Fred, Gee, and Ron were delighted to have Hawk as their guide for expl the manor while Scarlet was tied up with her work. They were aware that she was always busy at school, but they hadn’t expected to see Percy following Scarlet during her meetings, practically ag as her assistant. Visitors to the manor often assumed Percy was either her cousin or some retive eager to learn about her work.

  He ahe dots Scarlet either signed or rejected, which William would ter have distributed back to the appropriate senders. Some people came in to report directly to Scarlet, while others simply accepted instrus from William. Eventually, Percy even apanied Scarlet to meet her editor, who had arrived, brimming with excitement, to discuss her test draft.

  “Oh, Scarlet, what a brilliant choice, making another character the protagonist! The fight ses were much more exg, and the plot...” Mr. Wilson, a jolly, round man with short stature and a pair of round gsses, spent the first five minutes heaping praise on Scarlet’s test work. After finally calming dow to the reason for his visit. “Now, we’ve had three reviewers gh your draft, and there are few areas we think could be improved.”

  Scarlet flipped through the draft, now covered in colourful notations, as Mr. Wilson walked her through the feedback point by point. She nodded in agreement and assured him she would have the revised draft ready in two months, assuming all went well.

  Mr Wilson chuckled. “o rush the revision. Take your time and enjoy your school days! How’s everything at school? Any daunting homework or scary teachers?”

  “Nope, everything’s great.” Scarlet replied, closing the draft and looking at her editor. “Mr. Wilson, I’ve been thinking about ending the Akahime’s Diary series.”

  He looked taken aback. “Why? The story’s going so well! We could explore more of the other characters...”

  “But I want to build another world,” Scarlet said thoughtfully. “I feel like I’m at a creative bottleneck. Either I break through it, or I’ll just end up with a progressively weaker story that would hurt the reputation of Akahime’s Diary.”

  Mr. Wilson nodded with uanding. “I see, the bottlehat every writer enters eventually. So, have you started pnning your new world?”

  “I’ve begun drafting some backgrounds and character ideas,” Scarlet expined, “I even had my cssmates fill out my questiono get a clearer perspective, but it’s going to take time.”

  “I uand, don’t worry. No matter how long it takes, we’ll make sure to take care of your story, review it, and promote it properly,” Mr. Wilson assured her, befrowied once again. “Speaking of promotions, your book was a hit in Japan and France! We’re preparing to tra intuages, so readers from all over the world will soon be able to enjoy it!”

  Just as he was about to leave, Mr. Wilson suddenly remembered something. “Oh! I almost fot. I have a huge bag in my car filled with letters from your readers – ohey sent to our office.

  “You don’t have to reply to them all, but you could mention them if you have any interviews ing up,” Mr. Wilson said.

  “An interview?” Scarlet raised an eyebrow.

  “We’re thinking about arranging one for you in a neer. Nht now, but maybe during your school break,” Mr. Wilson said. “We’ll o find the right media outlet and journalist, but only if you’re alright with it. Take your time to decide. Your readers are eager to learn more about you!”

  “Alright, I’ll think about it.” Scarlet bid Mr. Wilson goodbye at the doorstep, auro her seat in the living room where she had been discussing everything with her editor. Percy, who had followed her, was tasked with s the letters into stack, binding them with estids. Sinderage students couldn’t use magic outside Hogwarts, they had to do everything manually.

  As Percy sorted the letters by size and stamp, he began to realise how much broader the world was than he had ever thought of.

  “New Zeand? Where’s that?” Percy asked, staring at one of the envelopes.

  “Near Australia.” Scarlet replied.

  “And Vietnam?”

  “That’s in Southeast Asia, not too far from Japan.”

  “Singapore?”

  “A small try near Indonesia – kind of like Hong Kong in some ways.”

  Most of the letters were written in English and came from Engnd, Irend, and America. A small portion came from other tries, as indicated by the various stamps, though Percy occasionally spotted characters he couldn’t reise, which Scarlet expined were in Japanese.

  Despite her expnations, Percy still couldn’t visualize the exact locations of these tries in his mind. His thoughts wao the film they’d watched st night, the microwave he had noticed i, and the unfamiliar vocabury he had seen in Scarlet’s schedule... Just as he was about to ask Scarlet about something, William ehe room with a frown.

  “Midy, I need your advice.”

  Scarlet looked up at him, “What’s wrong?”

  “There are three people standing outside the gate, insisting oing you.” William replied.

  “Insisting oing me?” Scarlet echoed, fused.

  “Well, to be precise, they’re begging to meet you,” William sighed. “I’ve already turhem away twice, but now that they’ve found out you’re home for Christmas, they’ve decided to e directly.”

  “What kind of proposal did they bring to you?” Scarlet asked, intrigued.

  “Something about germs that e pstics.”

  “Biosce?” Scarlet frowned. “But we’re fog more on material sce.”

  “Exactly why I deed their offer,” William expined. “Now, would you like to meet them, or shall I send them away?”

  Scarlet studied William for a moment befrinning. “Well, they must have done something to impress you; otherwise, you wouldn’t have bothered telling me about them, would you?”

  William responded with a small smile.

  Scarlet shrugged. “Alright, let them in.”

  Soon after, three individuals, all iwenties, ehe room, nervously clutg files and dots. They introduced themselves as master’s students from a uy, currently w on a project to breed germs that could e pstic. Percy didn’t uand much of the stific jargon, but he k had something to do with Scarlet’s charity work – an area where she spent a lot of money with no guarantee of return.

  Scarlet flipped through their files casually. “You have five mio pitch your idea and vince me to i.”

  The three newers grew visibly more anxious but mao present a flurry of pictures, graphs, and data, all the while casting nervous g Scarlet, who remained calm, occasionally nodding in respo was an iing sight – Scarlet, a small, underage girl, was posed and in trol, while the three adult uy students appeared eager yet flustered, far less assured than their youthful audience.

  Five minutes passed, ae their efforts, they hadn’t mao sway her.

  “I must admit, your idea makes sense, and it does align with my i in enviroal prote projects. However,” Scarlet said, closing the files and tinued, her tone firm but polite, “I’m sure you’re aware I’m just an underage girl running a small pany. Your project would require far more funding than I provide. Even if it’s profitable, I simply ’t afford it.”

  The three young men looking disheartened by her response, but their eyes lit up when she added, “My dad, the CEO of a medium-sized corporation, just so happens to be here. He’s heavily influenced by me and has already incorporated many eco-friendly practices into his produ. He might be ied in your idea. But there’s och: his pany is based in Asia, with his b in Japan.”

  She g them, a look of encement. “You may have the opportunity to pitch your idea to him. I know you’ll want to discuss it among yourselves, so take five on the porch. William will take you to my dad’s study once you’ve made your decision.”

  Exgied ghe trio grinned and thanked Scarlet before following William out.

  By the time the guests had preseheir idea, Percy had finished s through the letters. He frowned, lost in thought, until he felt a light tou his hand. It was Scarlet, her expression ed. “Percy, you seem troubled. Is something b you?”

  “ly...It’s just...overwhelming,” Percy admitted. Notig her fusion, he hesitated but then tried to expin. “I mean, I’ve just realised how vast this world really is. Before I met you, I never khere was so much out there – so muowledge I don’t uand...”

  “That’s because this sort of knowledge isn’t necessary in the wizarding world,” Scarlet said gently, “If you’re pnning to live a fortable life there, what you learn at Hogwarts will be more than enough. My situation’s a bit different from yours, so in my opinion, you shouldn’t worry too much.”

  “You don’t sound like someone who pns to stay deeply involved in the wizarding world,” Percy remarked, his curiosity piqued.

  “You’re right,” Scarlet nodded, “I know that might e as a surprise, but as you see, I have responsibilities. I have to think about the hundreds of people who depend on me for their livelihoods. Plus, my dad hasn’t married or fathered a blood reted child yet. My presend profile are essential for maintaining the corporation’s stability in the market. In Asian culture, having a reliable successnals a bright future for the group. Since our corporation is family-run, this factor is incredibly important.”

  “Wait,” Percy said, looking taken aback. “What do you mean your dad hasn’t married or fathered a blood reted child?”

  Scarlet blinked and tilted her head slightly, “Isn’t it obvious I’m not his real child? I mean, I look nothing like him. I’m adopted.”

  “What?!” Percy looked absolutely floored. “How that be? You’re...”

  “Yep, adopted, and I’ve always known that,” Scarlet nodded casually, “I still keep in touch with the orphanage director, actually. I pn to visit them on Christmas Eve and bring the children some presents.”

  “Visiting an orphanage?” Fred’s voice suddenly boomed from nearby.

  Gee, looking intrigued, chimed in, “ we e along?”

  “Of course! I was about to invite you all,” Scarlet smiled. “I’ve got a list of gifts the directgested; we should stick to it to avoid any squabbles over the presents. But why are you two so excited?”

  At that moment, Ron burst in, grinning widely. “We ordered some fast food by phohey’re delivering it soon!”

  “Really?” Scarlet looked fused. “But we’re an hour drive from London...”

  “Not from London – there's a restaurant near your manor,” Fred expined. “Hawk has a list of pearby that the servants sometimes order from for snacks.”

  Gee excimed, “It’s brilliant! People actually answered me through a Muggle device that runs oricity and all that! No magivolved – amazing!”

  “And the TV shows!” Ron added excitedly. “I never realised how much happens in other pces.”

  Scarlet g the clock. “You’ve been watg the noon news?”

  “Yeah,” Fred said “They showed videos of snow in other tries and how people celebrate Christmas. Never knew Christmas was so big in Japan.”

  “I thought you were here to remind Perd me about lunch?”

  “Oh yeah, thanks for that! We almost fot!” The twins ughed in unison. “e o’s grab some lunch. Hawk is going to show us around the manor. Are you ing, or are you busy with something else?”

  “I’m ing,” Scarlet nodded. “o check the farm and orchard, and decide what to do with the crops for year...” She reached for the inter and called a servant. “Hi, could one of you e and collect my stack of letters and put them in my room? Thanks, that’ll be great.”

  The younger Weasleys cheered and raced toward the dining room, while Scarlet and Percy followed more slowly. With her schedule in hand, Scarlet crossed out a few items, signalling she’d pleted them, and then turo Percy. “Struggling to get your thoughts in order, huh? Why not set it aside for now and enjoy the holiday? Observe things, and think about it before bed or after the holiday. You’ll find your answer eventually. o rush.”

  Percy simply hough his thoughts wao things Scarlet would never know.