Chapter 1278: Little Folks in the Marketplace (Part 2)

Ian picked up a gadget that looked like a pocket watch, but its dial had only one pointer and was covered with strange symbols. “What is this?”

He asked curiously.

“Esteemed customer, you have a good eye!” The shop assistant immediately leaned over, “This is a ‘Mood Compass’! It doesn’t point directions, it points moods! Concentrate on thinking about someone, and the pointer will point to a symbol representing that person’s current mood! Look, this one is ‘Happy’, this one is ‘Angry’, this one is ‘Hungry’, and this one… ‘Wants to cheat your money’!”

The shop assistant pointed to a skull symbol, speaking seriously.

“Haha, Neville might like this thing.” Ian almost burst into laughter, clearly realizing this was a little trick to fool people, with magic so weak it’s nearly negligible. The so-called “direction” is likely random or secretly controlled by the vendor. But he found it interesting, so he spent a few copper coins to buy it, intending to go back and dismantle it to study the “deception” principle.

Then, he entered a rather large bookstore. Unlike the elegant style of Li Hen Bookstore, this bookstore was rougher, with shelves made of coarse wood and a wide range of book binding styles, from expensive sheepskin scrolls to cheap straw paper books. Ian’s gaze swept over the bookshelves.

He discovered many African-themed magic books.

“Comprehensive Identification of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants in the Tropical Rainforest” (with colored hand-drawn illustrations, some plants looked quite menacing)

“108 Ways to Communicate with Land Spirits, River Spirits, and Ancestral Spirits”

“Practical Magic Texts: From Hunting Inscriptions to Tribe War Rune Array”

“A Guide to Common African Magic Creatures: Habits, Weaknesses, and Taming (Dangerous Edition)”

“On the Resonance of Lightning, Storms, and Soul Power: An Introduction to Storm Witchcraft”

These books were very “hardcore”, full of pragmatism and wild power, completely different from the European Magic Realm’s style of emphasizing theory, history, and intricate control.

Ian had discovered this yesterday.

However.

Yesterday’s Ian didn’t buy, and today’s Ian wants to buy, with no real connection—Ian’s character is as changeable as a woman’s.

“This one, that one, and the one inside.”

Ian began a “sweep”, buying those books he thought had reference value, stuffing them into the money bag enchanted with a Traceless Stretching Charm.

They weren’t expensive.

In terms of price, the Great British Empire is still far ahead, and the Wizarding World is influenced by this. This knowledge would become an important supplement to enrich his own magic system.

Leaving the bookstore.

Ian continued to wander.

As he wandered, Ian passed by a pet shop. The shop had no owls, nor cats, but rather various peculiar young African magic creatures.

His gaze was drawn to a small creature in a cage—a tiny bat, jet-black and satin-like, only the size of a palm.

It seemed to have just woken up, holding the cage bars with its little claws, tilting its head, and curiously observing the outside world with its large, round eyes that looked like rubies.

The bat occasionally made faint “squeak” sounds, appearing very cute.

“What a unique little thing, it gives me a sense of déjà vu.” Ian looked at the little bat, and a mischievous thought popped into his head, causing his mouth to curve into a bit of a wicked grin.

“Hey, this little guy… really matches Severus Snape’s vibe!” Ian thought gleefully, “Gloomy, mysterious, likes to stay in dark corners… Giving him a real bat as a pet, he’d surely be ‘moved to tears’, right? My dear uncle will definitely thank me.”

Imagining Professor Snape’s potentially spectacular expression upon receiving this “thoughtful” gift, Ian couldn’t help but laugh.

Of course, he knew Snape would most likely refuse with a stern face, or simply use a Death Gaze to blast him out of the office, but that didn’t prevent Ian from finding the idea very amusing.

This creature.

It could also help Ian experiment with whether he could carry other life forms to different times and spaces—a topic most other wizards dared not venture into researching.

After some haggling, Ian successfully bought the little creature called a “Shadowy Bat” by the shop owner, along with a small magic pendant cage for the bat to rest in—it wasn’t anything valuable, just like how you get little gifts when buying things in the Muggle World.

“For the sake of magic development, you are a great pioneer.” Ian showed his less warm side, as his attitude towards animals differs from that towards people.

Of course, for animals he likes, he maintains a good attitude. Ian carefully stored the cage with the bat and continued on his way, in high spirits.

The hustle and bustle of the afternoon market hit him like a wave.

Sunlight, filtered by the magic dome, turned into a warm and gentle glow, sprinkling over the crowd and the stalls full of dazzling goods.

The air was filled with various smells.

The charred aroma of unnamed grilled meat—not like any common meat, anyway—and the bitter scent of tangled herbs, the musky stench of magic potion materials, and the scent of leather. Naturally, being in Africa, it also included the salty scent of sweat from people, composing a vibrant scene of bustling street life.

“It’s getting late.”

However, just as he was ready to return to the restaurant, a sudden burst of intense arguing and commotion sounded ahead, quickly drawing in a large crowd eager to watch the spectacle.