Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 57 Lijin's Secret Words: The Magical Plant Shop

Locke walked into this relatively large and well-known shop in the Chimera Market.

He heard reprimanding voices coming from inside the shop.

There was an old witch being severely reprimanded by a beautiful witch who looked only thirty years old.

Locke noticed the badge worn on the beautiful witch's chest, and his expression changed slightly, for it was a badge that represented the identity of a formal wizard.

In the wizarding world, it's very difficult to tell a person's true age from their appearance; there are countless ways to alter one's looks.

This is especially true for witches who love beauty.

The beautiful witch, who was also the behind-the-scenes owner of the Lijin Secret Shop, said to the old witch, "Eureka Burns, I am very disappointed in you. As the manager of Lijin Secret Shop, I am very dissatisfied with your sales figures over the past six months."

"If you can't find a way to increase your shop's sales recently, then I should consider hiring a second first-class wizard apprentice to be the shop manager of my shop."

Yuri Burns broke out in a cold sweat; this was direct dissatisfaction from a formal wizard, which naturally put her under a lot of pressure.

As a first-circle Transfiguration wizard, Lady Irina has many businesses in the Chimera Market. Offending her is a very dangerous thing.

Yuri Burns quickly said to Lady Irina, "Your Excellency Lady Irina, I will think of a way as soon as possible to increase the sales of magical plants in our Lijin Secrets shop."

"Lijin's Secret Words was once the best magical plant shop in the Chimera Market, and it will remain so in the future."

Lady Irina's expression softened slightly. "Then I'll give you another three months. Yuri, there are plenty of first-class wizard apprentices willing to work for me."

"Moreover, the problems you have... are quite serious. Without my leniency, you wouldn't even be able to find a decent job."

"Don't let me down again."

After Mrs. Irina finished speaking, she turned and walked out of the shop. Before leaving, she glanced at Locke one last time and lingered for a moment on the Breeder's Assistant badge that Locke was wearing on his chest.

Then, she said to Locke, "Young second-class wizard apprentice, I can sense your essential level of life; you are no more than 18 years old."

"It's really good to be a breeder's assistant at this age."

"Lijin's Secret is prepared for someone with a bright future like you."

Locke bowed slightly to Lady Irina. "Your Excellency Lady Irina, thank you for your praise. My small achievements are insignificant compared to yours."

"You are the one who stands at the forefront of the path of truth."

Mrs. Irina curled the corners of her lips into a satisfied smile, then strode out of the Lijin Secrets shop.

To her, Locke was just a young second-class wizard apprentice who had passed the exam to become a breeder's assistant, and she didn't need to pay much attention to him, so she just said a few words casually.

If it weren't for Locke, who happened to walk into the shop and might have become a customer, Lady Irina wouldn't have noticed him.

On the other side, Yuri Burns stood behind the counter, head bowed in anxiety, deep in thought. "This is bad. There used to be relatively few magical plant shops in Chimera Market, so the competition was naturally less."

“But now, a large number of magical plant shops have opened in the Chimera Market, making the competition fierce. Lijin Secrets can no longer operate as it used to.”

“But if I were to say that to Lady Irina, she would immediately dismiss me, and might even become very unhappy with me. It’s too dangerous to anger a formal wizard.”

"So I can't say that... So what should I do?"

For employees, bosses are inherently troublesome figures.

And it's even more unpleasant when your boss is a terrifying, formal wizard.

Yuri Burns sighed, "It would be such a waste to be fired after all this hard work to become the manager of Lijin Secrets." "The aging curse on me requires a lot of resources every year to barely suppress. If I lose this job, I will lack the resources to stop the curse from spreading, and that will be troublesome."

Locke walked up to Yuri Burns. "Hello, senior, it's been a long time, more than a year."

"I never expected that we would meet again at Lijin Secret Language."

Locke recognized her at first glance: the shopkeeper of Lijin's Secret Words was none other than Yuri Burns, the first-class wizard apprentice who had come to Corfu on a wizard ship and served as the new student mentor at Lilith's Hut.

Back then, on the ship, she even had a dispute with Gregor Jackson, a first-class wizarding apprentice and admissions officer at Virdandia University.

Because of a wizard apprentice named Luckin, who possessed a level six wizarding qualification, I transferred from the University of Verdandia, which I was supposed to attend, to Lilith's Hut.

Yuri Burns raised her aged face and looked at Locke with a puzzled expression. "Unfamiliar second-class wizard apprentice, who are you? Have we met before?"

Locke paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "More than a year ago, I came to the Southeast Corner Region on a wizard ship. My freshman mentor at that time was my senior."

“I am Locke Augustine.”

Yuri Burns gradually recalled the scene that appeared in her mind—seven bewildered and expectant wizarding prospectives, pushed forward by the University of Verdandia, standing in front of her below the dark deck.

This scene contrasted sharply with Locke, who stood confidently before her, wearing three badges of honor on his chest.

Yuri Burns, somewhat incredulous, said, "I remember you. You are Locke Augustine, the wizarding prospect with an affinity for gold elemental particles. But I remember you only had a level three aptitude."

"You're already a second-class wizard apprentice, and a breeder's assistant!"

Yuri Burns thought of it; she had taken the breeder certification exam several times, but reality had dealt her a harsh blow, making her realize that she had no talent in this area.

So, she eventually had to give up and instead took the potion master assistant certificate exam.

But now, more than a year ago, that once unremarkable little wizard prospect has actually obtained the breeder certificate that she had always longed for and is standing in front of her.

This had a significant psychological impact on Yuri Burns.

Locke explained, "Oh, according to my mentor, the witch Sophia, it's because the tests at the time didn't fully detect my special talent."

"My actual improvement rate is between level 5 and level 6 qualifications."

Yuri Burns herself only had a level four aptitude, so her expression changed slightly, and then she looked at Locke with some envy. "Sometimes, I really envy people like you who are born with a silver spoon in your mouth."

“Junior, are you here to buy magical plants? I remember you’ve been studying the Vine Hands spell model, so I recommend you get a Premium Tiflor Vine. Premium Tiflor Vine can increase the power of your Vine Hands spells, which is very important.”

“I’ve been there, senior,” Yuri said, confident in her knowledge to guide Locke. “I’ve learned my lesson the hard way. So I suggest you buy a premium Tiffany root vine.”

"This is my well-intentioned advice; whether you listen to it or not is up to you."

"Some of the second-tier wizard apprentices I mentored have changed their magical plants on my advice, which will be better for them."

Locke nodded. "I understand, senior."

“But I’m not here today to buy magical plants, but to sell them to you. With the great help of my mentor Sophia, I have completed the cultivation of a brand new variety of magical vine, and this is the test certificate for this variety.”

"Senior, take a look."

“I want to commission Lijin Secrets to sell these thirty Super Mandela Vines for me.” Locke’s lips curled slightly. “I think you do need this kind of business deal right now, senior.”

"Junior, I'm really short on magic stones lately, so could you perhaps lower the commission fee?"

(End of this chapter)