The mastermind behind Hogwarts

Chapter 282 Hogwarts Asian Branch

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Moriarty and Lilith exchanged a smile, simultaneously remembering one person.

"Jellico Blanche!"

Moriarty and Lilith turned around and looked in the direction of the sound, and sure enough, they saw Jericho with a big smile on his face.

He was wearing a bright red leather jacket and white hiking boots, making him very recognizable.

"Sir, Miss, don't tell me you're on a date~" Jericho whistled and walked over with a cheerful gait, his eyes filled with indescribable joy.

Clearly, despite the jokes, Jericho was quite happy to run into a friend in Japan.

This surprise is like eating a birthday cake and discovering halfway through that it has a filling, and it's your favorite flavor.

"Europe is full of honeymoon destinations, how many people would come to Japan for a date? How could you even think of that?" Lilith rolled her eyes and habitually crossed her arms.

Jericho opened his mouth wide, then quickly covered it with his hand, pretending to be extremely shocked.

"Crazy Gorgon, on your honeymoon? You...you've already gone this far?"

"Did I say that?" The usually aloof Lilith waved her hands hastily, two blushes quickly spreading across her face. Realizing she couldn't win the argument with Jericho on this topic, she quickly changed the subject: "Where's your Helena?"

"Why don't I see you taking her out on dates?"

Is there some unspeakable secret?

I heard that the red-light district is very developed in Japan. Did you come all this way alone to enjoy it?

Like a triple attack, Jericho was hit, and now it was his turn to be outdone by Lilith.

He raised an eyebrow, unable to find a rebuttal, so he jumped to Moriarty's side and complained.

"Sir, look at her, she looks so fierce!"

It has to be said that Lilith looks exactly like Helena's best friend who's standing up for her; the word "scumbag" is practically written all over her face.

"Hey Jericho, how did you recognize us?"

Moriarty asked curiously. He and Lilith were now known as Wick John and Trinity, and their appearances were completely different from before.

It's truly rare that Jericho recognized Moriarty and Lilith at a glance.

Lilith cast a suspicious look at Jericho. "You cowboy, you're not spying on us, are you?"

"Am I that despicable?" Jericho pursed his lips, then gave Moriarty a mysterious smile.

"Sir, the answer to this question is actually quite simple, but first, please allow me to introduce you to the Blanche family's partner in Asia, the Tsuchimikado family."

Jericho pointed to the giant seagull he was riding, with a long-haired man in a white robe standing beside its legs beneath its wings.

This person was wearing a tall white hat, not the kind a chef would wear, but rather a tall crown.

In short, he was dressed in a mysterious and enigmatic manner, looking like an Onmyoji (a type of yin-yang master).

Moriarty glanced at him and asked, "He's from the Tsuchimikado family?"

“Yes, sir,” Jericho explained, “the Tsuchimikado family are direct descendants of Abe no Seimei.”

"Abe no Seimei..." Moriarty nodded. This name was as famous in the Japanese magic world as Merlin was in Europe. Legend has it that he was the creator of shikigami.

“There’s a theory you might be interested in, sir,” Jericho said meaningfully, “that the Tsuchimikado family and the Tokugawa family share the magic world of Japan.”

Of course, this is an exaggeration. I don't know much about the Tokugawa family, but it is undeniable that the Tsuchimikado family has a deep presence in the Japanese magic world.

For the past decade, the Tsuchimikado family has been cooperating with our family in doing business in the Muggle world of Asia. My father has told me that they are quite trustworthy.

As Jericho spoke, he waved to the man in white with a smile, and the man in white nodded expressionlessly.

"Strict, meticulous, and devoid of any emotion during missions," Jericho remarked with a click of his tongue. "If I hadn't personally confirmed that he was human, I would have almost thought he was a cold machine."

A thoughtful look flashed across Moriarty's eyes.

He had already dealt with the Tokugawa family, and given the old Tokugawa's behavior, Moriarty looked down on the Tokugawa family from the bottom of his heart.

Through Jericho's introduction, the Tsuchimikado family came into Moriarty's view.

"Oh, by the way, the Tsuchimikado family is also one of the board members of the Magic Institute," Jericho added, scratching his head.

"What a coincidence, the head of the Tokugawa family is also a board member of the magic institute," Lilith leaned closer and blinked, "Think about it, isn't there a power struggle between the Tokugawa and Tsuchimikado families?"

"Um, I'm not entirely sure about that," Jericho said thoughtfully. "But you might be mistaken. It's said that the two families have a very good relationship, and their ancestors have been intermarrying for generations."

"Intermarriage does not equate to close relationships. Large families often intermarry, but once a conflict of interest arises, the married woman is destined to become a victim," Moriarty said calmly.

"Alright, Jericho, you still haven't answered my question."

Jericho let out an "Oh," a smug smile spreading across his face.

"I sent a letter to Slytherin Castle before I came to Japan, and Senior Sister Tonks said that you went to Japan."

The next steps sound complicated, but they are actually quite simple. I had the Tsuchimikado family investigate the entry and exit lists for airplanes and cruise ships.

Then I found the young lady's name inside.

Jericho's eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Yes, I arrived in Japan by plane. If the Tsuchimikado family is determined to investigate, they can still find out." Lilith confirmed Jericho's statement. "You've barely passed muster, but what about Moriarty? How do you explain him?"

Lilith knew that Moriarty had arrived in Japan aboard the Tokugawa family's luxury cruise ship. According to Jericho, the Tsuchimikado family and the Tokugawa family shared the magical world of Japan.

In other words, the Tsuchimikado family was not capable of investigating the Tokugawa family.

Jericho was aware of this as well, saying, "The news of the Tokugawa family head holding an appraisal event has spread throughout Japan. As a master appraiser, the Tsuchimikado family naturally has information about Simon."

So I know Simon, and I also know that Simon was released by the Tokugawa patriarch. Tsuchimikado's people said that the Tokugawa patriarch was not a magnanimous person, and he deduced that something must have happened on that cruise ship for the Tokugawa patriarch to release Simon.

When I saw Simon walking with you, I understood everything—who else could be the man who could both force the head of the Tokugawa family to change his mind and make the young lady willingly stay by his side?

Even though you've changed your appearance, I can still tell.

Jericho raised his face, with an expression that said, "Praise me, praise me!"

Moriarty and Lillian exchanged another glance and clapped their hands symbolically.

"Hey...you guys are being way too perfunctory." Jericho's lips twitched.

Simon and his family of three came over, and he was very curious about why the "Wicks" and Jericho had been talking for so long.

"Wick? Is this kid someone you know?"

Lilith spoke up before Moriarty and Jericho could: "That's right, his name is Blanche, and he's our American nephew."

Jericho coughed three times loudly and glared at Lilith, but Simon believed her. "Hmm, Blanche, typical cowboy name, and he doesn't look very old..."

"Alright, let's talk inside the school. Look at the students, they've all gone in."

Everyone followed Moriarty's gaze toward the school gate.

Most of the giant petrels had flown away, and only two or three students in pink robes were running frantically toward the school.

"The pink robe looks just like my grandmother's pink dress, haha, those kids are really funny."

Jericho laughed heartily, and his words reached the ears of one of the students, who then ran even faster.

"I think they're going to be late, otherwise they would have definitely come looking for you to fight," Moriarty said as he walked inside.

"Why? Because I saw they were wearing pink robes? Haha, this is getting funnier and funnier." Jericho still couldn't stop laughing.

Simon's wife Natalie and daughter Elaine were also affected by the laughter and started laughing along, even though they didn't know what they were laughing at, they were laughing very happily.

As if encouraged, Jericho turned his own jacket pink.

Simon sighed, looking worried.

The Slit-Mouthed Woman had a snarling expression on her face.

Lilith covered her forehead; for some reason, she felt ashamed of Jericho's appearance.

Moriarty patted Jericho on the shoulder. "But you probably never imagined that robe was the uniform of the magic institute."

Jericho's laughter stopped abruptly, and his eyes widened.

"What? Their school uniforms look like that? Pink robes!"

Wow, I'm starting to feel sorry for the students at the magic institute; they have to wear ridiculous robes to school every day.

Jericho's lips curled into a wild smile.

"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," Moriarty said with a smile in his eyes, "their school uniforms are magical robes."

The robe could change size as the student grew older and change color as their knowledge increased.

Lilith said thoughtfully, "Isn't this a disguised form of hierarchy?"

Moriarty gave Lilith an approving look; when it came to political acumen, Lilith far surpassed her peers.

Jericho frowned slightly. "So, what rank does the pink robe represent? It can't be the highest rank, can it?"

Lilith urged, "If pink wizard robes represent the highest rank, bring one back for Professor Dumbledore when you return home."

"Fine!" Jericho said firmly, not believing that the Magic Institute would allow pink wizard robes to become the highest-ranking uniform in the school.

"Please continue," Lilith said with a charming smile, looking at Moriarty.

"At first, the school robe was a light pink color, but in the end, if the student achieved the best grades in all the magical subjects, it could turn gold."

After the introductions, a smile flashed in Moriarty's eyes. "So Jericho doesn't need to wear a robe anymore."

"Nice!" Jericho pumped his fist, as happy as if he had won a bet.

Lilith wasn't bothered. Recalling the last students to run into the school, she said, "So, the last three students to enter the school were freshmen?"

Moriarty nodded. "Yes."

The Slit-Mouthed Woman suddenly interjected, "Will freshmen be bullied at school?"

"Huh?" Jericho was confused by the Slit-Mouthed Woman's words. "Are little wizards from Japan so childish? School bullying? Heh!"

Moriarty thought to himself, "Next year, after the Saviour and the Malfoy's youngest son enroll in school, see how they behave before you go back to what you said."

However, he still explained in a serious tone: "School violence and bullying are common in Japanese schools. New students are likely to be bullied by delinquents when they enroll."

"A delinquent, that sounds pretty cool." A hint of eagerness flashed across Jericho's face.

"Behave yourself. We didn't come to the Magic Institute to experience the campus culture of a Japanese school," Moriarty cautioned. Jericho was clearly a bit too excited today.

Jericho suddenly lowered his voice, "Sir, Miss, I don't know what brings you here, but I've come to Japan on a family mission."

"A family mission?" Lilith was a little incredulous. "Director James is entrusting family affairs to you so quickly?"

The Pilivik family is also a powerful family, but Lilith has no say in family affairs at all.

Jericho was a little smug. "This time, it was a task that my father and my older brother gave me together."

"Your older brother, Maxi?" Moriarty raised an eyebrow; he seemed to know what Jericho's family mission was.

"Yes, the specific mission was to investigate Kogoro Tsukamura! The Japanese Seeker who defeated my older brother, of course, he's dead now."

When the topic of the mission came up, Jericho became serious, his eyes filled with focus.

it is as expected.

Moriarty recalled his conversation with Maxi.

"Speaking of the Blanche family, send people to Japan. Don't hide their identities or whereabouts. Investigate openly and legitimately under the Blanche family's name," Moriarty reminded Maxi.

"Why?" Maxi asked, puzzled. "There's something wrong with the Japanese magical world. A secret investigation is the safest way to investigate. Using the Blanche family's name would only make us more suspicious."

"Wrong. Using the Blanche family name will actually make you less likely to be on guard," Moriarty laughed. "You were injured in the match against the Japanese team. As the head of the Blanche family, it's perfectly logical for Mr. James to send someone to Japan to investigate your opponent, Kogoro Tsukamura! This is reverse thinking."

"If I were a wizard from Japan, I wouldn't be on guard; on the contrary, I would release as much information as possible about Kogoro Tsukamura to get rid of the Blanche family wizards as quickly as possible."

"I see." Maxi smiled as well. "Then the wizard I send must be very shrewd, able to act according to circumstances, not be deceived by appearances, and must find real and useful information in the falsehood."

Therefore, in James and Maxie's minds, Jericho was the shrewd, opportunistic, and perceptive person who could not be deceived by appearances and could find genuine and useful information in falsehoods!

Well, that's brilliant.

Last time, Dumbledore almost sent Hagrid to visit the Jewish vampire; this time, the Blanche family sent Jericho to investigate Kogoro Tsukamura.

The people Moriarty's inner circle always sent to carry out missions were somewhat outlandish.

However, Jericho has another side hidden deep within him, and he may be able to discover some anomalies that ordinary people cannot.

Moreover, Jericho's personal investigation of Kogoro Tsukamura, as a direct descendant of the Blanche family, was enough to attract the attention of the Crow Gang.

Jericho was also very concerned about this matter, and he reported the progress to Moriarty.

"I found out through the Tsuchimikado family that Kogoro Tsukamura once studied at the magic academy, but he didn't finish his studies."

In other words, he ran away from school before graduating. I felt something was unusual about this, so I came to the Magic Institute to investigate.

"Of course, I also want to experience the Japanese campus culture," Jericho added with a smile.

"I think you're trying to seduce Japanese girls," Moriarty said with interest.

The three chatted as they entered the magic academy. A pagoda-shaped palace came into view, and Simon's family and the Slit-Mouthed Woman were the first to exclaim in admiration.

This is an exquisite and magnificent palace with eight floors. Its exterior is white and gleaming.

"It is said that this palace was built using mutton fat jade!" Jericho looked up at the magic palace, his eyes burning with a flame called ambition.

"Sir, I have a bold idea! Let's turn this place into an Asian branch of Hogwarts!"

With the final line typed, Chapter 26 of Volume 3 of "Hogwarts: The Big Boss Behind the Scenes" came to a close, marking the end of my 2021.

(End of this chapter)