They say trouble comes in threes, and that's exactly what was happening here. One uninvited guest shows up, and then bam! Number two and three follow right behind like it's some kind of cursed parade.
Not that the newcomers seemed to realize how unwelcome they were. In fact, the two who arrived together completely ignored Allen and his group, heading straight for the man who'd been driven off earlier by Annie's wand. Once there, they began whispering furiously among themselves.
And how did Allen and the others respond?
By continuing to eat, of course.
Unfortunately, this meal was doomed from the start, because what happened next was so dramatic and cliché, it might as well have come from a third-rate soap opera.
Just as the other patrons were happily enjoying their porridge, the three wizards' conversation broke down spectacularly. Words were no longer enough.
There's a saying: "War is just untangling knots with your teeth when your tongue fails you."
Another, even more efficient method of resolving conflict? Killing your opponent, spiritually, if not literally. After all, once they're buried in the ground, you can say whatever you like standing on their grave, and they can't do a thing about it. Heck, you could dance on their grave and they'd still be helpless to stop you.
Of course, in the wizarding world, there's a caveat: dead people can come back to haunt you. But if you're strong enough, that's not a problem either. In fact, the saying becomes: "Even if you become a ghost, I'll still come after you."
That's why wizards often follow a simple rule: If talking doesn't work, use your wand.
Which is exactly why Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy once ended up in an unofficial wizard duel. Wizards grow up on tales of duels, it's practically tradition.
So when Allen was only halfway through his second bowl of porridge, the man who'd tried to invite himself to their group earlier suddenly found himself being beaten down by the other two wizards, caught in a vicious pincer attack.
"Run! They've gone mad!" the man cried, doing his best to avoid Allen and the others while warning them on his way out.
But the very next second, his escape was blocked by a giant flaming bear paw. Tibbers, who had just finished eating some roast meat, still had the aroma of grilled oil wafting off his claws.
The bear slap sent the man flying right back to where he'd started. And hot on his heels, the two burly wizards lunged with glowing green eyes, vicious and relentless. The scene that followed definitely wasn't suitable for children.
Allen and Annie returned to their meal, more accurately, Allen ate while Annie fed him.
But unfortunately, this wasn't the kind of situation where you could just sit back and be a spectator.
The two wizards, having finished off the escapee, soon came over to thank them personally.
"товарищ, спасибо за вашу помощь." (Comrade, thank you for your help.)
Allen and Annie stared blankly.
...Huh? What language was that?
Seeing their confused faces, the wizards quickly switched languages.
"Comrade, thank you very much for your assistance. If not for you, that traitor might have escaped." The one with the thick beard nodded respectfully toward Tibbers, who was now chewing on the remains of the roasted meat.
Just as the man was about to continue speaking, Allen exploded.
Comrade? Did you just call me comrade?!
Listen here, I may be living in the UK right now, and I don't judge anyone's lifestyle, but I am 100% straight! You're the one who's a "comrade"!
Wait… Comrade?
Allen suddenly remembered the original meaning of that word, ally, before it got twisted in modern slang.
His expression changed instantly.
Damn it. These two were trouble. Big trouble.
He quickly tried to wave them off, but his injuries made even that small motion impossible.
As for Annie, she was still happily riding the high of knocking out a bad guy earlier. It had been Allen who had subtly signaled her to let Tibbers intervene.
That guy had given off serious bad-guy vibes right from the start. I mean, who walks straight up to strangers in the wilderness? Even if you're confident in your strength, you'd think twice before approaching someone who might not want company.
If he had insisted despite being ignored, that would've been one thing. But instead, he just gave up halfway, might as well have tattooed "I'm a villain" on his forehead.
Still, that wasn't the biggest red flag.
Allen had noticed something odd when he overheard the earlier conversation, he couldn't understand a word of it. But the moment that guy approached, he suddenly started speaking English? What, did he think Allen was a child he could trick with baby talk?
Okay, yes, technically Allen was thirteen, but that wasn't the point!
Anyway, that weirdo had been knocked out, tied up, and taken care of. Whether he was trying to frame them or use them for cover didn't matter anymore.
Seeing Allen's cold stare, the two wizards took the hint and stopped talking.
Sure, they'd helped each other, but pride was pride. They weren't going to lower themselves just because of that.
And so, the conversation ended on a rather frosty note.
"When words fail, even a few are too many."
Everyone here was a proud, high-level wizard, why should anyone grovel before anyone else?
If wizarding almanacs were a thing, today would definitely be marked with a warning in bold red:
Auspicious events: None.
Inauspicious for: Travel, Eating Meals.
Because that leftover pot of porridge? Completely wasted.
The one responsible? A wizard who suddenly Apparated in and faceplanted straight into the pot.
Allen, who had been fuming a moment ago, instantly calmed down when he saw the poor guy's misfortune.
Here's what happened: As everyone knows, Apparition is one of the most miraculous spells in the wizarding world. Legend says its inventor was constantly cursed out by flying broom companies, enchanted carpet makers, Floo powder merchants, and even the Knight Bus Corporation.
Why? Because Apparition lets you travel almost anywhere, as long as you have enough magical power, a clear image of the destination, and good technique. It's so convenient it nearly killed the travel industry.
But that doesn't mean it's perfect.
First of all, it drains a ton of magical energy. Second, it has all kinds of flaws, the worst being splinching.
Today, however, another lesser-known flaw made itself painfully clear.
As the new wizard tried to Apparate in, he didn't realize someone had placed a small campfire right at his landing spot. A fire that happened to have a big pot of porridge simmering over it.
The result?
He learned a brand-new trick: Drinking porridge through your boots.
This tragedy marked the final straw for Allen.
"CAN I JUST EAT MY PORRIDGE IN PEACE!?"
••┈┈┈┈┈༓┈┈┈┈┈•••
150 Advance Chapters Available on Patreon! Patreon.com/Veltoria