The day of the goblin art exhibition arrived.
Ethan and Luna sat side by side, holding the badge-like Portkey, watching excitedly as changes began to occur.
In the badge, the carved blonde girl let her hair fall from the tower window. Like an unrolled carpet, the silky smooth golden hair cascaded all the way down to Ethan's lap.
"How magical," Ethan marveled.
Making eye contact with Luna, they clasped hands and together grasped the golden hair. In an instant, it felt like a hook had caught Ethan's navel as he was whooshed into the badge!
The miniature tower enlarged before his eyes, and he could clearly see the rough, uneven surface of the ancient bricks and stones. Using the hair like a flying carpet, Ethan passed through the window.
His vision blurred, and he found himself standing in an enormous hall. From a ceiling dozens of meters high hung chandeliers with hundreds of flickering candles. Orange-yellow light cascaded down, reflecting off glass cases containing artworks, creating brilliant flashes throughout the space.
The air was filled with a faint musty smell of great age. This was the goblin master's art exhibition.
All the windows had their curtains drawn, making it impossible to discern the outside scenery. But it was certain this was definitely an ancient and luxurious castle.
"Wow, this place is really beautiful," Luna sighed with admiration.
She pulled out the red and blue circular glasses she'd specially brought, holding them up to her face as she examined everything carefully.
Ethan thought to himself: In the future, he would definitely hold a large art exhibition like this too. Let others properly appreciate his paintings.
Around them came quiet conversation: "I heard this goblin master is getting on in years but has no children, so he's looking for an heir to inherit his vast and ancient fortune!"
"No wonder his recent exhibitions have been so popular... Yes, who wouldn't want centuries-old goblin wealth?"
"This ancient castle, plus the countless gold and silver treasures buried beneath it, and various other properties... I dare say the Malfoy family doesn't even amount to a fraction compared to him!"
"Too bad he only wants heirs with real artistic accomplishment. We mediocre folks shouldn't even dream of it."
Hearing this, Ethan's ears perked up with interest. Goblin treasure? An heir with real artistic accomplishment?
He perfectly met this old wealthy collector's requirements!
Ethan dared assert that looking across the entire world, you couldn't find a second person with as much artistic talent as him. Just go to St. Mungo's and ask those contestants from the challenge.
If he could get this inheritance, he could also improve Luna's family's situation. This wonderful girl deserved all the best things.
Ethan thought seriously. However, though desire had sprouted, he also knew this wasn't something he could obtain in a day or two, or even a year or two. For now, he should just happily tour the exhibition.
Ethan looked at the glass case in the center of the hall, murmuring: "Wishing, carved depicting the story of a little girl lighting matches and seeing ethereal, illusory dreams... Using gem powder to outline flowing dreams? It can actually float in midair... quite exquisite craftsmanship. I wonder how it's done..."
"However, in terms of expressive effect, it doesn't seem as good as my Call of Erised."
Hearing this, a male wizard admiring the sculpture nearby was displeased. He turned to glare at Ethan, frowning: "Your painting? This is a goblin master's work! Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand! I've never seen a better piece than this!"
Upon hearing this, Ethan immediately summoned Call of Erised from his system gallery with a whoosh, placing it before the man.
Call of Erised
First Tier Golden Legend
Effect: Causes viewers to become intensely entranced, as if immersed in the illusions of their heart's deepest desires, unable to extricate themselves
Golden radiance spread outward. So intense that apart from the radiance, nothing else seemed to exist in the world.
The male wizard's mouth opened slightly, his pupils dilated, staring directly at the painting as if his soul had been captured. He displayed a completely entranced posture.
Other guests looked at this scene in terror, stepping back several paces. Immediately, a vacuum zone appeared around Ethan.
Ethan nodded approvingly: "At least, it needs to reach this level. Since you like it so much, I'll let you look a while longer."
Ethan patted the wizard's shoulder and strolled over to another artwork.
The wizards standing in front of the glass case viewing it looked at him warily.
Ethan observed thoughtfully: "Sprouting Life... Hmm, if it were me, I'd directly create a little person used entirely for exhibition. 'He' thinks he's living in the real world. Little does he know that birth, aging, sickness, death, and every movement are all under others' observation."
Ethan looked up, meeting the eyes of other guests, and smiled pleasantly: "Like all of you."
The others were instantly chilled to the bone! A little girl immediately burst into tears with a wail, and the exhibition hall was suddenly filled with commotion.
"Oh, don't cry, poor child," Luna spoke up, a friendly smile appearing on her gentle face.
Bending down, she said kindly: "Would you like to pet the little dog?"
"L-little dog?" The girl stopped sobbing curiously, leaning forward to look.
She saw three ferocious heads rise from Luna's arms.
"WAHHH!"
Miserable crying immediately filled the entire exhibition.
Luna straightened up, looking at Ethan in puzzlement, saying softly: "She's really strange, isn't she?"
Ethan analyzed rationally: "Maybe she doesn't like black dogs."
Just as the exhibition descended into chaos, a sharp-faced witch suddenly stepped forward. Pushing up her rimless glasses, her stern gaze looked down at Ethan as her red lips opened: "Mr. Ethan Vincent, please come with me. Master Grum Soll wishes to see you."
Hearing this, everyone present suddenly gasped sharply! This brat was Ethan Vincent? That Hogwarts prodigy who had just made the front page of the Daily Prophet?!
"I haven't written my will yet..." a wizard said tremblingly, on the verge of tears.
"Don't be dramatic," his companion rolled his eyes at him.
After the brief panic, everyone realized the true meaning behind those words! The goblin master wanted to see Ethan Vincent! That talented artist who drew illustrations for The Quibbler!
"Could... could Master Soll be taking Ethan as his heir? Is he going to give Ethan his ocean-like wealth?!"
"No, nothing's decided yet... Maybe he's just calling over a troublemaking brat to give him a scolding."
Everyone's burning gazes followed Ethan's figure until it disappeared into the second floor that guests couldn't access.
They clearly knew that if Ethan was truly, truly favored by the goblin master, then Ethan's status would undergo earth-shaking changes.
After the sharp-faced witch led Ethan into the second-floor study, she bowed and left. Luna hadn't come along but had been arranged in another rest room.
Ethan pushed open the door. He saw the chair at the desk ahead slowly rotating with its back to him.
It revealed an extremely aged creature. He was short in stature, his entire body hunched in the chair. One ear was missing a corner, his face was like a weathered winter melon, and his small black eyes shot out keen and calculating light.
There's a story here, Ethan thought.
The old goblin grinned, revealing two rows of sparse sharp teeth, laughing without concealment: "Come in, troublemaker. I hope my appearance won't have too great an impact on your young mind."
Ethan blinked and said sincerely: "No, I think you have very distinguished features."
"Hah, humans really are a bunch of smooth-talking creatures," the old goblin mocked, but his expression softened slightly.
Ethan stepped forward. At this moment, blue text suddenly flashed before his eyes:
Tradeable character detected: Goblin Master Grum Soll
You can use one ancient coin to hire this person to teach you sculpture arts.
Mural grade assessment points: Terrain environment (sculpture), preserved creations (living paintings), etc.
Ancient coins!
Ethan remembered the three coins that didn't belong to the present world, which he had picked up in Herpo's mansion.