Chapter 819: Outshining the Rest
Chapter 819: Outshining the Rest
Albert thoroughly enjoyed the meal, which mostly consisted of Spanish delicacies.
Among the dishes, Badur recommended a cold soup called "Andalucia," which he claimed was a must-try during the Spanish summer.
However, it was the Spanish paella that truly amazed Albert.
Rice was an uncommon staple in Europe, and only a handful of European countries relied on it as a main dish. Nonetheless, there was no denying that the Spanish paella was absolutely delicious and stunning.
After the meal, they were served a famous Spanish egg and milk dessert—a type of pudding with an exquisite texture.
The bar staff also recommended a well-known Spanish fruit wine.
Albert, however, declined the offer as he did not intend to drink. Instead, he planned to retire to his room after dinner and chat with Isabelle about their experiences in Spain.
Just as he was about to get up and head upstairs, the noisy bar gradually fell silent, and everyone turned their attention to the stage as if anticipating a concert.
"Tonight, Yanira will perform three songs here at the pub," Badur introduced the sweet-looking blonde girl on stage. "She is the most famous singer in the Spanish magical world and has many fans in the international magical community. She's also the daughter of the pub owner."
Undeniably, Yanira was a beautiful blonde girl who appeared quite young, and her voice was sweet. However, to Albert, she was just another pretty face. After all, he knew quite a few gorgeous women, and his standards had risen accordingly.
Oddly enough, after the first song ended, Albert found his attention completely focused on the singer. As he listened to her, a strange sense of joy filled his heart.
"That's odd," Albert frowned, looking around. He noticed that the audience, who had been engrossed in the music, seemed reluctant for the song to end.
"Enchantment magic?" Albert's expression grew even stranger as he surveyed the stage once more. Could it be a vampire's ability, or perhaps this vampire lady had some siren blood in her veins? Nonetheless, it was impressive. To be able to infuse enchantment magic into her songs, giving the music a hypnotic allure, it was no wonder that Miss Yanira had become a renowned singer.
After performing three songs, Yanira took her leave. However, the pub erupted into a brief uproar as the patrons were reluctant to let the songstress go.
"Wasn't she amazing?" Badur winked at Albert. "She will be the special guest presenting the championship trophy for the Barnabas Finkley Outstanding Spellcasting Competition. Oh, and I forgot to mention, winning the championship doesn't automatically grant you the gold award. Even if you become the champion, you still need to showcase an astonishing display of spellcasting to impress the judges and earn their recognition for the gold award."
Albert raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's the difference?"
"The champion receives a gilded trophy and a cash prize, while the gold award winner receives an exquisite pure gold medal. The latter is more valuable and is permanently recorded in history," Badur explained.
Albert couldn't help but wonder why anyone would bother participating in such a competition, and he thought, "That's not what you said last time!"
Just then, Albert noticed some activity on his interface, indicating a new mission. Intrigued, he opened it, and his expression became quite animated as he read the title, "Outshining the Rest."
Mission: Outshining the Rest The Barnabas Finkley Outstanding Spellcasting Award is an internationally renowned prize that captures the attention of wizards worldwide. It is said that those who attain the gold award will go on to become remarkable wizards. Now, it's your turn to participate and showcase your exceptional spellcasting skills. Impress the judges, win the championship, and earn the recognition of your peers.
Rewards: 10,000 experience points, 1 skill point, 1 gold medal, develop your unique spellcasting style, gain 20 favorability points with Yanira, and increase your reputation in the magical world by 1000 points.
Although the mission's title was a bit odd, the rewards were certainly enticing, and the mission seemed to suggest that he could develop his unique spellcasting style.
Was Voldemort's wand movement secretly replaced with his own? It was possible, after all, most people would assume it was his style of spellcasting.
However, what was up with the +20 favorability points with Yanira?
"Could it be a case of a beauty falling for a hero?" Albert wondered to himself.
"What are you thinking about?" Badur asked, perplexed.
"There seems to be something peculiar about Miss Yanira's singing voice." Albert lowered his voice, "It's like she's a..." He moved his lips slightly, mouthing the word so that only Badur could hear.
"Her father is said to have one-quarter siren blood." Badur casually answered Albert's unspoken question.
Albert: "..."
How do you know everything?
Nonetheless, it was undeniable that Miss Yanira had a beautiful voice.
Albert thought for a moment and asked, "Can I get my hands on her records? I'd like to bring some back as gifts."
In truth, he was curious to see if Miss Yanira's records held the same allure as her live performance, and he didn't want to return from Spain empty-handed.
"If you win the championship, Yanira will give you a set of her personally autographed records."
"Would those be valuable?" Albert asked abruptly.
"They should be, given their commemorative value." Badur would surely regret his words if he knew that the guy across from him was considering how much money those records could fetch.
"By the way, there's something I'm curious about." Before retiring for the night, Albert voiced the question that had been on his mind. "How do the organizers handle the language barrier for wizards from different countries?"
Communication was often a significant challenge when it came to hosting international competitions.
"Indeed," Albert couldn't help but admire.
Now, this was a true master of languages.
Unlike himself, who had merely stacked language skills through his system interface.
"But you yourself have mastered quite a few languages, haven't you?" Badur was puzzled, as he knew Albert was proficient in multiple tongues.
"Oh, really?"
A voice interrupted their conversation as Diana approached with a glass of fruit wine, her gaze assessing Albert.
"Badur says you're an incredible genius." Diana spoke in French, seemingly testing Albert's language skills.
"It's Mr. Badur who is the incredible genius." Albert deflected the topic, shifting the focus back to Badur.
"He is indeed a genius. He won the Barnabas Finkley Outstanding Spellcasting Gold Award in the past." Diana glanced at Badur and switched to German.
"Yes, he mentioned that to me, and I greatly admire him." Albert locked eyes with Diana, replying in German as well.
"He seems to be guiding you down the path he once took, but you're even younger than he was back then." Diana switched languages again, this time to Russian.
Just as Albert was about to respond, Diana continued in yet another language, "If you manage to win the gold award, I'll introduce you to my daughter, Yanira. She's the one who performed the concert earlier; she's the same age as you."
"Ahem, I already have a girlfriend," Albert cleared his throat to remind her.
"It's just an introduction." Diana nodded in satisfaction. "Do your best, then. Since Badur thinks so highly of you, I believe it won't be difficult for you to win the gold medal."
After Diana walked away, Albert turned his gaze back to Badur, his expression curious as he asked, "Your daughter?"
The look on Badur's face was equally bizarre, as if he was recalling some unpleasant memories.
"Not exactly."
What did he mean by 'not exactly'?
Albert was certain that Diana was Badur's daughter, especially after using Legilimency on her, and her hints earlier had been quite obvious.
(End of Chapter)
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