Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 81 The White Wizards Association Joint Competition

Locke quickly finished reading the meditation loan contract. The 50,000 magic stones had to be repaid within fifty years, with a total interest rate of fifty percent.

Otherwise, the college will forcibly confiscate some of its own assets and use them as collateral for auction, thus forcibly recovering the money.

Of course, this should only be a right that the academy can theoretically possess. First-class wizard apprentices have value in themselves, so the academy will not easily turn against its own first-class wizard apprentices.

Even if that first-class wizard apprentice couldn't pay back the money, the academy probably wouldn't do that; it would just mean the academy would have more say over him.

This means that the academy will have another handle against them.

However, this is only in comparison to ordinary first-class wizard apprentices.

For a 'genius' like Locke, who can earn a lot of magic stones by introducing a large number of new varieties of magical plants, paying off this debt wouldn't be too difficult.

Do you want to sign?
Locke thought about it for a moment and decided to sign anyway.

Because this is not just a simple matter of 50,000 magic stones.

If it really only takes 50,000 magic stones to buy the Advanced Meditation Method, then at most I can just wait a few years to accumulate enough magic stones using synthetic plants before exchanging them.

Although this is unnecessary.

After all, staying at a certain mana level for a long time and only being able to progress at a snail's pace is a very psychologically torturous thing.

But it's not that simple. The essence of this contract is to provide myself with an opportunity to obtain advanced meditation techniques.

This opportunity requires a first-class wizard apprentice to hand over their secrets to the academy's higher-ups.

That's the point.

Otherwise, according to convention, the academy's higher-ups wouldn't have so readily taught him such a crucial technique as advanced meditation.

Locke looked at the witch Sophia and said, "Teacher, I'll sign."

If there were other ways to obtain advanced meditation techniques, I suppose the witch Sophia would have told me.

Moreover, it's not like I've never heard of it at all.

It is estimated that advanced meditation techniques are strictly prohibited from being disseminated in the southeastern region.

Just like the nuclear non-proliferation agreement on Earth in my previous life.

The witch Sophia smiled helplessly: "In the mid-magic environment of the Southeast Corner Region, there are still many systemic flaws."

"Even the White Wizard Association has many lingering historical problems of exploiting wizard apprentices. I also suggest you sign it and then find a way to pay it off slowly later."

Locke asked, "Teacher, if I have enough magic stones by then, can I repay the loan early?"

Paying off the loan early can at least save you the interest.

The total interest alone in this loan contract amounts to a whopping 25,000 magic stones.

The witch Sophia thought for a moment and said, "You were able to pay off your student loan ahead of time because you are now a first-class wizard apprentice, which is why you have this privilege."

"Even those second-class wizard apprentices have to repay their loans and interest on time according to regulations. The money from the academy is the second hardest to owe; the hardest to owe is the money borrowed from the White Wizard Association."

Sophia the Witch said, "Therefore, ordinary first-class wizard apprentices do not have the authority to repay loans in advance."

"If we are really short of magic stones to buy a lot of resources, we will borrow some from friends or family first."

Locke nodded and wrote his name on the contract. "I understand, teacher."

The world of a first-class wizard apprentice seems completely different from that of a second-class wizard apprentice. Only after becoming a first-class wizard apprentice could Locke see the environment of Lilith's Hut more clearly.

However, these Sofia witches should have already experienced it.

As long as I can become a formal wizard, none of these things will be a problem.

Sophia the Witch said, "By the way, your request to establish a medium-sized botanical garden was rejected by the academy's higher-ups."

Locke raised an eyebrow, a look of surprise on his face. "So fast? Teacher, I thought the academy would at least wait another month to reply to me."

Sophia the Witch said, "Well, it takes a long time to get an application approved, but only a few days to reject it. That's because getting an application approved involves a lot of procedures."

"The review of medium-sized botanical gardens even needs to be reported to the White Wizard Association for cross-review by senior breeders from three or more wizarding organizations to ensure that your medium-sized botanical garden does not pose a risk of invasive species or other problems."

“A medium-sized botanical garden can already cause serious environmental damage to an area due to experimental accidents.”

"But if you refuse, there are too many obstacles and too many reasons to refuse immediately."

Sophia the Witch sneered, "But as far as I know, I know why the Academy immediately rejected your application for a medium-sized botanical garden."

"For two reasons."

"One of the less important reasons is that you have just become a first-class wizard apprentice and have not even passed the breeder's exam yet, so the Academy believes that you do not need to establish a medium-sized botanical garden for the time being."

Locke nodded; he was just giving it a try.

If I were allowed to establish a medium-sized botanical garden of 100 to 300 acres, I could gradually plant more magical plants on a large scale in the future.

Although a first-class wizard apprentice is indeed eligible to apply for a medium-sized botanical garden, I am well aware that I lack the qualifications. Therefore, I initially only wanted to apply again in a few days to establish a small to medium-sized botanical garden of fifty to one hundred acres.

A hint of displeasure flashed in Sophia's eyes. She crossed her arms and said, "But an even more important reason is that the Academy's opportunity to apply to the White Wizard Association for a medium-sized botanical garden every three years is limited."

"Just like the White Wizard Association only recognizes Lilith's Hut as a super-large-scale botanical garden."

“Last year, a veteran breeder applied for a medium-sized botanical garden, and now you're applying again. But the college also has a first-class wizard apprentice who has obtained a breeder assistant certificate and is also preparing to apply to establish a medium-sized botanical garden of his own.”

The witch Sophia said, "The father of that first-class wizard apprentice is a first-circle wizard in the academy specializing in beast taming magic within the Summoning school."

"So, that's why your application was rejected immediately."

"Locke, you should change your application to one for a small to medium-sized botanical garden. Wait three years, then apply for a medium-sized botanical garden. That way, your chances of approval will be higher."

A look of understanding flashed in Locke's eyes. So that's how it is.

Now that he was a first-class wizard apprentice, he would naturally start competing with the offspring of first-ring wizards for the limited resources.

During the second-tier wizard apprentice stage, this is not yet apparent because the resources one uses at that time are relatively unimportant, and there is no need to compete for resources with the offspring of first-tier wizards.

If one day I become a formal wizard, then I will be competing directly with those formal wizards for resources.

Locke, in turn, comforted the witch Sophia, saying, "Teacher, I was never going to pass the application anyway, so it's alright."

Sophia the Witch looked at Locke and said, "Actually, there are other ways. If you can get a breeder's certificate and win some competitions, then the last chance for Lilith's Cottage to build a medium-sized botanical garden within these three years will fall into your hands."

The witch Sophia raised her chin and said arrogantly, "Even if some people's fathers are formal wizards, there's nothing they can do."

"In the wizarding world, geniuses can resolve all disputes."

Locke asked, "A competition?"

Sophia nodded and said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you. First-class wizard apprentices have some ways to quickly acquire resources, one of which is entering secret realms."

"The secret realm you chose to enter earlier was the Forbidden Forest, which is good."

“I would also recommend this to you,” said the witch Sophia. “Besides that, there’s the competition.”

"Under the initiative of the White Wizard Association, many joint competitions have been held in the Southeast Corner, with various purposes."

"First, the competition will promote learning and research, and enhance the overall level of the white wizards in the southeast corner region. This is something that the black wizards do not have, and it is also one of the advantages of us white wizards."

"Secondly, we should enhance learning and exchange among the major wizarding organizations and strengthen our connections with each other."

"Thirdly, we should use competitions to increase the mobility of talent and discover those hidden geniuses."

"Just like I told you before, some people never know where their talents lie in their entire lives, so they miss out on a lot and mistakenly believe that they are mediocre."

"There should be some similar organizational forms in the mortal world, such as lords organizing running races in some mortal worlds."

Sophia the Witch said, "And for the wizard apprentices themselves, the competition offers a lot of prize money, so it is also a way to acquire resources."

"Participation in competitions generally requires at least the rank of First-Class Wizard Apprentice. In rare cases, there will be unconventional competitions that invite Second-Class Wizard Apprentices."

Sophia the Witch said, "You can think of it as a competition that only first-class wizard apprentices can participate in."

"Such as this..."

Sophia the Witch pushed a document on her desk in front of Locke.

Locke looked down and saw that it was the 257th White Wizard Association Breeder Competition.

Judging from the format of this competition, it seems that as long as you submit two works and information such as the general design concept of the works, you can participate in this competition.

The competition is divided into preliminary rounds and finals.

The top 30 players receive a large amount of magic stones as a reward, while the top 100 players receive some consolation magic stones, each reward being approximately 100 magic stones.

The top ten receive the best rewards.

Sophia the Witch said, "Anyone who is a first-class wizard apprentice and has at least one breeder's assistant certificate can participate in this competition."

"Advanced breeders and first-ring wizards are prohibited from participating. This competition is specially set up for first-class wizard apprentices."

"This competition is held every five years and has been going on for almost 1,300 years. The top 30 in this competition are highly prestigious."

"Although some people might mind that the general design concept needs to be revealed and therefore won't participate in the competition, it can't be said that the champion is the most skilled first-class wizard apprentice breeder in the Southeast Corner Region."

"But there are still a great many experts and geniuses involved. The authority is very high."

"Back then, I only participated once and only got seventh place. It's a pity I didn't make it into the top three."

Sophia the Witch offered a brief explanation. "My advancement was too rapid; I quickly rose to the ranks of First-Ring Wizard and Advanced Breeder, thus disqualifying me from the competition."

“Unlike them, some of them have participated more than ten times.”

"Registration will begin in six months. You can register if you're interested."

(End of this chapter)