632: Augustus Series wizard shoes, Commercial Competition, New Plan!
Another week passed. In his study, Locke fell into deep thought as he read the reply from Witch Lana, a Sun Ring Wizard from the Rose Council.
He had discussed the idea of the ecological corridor with Witch Lana three times, and each time was greatly beneficial.
At this moment, Locke tossed some oak seeds onto a wooden table in front of him. The seeds quickly took root and sprouted, growing into small trees the size of grass from the table.
These small trees on the tabletop grew into tree barriers on both sides, like a divine path. Simultaneously, bits of natural energy flowed within this path, seemingly resonating with a distant forest.
"This is the ecological corridor created according to Witch Lana's ideas," Locke mused. "I exchanged letters with her for an entire month. She revealed part of her Spell Model to me, and combined with my own research, I've managed to create this prototype of the ecological corridor for now."
"But if I use this as the foundation for the Forest Alliance Spell... it won't work."
"This divine path looks good, but it requires such a path to connect different forests. This completely contradicts the vision of the Forest Alliance, which is to have the Forest Sanctuaries of different wizards connect to form a larger Forest Kingdom."
"The Forest Sanctuaries of various wizards move around. How can such a tangible divine path be used to connect them?"
Locke fell into thought. "But whenever I have new ideas and tell Witch Lana, wanting to express my opinions to her, I always face her rebukes."
"It seems this idea of mine isn't working. Should I tell her my actual requirements? If I tell her what I really need, would it change some of her views and make her help me think?"
Locke had also inquired with Witch Catherine, but Witch Catherine had never replied to him.
He wasn't surprised by this.
Most researchers in the True Knowledge Institute had Witch Catherine as a friend in the water gourd system, and most researchers received this same treatment when they sent her messages.
There was once a researcher who bombarded Witch Catherine with a flurry of messages in the middle of the night. Nothing happened the next day, except that he found himself blacklisted.
Locke picked up his quill and wrote a few lines on the letter paper, then suddenly thought of something and put the quill down.
He frowned. "The Forest Alliance Spell involves the secret of my advancement to the Second Ring; I shouldn't tell others everywhere. Besides, even if I did tell her, what use would it be? Unless I disclose all the Spell Models of my Forest Sanctuary to her, she can't really help me. And even if I were willing to disclose them, perfecting it would likely require at least a million magic stones in resources and a large number of wizard talents."
"I have no relation to her; why would she help me like that? Telling her or not doesn't make much difference." Locke slapped his forehead. "Since Witch Lana doesn't think much of my approach, I won't bother with her anymore. I've already gained enough knowledge from her; I can't get any more."
Locke made up his mind, and a ball of Primal Fire burned the letter paper. "Let things return to the starting point. I'll try redesigning a set of Spell Models according to my original ideas."
"It's just that this requires a sum of money and a research group. I should find more ways to make money."
With a wave of Locke's hand, the miniature tree path on the table shrank from tiny trees back into two rows of sapling seeds, which then automatically fell into his hand.
Locke left the dormitory and hopped onto a Cloud Whale, heading to the Witchs Kitchen to see Witch Scarlett.
...
In Witch Lana's office at the Rose Council, she casually asked her First Ring Wizard assistant, "Are there any letters from Golden Crown Mountain today?"
The assistant shook his head. "No. That kid wrote to a Sun Ring Wizard too many times; perhaps he's been scolded by his elders. After all, it's quite impolite."
The corners of Witch Lana's mouth curled into a smile. "Impolite? It's fine. It's rare to see such a bold young wizard. And in my discussions with him, I found his thinking to be quite good—not clever enough, perhaps, but clear-headed."
"Discussing things with him is like discussing with a Second Ring Wizard. If I'm not mistaken, he is very close to becoming a Second Ring Wizard now. Therefore, I am willing to give this junior a hand."
"It's just that his ideas are too unrestrained. He's always thinking about useless things. If he could interact with me more, I could discipline his ideas on behalf of his elders and make them a bit more grounded."
At that moment, Wizard Fleming walked into the office.
Witch Lana's expression immediately soured. "Why don't I have such a smart collaborative wizard student?"
Looking at Wizard Fleming, Witch Lana was dissatisfied no matter how she looked at him, feeling inexplicably annoyed.
Wizard Fleming looked bewildered, frozen in place.
Should he leave then?
Witch Lana sighed and shot Wizard Fleming a dissatisfied glance. "No discernment at all. I really don't know how you became a Official Wizard."
"Go do something for me. In a week, the Chaos Battlefield will open. I want you to help me tune a campaign-level magical device..."
"The academic rankings of the Three Ze Lands are such a hassle. Other regions only need to compare papers, projects, and talent. Our Three Ze Lands... Hmph, those big shots in the White Wizard Association who sit in their offices all day actually believe everything else is fake and only war results don't lie. They want to use war results to help judge the academic status rankings of each university..."
Wizard Fleming was a bit terrified and didn't know if he should respond. Seeing Witch Lana's eyes clearly expressing dissatisfaction with him, he had no choice but to speak up: "Those Chaos Cultists in the Chaos World are no match for our Rose Floriography magic."
Witch Lana glanced at him, and Wizard Fleming became incredibly nervous.
Witch Lana, however, acted contrary to her usual self and smiled. "Well, you finally said something that sounds human."
Wizard Fleming felt as if he had been granted a grand amnesty. He breathed a sigh of relief and then walked out of her office.
...
At the Dragon Blood Market castle, Locke and Witch Scarlett sat together in Private Room 23.
Witch Scarlett looked at him with some surprise. "What? I was originally going to have you treat me to a meal. Who knew you'd run out of money so quickly?"
Witch Scarlett gave a bitter smile. "My dear Mr. Locke, did you go to a gambling den? Or did you play the stock market?"
Locke said, "Something even more terrifying than those two. I did research."
Most of the funds had been poured into the Forest Sanctuary.
Another portion of the funds was invested in the queens chessboard to analyze the characteristics and structures of the primal force layers of the light from the four Planes within the night meteor.
A look of realization appeared on Witch Scarlett's face. "My God. In just one month, you actually managed to consume eight million magic stones through research."
"Sigh, it's no wonder some wizards complain that even the money lost in gambling or the stock market isn't as much as the money consumed by investing in research. But as long as there are results, it's fine. The most terrifying thing is gaining nothing at all."
Locke nodded slightly, deeply agreeing.
Witch Scarlett said, "Then this time it's on me. Take a look at the menu. By the way, Locke, I asked you out this time because I wanted to ask if you want to continue operating the augustus wizard shoes brand. If you do, we need to release the next model of wizard shoes."
"While your previous model is selling well and the hype from your championship in the Golden Crown Mountain Region Spell Fighting Competition hasn't died down yet."
Locke nodded. "Of course. Since wizard shoes are so profitable, I certainly can't give them up."
Witch Scarlett gave Locke a document. "Look, this is the stock market volatility caused by your wizard shoes. Right now, a whole bunch of wizards hate your guts."
Locke scanned it.
Most of it was still related to the Tyrant Element No. 1 industry; there was currently basically no impact on the wizard shoes industry.
After all, unlike the overall impact of tyrant element no. 2, it was just a single pure magic plant wizard shoe. It wasn't yet a threat to the various textile workshops in the Golden Crown Mountain Region.
magic clothes, wizard hats, and wizard shoes were the three major industrial pillars for Magic Weavers in the Golden Crown Mountain Region.
Witch Scarlett said, "I guessed that the great genius Breeder Augustine would definitely continue developing in the direction of wizard shoes. So, I've already applied for the augustus wizard shoes trademark for you. Fortunately, I was one step ahead."
Locke was puzzled: "What happened?"
Witch Scarlett took a sip of Witch Watermelon Juice and said, "If I had been even a step slower, those Magic Weaver fellows would have registered this trademark first. And there are also some legal issues... In short, there's a lot going on. You haven't had much contact with this industry, so you don't know how complicated it is."
"But don't worry, you have me, a gold-medal trader, and Alsace is here too. Plus, you're a researcher at Golden Crown Mountain, so they won't dare to go too far."
"Moreover, the headquarters of the Sacred Master Court of the White Wizard Association for the Golden Crown Mountain Region is right on your Golden Crown Mountain, and your mentor is a scholar-consultant for that court."
"So, it's basically very difficult for them to make things hard for you on a legal level."
Witch Scarlett continued, "Back when I was a silver-medal trader, I encountered many complex situations. For example, once a collaborative wizard of mine released a magic plant glove, and those Magic Weavers felt it offended them."
"They used a bunch of design patents they had applied for to sue my collaborative wizard in court, saying he infringed on the design patents held by them."
Locke frowned. "That shouldn't be very useful, right?"
Witch Scarlett laughed. "Locke, in this world, it's not just about successfully winning a lawsuit to make someone back down. Increasing the opponent's costs is enough to solve most problems."
"My collaborative wizard was so harassed that in the end, people from the Ethics and Morality Review Committee even came down to investigate. You know, even the courts aren't as terrifying as those Holy Masters from the Ethics and Morality Review Committee. So my collaborative wizard directly gave up all research and development on the related magic plant products."
"That's what finally settled the matter."
Witch Scarlett said, "The Magic Weavers of the Cloud Marsh Wetland, due to the personalities of some High-Ring Wizards, are a relatively closed circle and play rather dirty."
"They registered a whole bunch of useless design patents in fields like magic clothes, wizard shoes, and wizard hats long ago. They're just waiting to encounter a competing product so they can use those design patents to pester you wizards."
"As for why they haven't done so yet..."
Witch Scarlett gave a mysterious smile. "That's because you have backing, Locke. I really hope some blind fool tries to provoke you in court. Most of my clients don't have a status as high as yours."
"So, we're usually bullied by those Magic Weavers. This can't be sold, that can't be sold."
"Anything that sells well, can't be sold!"
AI Model: gemini-3.1-flash-lite
"But I estimate that if they used this trick against you, they would likely be sent to the Wizard Prison. The local courts are all people from your Golden Crown Mountain, and they are almost entirely controlled by Witch Catherine. There is nothing that cannot be said about this; everyone knows it."
"Many of the wizards who provoked that Lord of the Throne in the past were screwed over by that court."
Witch Scarlett said, "Besides this method of dragging the other party into a lawsuit, there are even more ingenious approaches."
"For example, deliberately sending someone with a criminal record into a competitor's workshop, then immediately reporting them to bring in the Ethics and Morality Review Committee, the Academic Committee of various academies, and several departments of the White Wizard Association to investigate."
"Also, some even hire wizards from the opponent's workshop, tricking them into signing non-compete agreements, then letting them 'accidentally' engage in technical cooperation with their former employer, before suing them in court for unfair competition."
Witch Scarlett said, "If you encounter this situation, even Lady Witch Catherine cannot openly help you. Besides, that is the Lord of the Throne after all; I don't think she can unconditionally help her own student."
"I am telling you this only because I hope, Locke, that you will be extremely careful. Some Magic Weavers might try to stab you in the back."
Locke frowned. "I didn't expect the Magic Weavers from the Yunze Wetland to have such a dark style of operation."
"It seems completely different from the Breeders."
He had previously disrupted the stock prices of several Breeders' Overlord Element industries, but after Witch Catherine stepped in, no one held it against him anymore.
Witch Scarlett said, "Different industries are not inherently different, but the people working in them are. And the personality of a High-Ring Wizard working in one... can greatly influence the atmosphere of the entire industry."
"The academic frontier center for Magic Weavers is at Bonifacius University and the Rose Council. The problem lies with the Rose Council; the overall academic style of the Rose Council is just..."
Witch Scarlett coughed. "Never mind, let's not talk about it. That is not something a small, First Ring Crystallization Stage wizard like me can comment on."
"You Breeders are numerous, so there are many High-Ring Wizards, and their personalities are all different. Therefore, it actually leads to the Breeder industry being more tolerant and having a capacity for others."
"Actually, the Magic Weaving field is quite alright with the hedging from Bonifacius University. If it were Floramancy, that would be laughable."
"The environment over at the Floramancers is even worse."
"Magic flower shops are quite well-known places for 'black workshops' to emerge. They exploit Wizard Apprentices, for example, by making you do chores for decades without teaching you any real skills."
"They force outside wizards to handle highly toxic magic flowers, causing them to lose lifespan while working for their magic flower shops."
Witch Scarlett shook her head slightly. "The number of abuses is laughable. The Rose Council's operation is too large, leading to them being unable to manage it properly themselves."
"Who would have thought that in the most beautiful, most lovely flower shops, the darkest industrial ecosystem is brewing!"
Locke frowned and asked, "Then, does no one manage it? Does the Ethics and Morality Review Committee not manage it?"
Witch Scarlett shook her head. "They definitely have to manage it. But that is the Rose Council! Even the White Wizard Association branch has to give them some face. Besides, for every policy from above, there is a countermeasure from below."
"Even if you conduct a secret investigation, the moment you appear at the first shop, the second and third will know immediately. In short, the industry ecosystem for Magic Weavers is quite poor, and that academy, the Rose Council, is quite strange."
Locke nodded slightly.
Witch Scarlett asked Locke, "Is there any progress on the second pair of wizard shoes? It would be best if it were a Tyrant Transformation product made with tyrant element no. 2; your tyrant element no. 2 has left a deep impression on everyone."
"You can develop a whole series of Tyrant Transformation wizard shoes! This makes it easier to promote and leave a deeper impression in the minds of those wizards."
Locke said, "During the time I was researching pineapples, I acquired quite a bit of technical accumulation regarding them. There are two pineapples that I believe, like the Great Hummingbird Pineapple, are suitable for use as wizard shoes."
"I can continue the concept of the first Great Hummingbird Pineapple Wizard Shoes and proceed with making them. They are the great snow peak pineapple and the fire pineapple."
"I can first apply Tyrant Transformation to both to see if their performance can be enhanced, and then create them following the concept of the Great Hummingbird Pineapple Wizard Shoes. The overall framework of the Great Hummingbird Pineapple Wizard Shoes is excellent."
"I am confident that I can create two types of wizard shoes that will be very helpful to wizards."
Locke said, "It's just that I need... funds."
"Scarlett, do you have any way to get the funds for me to develop new wizard shoes in a short time?"
Maintaining the previous five-headed snake and Hydra, as well as the magic field production for the Great Hummingbird Pineapple Wizard Shoes, also required a certain amount of capital.
If not for Scarlett having stock of seeds, Locke wouldn't even be able to ship goods right now.
There was no helping it; research was just too expensive, and Locke also wanted to raise his power to a satisfactory state before exploring the abyss.
So, he dumped a pile of money into it.
Witch Scarlett was not surprised by this. "True. Geniuses like you earn a lot of money, but you also spend a lot. However, it doesn't matter; I can try to apply for research sponsorship for you from Alsace."
"You already have two best-selling products in our Alsace, so you already have certain privileges."
"I expect that within three days, I can apply for a commercial sponsorship of 200,000 magic stones for you as an investment and support for your development of new products."
Witch Scarlett asked, "Is 200,000 enough? Otherwise, I can take out my savings to support you."
Locke thought for a moment. "Hmm, 200,000 should be enough."
Witch Scarlett smiled, "Hmm, then I hope you can develop the two products as soon as possible. Because in the Golden Crown Mountain Region, there are two consecutive minor festivals coming up: [World Walking Day] and the Shoe Changing Festival."
"wizard shoes will sell especially well during these two days."
"Moreover, I heard that the Five Great Wars are about to start one after another. We can only sell in the Golden Crown Mountain Region, but Golden Crown Mountain is about to truly start the Demonic Realm War with the Twin Demon Realm."
"That is not the minor skirmish of last time!"
"During the war, the sales of wizard shoes will definitely rise again." Witch Scarlett looked up and said, "So I want to make a request to you."
"Can you develop another pair of wizard shoes prepared for the Demonic Realm War? Here is the information on the Demonic Realm War."
"The requirements are roughly for wear resistance, a certain anti-theft function, anti-reconnaissance, anti-tracking, and anti-spatial disturbance capabilities for the wizard shoes."
"Besides that, it also needs to have those basic functions of wizard shoes. That is: acceleration, resistance to void power, protection of the soles of the feet, and those basic war functions of adapting to the principle of the world."
Locke raised an eyebrow. "These requirements are very high."
Witch Scarlett said, "This request is just an additional one. If you cannot do it, or do not have the time to do it, it doesn't matter at all."
"This is actually a collective requirement for external bidding from Golden Crown Mountain and various wizard organizations. During the Demonic Realm War, various wizard organizations send sets to their own wizards..."
"This set can ensure the basic lower limit of performance for wizard warfare and impr