Rostislav Volynsky was a Squib.
The Volynskys were a prominent local wizarding family in Ukraine. Like pure-blood families across the globe, they held Squibs in utter contempt.
When Hydrus ordered the Water Snake's Fang to distribute the cursed water, Rostislav was being tortured in his family's dungeon.
He had attempted suicide several times; his existence seemed to serve no purpose other than providing an outlet for the family's wizards to vent their malice and find sadistic joy.
However, that green flash covering all of Ukraine wiped out the family he loathed in a single stroke. His cousin, who was whipping him at that very moment, dropped dead before his eyes.
The Ukrainian Wizarding Communist Party rescued him and even allowed him to join the Ministry of Magic!
This was something he wouldn't have dared imagine in the past!
He now worked for the Muggle Liaison Office of the Ukrainian Ministry of Magic. According to his director, this office would soon be upgraded to an independent department! Rostislav might even become a minor supervisor!
It made sense; Ukraine seemed poised to bid farewell to the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Even the currency used by Ukrainian Muggles now consisted of Merlin Coins issued by the Heaven and Earth Bank!
(The exchange rate between Gold Galleons, Silver Sickles, and Bronze Knuts was changed to 1:10:100 in Ukraine. This allowed Ukrainian wizards to quickly adapt to the new system, which was not only easier to calculate but also allowed them to make a small profit from foreign wizards. For a time, massive amounts of Silver Sickles and Bronze Knuts flooded into Ukraine. It was believed that before long, wizards worldwide would be forced to adopt this new exchange method.)
The Great Leader, Comrade AA, seemed intent on merging the Ukrainian Muggle and wizarding worlds!
Therefore, his current department was of vital importance!
Today, his director had assigned him a task: go to the AA Group headquarters to deliver the last quarter's 'Survey Report on the Proportion of the Muggle Population Accepting the Existence of Wizards' to Lady Rosier, who would then pass it to the Great Leader, Comrade AA!
He wore the badge of the Ukrainian Ministry of Magic on his chest, featuring an emblem of a wand and a hammer. This was the mark of the Muggle Liaison Office, which would become the mark of the Department of Muggle Affairs in the future!
With this badge, he moved through the AA Group headquarters without hindrance—it utilized sophisticated identity-recognition alchemy, effectively serving as an ID card designed by Nicolas Flamel himself!
Even someone using Polyjuice Potion couldn't fool the badge!
Volynsky walked toward Building No. 2 with practiced ease, heading straight to Vinda Rosier's office on the third floor.
Just as he raised his hand to knock, he heard voices from inside.
"I am Rosalia Rosier. Pleased to meet you. From now on, I will be taking over Edmond Grindelwald's duties. Let me be clear: I won't indulge your personal affairs as Edmond did. I am the President's assistant, not a nanny."
Volynsky lowered his hand. He knew the speaker—she was Lady Vinda Rosier's niece, a great beauty but cold as a block of ice.
Who was she talking to?
The President?
There was only one President of the AA Group: Audrey Astley—their guiding light, the lone lighthouse upon a vast, misty sea, their Great Leader, Comrade AA!
Volynsky felt an involuntary surge of excitement. Comrade AA was here!
Then, a voice from inside replied to Rosalia: "Don't worry, you're not Edmond, so naturally, I won't treat you the way I treated him."
It was the voice of a young girl. Although Volynsky had never met Comrade AA, he had heard from others that she was indeed a very young woman!
"There are two things I need you to do recently. First, acquire alchemical materials. Second, within Ukraine, distribute two hundred billion dollars in welfare benefits in my name. Discuss the specifics with Grandma Vinda!"
Volynsky was stunned. Comrade AA was handing out welfare? Two hundred billion??
Even at the height of the Red Empire, there had never been such extravagant benefits! That was nearly four thousand dollars per person!
What did four thousand dollars mean in 1993?
In 1993, the average annual wage for a domestic worker was 3,236 RMB... Four thousand dollars was equivalent to over thirty thousand RMB!!
Inside the office, Hydrus suddenly changed her appearance, turning into Audrey. This move left the two Rosiers momentarily dazed—wasn't this disguise change a bit too abrupt?
"Comrade outside, you've been standing there for quite a while. We've finished our discussion here; you may come in!"
Volynsky froze. As expected of the Great Leader who could wipe out a nation in a single strike!
He gave a symbolic knock and then pushed the door open.
"Rostislav Volynsky, Muggle Liaison Office of the Ukrainian Ministry of Magic, greetings to our Great Leader, Comrade Audrey Astley!"
Volynsky stood straight, his chest puffed out with pride.
"This is the 'Survey Report on the Proportion of the Muggle Population Accepting the Existence of Wizards' for the last quarter. Please review it, Comrade AA!"
Audrey took the report with a smile. "There's no need to be so stiff, Comrade Volynsky."
She opened the report and began browsing through it, while Volynsky's face turned red with excitement. Comrade AA was truly approachable!
"Hmm, I am satisfied with the speed of progress. You've worked hard, comrades!"
"Long live the people!!"
...
Volynsky left in a daze. It wasn't until he reached the ground floor that he realized what had just happened.
The Great Leader, Comrade AA, actually shook my hand!!
No, no, no, that wasn't the main point!
Comrade AA was planning to distribute welfare to the entire nation! Each person would receive at least 600 Merlin Coins in Gold Galleons! That was a fortune!
The leader was using her own wealth to provide benefits. Let's see who dares to slander the Great Leader now as Ukraine's biggest landlord or an enemy of the proletariat!
Volynsky had been furious when he heard those rumors a few days ago!
Now, he couldn't wait for those people to know they were all wrong!
Comrade AA was a true communist warrior! She was the first to 'communize' herself!
See that! Two hundred billion US dollars!! Last year, Ukraine's GDP was only 77 billion dollars!
Volynsky, of course, couldn't have imagined that Audrey had long since used the assets of more than half of Ukraine as collateral to take out loans worldwide. Then, using her 'prophetic' convenience, she invested that huge sum into industries destined to make money. Two hundred billion dollars was merely one month's profit for her (and this figure was still growing month by month).
The simple-minded Volynsky stubbornly believed that the welfare Comrade AA provided far exceeded the benefits Ukraine could ever bring her. She was wholeheartedly leading the entire nation toward a new communist Ukraine!
What kind of spirit was this?
This was the spirit of self-sacrifice, of utter disregard for personal gain, and of single-mindedly seeking the welfare of the people!
No, he had to tell everyone about this.
They were so incredibly lucky to have such a leader!
Long live Comrade AA!!
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