"Your failure has left many people feeling lost. We have to rediscover the joys of life."
Carlotta shook the paper in her hand. "The handwriting is beautiful."
"Just the handwriting?" Voldemort asked, crossing his legs.
"The sentiment is beautiful too, Dark Lord. We all thought you'd lost your ambition."
Carlotta smiled again, but this time her smile was much more genuine and joyful than before.
"I don't like bowing to fate. Besides, it doesn't seem capable of making me bow."
As Voldemort spoke, he pointed toward Loftgood with his right hand. "Let me introduce Loftgood, editor-in-chief of The Quibbler."
"Good heavens, I didn't recognize you!" Carlotta's voice rose with surprise. "Should I settle the fees for the articles I wrote for you?"
At the first sentence, Loftgood was thrilled.
At the second, his face fell.
"We told you long ago that we wouldn't pay for articles, Miss Pinkstone," Loftgood said with a dark expression.
"But you charge money for the magazines you sell."
As Carlotta spoke, she waved her wand.
The bookshelf on the right rotated, revealing a row of The Quibbler magazines.
She was clearly a devoted fan of the magazine.
"This is the first time I've seen anyone with so many copies of The Quibbler."
Luna leapt up and ran over to the bookshelf, successfully easing Loftgood's embarrassment.
Voldemort didn't want his senior to keep pressing the matter. He had more important things to discuss.
"I'd like you to write a column for the magazine, senior." Voldemort summoned a copy from across the room and opened it.
"What kind of column?" Carlotta asked. "Welcoming the Dark Lord's return?"
"No. I'll announce my return a little later."
Voldemort shook his head. "I need you to analyze the structure of the Wizarding World."
"The structure?" Carlotta looked puzzled. "It's not