Chapter 106: Interview

Matthew Wickfield arrived in London almost an hour ago.
　　 Now he has come to a shop on the north side of Diagon Alley.
　　 At this moment, he is undergoing an "interview".
　　 A less formal and less serious "interview"...
　　 But for Matthew, this experience is still more important. So he looks pretty serious.
　　 On the sofa in front of him, sat a thin man, a little flat, and the rest of his hair was brown. He was wearing a light blue robe, and he looked a little dusty.
　　Matthew only knows that this man's last name is "Shafik".
　　 In addition, he is the manager of Lihen Bookstore, the largest bookstore in Diagon Alley.
　　……
　　 "Name?" Shafik glanced at the boy in front of him and asked tiredly.
　　 "Matthew Wickfield." Matthew replied quickly.
　　 "Gender...oh, it should be male..." Shafik seemed to say to himself: "So what about age?"
　　 "I will be thirteen years old in more than two months." Matthew continued.
　　 "I am a little young..." Shafik took a closer look at Matthew and muttered: "I am not strong, I doubt whether I can move the bookcase..."
　　 "I have a letter of introduction from Professor Rozier..." Matthew took out a thick parchment envelope from his pocket without a hurry.
　　 There is a heraldic shield on the back of the envelope, and the capital "H" is surrounded by four animals: lion, eagle, badger and snake.
　　 Every Hogwarts student who is "homeless" who does not want to spend the summer vacation at a friend's house (usually a Muggle-born student) will get a letter of introduction from the vice principal. To ensure that they can find a "job" in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley during the summer vacation.
　　 Faced with this letter, the manager of Lihen Bookstore obviously did not dare to be too scornful. He took the letter quickly, then opened it carefully and began to read it carefully.
　　 One minute later
　　 "Are you actually the number one in the whole grade?" He raised his head and gave Matthew a surprised look.
　　 "Yes!" Matthew nodded without humility.
　　 "After studying, you should make more friends..." Shafik put down the Hogwarts letter and said with some earnestness.
Generally speaking, only those children who are more withdrawn and have no friends will choose to go to Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade to find work during the summer vacation...Students of normal Muggle origin are more willing to spend time at friends’ houses Summer vacation; and most wizard families also welcome such guests.
　　 Matthew did not explain anything, but just nodded: "Okay, I understand, thank you!"
　　 "Then Mr. Wickfield, you are hired!" Shafik picked up the quill, took out a piece of parchment, and began to write some very scribbled handwriting, while muttering to himself:
"The recruitment period starts from now and lasts until August 31st... During this period, Lihen Bookstore will bear all the expenses for food and accommodation... At the same time you have to take care of some piecemeal work... Every week, 2 gallon 9 Si Ke’s wages..."
　　 "Two Gallons?" Matthew couldn't help frowning.
　　He is not the kind of kid who really doesn't know the world.
　　He knows very well that adult wizards in the wizarding world have a minimum weekly salary of more than ten gallons.
　　 And this amiable Mr. Shafik directly paid himself less than a quarter of the minimum weekly salary!
　　 Sure enough, squeezing child labor can be regarded as a "fine tradition" passed down by the British Empire for hundreds of years...
　　 Even the wizarding world is no exception.
　　……
　　 Obviously, Matthew Wickfield could not accept this salary.
　　 He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Mr. Shafik, I think I am worth a higher price!"
　　 These words surprised the manager of Lihen Bookstore.
　　 In the previous years, he had also recruited a lot of Hogwarts students, and came to the bookstore as part-time job during the summer... This was the first time he had met such a "greedy little" guy, and he was only a freshman.
　　 If it weren't because Ms. Rozier's letter of recommendation was on his table, he might get angry and drive this little guy away from his bookstore.
"Mr. Wickfield." He said patiently: "You are too young, two gallons and eights are already a very high price... If you go to other bookstores, they absolutely can't give it... "
　　 "I will settle the account." Matthew opened his mouth calmly, interrupting Mr. Shafik.
　　 "Huh?" Shafik was stunned, and suddenly looked even more surprised: "Aren't you kidding me?"
　　 Matthew just spread his hands and did not answer.
　　 "Well...then I'll test you..." The manager of Lihen Bookstore took out an account book from the drawer and asked slowly:
"A copy of "Magic Potion and Potion" is worth 2 gallons, 6 sikes, and 11 nats... A "magic theory" is worth 3 gallons, 16 sikes, and 22 nats... and a copy of "Prophecy cannot Prophetic: Protect yourself from fright" is worth 5 gallons, 3 siks, and 6 nats... so how much do they add together?"
Matthew replied almost without hesitation: "A total of 10 gallons, 25 sikes, and 39 nats...that is, 11 gold gallons, 9 silver sikes, and 10 copper nats~EbookFREE.me~ Note: 7 silver Si Ke, 9 copper Nat.)
　　 "So fast? Don't make up a number to lie to me!" Mr. Shafik glanced suspiciously at Matthew, then took out a piece of discarded manuscript paper, and while recording, he held his finger to calculate.
　　 After almost two or three minutes...
　　 "Oh, Merlin's beard..." Mr. Shafik looked up strangely: "My child, how did you figure it out?"
　　 "Did you forget, sir, I am the first in the year." Matthew replied calmly.
　　 As he expected, the math skills of wizards are generally extremely poor, and the strange exchange ratio of gold, silver and copper makes them extremely difficult to remember...
"Oh, look at my memory." The manager of Lihen Bookstore laughed: "Why not, Mr. Wickfield, I doubled your salary before; but every night, you have to help me Settle the books for the day..."
　　 "Settling accounts is tiring..." Matthew looked a little embarrassed.
　　 "Or..." Mr. Shafik gritted his teeth, hesitated for a long time, and finally said, "Do you double it again!"
　　 quadrupled, that is, 10 gallons plus 2 Sicco's weekly salary, which is slightly higher than the minimum salary of an adult wizard.
　　 Matthew is not too greedy, he nodded:
　　 "Okay, so be it, sir."