Pucci had used his usual Tuesday holiday to go and inform the Earl.
But the next day, he still had to go back to work.
He had only been at his desk for half an hour when a colleague arrived, looking slightly flustered.
"Pucci, Elder Weiss wants to see you about something."
Pucci's heart immediately sank.
Had Elder Weiss discovered that he had pledged allegiance to the Earl?
As he walked down the long corridor—its carpet a luxurious blend of gold and red, with portraits of Gringotts Elders lining the walls—Pucci felt as if his heart were going to leap out of his throat.
Was he going to be silenced?
"Screech—"
The great Gringotts door, though magnificent, had long since worn down with age and frequent use. Its creak was a sound caused by years of wear and tear that even a repair spell couldn't fix.
"Pucci, you're here."
"Yes, Elder."
Elder Weiss's skin was pallid, with just the faintest yellowish hue. His appearance showed his great age.
"How many years have you served as a banker at Gringotts?"
Pucci swallowed nervously.
"Twenty years, Elder."
"Only twenty years, huh—"
Elder Weiss gazed up at the ceiling thoughtfully.
"Still a newcomer, then."
Pucci nodded quickly and respectfully.
"Yes, yes, I lack experience and would greatly benefit from the Elders' guidance."
Elder Weiss smiled faintly.
"No need to be nervous. Although you haven't been here long, we are offering you a chance to join the Elder Council. Would that interest you?"
Pucci froze, stunned. Then quickly responded:
"Elder, I will work hard! I've never dared to dream of such a possibility, I—"
"Alright, alright, calm down, Pucci."
The Elder chuckled.
"The Council has decided to offer you a chance to advance. Whether you succeed depends on your performance."
"An opportunity for… advancement?"
Weiss tossed him a document.
"You've likely heard of Dak Dantes's actions—his disruption of the financial structure in the British Wizarding World. Gringotts has taken a heavy blow. We are left with no choice but to strike back."
Pucci carefully opened the document. At the top, it read:
Proposal for Dealing with the Harm Caused by Dak Dantes.
It listed three proposals:
Assassinate Dak Dantes directly.
Lure customers back to Gringotts with higher interest rates and pressure the Ministry of Magic into banning Merlin City's Central Bank.
Annihilate Merlin City altogether, ending the problem at its root.
Pucci inwardly sneered—These old fools. All three options were wildly unrealistic.
Especially the third one.
Destroy Merlin City? Its defenses were said to be more secure than Hogwarts. Even a Muggle nuclear bomb might not crack it.
Elder Weiss continued:
"We've evaluated the first two plans already. Their chances of success are nearly zero. So, we're pursuing the third method. It will not only defeat Dak Dantes but significantly reduce the number of vile, unregulated wizards."
Though Pucci silently disagreed, he maintained a respectful demeanor.
"What should we do, Elder?"
"Not we—you."
Elder Weiss's eyes narrowed.
"You are to find an organization capable of destroying Merlin City and ensure they carry out the task."
Pucci hesitated. "Elder, do you mean… the Death Eaters?"
Weiss shook his head.
"No, no, no. Those mongrels aren't qualified to work with us. I'm referring to the Fire Serpent Party—they've been expanding at an incredible rate."
Pucci's pupils narrowed.
The Fire Serpent Party?
That terrorist group had recently robbed multiple pure-blood families, abducting everyone and stealing everything—not even a cat owl, dog, or Occamy was spared.
Latest intelligence reported they had grown to thousands of members. If they focused their full strength on Merlin City…
Pucci grew worried.
"Pucci," Weiss said, snapping him from his thoughts.
"Your task is to establish contact with the Fire Serpent Party. If they destroy Merlin City, they can name their price."
The Elder leaned forward, voice cold but firm.
"And if you succeed, and Merlin City falls, your seat on the Elder Council is guaranteed."
Pucci knew hesitation now would give away his true loyalties.
He immediately put on an expression of "ambitious excitement" and replied:
"Yes! Elder Weiss, I will make contact with the Fire Serpent Party and see to it that Merlin City is reduced to ashes!"
Elsewhere, in Merlin City...
"Lucius," said the Earl, handing over a neatly sealed letter,
"A representative from the Jenny Weasley Family will be arriving in Britain in ten days. They hope to meet key figures from the Western Wizarding World in Merlin City."
The Earl's tone was mild, but Lucius sensed the underlying urgency.
"Merlin City already attracts families and business associations from Europe and America," the Earl continued, "Yet surprisingly few of our local British pure-blood families have settled here."
He paused, letting the implication hang.
"As hosts, that's… not ideal. So I'll need you to once again reach out to the local British families and encourage them to attend this gathering. It may be their chance."
Lucius raised an eyebrow.
"The second phase of Merlin City will be completed soon. Some of the large families might sell off their Phase One properties to move up. If our locals have good relationships with them, they might buy in at a favorable rate."
The Earl smiled thinly.
"After all, long-established families aren't overly concerned with a few Galleons."
Though the words were subtle, Lucius clearly sensed the disdain in the Earl's tone.
To him, the British pure-blood families were beggars waiting for leftovers.
Unfortunately, Lucius had no argument to counter.
Of all British wizarding families, only Ollivander Avery had had the courage to issue 300 million Galleons worth of bonds backed by his family's name to invest in Phase Two of Merlin City.
The rest had simply lacked the capital—or the guts.
Still, many did purchase Avery's bonds. With a 70% annual interest rate and a two-year completion timeline for Phase Two, the 140% total return seemed like a safe bet.
For those who couldn't get directly involved, earning money through investments in the project had become an attractive alternative.
"Understood, Earl Dantes," Lucius said, elegantly skimming the tea leaves from his cup with the lid—a habit he'd picked up from the Earl himself.
"I'll notify all British pure-blood families. At the very least, the Jenny Weasley Family must see the strength and dignity of British wizarding society."
"Well said," the Earl nodded approvingly.
"That's the spirit. What are we British Wizards lacking? Money isn't everything."
"Exactly."
Tap, tap, tap...
A cat owl tapped on the windowpane with its beak.
The Earl raised his hand and the window opened by itself. The owl was sucked inside by a gentle magical pull.
The Earl grabbed the owl's wing as one would a chicken, and with his other hand, removed the letter tied to its leg.
"Well then, I'll take my leave," Lucius said with a nod.
"No need to escort me, I know the way."
The Earl didn't rise.
"Very well, Lucius."
Once Lucius had left, the Earl opened the letter.
"Oh? Cooperation with the Fire Serpent Party? How very… interesting."
End of Chapter 106
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