Chapter 249: Alchemy Title

Wei Wei Silai and Green’s Magical Trick Shop is about to open.

During this time, Fred and George have been running to the shop every day.

En paid little attention; he had been steadily improving his proficiency in cleaning brooms while practicing refined magic, and occasionally helping Mrs. Wei Wei Silai with household chores.

The Weasley household was full of magic and surprises. The mirror on the kitchen mantelpiece always commented on everyone. Every morning, as they looked into it, the mirror would shout:

“Tuck your shirt into your pants, you’re a mess!”

Up in the attic lived a ghoul that would howl loudly and bang on the pipes whenever it thought the house was too quiet.

But the Weasleys seemed used to it—and they even liked the ghoul.

Similarly, the tiny explosions coming from Fred and George’s bedroom were considered perfectly normal.

So whenever En came downstairs with his cleaning broom, Mrs. Wei Wei Silai would lavish praise on his alchemy creation.

“A broom? A broom to help wizards clean their rooms—dear, it’s absolutely brilliant! It cleans so thoroughly!”

The Weasleys were all very warm-hearted.

Mrs. Wei Wei Silai knitted socks for En; Mr. Wei Wei Silai loved sitting beside En at meals, endlessly asking him about Muggle life—how telephones and post offices worked.

“Marvelous!”

After En explained to him how to use a telephone, he sighed:

“What geniuses the Muggles are—how many ways they’ve found to live without magic.”

It was a bright, clear morning. En rose early and carved magical runes onto the cleaning broom, crafting a more intricate rune array for it.

【You practiced making a cleaning broom to expert standards. Proficiency +50.】

【You practiced making a cleaning broom to expert standards. Proficiency +50.】

The cottage was warm and bright, filled with stacked books that somehow never looked cluttered. In a corner marked by a magical barrier, En finally raised his cleaning broom to expert rank.

【A new alchemy title has been unlocked. Please check.】

En admitted he was impatient:

【Title: High-rank Alchemy】

【Greatly increases perception of alchemy magic, greatly enhances alchemy magic talent, greatly improves a wizard’s control over alchemy magic rituals.】

Greatly improves control over alchemy magic rituals?

En began to understand—it meant he was being fully guided onto the path of pioneering magical rituals.

He had just set down the cleaning broom when a paper airplane pierced through the wall:

“Mr. Green, the renovation is complete.

—Yours faithfully: Qiluo.”

En flattened the paper airplane, and it became a blank sheet again; he placed the blank paper into his bag.

After informing Mrs. Mo Li, he took a pinch of Floo Powder and stepped into the fireplace.

With the shop opening these days, Mrs. Mo Li had unusually relaxed her restrictions—allowing them to visit Diagon Alley, but only after reporting their intent and under her supervision.

“Diagon Alley.”

En’s figure was swallowed by the flames in the fireplace; his body seemed to spin rapidly… the roaring wind deafened his ears…

And then, Diagon Alley.

En walked confidently to the entrance of shop number seventy-seven, which had been transformed into something delightfully unusual.

Its door was a massive leather-bound book; when pushed open, brass bells chimed a beautiful melody.

“Mr. Green—”

Professor Qiluo hurried over.

“Oh, you’ve seen it—those alchemy workshops are opening too.”

Following his gaze, En saw a crowd gathered in front of Wei Wei Silai and Green’s Magical Trick Shop. Today was the final day before opening.

Some people had even camped out, waiting to rush in the moment the doors opened.

In contrast, the empty storefront of Fairy Tale Shop made the situation feel especially bleak.

“That’s a… thriving shop, Mr. Green. They’ve built up months of popularity. Are we really opening at the same time?”

Professor Qiluo asked.

“No need to worry.”

En said.

“Understood, sir. Representatives from the International Magical Trade Standards Association will arrive shortly. We must pass some inspections.

After operating for a month, we can apply to connect to the Floo Network.”

Professor Qiluo continued his report.

The International Magical Trade Standards Association was a department responsible for overseeing and evaluating trade practices in the Wizarding World, and for issuing and enforcing international trade standards.

In 1994, Percy had first entered this department after joining the Ministry of Magic. At the time, the Association was standardizing the thickness of imported cauldrons, and Percy had even written a report on it.

The fireplace in Fairy Tale Shop had been enchanted to warm the entire room. After a short wait, the doorbell rang.

“Inspections are usually tedious. You may rest nearby.”

Professor Qiluo said.

En nodded, but spotted two familiar faces: Lai Li August, Vice President of the International Wizarding Federation, and Auror Ollie Mitchell.

“Mr. Green—delighted to see you here. Honestly, we’ve waited for this day far too long.”

Mr. Lai Li August strode forward and, as Professor Qiluo stood stunned, gave En a light handshake.

“Consider this, Mr. Green—we’re willing to raise the price to eight hundred Jin Jin Jialong—”

Ollie Mitchell still hadn’t let go of the matter.

Professor Qiluo was still processing this when he saw the two men give a perfunctory turn around, then respectfully hand over a permit.

This was a business operating permit—usually synonymous with tedious, strict, even harsh procedures.

Because of magic, wizards naturally had strong destructive potential; Diagon Alley had once suffered a “Dungbomb Pollution Incident,” which had led to even stricter review standards.

Now, Professor Qiluo felt as if this permit had been casually tossed onto the table like a blank sheet of paper.

Could it be… that the shop’s business was truly salvageable?

…

Lai Li August was in good spirits today. As one of the earliest arriving wizards, they had even received a few Fairy Tale Cookies in advance.

Though not many, they were enough.

Back at the office, a broad-eared, stout figure shuffled over:

“Lai Li, do you know how many wizards want to connect to the Floo Network every year? Some would gladly hook up ten locations each!

You know I’ve been working overtime for three days straight—now you want me to rush and install one more? No way! I’m telling you, it’s impossible!”

He spoke with heavy dark circles under his eyes, grumbling.

“Really won’t go?”

Lai Li asked, intrigued.

“If I go, I’m a Flubberworm!”

The stout office clerk growled.

“What if it were the recipient of the groundbreaking gold medal from the Uda Alchemy Assembly…”