Chapter 780
Rest Time
Chapter 780 Rest Time
The contestants took turns stepping onto the stage, showcasing one alchemical creation after another. While their power and practicality varied, they all undeniably delivered stunning visual effects, eliciting gasps of amazement from the audience.
The last contestant was a man with short, golden-brown hair. He displayed a ring of fire and then quickly jumped off the stage. The audience, unaware that the competition was over, looked around for the next person to come up on stage.
Just then, a powerful and energetic voice rang out throughout the venue, instantly drawing everyone's attention:
"Wow! What an amazing performance! Ladies and gentlemen, and dear viewers in front of the camera, did you all see that?"
The spotlight shone on the platform where Chairman Krupp had stood. A wizard in his thirties stood there, a slightly exaggerated smile on his face, waving his arms and shouting:
"Let's give another round of applause to all the alchemical masters who just gave such an incredible performance!"
He took the lead in clapping loudly, which ignited a round of applause from the entire audience.
"I am your old friend—William Harris! I've commentated on twenty-three Quidditch matches, and I'm also a mediocre alchemist!"
Harris spoke rapidly: "Ah, although I haven't achieved much in alchemy, today I will bring you the most passionate and professional explanation throughout!"
"What? Dear Principal Fontana seems to be glaring at me! He must be doubting my abilities. Yes, I only got a passing grade in alchemy back then, but at least... oh, it helped those spectators who had never been exposed to alchemy understand—what our contestants were actually doing!"
Harris blinked, his booming voice still carrying an infectious excitement as he joked about himself, which elicited laughter from the audience.
"Alright, alright, guys, I know you're all itching to see the game start! Me too!"
"But now, the contestants who have just finished their performances need to prepare a little. We will be taking a short break! You can relax your excited minds or take this opportunity to discuss your favorite performance with the people around you!"
He winked playfully and said:
"Don't wander off for too long! The official match will begin in fifteen minutes, and the real contest is about to start!"
"Who can win over the judges with wisdom and magic? Who can lift the trophy that symbolizes the highest honor? Let's use our own eyes to participate in the judging process! I am William Harris, and we'll be back soon!"
He bowed deeply with wide, sweeping movements, causing the lights on the commentary platform to dim, while the lights in the venue became slightly brighter and softer, and even a light and cheerful melody began to play.
The audience erupted in lively conversation as people stood up to move around or excitedly discussed what they had just witnessed.
Although the contestants on stage didn't waste any words, it still took one or two hours for all twenty or thirty people to perform in turn, even if each person only spent a few minutes.
So when William Harris announced the halftime break, many people immediately stood up and hurried to the restrooms.
Professor Morrie patted Wade on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, there's a restroom for the judges on the left side of the stage."
"Huh?" Wade was taken aback: "I'm not ready yet..."
"Are you sure?" Judge Silas Hawthorne blinked. "You know, it's going to be quite a long time later..."
Professor Murray continued, "While the audience can go to the restroom at any time, it would be disrespectful for the contestants if we judges also left our seats and walked around. So it's best to go beforehand."
Several of the older judges clearly shared the same thought. Ms. Piqueli, carrying her small handbag, slowly walked toward the left side of the stage, while Abdullah and Fontana had already walked over together.
Wade silently sympathized with the elderly man with diminished bladder function, then readily stood up.
……
The path back didn't intersect with the audience's route. As Vader wiped the water droplets from his hands, he processed the inspiration from his performance in his mind. Looking up, he noticed a figure quietly appearing ahead. The person was standing on the side of the corridor, looking down and flipping through a Transfiguration magazine.
He wore a well-tailored dark gray robe, his dark chestnut hair was neatly combed and pressed against his scalp, there was a deep vertical line between his eyebrows, his lips were tightly pursed, and there were obvious nasolabial folds on both sides.
Wade paused slightly in his steps.
At this time... appearing in a corridor where no outsiders should be, and conveniently blocking half of the corridor, no one would believe he didn't do it on purpose.
Was it coming for me... or to find Ms. Piqueli?
He pondered this in his mind, but his steps did not falter again.
As Wade approached, the man looked up and said, "Mr. Wade Gray?"
"Hello?" Wade looked up at him and asked in a questioning tone.
"Hello, I am Aldrich Corbit, Senior Deputy Minister of Security of the Magical Congress."
The man forced a somewhat friendly smile, but it looked rather stiff.
He said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I wonder if the alchemical demonstration just now bored you?"
“Of course not,” Wade said politely. “It was a wonderful performance, and I learned a lot.”
Corbett's lips curled into a smile that was strangely similar to Professor Snape's: "You're too modest. For someone who invented the puppet, this kind of work is probably just like a children's toy, isn't it?"
Wade raised an eyebrow and asked, "The competition is about to begin, and I have some things to attend to... If Mr. Corbett doesn't mind, I'd like to return to the judges' panel first."
"Oh, of course, sorry to bother you."
Corbett stepped aside to make way, saying slowly, "I just heard... Mr. Gray seems a little worried about our security, so I came to explain to you..."
Wade looked at him, his gaze meeting the other man's eyes without flinching.
Corbett leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, as if sharing some important inside information, and said:
"Please rest assured that the security level for the competition is the highest. We have invested unprecedented resources to protect all of you important alchemists."
"There might have been a little too much going on, which is why Mr. Gray was uncomfortable, but I assure you... everything we did was to ensure the game went perfectly and that a tragedy like the Quidditch World Cup didn't happen."
His eyes flickered, and he said.
"Thank you for your trouble," Wade said calmly.
“You’re too kind. It’s our duty.” Corbett straightened up, a formulaic smile returning to his face. “Well then, I won’t bother you any longer, Mr. Wade. I hope you have a good time in America… I think we’ll meet again soon.”
(End of this chapter)