Basil had even less desire to say, Your daughter is stupid. If she just asked any professor from the other school, she would know Rafal's true goal—to utterly destroy both schools.
But she mistakenly believes she's helping Rafal cultivate outstanding villains, letting Evil triumph over Good.
Thus, a story that was seventy percent truth and thirty percent lies began to emerge from Basil's mouth.
"I am indeed from the School for Good and Evil. But I haven't truly arrived there yet."
"My mentor is Rhian, the Dean of the School for Good."
"Hush, you might want to say that the storybooks record Rafal, the younger twin, being unsatisfied with loneliness and wanting to kill his brother."
"In the end, Rhian survived and became the School Master of the School for Good and Evil."
"But history is written by the victors."
"The one who survived was Rafal. He thought Rhian was completely gone, so he assumed his brother Rhian's identity and corrupted the School for Good from within."
"But Rhian didn't die completely. He fell into the real world. His remnant soul stayed in an old diary."
"After telling me his origins, he completely vanished."
"But as the former Dean of the School for Good, he still has a connection with the [Storian]."
"Therefore, the stories it writes can be seen on the diary."
"Including everything happening in the school now."
"Including my daughter!" The shop owner interrupted, "Is she okay? Even though she's in the School for Good."
Hearing that her daughter would be studying in evil Rafal's school, she could no longer listen quietly.
Basil shrugged. "The School for Good isn't that great right now. Failing three times means being turned into a talking teapot, a rat, or worse."
The shop owner covered her mouth, tears threatening to spill.
The surge of worry for her daughter momentarily surpassed the absorption of Basil's [Inspire] talent.
"But fortunately, she entered the School for Evil." Basil comforted, "The School for Evil isn't as cruel. Killing isn't allowed before graduation. And humans from the real world, called 'Readers' in the fairy tale world, are all very talented."
"Your daughter is outstanding; she has now become the Dean of the School for Evil."
The shop owner gritted her teeth. "It must be that damned Rafal's doing."
But she was also a little proud. "As expected of Leonora."
Basil straightened his expression. "Alright, the story is finished. Now you should know my purpose."
The shop owner nodded. "You want to go to the School for Good and Evil to set things right."
"You should know the way," Basil said with certainty.
"Three conditions are required," the shop owner said seriously. "First, knowing the existence of S.G.E. The more detailed, the better."
"Second, location. There is a distance between the fairy tale world and the real world. And Gavaldon, our village, is closest to S.G.E."
"Third, a strong desire to go to S.G.E., believing in fairy tales, and rejecting the real world."
"As long as these three conditions are met, one day you will find the sky turning blood red. A black mist with scarlet eyes will take you from your home to the magic academy."
"Actually, a girl named Sophie in our village is about to meet the conditions. Just waiting for me to tell her about the existence of S.G.E."
"I originally wanted to contact my daughter through her."
"But now, I don't need to."
Basil suddenly thought, "If it were Hermione, she probably wouldn't meet this condition."
"Her first thought would inevitably be denial."
"Why did I suddenly think of her?"
He rubbed his hair and stood up.
He said to the woman in front of him, "Alright. Do you need me to pass any message to your daughter?"
"Tell her I love her. She is my proudest treasure." The shop owner lowered her head, hiding the overflowing tears.
"Okay." The power of the Disillusionment Charm and Muffliato Charm surged again.
Covering Basil's body.
In the shop owner's eyes, he simply vanished into thin air.
"Where exactly could it be?" Basil muttered to himself.
Could it be on that silly girl Sophie?
Her stepmother was actually good enough to her. With two biological sons, she still tolerated Sophie's expensive hobbies. Even thought of her first when a vacancy opened up in the factory.
But she kept remembering her mother's dying words, "Always remember how special you are. You will change the world someday. You will live a happy life."
Clamoring to do big things, unwilling to drop out and work in a factory.
Then, on impulse, wanted to run away from home.
Agatha crying and begging her, compromising her bottom line—agreeing to let Sophie do her makeup, offering to talk to her stepmother—couldn't stop her.
If she hadn't been lucky enough to be taken away by the mist wolves and skeleton birds sent by S.G.E...
For a fair-skinned, beautiful girl like her with no power to protect herself, the outcome can be imagined.
Ending up doing ahegao and peace signs in a basement would be considered a good outcome.
"My Lord, don't forget your greatest advantage." The system spirit Riddle saw his master's worry and appeared at the right time to remind him.
"Right." Basil flicked his index finger, and water vapor condensed into a mirror, showing a youth with red lips and white teeth, a hundred times more handsome than King Arthur's son, Tedros.
If the system component was on her, maybe it was a good thing.
He'd probably just ask a few questions, and she'd spill everything.
——
"I'm going to find him! He is my prince!" Sophie looked at the photo at the top of the sky-blue tapestry in the club space, her gaze almost melting.
A week ago, she was still a fool dreaming all day of becoming a brave hero with extreme beauty and elegance destined to change the world.
But she had no goals, was mediocre, and lacked ambition.
Didn't work hard for her dreams.
Just hung out with Agatha all day, completing schoolwork while teaching herself fashion design and makeup.
But on an ordinary night, in a dream, wearing a gorgeous gown with a large group of soldiers casting burning gazes from below, the whole world shattered.
The magnificent dome broke, and wisps of white mist poured in.
She suddenly realized she was in a dream but hadn't woken up.
Upon realizing this, the mist gradually faded, and a large circular room appeared before her.
The domed ceiling was painted with stars, and the deep blue carpet below was also covered in stars.
The windows were arched, and the walls were hung with blue and bronze silk.
The load-bearing columns clinging to the walls all had eagle statues, with lit candles on their heads.
The cabinets and bookshelves placed by the walls were also carved with eagles.
In the middle of the room, on a circular rug, were placed two sofas and a high-backed chair with the same color pattern as the carpet, with two low tables beside the sofas.
In the very center was an octagonal table with an exquisite teapot, a chessboard, and a strange prop with many rotating bronze-yellow metal circles and a blue ball in the middle.
Directly in front of her was a fireplace burning with bright yellow flames.
Behind her was a huge niche almost as high as the room, containing a marble statue of a woman wearing a diadem and flowing robes.
To the bottom right of the statue was an exquisitely crafted piano.
Looking at the book A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot on the shelf.
"This is definitely not something I could imagine," Sophie determined. "Bathilda Bagshot... Bagshot... this weird surname sounds more like something Agatha would make up."
"Although I don't know who Agatha is, I'm very interested in you. My Vice-President." A woman who looked like a total "bitch" (in the confident/mean girl sense) appeared out of thin air on the sofa.
But her voice was very soft, like a little girl putting on airs.
"You don't look like you know magic. How could the Witch Club choose you as Vice-President? Have you not awakened your witch bloodline yet?"
"I'm Madison. Welcome to Hogwarts... well, although only the Ravenclaw common room."
Sophie was very excited: "I'm not a witch! I'm a princess! Let's put it this way, I'm a good person, you know what I mean!"
"I have golden, fluffy hair and a pretty face. Of course, you're not bad either. How could we be witches?"
"A little girl still reading fairy tales." Madison rolled her eyes. An expression that would look ugly on normal people made her even more charming.
Her face seemed naturally suited for mean expressions. Full of aggression.
"The witch I'm talking about doesn't mean the hunchbacked, long-nosed, bumpy-faced, thin-haired old hag in fairy tales. But a woman who can do magic. In your words, a princess."
"I knew it!" Sophie punched the air happily. "I was born to do big things!"
"Do you do fashion design too? Your clothes are beautiful; I've never seen this style. Just shows too much skin."
"Design?" Madison rolled her eyes again. "I'm a star. From Hollywood. I don't need to steal jobs from designers."
"Hollywood? Star? What's that?" Sophie was curious.
Madison scowled. "Let's not talk about this. You're the Vice-President. Start the club activity for me quickly."
"Remember not to choose Quidditch. You're a Muggle, and I don't know if I count as a wizard."
"Quiz, Ball, Herbology are fine."
"Herbology won't work either. What if we have to harvest Mandrakes? Their cry can kill people."
Sophie was puzzled: "What is a club activity? I'm not stupid (Muggle has the connotation of fool/idiot). What is Quidditch?"
"This!" Madison reached out, and a book flew into her hand.
She shoved the book heavily into Sophie's hands.
"It is the core of this common room. Read it for me quickly!"
"You know I've been longing for the magic in Harry Potter for a long time. But only the President and Vice-President can start club activities. Only by starting club activities can we get Club Coins. Only with Club Coins can we buy magic."
It seemed she had endured for a long time. Her good temper earlier was only because she needed Sophie's help.
However, Sophie wasn't angry. "Really? Can buy magic!"
She also began to flip through it impatiently.
"What is this!"
A light screen appeared in front of her.
Madison urged, "That book is just a medium. Only needed for the first time. Just turn the page, face the screen in front of you. Use your hand or your mind, hurry up! I've waited 5 years, since I was a little girl."
"For this, I frantically read Harry Potter, didn't even have time to find a boyfriend!"
Sophie pouted: "I don't have one either. Alright, let me see."
"I really just need to think about it."
"Is this the shop selling magic? Legendary Cards, Epic Cards, Gold Coins, Fog Cards, Baruffio's Brain Elixir (Medium), Weasley's Firework Blind Box. What are these?"
"1000 Gold Coins for only 40 Club Badges? Are Club Coins... (Madison: Club Badge is Club Coin, idiot!)?"
"Let me see, Club Activities: Herbology, Ball, Quidditch, Quiz. Choose Quiz, right?"
After Sophie "pressed" the button to start the club activity, the two of them disappeared instantly.
Appeared in an empty classroom.
Before she could prepare, questions and options automatically appeared on the blackboard.
1/20
1. Which of the following is NOT one of Voldemort's Horcruxes?
A. Nagini
B. Slytherin's Locket
C. The Elder Wand
D. Ravenclaw's Diadem
"Choose C!" Madison hinted.
"C." Sophie repeated. Her and Madison's photos flashed on option C.
After answering 20 questions.
They returned to the previous domed room.
Each received 60 Club Badges.
Madison directly spent 60 to redeem an Epic Card glowing with purple light.
That card merged into her body.
"What magic is it?" Sophie was a little excited.
"Summon Unicorn." Madison waved her hand, and it seemed like bright moonlight spilled into the room.
A tall horse, entirely snow-white, emitting a silver glow, with a single horn on its forehead, appeared on the spot.
"So beautiful!" Sophie couldn't help but step forward.
"Pity it's not magic," Madison said, suppressing a laugh.
Next, Sophie also redeemed an Epic Card.
Only what she got was magic.
In the true sense.
[Ventus] (Hurricane Charm).
"What's going on?" Sophie was surprised to find the pad of her right index finger glowing red.
She seemed to be able to create a storm just by waving it.
But Madison's finger wasn't glowing.
Completely different from her, even though they redeemed the same type of card.
"Yes, we are completely different." Madison narrowed her eyes. "In the novels, beginners like us should need a wand to cast spells. There are indeed unicorns in it, but the Summoning Charm (Accio, translation difference) generally cannot summon living objects. Magical creatures that can be summoned are only those without intelligence like Flobberworms and Horklumps."
"The only exception is Newt summoning Nifflers. Summoning a unicorn like I did, in this form, doesn't exist in the novels at all."
"When I summoned it, it felt the same as when I used telekinesis to control objects."
"What are the novels you keep talking about? Fairy tales? Who is Harry Potter? Is he famous?" Sophie was puzzled.
"You haven't read Harry Potter?" Madison was shocked. "Which remote village are you from? Don't tell me you don't even have the internet."
"Internet?" Sophie bit her lip. "For fishing? Gavaldon isn't a fishing village; I haven't seen one."
"Even third-world countries have the internet! I mean computers, a kind of machine—" Madison wanted to describe it, but didn't know how. "What is wrong with you!"
"Wait, could we be in different worlds?" Sophie's eyes seemed to light up. "Since you read books too, you must have read The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan. Maybe one of us is in a world like the Emerald City or Neverland."