask you, how is the new young wizard performing? What is your opinion of him?"

"I want to ask you about his personality."

The golden dragon behind the wall behind Catherine the Witch suddenly opened its sleeping dragon eyes, then closed them again, falling into a deep slumber.

Inside the office.

The Celtic wizard wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that young wizard named Locke Augustine does indeed have some talent."

Although Catherine the Witch didn't say it, she was well aware of the Celtic wizard's pickiness.

This immediately piqued her interest, and she raised an eyebrow, saying, "Hmm? Your opinion of him is somewhat unexpected. Tell me more."

The Celtic wizard said, "He used two months and some initial research funding to produce some good preliminary experimental data."

"The data is of very high quality. He has keen observation and insightful abilities."

“However, his character is very problematic,” the Celtic wizard said. “I have offered him advice several times with good intentions, but he has ignored me.”

“He ignored the research progress of Group Six and only cared about what was in front of him. Moreover, he was too impatient. He had a lot of projects to do at once, and I doubted whether he could finish them.”

"After all, whether or not the project can be completed is crucial to whether he can upgrade from a third-class Zhenzhi Institute Fund project to a second-class Zhenzhi Institute Fund project."

The Celtic wizard said, "I plan to wait until he hits a wall before trying to offer him advice again. Whether he listens or not is up to him."

The witch Catherine smiled and said, "I see. It sounds like these new little wizards of ours are indeed a bit unruly, refusing to obey the orders of us Celtic wizards."

"Go ahead, Celtic."

“Celt, do things nicely. I don’t like shabby things or ugly things. You know what I want.”

"Also, you can arrange for students to be assigned to Locke."

The Celtic wizard bowed to the witch Catherine, then turned and left respectfully.

He glanced at Catherine the Witch with awe and furtion, who was reading a magic book.

Every time he communicated with the witch Catherine, he felt a sense of dread.

Just as he could never sense the witch Catherine's magical pressure, he could never discern her true thoughts.

After the Celtic wizard left, the witch Catherine put down her magic book, and the wall behind her suddenly disappeared completely. It turned out that the wall had been created by illusion from beginning to end.

Fafnir, the golden dragon, raised his head, sneezed, and said, "It looks rather ominous, Ekaterina."

"The higher-level wizard who taught that little dragon didn't think very highly of him."

"This confirms a point I made earlier: no matter how excellent a wizard is, his or her shortcomings are too great, and what determines a wizard's ultimate success is his or her shortcomings."

Catherine the Witch shook her head slightly. "That's just one Celtic opinion." "It's very dangerous to try to understand a person based solely on others' biased opinions."

"Fafnir."

"Look at the results of his first project at the Institute of True Knowledge," said Catherine the Witch.

Fafnir sneezed and then fell asleep again.

……

In the study, Locke placed his palm on the red crystal matrix, and the number 8900 immediately appeared on it.

Locke said, "We're getting closer and closer to the first ring crystallization."

"I'm still 100 points away. I estimate that I'll be able to advance to the first-ring crystallization stage of wizarding in the near future. Part of the reason for such rapid progress is the high concentration of magical tides on Mount Golden Crown."

"Next, I will probably have to wait half a month to a month before I know whether my project proposal will be approved."

Locke summoned the Gray Mist Slate, used the video dialogue function to contact Albert, who was able to use the Gray Mist Slate, through a special method.

At this moment, Locke saw the alchemy cabin of Lilith's Hut, which was both familiar and unfamiliar.

He had lived in this wooden house for four years, studying magic for four years, but it had been more than two years since he had seen Lilith's Hut.

The unshaven, aged-looking man before him almost made Locke mistake him for the cheerful and talkative wizard king, Albert.

At this moment, Albert's eyes drooped, his head was full of black hair mixed with white hair, and his eyes looked like those of an old man in his twilight years.

Upon seeing Locke, Albert's pupils constricted slightly, and he immediately stood up and bowed to Locke. "Lord Augustine."

"Hello."

Locke frowned slightly. "It's only been a little over two years, why be so distant? Albert, just like you once said to me—we call each other by our own names. So, you and I are still friends. You don't need to call me 'sir,' just call me by my name."

Albert's eyes showed a different reaction.

Now, Locke appeared so powerful and dignified in his eyes, speaking with composure and maturity, his words easily influencing his emotions.

Albert recalled the first time he met Locke at the dock of Lilith's Cottage in the port city, when Locke looked somewhat immature. Then he looked at Locke now, dressed in a formal wizard's white robe and adorned with numerous badges of his distinguished status.

Today, their social status and position are worlds apart.

Can't be compared.

He was a first-class wizard apprentice with a nearly ruined future, while Locke was no longer the ordinary first-class wizard apprentice who had just entered the wizarding world and came from a mortal world, but a researcher at the Advanced Institute of Truth in the Land of Three Swamps.

High position and authority.

Locke frowned slightly. He recalled his experience fighting alongside Albert in the curse spell research institute of [Rashid Tahrir], and his tone became more concerned as he said, "Albert, don't give up hope. You have one last chance."

A glint appeared in Albert's eyes, and then he suddenly spoke up: "Locke, could you get me some Iborg pepper spray?"

The two looked at each other and smiled.

The initial estrangement vanished instantly with this joke.

Back when they traveled on ordinary people's ships, disguised as smuggling noble merchants, they once sat below the deck, enduring the dirty, chaotic, and cramped space.

Albert, on the other hand, asked Locke for a dose of Iberg pepper water with hallucinogenic effects to deceive his senses and make them believe that they were in a clean and tidy place.

Shared experiences have now transformed into poignant memories, bringing the two closer together.

Albert looked at Locke, and then, as if he were truly thinking, said, "Lord Harlan Vera, tell me, Locke, are you already a wizard at the first stage of liquefaction, or a researcher at the Advanced Institute of Truth?"

“Locke, you and Sophia have come too far compared to us.”

"Andy will never move forward; he's stuck in the past, while I'll most likely stay in the present."

Locke was both amused and exasperated. "Albert, when did you learn to speak like you're reciting a lyrical poem, the saddest kind at that? This isn't the you I know."

Locke became serious. "Failure is normal. Success is always built on countless failures."

"And you now have one more chance to succeed. The principle behind the Mist Force, a permanent defensive force field, is very different from that of ordinary permanent defensive force fields."

“I’ve seen your file,” Locke said. “After all, I don’t get those 30,000 magic stones every month for nothing. Every time you’re about to advance to a formal wizard, do you experience mana disorder that causes you to fail?”

Albert nodded and said, "Yes, Locke, Lady Morgana believes there might be something wrong with my soul, so I will never be able to become a full-fledged wizard."

"At most, I am a first-class wizard apprentice."

"Moreover, no one in the southeastern corner region can cure me."

Locke pondered for a moment. "There is indeed very little research on souls in the southeastern corner region. The Ghostly Holy Church within the Black Wizard Alliance has the most abundant materials on ghost studies."

“But I can access more comprehensive information at Yunze Wetland. Send me another copy of your soul’s details. What I saw before was just other people’s records of you, and I was only guessing that there might be something wrong with your soul.”

Locke's eyes shone with a deep blue magical light. "But this is only a cursory examination; I haven't found any changes in the form or substance of your soul."

“The power of Mist is, after all, a special and permanent defensive force field, so perhaps you can use this special and permanent defensive force field to advance to a formal wizard.”

"After all, at the moment of advancement, your magic power suddenly clashed with the spell model of the permanent defensive force field engraved on the surface of your soul."

"Fortunately, you didn't have many permanent defensive force field spell models engraved on your soul before, so you can still engrave the Forest Sanctuary."

A glimmer of hope flashed in Albert's eyes. "Before, my magic would become completely chaotic after just a slight inscription."

"I don't know why, it seems like other people never encounter this problem."

Locke had only understood why Lilith's Hut wanted Albert to be the first first-class wizard apprentice in their collaborative project at the Myster Power Research Institute after reviewing Albert's information.

'The Forest Sanctuary is indeed unique; the core of its defensive field's runes is not on its own soul, but within the forest.'

'If the inscription of defensive magic caused the anomaly in Albert's soul, perhaps inscribing the Forest Sanctuary on Albert would not have caused this magical chaos. But why is this phenomenon occurring?'

'That's something that really appeals to me, a potion master.'

(End of this chapter)