With that, the blond man strode out of the café. Just then, the attendant from earlier approached with a broad smile, as though he had only just noticed him. "Sorry, sir, what would you like to order?"-he had already forgotten what had just happened.
The hypnosis of a Spectator really is terrifying. Good thing I know the Imperius Curse too.
"A steak and a cup of coffee, please."
"Certainly, sir."
Wailing suddenly came from the square outside.
"Waaah~~ Mommy! Mommy!"
A scrawny child in ragged clothes, with a padded coat draped over her, was bawling. Before her lay a woman in equally ragged, thin clothing. Perhaps it was hunger, perhaps cold, perhaps illness-she had collapsed on this early autumn night.
The boy's cries drew the gazes of the people around him, but they did no more than look-they had seen far too many similar scenes. In another few months, when winter arrived, this sort of thing would happen several times every day.
Edward was not a particularly sympathetic person, but witnessing this firsthand inevitably stirred some sympathy for a fellow human being.
"Waiter."
He raised his hand to call over the waiter and took out a banknote. "Please invite all those people outside in and give each of them a hot meal."
"Of course, sir. You're a truly kind man."
The waiter seemed entirely unsurprised by the request. He hurried outside, stood at the entrance, and raised his hand.
Almost instantly, all the vagrants in the square looked over. After the waiter nodded to them, they immediately ran over as fast as their remaining strength allowed-this did not seem to be the first time something like this had happened.
Everyone lined up and entered in an orderly fashion, then thanked Edward in turn. Several waiters deftly seated them and served