Chapter 253

Priozersk.

This is a small city, located in the northwest of the Soviet Union, north of St. Petersburg, by Lake Ladoga.

Even though it has already entered May, the weather is still cool.

In the evening, Murphy fell from the sky like lightning and appeared near a river bend.

After receiving the news from Barty, Murphy rushed over directly; seeking dialogue was originally his purpose, and from Barty's narrative, he also probably guessed a clue.

This is very likely an opportunity for his plan in the Soviet Union.

Not long after he appeared, a human face suddenly appeared on a white pine tree beside him, and then a person drilled out of it, "Mr. Murphy Darkholm?"

Murphy glanced at the other party; he saw that he was wearing a capable military uniform, and outside he wore a cloak with many blue and red stripes, which seemed to be a modern variant of shamanic attire.

"It's me."

"Please follow me; His Majesty is waiting for you by the lake."

Murphy nodded, not too surprised, and followed the man along a small path towards the lakeside.

"My name is Azir." The man walked a little in front of Murphy, his attitude looking very friendly, "Court Shaman, probably similar to His Majesty's secretary and errand boy."

"Murphy, an ordinary wizard." Murphy also introduced himself.

"You are too modest," Azir's English seemed very good, almost without a Soviet accent, "In the British wizarding world, your name is almost known to everyone. I heard you are teaching at Hogwarts now?"

"You investigated quite carefully."

"Sorry, just simply understood you; after all, we have few opportunities to deal with wizards from other countries; news is blocked, and if we want to know your news, we can only use this method."

"Understandable, I would do the same if it were me." Murphy said, "However, compared to your country's understanding of me, I know very little about your country."

"Oh, don't tell me those few wizards you invited to be guests didn't answer your questions well?"

"Maybe my hospitality was not good; they haven't opened their hearts to me yet." Murphy said.

In fact, those few Soviet wizards had basically been squeezed dry; Legilimency plus Veritaserum, they had already said everything they should and shouldn't have said.

It was also thanks to them that Murphy knew that the current Empress of Arkaim, Sophia Petrovna, and her uncle, Regent, and Archon—Grand Duke Ivan—were not on good terms.

The Empress is about to come of age and wants to rule, while her uncle is not very willing to return the power in his hands.

Murphy was not surprised by this at all; similar plots have happened dozens of times in Chinese history, if not hundreds.

Especially, it is said that Grand Duke Ivan has three sons.

Azir glanced at Murphy.

He knew most of the people caught by Murphy; the sentence just now was naturally a satire that he kidnapped other countries' wizards and didn't do human things.

But he didn't expect Murphy to admit it frankly, and could even say imprisonment and interrogation so fresh and refined; this guy's skin is really thick.

No wonder he could become the mastermind behind the scenes from an ordinary Ministry of Magic employee.

The two said a few more nutritional-less words, and Murphy roughly understood the other party's attitude, and Azir also learned a little about Murphy himself.

Finally, they came to a terrace.

A thin figure was standing by the railing of the terrace, looking at the distant lake surface; after Azir bowed and left, she turned around, "Hello, Mr. Darkholm, finally met."

Sophia was still in neutral attire today; she didn't wear a heavy crown, her long hair was just coiled up, and she wore a blue-green military uniform.

She likes to dress herself like this, which makes her feel more capable and heroic, closer to an Empress, rather than some weak princess.

She took off her gloves and lifted her right hand slightly.

Murphy stepped forward, bowed, and took the hand, his lips touching the smooth back of the hand, "Seen Your Majesty."

"You should kneel." The Empress reminded.

"Oh, sorry, Your Majesty." Murphy apologized, but didn't have any movement, "In my motherland, there is no monarch anymore; everyone is equal. I only kneel to parents, heaven and earth, and mentors, not to others; I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Actually, kneeling or not doesn't matter; it's just a courtesy; this is also an excuse he found casually.

The important thing is to disrupt the other party's rhythm and strive for the initiative.

The Empress obviously didn't like this answer; the two were deadlocked for a while; the Empress didn't take back her hand, and Murphy didn't let go; after holding it for a while, Sophia asked: "Has Mr. Darkholm always been so aggressive?"

"Sorry Your Majesty, my Soviet language is not very good; are you saying I am too gentle?"

"……"

Sophia was speechless for a moment; this bastard's Soviet language is clearly very good!

What is he pretending to be here!

And is this guy scratching her palm?!

She was a bit angry and a bit amused, and took back that hand, "Mr. Darkholm, you are truly humorous."

"Your Majesty's praise."

Sophia was suddenly a bit unconfident; this guy is clearly only twenty-two or twenty-three, how is he so slick? She felt she couldn't grasp him.

Can't continue to chat with him here; in front of such a cunning guy, the more you say, the easier it is to be caught by the handle; at this time, one should suppress people with power.

"Hmph!" She snorted and pulled a long face, "Murphy Darkholm. As a British wizard, it's enough for you to stir up trouble in your own country, but you dare to reach your hand into the Soviet Union, plot to kill the Soviet President, intend to subvert the Soviet government, kill the Great Shaman, and capture and imprison Soviet wizards; what is your crime?!"

As soon as her words fell, more than a dozen pairs of eyes lit up in the woods beside; they stared at this place, and Murphy could feel a surging magic power, as if as long as the Empress gave an order, they would launch a thunderous attack and blow him into pieces.

Murphy's smile remained unchanged, "Your guards are truly well-trained; I heard your country has so-called battle mages, specializing in combat magic, and the Royal Guard is the best among them; now it seems it is indeed well-deserved."

"Know you're afraid?"

"May I ask Your Majesty, how long does your country's fastest combat magic take to kill a person?"

"What?" Sophia didn't understand yet.

"As far as I know, the fastest attack magic of your country's shamans is wind blades, and the speed can reach several times the speed of sound. Now the guard closest to me is about twenty steps away; even if the wind blade doesn't need a spell, from launching to cutting off my head, it takes more than ten milliseconds."

"And Your Majesty, do you know what the speed of lightning is?"

"You might not have much concept, but I can tell you, it is about one hundred thousand to one million meters per second."

He said, his eyes gradually showing a golden color, and tiny snake electricity flashed between his hair and beard.

"Ten milliseconds, one kilometer, enough for more than twenty round trips. If you want to kill me, you have to prepare at least a hundred-man team."

"Oh, maybe it's not enough."

"After all, the distance between me and you now is only one step away."

Sophia's heart suddenly tightened.

Even though she knew that the Palace Internal Affairs Lady, Lady Yaga, whose strength is not inferior to the Great Shaman, is secretly protecting her, even though she knew that she has no less than five magic props that can instantly move or substitute for death, at this moment, she still felt a trace of fear.

Blame it on the fact that she was deceived by this person's harmless handsome face at the time, and didn't consider that he was still a madman who dared to kidnap the Soviet President.

Since the Muggle President can be kidnapped, who knows if he dares to assassinate the monarch?

If she had known, she should have listened to Lady Yaga and invited him to meet in the palace.

Sophia's nervous heart was beating wildly, but no clue could be seen on her face, "Are you threatening me?"

"How could it be?" Murphy smiled, "I'm just discussing the weather with you."

He said, took half a step back, and made an inviting gesture, "I have always heard of the beautiful scenery of Lake Ladoga and have been yearning for it; since I came today, just standing here makes me feel a bit regretful."

"Your Majesty, can I invite you for a walk?"

(End of chapter)