If I can learn Goblin craftsmanship, I can improve the quality of the murals!
This will make Professor Quirrell more comfortable.
Ethan's eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped in front of the old Goblin.
He bowed slightly and said politely,
"Hello, Mr. Grumm Thor."
"May I take a moment of your time? I'd like to discuss the art of torment and suffering with you."
Grumm: "..."
Well, that's a bombshell to start with.
Grumm narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the clean and tidy human boy in front of him.
His gaze lingered on Ethan's calloused right hand.
His nose twitched, catching the scent of nuts, minerals, and paint.
Grumm suddenly pulled a cigar from a drawer, clipped the end, lit it, took a deep puff, and slowly exhaled.
Through the swirling smoke, he grinned maliciously:
"Do you know? I will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not leave the wealth accumulated by me and my ancestors to you, kid."
Hmm? Why did he suddenly bring up inheritance?
Was the desire on my face too obvious?
Ethan blinked, putting on a look of righteous indignation:
"How can vulgar Galleons be compared to great art?"
"It seems your purity is not enough, Mr. Thor."
Ethan shook his head with feigned seriousness.
Grumm: "...."
I just love art; I'm not crazy.
For no reason, staring at Ethan's expression, which seemed to regard money as dirt and held no concern, Grumm felt a surge of irritation.
It was as if something he treasured was just an uninteresting stone to someone else.
But at the same time, Grumm couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.
There aren't many artists who are so passionate about art nowadays.
Grumm suddenly pulled off a ruby gold ring from his finger, threw it to Ethan, snorted, and turned his head to say,
"It's not worth much, and it has no special effects. It's mainly Goblin craftsmanship."
!!
Ethan's breathing hitched.
Looking at the weighty ruby ring in his palm, he looked up and said earnestly,
"Mr. Thor, you are truly magnificent, distinguished, and dazzlingly handsome."
His wrinkled face seemed to emanate a golden glow.
"..."
Grumm took another deep drag from his cigar, then beckoned to Ethan:
"Kid, let me see your paintings."
Ever since that human official named "Amelia" conveyed the name "Ethan Vincent" to him through her secretary,
he had read both The Daily Prophet and The Quibbler.
He knew Ethan usually carried his paintings with him.
Of course, there was no need to tell the kid that.
This time, he had specifically called the kid over.
:... Of course! It was absolutely not because he admired his talent!
Ethan, ever compliant, pulled out his leather bag.
The moment it opened, a bloody and chilling aura immediately permeated the air.
It was as if Pandora's box had been opened, and dark tentacles were reaching out from within.
The old Goblin's pupils contracted slightly, and he looked on with solemn respect.
And as he looked through Ethan's paintings one by one, he fell into silence, puffing heavily on his cigar.
This must be his acknowledgment of my art, right?
Ethan thought, seizing the opportunity to press his request:
"Actually, I hope you can teach me the art of carving, Mr. Thor."
"I want to recreate an ancient castle, and through magic, allow people to truly enter and explore it."
Hearing this, the old Goblin suddenly snapped back to attention, his body instinctively trembling.
He eyed Ethan warily and chuckled,
"An ancient castle? What's so fun about that? How boring."
Ethan: "Plenty. For example, archers by a log bridge, invisible monsters around corners, doors that can't be opened from this side, three hundred and sixty miles of roads... and so on and so forth."
Meeting the old Goblin's horrified expression, Ethan offered a smile:
"There's a lot to play with, isn't there?"
The old Goblin: "..."
After a few seconds of silence, the old Goblin spoke in a hoarse voice: "Does the person you're inviting to play have a vendetta against your father?"
Ethan tilted his head, smiling with innocent charm:
"Haha, Mr. Thor, you're quite a joker. The person is a Professor who has given me a lot of help."
The old Goblin: "..."
Human, you're a bit too extreme.
Unless the other party was a masochist, he didn't believe anyone, any "creature," would enjoy such a "recreational activity."
He wisely changed the subject:
"Humans can't learn Goblin craftsmanship. Besides, why should I teach you—"
The old Goblin's voice trailed off.
He opened his mouth, and the cigar dropped onto his body with a plop, burning his tie, but he paid no mind.
His wide eyes looked up, following the ancient coin Ethan tossed in his hand.
Then.
"Bang!"
The old Goblin leaped up, instinctively reaching out to snatch the coin.
However, he missed.
He watched helplessly as it slipped through his fingers, and Ethan caught it with a snap.
"....How much money do you want? Name your price." The old Goblin gasped, panting, "Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Or a hundred thousand Galleons? I can give it all to you."
Undeniably.
Hearing that enormous and incalculable number, Ethan's breathing hitched slightly.
However, he knew that at this moment, there was something more important than all that money.
Ethan: "I don't want a single Galleon, Mr. Thor."
Ethan raised his eyes, his cobalt blue gaze reflecting the old Goblin's stunned face.
"All I seek is one thing—skill and knowledge."
"..."
"Teach me the Goblin art of carving, Mr. Thor."
"It is equivalent to an ancient coin."
As his words fell.
Ethan saw a faint light illuminate in the old Goblin's mind.
A subtle connection formed between them.
Ethan unexpectedly sensed that the old Goblin actually liked him very much.
Tsk tsk.
Such an old tsundere.
On the other side.
Hearing this, Grumm's eyes widened, and he forgot to breathe, only hearing his heart pounding in his chest.
Thump! Thump!
How long had it been since he encountered such a pure human?
In those clear eyes, there was only the pursuit and yearning for art.
And such a person, even if their artistic style was a bit strange, how bad could they be?
What kind of gloomy ancient city? That was clearly a bright place filled with laughter!
The old Goblin touched his finger, his heart stirring, wanting to throw another "insignificant" ring to Ethan.
But what he touched was the ring representing the Thor family.
".....Alright, I promise you."
The old Goblin put down his hand, sat back down, and stared intently at the rare ancient coin:
"But I'll state it upfront, if you can't learn it, that's on you. I won't refund your tuition."
"Haha, then I'll have to rely on your careful guidance, Professor."
Ethan's lips curved into a smile.
He offered the ancient coin, which the old Goblin snatched away.
Grumm caressed the mysterious ancient patterns on it, unable to put it down.
For a Goblin, this ancient coin held an irresistible allure that could make one abandon everything.
Hmph, this kid is quite sly.
Without saying a word, he had already become his successor.
Forget it, he had planned to take on a child anyway and slowly impart his skills.
It would probably take ten or eight years to get him started.
Christmas break ended.
The old Goblin slumped in his chair, hair disheveled, cheeks sunken, eyes vacant, and he hoarsely mumbled:
"Merlin, I... I have nothing left to teach you..."
Ethan stood smiling in front of the old Goblin, his wrists aching from days of high-intensity painting.
However, all the effort was worth it.
In his hand, an exquisite and complex model gleamed with beautiful light.
[Ancient City of Saen • Model]
[A miniature land of torment, an indispensable prototype for creating large-scale murals]
[Through arduous and excellent learning and practice, you have mastered "Goblin Carving Techniques"]
[You have gained the entry "[Erudition]"]
[Current [Erudition] entry can be synthesized into a new skill]
[Knowledge Skill Upgraded!]
[Knowledge Initial Manifestation Lv1 → Knowledge Outstanding Lv2]
[Your mind is as clear as a mirror's realm, everything is clearly discernible, even those things the world prefers to ignore]
[Your understanding of knowledge is faster and more thorough]
[Your reaction speed has increased]
[Now, you can detect the opponent's magic fluctuations and model construction before they cast a spell, thereby predicting the magic they are about to cast]
[You have acquired new knowledge: Rapid Casting]
[Under non-silent casting conditions, you will cast general spells faster than others, gaining the upper hand]
As if immersed in a clear spring, Ethan felt his mind become even clearer.
His magic circuits also became increasingly distinct.
To put it metaphorically, it transformed from a complex maze into a single-threaded path.
"Scourgify."
Ethan's lips quickly uttered the spell, waving his wand.
In the blink of an eye, the messy room became neat and orderly again.
Knowledge skill upgrade! It's simply too powerful!
Not only did his casting speed increase, but he could even predict his opponent's spells. When Ethan focused his gaze, he saw the subtly flowing magic particles in mid-air.
Now, Ethan was certain he had become a dueling master.
Even if two Viktor Krums came at him, he wouldn't be afraid.
...No, a friendly and peaceful little wizard like himself shouldn't need such a skill.
With a full harvest, Ethan happily said to the drained old Goblin:
"Then, I'll take my leave, Mr. Thor."
Seeing Ethan bow to leave, Grumm immediately perked up and questioned, "Where are you going? Aren't you staying here to continue refining your craft?"
Ethan scratched his head and said sheepishly, "Uh... thank you for asking me to stay, but I still have to go to Hogwarts for school."
Grumm: "..."
This period had been too crazy; he had forgotten Ethan was still a student.
Hmph, this kid still needs to go to school? What school!
Merlin reborn doesn't need to go to school.
Grumm stared at Ethan, pursed his lips, and unconsciously rotated the family ring on his hand.
... No, he couldn't just hand over his entire fortune like that.
No matter how satisfied he was, it wouldn't do.
If the kid opened his mouth to ask for it, that would only prove his mind was still immature.
However.
As if he had seen through his thoughts, Ethan left without mentioning anything about being an heir until he turned to leave.
This made Grumm admire and praise him even more.
To regard money as dirt, what a noble and pure child Ethan was...
After a moment of thought, Grumm called his secretary and instructed:
"Go give Ethan one of my special business cards, the kind that shows the wealth and prestige of the Thor family."
The secretary was a bit surprised but replied, "Alright, Mr. Thor."
She thought to herself:
How many years has it been? This business card, representing the Thor family, has finally been given out...
Grumm grinned, bit down on a cigar, and laughed maliciously:
"Even if the Goblin's status is no more, and their glory is gone, the respect and prestige brought by money will never change."
"Hmph, those 'pure-blood nobles' among human wizards should understand this best."
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