Chapter 022 - A Few Small Matters Before Heading Out

"Mm? What did you hide in your clothes?"

Benitez suddenly noticed that there was a bulge on the silver-haired girl's chest. She had clearly stuffed something inside.

"Eh? Right, that parchment scroll is hidden behind the portrait..."

Alina followed Benitez's gaze to her chest and immediately remembered that old parchment she had picked up in Dumbledore's office. The series of events that had followed had made her forget that she had yet to take a look at it, and she would have remained unaware without Benitez's reminder.

"I'm not sure. But I expect it's some sort of spell or potion recipe, or maybe some historical record."

Alina shook her head as she took the yellowed parchment from her clothes, and curiously opened it.

The first thing she saw was a massive S-shaped symbol, like a large snake. It was quite similar to the symbol of House Slytherin, but it was older and more mysterious. Under the symbol were many more strange and faded marks.

Under these was a large block of letters. The starting sentence was...

[This land registration document solemnly certifies: the mighty Slytherin family forever enjoys the rights to the properties below. Registrant: Salazar Slytherin...]

"A land registration certificate?!"

Alina's hands trembled as she swallowed.

Just as with many other countries in the world, Great Britain had a system of land registration. In Britain, one could register land with absolute property rights, limited property rights, the right to occupy, or the right to lease.

Land registration was actually the registration of the land and the buildings on top of it, in other words, real estate. The right to the buildings on the land was based on the principle that a building that was established on a piece of land went along with the piece of land, and this was clearly indicated in the land rights certificate and on the attached maps, recorded in both words and images.

In other words, an effective 'Land Registration Certificate' was the same as the 'Land Rights Certificate' and 'Real Estate Certificates' for all the buildings on top of the land.

As for the exact location of this land and the buildings atop it...

Alina didn't need to read the parchment very carefully. The familiar castle drawn out below explained everything: Hogwarts...

The parchment scroll felt like it had instantly become scalding hot.

"Alina? What is this?"

Benitez's seemingly distant voice shook the silver-haired girl from her blank-minded stupor.

Alina shivered and hastily folded the yellow parchment back up and thrust it back into her clothes. She felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest.

What to do?! What to do?!

She had accidentally taken the deed for Hogwarts?!

"It's nothing...just an extremely formidable magic spell."

Alina took in a deep breath and tried her best to remain calm, but there was still a faint tremor in her voice.

"..."

Benitez silently gazed at Alina. The angle had prevented him from getting a clear look, but based on the complicated images, it seemed less like a spell and more like some sort of document or contract.

"Is it dangerous?" Benitez squatted down, his brown eyes meeting Alina's gaze.

"It's not dangerous, but it is rather problematic."

After some thought, Alina shook her head and pleaded, "In short, Father, it's better to treat it like you never saw anything."

"Fine."

The man confirmed the expression on the silver-haired girl's face, and after a second or two of hesitation, his brow unfurled, and he nodded.

Standing back up, Benitez walked to the door and took a stack of banknotes from the pocket of the coat hanging from the clothes hanger. He placed it in Alina's hand.

"Right, I heard Professor McGonagall say that British Pounds can be exchanged for wizard currency, so I went to the bank today and withdrew one thousand pounds."

"I don't need it. Professor Dumbledore said that Hogwarts provides a scholarship to every orphan. You should give this money to Bran and the others..."

Alina scratched her cheeks and immediately raised her hands, preparing to put the money back into Benitez's large hands.

"I've already refused it for you, the scholarship," Benitez calmly said.

"Eh? Are you an idiot..."

The silver-haired girl's face froze, and then she grew angry. She had intended to use tomorrow to relieve the secretly-wealthy Dumbledore of some of his money.

A hint of warmth flitted across Benitez's face, and he gently stroked the girl's silver hair.

"I'm completely capable of handling your tuition. I have no desire to see you made fun of by your classmates simply because of a scholarship."

"But..."

"Alina, you are not an orphan!"

Benitez loudly said, cutting off the girl's complaints.

Alina raised her head, the figure of Benitez reflecting in her lake-blue eyes. The man's eyes were somewhat panicked and somewhat expectant, but crucially, they were the affectionate eyes of a father...just like the eyes of that stooped figure from her last life that Alina desperately tried to not remember.

"..."

"I said before, stop rubbing my head."

After a few seconds of silence, the silver-haired girl shook her head in a huff and turned around, not letting the man see her expression.

"...Once we're done packing, help me wash my hair. It's so greasy that it's hard to stand.

"Stupid Father."

...

The next day, before daybreak, Alina was already out of bed.

After cleaning herself up a little, the girl walked into the kitchen, still rubbing her eyes. She had to get up a little earlier in order to ensure that the other children could have their breakfast on time.

To her surprise, when she walked in, there was already someone in the kitchen.

"Alina, good morning."

Hearing footsteps, Benitez turned around and smiled.

"Haaaa~good morning, Father..."

The silver-haired girl rubbed her eyes and yawned as she instinctively replied. As she spoke, her hazy eyes gradually focused on Benitez's face.

"Wait for a second! Why are you here?! You've finally gotten a little better! You go back and rest this instant!"

Alina's face turned hard as she put a hand on her hip and pointed out the door with the other.

"Relax! I'm completely recovered. It's all thanks to that, Professor McGonagall. In fact, I've never felt better."

Benitez heartily laughed, flexing his sturdy biceps. His robust arms bulged, the strong curves enough to make star-struck girls shriek in delight.

"Even if you're better, according to our deal, the kitchen is my territory! Get out right now! Out!"

Alina rolled her eyes. She pushed on Benitez's back to force him out the door.

Although Benitez's cooking skill wasn't so bad as to result in the stereotypical British black cuisine, it was barely up to the standard.

Moreover, Benitez had barely cooked once after she took charge of the orphanage's meals.

"You should rest today. We only washed your hair last night, but it will get dirty once you start cooking eggs."

Benitez raised his hand, originally intending to rub the little head that only went up to his chest. But after some thought, he placed the hand on the girl's slender shoulder, easily turned her around, and began to push her out of the kitchen.

"And besides, what happens when you go to school? I have to get in some practice first and get back the feeling, right? Put on your new clothes and wait for that Hogwarts professor to come and take you shopping. I'm here, so relax."

"No, your food is really too awful..."

Pa!

As the two were arguing, there was a soft crack outside.

"Apologies, it seems I came a little early."

Dumbledore's warm voice came from outside. "If you don't mind, why don't we have the children try the breakfast prepared by the Hogwarts kitchens?"