Upon reaching their destination, Menierquaid attempted to detain Lys for a moment.
But Lys had little interest in entertaining him:
"Is there something else you require, Mr. Karkaroff? If not, I'll take my leave."
Lys didn't wait for his response. She grabbed her suitcase and gestured for her assigned guide to Apparate her to the next destination.
However, the witch clearly understood Menierquaid's status and began stalling, fumbling through her belongings with obvious reluctance to depart.
Lys's expression gradually turned glacial. Though her grey eyes had been squeezed into narrow slits by her weight, the cold indifference within them made the witch's spine stiffen.
Still, she stubbornly continued flipping through her notebook—the witch she was guiding couldn't harm her immediately, but Karkaroff could destroy her career in an instant. She understood the difference between momentary pressure and lasting consequences.
After a prolonged, tense silence, Menierquaid carefully extended his invitation: "I wonder if I might have the honor of inviting Miss Stalys to the Karkaroff estate for afternoon tea?"
Lys refused without hesitation. "I don't think that's necessary. Given my limited capabilities, I should begin my duties immediately. What exactly are you searching for, Miss? If you're truly unable to perform your role, perhaps we should consider reinstating your predecessor?"
"Ah, ha ha! Found it, found it! We can leave now," the witch said hastily, offering both of them an ingratiating smile before signaling Lys to take her arm for Apparition.
Menierquaid remained behind, his expression darkening with displeasure. When his subordinates arrived, however, he composed himself and returned to the Karkaroff estate.
Standing in his uncle's study, he listened to the elder's assessment of the British situation with growing disagreement. "Uncle, he's lost all capacity for rational thought. The waters are thoroughly muddied—this is precisely our opportunity to reap benefits in Britain."
"Quaid, is this truly a golden opportunity for our family, or merely your chance to prove yourself superior to him?"
The old man tapped his desk. A house-elf respectfully delivered a pot of milk-scented tea, retreated several steps, then vanished with a sharp crack.
"Don't fixate solely on that deranged young man. Open your eyes to the broader landscape. Do you comprehend how many parties are currently watching him? Enough. The Karkaroff legacy will rest on your shoulders—I won't belabor the point, but I trust you won't disappoint me."
He fingered a symbol composed of a triangle, circle, and vertical line before finally raising his eyes. "Go rest. Tomorrow, I expect to hear more rational proposals."
Seeing his uncle lift his teacup, Menierquaid recognized the dismissal. He withdrew slowly from the study, pausing to frown at the door before finally departing.
Meanwhile, Lys arrived at her assigned German residence—a three-story house with a pointed turret, nestled beside a modest lake.
The witch gestured toward the neighboring properties, explaining that two other wizarding households resided nearby: one from America, one from China. However, the American wizard had relocated to a livelier town due to lifestyle preferences and rarely returned. The Chinese witch remained mysteriously reclusive, seldom venturing beyond her garden except for essential matters.
Lys nodded, reasonably satisfied with the arrangement.
"Since this collaborative project spans several years, this house's deed now belongs to you. Here's also a copy of the German Wizarding Code of Conduct—please observe local regulations and laws during your stay."
Lys accepted the documents with a nod, entered the house, set down her belongings, then methodically withdrew a handkerchief to dab the perspiration from her exertion.
"I'll be residing here long-term, so I don't want unnecessary interruptions to my life. What happened today—I don't want to see repeated during our working relationship."
Technically, this witch wasn't Lys's subordinate, but when Lys spoke those words, she instinctively acquiesced.
The subsequent days brought tedious routine work.
Once Lys actually engaged with her responsibilities, she realized Lucius had been correct—this position didn't require her to accomplish much, merely to avoid being deceived.
The German wizards, observing Lys's translator, tested her with several cryptic German remarks. When her expression remained utterly unchanged, they gradually grew bolder in their language, unaware that Lys was mentally cataloguing each of them.
Back in Britain, she'd maintained such a low profile that no one paid her any attention. Consequently, when fools like Thomas finally elevated her to prominence, she'd already lost the power to resist.
But here in Germany—a place where she might spend the rest of her life—Lys decided to establish from the very beginning that no one would dare fix their gaze upon her.
For now, what she needed was to observe these people's true attitudes before they donned their masks, so she maintained an air of complete indifference throughout.
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