Hogwarts: From Selling White Peppers to Becoming a God

Chapter 253 Taking a Walk

The moment Sophia agreed to Murphy's request, she regretted it.

With this invitation, the other party has already taken the initiative from her.

But in that situation, it was indeed a good stepping stone, so smooth that she didn't realize it was a trap that could shift the balance of offense and defense.

By the time she realized it, she had already started walking with the other person.

Accompanying someone to enjoy the beautiful scenery is a privilege reserved for distinguished guests and friends. Under such circumstances, it is naturally impossible to continue to interrogate them.

Sophia was somewhat indignant, but if she went back on her word at this moment, it would make her seem fickle and unreasonable. So she could only adopt royal etiquette and follow the other person's footsteps with elegance and grace.

Of course, a stroll isn't just about walking. After chatting about the scenery for a while, the two began to probe each other for information.

"I heard from them that you run a potion business?" Her Majesty the Queen asked.

"There are a few small shops, nothing worth mentioning," Murphy said.

"But they say you sell potions among Muggles, and that's how you made your fortune," Sophia added.

"I'm sure these are all just rumors," Murphy said. "By the way, I've heard you have Romanov blood?"

Sofia frowned. "If you mean my great-grandmother was an orphan of the Romanov family, yes. Her name was Anastasia, and she was Nicholas II's youngest daughter."

"A wizard who was responsible for protecting her family helped her escape the massacre. She later married the crown prince of the Alkaim Magic Empire, and their son was my maternal grandfather."

“I have a question, Your Majesty,” Murphy said. “Why did your maternal grandfather choose your mother instead of your uncle as his heir? I’ve heard that even in Alkaim, empresses are rare.”

"My maternal grandfather did not like my maternal grandmother. Their marriage was a political necessity. My maternal grandmother allowed him to seek pleasure outside on the condition that my mother be made crown prince. My uncle was born to my maternal grandfather and another Alkaim nobleman."

Murphy understood. No wonder his uncle was hesitant to relinquish power but dared not directly usurp it; he was just an illegitimate child.

"Grand Duke Ivan has three sons?" Murphy asked.

Sophia thought for a moment. Inviting Murphy was mainly to leverage his power; it didn't matter if he knew these things. So she said, "That's right. Lars, George, and Alexander."

She felt she couldn't let them pry any further, so she retorted, "What exactly do you want to do to the Muggles of Sugosu?"

"It's nothing much, just trying to make their lives a little better," Murphy said vaguely, then asked, "What is Grand Duke Ivan's influence in Arkaim?"

Sofia suddenly stopped.

Her feet hurt.

Murphy was very tall, while Sophia was much smaller in comparison. Standing next to him, it looked like a daughter next to a father, and at first glance, it didn't seem out of place at all.

But this guy had long legs and didn't care about girls at all when he walked. He took big, fast strides, making Sophia almost have to jog to keep up. At first, she could stubbornly keep up, but after only a few hundred meters, her feet couldn't take it anymore.

She wore a pair of black deerskin boots, which looked very dashing with her military uniform. The boots had a four- to five-centimeter heel, which made her look neat and tidy when she stood there, and she walked with an air of dominance. But... they were really not suitable for long walks.

"Your Majesty?" Murphy noticed Sophia's tense expression. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Sophia was seething with anger; she'd never seen such an ungentlemanly fellow. "Isn't this enough for your stroll, Mr. Darkholm?"

Murphy looked slightly puzzled, but after glancing at the fine beads of sweat on the girl's forehead and the boots on her feet, he immediately understood. "I apologize, Your Majesty, for my oversight."

Sophia wasn't entirely angry about that, but rather because she felt that Murphy was trying to trick her into revealing information, and she couldn't sense any sincerity from him.

She felt that she was just being wishful, and that this guy was simply treating her like a child who could be easily manipulated.

As expected, Azir was right. Trying to rely on the power of such a person might not have been as good as surrendering to Ivan in the end.

In the end, it's nothing more than marrying someone you don't like.

Ras was weak-willed, but at least he was easy to control. When Ivan got old, he could still take back power...

"I thought we could have an open and honest conversation, but all I see in you is deception and fooling. If this is your attitude, then I think we have nothing more to talk about."

After Sofia finished speaking, she turned to leave, but stopped after taking just one step.

"His Majesty?"

They were walking on a gravel path, which was a bit uneven. Sophia had accidentally stepped into a hole, and then felt a sharp pain. She thought she heard a "crack" and even wondered if her bones were broken.

"I think I sprained my ankle."

The empress dared not move, her forehead beaded with cold sweat from the pain.

The situation was both serious and somewhat comical. Murphy looked at the girl who was frozen there, hesitated for a moment, then went up and took her arm. Then he pointed his finger, and a vine immediately twisted and transformed into a bench.

"Please have a seat." He helped the girl sit on the bench, then squatted down. "Your right leg?"

As he spoke, he lifted Sofia's calf with one hand and raised her right foot.

"What are you doing?" Sophia was startled.

"Your foot is probably dislocated. It will swell up quickly if not treated promptly," he said, and with a gentle pull, the boot turned into a bat and flew away.

A beautiful bare foot appeared before him.

A few toes were sticking up straight, whether from pain or tension, which looked rather playful and cute.

"Whoosh!" Almost simultaneously, a tree branch behind him transformed into a spear and appeared behind Murphy's head, stopping at his head.

Murphy, however, seemed oblivious, even reaching out to pinch Sophia's ankle. "Does it hurt?"

He... he actually...

Shocked, Sofia looked at the other person's serious expression and didn't know what to say. She could only nod and say, "A little."

Murphy then examined the other areas and made a general assessment: "A slight dislocation of the ankle, no fracture, it's not a big problem. Just bear with it."

As he spoke, he grabbed the girl's foot, lifted her calf to flatten it, and then gave her a sharp push and pull.

"Ah!" Sophia exclaimed, only to see Murphy already holding her foot and spinning her around twice. "Are you feeling better?"

"Okay, it seems like it doesn't hurt as much anymore?" Sophia said uncertainly.

Murphy nodded, took out a spray bottle from his pocket, and sprayed it a few times on her ankle.

"This is Yunduan Baiyao, a liniment for sprains and bruises," Murphy said. "It's made with dandelion extract and can quickly repair ligament and muscle injuries. It sells very well in Muggle society."

Murphy stood up as he spoke. "You're right, Your Majesty. I do indeed sell potions to Muggles."

"As for what I want to do to the Muggles of the Soviet Union..." Murphy paused, "that's a long story."

"But it just so happens that your feet need a rest."

"Would you be willing to give me a little more time to explain my intentions?"

(End of this chapter)