Chapter 776
The Witch Elsie
Chapter 776 The Witch Elsie
As the group lingered near the entrance, a blonde witch standing nearby noticed them. Her gaze fell on Wade, she paused for a moment, and then walked over with light steps.
"Mr. Wade Gray?"
The witch said, “The judges are all to be seated in the judges’ box. President Fontana instructed me to lead you there. I am Elsie Vanderbilt.”
Elsie nodded slightly, her movements fluid and natural, her posture upright, one earring swaying gently, reflecting a faint yet dazzling light.
“Hello, Miss Vanderbilt,” Wade asked. “Where is my companion seated?”
“Just call me Elsie,” the blonde witch said kindly. “Also, the chairman has reserved the best-viewed boxes for all the judges’ companions. They are in the front row of Section A, and your name is on the table in the box.”
“I’ll take them,” Salina offered.
“Then I’ll leave it to you, Miss Goldstein,” Wade said.
Moody snorted: "...We're not kids who get lost."
Before leaving, he pointed at Wade and said, "Kid, be alert once you get there. Keep your eyes open and your ears perked up! If you sense anything is amiss, signal me immediately!"
Before setting off, they discussed how to warn of danger and what the different colored sparks from their wands represented.
Although Wade felt that Moody's security measures were probably mostly unnecessary, the comprehensive arrangements did indeed give him a greater sense of security.
He nodded and said, "Of course, I remember everything you said before!"
"Hmph, better that way." Moody muttered, seemingly satisfied with Wade's response, but his tense expression did not relax.
Lupin patted Wade on the shoulder, everything was understood without words.
Afterwards, the group temporarily separated. Wade and Elsie went to the judges' stand, while the others followed Salina to the audience. Moody's magic eye suddenly turned into his head, its gaze following Wade's back until he reached the judges' stand and stood next to Professor Morrie.
……
The gaze from behind makes its presence very clear.
Wade shifted his shoulders awkwardly, and Elsie immediately looked over.
“I heard this is Mr. Gray’s first time in America. I wonder if you’re settling in well here?” Elsie asked softly.
"Aside from the weather being a bit muggy, everything else is fine. London has been quite cool these past few days."
"Ah, I've heard that the British always talk about the weather when they meet... I'm sure of it."
Elsie laughed and said, "I have a British pen pal who always likes to complain about the local climate. She often says that one second it's sunny and the next it's drizzling, which adds a lot of trouble for her."
“That’s right,” Wade nodded. “So we’re used to carrying an umbrella when we go out. But… a British pen pal?”
“Well, speaking of this, I have to thank Mr. Gray…” Elsie said.
"Thank me? Why?" Wade asked. "Is your pen pal someone I know?"
"No... I don't know her name either, I only know she's a girl."
Elsie covered her mouth and chuckled, "Over a year ago, I tied several friend's notes to a few albatrosses that had drifted from the south, so that whenever they saw a wizard they liked, they could send them this special message that read: 'Would you like to be my friend?' "A few days later, I received my first reply from a stranger. Isn't that interesting?"
“I see,” Wade said knowingly.
Elsie nodded and said, "Yes, so I have to thank Mr. Gray—if it weren't for your invention, I wouldn't have met those lovely friends, and communication wouldn't be so convenient—sending a letter across the ocean would have exhausted even an owl."
They could already faintly hear conversations coming from the judges' panel. Elsie stopped, looked at Vader, handed him a Book of Friends, and said:
“It is my honor to meet Mr. Gray in person. If you need any assistance during your stay in the United States—such as for some less common materials, books or information, or if someone is trying to cause you trouble—please let me know and I will do my best to help you.”
This weighty promise made Wade raise an eyebrow in surprise: "You are...?"
Elsie smiled and said, "My family is one of the sponsors of this competition, so please believe me, I'm not just making empty promises... To be honest, I volunteered to be your host."
“Oh?” Wade examined the printed parchment, turned to look at her, and asked, “Then… Miss Vanderbilt, if you are to help me, what price do I need to pay?”
Elsie shook her head and said, "If there's a price to pay, then it's not help, it's a deal... Also, just call me Elsie."
After speaking, she bowed slightly, turned and left quietly.
Wade watched her walk away before heading towards the judges' table. Before he even got close, he heard a very familiar voice say smugly:
"...Oh, yes, an absolutely ingenious idea! I never imagined the Daydream Charm could be used like this! I bet you've all already tried the Daydream Quill?"
"But that's not all. If you could see his Spirit Whisper Feather Pen, you'd know what true talent is! And that kid succeeded on his first try! Even using a highly sensitive material like the hair of a forest fairy!"
Professor Morrie boasted on and on, while the judges in front of him were practically rolling their eyes at him. They tried several times to interrupt him, but to no avail.
Wade subconsciously touched his nose, feeling a little embarrassed.
As he hesitated, the African judge from Wajadu saw Wade, immediately waved, and said in heavily accented English, "Your student has arrived, Mori."
Professor Morrie turned around and saw Wade, stopped praising him, but couldn't shake the smile off his face.
He coughed lightly, beckoned, and said, "Come here, Wade! Let these self-important guys see what a real genius is!"
Wade had already started walking, but after hearing Professor Morrie's words, he wanted nothing more than to run away.
But in the end, Wade stepped forward and said with exceptional respect, "Good afternoon, Professor Morrie. Good afternoon, Ms. Picquarly, gentlemen."
“Very good, very good.” Professor Morrie patted Wade on the shoulder forcefully and said in a loud voice, “Look, Clarence, Silas, this is the student I was just telling you about, my most outstanding student! I think you all know him, but you may not know—”
He drawled out his words, emphasizing, "Wade comes from a non-magical family! He's only been exposed to magic for less than six months, yet he's created a work like the Book of Friends—tell me, who among you could do that?"
“Shut up, Terence!” Ms. Picqueli smiled slightly. “Of course we all know how amazing this child’s alchemical talent is; we don’t need you to show it off like a peacock.”
She looked at Wade, smiled gently, and extended her hand, saying:
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wade Gray. Nice to meet you… I am Serafina Picqueli.”
Correction: The contestant from the previous volume, [Seraphina Picqueri], has been renamed [Stella Picqueri].
(End of this chapter)