Chapter 1104 - 191: Sunset in the Chairman’s Office

Chapter 1104: Chapter 191: Sunset in the Chairman’s Office

In the office of the Magic Congress President, the piles of documents and files that were there just a few days ago have dwindled to just a few scattered lonelily on the large mahogany desk.

The evening sunlight slanted in, illuminating the dust slowly floating in the air, and also lighting up the few shabby ’to-do items’ on the desk.

Ezra Hughes frowned, picked up the top document, and glanced at it—"Investigation Report on the Substandard Quality of Magic Potion Materials Sold by Several Shops on Echo Alley."

His lips twitched, and he tossed it aside.

The second was submitted by the Magic Creatures Management Department, an investigation into the frequent goblin nuisances.

Then there was one forwarded by the International Magical Cooperation Department, a draft suggesting exchanges and studies among various countries’ Magic Schools.

Each one was more trivial and absurd than the last.

Hughes slammed the stack of papers in his hand onto the desk, making a dull thud. His chest heaved violently, and a vein throbbed at his temple.

"You’re still sitting in the office, you haven’t officially stepped down yet!"

He growled in a low voice, trembling all over with anger.

"They dare—dare to fob off this office with this garbage! Do they even see the President? Do they even see the Magic Congress?!"

Behind the desk, Hosone said nothing, only got up and walked to the window, overlooking the courtyard below where employees gathered in small groups talking.

It used to be filled with solemnity and efficiency, but now it seemed to be enveloped in an invisible atmosphere of laziness and watchfulness.

Or rather, they were all waiting... waiting for someone, someone destined by public expectation to take the stage.

Important affairs, Laira is handling them now, right?

"Laira Picquery..."

Ezra Hughes slowly uttered the name, his tone filled with the sting of betrayal and disbelief of disappointment.

"I used to think she merely had some little thoughts but understood the rules and could see the big picture... I even once regarded her as a colleague I could collaborate with."

"But we all misjudged her! Nikolo..."

He said in pain, "This person, her ambition exceeded our expectations by far. But I don’t understand, how did she persuade others to support her?"

Nikolo Hossun looked out the window, the sky was gray, as if it were about to rain.

Hearing Ezra Hughes’s words, he slowly turned his head, even showing a hint of a smile on his face.

He raised his hand, rubbed his aching temple, and said indifferently:

"Since everyone supports Ms. Picquery more—perhaps, this is the best result for the American Magic World at present."

In a hoarse voice, he said, "Democracy always comes with choices, and the people... well, our colleagues representing the people... have already made their choice."

"A foolish choice!" Ezra Hughes roared.

Hosone laughed out loud, gently patting his old friend on the shoulder, saying:

"Honestly, Ezra, I’ve long wanted to take a break. These years, it’s been too exhausting... Maybe now it’s time to go back and spend time with my family, and take care of my nearly neglected book collection."

"Nikolo!"

Hughes couldn’t bear it anymore, he took a sudden step forward and said loudly: "This isn’t a rest! It’s betrayal! It’s their betrayal of you, the trampling of the dignity of the Congress President! You can’t just... just accept it with a smile!"

Hosone looked at his loyal friend, the mask of feigned indifference finally showed a crack.

A hint of deep exhaustion, helplessness, and a certain almost pitying look, which Hughes had never seen, flashed in his eyes.

He sighed, his voice lowering without the deliberate lightness:

"Ezra, anger can’t change accomplished facts. Laira won the majority, her means... though disgraceful, are effective."

"I only realized now... in this position, ’right’ is far less important than ’interests’—even when the interests are very short-term and superficial."

Hosone paused for a moment, his gaze distant, with a hint of self-mockery at the corners of his mouth, saying:

"I fought back, in my way. When you didn’t see, I visited many people, wrote dozens of letters and sent them out... but now, I’m tired... I know I should leave."

"But Ezra, even if I’m no longer sitting in this office, you still are... preserve your strength, don’t oppose them so stubbornly anymore."

"My friend, your anger, your principles, they’re very precious, don’t waste them on speaking out for me. The Magic Congress... needs people like you, who in the future at some time, can still remember what is right."

Ezra Hughes gritted his teeth, seeing in Hosone’s eyes a deeper anger and exhaustion than his own, and a kind of disillusioned calm.

He couldn’t bear to continue speaking.

At this moment, yelling at Hosone also changes nothing.

When Hosone saw he finally accepted the reality, he showed him a peaceful smile.

The Congress President did not complain or sweep those trivial files aside but sat back down in the chair, picking up the quill.

"Don’t bother with those! This is simply humiliating!" Hughes roared again.

"Even if it’s the last part of my work... just to wrap things up."

Hosone said calmly, his not-so-loud voice clear in the office: "To see a thing through to the end, Ezra."

He lowered his eyes and began to review those utterly ridiculous documents.

The tip of the quill scratched across the parchment, making a faint rustling sound, exceptionally clear in the overly quiet room. His annotations were meticulous, his handwriting neat, and his logic rigorous.

Ezra Hughes turned his head, staring at the crowd below the window, his eyes involuntarily revealing hatred and loathing. The anger in his chest burned fiercely, causing his heart to ache, but with nowhere to vent.

Finally, a few minutes later, Hosone finished annotating those documents.

He placed the quill back in the ink bottle, neatly stacked the files at the corner of the desk, and then stood up, took the slightly worn but neatly ironed deep blue robe coat from the coat rack, carefully put it on, smoothing the wrinkles on the shoulders.

"Let’s go, Ezra."

He turned to Hughes, whose face was still gloomy and standing in the same place.

Hughes hesitated for a moment, walked over, and said: "Where to?"

"Before I officially step down, there’s one more thing I’d like to clarify." Hosone walked toward the door, saying solemnly, "We’re going to visit Madam Seraphina Piqueley."

Hughes’s pupils shrank slightly.

Seraphina Piqueley, Laira’s aunt, the legendary former President who has long been living in her own manor, almost forgotten by politics, a friend of Dumbledore.

At this sensitive moment, to see her?

"Of course, there are some things I’ve long wanted to discuss with her face to face, but never found the time..."

Hosone paused, saying, "Come with me, Ezra. This might... be the last useful thing I can do for you, for the Magic Congress."