Chapter 2. Misk's Riddle
"Yeah, old hag, you're already old.
Go home and lie down to rest, and stop trying to show off!"
Several witches and wizards nearby noticed the commotion around Duncan.
They came over wearing nasty grins, clearly wanting a share of the spoils.
"You lot, mind yourselves.
He's prey I marked first—don't forget who my son is!"
The old witch paused, shot those witches and wizards a vicious glare as a warning, then turned back to look at Duncan.
Whether she didn't believe what Duncan had said or was simply very confident in her own strength, she bared yellowing teeth in a grin.
"What you say has some sense, but I know this much better.
Whatever you're relying on, you've underestimated how dangerous this place is.
Kid, you're not going back.
In your next life, be careful, and never come to a place like this again."
"Tsk.
I don't know whether your eyes are blinded by Galleons or you're just stupid.
I hadn't wanted to do this..."
Duncan shrugged, fully opened the case, and tapped the inside wall with a finger.
"Come out, Misk."
The old witch's brows knit.
She shot a wary glance at the pitch-black mouth of the case and fired off a spell.
Blinding light flared in the street, but it failed to hit Duncan, the spell blocked by a behemoth that suddenly leapt out of the case.
"What has a heart but does not beat?"
The creature with the body of a terrifyingly huge lion and the head of a woman narrowed its long almond eyes, crouched on the ground, and spoke in a low, hoarse voice.
"Answer my riddle.
If you get it right, I can consider forgiving your slight just now."
The old witch stood stock-still as though under the Full Body-Bind Curse.
After a stunned moment, Misk's voice jolted her awake.
She backed away a few steps, trembling, and pressed herself to the wall.
"S—Sphinx?"
The once-bustling market fell abruptly silent.
A few onlooking witches and wizards froze, then broke out into deafening shouts.
"Sphinx, damn it!"
"Who would bring a Sphinx here?"
"Quick, get away, don't give it a chance to ask you a question!"
"Bloody hell, who carries around an XXXX-class magical creature—are they mad?"
"Newt Scamander—it must be that bloody bastard again!"
"I've said all along, drive out that lot illegally selling magical creatures early, or that jinx Scamander will keep showing up!"
"Damn it, why are we running—there are so many of us, are we afraid of it?"
"A few of you, let's take it down together; we'll split it evenly then!"
...
Though harsh calls rang out again and again, no one chose to make a move.
Witches and wizards all around Apparated away, a cacophony of popping sounds bursting one after another, and in the blink of an eye the lively street became empty.
Only a few stalls not yet packed away remained, along with scraps of paper lifted into the air to whirl and drift.
Even if banding together would certainly allow them to beat Misk, any injury in the fight might leave them without the spoils and turn them into tempting prey for others—hardly worth it.
Besides, Newt's renown was too formidable, and they couldn't be sure whether Duncan would knock on the case again and summon a few more vicious beasts.
"Wrong answer."
Ignoring the chaos around her, Misk fixed her eyes on the old witch before her, a trace of displeasure on her face, and slowly rose.
"Duncan, do you know the answer?"
"Of course—the answer is an artichoke."
Duncan's clever head moved just a bit, and he instantly thought of the correct answer.
"Correct."
Misk nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing that the old witch also wanted to run, she whooshed forward in a pounce, a yellow blur streaking through the air to land in front of the old witch.
Her huge forepaw lifted high, then slammed down.
The old witch's head burst like a watermelon into several pieces, red and white splattering everywhere.
[Successfully dispersed the surrounding witches and wizards.
Optional task complete.]
[Task reward: virtual coins ×50, Acromantula venom ×1, Streeler ×1.]
[Virtual coins currently held: 110.]
Duncan turned in place to look at the now-empty, quiet street, glanced at the text on the screen, and nodded in satisfaction.
Although what he did today was not quite the same as what Newt had taught him before, it was clearly more effective.
In almost the blink of an eye those witches and wizards had cleared out completely, unlike before when he had to spend so many words.
Just then, the owl circling overhead let out a few more calls, and the Sphinx also turned her head and warily eyed the wall to the side.
"Duncan, someone's coming from that side," Misk warned in a deep voice, pacing forward to block in front of him and protect him.
"It should be Grandfather coming out.
Let's step back a bit."
Duncan retreated several paces and stood under a makeshift awning cobbled together by a vendor on the other side of the street.
A moment later—bang!—a violent impact sounded from where Duncan had just been.
The wall shuddered madly, several bulges swelled up on its surface as if filled with magma, and at great speed they spread outward and melted open a large hole.
A muffled bellow came from the hole.
Then the ground began to tremble, a rumbling of footfalls sounded, and a four-legged beast the size of a van burst out.
Its body was clad in heavy grey armour-like hide and looked very much like a rhinoceros, head down in a headlong charge, the sharp horn on its head pointing straight forward.
Iron chains wrapped round its thick ankles dragged along the ground with a clatter.
"Duncan, quick, open the case and beckon them in!
These two Erumpents have been enraged by those blasted witches and wizards—I'm almost unable to control them.
If they get out, it'll be disastrous!"
No sooner had one Erumpent rushed out of the hole than Newt's bedraggled figure appeared close behind.
Several large tears gaped in his blue coat, irregular strips of cloth flapping up and down in the air, but he paid it no mind, only waving and shouting anxiously to Duncan.
Duncan didn't dare waste time either.
He stepped forward with practiced ease, gave the case in his hands a snap, opened it, and set it on the ground.
"Please, over here—go into the case.
We're here to help you.
Trust us!"
Duncan's voice carried a kind of magic, soothing the Erumpents over and over and gradually calming them down.
The lead Erumpent let out a roar, ran forward a few hesitant steps, then suddenly veered, called to its companion behind, and ducked its head to squeeze hard into the case on the ground.
"Nicely done!"
Once both Erumpents were inside the case, Newt ran excitedly up to Duncan, bent to pick it up, and clicked the two latches shut.
He let out a breath.
"If I hadn't brought you today, things could have gone pear-shaped.
This whole street might well have been wrecked by them.
Then the Ministry of Magic lot would be after me again—most crucially, Tina..."
As Newt spoke, Duncan saw a few black dots appear in the alley by the hole in the wall.
The witches and wizards pursuing Newt were shouting angrily and brandishing their wands as they gave chase.
Though Newt was a bit socially anxious most of the time, at certain moments he could grow rather talkative.
Like now...
"Misk, stop them, quickly!" Duncan said briskly.
Misk immediately strode forward, gazed toward those witches and wizards, and asked in a deep voice:
"What room has no walls, doors, windows, or floor?"
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