Chapter 904
The Principal and the Students
Chapter 904 The Principal and the Students
The voice on the communication pod immediately disappeared, but the call wasn't disconnected; Stern could clearly hear faint breathing on the other end.
"Stern?" The lean man touched his hair in confusion. "Is this kid deaf?"
"No, Dad, you've mistaken me for someone else!"
The girl being held by the man's hand was an adorable blonde. She had a precocious, almost childlike expression, and said disdainfully:
"How come you didn't mishear when they asked for ice cream? So you must have mistaken them for someone else; he thought you were calling someone else!"
She finished speaking rapidly in her chatter, then raised her voice and called out, "Hello, give me a chocolate ice cream, with rainbow candy!"
We can't let this stalemate continue!
Stern quietly took a deep breath, slowly turned around, and his expression instantly changed to one of slight embarrassment and surprise.
He pulled down his hat, revealing a face that looked somewhat cowardly, even fearful.
"Principal Fontana..."
Stern's voice trembled slightly, like a student caught playing a prank by the professor, his face flushed red:
"You... how did you get here?"
Fontana's deep gaze lingered for a moment on his inexpensive casual clothes, his clean but worn-out ice cream cart, and his slightly tired face, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
"I brought my child out for a casual stroll, to see...this side of the world."
His gaze swept over the nearby Muggles, and he asked, "And you? What are you doing... selling ice cream?"
Of course, there are many small vendors in the wizarding world, but it is somewhat difficult for wizards to understand why someone would "fall" to the point of being a vendor in Muggle society.
“Well…” Stern awkwardly rubbed the hem of his shirt and said, looking down, “Business is easier here…there’s a larger population, and the competition isn’t as fierce…”
Fontana sighed: "But you don't seem to be having an easy time... I remember you used to have very good grades and got NEWTs certificates in six courses. If you don't have a suitable place to go for the time being, Ifamoni will always be your home."
After thinking for a moment, he said:
“Let me think… Professor Cranston, who teaches herbalism at the school, is about to retire and is looking for an assistant. He needs a careful and conscientious wizard.”
"Would you be willing to return to work in Ifamoni? I remember Professor Cranston used to like you a lot."
Stern's face showed deep emotion, as if he was about to agree immediately. But after a moment's hesitation, he said again:
"I... can I think about it, Professor? Because... I still have some... things I can't let go of..."
He spoke vaguely, with a hint of "please don't ask any more questions."
Fontana, of course, wouldn't pry into other people's privacy, and nodded with a smile, "Of course, I'll wait for your reply."
Stern immediately smiled in relief and said, "Thank you, sir... By the way!"
He skillfully pulled out an ice cream cone, took the ice cream, sprinkled it with sugar granules, and bent down to hand it to the little girl.
"Your ice cream, Miss Fontana."
"Thank you."
The little girl took it, licking the ice cream as she curiously looked at Stern, her clear eyes seemingly reflecting the hypocrisy and despicable nature of the adults.
Stern didn't like her gaze. He suppressed the urge to frown, straightened up, and smiled:
"Sir, I thought I misheard... I didn't expect you to recognize me just by seeing my back."
"Haha, when we met at the alchemy competition last time, I noticed that your walking posture was a bit strange these days, but I forgot to ask."
Fontana asked with concern, "Was your left leg injured? Why didn't you get it treated in time?" "Well...it's because..." Stern said, his eyes darting around, "Because I couldn't afford the treatment, so..."
Upon hearing this, Fontana fell silent. He looked at his once outstanding student with a complex expression, the regret and pity in his eyes almost tangible.
He quickly scribbled a name on the paper, handed it to Stern, and said:
“Go see therapist Demsi and get your leg healed first. I’ll tell him that I’ll cover all your treatment costs, so you don’t need to worry about it.”
"This...this won't do!" Stern said in a panic. "I can do it myself! I'll save up the money for the treatment right away!"
Fontana glanced at the ice cream truck and asked, "So you're just making a living selling ice cream? Don't refuse, I'll just consider it a loan and pay you back when you have the money."
After he finished speaking, he couldn't help but pat Stern on the shoulder. Seeing the young man tremble involuntarily, Fontana couldn't help but sigh.
"I remember back in school, you were always afraid of this and that, and people called you 'cowardly Stern.' The last time we met, I told you you'd become braver... How come you're not as brave as you used to be?"
"Be brave, child. I, Professor Iphamoni, must stand tall and be a man of honor!"
After speaking, Fontana nodded slightly, turned and left, leaving Stern standing alone under the big tree, his shirt soaked with cold sweat.
Brolin's voice came through my ear: "Did that old man notice?"
"……No."
After thinking for a moment, Stern's lips twitched slightly as he added:
"should not."
“Egilbert Fontana…he has always been a rather rough-around-the-edges person.”
……
“What kind of luck is this?” Antoine laughed in the coffee shop. “Selling ice cream in the Muggle world, and you still manage to run into the former headmaster.”
"Hmm," Wade replied casually, tapping lightly beside his ear.
The Stonefield family had tight security. During the heavy rain, snails did crawl around the manor, but they were all cleaned up by the bodyguards and servants after the rain stopped.
To put his eyes in, Wade needs to make new arrangements.
For example... using the manor's built-in surveillance cameras?
As he was making arrangements, he suddenly heard someone say, "What's so special about this place that we keep running into our own kind?"
Wade looked up and saw Fontana with his daughter, who said expressionlessly, "Or... are you spying on my good-for-nothing student?"
At that moment, Wade and Antoine almost simultaneously had the same thought, a sentiment that Stern had also expressed earlier:
—How did this guy even find out?
Wade almost suspected that the other person had the same eyes as him!
Although he and Fontana had crossed paths during the magic school league and sat together on the judging panel at the alchemy competition, Fontana did not recognize him now that he had transformed into a young man in his early twenties.
Therefore, the headmaster was completely different from his previous friendliness and kindness towards Stern; his fingers were gripping his wand, and he was poised to unleash his power.
At that moment, the blonde girl he had left behind suddenly shouted, "Daddy's an idiot!"
"What?" Fontana's aura vanished, and he looked at his daughter, clearly hurt.
"That cowardly gentleman is lying!" the little girl mumbled, biting into her ice cream cone. "Didn't you say communication peas are expensive? There was one like that poor guy who couldn't afford medical treatment! I saw it!"
(End of this chapter)