Wentworth looked on in mild surprise at the girl standing before him—petite, with an almost endearing charm.
But it wasn't her appearance that caught Wentworth off guard, though admittedly, the girl had a fair complexion, starry eyes, and a delicate build that might stir a certain instinct to protect. What truly startled him was her attire: a white wizarding robe.
Wentworth had just heard Yusei's introduction and clearly remembered him saying that in Japan's magical society, young witches and wizards who wore white robes had not only betrayed the local wizarding principles but were suspected of having committed criminal acts. In European terms, that made them, undeniably, Dark wizards.
Yet the girl before him, with her gentle features and shy demeanor, was a far cry from the image of a Dark witch.
Just then, Yusei gave a rather awkward smile and quickly tugged Wentworth forward to introduce him.
"Yukina, allow me to introduce your opponent in the upcoming Wizarding Schools Potions Championship, the prodigy from Hogwarts, Wentworth Dumbledore!"
At the mention of his name, the girl examined Wentworth curiously. Then, blushing slightly, she extended her hand and said in a soft, nervous voice:
"Hello, I... I'm Uesugi Yukina. Please, I hope we get along well."
Wentworth hurried to shake her hand in return. As their hands touched, he noticed a faint pink flush creeping across her pale cheeks.
She's… blushing? Wentworth thought, somewhat bewildered.
Yukina quickly pulled her hand back, then gave a polite handshake to Nala, and finally bowed deeply to Albus Dumbledore before lowering her head and making a swift exit.
As she disappeared from view, Wentworth heard a long, relieved sigh beside him. It was Yusei, as though a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.
Moments later, Yusei's usual smile returned, and he led the group onward.
What Wentworth didn't notice, however, was that from the moment Yukina had appeared, Professor Dumbledore's brow had furrowed, and he had remained silent ever since.
Following Yusei, the group made their way into a tower that shimmered like white jade, perched atop the volcanic summit of Minami Iwo Jima.
They ascended along a winding path until they reached the pinnacle of the tower, where Wentworth was introduced to the current headmaster of Mahoutokoro: Minamoto Nagasora.
Unlike Dumbledore's warm and genial presence, Minamoto, his head completely bald, wore a perpetually stern expression.
Even the ever-smiling Yusei seemed subdued in Minamoto's presence, standing stiffly as he spoke.
Minamoto managed a strained smile only when greeting Dumbledore, a smile that barely reached his eyes.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the headmaster instructed Yusei to escort Wentworth and Nala to the guest quarters prepared for them.
Wentworth followed Yusei to his room. When he opened the door, he couldn't help but let out an astonished breath.
The furnishings were simple but clearly crafted with care. What truly captivated Wentworth was the massive floor-to-ceiling window dominating the room, revealing a breathtaking view of the endless ocean beyond.
A proper seaside room.
Unable to hold back his curiosity, Wentworth asked, "Are all your school dormitories like this?"
Yusei laughed. "Of course not. Due to the unique structure of our school, the higher up in the tower you go, the more scenic the view becomes. Most honored guests stay on the top three floors."
"As for our students, they live in the lower levels of the tower. The middle floors are reserved for classrooms."
Understanding dawned on Wentworth. He quickly freshened up, and then, with Nala and Yusei, made his way to the banquet.
Just like at Uagadou, Mahoutokoro had prepared a welcoming feast.
But the moment Wentworth stepped into the banquet hall, he sensed something off. Professor Dumbledore's expression was grim, his lips pressed into a tight line. There was even a trace of simmering frustration in his eyes.
Minamoto Nagasora, for his part, looked as stern as ever.
Besides the headmasters, six other individuals were seated along one side of the room. After ushering Wentworth and Nala in, Yusei naturally joined them, taking the lowest seat among the six.
Though the atmosphere was tense and slightly bewildering, Wentworth and Nala found their seats and sat down.
The moment they were settled, Minamoto stood and said, "Now that everyone is here, allow me to make the introductions."
He gestured toward Dumbledore. "This gentleman needs no elaborate introduction. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, and also Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards."
After introducing Wentworth and Nala, he turned to the others seated beside him.
"These are representatives of our school's Board of Governors, drawn from the eight founding families of Japanese wizardry. You already know Tachibana Yusei, representative of the Tachibana family. Next to him is the representative of the Sakurai family…"
He paused, then added, "And I represent the Minamoto family. Together, the eight families comprise the Board of Governors of Mahoutokoro."
At the conclusion of the introductions, Dumbledore offered a polite, if slightly forced, smile.
"The esteemed Hachiya of Japanese wizarding fame," Dumbledore said. "Even in Europe, your reputation precedes you."
[TN: Hachiya = 8 Houses, referring to 8 families in Japan, if I am not mistaken.]
At this, Yusei, seated at the end, quickly responded, "You flatter us, Professor Dumbledore. Those are but hollow titles. You, on the other hand, are truly worthy of reverence, undoubtedly the greatest white wizard in history!"
There was a moment of mutual flattery, and then the banquet commenced.
But barely a few bites in, Dumbledore set down his fork and spoke sharply:
"Regarding the matter of that girl, was it your decision alone, Headmaster Minamoto, or one made by all eight of the Hachiya?"
At once, the already stilted atmosphere in the room grew deathly silent. No one answered immediately.
Only after a long pause did one of the governors finally speak.
"It was a collective decision by the eight families. A new kind of experiment, if you will."
Wentworth clearly remembered, the man who had just spoken was from the Uesugi family.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— patreon(.)com/PrimalDemon [remove the parentheses ( )]