Play to His Preferences

After ending his call with Draco, Lucius was still somewhat dazed. To be precise, even now, he still found it hard to believe what he had learned from that conversation, yet it explained so many things he had never been able to understand before.

"So there really are other worlds, and they intend to use this world as a center for cultivating talent? No, as a base for early education?"

Lucius was no fool. On the contrary, his mind was exceptionally sharp. From Draco’s scattered words alone, he had already analyzed many things, including Josh’s purpose. Though he knew Josh had never intended to hide anything from them.

"What enviable confidence."

In Lucius’s eyes, Josh’s willingness to reveal all this so freely was clearly a display of confidence. An attitude that simply did not care what they might do, born from absolute faith in his own strength. Lucius did not find it strange at all; if Josh lacked such confidence, people would only look down on him.

At the same time, he greatly envied that old man Dumbledore. Through his connections, Lucius had figured out how Josh had entered Hogwarts and become a professor—and even a Head of House. But after learning the truth, he had nearly been angered to the point of crooked nostrils.

Back then, Josh had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, then gone to Hogwarts to teach because he had run out of money and needed to earn some. Lucius had wondered why those two young nobles had fallen so low, and he had even disdained to make their acquaintance.

But everything changed afterward, because on the first day of school, Josh had killed that Dark Lord and the Professor Quirrell he possessed with a single move! The incident caused an enormous stir throughout the wizarding world. Everyone knew how formidable the Dark Lord had been. Even though the Potter couple had accidentally killed him with a protective charm, no one believed he would be unable to return.

And the facts proved that he had returned. Yet such a person could not even withstand a single spell from someone else. One could imagine the sheer panic this had caused among those nobles who worshipped him. Fortunately for them, the young professor who had killed Voldemort did not seem to seek revenge against people like them afterward, allowing them to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Yes, only a slight sigh of relief. That young professor then came up with a cultivation method called meditation! And this damned cultivation method actually allowed wizards to see Magic elements. One had to know that, in their world, not even Merlin had ever possessed Magic elements!

Magic elements could drastically increase the power of spells. Lucius knew that, from that moment onward, those who possessed Magic elements could no longer be called wizards. They should be called mages! Josh apparently shared the same thought, for he proposed exactly that afterward.

"This has completely changed the entire wizarding world!"

Yes, though mages and wizards were both spellcasters by nature, once mages possessed Magic elements, the combat power they displayed utterly crushed that of wizards. Even all the nobles in the wizarding world could not deny this.

Leaving aside the idiots Josh had killed or crippled for causing trouble, even those whom Dumbledore had disciplined after Josh left understood that this situation could not be reversed. If people had once debated whether Josh was Merlin reincarnated, now everyone would conclude that Josh was an existence who had completely surpassed Merlin.

Meditation not only allowed people to obtain Magic elements, but also refined the quality of one’s magic power. There were many clever people in this world, and from Dumbledore’s surging vitality, they had arrived at the conclusion closest to the truth—once the quality of magic power improved, it nourished one’s life force in return!

The entire wizarding world went mad over this! Yet there was nothing they could do. Even if they joined forces, they were no match for Josh. Dumbledore had already been powerful before, but now he was even more terrifying. And despite being so terrifying, Dumbledore himself admitted that he was no match for Josh!

What terrified them most was that even Snape, whom everyone in their circle knew as the Dark Lord’s most "loyal servant," seemed to have changed sides. Some nobles had hoped to obtain the meditation method through Snape, only for Snape to keep his deadpan expression and directly hit them with a spell.

The result was that those people were beaten unconscious.

Although their children had obtained the meditation method, what drove them to despair was that their children had been placed under a spell that prevented them from speaking or writing it down. No matter the form, they could not convey it. The children could only cultivate on their own, and it had nothing to do with their parents.

Terror and unease. These negative emotions constantly lingered in the hearts of every noble who had followed, or had any connection with, the Dark Lord. They had even mobilized all their resources to find Josh’s family, hoping to submit to them and obtain this method, but no matter what they did, they could not find them.

Have you abandoned us, Merlin?

That had been the cry in their hearts at the time. Lucius included, he had sighed like that more than once. But now Lucius knew the truth. Josh was not from this world at all. He came from a broader world, a greater world.

He did not doubt in the slightest that Josh could find Voldemort and kill him for good. He even rather agreed with Josh’s description of Voldemort as a troublesome rat. Indeed, Voldemort now was like a rat hiding everywhere, unable to give his followers even the slightest bit of confidence.

"If we could acknowledge the Dark Lord as our master, then for the survival of our families, why can’t we acknowledge someone stronger as our master?"

Lucius seemed to have made a great decision. He immediately entered a secret chamber and used the spell he had used to speak with Draco to contact the heads of several families whose interests were tied to his. Though he wanted to submit alone, he could not offer Josh any real benefit by himself.

Without benefits, he would receive little attention. In that case, Lucius had only one option: connect with several families on good terms with him, families that controlled certain key resources, tell them these "secrets" about Josh, and submit to Josh together with them.

Most importantly, these families all had some ties to the Dark Lord. They likewise feared Josh’s existence and hoped to obtain the meditation method. Naturally, they were also extremely wealthy and had vast connections in every field. That was why Lucius had chosen them.

"What is it, Mr. Malfoy? Why have you called for me? Oh, these gentlemen are here as well? It seems you have something important to discuss with us."

Soon, three phantoms appeared before Lucius. Some looked quite old, while others merely appeared middle-aged. Yet the aristocratic air about them was intense. Every one of them behaved and spoke with impeccable refinement and gentility.

"Of course. If it were not important, I would not have summoned all of you."

Lucius spoke with a bitter smile. To be honest, if there had been even the slightest alternative, he would not have wanted to do this, because compared to them, he was truly insignificant. He had even anticipated that if they submitted to Josh, his family might only rank after these three.

Still, he quickly adjusted his mindset. Maintaining his poise and a solemn expression, he told the three of them everything he had learned from Draco, as well as everything he had inferred. As Lucius continued speaking, the impatience in their expressions gradually turned into gravity and shock.

"Good heavens, can you swear by the most vicious oath that everything you said is true?"

"Of course. If there is even the slightest lie or concealment in my words, then I and my family will be cursed forever!"

Without changing expression, Lucius uttered a poisonous oath. He dared to make such an oath because he had no intention of concealing anything. Since he intended to speak with these three, hiding anything would inevitably bring retaliation. These three were not people he could challenge.

"If what you say is true, then it truly is the best explanation."

An elderly-looking wizard spoke first. He was the head of the Philips family and also the most authoritative former Minister among the Law enforcer ranks. Though he had long since retired, no one could rival his connections within the Law enforcer force.

"Indeed. Just thinking about it is terrifying. Whether in strength or age, he is utterly beyond comparison."

This was a middle-aged man in wizarding robes. He was the leader of the Austere family and also the Minister of Education. Though the Department of Education was under the Ministry of Magic’s jurisdiction, it remained independent of the Ministry of Magic. The teaching resources and connections in his hands were frighteningly extensive.

"And meditation. This is simply not something that should exist in this world. It seems that Dark Lord truly is no match for him. If he says he can kill him, then he really can kill him."

This one was a somewhat plump man, a former Minister of the Ministry of Magic. It could be said that every Minister of Magic after him was either his man or part of his faction. Had Josh not intervened, his faction would not have collapsed until after Voldemort’s downfall, which was what later allowed Hermione to become Minister of Magic.

"Most importantly, Josh Augustus, this prince from another world, seems to be rather friendly toward Muggles. In his eyes, we are practically nothing. That is not a good sign. We are in an extremely passive position right now. Although he has not done anything to us yet, we cannot rule out the possibility that, after dealing with the Dark Lord, he may settle accounts with us."

Lucius spoke with a solemn expression. "And even if he has no interest in settling accounts with us, do not forget that Dumbledore has now essentially pledged himself entirely to this lord. If Dumbledore intends to settle accounts with us then, this lord may agree with or tacitly approve of his actions because Dumbledore helped him cultivate mages. We will be in great danger!"

"That is indeed not alarmist."

"What should we do now?"

"Tell us why you called us, Mr. Malfoy. I presume you intend for us to join you in pledging ourselves to that lord, correct?"

"Yes, gentlemen." Lucius swallowed. He rather enjoyed being watched by three people of such high status, but it also made him feel immense pressure.

"I learned from my son that this lord intends to meet with the royal family of the Muggle world alongside Dumbledore, and that he apparently plans to purchase a football club. I also learned that this lord has established an alliance in another, more advanced world and sent Dumbledore there. He needs a large number of administrators."

"So you intend for us to join you in playing to his preferences?"

"We should show friendliness toward Muggles—or rather, from now on, we must make everyone believe that we have never rejected Muggles."

"And after contacting him, express our willingness to help ease his burden while showing our loyalty, then send our best people to assist Dumbledore in managing that new alliance?"

"Yes, gentlemen."

Lucius nodded. They were all intelligent people, and they had immediately grasped nearly everything that could be thought of. As for the smaller details, there was no need to mention them, because only by doing better could one show that one was a person who paid attention to detail.

"We understand. Thank you, Mr. Malfoy. Whether this succeeds or not, we will never forget the help you have given us!"