Selene chimed in, "So he'll definitely go after Lucian? Lucian is the leader of the Wolf Clan, the most crucial link in his plan. Marcus can't bypass him."
Draco nodded. "Yes, he has the other half of the key, but it's useless now."
" Marcus should be aware of this, so he'll most likely try something else. Whether he'll target you, Michael, is hard to say, but it's not impossible."
"Because Michael, you have the blood of the progenitor flowing in your veins, as well as that of Alexander. He might have designs on your blood. However, he probably can't defeat either of you."
"That's right," Trillian replied without a hint of worry, "You two are both progenitors, one of you and the other has absorbed the power of a progenitor. No matter how crazy Marcus is, he'll have to think twice before he comes after you. If he dares to confront you head-on, he's just asking for death."
Alexander said calmly, "It should be fine."
"Even if Marcus merges with William's blood and his strength is enhanced, Michael is still fully capable of fighting him."
"As for me, he won't be able to find me."
Alexander's words were not boastful, but rather a statement of an undeniable fact. Marcus had exhausted all means to find him over the years; how could he possibly expect a breakthrough in such a short time? That was utterly delusional.
"That's fine then, but I'm thinking, how about we give Lucian a bloodline modification?" Trillian proposed a new solution, then explained her reasons.
"After all, Michael, you have your own life to live; you can't stay by the wolf pack's side and watch over them forever."
Selene felt something was amiss upon hearing this:
"This is the biggest problem."
"That is, how to modify him. Should we make him drink the blood of the progenitor, or modify him through your blood, Michael? Either way, it should give him the power to rival Marcus."
"But the question is, if the modified Lucian is stronger Marcus, will his heart change? Power corrupts the heart, and so does strength."
"He carries the hatred and past of the wolf clan. Once he possesses the power to crush everything, can he still maintain his true self?"
"That's exactly what I was worried about," Alexander said.
Lucian is the spiritual leader of the wolf pack, carrying on his shoulders the weight of the pack's centuries-old history and deep-seated hatred.
"If he were to wield the power to overturn the order of the tribe, his heart would inevitably undergo an immense test that is unimaginable to ordinary people."
" Lucian is indeed worthy of respect, and his character is beyond question, but we must not gamble the fate of the entire wolf pack on whether he can resist the temptation of ultimate power and still maintain his integrity. The price is too heavy."
Trillian helplessly shrugged, abandoning the plan. "Fine, it seems we really can't afford to gamble. Things have come full circle, so we'll still have to rely on Michael to stay and keep things in check for now."
Michael neither accepted all the burdens nor shirked responsibility. "I won't take on everything myself."
"At most, we can mediate the conflict between the two wolf-blood clans, help keep an eye on the situation, and prevent Marcus from stirring up trouble."
"Because ultimately, the wolf pack should be ruled by the wolf pack itself. They all have their own will and their own choices. I can only be a mediator, not their ruler."
"Once the situation between the two races gradually stabilizes and hatred is no longer on the verge of erupting, I will go find a life that belongs to me."
Trillian looked at him with admiration. "To be honest, I admire you a lot. If it were me, I'm afraid I couldn't do that."
Michael didn't boast about his virtues; he said, "It's not as noble as you think. I was just doing what I was told."
"That's the hardest part," Hermione chimed in admiringly. "Holding power, having others place high hopes on you, and constantly reminding yourself not to overstep your boundaries or covet authority—guarding your own limits is far more difficult than simply fighting."
"The matter of Marcus is settled, so I should be going now." Alexander stood up, preparing to take his leave.
Draco nodded and said, "Take care."
Michael then got up and saw Alexander off from the villa.
The two exchanged a few words at the door.
After finishing, Michael stood at the door, turned to look at the people in the hall, and said, "I should leave too."
As he spoke, his gaze turned to Selene.
Selene shook her head at him:
"I have something else to say..."
Seeing that Selene had no intention of leaving with him, Michael could only nod, push open the door of the villa, and leave.
"Have a safe journey," Trillian congratulated her.
The villa door closed, and Michael disappeared behind it.
Trillian turned to Selene and asked:
" Selene, is there anything else you want to say?"
Selene took a deep breath and, after much deliberation, asked:
"Can I... come with you?"
Hermione paused for a moment, then explained the practical advantages, disadvantages, and risks:
"Before you return to the Wizarding World with us, there's something I must make clear: the Wizarding World has clear laws and prejudices against dark creatures. Their existence is legally permissible, but social acceptance is difficult. Once their identities are exposed, they'll be targeted by the Department of Control and Management of Magical Creatures, and ordinary wizards will panic and stay away."
"However..." Hermione paused briefly, then changed the subject.
"Now that the Ministry of Magic has a new leadership, the new policies are much more open-minded, and the environment is much more relaxed than before."
Draco added, "The Wizarding World is slowly improving, but it's still far from inclusive. You need to think this through."
Trillian chimed in, " Selene is different. She received Alexander's bloodline modification, which allows her to conceal her original bloodlust and physical characteristics as a vampire. When she doesn't use her powers, she's no different from a normal person."
Upon hearing this,
Hermione looked at Draco and gave him the choice.
Draco was under immense pressure, so he wasn't in a hurry to make a decision.
Selene noticed his hesitation and suddenly spoke up, " Hermione, aren't you going to be Minister for Magic? You'll solve the problem of discrimination against dark creatures then, right?"
This statement aligns well with Hermione's beliefs; she genuinely hopes to promote equal coexistence between wizards and Magical Creatures.
"This is indeed something I've wanted to do for a long time. But it's an extremely risky thing, just like what Marcus did; changing prejudice takes a long time."
Seeing that Hermione didn't directly refuse, Selene immediately offered her services. "I can be a behind-the-scenes advisor; I can step in when it's necessary to negotiate with other dark creatures."
Hermione was somewhat tempted. "The idea has merit. It's certainly easier for you to gain the trust of the dark creatures if you're the one communicating with them. It's difficult for ordinary wizards to do that."
Trillian hadn't expected Selene to be so clever, gaining Hermione's approval so quickly. She chimed in again, "This arrangement is ingenious. With Selene as the middleman, communication with vampires and other dark creatures will be much smoother."
"But I must make it clear beforehand that you will most likely not have a formal public office, title, or power. You will only be able to remain behind the scenes, without fame or merit. Can you accept that?" Hermione said to Selene.
"I don't really care about that." Selene smiled nonchalantly. All she wanted was a foothold. The vampires were powerful enough, but she didn't care about that. All she cared about was revenge.
"Let's leave it at that for now. We can discuss the specifics later." Hermione finally made the decision.
"Thanks..."
From this moment on, Selene finally broke free from the quagmire of vampire conflicts and the war between the two races, and could begin a completely new life in a strange and magical world. She didn't know what awaited her, but she was full of anticipation.