He Was Still a Kid—What Was Wrong with Eating a Tiny Bit More?!

When Deep Blue's notification sounded, the wild joy in Charle's eyes was impossible to suppress.

Then, to verify it further, Charle opened Snape's paper on the Wolfsbane Potion.

A moment later, Deep Blue's notification sounded again.

"Acquired material related to werewolf transformations. The Deduction Points required for the host's future deduction of werewolf-related knowledge will be greatly reduced."

"Obtaining werewolf blood or a live specimen can further reduce the required Deduction Points."

Then Transfiguration: From Introduction to Interment issued similar notifications once more, allowing Charle to save a great number of points when deducing many beginner- and intermediate-level Transfiguration spells!

At that moment, Charle could not help bursting into laughter.

"It worked!"

"I fucking did it!"

He looked around at the magical books and papers in Flourish and Blotts that rarely drew anyone's interest.

To other wizards, these books were long-winded, dull, obscure, and difficult to understand. To Charle, though, they were an incomparably precious treasure trove that could save him who knew how many Deduction Points!

Another idea surfaced in Charle's mind.

"The books at Flourish and Blotts are ultimately meant for the general public."

"Apart from a few famous papers that have been publicly published, they're still far from the most advanced and precious magical knowledge."

"The very best magical knowledge is either in the Restricted Section at Hogwarts or in the family collections of the various Pure-blood Nobility."

"If I get the chance later, I can make a sweep in that direction."

Charle then called over a bookstore clerk.

"Pack up one copy of all these books and papers and send them to the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron."

The clerk stared at the dozen or so bookshelves already piled up to the ceiling, his face full of astonishment.

Was this how books were bought?

More than a dozen bookshelves at once?!

After a moment, the clerk spoke hesitantly.

"Packing them up and delivering them to the Leaky Cauldron won't be a problem, but sir, these books are quite valuable."

Of course Charle knew that.

Books in the Wizarding World had inherited the same habits as the capitalist world—they were damn expensive.

A large part of students' yearly enrollment expenses actually went toward textbooks. To save money, many students from poor families chose to buy secondhand books.

Even textbooks were like that, let alone the books in the section Charle had chosen, which were all fairly advanced. Their prices were even more exorbitant.

The total was truly no small sum.

But what did that have to do with Charle? It was not like he was paying. The kind Minister Fudge would reimburse it!

After all, the agreement Minister Fudge had signed with Charle was permanent, reimbursing all of Charle's food and drink expenses in the Wizarding World.

Books were food for the mind. It was perfectly reasonable to use that reimbursement allowance for them, right?

And if it really came down to it, Charle had no problem putting on a performance of eating books.

With a casual wave of his hand, Charle said indifferently, "Put it on the Ministry of Magic's tab. Minister Fudge will reimburse it."

Upon hearing that, the clerk's worried and suspicious expression immediately turned into delight and respect.

It seemed this young wizard had quite a connection with Minister Fudge if even the Minister of Magic would reimburse his expenses.

The clerk immediately patted his chest and promised to pack up all the books and papers Charle had mentioned at once. He also quietly offered to throw in a case enchanted with the Undetectable Extension Charm.

Though such things were technically illegal, Charle had connections with the Minister of Magic.

Laws were for commoners. Could aristocrats and officials possibly have few illegal items in their homes?

Naturally, Charle accepted with a smile.

After leaving Flourish and Blotts, Charle immediately began another shopping spree through Diagon Alley.

He had acquired plenty of material that could reduce the Deduction Point cost of deductions, but that was merely cutting expenses. He also needed to increase his income and obtain more Deduction Points.

Thus, Charle swept through every Magical Item shop along the street.

It was not until evening that Charle finally returned to his room at the Leaky Cauldron, thoroughly satisfied.

By then, even his room, which had been expanded with the Undetectable Extension Charm, was nearly crammed full by twenty or thirty large cases, all containing goods delivered from various shops!

A fiery gleam appeared in Charle's eyes.

Although the magical power in these Magical Items was far inferior to that of the Broken Wand, with such a huge quantity, they should be enough to increase his Deduction Points by another wave.

Together with all the material he had gotten from Flourish and Blotts, which could greatly reduce the Deduction Point cost of most common spells, once he absorbed it all, his strength would definitely rise by another level!

"I really have to thank Minister Fudge. If he weren't so generous, how could I afford so much stuff?"

"I truly hope Minister Fudge stays in office for a long, long time. He absolutely mustn't get driven out!"

Meanwhile, in the office of the Minister of Magic.

Fudge was reading that day's Daily Prophet, which went on at length praising the Ministry of Magic's follow-up handling of the Darke incident.

"Providing lifelong food and drink reimbursements to the young wizard who suffered harm is one of the few decent things Minister Fudge has done since taking office!"

Fudge smiled at that assessment, ambition gleaming in his eyes.

He naturally knew that his reputation in the Wizarding World was poor, but was this not the beginning of turning public opinion around?

"From now on, I'll climb step by step to the very top. I will become the greatest Minister of Magic in Wizarding World history!"

When Fudge thought back to the deal he had struck with Charle at St. Mungo's Hospital, his mind was filled with praise for his own genius.

"Genius. I'm a fucking political genius!"

"What does it mean to spend little and accomplish great things?"

"What a profit! What a fucking profit!"

Just then, Fudge's aide rushed into the office of the Minister of Magic, carrying armfuls of thick letters.

"Bad news, Minister! Something terrible has happened!"

At those words, Fudge's face immediately darkened.

"Why are you panicking? What terrible thing happened now?"

With trembling hands, the aide placed the stack of letters on the desk and stammered, "Bills. Reimbursement bills for that child Charle. These are all of them!"

Hearing that, Fudge, who had been bracing himself for disaster, breathed a sigh of relief and shot his aide an annoyed glance.

"What is wrong with you? You got this worked up over some bills? I thought something serious had happened!"

"Let me guess. Did Charle submit an especially large number of reimbursement bills this time?"

The aide nodded repeatedly, only for Fudge to immediately start lecturing him.

"Honestly, it's the start of the school year. Charle is a Muggle-born wizard who went to Diagon Alley, where all kinds of delicious food were right in front of him. He's a child—what's so strange about eating a little more and buying a little more?"

"Besides, we could already tell at St. Mungo's Hospital that this child is practically a Hufflepuff chosen by fate. His appetite is a little big."

"It's perfectly normal for him to be a little greedy and buy more food at a time like this."

"The child is still growing. What's the big deal if he eats a tiny bit more? Was that really worth panicking over?"

"Could he possibly eat the Ministry of Magic into bankruptcy!?"

"You need broader vision, understand? Broader vision!"

The aide was reprimanded until his face was full of shame, and he nodded in agreement.

After Fudge had thoroughly enjoyed his scolding, the aide cautiously asked, "Then I'll reimburse Charle's bill of six thousand two hundred and thirty-seven Galleons?"

Fudge nodded calmly.

"Over six hundred Galleons? He did spend a bit much, but it's still understandable."

"Reimburse it. You don't need to bother me with such trivial matters in the future..."

A moment later, just as the aide was about to turn and leave, Fudge suddenly realized what had been said. His expression instantly froze, and he let out an incredulous roar.

"Wait!"

"How much did you say?"

"How much is that fucking bill?!"