"So I should be grateful that they didn't even treat me like a person?" Andrews almost laughed in anger.
Old Paul sighed. "At least you're still alive, aren't you?"
"Damn it… damn it…" Andrews's eyes turned red.
Just because he had stood out too much, and his background was not good enough, they could destroy his life at will?
Gripping his glass, Andrews said word by word, "I don't know what you want me to do for you, but… before that, I only ask that you let me take one last shot at this."
Wade raised an eyebrow. "You want revenge?"
"If it were you, wouldn't you take revenge?" Andrews asked with a grim smile.
"Me? In truth, I wouldn't let myself end up in such a situation. Of course, if I were unlucky enough to suffer what you did… I'd split even the worms in their home in half."
"Then you should understand how I feel. If you let me take my revenge, I'll do anything for you!" Andrews's eyes were bloodshot.
"That's an empty promise, Mr. Ivanov. If you go for revenge, there's a high chance you won't come back, isn't there?" Wade unwrapped a piece of chocolate and popped it into his mouth, savoring it slowly.
"Then let me finish what you need first, and you can let me go afterward," Andrews said coldly.
Wade studied Andrews's gray eyes in silence, then suddenly smiled. "I originally just wanted you to act as a guide for me. But… your experience and your abilities have caught my interest. How about this, I'll help you get your revenge, and then you work for me?"
"I can take revenge on that pure-blood fool myself," Andrews said coldly.
"But you won't make it back."
"If I take him down with me, I don't lose," Andrews replied.
Wade smiled. "Of course it's a loss. Trading your life for his is a terrible deal. If it were me, I wouldn't trade one for one with someone like that. I'd take my revenge, and then I'd go on living well afterward. Otherwise, how would I justify those ten years in prison, and the bright future you once had? At least you didn't have a childhood sweetheart taken by him, or else…"
"I did." Andrews's face was filled with bitterness. "That… really did happen…"
Wade silently set down the chocolate wrapper. "Ah… poor Mr. Ivanov. You really have every misfortune stacked against you. But as I said, I can help you take your revenge cleanly, and after that, you can continue living well. All I ask is that you follow me from now on."
"Who exactly are you? I don't believe someone who looks barely in their teens could have this kind of strength…" Andrews stared at Wade.
Wade grinned. "When you first graduated, didn't people call you a genius?"
"Yes… they all said I was a genius among geniuses…" Even in his current state, Andrews could not hide the pride in his voice when recalling those days.
"I'm different from you, Mr. Ivanov. Being called a genius is merely the threshold to meet me," Wade said with a smile.
Both Andrews and Old Paul frowned. That sounded far too arrogant.
"I know what you're thinking. You think I've taken Polyjuice Potion or something similar to look like this, don't you?" Wade asked.
Andrews and Old Paul were both seasoned enough to immediately grasp his implication.
"You… are you saying this really is your true appearance?" Andrews looked at Wade in shock.
When he had fought Wade earlier, he had clearly felt how powerful this boy was.
He had long assumed Wade was a powerful wizard concealing his true form.
But now… this person was saying this was his real appearance? That he was truly just a boy of twelve or thirteen?
Then with strength like that… calling himself a genius among geniuses in front of him felt somewhat…
"You… are you still in school?" Andrews's words came out unsteadily.
"I study at Hogwarts. Just an ordinary second-year student who's a little stronger than others my age… or even stronger than many adult wizards. Oh, I'll be a third-year in two months."
Andrews and Old Paul both leaned back at the same time.
As absurd as it sounded, they were beginning to believe it.
In fact, judging from the strength he had shown… a wizard this powerful had no need to tell such a ridiculous lie.
Just like the wizard with the surname Reynolds he had encountered during the day. That man had completely overwhelmed them and did not waste a single word, simply knocking them down and leaving.
But a nearly third-year student with such overwhelming strength… what did he want with subordinates?
"If you could tell me a bit more about yourself…" Andrews said hesitantly.
Wade ignored the question and said directly, "Put your revenge aside for now and serve as my guide for a while. That's settled. Of course… you can try to run, but I've already remembered you, Mr. Ivanov. I trust you'll make the right choice."
He then turned to Old Paul. "Do you have any rooms available? I'd like to stay here tonight."
"Of course," Old Paul replied.
"Good. I expect to see you here tomorrow, Mr. Ivanov." With that, Wade stood up, picked up his belongings, and followed Old Paul upstairs to the guest rooms.
Andrews watched his back, feeling utterly helpless.
Whether it was the wizard with the surname Reynolds from earlier or this boy barely in his teens, he could not defeat either of them.
Which meant that, despite Wade's pleasant smile, he had no real choice.
When Old Paul came back downstairs, he found Andrews still sitting at the bar in a daze.
"Head home, lad. I'm about to close up," Old Paul said.
"Do you think I can trust him?" Andrews asked.
Old Paul smiled. "I'd say you might as well. After all… how could things get any worse than they already are?"
"That's true…" Andrews sighed.
Old Paul poured him another drink.
"I can't afford it, Paul."
"This one's on me, Andrews… for your unfortunate story."
…
Early the next morning, Wade came downstairs looking refreshed.
At a glance, he saw Andrews already sitting at the bar.
He had changed into a new set of clothes, and his messy hair and beard had been trimmed.
"You look much more presentable today, Mr. Ivanov," Wade said with a smile.
"I hope you can live up to my trust," Andrews replied coldly.
"In truth, I rarely disappoint my friends… of course, that depends on whether you can truly become one," Wade said as he walked to the bar.
Paul set a breakfast in front of Wade. "Room includes breakfast, sir."
"A very smart marketing strategy, Mr. Paul," Wade said with a smile. "Bring one for Mr. Ivanov as well. It's on me."
"I've already eaten elsewhere," Andrews said.
Wade took a bite of his fried egg. "Then that's your loss, Mr. Ivanov. Mr. Paul's breakfast is quite good."
"I still don't know your name," Andrews said. "And… since I'm acting as your guide, shouldn't I be paid?"
Old Paul quietly broke into a cold sweat for him.
Last night, this brute had attacked the boy and been completely overwhelmed, and now he dared to ask for payment?
Yet Wade showed no anger. "My name is Wade… as for payment, it's only natural to be paid for work. How about two Galleons a day?"
Both Andrews and Old Paul were taken aback.
In this era, a Galleon held considerable purchasing power. A wage of two Galleons a day was already extremely high.
With things in chaos everywhere, where else could one find a job that paid fourteen Galleons a week?
"Don't look so surprised, Mr. Ivanov. If you want a horse to run, you have to feed it well. It's a simple principle, and one I understand better than most," Wade said with a smile.
Wade knew very well that Andrews Ivanov was worth the price.
Although he had spent ten years in prison and had only been released recently, during their fight the previous night, Wade had clearly sensed that his strength surpassed that of most elite Aurors. He truly had the makings of a captain.
Two Galleons a day to recruit a wizard at the level of an Auror captain was a bargain.
"Deal." Andrews agreed without hesitation.
Anyone would be foolish to turn down such a high salary.
"In fact, if you keep paying me this rate, even if you don't help me get my revenge, I'd still be willing to work for you," Andrews said in a low voice.
Wade nodded. "I can tell you've been poor for too long."
At those words, a trace of bitterness surfaced on Andrews's face. Once, in his prime, he had treated money like dirt… but now…
Even so, even if Wade had not offered such a high wage, he would still have chosen to trust him for the time being.
After talking with Old Paul last night, he realized the man was right. Could things really get any worse than they already were?
This boy was powerful despite his age, and his manner, speech, and way of handling things all marked him as anything but ordinary.
Perhaps the family behind him was also extremely powerful.
If he wanted to bring down the Yuryev family and reclaim everything he had lost, this might be his last chance in life.
"We leave in half an hour," Wade said.
"Understood, boss."
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