"Frankie?"
Elise, surprised, called out softly, tentatively.
"It's me! Didn't recognize me? Oh, I painted my face with oil paint."
The young wizard with messy hair strode over, his eyes bright and full of energy.
"Are you here to join the performance too? Or is the young lady here to inspect the progress?"
"What?" Elise said in confusion, "We're actually lost... seems like we're lost... what are you all doing..."
"Haha, can't you tell?"
Frankie excitedly waved the wobbly scimitar in his hand and said:
"We're shooting a movie! FMC's new project, a fantasy epic to be shown in the Muggle world! It's about the ancient war between wizards and elves!"
He pointed at the "warriors" in tattered chain armor and the "wizards" in luxurious robes, his tone full of pride:
"These are all voluntary actors from our community! No pay, purely for fun and... well, you know, for the safety of all our people!"
He winked at Elise, seemingly delighted to connect this event to a larger theme.
"They say making a movie like this can prevent the sudden exposure of the Magic World to the Muggles. Even if some careless folks are filmed using magic, you can just say it's a movie scene!"
Frankie briefly explained, his gaze falling on Vid, and asked, "And this is...?"
"My bodyguard, Lawrence."
Elise shifted her gaze from the "actors" and introduced the wizard in front of her to Vid:
"This is my former classmate, Frankie Bowman from Thunderbird House."
"Oh, nice to meet you, Lawrence."
Frankie casually shook hands with Vid, then sized up Elise, his eyes growing brighter, especially when he noticed her exquisitely crafted cloak with the family crest, nodding repeatedly.
"Perfect! Elise, your demeanor, your outfit... you're practically a living elf princess!"
He excitedly said, "How about it? Want to make a cameo? It's like experiencing another kind of life! It's especially fun!"
Elise hesitated for a couple of seconds, then said, "I'd better not... I have other things to do."
"That's a shame!" Frankie said regretfully. Before he could say more, a shout came from the distant crowd—
"Frankie, stop chatting with the girl! Come over to hear how we're going to perform next!"
Frankie had to leave in a hurry, waving goodbye as he went:
"Once you're done, remember to come check it out! Maybe we haven't finished filming by then! The director would surely be happy to find you a suitable role!"
...
The noisy battlefield was left behind, and just passing through an archway naturally formed by two ancient oak trees, the surroundings transformed abruptly like a faded oil painting.
The muddy grass was replaced by a smooth cobblestone path, with the air filled with the sweet scent of coffee and cauldron cakes, along with the mixed smells of various real magic potion materials, dragon dung, and broom care oil.
The loud roars turned into the low conversations of wizards, the rustling of owl wings, and the crisp chime of shop doorbells.
The street was lined with crooked but charming wooden and stone buildings. The shop signs were no longer rough wooden boards but elegant metal carvings or magical windows that automatically changed scenes.
In the stationery store, quills were dipping themselves in ink bottles and busily writing on parchment.
In front of the magic potion materials shop, a small cauldron was happily bouncing, spewing colorful smoke to attract customers.
Several wizards in robes stood outside the "Leaky Cauldron" bar, holding Butter Beers, seriously discussing the latest paper in "Today's Transfiguration Technique."
The place was still full of magic, but it was an orderly kind, permeating everyday life. The wizards walked with ease, their faces calm and serene.
Vid smiled and said, "If this scene were to be filmed in a movie, I think it would be much more interesting than that battlefield just now."
Elise let out a light breath, as if completely clearing away the absurdity of the film set earlier.
She turned to Vid, her tone returning to its usual calm: "If you have no immediate goal, let's start with that known member of Prometheus."
Vid nodded and said, "The person Abigail went to find... Liayana Lightford."
"Yes." Elise took out the Friendship Book from her small handbag and said, "I'll ask about Miss Lightford's whereabouts."
However, just after opening it, a line of rapidly flashing silver letters came into view—
["Elise, you've crossed the line.
Return to the manor immediately.
—August Vanderbilt"]
Elise's smile froze, her slender fingertips paused on the page for half a second.
Then, as if she had just seen an insignificant weather report, she turned a few pages with a calm expression, then picked up the quill attached to the Friendship Book and wrote an inquiry.
While waiting for a response, Vid's gaze rested on the newspaper rack outside the bookstore, paused, and then he pulled out money to buy two newspapers.
The headline of the first newspaper was sensational:
["Magic Congress's Negligence? Wizards Degraded to Muggle Streets, Grassroots Facing Survival Crisis!"]
The accompanying photo was of Stern dressed as a Muggle, selling ice cream.
The journalist wrote in the article:
"...The weary-faced wizard in the photo was once part of the magical society, an outstanding student of Ilvermorny. Now, he must force a smile in front of Muggle children just to earn meager Muggle currency to survive..."
"Does this expose the cruel side of the International Confidentiality Law? Not only does it isolate two worlds, but it also forces some of our fellow wizards into desperation..."
"While high officials of the Magic Congress enjoy the service of house-elves, our ordinary wizards are struggling for survival! Where is our employment security? Where is our dignity?"
And the headline of the second newspaper was, surprisingly, also a photo of Stern, but this time the man was full of despair as he was arrested by Aurors, with the center of the photo being the stern and compassionate Laira Piqueley.
["Scourers Face Devastating Blow! Leadership Caught, Magic Congress Achieves Historic Victory!"]
The content said, "Early this morning, under the accurate command of Chair Assistant Laira Piqueley, the Magic Congress Auror Office successfully raided the core underground stronghold of the Scourers in New York, arresting several high-ranking leaders, including the organization's number two, Rolando Stern..."
"This operation is considered the most successful purge of extremist forces by the Magic Congress in the past decade. Rolando Stern — the chief strategist and intelligence officer of the Scourers, was captured at the scene in the stronghold..."
"All major media and public figures in the wizarding world have highly praised the success of this operation. The International Wizarding Union stated: 'This is a great victory for justice and order!' "
The content of the two newspapers created a stark contrast, intentionally placed side by side by the shopkeeper, providing a sense of strong absurdity and fracture.
Vid folded the newspapers up, planning to read them in detail later.
Then he saw Elise putting away the Friendship Book, looking up:
"Mist Valley District, the top-floor apartment of the Watergate Building, Lightford is there."
After a pause, her face showed a subtle but genuine regret.
"I'm sorry, but from here on, you'll have to proceed alone, Vid... My father wants me to return home immediately."
Vid met Elise's gaze, smiled, and said, "Thank you for your help, Elise. If you ever need anything, please be sure to contact me."
"Of course! You too, remember to find me if you need anything." Elise smiled as well, saying, "Even if I'm at the manor, I can mobilize some resources to help you."
The two bid farewell calmly and then turned away, walking in opposite directions.
But a few steps out, Elise couldn't help but look back, seeing the boy's tall and solitary figure quickly merge into the crowd and disappear.
She took a deep breath, her face adopting the smile befitting of "Miss Vanderbilt," as she headed towards a wizard inn offering a fireplace.