" Half-blood individuals are feasible, but the root of hatred is never bloodline, but the accumulated damage across generations. Transforming everyone into the same body will not erase the old wounds."
"The process of transformation will still claim countless lives, and those unwilling to change will be eliminated as obstacles. Old conflicts will disappear, only to give rise to new oppressions. So-called peace is achieved through forced reform, not through the voluntary consent of the people."
"As soon as your power weakens even slightly, everything will collapse and crumble again; this is just another form of tyranny."
Despite Hermione's denial, Marcus remained steadfast:
"I understand that the process will come at a heavy price. But if we continue as we are, with both races killing each other day after day, and people constantly dying, we must choose between a prolonged pain and a short, sharp one."
The painful memories cannot be erased.
But the new generation of children are born Half-blood; they will not carry the hatred of their ancestors. As long as we weather the growing pains of change, future generations will not have to suffer the hardships we have endured over the years.
After stating his point, Marcus countered, "Since you believe this is a matter of power, then propose a better way than I can to resolve this age-old deadlock."
After hearing Marcus's question, Hermione did not immediately refute it. She knew very well that Marcus's question hit the nail on the head; there was indeed no easy shortcut to resolve the thousand-year-old blood feud.
After a moment of silence, Hermione spoke:
"I acknowledge what you said, but that doesn't mean we have to choose the path of forced reform and sacrificing those with differing opinions. Your plan is to gamble with a great catastrophe for the peace of future generations, but the stakes are the lives and freedom of countless people in this generation."
Then, Hermione proceeded to explain her proposed solutions one by one:
"First, divide and conquer, coexistence."
"We will not forcibly merge bloodlines, nor will we pursue centralized rule by a single progenitor. Vampires will maintain their own clans, and werewolves will preserve their own lineages. We will abolish Viktor's system of enslavement."
"Then both sides will elect representatives to establish a neutral consultative council, where conflicts will be resolved through negotiation rather than resorting to violence from the outset. Next, the bottom line will be established: no genocide, no indiscriminate slaughter of unarmed people. Hatred can be kept in the heart, but it cannot be used for wanton killing."
"Second, establish a neutral arbitrator of force."
"The neutral parties do not take over the daily governance of either race. They only do one thing: whoever breaks the agreement first and instigates a large-scale massacre, the arbitration power will intervene to stop it. Power is used to protect the bottom line, not to force everyone to become the same kind of creature."
Third, bloodline modification is possible.
"But voluntary participation is preferred; we will never force anyone to participate."
"You said that Half-blood can free one from the shackles of sunlight and silverware. This power is undoubtedly tempting. Individuals who want to break free from their innate weaknesses can voluntarily undergo bloodline experiments and modifications."
"But reform must never be treated as an obligation, much less should those who refuse reform be removed as obstacles to the new world."
"If someone wants to be Half-blood, then so be it."
"Those who cherish their original identity and are willing to bear the inherent weaknesses of their race should also be respected."
"In the same world, vampires, Werewolf, and Half-blood can coexist; not everyone needs to be molded into the exact same form."
Fourth, gradually heal historical wounds.
"The wounds of the older generation are difficult to heal, and it's unrealistic to expect them to let go of their hatred. We should place our hopes on the next generation, but not by forcibly reforming newborns."
"We must not instill in the new generation from childhood the idea that 'the other race is entirely an enemy,' and we should allow normal contact and exchanges between the two races."
"Time can heal hatred, but only if the body is not altered, and only if new killings are no longer created."
"Old scars remain, but without adding new wounds, hatred will gradually cool."
Finally, we also need to deal with the boundary with the human world.
"Both races must maintain strict secrecy, refrain from interfering with humans, avoid attracting a large human army to encircle and annihilate them, and preserve the foundation of their survival."
"This path is slow, full of struggles and setbacks; it won't create a new world overnight with a bang. It lacks that grand sense of 'a single transformation solves everything' that you envision."
"But the difference is that it doesn't come at the cost of depriving others of their will, and it doesn't treat a generation as expendable resources for paving the way."
"Your path is to suppress everything with force, betting that you will always be powerful; once you fall, everything will collapse."
"Coexistence and checks and balances allow the two races to gradually learn to get along, and even if the strong fall, the order can still continue."
After hearing this, Marcus's lips curled into a mocking smile:
"That's putting it nicely. But human nature is stubborn, and the grudges of generations are there. Can the council's agreement, a mere covenant, really stop the murderous intent that has been accumulating for thousands of years? When hatred takes over, who can guarantee that everyone will follow the rules?"
Hermione responded, "It's true that things can't always go smoothly. That's why we need a neutral arbitrator as a backup."
"Peace is not a one-time achievement; it is a cause that requires generations to maintain. It is always better than launching a bloody, forced reform to gamble on a uncertain future."
Trillian, having heard from a neutral party, offered the following suggestion:
"We wizards can remain neutral."
Draco had previously shared this idea, saying, "We can send a wizard to act as a neutral arbiter between the two races."
Marcus still wore that mocking expression.
"You'll send people to garrison the area and act as neutral parties?"
"Wizards are ultimately an outsider."
"Both races are inherently resistant to outside interference in their internal affairs. In short-term crises, people may accept shamans to stop the massacres, but over time, they will always wonder: Why should shamans decide the fate of our race?"
Even if a wizard is completely impartial, some conservatives will still see him as an outsider interfering in their work. Conspiracy theories will emerge, suggesting that wizards are exploiting conflicts for their own benefit. Even if he doesn't seize power, he will still be viewed with suspicion.
Secondly, wizards cannot stay indefinitely.
"Wizards have their own world and their own society, and they cannot remain on the side of the undead forever. If the wizards have to retreat because of trouble in their homeland, the external deterrent disappears, and the root of the conflict between the two races is not resolved internally, but merely suppressed by external forces. Once the external forces leave, the accumulated conflicts will immediately erupt."
Third, divisions can also arise within the wizarding community.
"Don't assume all wizards are as impartial as you. Ambitious wizards, seeing the powerful bloodline of the undead, will harbor wicked intentions, capturing vampires and Werewolf for experiments, coveting the power of the progenitor's bloodline. They will become the new power."
"At that time, the emperor will be far away and the heavens will be high."
"You might not be able to control them."
"Furthermore, if factions emerge within the wizarding community, with some leaning towards vampires and others towards werewolves, then the neutral parties themselves will become new sources of conflict."
Marcus added one last point:
"There's also the gap in values."
"The wizards' concepts of morality and lifespan differ from those of the undead. The wizards' standards of right and wrong may not align with the survival logic of the undead over thousands of years. In judgments, it's easy for outsiders to stand on moral high ground and judge our suffering."
Hermione was speechless.