pdf-ebookys Chapter 90 The Glowing Black Lake
Chapter 90 The Glowing Black Lake
Chapter 90 The Glowing Black Lake
"My destiny is in my own hands!"
Lucas's voice echoed over the Black Lake.
Dumbledore smiled.
He turned his head and said in a relaxed tone, "Ferencer, I must remind you that it was this person you claim does not exist in this world who saved your daughter, Thea."
Ferenc nodded: "I will always remember this kindness. In fact, that's why I'm here."
"Because of Lucas's special status, our leader Magre and most of the centaurs are unwilling to come into contact with him."
They feared the unknown, dreaded the uncertainties, and even worried about unpredictable shifts in the stellar orbits. Therefore, they refused to serve as witnesses for the Lucas and the Serchi tribe.
"They sent me to deliver this message of rejection. Now I have conveyed their message."
Ferenczek paused for a moment, then placed his hand on his chest, bowed his head, and performed an ancient gesture of respect.
"However, I am willing to do something for Lucas. If possible, I will be his witness."
The bright moon hangs high in the sky, and countless stars fill the heavens. A gentle breeze blows, and the lake surface shimmers with shimmering silver.
With Ferenczek as witness, Lucas and Merkus reached a more comprehensive agreement.
Dumbledore served as the translator, repeating every sentence of the agreement in Mermaid and English, until both Lucas and Mercus confirmed and agreed to it.
In addition to the initial plan that Dumbledore just discussed with Lucas, another clause has been added. If the Selchi tribe has any temporary needs requiring Lucas to provide cooking services beyond twice a month, the two parties will negotiate and the payment will be made separately.
Furthermore, any other matters not agreed upon shall be resolved through equal consultation and joint efforts by both parties.
"This concludes the agreement. Please confirm whether you agree." Dumbledore's voice was slow yet powerful, his long silver beard and dark robes fluttering gently in the night breeze.
Merkus agreed in Mermaid language.
Lucas nodded. "I agree."
Ferenz's four hooves pounded the ground, and his fur seemed to shimmer with moonlight.
"Then, with myself, Ferenczer, as your witness, I declare the agreement between the Selchi tribe and Lucas McGregor established!"
The moment Ferenczec finished speaking, Lucas's eyes widened in surprise.
He was startled to see that the scattered, shimmering light on the Black Lake suddenly became even more dazzling, as if many lenses were reflecting the moonlight and starlight.
Then, these lights merged together, and the entire Black Lake became like a giant silver mirror, reflecting the Milky Way and the Moon Palace!
Lucas was stunned, but the strange phenomenon lasted only a second. In the blink of an eye, the lake returned to normal, leaving only the ripples of water rippling in the wind.
He turned to look at the others. But whether it was Professor Dumbledore, Professor Sprout, Professor McGonagall, or even Frenzer, their expressions remained unchanged, as if they hadn't seen anything.
Is this just another illusion?
Do lake fairies and lake spirits really exist?
Or should everything be explained by magical means?
"Lucas," Professor Dumbledore smiled, "now you are the cook of the Sergei tribe of the Black Lake mermaids."
He repeated the words in Mermaid language, and Merkus grinned widely. Ripples rose, forming a long bridge, and Merkus swam across it, approaching Lucas.
Another wave of water rose up at Lucas's feet, and she gestured for him to enter.
Lucas looked at the professors, and Dumbledore gave him a reassuring smile.
So Lucas took a step and stepped onto the water arch bridge, feeling that the water beneath his feet had both resilience and elasticity, just like some kind of rubber.
The waves carried Lucas towards the surface of the lake. Under the moonlight and starlight, hundreds of mermaids lined up, watching Lucas arrive beside Mercus.
Mercus smiled at him, and by this time Lucas had gotten used to it, even finding the grotesque smile on that rugged face somewhat endearing.
Then, under the watchful eyes of hundreds of mermaids, Merkus announced the good news in his sharp, high-pitched voice. The mermaids cheered and sang in unison, striking the water with a joyful rhythm, creating ripples.
For a while, Lucas heard Mercus repeating a few syllables. It wasn't until he thought they sounded familiar that he suddenly realized it was Mercus and the merfolk calling his name.
"Lucas McGregor!"
Lucas couldn't help but laugh, and his smile grew brighter and brighter.
The Merkus and Serchi tribes treated him with unprecedented courtesy. He had only made sashimi on a whim, yet received such a warm welcome; how could a chef not be moved and delighted?
What an innocent and adorable group of mermaids!
At least in human society, it's unlikely that a chef could be invited to stand beside a king and have his name cheered by the people just because of a single dish.
Just then, Lucas's vision blurred, and more than a dozen hazy rays of light shot out from the bodies of more than a dozen mermaids, all of which disappeared into his body!
Before he could react, the lights disappeared again.
Just like before, I don't feel anything at all!
What exactly is this? And why do some mermaids have it while others don't?
The water began to move again, and Lucas was carried to the shore by Mercus. Meeting Dumbledore's gaze, Lucas hurriedly asked, "Professor Dumbledore, did you see that just now? I saw that light again, this time there were more than a dozen of them."
However, Dumbledore remained calm and shook his head: "I didn't see anything, Lucas."
Lucas wanted to ask more, but Ferenczek had already come over to say goodbye; he couldn't stay outside the Forbidden Forest for too long.
"Ference, is Thea alright?" Lucas asked quickly.
Ferenc hesitated for a moment: "Yes, she's fine."
Lucas then asked, "Where should I go if I want to visit her?"
These words seemed to make Ferenczer uneasy. He pawed at the ground, his body tense, as if he were in a difficult position. He looked into Lucas's sincere and clear eyes for a long while before saying, "You can ask Hagrid for help; he knows how to find us. But first, you must have him pass on a message to me, and I will try to make arrangements."
"Don't come looking for us yourself, okay?" Ferenze paused. "The Forbidden Forest is too dangerous."
Lucas agreed, and Ferenczer breathed a slight sigh of relief and turned to leave.
At this moment, Mercus said something to Dumbledore, then looked at Lucas expectantly.
Dumbledore was somewhat surprised and told Lucas, the translator, "Mercus has invited you to join the Siren tribe's delegation to Black Lake in about two weeks. The Serki tribe needs you as their cook to prepare a delicious feast for their welcome."
Lucas's heart skipped a beat. A grand feast in two weeks? Ah, so that's one of the reasons the Serchi tribe so desperately needs me.
He nodded: "It's an honor to host such a banquet, and I will do my best."
After hearing the translation, Merkus was very pleased and said a few more words in a high-pitched voice.
Dumbledore smiled and nodded: "Thank you very much for your invitation. I will be there on time."
Oh, did you also invite Professor Dumbledore?
"Lucas, it seems I won't have to wait long to taste your cooking," Dumbledore said cheerfully. "The Sirens who visited this time are very beautiful, and I've never met them before."
Very...beautiful?
Lucas couldn't help but glance at the grotesque-looking mermaids.
"Ah, the differences in appearance between mermaid tribes are enormous." Dumbledore noticed his gaze. "The Sirens, the legendary mermaids, are said to be as beautiful as Veela..."
""
"Ahem!" Professor McGonagall coughed suddenly. "Professor Dumbledore, I don't think we should discuss these things with children!"
Dumbledore laughed: "Yes, yes. So I agree with Pomona. Lucas acts very maturely; I always forget his age."
He winked at Lucas again: "But anyway, everyone has a love for beauty, even an old man like me sometimes—"
"Ahem!" Professor McGonagall interrupted his speech.
The mermaids bowed to Professor Dumbledore and then, led by Mercus, dived into the water.
The group turned and walked back towards the castle. At this moment, Lucas finally felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders and was much happier.
His stomach also relaxed, and the gurgling sound made Dumbledore laugh.
"The banquet is probably over by now, and the prefects have already taken the children back to their dorms. Pomona, I'll need your help to take Lucas to get something to eat and then take him back to his dorm."
"Oh, right, Lucas, don't forget to go to the school clinic after class tomorrow."
Professor Sprout readily agreed, and the four parted ways in the foyer. Lucas followed Professor Sprout down the stairs toward the lower levels of the castle, while Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall went up the stairs to the headmaster's office, which was filled with many strange and glittering objects and hung with numerous portraits.
"Albus—" Professor McGonagall spoke hastily before even sitting down, but Dumbledore waved his hand.
"Oh, Minerva, I know what you want to ask. Whether it's what the centaurs say about Lucas not having a celestial orbit, or the kind of light that Lucas himself keeps mentioning..."
Professor Dumbledore sat down in his chair, while Fox was dozing on the shelf.
"I'm sorry, I can't give a definite answer either." He smiled meaningfully, "But many things don't need an answer."
"Because the answer is merely a summary of the past, while Lucas's life is just beginning."
"Like you said, Lucas is standing right in front of us, now and always, and that's enough."
"Guide him well and educate him; we will gradually understand these mysteries in the future."
"Magic is always so amazing, isn't it?"
He picked up a lively cockroach.
"Would you like a pile of cockroaches?"
Professor McGonagall stepped back. "No, Albus. Besides, I think you're holding a real cockroach."
Lucas followed Professor Sprout down the stone steps.
Unlike the grand, bright marble corridors of the upper levels of the castle, the passageways here are more rustic. The walls are massive, uncarved, rough rocks, and magical torches burn quietly on iron supports, casting warm, flickering shadows. The scents of food, earth, and plant roots mingle together, creating a comforting fragrance.
"How are you feeling, Lucas?" Professor Sprout said gently. "This is the basement level. Hufflepuff's common room is at the end of this corridor. It's the warmest and most comfortable little home in all of Hogwarts."
She glanced at Lucas, whose face was full of anticipation, and added, "Of course, we'll go to the kitchen first to find you something to eat. Luckily, it's here too, right next to our dorm room. It's a gift left to us by Hufflepuff himself."
They stopped at a corner, and Lucas couldn't help but take a breath. The aroma of food overwhelmed everything—the wheaty scent of toasted bread, the rich, fatty aroma of stewed meat, and a wonderful blend of some sweet and sour jam.
A huge, brightly colored oil painting appeared before my eyes. In the painting was a large silver fruit bowl, filled with all kinds of fruit.
"This is Hogwarts' kitchen," Professor Sprout said with a smile. "The entrance is a bit unusual, watch out."
She stretched out her finger and tickled the plump, green pear in the painting. The pear wriggled and chuckled, then transformed into a bright green doorknob.
Professor Sprout grabbed the doorknob and pulled.
"Welcome to the Hogwarts kitchen, Lucas."
The aroma of the food, like a warm, humid heatwave, instantly overwhelmed Lucas, who stared at the spectacular sight before him, unable to recover for a long time.
This is a huge hall with extremely high ceilings, and its shape and size are exactly the same as the grand hall upstairs!
The room was furnished with four long wooden tables, which corresponded exactly to the four college tables upstairs. Even the gold and silver plates, cups and forks, spoons and bowls on the tables were exactly the same as those on the college tables upstairs!
This kitchen is practically a mirror image of the Great Hall.
The massive stone walls surrounding the building are categorized and each serves a specific purpose.
One wall was covered with gleaming brass pots, cast iron frying pans, large saucepans, giant baking trays, and all sorts of pastry molds. Another wall was lined with rows of large, neatly arranged sinks, where many cups and plates were soaking in water, being diligently cleaned by magically applied cloths and brushes.
A granite countertop stands against one wall, its surface smoothed and warmed by countless hands and years of use. Along the wall are rows of stone stoves, each bearing the marks of a thousand years of smoke and fire on the stone walls above it.
Hundreds of tiny house-elves, with bat-like ears and tennis ball-sized eyes, were busily moving about. They were either casting spells with their fingers or personally washing dishes, preparing ingredients, and wiping the stove with their little arms and legs. The entire kitchen was like a huge, precisely operating, and energetic factory, noisy yet orderly.
When Professor Sprout and Lucas entered, all the elves stopped what they were doing and turned around in unison. Their large eyes were filled with curiosity and respect.
"Good evening, Professor Sprout!" they said in unison, bowing with their ears drooping.
One of the elves mustered its courage and glanced at Lucas, excitedly saying, "You must be Mr. Lucas McGregor, right?"
Lucas was taken aback: "Yes, excuse me, you know me?"
>