Sean wasn't particularly magnanimous, but as long as no one crossed his bottom line, he could take a joke. So, he responded to Aldrich's friend's thoughtless remark with a jest of his own.
Signaling for Aldrich to chat with his friends, Sean stepped out of the house. He sat on a rock at the edge of the small village within the Bulstrode Manor, took out a book, and began to read under the warm sun and cool breeze.
But just as he was enjoying this pleasant moment, Sean suddenly heard the faint sounds of an argument.
Frowning slightly, Sean greatly disliked being disturbed by noise while reading. He would either not read at all, or demand a quiet environment if he did.
The sunlight and the wind here were just right. Sean could have comfortably finished the remaining pages of his alchemy book, but the sound of the argument, carried intermittently by the wind, began to annoy him.
After a moment's thought, Sean decided to head towards the source of the noise. If he couldn't read, he might as well watch the drama unfold. Besides, since arriving at Bulstrode Manor, everything had seemed remarkably peaceful. Hearing an argument now naturally piqued his curiosity.
What's more, the arguing voices sounded vaguely familiar.
He got up and walked in the direction of the quarrel. It led him to a small building next to the main Bulstrode mansion. A plaque by the door revealed it to be the Bulstrode family's private hospital, staffed with highly-paid healers poached from St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, ensuring a high standard of medical care.
Arriving at the family hospital, Sean immediately saw the two adult wizards from before, who had been sent to bring the injured child. The child himself was lying on the open ground just outside the hospital, not even having made it through the entrance.
What the hell?
Does the Bulstrode family hospital have some secret remedy that requires lying on the ground?
At this point, Sean sensed something was wrong. He walked over and asked directly, "What's going on? Didn't I say before that if this child's hand isn't treated soon, he might lose it for good?"
The two men saw Sean. They had left earlier to bring the child and didn't yet know that Sean was the young master Aldrich served. They immediately replied, "Of course we know that, but the people at the hospital entrance won't let us in. They say someone is being treated inside, and they don't want them to be disturbed."
"This hospital isn't small. Surely it doesn't have only one healer?"
"Of course not, there are many healers here, but they..."
The two men trailed off, but Sean already understood their meaning.
This was the Bulstrode family and the Bulstrode family hospital. The only people who could lock down this place were either members of the Bulstrode family or their honored guests. Clearly, either way, it was someone they couldn't afford to provoke. In the end, they were just attendants of the Bulstrode family.
Tilting his head to peek inside, Sean immediately spotted the female attendant he had seen with Borell at the Leaky Cauldron. With that, it was obvious who was responsible for the lockdown.
No wonder Borell had disappeared after lunch. So this is the trouble he was stirring up.
Since it was Borell inside, Sean certainly had to give him a taste of his own medicine. Besides, the child's condition truly couldn't wait any longer. Sean drew his wand and cast a spell at the two wizards guarding the main entrance.
"Expelliarmus!"
A jet of red light shot out. To the utter astonishment of the two men with the child, and completely catching the two guards by surprise, Sean's Disarming Charm sent one of them flying. He crashed into the hospital's main door behind him, forcing it open and collapsing into the lobby inside.
The female attendant, seeing Sean's sudden attack, immediately drew her wand. But when she recognized him, her movements faltered for half a second. Hesitation filled her heart, but considering the hostile situation between Sean and her master, she decided to attack first.
However, she had clearly underestimated Sean. Leaving aside the fact that Sean currently possessed both Swift Casting and Nimble Casting—two talents that sped up his spellcasting—the fact that she even had time to consider other things while facing an opponent sealed her fate.
A barrage of magical beams landed in front of the female attendant. She barely managed to block them with a Shield Charm, but under the relentless assault of spells, her shield couldn't hold for long and was shattered.
The female attendant had also wanted to cast a spell to match Sean's power, but he gave her no such chance. A Stunning Spell hit her square in the face, sending her flying backward to join the male wizard on the floor, unconscious.
Sean glanced at his panel. The first male wizard had been taken by a one-sided sneak attack, without him even seeing who did it, so it didn't count as a duel and he gained no abilities.
But the female attendant had fought back, so the panel recognized it as a duel. It awarded Sean two spells, but unfortunately, one was a housekeeping-type spell and the other was a Level 2 Petrification Curse, neither of which he needed.
"Go on in, find him a healer immediately."
"You... how could you attack someone here, you..."
Looking at the two men, Sean realized they didn't know who he was. As members of the Bulstrode family themselves, they naturally objected to the current situation.
Thinking of this, Sean said to them directly, "My name is Sean, Sean Bulstrode. Now hurry and go inside."
Hearing Sean's name, the two men immediately understood. They no longer hesitated and rushed the child into the family hospital. Sean followed close behind and spoke directly to the healers and nurses inside, "My name is Sean Bulstrode. From now on, I want all efforts focused on saving this child. I'm counting on you all."
They were naturally aware of Sean's situation, and even knew some things that outsiders didn't. Hearing his words now, they sprang into action. Two nurses and a healer had the men bring the child into a treatment room and began their work.
Watching the child finally receiving treatment, Sean sighed and sat down outside the room, waiting quietly for the outcome.