Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems-Chapter 260: Meeting Halen Vera

Locke said to Kali Ackerman, "Did the academy higher-ups change my wizard mentor to Mentor Halen Vera?"
Kali Ackerman nodded and bowed her head to Locke, saying, "Yes, Senior. Senior, you're really smart. You realized the reason why Teacher Halen invited you in an instant."
Kali Ackerman felt somewhat guilty, but still showed Locke a bright smile. "Senior, from now on we'll both be students of Mentor Halen Vera."
"Please take care of me in the future."
"If there's anything you need my help with in the future, Senior, just ask. I'll definitely do everything in my power to help you."
Kali Ackerman guiltily stole a glance at Locke. After confirming that Locke didn't show any obvious dissatisfaction with her, she breathed a sigh of relief.
When she first learned about this matter, she herself had been startled but as a magical companion who followed others around every day to mooch resources and connections, Kali Ackerman quickly adjusted her mindset and understood that Locke was her senior. Regardless of what attitude Locke had toward her, she had to greet him warmly.
Now, she couldn't afford to offend Locke in the slightest.
Halen Vera's network wasn't based on who joined first, but rather on who was a genius, who was a super genius.
For someone like Locke, such a famous person, as long as he entered Halen Vera's network, he would instantly become a star within it.
Kali Ackerman knew that if she offended Locke, as long as Locke's dissatisfied attitude toward her was slightly revealed within the network, she would have it coming.
Within Halen Vera's network, those people would become cold toward her, no longer enthusiastic, and refuse to communicate with her.
For a magical academic companion, this was truly too terrible.
At the same time, Kali Ackerman, looking at the indifferent Locke, secretly raised her head to observe him. Her heart filled with worship and awe.
This first-class wizard apprentice before her, who had been promoted for about a year, possessed talent comparable to, or even vaguely surpassing, Senior Anglon.
Moreover, he was so young, and he was her senior.
This naturally caused Kali Ackerman to develop the same kind of worshipful feelings she had toward Anglon.
Locke said to her coldly, "Then wait for me. I just came from the botanical garden, and my clothes have dust on them. I need to change."
After all, this was a formal wizard's invitation, which was exceptional treatment.
He should still change into clean clothes to avoid being impolite.
Kali Ackerman hesitated for a moment, then took out a vine-speech box from under her wizard robe and handed it to Locke. "Senior Locke, this is a gift from me, as a welcoming gift for you joining our big family."
Locke turned around and frowned slightly.
Kali Ackerman immediately opened the vine-speech box, revealing a high-grade magical item lying inside, an ice dagger covered with Ogham tree runes. This was a high-grade magical item grafting knife.
Kali Ackerman smiled brightly at Locke in a flattering manner, saying, "Senior, this is a grafting knife worth 500 magic stones. I feel that such a treasure should be matched with a genius breeder like you, so I took the initiative to purchase this grafting knife and want to give it to you."
Locke frowned, glanced at it, and refused, saying, "No need. I can purchase grafting rune knives myself."
Kali opened her mouth. Faced with Locke's merciless refusal, she didn't dare to persist further and could only nod and accommodate him, saying, "Yes, I'm sorry, Senior. I was presumptuous."
Kali sighed inwardly. At this moment, she somewhat hated herself for having offended Locke verbally before.
And now, with her abilities, to hope to gain Locke's forgiveness and repair their relationship with such small favors was truly wishful thinking.
Kali waited outside the residence alone, thinking inwardly, 'This is bad. It seems Senior Locke's impression of me is really quite poor. He even refused to accept my gift. It seems I must think of other ways to please Senior Locke.'
Kali pondered in her heart, 'If I offend Senior Locke, I might not be able to get by within Teacher Halen Vera's network.'
'This won't do. I must quickly find a way to truly help Senior Locke. Perhaps then there's still a chance to obtain his forgiveness.'
Locke returned to his residence, changed his clothes, then came out and followed Kali Ackerman. They separately boarded two carriages and headed to Chimera Trading Market.
Witch Kitchen, Private Room Number 3.
Kali pushed open the door to the private room and invited Locke to enter. As soon as Locke walked in, he saw Senior Advisor Francis and Wizard Halen Vera.
Halen Vera wore a pair of black-framed non-prescription glasses, had a crew cut, the appearance of a middle-aged man, and wore an ordinary gray wizard robe. At the same time, his right thumb wore a magic ring, and his left wrist wore a decorative mechanical watch. That mechanical watch had seven clock faces and was very complex, as if calculating something. Anyway, Locke glanced at it and could confirm it wasn't calculating time.
Kali Ackerman bowed to the two people in the private room, "Teacher Halen, this is Senior Locke."
Halen Vera's eyes lit up slightly. At this moment, both his and Senior Advisor Francis's gazes fell on Locke, directly ignoring Kali Ackerman.
Halen Vera looked Locke up and down and greeted him, saying, "Locke, this should be our first meeting, right?"
"I'm a First Circle wizard at Lilith's Cottage, a senior breeder, formal potion master, and alchemist, Halen Vera. I'm very pleased to meet you."
"Before meeting you, I heard about you from different people. But seeing you today, I discovered you're very young, and quite different from what I imagined."
Halen Vera smiled, saying, "The academy has reassigned you as my student. I'm very happy about this."
"I just don't know what your thoughts are. If you're unwilling..."
Locke immediately shook his head. This was originally the recommendation Teacher Sophia had given him. "No, Teacher Halen, I'm very willing."
The smile on Halen Vera's face grew even wider. "That's good. Geniuses always have the right to choose. I hope the relationship between us is a mutual choice."
"I've already spent several days formulating a series of teaching and training plans for you that can help your mana quickly surpass... Hmm?"
Halen Vera adjusted the position of his non-prescription glasses. "Locke, your mana seems to be very close to 800."
"My feeling shouldn't be wrong, right?"
"It seems all those teaching plans I formulated will have to be completely redone. But this is good, very good, excellent."
Senior Advisor Francis set down his fork in surprise, looked at Locke, then at Halen Vera. Finally, he looked at Locke and asked in amazement, "Locke, is your mana close to 800 now?"