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Chapter Ninety-Three
Scene Cards!!
[Ding, detecting a Holy Father opportunity nearby. Temporary mission released:]
Eavesdrop on Malfoy. When he decides to hex Neville, punch him in the eye and say:
"Malfoy, I hate you more and more — you're a vile little coward!"
[Reward: +100 Mana. Accept mission?]
Magic points?
Darren blinked.
Ever since the Starter Pack gave him 100 mana, nothing had added to that stat again.
Until now.
[Accept!]
He slid quietly across the benches until he was directly behind Malfoy.
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were huddled together, snickering like three low-budget villains plotting something dramatic.
Darren leaned closer.
"Just wait," Malfoy whispered gleefully. "I'll provoke that brainless Longbottom, get him all flustered, and the moment he reacts—bam! I'll hex him. You two distract Darren Potter. Don't let him interfere."
"Got it! Want us to hit little Potter?" Goyle asked, eyes shining.
Malfoy snorted. "If you try that, you'll go crying to your mothers. Darren could knock both of you out by accident."
Goyle visibly shivered, remembering the last time.
Crabbe laughed like he thought he was clever.
Darren rolled his eyes.
How have I become some troll-like monster in their minds? Do they think I solve everything with fists?
He sighed internally.
Alright, fine. When I punch Malfoy, I'll do it gently. A gentlemanly punch. A Holy-Father-approved punch.
By now Malfoy had started taunting Neville — calling him stupid, mocking his posture, sneering at his wand grip.
Neville, to his credit, actually stood and tried to defend himself.
"I—I didn't do anything to you!" he stammered.
"I'll teach you a proper lesson for that pathetic excuse of a retort!" Malfoy snapped, delighted. He raised his wand, fully prepared to hex Neville in front of everyone.
Leg-Locker? Jelly-Legs?
Something humiliating, clearly.
And just as Malfoy's grin widened—
THWACK.
A fist slammed into Malfoy's eye.
Malfoy shrieked like a banshee, clutching his face as tears burst out.
"WHO HIT ME?! Who—?!"
"It was me."
Darren's voice was ice-cold.
Malfoy froze.
Why… why was he always the one Darren bullied? Why was Harry protected like the Boy-Who-Lived, and he was treated like dirt?!
"You—why did you hit me? I'll tell my father! He'll—!"
"Go ahead." Darren stepped forward, eyes sincere and wounded. "You're rich, Malfoy. An aristocrat. So you think you can bully anyone you want."
Malfoy sputtered.
"Neville never provoked you. He was just sitting there. And you still went out of your way to hurt him. I thought you were only sharp-tongued — a bit naughty, maybe. But now? You're someone I don't even recognize."
Darren shook his head with bitter disappointment.
"I hate you more and more, Malfoy."
Malfoy's jaw dropped.
Darren continued solemnly, "Today I hit you. If your father demands I be expelled, I'll accept it. But it won't change what you are — a shameless little coward."
[Ding! Mission complete.
Reward: +100 Mana.
Bonus Reward: Scene Card ×1]
A Scene Card?
Darren blinked.
Scene Card:
When used, generates a random "scene." After completing the staged Holy Father mission, the scene can be projected into reality.
Huh? A new type of item…
Curious, he tapped Use.
At once, the entire Quidditch stadium dissolved — replaced by a narrow, shadowy alley.
[Ding. Scene Card Mission — Stage 1: Save the child.]
[Complete all stages to project the scene into reality.]
No reward?
Darren's face fell.
What kind of scam is this? Making me do missions for free? This is Father-Value fraud.
He was just about to ignore it when—
A small, strangled cry echoed through the alley.
Then silence.
Only a faint whimpering remained — someone gagged.
Darren crept forward.
A hulking man held a tiny girl in his arms.
Darren, currently appearing only three or four years old in the scene, was the same height as her.
She had pale gold hair, blue-grey eyes, and a dirty, tear-streaked face. Her body was bruised everywhere. She stared at Darren with a strangely numb, almost mocking expression — as if she didn't expect anything good from anyone.
Whoever she is, Darren thought, I could never ignore this.
He charged.
The man didn't even finish turning before Darren hit him like a cannonball. The man collapsed without another sound.
"Tch," Darren muttered under his breath. "Rookie. Not worth even a thousand Father Points I've spent over time."
He turned back to the girl.
"Come on, let's go!"
But she couldn't stand.
So Darren scooped her up and ran from the alley.
Just as the scene began to flicker—
[Ding. Scene Card Mission — Stage 2: Pretend to collapse from exhaustion so the girl will leave alone.]
"…"
Darren nearly choked.
Is this card trying to force-feed her a childhood trauma arc?
If this scene ever projected into reality, this poor girl might grow up with the most melodramatic, dog-blood backstory imaginable.
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