Chapter 42: Kael's Oscar-Worthy Performance!

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[Ding! Detecting sympathy!]

[Ding! Drawing a treasure box for the host!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving a Golden Treasure Box!]

Hmm? Sympathy counts as an emotion too?

Kael heard the system's notification in his mind and instantly shifted into acting mode. His face transformed into a mix of forced smiles and a tragic yet resilient expression. It was the kind of performance worthy of an Oscar-winning actor.

"This is nothing. I've been living here on my own since I was six years old. What choice did I have? I'm an orphan, after all, and there's nowhere else for me to go."

"Actually, Knockturn Alley isn't as bad as it seems. You just have to be careful, avoid empty places, stay indoors most of the time, and make sure not to sleep too deeply at night…"

"I've been captured by dark wizards more than thirty times, all trying to sell me as material for magical experiments. But I always managed to escape thanks to my wits."

"I remember on my eighth birthday, I made myself a cake out of mud and made a wish. You'll never guess what I wished for. Even now, I can't help but laugh—I wished for one night of peaceful, uninterrupted sleep."

Kael became deeply immersed in his own story, leaving Dumbledore stunned.

This kid…

According to the information Dumbledore had gathered, ever since Kael had made a name for himself in Knockturn Alley, it was the other dark wizards who had been losing sleep—out of fear!

[Ding! Detecting confusion!]

[Ding! Drawing a treasure box for the host!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving a Golden Treasure Box!]

Cassandra, unaware of Kael's notorious reputation, felt a shiver run through her. She couldn't imagine, while she had been living in luxury, sometimes even complaining about the quality of house-elf-made desserts, that someone couldn't even sleep soundly, let alone celebrate a birthday with anything better than a mud cake.

[Ding! Detecting sympathy!]

[Ding! Drawing a treasure box for the host!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving a Golden Treasure Box!]

"If you want, maybe my father could consider adopting you," Cassandra said softly. "But don't get the wrong idea—I'm not overflowing with pointless sympathy or anything."

She turned her head to the side, unwilling to let Kael see the redness in her eyes.

…

"Hehehe… look what we have here, two little wizards and an old man…"

At that moment, a middle-aged dark wizard approached them. Though dark wizards in Knockturn Alley had fearsome reputations, in reality, they were often the lowest rung of the magical world. Many of them hadn't even attended a proper wizarding school and were instead discovered and trafficked by other dark wizards because of their magical talents.

If they survived the various cruel experiments they were subjected to, they would be taken on as apprentices. Many only knew a few rudimentary spells and certainly didn't recognize Dumbledore.

"Lucky day for me," the dark wizard sneered. "Two lost little wizards. They should fetch a decent price."

As he got closer, however, something about Kael's appearance began to seem familiar. The closer he got, the more his expression changed from smugness to terror.

Suddenly, he dropped to his knees with a thud, his face pale with fear.

"K-Kael… no, Lord Mephisto!"

"Oh, Merlin above! I didn't know it was you! Please, spare me!"

Kael's reputation in Knockturn Alley was not built on empty boasts—it was earned with blood. Despite being one of the largest hubs for dark wizards in Europe, Knockturn Alley had seen most of its dark wizards wiped out by Kael.

No one dared defy his will, not even Borgin & Burkes.

"Um, would you believe me if I said he mistook me for someone else?" Kael asked, feigning innocence as he glanced at Cassandra, who was now fuming, realizing she had been deceived.

The commotion had also attracted the attention of other dark wizards passing by.

"Oh no, it's Lord Mephisto!"

"Merlin's beard, why has he come back?"

"It's over… someone's about to meet a grim fate again. Poor fool."

"How many do you think he'll kill this time? I bet at least ten dark wizards will be dead by tonight."

Cassandra: "!!!!!!!"

[Ding! Detecting anger!]

[Ding! Drawing a treasure box for the host!]

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for receiving a Golden Treasure Box!]

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patreon.com/AHumanMadeMOFO - Join to read upto chapter 63.