Chapter 361 "Uagadou's Future"

Hearing what Wentworth said, Headmistress Lopez staggered involuntarily, hurriedly supporting herself on the corner of the table to avoid falling. Wentworth's heart was also racing, feeling as if Professor Dumbledore might suddenly appear out of nowhere.

Despite his nerves, Wentworth knew he had to commit to the lie. He believed that if a lie was grand and convincing enough, it could make the world dance to his tune.

At that moment, Emma, who had been silent for a while, stepped forward, drawing her wand and pointing it at Wentworth. With anger in her voice, she said, "Wentworth! You lied to me! You claimed you wanted to save Uagadou, but you just want to take it for yourself, don't you?!"

"Emma! Stop, you can't do this..." Headmistress Lopez intervened urgently. Emma might not fully grasp the significance of the Alliance, but Laila, as the Headmistress of Uagadou, understood all too well. She knew that Emma's impulsive move could have dire consequences if it reached the ears of the Alliance. Death might be the best outcome in such a scenario.

Without hesitation, Wentworth stretched out his hand to stop Headmistress Lopez and then looked calmly at Emma, saying slowly, "Emma, isn't it better for Uagadou to be in my hands than in those of the Coney tribe?"

Emma gritted her teeth and replied, "What's the difference? Don't tell me you want to be Uagadou's school board president without taking anything from it! You're just like the Coney tribe—you'll drain Uagadou dry in the end!"

Wentworth gently pushed aside the wand aimed at him and said sternly, "You're wrong, Emma. This is your problem. I admit you're smart, but your vision is too narrow!"

"It's not just you—the Coney tribe is the same. Their scope is too small."

"I'll tell you this, Emma. If it were me, not only would I not drain Uagadou's last drop of blood, but I would also inject enough resources into it to make it flourish. That way, it would continue to provide for me for a long time. One-off transactions are short-sighted and low-yield!"

Hearing Wentworth's words, Emma froze for a moment and then said angrily, "So, you're still targeting Uagadou! We at Uagadou would rather die standing than survive on our knees! We value our freedom!"

Wentworth suddenly burst into laughter. After his laughter subsided, he looked at Emma with a smile and said, "Emma, I've finally figured it out—you have high intelligence but no emotional intelligence!"

"'Rather die standing than live kneeling?' Very noble, very ambitious, but unfortunately, you can only speak for yourself with that sentiment."

"Do you have any idea what the others think about this matter?" Wentworth asked.

Instead of answering him, Emma just stayed silent with a bitter look on her face.

"See! Ask yourself, Emma... is this truly what Uagadou wants, or is it only your selfish desire?" Wentworth provoked.

His tone became increasingly severe, and by the end, he was almost shouting.

Emma was surprised to hear Wentworth's provoking question, she tried to rebuke, but in the end she just fell silent to it without finding any right words to properly reply him.

 

Emma, taken aback by Wentworth's intensity, took a step back. But Wentworth continued, "Emma, do you remember what you told me at your house? You said that many wizards from Uagadou eventually went to Europe and even became witch hunters. Do you think they really can't survive here?"

"Don't be ridiculous! As wizards from Uagadou, they can certainly make a living in Africa. They're not content with just getting by—they want to live better! Many of them want to stand out. That's why they choose to leave Africa!"

"Don't be too naive! There is a reason why everyone that reached adulthood would prefer to go to Europe rather than stay here; both of you already know it, but you are not brave enough to say the reason out loud!"

"You ask me what the difference is between me and the Coney tribe? Let me tell you—the biggest difference is that I can give people a choice! The Alliance allows them to see a wider world, not just be confined to this small corner of Uagadou!"

Hearing Wentworth's words, Headmistress Lopez, who had gradually calmed down, stepped forward, looked him in the eye, and bit her lip, saying, "What exactly do you want, Wentworth?!"

Wentworth replied firmly, "As I said, I want to be one of the governor in the school board of Uagadou. You're right, Headmistress Lopez—I want Uagadou. I want to take control of it!"

Before arriving at Uagadou, Wentworth could never have imagined things would develop to this point.

However, this is a rare opportunity. Though there are risks, Wentworth believes that with a little risk, he has a chance to take control of this thousand-year-old institution. It's an opportunity too valuable to pass up!

Wentworth, along with Rosier and others, had long reached a consensus that the Alliance needs more fresh blood. Now, with a ready-made magic school in front of him, how could Wentworth possibly let it slip away?

Hearing Wentworth's straightforward words, Headmistress Lopez, with red-rimmed eyes, demanded, "Why should I hand Uagadou over to you? Give me a reason!"

Wentworth smiled, knowing he had nearly won. He responded slowly, with a seductive tone, "Because I can give Uagadou's students a choice. I can provide them new way of living rather than being confined to Coney tribe's personal army. I can give them the freedom they all yearn!"

Wentworth believed he wasn't deceiving Headmistress Lopez. If the Alliance could brainwash so many rebellious dark wizards in Europe, he was confident that young wizards who grew up under his influence wouldn't be able to resist the allure of the Alliance.

With this conviction, Wentworth continued, "Uagadou's teaching framework will be preserved to the greatest extent possible. When Uagadou's students graduate, if there are ambitious wizards who want to make a name for themselves, I can offer them the choice to join the Alliance."

He added, "For those who don't have grand ambitions and just want a better life, I can find them good jobs. Let me tell you something— the Central Bank of the Wizarding World, established not long ago, is our Alliance property!"

Hearing this, Headmistress Lopez fell silent. At that moment, Emma suddenly asked, "What if someone doesn't want to leave Africa?"

Wentworth smiled and replied, "That's simple. I can extend the Central Bank of the Wizarding World to Africa, and they can all become its employees. With Headmistress Lopez's assistance, I don't think that would be difficult, right?"