https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-848-The-Initial-Fire-Dragon-Sanctuary/13015701/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-850-The-Romanian-Longhorn-Dragon/13015708/
Chapter 849: Kyle's True Intentions
Chapter 849: Kyle's True Intentions
After that, Birdman mentioned a few more rules, mainly regarding the Fire Dragon Sanctuary, but compared to the previous ones, these seemed less significant. Kyle agreed to all of them without hesitation.
As mentioned earlier, he didn't come here solely for these reasons. If he just wanted to earn Sickles, he could have easily swept through Diagon Alley again; there was no need to travel all the way here.
So, even if these conditions seemed outrageous to Kyle, he didn't mind.
Across from Kyle, Birdman was almost in tears, wanting to praise Kyle with every word he could think of.
In just a few minutes, he had gradually formed an image of Kyle as a genuinely kind-hearted person who loved Fire Dragons and was willing to spend a large sum of Sickles to protect them.
It had to be said that there were still many good people in the Wizarding World!
With their shared ideas, things progressed exceptionally smoothly.
Ten minutes later, Birdman fixed the broken quill, dipped it in ink, and with a trembling hand, managed to write out a certificate.
It was a sponsorship certificate, including everything he had just told Kyle, all written on the document.
Birdman picked up his wand and softly chanted an intricate spell. The ancient incantation mixed with the ink as Birdman signed his name in the most prominent position on the certificate.
With a bright flash, the ordinary parchment transformed into a magical contract.
Kyle took a quick glance and casually put it away. If others saw this, he would most likely be considered a fool, as this was a deal that offered no benefits at all.
No, even a fool wouldn't make such a deal where there was not a drop of profit to be had.
"Oh, there's one more thing," Kyle said, as if suddenly remembering something.
"No problem, go ahead," Birdman said, hugging the box filled with Galleons, a wide smile spreading across his face.
All he wanted to do now was go to the Owl Post and write to the dragon keepers who had left, telling them they could return, as everything was now in order.
"That's it. Can I get a legal dragon-keeping certificate?" Kyle narrowed his eyes, "As I said, I really like Fire Dragons."
Birdman abruptly lifted his head, his face losing its previous joy and excitement.
"I'm afraid that's impossible," he said expressionlessly.
At that moment, he had guessed Kyle's true intentions, and his opinion of Kyle plummeted from its peak to the valley.
Before the establishment of the Fire Dragon Sanctuary, all materials related to Fire Dragons in the market controlled by Pure-Blood families. They captured and raised these dragons, killing and dismembering them for various materials when needed, earning them a substantial profit in Galleons.
This practice also led to a decline in the dragon population, as capturing them was far more convenient than breeding.
Although Fire Dragons were the most advanced magical creatures in the Wizarding World, their formidable power attracted many adventurers. As long as there was money to be made, there would always be wizards willing to take the risk. If ten wizards couldn't catch them, then fifty or a hundred would be hired.
Compared to the value of a Fire Dragon, the cost of hiring wizards was negligible.
If this continued, perhaps in a few decades, Fire Dragons would cease to exist in the Wizarding World.
Banning the sale of dragon materials might solve this problem, but it wasn't feasible.
After centuries of development, Fire Dragons had become deeply intertwined with the Wizarding World, spanning numerous fields, including Alchemy and Potions, with dragon blood alone.
Dragon skin gloves were also essential equipment for dangerous magical experiments.
Banning their sale would bring many industries to a halt, and the influential figures wouldn't allow such a situation to occur.
Consequently, to address this issue without completely eradicating Fire Dragons, the Fire Dragon Sanctuary was established.
Currently, they were stuck at the most critical first step, lacking influence. However, as long as they persisted, the sale of dragon materials would remain illegal, forcing those who captured and sold dragons to do so in secret, unable to openly display their activities.
The same applied to capturing Fire Dragons.
In a sense, the Sanctuary indirectly protected Fire Dragons, slowing their disappearance.
As for the legal dragon-keeping certificate Kyle requested... With this, he could continue his reckless behavior, keeping dragons without consequence.
But if that were the case, what was the point of establishing the Fire Dragon Sanctuary?
Birdman's expression turned icy, and he didn't hesitate to throw the box of Galleons back onto the table.
"If you came here with this intention, then please leave. I won't hold back these Galleons, either," he said bluntly, showing no reluctance.
"Don't be hasty," Kyle said, as if he had anticipated this response.
"Never," Birdman replied bluntly.
"Not even in ninety years?" Kyle asked, taking two bottles of Butterbeer from the box and tossing one to Birdman.
"What?" Birdman asked, taken aback.
"As I said, I like Fire Dragons," Kyle said, uncorking the bottle and taking a sip of the sweet Butterbeer.
"But I believe that by the time ninety years have passed, I should be an experienced fire dragon expert. However, for someone my age, frequently traveling back and forth between London and Romania can be exhausting, just like the person behind me."
Kyle pointed behind him.
Dumbledore was leaning back in his chair, appearing weak and drained.
Although he had aged himself by traveling through different times, Birdman didn't know that, and only attributed it to his advanced age and the strain of Apparition.
"This..." Birdman hesitated.
"So, I thought that by then, I could get closer to the fire dragons." Kyle said with a smile, "Does this seem unreasonable?"
Birdman remained silent.
Indeed, if the Fire Dragon Sanctuary is officially established, the only way to see them again, apart from searching in the wild, would be to come here.
But by the time ninety years have passed, the young man before him would be over a hundred years old, and it's understandable if he doesn't want to travel back and forth frequently.
"You can settle in Romania." Birdman suggested, "I can make the arrangements to leave you with a large enough space to build a spacious estate."
"Compared to your preferences, isn't your homeland also something you can't give up?" Kyle asked.
Birdman fell silent again.
"Or I can compromise further, how about eighty-nine years?" Seeing Birdman's attitude soften, Kyle seized the opportunity, "A legal dragon ownership certificate that takes effect eighty-nine years from now, I don't think this is an unreasonable request."
"That's true, but..."
"You always have to issue such certificates."
Kyle interrupted him and continued, "There are many people in the Wizarding World who are interested in magical creatures, and as one of the representative species, there won't be a lack of researchers for fire dragons. It's impossible for everyone to come to Romania.
"Whether it's for collaboration or other reasons, you have to give special treatment to some people. Take Mandrake, for example, a plant that the Ministry of Magic once prohibited trading, but now there are at least five places where it can be cultivated."
"This... um..." Birdman hesitated even more, stammering, "It's different, fire dragons and Mandrakes are not the same."
"That's right." Kyle shrugged, "Mandrake was listed as a prohibited trade plant in 1869, and it's only been thirty years since then.
"Compared to that, the eighty-nine years I proposed does seem a bit long."
Birdman was stunned.
Who said that?
He was referring to the fact that Mandrakes are plants, and their use is limited to potions or other small circles, unlike dragon materials, which are almost ubiquitous in every industry.
However, Kyle didn't give him time to explain.
"In that case..." He patted the box.
Birdman's heart skipped a beat, and he blurted out, "Are you canceling this sponsorship?"
"No, the sponsorship must continue. I don't want to only see fire dragons in books." Kyle said, "But the amount may need to be adjusted, after all, I also need to prepare for the future."
Birdman's heart relaxed a little.
"Then three hundred Galleons."
Birdman almost jumped up.
"Three hundred Galleons?"
He had thought Kyle would cut it by half at most, and even if it was reduced to one thousand Galleons, it would still be enough to solve the immediate crisis. He never expected it to be reduced to one-tenth.
"I have no choice." Kyle sighed, "Think about it, in the past, I couldn't raise dragons myself, so I could only come here to build a house, which requires a lot of money. Plus, I need to find new assistants, various instruments, take care of the house-elf's daily needs... When I calculate all this, two thousand seven hundred Galleons doesn't seem like enough."
"It's enough, it's definitely enough." Birdman quickly responded.
Wow, is he planning to build a castle here? Even Hogwarts wouldn't require more than two thousand Galleons for its exterior.
Of course, this is only considering the exterior; if you include the internal facilities, even multiplying it by ten times wouldn't be enough. But for everyday living, those facilities might not be necessary.
"Alright, two thousand seven hundred is two thousand seven hundred. I'll live frugally, as long as it's livable." Kyle gritted his teeth and started grabbing gold coins from the box, while placing the previous parchment back on the table, saying apologetically, "But with this, I'll have to trouble Mr. Strike to rewrite the certificate."
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Watching Kyle's actions, Birdman's heart was bleeding.
Two thousand seven hundred Galleons... livable?
He couldn't connect these two sentences in his mind.
Moreover, the jingling sound of Kyle grabbing the coins distracted Birdman, making it hard for him to concentrate.
It felt like someone was taking down the sign of the Fire Dragon Sanctuary in front of him, but he couldn't do anything about it.
As the coins in the box decreased, Birdman's breathing became more rapid. He stared at the three thousand Galleon donation certificate on the table, and the quill in his hand felt like it weighed a thousand pounds, unable to write a single word.
Damn it, why can't they just give him three hundred Galleons? Why do they have to take away two thousand seven hundred right in front of him?
Aren't they being too troublesome?
Suddenly, he stood up and placed his hand on the box.
"Don't take it!"
"What?" Kyle looked up, puzzled, "Oh, it's fine. I'll finish taking it quickly before you write the new certificate."
Merlin's torn socks... How can I possibly continue writing?
Birdman roared in his mind, but on the surface, he had to force a smile.
"Sir, how about extending the time a bit, say, two hundred years? I can issue you a legal dragon ownership certificate valid for two centuries."
"Two centuries?" Kyle looked him up and down, "Are you sure about that?"
Birdman felt a bit embarrassed as well.
"Ninety-eight years is my bottom line," Kyle said, "And in this time, the Fire Dragon Sanctuary can grow stronger. I'm just keeping a few small dragons, they won't pose any threat to you."
"But if you think it's inappropriate, then forget it."
Kyle said as he forcefully grabbed a handful of coins.
Birdman was on the verge of tears.
In the past two years, this man was the only one who had come to donate. Who knows how long it will be before the next donation arrives.
But three hundred Galleons are really not enough.
Just as he was hesitating, Kyle extended his evil hand again, muttering, "This can buy a set of chairs."
Another handful...
"This can buy a Guardian Tree table, I like it. It will help me focus more when reading."
Another handful...
"This can buy some Elf-crafted silverware... It's expensive, but it's a necessity for a better life."
This handful was at least twenty Galleons, enough for ten dragon keepers' food expenses for a month... A better life?
"I agree!"
A certain defense in Birdman's mind collapsed.
"Ninety-eight years... I agree!"
Kyle's lips curled up slightly, then immediately returned to their original state.
"It's fine, Mr. Strike," he said nonchalantly, "I've thought about it, and building a residence here is a good idea. At least I won't have to spend my own money on keeping dragons, and there are so many varieties. If I think about it carefully, I'm getting a pretty good deal."
"No problem at all, not a bit," Birdman quickly said, "I've considered it, and you're right. Since we have to cooperate with other magical creature scholars, why not choose someone more familiar? Your generosity and kindness meet our standards for selecting a partner."
"But keeping dragons at my own expense is still a considerable expenditure." Kyle looked at the coins in the box, hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, "Forget it, I think staying here is good enough."
Rattle!
Another handful of coins were taken.
Birdman was truly crying, wishing he could slap himself.
Why... Why did he refuse just now?
As he said, ninety-eight years is enough time for the Fire Dragon Sanctuary to grow stronger. If he does something illegal, they can always revoke the legal dragon ownership certificate.
Wizards value strength and background...
Perfect, they have the backing of the International Confederation of Wizards, but what about him... By then, he'll just be an old wizard over a hundred years old. How can he possibly stand up to such a formidable force?
They can take the initiative.
"Sir, you don't understand. Living here is truly uncomfortable." At this thought, Birdman's expression changed, and he frowned, "The wind and sand are strong here, and it gets everywhere when it blows."
"It's fine, I can handle it."
"The dragons' roars can disturb one's rest, they always howl in the middle of the night, disrupting sleep."
"It's okay, magic can solve this."
"Then... then there's nowhere to go for entertainment." Birdman stammered, "You won't even be able to go for a drink when you want to."
Kyle paused, his hand hovering over the coins, as he hesitated.
This is it!
Birdman's eyes lit up.
"When we chose this location, we specifically picked a remote place, perfectly isolated from both Muggles and wizards. Who would open a pub in such a place, right?"
"London is better, Diagon Alley is so lively, you can have a drink anytime, and the Ministry of Magic is nearby, making it convenient for any business."
"That makes sense." Kyle stroked his chin.
"Exactly." Birdman beamed at Kyle, "If not for the circumstances, I wouldn't want to live in this broken-down place. Look, the roof is even leaking."
"But the cost of keeping dragons..." Kyle still hesitated, "And I just remembered, even if I don't care about these things, dragons themselves are absurdly expensive, it's not appropriate."
"It's settled, we'll cover it." Birdman patted his chest, "After the legal dragon ownership certificate takes effect, the sanctuary will cover all your dragon-related expenses, and on top of that, I can personally give you... um, two dragon eggs."
(End of Chapter)
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