Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 798 Three Curses Guaranteed and New Forms of Committee Oversight
Locke glanced at the information Christine had given him about the student and nodded, saying, "Not bad. You can try talking to Professor Harlan Vera and Dean Earl about an inter-academy training contract. These are your own matters."

“I’ve reviewed this student’s information. If Lilith’s Hut reaches a cooperation agreement with you, then I have no objections. However, to complete the Forest Sanctuary, it’s not enough for just this student’s personal talent; he also needs to prepare at least 1.5 million magic stones in resources.”

Christine the Green Witch's face lit up with joy.

Because in this way, she would have essentially obtained Locke's permission. As for needing to negotiate with Lilith's Hut, she was originally a wizard from Lilith's Hut.

She was still very confident that she could reach a cooperation agreement with Lilith House.

On the other hand, Harlan Vera and Dean Earl Thompson had no objections. Cross-college training is quite common, and it is also a way to enhance the status of Lilith House.

It can be said that because of the war between the black and white wizards, coupled with the continuous appearance of Sophia and her apprentice, the status of Lilith Hut in the southeastern region will rise sharply.

As long as no other external academic lineage suddenly enters the game or makes a move.

Locke's handling of the situation was quite reasonable.

This can be considered as saving face for both the Green Witch and Lilith's Hut.

At least three valuable collaborations were achieved at one banquet.

This is still very practical.

After the banquet, Locke returned to his alchemy hut in Lilith's Hut. It seemed that because he and the witch Sophia had only been gone for a short time, the academy had not moved the alchemy hut complex where they lived. Everything was still the same, and even the interior furnishings had not changed.

It's clear that the academy also sends third-class wizard apprentices over regularly for maintenance.

Locke first sent his treasure map to Hussein through the Water Gourd system, waiting for Hussein's response. Meanwhile, he used this time to make it seem as if Ling Hong had arrived.

Two hours later, Locke received a response from Hussein.

I'm sorry, I can't keep my promise; I can't solve this map.

Hussein sent a message.

'You can change the agreement.'

"This treasure map contains powerful protective spells. The first layer is fake; it appears to be only at the ordinary second-ring level. After unlocking the first layer, I discovered a star-ring level protective spell underneath. After unlocking the first layer, there was only a ten-minute delay before the first layer automatically reverted."

'If there are first and second layers of protective spells, then there's no guarantee that there won't be a third, or even more, layer of protective spells.'

Hussein stated, "I've looked up information on the Mithril Law Firm for you. They frequently accept missions that require us to unlock treasure maps left behind from the pure-blooded era of humanity, so I used my access privileges to look up the relevant information for you."

Locke sent a message through the water hyacinth system, asking, 'How is it?'

Hussein stated, "I've found two possibilities. The first possibility is that this is a common magical map encryption method used by the Protection School during the pure-blood era of humanity, called the 'Triple Magic Key.' That is, if one doesn't meet the specific bloodline requirements, they must unlock three Protection School spells consecutively, with only ten minutes between each unlock.

'The second possibility is even worse. This magical map could very well be a [Fivefold Magic Key]. That is to say, the final layer is a Sun Ring-level Protection spell. With five overlapping keys, and through complex calculations, it can achieve an effect very close to a Third Ring-level Protection spell.'

Currently, it's impossible to determine whether it's a triple key or a quintuple key. This type of multi-key system was phased out because its unlocking codes were too complex and extremely easy to lose over time. In many cases, even the wizarding organizations themselves lost the ability to unlock the keys and unlock magical inheritance.

Hussein sent over a profile picture with a wry smile.

"Because I'm a general partner at Mithril Law Firm, and may be promoted to senior partner soon, I know this. Many wizarding universities possess magical legacies whose codes they've forgotten, and they'll seek us out to find a way to unlock them."

"Therefore, Locke, I am not capable of unlocking this wizard map, which contains countless layers of magical keys. If you wish, I can introduce you to one of my colleagues."

Locke asked directly, "How much does your colleague charge for each job?"

Hussein said, "It depends on the situation. A typical second-tier lawyer can't solve this map. The design standard of the multi-key system specifies the time required for technical unlocking and brute-force unlocking. In other words, even for us, if we want to use brute-force unlocking, we need manpower, resources, and time."

"This is the basic idea behind the protective spell model of the Multiple Magic Keys school. Even if you encounter a skilled wizard who can break the magic lock through skill or brute force, you can force them to waste a lot of time. Therefore, I estimate that your order should start at least at ten million magic stones, even if I can get you a discount."

"Furthermore, you may have to sign a contract to give up a portion of the equivalent magic stones from the wizard's treasure."

Locke was speechless.

Millions of magic stones unlocked this wizard's secret treasure map?
What lies behind this wizard's treasure map is still uncertain, and it costs tens of millions of magic stones at a time, which is really a waste.

Moreover, even if the map is deciphered, it still costs money to organize an expedition.

No wonder the Wizard's Treasure Map is a project that requires a huge investment of assets to decipher.

'Zoe the Witch held this map, probably never expecting it to be so complex. After all, she was just a crystallization wizard; naturally, she couldn't have foreseen that the magical map of this wizarding treasure, which she had painstakingly analyzed in her spare time, would become a task she could never complete in her lifetime.'

Locke was astonished; this was what happened when one chose the wrong path.

Going south while heading north.

No matter how much effort you put into it, it's difficult to achieve results.

The key is that for a long time, you may not even know whether you should give up or persevere in this direction, because giving up may mean giving up the results that are within reach and only a thin veil away; persevering may mean walking on a road without looking back, and the road ahead will only become darker and darker.

After thinking for a moment, Locke decided to temporarily abandon the exploration of this wizard's treasure map.

I'll think about it again after I've established myself in the second ring stage and become a Star Ring Wizard.

After all, exploring this wizard's treasure map is somewhat of a gamble; no one knows what this map from the pure-blooded era of humans points to.

Perhaps it was just a treasure trove of bloodline inheritance belonging to certain wizards with special bloodlines from that era.

'These magical defenses weren't intended to completely conceal the treasure, as that would be virtually impossible with future technological advancements. Therefore, their strategy was to increase the cost and effort for non-Hereditary wizards to decipher and locate the treasure they left behind.'

Hussein seemed very apologetic, after all, Locke had previously helped him deal with the Ghost Cult and the second-circle dark wizard of the Pale Gift Seeker's Bone Palace, but now he was unable to unlock the magic map for Locke.

Locke replied, "It doesn't matter. After all, this can't be forced."

'It's not a big deal for me.'

"Hussein, since you and that Isaac wizard can both come with me on this planar exploration mission, the three of us should be enough to form a team. We might need to hire a few more experienced first-ring wizards."

"Then let's say you provide two people. That means you've completed two of my tasks, which meets the equivalence principle of our transaction."

Hussein said somewhat embarrassedly, "Okay, then I won't ask for payment this time when I go on this dimensional exploration."

Locke asked, "In addition, I want to hire you to help me draft three contracts."

Locke briefly explained that he needed to draft a fund sponsorship contract, a cooperation contract between the Forest Sanctuaries (which would stipulate the obligations of the Forest Alliance and strengthen the cooperative relationship between the Forest Alliance through law), and a confidentiality contract for information regarding travel to the Louis Plane.

Locke didn't want to save money, so he went through the normal transaction with Hussein, the rising star lawyer at Mithril Law Firm.

After all, these three types of contracts are extremely important.

Only by spending money can you buy a partnership that guarantees quality.

Trying to save money on something so crucial is practically suicide.

In the end, the two reached an agreement. Locke spent a total of 1.5 million magic stones to have him create three types of contracts, and also had him create ten copies of each type of magic contract.

Locke planned to keep the completed contract at Lilith's cottage to avoid having to send it back and forth repeatedly.

After all, there are natural barriers between the various wizarding territories, resulting in high logistics costs.

Hussein stated, "Don't worry, Locke, the contracts I draft will absolutely not have any obvious loopholes. I received rigorous training at Mithril Law Firm, and we frequently have clients seeking our help to draft reasonable and comprehensive contracts. By the way, you can choose the collateral for the three contracts."

'Aztec cursed gold coins, or the Mithril Codex, would both be acceptable.'

"Oh, by the way, our Mithril Law Firm recently established a partial partnership with the White Wizard Association in the Central Region, Origin Land, so we can also use their cursed guarantee, [Hanging River Water]."

Locke knew that these guarantees were essentially a powerful curse spell protecting the validity of the agreement; the Aztec cursed gold coins were a universal guarantee provided by the White Wizard Association.

A replica of an Aztec cursed coin would be affixed to the contract; if someone broke it, the coin would flip over, imbuing the violator with the power of the curse.

Because the essence of a contract is not to stipulate some universal law that must be followed; that is not the logic of commercial contracts.

The essence of a contract is to provide the consequences of breaching it.

In other words, if someone can afford the cost, he can break the rules.

Locke asked, "What are the characteristics of the Mithril Codex and the Water of the Hanging River?"

Hussein quickly replied, “The Aztec cursed coin, when flipped, will inflict a powerful curse on a wizard. It won’t be fatal, but it will cause his body to decay.”

"The Mithril Codex, as a major magic of Mithril Wizards, has close cooperation with the various divisions of the White Wizarding Association. Therefore, if someone violates the contract, the main punishment is to pay compensation."

"To make up for your losses."

"The Water of the Suspended River is a cursed guarantee unique to the White Wizard Association of the Origin Land. It is the water of the River of Origin, naturally extremely heavy, and its water flows from top to bottom, so nothing can float on its surface. Only magical power can make an object float on the Suspended River. Therefore, if a drop of the Suspended River water is placed on a magical contract, and someone breaks the agreement, the magical power protecting their soul will be withdrawn, and the Suspended River water will fall towards their soul."

Locke nodded slightly. He had also heard of the River of Origin, a magical river that brought abundant magical resources to the Central Region, but also caused much destruction.

The entire river is suspended in the air, dozens of meters above the ground, much like the Weak Water in ancient myths.

I heard that the central border region used to devote a lot of energy to managing the water of the suspended river.

Locke thought for a moment and said, "I'll pay you the money at the Fairy Bank in a few days. Let's use the Mithril Codex as collateral."

The Mithril Codex makes it easier to get others to pay you back. If the other party can't afford to pay, you'll just end up as a debt slave. Perfect, since I need someone to do the work.

If it weren't for the limited number of student places at Golden Crown Mountain, Locke would have wanted to take in a few more first-class wizard apprentices.

Unfortunately, a first-class wizard apprentice from Golden Crown Mountain is a precious gem, and even for a formal wizard, that's a rare resource.

After all, the quality of the apprentices at Jinmian Mountain is too high.

It is impossible for me to acquire a third one in a short period of time.

Hussein said, “Alright, there’s no rush for the money. I trust your character. You’re a rising star researcher at Golden Crown Mountain, and it’s impossible for you to break your promise for such a small amount of money.”

“I also think it would be better to use the Mithril Codex as collateral. That way, you might be able to acquire a few debt slaves.”

"By the way, if you're short-staffed lately, you can check out our Mithril Law Firm's talent market. There are many people there who have become debt slaves or are heavily indebted because they lost their cases. We even opened a talent market specifically for that. After all, those people aren't really able to help the law firm with its work, so we have to rent them out."

Locke put away the Ganoderma lucidum plant and then shook his head.

"Mithril Law Firm truly lives up to its reputation as a law firm that can make money through litigation."

"There are so many debt slaves that they've opened a special job market for them."

Locke sent a message to Hussein.

"There's one more thing I want to do: I want to form a fund committee to help me oversee the fund."

For matters like overseeing funds, you should either hire professionals or ask students to handle it.

However, there's a problem with hiring professionals to take charge: if you don't manage anything, you're easily sidelined.

Therefore, Locke wanted to find a reliable friend to take charge of this matter.

Hussein was the perfect person for this task.

Hussein thought for a moment, then sent a message to Locke.

'The southeast corner region is too small; there are no law firms here, and Mithril Law Firm doesn't have a branch here either.'

"But Locke, don't worry, I'm familiar with your situation. I've provided this service to many clients; in fact, I made my fortune this way."

Hussein said, "Normally speaking, what a second-circle archmage fears most is being unable to effectively control the committee after its establishment."

"Therefore, it is often necessary to hire professional lawyers to run the committee for them."

"Because of the distance between wizarding lands, the consumption is quite large."

"The annual expenditure on legal matters often reaches millions of magic stones."

Locke frowned.

This expense is really painful for me right now.

It's not an input that can generate output, but rather an input that is regulatory in nature.

Hussein said, “So, I made an innovation. Because of my extensive experience with checks and balances and mutual distrust in the Blood Curse Court, I innovated a new form of committee oversight at Mithril Law Firm and provided corresponding legal counsel.”

"This allowed me to accumulate a great deal of wealth and reputation in the early stages. However, let's consider this service free. After all, I didn't fulfill my previous agreement to help you decipher the wizard's treasure map."

Hussein sent a message: "I don't like breaking promises."

“I can help you create a contract for just 30,000 magic stones; you can pay the cost price. I’ll have all the committee staff in the southeast corner region sign this contract and collectively curse them. If anyone violates the agreement, the entire committee will be cursed.”

"Therefore, the rules will be formulated based on human nature. There will be checks and balances within the committee."

Locke's eyes lit up slightly; this move was indeed brilliant.

This can save wizards a lot of money on magic.

Hussein did not place all his hopes on the magical contract for security. Instead, he used a magical contract as a starting point to create checks and balances among people, thereby ensuring that the committee could fulfill its duties.

Locke asked, "Hussein, my friend, how much would I need to pay you for normal legal advice?"

Hussein said, “It’s not expensive, about 200,000 to 300,000. I’ve calculated the price. The audit and legal services of a typical committee would cost at least one to two million, but with my method, the cost can be reduced to around 500,000.”

"Sometimes you can even make a little money."

"He was a special customer from the Southern Boundary. I helped him set up a committee, designed a contract, and successfully used the law to help him earn a million magic stones from his committee, even in cases of misconduct. I also received a share of 100,000 magic stones myself."

“From then on, he often found time to work together.”

Hussein said, "I can't say exactly who it is, but it's a wizard from the Wizarding Land in the Southern Boundary. The shops there don't make a lot of money from doing business, but from attracting investment or deliberately suing the committee and other shops."

"I've really broadened my horizons. Mithril Law Firm is a great platform, and it's through this platform that I've been able to come into contact with so many high-level clients."

Locke nodded slightly as he held the Ganoderma lucidum plant.

"Indeed, the platform is very important."

No wonder Hussein was able to become a second-circle wizard in such a short time. It turns out he updated the [Committee Oversight System], found a legal business unique to him, and found a benefactor from the Southern Frontier.

Meanwhile, Locke secretly remembered this important detail—'The Southern District's shop alliance likes to use lawsuits to extract money from its partners.'

Hussein said, "No matter where you come from, money is the most important thing in the white wizarding society."

"The reason you and I were able to advance to the second-circle wizard level so quickly, besides talent, is that we each found our own way to make money. Locke, your talent is stronger than mine, and your vision is also better than mine. You can always bring in more projects."

"And all I can do is use the humanity I learned from my experience at the Blood Curse Court to try and make a living in the legal profession in the white wizarding world. Fortunately, no one can escape the realm of humanity."

Locke and Hussein exchanged a few more words and agreed on the specifics of their cooperation.

He contacted Harlan Vera through the Gray Mist Slab and, using Harlan Vera's network of connections, formed a six-person fund committee specifically to review the use of funds for his Forest Alliance Fund and the Louis Plane Project.

The chairman of its own foundation committee is Harun Vera.

Harlan Vera himself readily took on this responsibility.

In return, Locke would have to pay the six members of the Foundation Committee 10,000 magic stones annually, which is 60,000 magic stones per year to the committee.

This committee is responsible for overseeing the use of the one million magic stones that Locke injected into each of the two funds, and for monitoring the applicants.

In this way, Locke, through this committee and the two major funds, has established a foothold in the southeastern region.

After Locke ended the call with Hussein, he calculated the money he had spent so far.

The contract drafted by Hussein cost a total of 1.53 million magic stones. In addition, there were 60,000 magic stones paid to the committee this year, and another 2 million magic stones invested in the two major funds.

So, I've spent a total of 3.59 million magic stones at Lilith's Hut.

At that moment, Harlan Vera sent him a message.

'Locke, why don't you organize another breeder competition in your name? Haha, if you're interested, I think with your current reputation, many wizards would be vying to join.'

Locke was at his wit's end. Of course, Professor Harlan Villa wanted to organize a well-known competition in the southeast corner of the region.

This made his network of connections even more powerful.

Relationship networks are a subordinate product of academic lineages; many relationship networks combined together constitute an entire academic lineage.

Of course, because the academic lineage at Lilith's Hut has been severed, all that remains now is a network of relationships, not an academic lineage.

The entire southeastern corner region is merely the outermost edge of the high-ring wizarding lineage in the eastern boundary.

Even the Four Seasons Garden and the University of Verdantia are at risk of losing contact with the main academic line at any time.

However, my problem right now is that I don't have any money.

Locke replied, "No need, Professor Harlan."

'I don't need to create my own competition yet.'

The cost of setting up a competition can even exceed that of setting up a fund. After all, setting up a fund only requires reviewing the use and application of funding, while a competition committee needs to provide a sum of money every few years to be responsible for operating the competition.

As far as Locke knew, most competitions in the wizarding world were difficult to recoup their costs.

Large-scale commercial competitions like the Yunze Cup and the Silent Holy Grail, which can generate revenue, are very successful. They are usually competitions built by high-ring wizards and require extensive connections and the status of a high-ring wizard to operate. Only then can such competitions break even.

As an ordinary second-ring wizard, it's still a bit too early for me to establish that kind of competition.

Harlan Vera seemed quite disappointed and sent a message through the Gray Mist Slab.

'Okay. A breeding genius like you should have a breeding competition named after you.'

'That's how you inspire those students to learn from you.'

(End of this chapter)