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Chapter 58: Kaecilius's Pride!

Vientiane Book Cafe, tea room.

The pantry was a place where employees prepared drinks and also a space for them to take a rest. At this moment, May was sitting on a chair in the tea room, leaning on the handle, holding her chin with her right hand, and looking at the short but beautiful Irina with interest.

She watched as Irina rinsed all the tea sets with boiling water, then very carefully placed the tea leaves in the teapot, and poured hot water evenly over the tea leaves. Irina proceeded with the next steps of raising the tea, washing the tea, brewing, and so on. Watching Irina's smooth tea-making process, May couldn't help but sigh, "Irina, your tea-making skills look really good. You are indeed a professional tea-maker. No wonder the boss insists on keeping you."

Irina, who was making tea, smiled and said with some emotion, "I originally thought that the tea-making skills I learned before would no longer be useful, but I didn't expect that the boss would take a fancy to it."

Then, she added, "May, this pot of tea is expected to be delivered to the private room in 5 minutes. Do you need my help?"

After hearing this, May shook her head and said quickly, "No, I'll take care of this."

Time passed bit by bit. Soon, May saw Irina put all the tea in the pot, place three cups on the tea tray, and hand it to her. "May, it's ready and can be sent over."

After taking it, May looked at the exquisite teacup and teapot in front of her with great interest. She glanced at Irina again, a trace of pity flashing in her eyes. May had never drunk tea before; she usually drank coffee. She had previously hired a reserve clerk who was a very good barista and loved the coffee she made very much. But who knew that her boss's preferences were completely opposite to hers? He had no interest in coffee and liked to drink tea, so he chose the clerk who was good at making tea.

She was a little surprised that her boss liked drinking tea. In her impression, people in the East seemed to have these hobbies, but she didn't expect that her boss also had this interest. But she didn't think too much about it; after all, everyone's hobbies are different. Her nephew was very fond of Spiderman and Ironman and liked to collect related items. Although she had no love for Spiderman, since it was her nephew's interest, she didn't mind.

Without thinking deeply, May approached Study Room 101 with the tea tray in front of her. To be honest, she was quite curious about her boss's two friends. On the first day of business, not a single customer came. The first customer was a friend of her boss. Judging from this, it must be a treat from her boss. So, today's turnover might be zero, May thought helplessly.

After approaching Study Room 101, May vaguely heard some sounds coming from the study room. However, due to the strong privacy of the study room, the content was basically inaudible. Despite this, with her always sensitive hearing, she could vaguely hear words like "breakthrough," "runes," and "spirit." Although she didn't quite understand, it completely ignited her curiosity, and she was about to eavesdrop at the door.

Suddenly, click! The study door opened quietly, revealing May holding a tea tray and ready to eavesdrop, to the three people in the study. May didn't have time to think too much and looked awkwardly at the boss and two guests who were watching her.

Then a voice quietly floated into May's ears, "May, come in, please bring the tea in." Lockhart's words completely brought the embarrassed May back to her senses. She quickly took the tea tray and placed it on the desk. Then she placed three teacups in front of the three of them, picked up the teapot, and filled the teacups with tea. Then, Lockhart spoke in a gentle tone, "May, that's fine. You can go about your business now."

After hearing this, May nodded quickly and turned around to leave. Then Lockhart added, making her face heat up, "May, do me a favor and don't let anyone else near the study. I'm talking to my friends about something private." After hearing what her boss said, May realized what she had just done and was afraid that her boss would notice. So she nodded quickly, left the study, and closed the door tightly.

Lockhart looked at the tightly closed door and felt that there was no one outside, so he nodded with satisfaction. At this time, Kaecilius next to him said jokingly, "Lockhart, it seems your manager has a wide range of interests."

After hearing this, Lockhart smiled and said calmly, "Kaecilius, don't worry about her. She is just the store manager during the transition period. In a few months, some reliable people will replace her." Immediately, Lockhart brought the topic back to business and said, "Kaecilius, why didn't you recommend selling magic recovery potions just now?"

Hearing Lockhart's question, Kaecilius smiled and said slowly, "Lockhart, do you remember the bottle of recovery potion you gave me before? I tried the potion you gave me and found that it can indeed restore magic power. But," Kaecilius changed his tone and said with some pride, "perhaps you don't know that we, the sorcerer of Kamar Taj, use the power of Vishanti to practice. Our normal magic recovery speed is much faster than ordinary people. During battles, we have special magic recovery techniques that can completely restore magic power quickly. So the potion you provided is not used in normal times, and it can't match our recovery speed during battle. So I think it's a bit useless. I don't recommend continuing to sell the recovery potions, because no one will buy them."

After hearing Kaecilius' explanation, Master Morin next to him nodded in agreement. He also wanted to convey the same thing. In the past few days, he had a clear understanding of Lockhart's origins. Although he was a little surprised that the other person came from another world, he was not overly curious. After all, their duty is to resist dimensional invasion, and they know a lot about other worlds. Since the Sorcerer Supreme recognized Lockhart's existence, they would not say anything more. What's more, the resources provided by Lockhart are also beneficial to this group of people. Now that they are cooperating with each other, why should they reject him?

After hearing Kaecilius' explanation, Lockhart pondered for a moment, nodded helplessly, and continued, "Okay, I see. What other potions might interest the sorcerers?"

At this time, Master Morin next to him said, "Before, you mentioned a vitality potion that can quickly restore physical strength. If this achieves the effect you described before, I think many mages will buy it. Because when we finish training or fighting, we definitely need to recover our strength quickly. As long as the price is not expensive, you don't have to worry about customers."

Hearing what Master Morin said, Lockhart's eyes clearly lit up. He knew about the vitality potion. This potion could be made by fourth and fifth-year students at Hogwarts. The threshold is not high, it can be mass-produced, and it is not on the Ministry of Magic's list of banned potions. So, he immediately said, "The vitality potion can be provided in large quantities, and the price can be low. You can rest assured about this."

After hearing what Lockhart said, Kaecilius and Master Morin also had a smile on their faces. It seemed they had discovered another major potion product. This meant that their business would be more prosperous. Although Lockhart made the most as a potion provider, they also gained a lot.

Chapter 59: The Relationship Between Vishanti and Kamar Taj

It was already close to noon, and the scorching sunshine filled the entire Vientiane Book Cafe. Compared to the hot temperature outside the store, May had asked the clerk to turn on the air conditioner early to ensure the coolness inside. Perhaps because of the pleasant temperature, some young people had chosen to enter the book cafe to read, rest, and play with their mobile phones. This made May, who was dedicated to revitalizing the book cafe, quite satisfied.

On the first day of business, no matter the reason, a turnover of 0 would only show that she was incompetent as a store manager.

In Study Room 101, Lockhart looked at the empty teapot in front of him. He took out his wand again and pointed it lightly. Soon, a large amount of tea slowly emerged from the teapot, filling it completely.

Kaecilius said in surprise, "Lockhart, no matter how many times I see it, I have to praise it. The magic in your world is indeed very good, and some of it is beyond our understanding."

Hearing the compliment in Kaecilius' tone, Lockhart said modestly with a faint smile, "No, it's just some spell-casting techniques developed based on our own magic blood. It's not very useful, just sophisticated. To be honest, Kamar Taj's magic is more powerful. Most of us wizards can't do this."

At this moment, the three of them had finished talking about the potion business and started discussing magic. They were all practitioners of magic, and although Lockhart's system was different from theirs, they all based their practice on the concept of magic and the control of energy. Naturally, there were many topics to talk about.

"Morin, I would like to ask a question. In our world view, using external force is relatively taboo, but I found that the magicians of Kamar Taj seem to be used to it. Aren't you worried about this?" Lockhart asked.

Kaecilius and Morin looked at each other and laughed. Master Morin introduced directly, "Lockhart, in fact, your concern has been considered by sorcerers before. But most sorcerers rely on the power provided by our patron Vishanti, not the power of those evil gods and demon gods."

"Vishanti is a trinity of gods, or you can understand it as an alliance co-founded by the three ancient gods Agamotto, Oshtur, and Hoggoth. The purpose of Vishanti is to protect the universe and stay away from evil. We belong to the righteous camp. More importantly, Agamotto among them was a past Sorcerer Supreme and the founder of our Kamar Taj. He created our magic system. According to ancient records, the Eye of Agamotto held by the Sorcerer Supreme is the witness of the contract between our Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar Taj and Vishanti. According to the contract, we use the power of Vishanti to practice and improve our magic skills. The price is that when we die, all our power will return to Vishanti. As long as the Eye of Agamotto is not destroyed, the contract will remain unchanged. So we don't have those concerns."

Hearing this, Lockhart nodded. He now quite understood the mentality of Master Kamar Taj. The power they relied on belonged to their ancestor, so there was nothing to worry about.

As for the Eye of Agamotto, if he remembered correctly, it was the Time Stone. If someone wanted to destroy it, they would probably have to wait until Thanos collected all six Infinity Stones before having a chance. And after hearing Master Morin's introduction, Lockhart was seriously doubtful. Is the Eye of Agamotto really just as simple as the Time Stone? Otherwise, how could Vishanti easily see the Time Stone being destroyed without taking action? Or, the Time Stone is just a core part of it, and the Eye of Agamotto's real function is to fully utilize the Time Stone's power. Well, Lockhart didn't know if it had other functions, but this alone was enough to prove the power of this magical weapon.

Master Morin's introduction made Lockhart feel more at ease. They didn't have a close relationship before; they were just acquaintances. But now that the relationship was good and there were interests entangled, Lockhart asked directly with confidence, and the answer he got made him very satisfied. It also made him determined to learn Kamar Taj's magic system. But before learning, he had to talk to the Ancient One. Well, it's not that he is stubborn, but because this matter is directly related to his future magical path. It's not his character to be careless.

Later, Lockhart began to communicate with Morin and Kaecilius about Kamar Taj's magic system.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, there were fewer and fewer people at the Vientiane Book Cafe because it was noon, and everyone had gone out to eat. According to regulations, to maintain environmental hygiene inside the book cafe, no one was allowed to eat inside. Lockhart was afraid that the smell of those meals would directly affect the smell of the environment inside the book cafe. After May and the other shop clerks ordered takeout, they all went to the employee room to have lunch.

At this moment, May and several clerks were chatting while eating. "May, what do you think the two guests invited by the boss are doing? They look quite mysterious. They only drank a pot of tea and have never left the study."

"Irina, I don't know too much. Anyway, they are friends of the boss. We don't need to know too much." While eating, May replied absentmindedly to the questions raised by Irina.

When she delivered the tea to the room before, she was caught eavesdropping, so she didn't have time to think too much. But afterward, when she thought about the whole thing, she found something that went against common sense. How could the boss know that she was eavesdropping? And how did the door open? But when she saw the door opened, the three of them were sitting on chairs.

At this moment, Lockhart watched Kaecilius open a portal leading to the New York Sanctuary. Especially when the two people were leaving, a trace of envy flashed in his eyes. But immediately, looking at the leftovers on the desk, he waved his wand and cleared away the trash. Smelling the odorless air and looking at the brand-new and clean study room, Lockhart nodded with satisfaction. Then he opened the door and walked outside.

After walking to the front hall, he found that Alice was the only one guarding the front desk, so he asked curiously, "Alice, where did May and the others go?" Alice was bored playing with her mobile phone at the front desk, but suddenly she heard her boss's voice. She was so frightened that she immediately put her phone upside down on the table, then raised her head with some guilt and stared at the boss blankly.

Lockhart was speechless when he saw Alice's actions, but he still repeated his question. "Alice, where did May and the others go?"

"Oh, boss, May and the others went to the pantry to eat." After hearing Alice's answer, he glanced at her cell phone upside down on the table. Without saying anything, he turned and walked towards the break room.

He did not forget that there was a little trouble that could not be solved directly due to the presence of Kaecilius and Morin. Now that the two of them had left, it was time to settle the last bit of the problem.

Chapter 60: Business Novice Lockhart

Pantry.

Although May had a lot of doubts about the boss's friends, the new store had just opened, and there were many things that needed her attention as the store manager. She decided to keep her inner doubts to herself and wait for an opportunity to think about the answers later.

With this in mind, May started chatting with Chris and Irina while eating.

"Chris, among the guests who came in today, do you remember that handsome young man? The one wearing a light blue shirt?" Irina asked.

"Hey, Irina, are you talking about the one sitting at the desk by the window? I think he's really handsome," Chris replied.

"May, what do you think?" Irina turned to May.

"Well, he looks pretty good. Not bad at all," May agreed.

"Irina, I find that you seem to have forgotten one thing. We have a handsome guy right here in our book club," Chris teased.

"Haha, I know who you are talking about," Irina said, laughing.

"I know too. Isn't he our boss?" Chris added.

"He looks quite handsome, especially with his silky blond hair. Plus, he owns such a high-end book cafe. He's young and rich," Irina said.

May watched Irina and Chris tease each other about Lockhart, and she felt a desire to complain in her heart.

"Do you know? In fact, our boss is really a novice in business," May said.

"May, you won't lie to us, will you? The boss owns such a high-end book cafe. How can he not understand business operations?" Chris asked, skeptical.

After hearing Chris's rebuttal, May waved her hands and said in a mocking tone, "If you have money, you have money, and if you have ability, you have ability. A few days ago, regarding the operation of the book cafe, I submitted a marketing plan, but the boss actually rejected it. He also talked to me about not needing publicity and attracting customers purely through word of mouth. With this kind of tactic, he hopes this book cafe can continue to operate well."

Chris looked doubtful. "Really? The boss really thinks so?"

As a business administration major like May, Chris naturally knew how outrageous this idea was. In theory, word of mouth can indeed attract customers, but it will take time to ferment. When a new store opens, what it needs most is publicity and promotion. Otherwise, unless the boss is a rich man and willing to spend money and time to maintain the store, relying solely on word of mouth will only lead to more losses. They can only make a profit when their reputation reaches a certain level.

"Can I still lie to you? I handed the plan to the boss in person, but he rejected it in person and even talked about word of mouth with confidence. I was disappointed," May said.

While the three of them were complaining about their boss, suddenly, the door opened with a click. The three of them turned to look at the door, feeling guilty and embarrassed.

"Ah, it's the boss," they exclaimed.

At this moment, Lockhart looked at the three of them expressionlessly. He had heard exactly how they complained about him. Was he a business novice? In his previous life, he was considered a wealthy person in academic circles. Relying on his carefully prepared research projects, he earned his first million in just three years. Five years later, his net worth exceeded 10 million. He personally loved doing scientific research more and invested most of the money he earned in scientific research projects without making any announcement to the outside world.

Result: today, he was ridiculed as a business novice. Although Lockhart understood their thoughts, he still felt a little uncomfortable. Looking at the three people with guilty faces, especially the leader May, Lockhart sighed and said nothing more.

Then, he cast a spell. "Legilimens!"

In an instant, a milky white light was released from the tip of the wand. Under Lockhart's control, it divided into three streams and entered the minds of the three people. Lockhart closed his eyes slightly and quickly cleared the memory of the three of them seeing him enter the break room. Then he quickly found the memory of May serving tea today and preparing to eavesdrop, clearing it and modifying it. Instead, May opened the door herself and entered the study to serve tea. He also clarified all the logic behind it and cleared away any related doubts.

At last, Lockhart found the memory of May approaching him to submit a publicity plan a few days ago. He hesitated about this memory. This was evidence that he had become a business noob in their eyes. Now, as long as he erased it gently, they would not have relevant thoughts. But Lockhart shook his head helplessly. This was indeed convenient. If he were the original, he might do this. But he thought more about it. According to May's current personality, even if the memory of her plan was erased, she would definitely find herself with the same proposal in the future. Then the same thing would happen again.

The best way was to replace the store manager. But to find a reliable store manager again, he would have to go back and forth, which wastes time and energy. Maybe something will happen. Lockhart let out a breath and retra

Chapter 61: Coulson's Helplessness!

Stark Industries, outside the chairman's office. Tony held a bouquet of flowers in his hand and was dressed in a full suit, looking quite dapper. Although he was not the tallest man around, his familiar face and handsome mustache made the female employees nearby swoon. Whether it was due to his looks or his wealth was unclear.

"Shh!" Tony gestured to a female employee nearby, placing his index finger in front of his mouth to signal silence. As the employees around him left, hesitating to speak, Tony raised the flowers in his left hand with satisfaction. He knocked solemnly on the door of the chairman's office.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Come in!" came a familiar voice from the office.

Tony opened the door and entered with a smile on his face. Today was a special day, and he had prepared a surprise for Pepper. However, upon entering, Tony's expression froze. He was shocked to find a bald man in the office.

Suddenly, the flowers in his hands seemed to lose their fragrance. Without courtesy, he said directly, "Coulson, why are you here at Stark Industries? Do you know that it's Pepper's break time now?"

Coulson, seeing Tony's displeased expression, quickly apologized, "I'm very sorry, Tony, for disturbing your date." Then, without waiting for Tony to reply, he turned to Pepper, "Pepper, excuse me. I'll trouble you later about the Ark reactor."

With that, Coulson hurriedly walked out the door as if a tiger were chasing him. According to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intelligence, Tony was more likely to do something rash when in a bad mood, so it was best to leave quickly. Just as he was about to open the door, Tony spoke again.

"Coulson, does SHIELD want my Ark reactor?" Tony asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Yes, Tony. SHIELD and Stark Industries have signed a contract to purchase four Ark reactors."

Tony's confusion and displeasure were evident. He turned to Pepper, "Has the contract been signed? Does it have my signature?"

Pepper nodded, "The contract has been signed. I told you, you probably signed it the day before yesterday."

Tony quickly recalled his activities from the day before yesterday. "Ah, I got it, Pepper."

Relieved, Coulson let out a sigh but Tony continued, "Pepper, what is the theoretical longest delivery time for the Ark reactor? Can it be delayed?"

Pepper hesitated, glanced at Coulson, and then looked at Tony. "Theoretically, it can be postponed up to six months. If other things happen, it can be further delayed up to one year."

Tony, satisfied with Pepper's response, looked at Coulson with a hint of pride. "Let's delay it for two months and see what SHIELD says."

Coulson, sensing Tony's amusement, replied in a pleading tone, "Tony, is there anything SHIELD can help with?"

Tony, touching his chin, mentioned casually, "I heard that SHIELD is currently researching a potion. I want to see your research information and find out who the wizard professor behind it is. Provide me with his information."

Coulson's expression changed slightly. Tony had invaded SHIELD's intelligence network again. Smiling bitterly, Coulson replied, "Sorry, Tony, I don't have the authority to tell you this."

Tony remained calm, "Ask your director. If he tells me, maybe he will get those Ark reactors. Also, you asked me to design the power system for your big toy. It's ready."

Coulson nodded and opened the office door without saying another word. With a slight 'bang,' the door closed tightly.

Tony turned to Pepper with a smile, raising the flowers. "Pepper, how was your day at work today? Feeling the pressure of being the chairman?"

Although Tony had escaped the danger of palladium poisoning and defeated Whiplash, he still handed over the position of chairman of Stark Industries to Pepper, despite her initial reluctance. Now, she was effectively doing the job of chairman.

Pepper smiled gently, "Don't worry, Tony. I've been getting used to it. Everything in Stark Industries is operating normally." She then showed a worried look. "When I was talking to Coulson, he seemed anxious about wanting the reactor. Will it have any impact if we delay it?"

Tony reassured her, "Don't worry. I understand Nick Fury. His big toy still needs my help. It's likely that the information I want will be sent to my computer soon. When the time comes, you can send the Ark reactor."

Pepper pursed her lips and smiled, taking the flowers from Tony's hand and deeply inhaling their scent.

Chapter 62: Nick Fury's Fear

At the Trident Building, S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, in the director's office, Nick Fury, wearing his signature black trench coat, leaned on the table with a serious expression. "Coulson, what did you mean by the message you just sent me? How was such crucial information leaked?"

Coulson, hearing the severity in his director's voice, responded with a wry smile, "Director, the information about the wizard professor is strictly confidential. Recently, only Natasha knew about it. However, based on Tony's current knowledge, he only has a code name and no specific details. I suspect it might be related to the research project, and Tony managed to hack it and gain the information from there."

Nick Fury pondered for a moment, silently considering the situation. "Is it really the research project? Who trained these agents to make such low-level mistakes?"

After a while, Coulson broke the silence. "Director, should we exchange intelligence for the Stark Industries reactor? And Tony mentioned that the power design of the aircraft carrier is complete. But he wants to see our sincerity."

Nick Fury didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Coulson, you've been supervising the wizard gold coin project. Any progress?"

Coulson shook his head slightly. "Director, time is limited, and there hasn't been much progress. According to researchers, some elements in the gold coin are related to gold, but they are mixed with numerous unknown elements, which significantly alter its properties. The metal's properties are sufficient for key fields like aviation and military, meeting strategic resource standards."

Nick Fury, thinking deeply, said, "We can't look at this gold coin purely from a technological perspective. It might be refined through unknown technology. The wizard professor might not have mastered the corresponding technology yet and mistakenly thought it was a metal. Or perhaps he cast a wide net, treating us as a backup without providing detailed information."

He paused, contemplating, and continued, "Don't get obsessed with this gold coin. We need to break through the bottleneck of our current relationship. Use the information related to the wizard gold coin project to communicate more and obtain more information. Find his weakness. If he has desires, he has a weakness."

Finally, Nick Fury addressed Coulson's original question. "As for Tony, we can give him certain information. We need a breakthrough now, and I believe he can help us. The wizard gold coin project requires his participation. He will be very interested, and we also need his intelligence."

Coulson nodded and said, "Okay, Director, I'll handle it." Then he added, "Director, there's one more thing. All our surveillance measures on the wizard professor have failed. The infiltrated agent was discovered, the surveillance equipment stopped working, and we were warned that this was the last time. Should we continue to strengthen our efforts or give up temporarily?"

Nick Fury, having seen this in the mission report before, rubbed his temples in distress and sighed. "Give up. We cannot damage the relationship now. We'll wait for a breakthrough from Tony or other sources before proceeding further."

To be honest, Nick Fury found the wizard professor quite difficult. If not for the other party being a friend of an heir to an alien civilization, suspected of involvement in a new wizard civilization, having strong abilities, and possibly having many wizards behind him, S.H.I.E.L.D. would have captured him long ago.

But so many uncertainties prevented any action. Not to mention whether they could even capture the wizard professor with his current strength. Even if they did, it might provoke the hostility of an alien civilization's heir and many wizards. And the professor's displayed strength made it incredibly difficult to capture him.

That evening, in New York, at the Westin Hotel, Tony and Pepper sat on either side of a round table in a luxuriously decorated hall. The surrounding candlelight shone warmly, and the crystal chandelier overhead made the entire hall sparkle. Tony had booked this candlelight dinner in advance.

Raising a glass of red wine, Tony gently clinked it with Pepper's glass. "Pepper, happy birthday," he said with a smile. Today was Pepper's birthday, and he had come to the office early with flowers and arranged for the candlelight dinner.

Pepper, her face full of smiles, responded, "This birthday is very special. It's the first time you remembered my birthday."

Tony, feeling slightly awkward, smiled and quickly took a drink to cover it up. In the past, he usually forgot her birthday until many days later. When asked, Pepper would tell him the birthday gift had already been bought, thanking him for it—though she had prepared it herself as his secretary.

Just then, Tony's phone vibrated. Seeing the message, a trace of pride flashed in his eyes. He showed the phone to Pepper, saying, "Okay, Pepper, you can send SHIELD's goods now."

Pepper, smiling at Tony's childlike excitement, looked on warmly. The two then continued their conversation. Tonight promised to be a lively night.

Chapter 63: The Frustrated Tony Stark

In the early morning, at Vientiane Book Cafe.

The book cafe wasn't far from May's home. She made an early breakfast for her nephew Peter before hurrying to the book cafe to start her day's work.

It had been five days since the official opening. Although she still had serious doubts about her boss's business idea, she had to admit that his vision was excellent. One after another, customers came in for a cup of coffee or to read a book because of the cafe's pleasant environment.

Due to the boss's hobby, the book cafe also provided tea service. However, very few people drank tea. Like her, most people preferred coffee, except for an old Oriental man who enjoyed the tea. Others gave up after a few sips out of curiosity.

May was slightly disappointed. The cost of buying tea was not low, and it seemed the boss would be the only one drinking it. However, it couldn't be considered a complete waste.

After May opened the door of the book cafe, three clerks soon arrived on time. Amid laughter, the three of them, led by May, began their daily cleaning. After cleaning up, they found places to sit. Some read books to recharge, others organized the bookshelves, and some waited for guests.

As the sun gradually rose, May welcomed a few guests. Still, there was no trace of her boss, Mr. Lockhart. May was not surprised by this. Her boss had not been present except for having tea with two friends on the first day of opening. She didn't pay too much attention to his absence.

Suddenly, the roar of an engine came from outside, and a red Ferrari parked in the space next to the book cafe. May raised her head and, through the transparent glass, could clearly see the luxury of the sports car, feeling a twinge of envy. It would be great if she had one.

She continued to watch to see who owned such a luxurious car. "Tony Stark!" she exclaimed in a low voice. She was very familiar with such a famous figure in New York City.

Seeing Tony Stark entering the book cafe, May immediately went to the door to greet him. Iron Man Tony Stark entering Vientiane Book Cafe was a fantastic publicity opportunity. Determined to revitalize the book cafe, May signaled the clerks behind her to do their jobs well and touched her mobile phone in her pocket, preparing to take a photo to promote the cafe using Iron Man's traffic. If her boss knew about her efforts, he would surely give her a bonus.

May thought to herself, paying attention to Tony Stark's steps. "Welcome, Mr. Tony Stark, to Vientiane Book Cafe!" she said as he approached the entrance. Tony raised his head slightly and looked at the tall, curvy store manager in front of him. According to the information he had asked Jarvis to collect, although it wasn't much, he knew the store manager seemed to be named May.

When he saw the beautiful store manager, Tony decided to be polite. "Hello, I'm looking for Mr. Lockhart," he said in a gentle tone.

May was stunned for a moment and asked curiously, "Mr. Stark, are you a friend of the boss?"

Tony shook his head, "No. Is Mr. Lockhart here? Do you have his contact information? I have something to discuss with him."

Hearing Tony's question, May hesitated. Although the other party was a billionaire and Iron Man, her boss had clearly stated that his contact information could not be disclosed to anyone. She was the only one who could contact him if there was any matter.

"I'm very sorry, Mr. Stark, the boss does not allow anyone to reveal his contact information. If you have something to tell me, I'll pass it on to him. Alternatively, you can make an appointment to see him."

Although May was a beauty, Tony was still taken aback by her reply. No one had mentioned the word "reservation" to him for a long time. It was always someone else making an appointment with him, never the other way around.

But thinking of the other party's identity, Tony said a little begrudgingly, "I will be free anytime today. Can you call him and tell him I am here waiting?"

May also felt a hint of reluctance in her heart but quickly nodded, instructing Alice to entertain the distinguished guest. She returned to the store, picked up the phone, and found her boss's contact information.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Hey May, what's up?" her boss's curious voice came through.

"Boss, Tony Stark said he wants to meet you. Do you have the time? He said he is free all day today."

There was a moment of silence before the boss's voice sounded annoyed, "I'm not free today. Ask Tony Stark to come tomorrow morning. I have something else to do. That's it, don't let him bother me. If there's nothing important, try not to disturb me."

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Before May could reply, her boss hung up the phone. Recalling the tone, May's face looked a little weird. Her boss even disliked billionaire Tony Stark. He was indeed a weirdo.

She turned and glanced at Tony, who was signing autographs for Alice. Seeing this, May's eyes twitched slightly. She felt a little weak, but remembering her boss's instructions, she walked up to Tony Stark.

"Mr. Stark, I'm very sorry. The boss has something urgent to do today and may not be able to come to the book cafe."

May tried to convey the boss's message tactfully, adding, "He can meet you as soon as tomorrow morning. Do you want to make an appointment for tomorrow at 9 AM?"

Tony sat on the chair, raised his head, and stared into May's eyes, saying nothing. Although May spoke tactfully, Tony understood what she meant. He was just curious before, but now he had to meet Lockhart.

"Okay, I will wait for him here at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning," Tony said calmly.

Then Tony started wandering around the Vientiane Book Cafe, wanting to see what the wizard professor's territory was like. May quickly started to entertain him. Although her boss disliked Tony Stark, she didn't. This was a billionaire, and his presence was a big selling point for the book cafe. Besides, even Alice got an autograph from Tony Stark, so she had to get one for her nephew, Peter Parker, who liked Iron Man very much.

At this moment, Lockhart had just hung up the phone. He was satisfied with the role of Vientiane Book Cafe; it had temporarily blocked a big trouble for him. Iron Man—Tony Stark!

Although he was curious about what Tony wanted with him, Lockhart didn't particularly care because today he had a very important meeting—an audience with the Sorcerer Supreme!

Chapter 64: Striving for the Ability to Tear Up the Contract

Kamar-Taj.

In the training square of Kamar-Taj, numerous sorcerer apprentices were practicing magic. Unlike other magic users, Kamar-Taj's sorcerers were adept at both magic and melee combat, earning them the moniker of "melee sorcerers."

At this moment, a portal with sparks suddenly appeared in an open space next to the training square. Two figures stepped through the portal and entered the square, catching the attention of some sorcerer apprentices. However, this wasn't an unusual sight, as many sorcerers entered Kamar-Taj through portals daily.

Lockhart turned to Kaecilius, standing beside him, and remarked, "Kamar-Taj's teleportation magic is really convenient."

Kaecilius smiled. "I wish you a smooth experience. After meeting the Sorcerer Supreme, you might get what you want."

Given their intertwined interests, Kaecilius knew that Lockhart was eager to practice Kamar-Taj's magic. He also understood Lockhart's concerns. Lockhart's opportunity to meet with the Ancient One had been facilitated by both Kaecilius and Morin, indicating the depth of their current relationship. Indeed, mutual interests often accelerate relationships.

When Lockhart learned about the opportunity to meet the Ancient One, facilitated by his two friends, he immediately smiled and presented them with another gift. He couldn't help but sigh; human relationships are crucial in any world. Building connections with key figures is essential.

If Lockhart had tried to meet the Ancient One on his own, he didn't know how many obstacles he would have faced. It would be like a foreigner trying to meet the president of a country—no matter how rich the foreigner is, without a key connection, it's extremely difficult.

Lockhart had decided to establish better relationships with some key figures in the Marvel universe, at least trying not to be hostile. He then followed Kaecilius toward the depths of Kamar-Taj, to the teahouse where he last met the Ancient One.

Entering the teahouse, Lockhart and Kaecilius saw the Ancient One with her back turned to them. They stood respectfully behind her, bowed, and greeted her, "Salutations, Sorcerer Supreme."

The Ancient One turned around, looked at the two, nodded slightly, and raised her hand. Instantly, the space changed, and they found themselves sitting cross-legged at the tea table opposite the Ancient One without realizing how they got there.

Lockhart's eyes flashed with horror at this display of spatial mastery. He wondered if time manipulation was involved. His thoughts turned, and his expression became more respectful. In front of a woman powerful enough to suppress countless dimensions, all pride was buried deep within him.

"Lockhart, I heard from Morin and Kaecilius that you want to practice Kamar-Taj's magic?" the Ancient One asked, glancing at Kaecilius, who was respectfully pouring tea.

"Yes, Sorcerer Supreme," Lockhart nodded without hesitation. Then, hesitantly, he added, "However, before practicing, I have some questions I'd like to ask."

"Let's chat. I also want to know what an alien mage thinks of our magic," the Ancient One smiled lightly.

Hearing this, Lockhart felt a chill in his heart and responded respectfully, "Sorcerer Supreme, in our world, it's taboo to use external forces. But after communicating with Morin and Kaecilius, some of my doubts have been relieved. However, I still have some concerns. According to the contract, if we encounter unexpected situations in the future, can we pay other prices to Vishanti instead of fulfilling the original terms?"

This was a critical question for Lockhart. If Vishanti didn't claim his power until his death, that would be ideal. He was confident in extending his lifespan. But if something unexpected happened, he needed to know if there was a way to escape the contract, even if it meant paying a higher price.