Chapter 1281: The Mysterious Elder (Part 2)

To this, Ian was unsurprised; after all, he was from Hogwarts and quite familiar with Flue Powder, so he could also discern that the guidance from this Flue Powder was correct. He stepped into the flames. Instantly, the world spun, and the wind roared past his ears. After a familiar sensation of spinning and compression, he found himself standing inside a fireplace of a distinctly different style.

He walked out of the fireplace and found himself in a spacious, tidy living room. The living room’s decor had distinct African features but also blended some European comfort elements.

Through the window, one could see outside—a village with a beautiful environment and lush greenery. Houses of different styles were distributed harmoniously, clearly presenting an environment akin to a hidden utopia. A waiter followed him out of the fireplace and respectfully spoke to Ian.

“Sir, please follow me; the boss’s house is just ahead.”

They walked out of this building.

The building seemed to be the village’s public Feilu Network access point. Delicate wooden houses were scattered around, their rooftops covered in waterproof palm leaves, and flowers planted in front of the doors. Several wizards leisurely sat on rattan chairs sipping tea, while children chased a small, fire-breathing lizard on the grass.

Here, utterly different from the chaos and roughness of the market, was akin to a Magic Utopia. Consequently, those residing here must surely be the wealthy and influential upper-class wizards of the African Magic World. They wished to avoid being drawn into the market’s disputes and chose to dwell in this village shielded by a powerful enchantment.

They walked along the clean stone path for a few minutes.

The two reached a small courtyard surrounded by a low fence. The house in the courtyard didn’t seem particularly luxurious; the low gate made of vines appeared quite ordinary but was well-maintained, brimming with a sense of living. Standing outside, the waiter stepped forward and knocked on the gate.

Soon after, an old yet vigorous voice called from inside, “Come in, the door’s unlocked.”

Hearing this, Ian immediately understood that the waiter must have somehow communicated with the boss after Ian left the restaurant, and the person was already waiting.

The waiter gestured “please” to Ian, not intending to enter himself, and said softly, “Sir, please go inside on your own; the boss is waiting for you inside. I’ll return to the shop.”

With that, he bowed and left.

Ian did not hesitate and went in by pushing open the gate.

However, just as he stepped in, the surrounding scenery underwent a tremendous change! What appeared as a simple farmhouse from the outside, had an interior space that suddenly expanded several dozen times over! In sight was a broad, vibrant pastoral landscape!

Neatly arranged fields were planted with various crops familiar and unfamiliar to Ian, and there was even a small orchard and a babbling brook in the distance! The sunlight was bright, the air fresh, creating an atmosphere akin to an independent paradise. Clearly, this seemingly simple house was enhanced by an exceptionally adept Traceless Stretching Charm.

The internal space had been expanded into a fully functional miniature manor. There were singing sunflowers, automatically watering vines, and dwarf trees bearing luminous fruits.

Ian’s gaze swept over those crops, his eyes showing a hint of admiration. Not just decorative plants, even those crops weren’t ordinary grains.

The corn in the fields, each kernel contained a faint aura of magic power; the roots of the cassava entwined with tiny “Earth Vein Runes,” and the blue grains were indeed the legendary “Moonlight Wheat,” which only grows during a full moon and enhances night vision and dream perception upon consumption; many areas seemed to be individually divided into the four seasons.

“Such novel usage methods…” Ian couldn’t help but express admiration. Applying the Traceless Stretching Charm on such a large scale while perfectly integrating it with the environment requires extremely high magical prowess and profound understanding of Space Law. This is far more difficult than simply expanding a space within a tent.

“Hehe, a small trick, forgive this old man,” came an elderly voice from the nearby fields.

Following the voice, Ian saw an African elder, wearing simple linen clothes, with graying hair and dark skin but appearing energetic, standing barefoot in the soil with pants rolled up, holding a small hoe. Beside him stood a House-Elf dressed in a tidy pillowcase, eyes full of vigilance.

Seeing Ian’s gaze, the elder explained with a smile: “I’ve grown old, have no other interests, just like to fiddle with the land, plant some grains and vegetables. Perhaps it’s due to experiencing famine during my childhood, sharing hunger with others; I’ve always held a special obsession with food. Opening that restaurant is also fulfilling a wish, allowing more people to enjoy… hmm, unique flavors.”

He spoke frankly.

With a sense of calm after weathering many storms.

Who knows what he went through in the past that would lead him to want to share those Soviet-era goods with everyone—perhaps for this elder, the most delicious things back then were materials peddled by the Soviet Union?

That’s also a possibility.

After all, back in the early stages of its establishment, to increase influence, the Soviet Union did support the economies of many other places, possibly threatening Africa with famine.

Ian speculated constantly in his heart.

At this moment, the House-Elf suddenly dashed forward, blocking the elder, and shouted at Ian nervously in a sharp voice.