Are Young Wizards These Days Really This Bold?!

This really was a Shocking Statement.

Kraft's eyes widened in shock.

"Y-You... what did you say?!"

He could only feel that, perhaps because of his age, his Ears had developed some utterly absurd auditory hallucinations.

"He said he wanted to become the Dark Lord."

Aurora thoughtfully recalled her conversation with Ian.

Then—

She added another sentence.

"Oh, right. He also wanted to go to Nurmengard to study under Grandfather, saying it would help with his graduation." Aurora felt that her summary had been extremely apt.

Brief and clear.

After saying that,

she went back to reading her notes.

From beginning to end,

the German Girl's tone remained calm.

As if she were merely discussing everyday family matters.

However,

Kraft was clearly nowhere near as emotionally stable as she was.

"?????"

Kraft was completely dumbfounded.

He did not actually know much about Hogwarts, but even so, he did not think graduating from Hogwarts was difficult enough to require seeking out Grindelwald in Nurmengard.

And besides!

What did he mean, he wanted to become the Dark Lord?!

Were Young Wizards these days really this bold?!

"Another ambitious schemer has emerged from Dumbledore's school! Hahahahaha! The greatest White Wizard in the world? How laughable and ironic!"

Once the initial shock passed,

Kraft began laughing wildly.

He did not doubt the truth of Aurora's words.

After all,

this was exactly what he and many Saints wanted to see—Dumbledore had raised a Voldemort, and now another boy who wanted to become the Dark Lord had appeared in his school.

Was there anything that could make the Saints happier?

No!

To the Saints, this was the best proof of Dumbledore's utter hypocrisy! Otherwise, why would abnormalities keep emerging from Dumbledore's school one after another?

"Good, very good. I underestimated that little fellow's overconfidence, but this is not a bad thing for us. You can try winning him over with a few small favors."

"I observed him. His talent for magic is quite good."

Kraft laughed so hard that he was nearly out of breath. As he sat down in an old rocking chair to rest, he earnestly offered his advice.

Those cloudy eyes of his

were now filled with excitement... and anticipation. Anything that could tarnish Dumbledore's name was something the Saints would gladly fuel.

"Winning people over? Grandfather taught me about that, so I gave him a book."

Aurora paused, then added,

"My own book."

The girl emphasized this point,

most likely because she did not want Kraft to think she had given Ian some book from a shop.

However,

Kraft did not actually care about that.

What mattered to him was that Aurora had already attempted to win someone over.

"Excellent! Being able to apply what you have learned is growth!"

Kraft happily clapped his hands.

"For Children your age, winning their loyalty is not difficult. I believe you already have your first follower."

Kraft had great confidence in Aurora.

Not only because Aurora had inherited that great talent,

but also because he knew that Aurora's outstanding beauty was absolutely as alluring as White Moonlight to most Little Boys her age.

That was another advantage she could use.

Kraft looked at the little girl before him, Full of expectation and praise.

However,

Aurora shook her head at him.

"I do not think a single book is enough to make someone pledge loyalty to me." Aurora looked exceptionally clear-headed as she closed the notebook in her hand and placed it in a drawer.

"Of course, of course. It can merely be a beginning."

Kraft was still smiling broadly.

"Perhaps winning people over would work on many other Young Wizards, but it probably would not work on Ian Prince. He is very different from those Young Wizards."

Aurora spoke calmly.

Her young yet exquisitely delicate face was filled with seriousness.

"He is your first friend. Could that make him somewhat special to you?" Kraft narrowed his eyes, and his gaze became wary again.

He had been too focused on how destructive Aurora's appearance could be to Little Boys.

He had almost forgotten

that the Young Wizard was also exceptionally handsome.

"I know what you are thinking, but it is not what you think."

Aurora shook her head helplessly.

"Indeed, as the first person who dared to befriend me, I am somewhat curious about and interested in him. But that is absolutely not why I think Ian Prince is special."

Her mismatched eyes carried a calmness that seemed far beyond her age.

"Oh?"

Kraft looked puzzled.

"You taught me many things. So, although I only had brief contact with him, I can still make a judgment. He is not the kind of person who would have faith in anything..."

"He cannot become one of you."

Aurora stated it simply and clearly.

But Kraft did not agree.

"That is because you have not yet established faith in his heart... Miss, do not overestimate the character of others. Wanting to become the Dark Lord and learn from Lord Grindelwald—those are merely ignorant, arrogant, self-important fantasies of a child his age."

"As he grows older, as he discovers his own weakness and realizes his own mediocrity... if he is smart enough, he will understand that he needs to draw close to Powerhouses around him."

Kraft spoke as though imparting a meaningful lesson.

However,

Aurora still shook her head firmly.

"You are wrong."

She first closed her eyes.

"He will not understand mediocrity, nor will he understand drawing close to Powerhouses, because... he may truly become the Dark Lord."

Aurora opened her eyes again.

She turned toward the doorway, as though she had returned to earlier that day—to when the Little Boy had walked in, looked around, and been noticed by her.

"I saw him."

This time,

she was not speaking to Ian.

She was explaining it to Kraft.

"Ah?"

Kraft did not understand.

"Not during the day. It was in Diagon Alley, before I entered that shop... I had already seen some things."

Aurora spoke softly.

Kraft immediately understood.

"You mean what you saw was...?!"

Kraft's voice became uncertain with shock.

His eyes were fixed tightly on Aurora.

Then,

Aurora slowly nodded.

"My talent is not as powerful as Grandfather's, but I can occasionally glimpse a corner of the future... I saw him. I saw a few fragments of his future."

Aurora spoke in a low voice.

"You saw him become the Dark Lord?"

Kraft's voice was trembling. He looked as though he had heard something utterly unbelievable—something he did not want to accept, yet had no choice but to accept.

"No."

Aurora's shake of the head

left Kraft looking confused.

"Speaking in riddles is not a good habit. Do not imitate your Grandfather, or that damned Dumbledore..."

Kraft sighed helplessly.

Aurora had not intended to beat around the bush either.

Her thoughts seemed to be retracing themselves,

and she murmured softly.

"I saw him standing before a tower, holding his wand high, casting a spell."

The German Girl looked at the deeply confused Kraft with those legendary mismatched eyes. Old and young met each other's gaze, but Aurora's softly spoken words crashed down like towering waves.

"Fog blocked my view, but there was one thing I saw clearly. That was..."

"Dumbledore was kneeling at his feet, weeping."