"Hahaha..." Kaecilius laughed warmly.
"Of course, the same applies to the New York Sanctum. We follow the Supreme Sorcerer's directives in all matters," he affirmed.
"Indeed..." Arnold nodded in agreement.
Their wine glasses clinked gently as they sipped their red wine, a subtle understanding forming between them. The two men had reached an unspoken covenant in just a few exchanges.
It was an immutable truth that when any organization consolidated power, it inevitably affected others' interests. Everyone attending this banquet could be considered Lockhart's direct supporters—individuals crucial to his future control of Kamar-Taj.
As the saying goes, there can be only one emperor and many courtiers. Yet even among those courtiers, factions inevitably formed. Kaecilius and Arnold both served as guardian sorcerers of their respective sanctums with similar responsibilities, naturally placing them in the same camp. This opportunity to form an alliance against future uncertainties was too valuable to ignore.
Their glasses clinked once more as they took another sip of wine. Kaecilius glanced toward Lockhart, who remained surrounded by well-wishers at the center of the gathering. He raised his glass to Arnold, suggesting they approach Lockhart together for a toast.
Arnold readily agreed. The two walked forward side by side, and the crowd parted respectfully to create a path for them. Soon, they stood before Lockhart.
"Supreme Sorcerer," Arnold began with formal deference, "the London Sanctum plans to host a celebration commemorating our successful exorcism of the Demon God. We await your attendance at your earliest convenience."
His words carried a clear message—the London Sanctum acknowledged Lockhart's authority. Though Arnold's relationship with Lockhart wasn't as close as Kaecilius's, an important foundation existed between them. After all, Lockhart had personally helped suppress the traitors who had infiltrated the London Sanctum. Despite their limited history, this shared experience had created a deeper bond than Arnold had with most other sorcerers.
"Congratulations, Lockhart," Kaecilius offered. "You are truly deserving of the position of Supreme Sorcerer. All sorcerers of the New York Sanctum stand ready as your blades, to cut through any obstacle at your command."
Before this succession, Kaecilius and Lockhart had been close friends—in fact, Kaecilius had been Lockhart's first ally at Kamar-Taj. But friendship was one thing; their changing positions necessitated a reconstruction of that relationship. Kaecilius was no fool. He understood not to emphasize their former camaraderie too strongly in this new dynamic.
The surrounding sorcerers smiled approvingly at these declarations, and Lockhart's face mirrored their pleasure.
"We have a long road ahead," Lockhart responded with measured dignity. "Let us work together toward our bright future. United in purpose, united in power."
While the celebration continued in the grand banquet hall at the center of the Vientiane World, the tea room on the eastern side remained noticeably quieter. Few sorcerers lingered in this space, leaving it almost exclusively to the service automatons.
In Study Room 001, Grindelwald sat alone, quietly drinking tea. He showed no signs of impatience, simply sitting in contemplative silence. With each sip, he closed his eyes as if savoring the tea's subtle complexities or engaging in light meditation.
As Lockhart's personal study, the room was stocked with only the finest teas—many gifts from Master Ancient One herself. Teas valued by the Ancient One invariably possessed special qualities, with meditation enhancement being among the least of their properties.
For ordinary sorcerers, such teas offered genuine assistance. For beings of Grindelwald and Lockhart's caliber, however, they were primarily appreciated for their taste. When one's power reached a certain threshold, mere tea leaves could no longer facilitate growth. Only significant cosmic opportunities could spark a new transformation.
Since his self-imposed imprisonment, Grindelwald had been waiting for change, searching for possibilities of transcendence. Now, that wait had ended. The emergence of a new world had opened a glorious door for his ambitions.
As Grindelwald meditated with closed eyes, the sound of the study door opening interrupted his thoughts.
Click! Click!
Lockhart entered the study with measured steps.
"Congratulations, Lockhart!" Grindelwald looked up and offered his felicitations to the man across from him. "The new Supreme Sorcerer of Kamar-Taj... I must say, your capabilities are truly remarkable."
When Grindelwald had first heard of Lockhart's appointment, he had dismissed it as an implausible rumor. Only after confirmation did he accept the astonishing truth. Though shocked, he couldn't help but feel admiration.
Kamar-Taj, with its thousands of years of history and power sufficient to potentially overwhelm the entire wizarding world, had fallen under Lockhart's leadership in less than three years—starting from nothing to attain its highest position. This achievement was so extraordinary that Grindelwald wouldn't have believed it possible, even in fiction.
He was certain that even his old friend Dumbledore would be internally stunned by such news. However, befitting his status as a former leader himself, Grindelwald's psychological resilience exceeded that of ordinary sorcerers. After the initial shock subsided, he had regained his composure.
Lockhart, for his part, seemed unconcerned with Grindelwald's reactions. Such details were irrelevant to his current focus.
"Grindelwald, what progress have you made with our matter?" Lockhart asked, his tone calm but expectant.
"Lockhart, I investigated the location you specified, but found nothing of significance," Grindelwald reported. "It was merely an abandoned factory, with no clues beyond some homeless children taking shelter there. I thoroughly examined the spatial environment as well—it's completely stable, showing no anomalies."
Upon hearing this, Lockhart sighed deeply. It seemed that acquiring the Reality Stone would require following the original timeline after all. They would need to wait for the convergence of the Nine Realms to locate any trace of the Reality Stone.
A pity. If he could have secured the Reality Stone now, he could have returned to the wizarding world immediately, making everything far more certain.
Lockhart acknowledged Grindelwald's report with a nod, indicating his understanding.
"Lockhart, when do you plan to return to the wizarding world?" Grindelwald asked directly before Lockhart could speak further.
Their previous contract had concluded. Grindelwald's assistance had been transactional, with the ultimate goal of returning to the wizarding world to implement certain plans.
"Don't worry, it will be soon," Lockhart replied after brief calculation. "Within the next two weeks, I expect."
A faint smile appeared on Grindelwald's face at this news. He could finally go home. Upon their return, the plans he had been nurturing could finally be set in motion.
Suddenly, Lockhart spoke again. "Grindelwald, there's a friend I'd like to introduce to you."
With a casual wave of his hand, the teahouse door slowly opened to reveal a figure both familiar and unfamiliar.
Familiar, because Grindelwald recognized the face immediately. Unfamiliar, because they had barely interacted, exchanging only a few words in passing.
The newcomer was none other than Kaecilius.