Firenze's words had a great impact on Hermione. She could not utter a single word of the speech she had prepared before.

"So do you understand?" Kyle turned to look at her and said, "In the eyes of the centaurs, we who wear clothes are punishing ourselves in the most severe way... Isn't this exactly the same as your view of house-elves?"

"No, these are two different things." Hermione shook her head, trying to refute Kyle's opinion. "What I mean is that centaurs have nothing to do with us. Not liking to wear clothes is just their habit, right...but house-elves are one of us, and they are also in school."

"There's nothing different, you just don't want to admit it."

Kyle said, "I have met centaurs in an explorer team in Romania. They are the same. They did not change their habits or force their teammates to accept their ideas just because their teammates are wizards. They get along well with each other."

"No... I don't think this is different..." Hermione stammered, but didn't know how to refute it.

She missed Harry and Ron a little. At least if they were here, they might be able to say a few words for her... Oh, no, Ron had also laughed at her badge and said that he might not be able to help her even if he was here.

"What are you talking about?" Hagrid asked in confusion.

Although he participated in the whole process and even called Firenze, he did not understand what these people were saying at all.

Centaurs, clothes, house-elf ones… He knew exactly what this meant, but he was completely confused.

"It's like this..." Qiu walked over and explained the situation to Hagrid.

On the other side, Kyle looked at Hermione, who looked confused, and continued:

"There's something else I must tell you, Hermione.

"You may not realise it, but your rush into the kitchen to ask the house-elf for his wages is in some ways the equivalent of a centaur rushing into a castle and demanding everyone take off their clothes.

"Such a request would be the greatest insult to them, bar none. Honestly, I'm surprised the house-elves didn't beat you out."

"Almost..." Hermione was silent for a moment, then murmured in an almost imperceptible voice: "When I was leaving, I saw a house-elf getting a spatula and firewood..."

"They are quite restrained. They waited until you were about to leave before they thought of taking action." Kyle shrugged and said, "Anyway, if a centaur came to persuade me not to wear clothes, he would definitely have to stay in the school hospital for a while."

"puff."

Cedric couldn't help laughing out loud... The centaurs advised everyone not to wear clothes. This scene was so interesting, it was funny just to think about it.

As a result, the next second, he was kicked hard by Qiu who came back.

"By the way, what about Dobby?"

At this moment, Hermione seemed to suddenly think of something and regained some confidence.

"Dobby, the house-elf who blocked the platform entrance in second year, causing Harry and Ron to miss the train, demanded that the wizard pay him for his work.

"This shows that the house-elves don't exactly like slave labor, they just haven't realized it yet."

"I don't deny it... but this is just an exception." Kyle said, "This situation also exists among wizards. Remember, during the Quidditch World Cup, there was a wizard who liked to let the healthy breeze blow on his butt."

Cedric laughed again.

He also remembered that the wizard was only wearing a not-so-long printed nightgown and was absolutely unwilling to change into pants.

"And speaking of Dobby..."

Kyle thought for a moment, "He was living very happily with Newt Scamander. He spent half of his 10 Galleons per week on various snacks for magical animals, and gave the other half to the Nifflers... and he did it all voluntarily. Sometimes when Newt tried to stop him, he would buy them secretly.

There is also one day off per week, when Dobby takes Galleons out to buy things, then changes into his own clothes and continues to work.

And except for the rewards, the rest of Hogwarts has already done that."

"Yeah," Cedric said, "If you go into the kitchen often, you'll see they're always happy. Sometimes I just go to get some cookies, and when I come out I find myself with enough snacks to last a week.

I have to say, they are sometimes too enthusiastic.”

Hermione was silent. Her face became paler and she bit her lips. She looked extremely depressed.

The centaur's idea had such a huge impact on her that she once doubted whether what she did was really wrong, but the obsession in her heart kept denying this idea.

Hermione felt confused and bewildered.

"Again, you're going in the wrong direction."

As if he had seen through her thoughts, Kyle looked in the direction where Firenze left and said, "What you should do most is to find a way to change the attitude of most people towards house-elves, rather than forcing them to pay wages.

I know a very old house-elf who always remembers and is grateful to his original owner for being so kind to him."

"You mean to say that I did nothing wrong?" Hermione looked up and said excitedly.

“If you don’t rush into the kitchen again and let them ask for their wages,” Kyle said with a smile, “if there is a next time, you will probably be the first one to be kicked out of the kitchen.”

"Then what should I do?" Hermione asked quickly, "How about handing out flyers, or writing a letter to the Daily Prophet."

"That's not my business." Kyle spread his hands. "After all, it's your decision, so you have to implement it. I have to hurry up and prepare for the second event of the competition. I'm very busy."

"If I no longer require payment for the house-elves, will you buy the badge?" Hermione seemed not to have given up.

“This…”

Kyle thought back to the badge that said "vomit" and reached out to touch his pocket, "What a coincidence, I was in a hurry when I came out today and didn't bring any money.

Let’s put it this way, next time, I will definitely buy it next time.”

Kanna next to him glanced at him.

She knew that Kyle's belongings were mostly kept in a suitcase, so how could he not have any money?

Of course, she wouldn't say these.

After a while, Hermione was ready to go back, but she no longer had the confidence she had when she came. She just lowered her head and walked forward silently, not knowing what she was thinking.

"Oh, yes."

At this moment, Kyle suddenly stopped her and said, "Although I can't help you, I can give you a suggestion.

If you have time, you can go to the school library and read more books about house-elves to get a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of them.

"At least you should be familiar with their history and know their character, only then you can better persuade others.

"Instead of being like before, where all decisions were made based on... I think... I feel... This won't work."

…

(End of this chapter)