Chapter 825: A Puzzling Turn of Events
Chapter 825: A Puzzling Turn of Events
"Have you found Ignotus?"
"No, he's gone missing. The tracking spell placed on him is no longer functioning."
"Keep looking. That mongrel must pay for this!"
"Now is not the time to be concerned about Ignotus."
"Damn it, we never should've involved an outsider in this matter."
"And you agreed with that decision."
The conference room was filled with the angry voices of the "important" individuals who had just realized they had been played by someone they considered a "nobody".
Just then, the door to the conference room was flung open, and a breathless wizard rushed in, shouting, "The winner! The winner of the gold prize has been decided!"
"Who is it?"
"Who has won the gold prize?"
The people in the room all stood up, their eyes eagerly fixed on the breathless wizard, wishing they could curse him with a Cruciatus Curse for leaving them hanging.
"It's number 17," the wizard said with a mournful face. "The youngest participant, number 17, has won the championship and the gold prize."
Suddenly, the "important" individuals in the conference room seemed to lose all their strength and slumped back into their chairs.
How could a minor wizard possibly win the gold prize?
It was impossible! No matter what, they refused to believe it.
"That number 17 is a Muggle-born wizard. How could he possibly win the gold prize? We should file a formal complaint with the International Confederation of Wizards!" someone shouted angrily, and to everyone's surprise, his proposal was immediately seconded.
"The winners of the bets will be here soon to collect their winnings," the wizard who had brought the news reminded them quietly.
The person in charge of the bets looked at the people in front of him and took a deep breath. He turned to the wizard beside him and said, "Have the winning wizards come in batches to collect their prizes."
Of course, they had to pay up. If they lost their credibility, they would be finished, and they could forget about ever hosting bets again.
If it had just been a private bet, they could have run away and avoided paying. But this bet had been organized under the name of the Daily Prophet and the Ministry of Magic. If they didn't pay up, the Ministry would come after them in an instant.
"How much did we lose in total?" the person in charge of the bets asked, turning to the young wizard beside him who had been hesitating to speak.
"A total of sixty-seven thousand Galleons," the young wizard whispered.
"What?"
"Sir, we lost a total of sixty-seven thousand Galleons," the young wizard repeated.
Upon hearing this figure, the conference room fell into a dead silence.
"How could it be so much?" someone finally asked.
"Because of today's headline, many people believed that number 17 would win the championship."
"We can't afford to pay this much!" someone exclaimed. "It's sixty-seven thousand, not sixty-seven, not six hundred and seventy, but sixty-seven thousand! Where are we going to get that much money to fill this hole?"
"Are you trying to welch on the bet?" The person in charge narrowed his eyes at the others in the room.
"We should think of another way," someone suggested.
"That crowd out there won't give you time to think. A loss is a loss."
...
Meanwhile, cheers erupted again and again in the Leaky Cauldron, as the beneficiaries raised their glasses high, toasting the youngest winner of the Barnabus Finkley Outstanding Spellcaster Award in history.
In the lounge on the second floor, a ceremony was being held for the youngest award recipient.
"Congratulations!"
Yanira looked at Albert with a complicated expression. She hadn't expected the man before her to actually win the gold prize.
In full view of everyone, Yanira smiled and handed the championship trophy to Albert, then helped him put on the medal symbolizing the gold prize.
"Thank you," Albert said with a smile, expressing his gratitude to Yanira.
To be honest, he was still a bit dazed. How did he end up winning the gold prize? After testing the Felix Felicis, he had chatted privately with the judges and then demonstrated the Patronus Charm, only to be mysteriously informed that he had won the gold prize.
"Here's your prize money."
Yanira handed Albert a bag of gold, then picked up the copy of "Barnabus Finkley's Advanced Wand Control" from the tray and gave it to him, along with her autographed record as promised.
As Albert handed the items to Bard and raised the championship trophy, countless camera flashes lit up the room, causing Albert to squint his eyes.
Soon after, he was surrounded by a throng of reporters.
"One question each," Albert said to the reporters.
"Mr. Anderson, do you have anything to say now that you've won the championship?" one reporter asked.
"Mr. Bard, I've won the championship," Albert said with a smile, handing the trophy to Bard and taking the brick-like book from him.
"And who is this Mr. Bard to you?"
"Next," Albert ignored the reporter and randomly pointed to another, "You."
"Is it true that you're going to marry Miss Yanira?"
"False, I already have a girlfriend," Albert replied, moving on to another reporter. He ignored anyone trying to stir up trouble.
In this way, Albert dismissed over a dozen reporters.
"Mr. Anderson, from the moment you entered until now, you've spoken in at least six languages. I'm curious, how many languages do you master?"
"Probably over a dozen, I haven't counted precisely. I can use most European languages," Albert said, waving his hand to cut off further questions. "Alright, that's enough."
He pushed his way through the crowd and returned to his room.
"How does it feel to win?" Bard asked with a smile. Albert's earlier statement, "Mr. Bard, I've won the championship," had brought him great joy.
"It's alright," Albert replied casually. "When are we leaving?"
"I thought you might want to stay here for a few more days."
"Never mind that!"
"You won't go down and meet your fans? I think they're quite eager to see you, the youngest ever gold prize winner!"
"It's just an empty title." Albert tossed his things onto the bed casually. After Bard closed the door, he lowered his voice and asked, "When will the money be transferred?"
"It'll take a few more days. But don't worry, you'll probably have to stay here for a while anyway." Bard signaled for Albert to be patient.
"What's the matter?" Albert frowned.
"Every wizard who wins the gold prize needs to document their spellcasting methods." Bard explained.
"I want to go back tomorrow. It's not safe here anymore." Albert stated.
Bard quickly understood and nodded, "You're right, you're not very popular with certain people at the moment. It's best to get back to Britain as soon as possible. As for the other matter, it might take a few days to sort out. I'll help you deposit the money into your Gringotts vault directly."
"Thanks, then. We'll leave for Britain tomorrow." Albert truly didn't want to linger any longer. Moreover, he felt that Diana and Yanira were looking at him strangely.
If possible, Albert would have preferred to return home immediately.
However, he had to attend the banquet tonight. After all, it was prepared specifically for them, and it would be rude to refuse.
The table was filled with an assortment of carefully prepared delicacies, but the atmosphere was somewhat odd.
"To be honest, I'm quite curious as to how Mr. Anderson managed to win the gold prize."
Midway through the banquet, Ms. Camelin could no longer contain her curiosity and asked the question that was on everyone's mind.
She wanted to know how she had lost.
"Mr. Anderson, number 17, has gone further than any of you in terms of spellcasting methods." Ms. Monica smiled as she explained, "He has created an extremely clever spellcasting method and has a profound understanding of spellcasting in general. As you may have noticed, Mr. Anderson is exceptionally skilled in non-verbal spells and wandless magic. He is undoubtedly a genius among geniuses."
Everyone fell silent, as they could indeed see that Albert was highly proficient in non-verbal spells and wandless magic.
"Mr. Anderson's use of the Patronus Charm is equally astounding." Mr. Afu added with a laugh, "I've never seen anyone use their Patronus in that way before."
The other three exchanged glances, and although they may have had their doubts, seeing the judges' admiring expressions made them realize the large gap between themselves and Anderson, leaving them somewhat dejected.
After all, no one likes to lose a competition without understanding why.
"Generally, the second round of the competition essentially decides the champion. If you look at the records of past competitions, you'll see this pattern."
One of the older judges smiled and explained to the group, "The third round, which consists of the gathering and individual interviews, is more for confirming the champion's eligibility for the gold prize and to observe their spellcasting methods. Of course, don't go spreading this around."
Albert was speechless. He hadn't expected the judge to reveal this information so readily.
However, he could understand their reasoning. If they didn't explain, the eliminated contestants would likely be dissatisfied.
"Mr. Anderson, you'll probably have to stay here for a few days. We want to discuss and record your spellcasting methods."
"We can communicate via owl post or other means."
Albert, who had been quietly eating, looked up and said, "I don't think I'm very popular with certain people at the moment, and I'd like to return to Britain as soon as possible to share this joy with my loved ones and friends."
The five judges exchanged glances and eventually agreed.
Those who had organized the gambling bets probably resented Albert by now, and the earlier incident with the Felix Felicis had been their doing.
The group chatted until eleven o'clock before finally dispersing. Albert also obtained the contact information of the others, including the suspected Auror named Dumble, who worked for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Albert and Dumble talked at length about Dark Magic defense, and by the end of the conversation, Dumble was considering introducing Albert to the Auror Office.
...
Late into the night, Yanira emerged from the bathroom wearing a milky white sleepwear dress. She found her mother, Diana, sitting in a chair in the room.
"Mother, is something the matter?" Yanira asked.
Diana looked at her daughter and sighed softly, "He's leaving tomorrow."
Yanira paused in her hair-drying, her expression filled with conflict.
"Your opportunities are limited, so don't let this one slip away."
Diana placed a bottle of bright red potion and a key on the table, "You don't dislike him, do you?"
"He doesn't like me. He already has a girlfriend." Yanira said self-deprecatingly.
"You're wrong. There's no man who doesn't like beautiful women, unless there's something wrong with his orientation." Diana walked up to Yanira and gently hugged her daughter, "Moreover, you're more than just beautiful and talented. As for his character, don't worry, I asked Bard about it, and Anderson is a good man. So, seize this opportunity. If you miss this chance, you may never find another like him.
"I actually once hesitated like you, but in the end, I chose your father. Although we don't see each other often, he still loves me, even though I'm not his wife."
Yanira watched as her mother walked away, her heart filled with conflict. She dried her hair and stood in front of the full-length mirror, scrutinizing her reflection.
As much as Yanira despised what she was about to do, her pride also didn't allow it. But Diana was right; she didn't dislike Albert, and if she missed this opportunity, there might not be another.
Finally, with a firm bite of her teeth, Yanira left her room, potion and key in hand.
As she reached Albert's door, the door to the adjacent room suddenly opened, and Bard stood there calmly, looking at a startled Yanira.
"Have you made your decision?"
"Yes, my decision. Do you think this is inappropriate?" Yanira looked at her grandfather, despite the scant number of times they had met.
"I respect your choice." Bard gazed deeply into Yanira's eyes and said meaningfully, "But your choice does not guarantee his."
The young woman stared at the now-closed door, took a deep breath, and inserted the key into the lock. As she turned the key to push the door open, she found that it wouldn't budge.
"What's going on?" Yanira looked at the doorknob in confusion, then back at the door before her. She drew her wand and attempted to open the door with an unlocking spell, but to no avail.
"Alohomora?" Yanira questioned, her eyes fixed on the unmoving door. Ultimately, she decided to create a hole in the door.
As she lifted her foot to step inside, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from within the room: "Is there something I can help you with, Miss Yanira?"
"You're still awake?" Yanira's face flushed crimson. Sneaking into a man's room in the middle of the night, only to be caught red-handed, was incredibly embarrassing.
"I was actually waiting for you." Albert waved his wand, illuminating the room with a soft glow.
"You knew I was coming?" Yanira hid the potion behind her back.
"Mr. Bard mentioned his past to me." Albert smiled. "So, I guessed you might come tonight."
"My teeth are fine, and I don't have a habit of biting. So, you don't have to worry about me suddenly biting your neck." Mustering her courage, Yanira approached Albert, intending to push him onto the bed.
"No, I think you've misunderstood. I don't intend for anything to happen between us." Albert gazed at the approaching golden-haired maiden, his heart stirring, but he quickly suppressed his emotions.
"You really don't have to do this."
"Do you know how much courage it took for me to come here?" Yanira's face paled, and her expression turned angry.
"I can tell."
"Am I not pretty enough?" Yanira questioned.
"No, you're very beautiful."
"Then why, even though I'm not expecting anything, can't you just accept me as your mistress?" Yanira's words were almost biting.
"I admit you're beautiful and captivating, but I won't do that." Albert's tone was calm. "I won't let a mistake ruin my future happiness. Good night, Miss Yanira. May you have sweet dreams."
With that, Albert brandished his wand, sending the stunned Yanira toppling onto the bed.
"What a pity."
Albert used his wand to move Yanira onto the bed and gazed at her exquisite and adorable face, shaking his head with a sigh.
Beautiful women—who wouldn't want them?
And here she was, offering herself to him.
But Albert felt it wasn't worth the trouble. Izabel wasn't stupid; he didn't think he could hide something like this from her.
Why ruin a beautiful future together?
If he truly needed a woman, he could return to Izabel tomorrow; his girlfriend was just as lovely.
"Problem solved?"
"Yes."
"You're becoming more and more amazing. Now even beautiful women are throwing themselves at you." Izabel's voice carried a hint of resentment through the two-way mirror.
"Yes, she's indeed very beautiful, and I feel sorry for her." Albert sighed softly. "But you should have come with me. Then I wouldn't have had to deal with these troubles."
"You're right." Izabel regretted not accompanying Albert to Spain.
Men.
They could refuse once, twice, or even thrice, but don't expect them to refuse countless times. Eventually, their rationality would falter.
Though Izabel was reluctant to admit it, this was the reality, especially when it came to exceptional men who were easily drawn to other beautiful women.
"When will you be back tomorrow? I'll come to pick you up." Izabel said.
"Probably... in the morning!" Albert glanced at the girl on the bed and said to Izabel, "I miss you."
"Me too."
(End of Chapter)
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