Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the main hall.

The bright sunlight was shut out by the marble halls. The goblins standing in the center of the bank's main hall gradually wore grim expressions, as if an invisible rope was slowly tightening around their necks.

"Well, with some effort, Gringotts can indeed stall for quite a while... whether it's admitting Gringotts' default or making the original contract public. But that would undoubtedly lead to a significant reduction in the bank's value. It would take some effort to recover to the current level afterwards. After all, inheriting a complete Gringotts is easier than rebuilding it from ruins..."

The goblin Douglas said calmly, his voice not loud, but clear enough for everyone to hear.

"Venture capital... the most valuable thing is information..."

The middle-aged goblin paused, a rather complex look flashing across his face, and said softly.

"However, you may not have paid attention to an insignificant piece of news. At this very moment, a public trial is underway in Hogwarts Castle, and the defendant is also a wizard who has 'returned from the dead' - Peter Pettigrew."

"What does the wizards' trial have to do with Gringotts..."

"As far as I know, Peter Pettigrew is a deeply hidden Death Eater who has been secretly lurking in Hogwarts since the fall of the Dark Lord. He even stole the Slytherin family's land deed not long ago – yes, the one currently stored in the vault below. Tsk, what a truly heinous person..."

Amid the increasingly twisted and ferocious expressions of the Gringotts goblin elders' council, Douglas shook his head unhurriedly.

"Oh, I know you have a lot to say right now, but don't rush to refute me. Listen patiently to the rest of the story before asking questions. Peter Pettigrew is an incredibly cunning conspirator, and mortgaging Hogwarts is only the first step in his revenge against the wizarding world. Not long ago, he committed an even more egregious act."

"This morning, Aurors from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement found the registration information for the 'American Magical Federal Reserve System' store in Knockturn Alley. The signature of the legal representative at the end of the contract is Peter Pettigrew. Of course, such a huge scam cannot be carried out by Peter Pettigrew alone... Worst of all, more than one wizard happened to see goblins in Knockturn Alley during that time..."

At this point, Douglas gave the Chief Elder Groin, who was standing at the front, a meaningful look, and shrugged his shoulders with a nonchalant expression. "Of course, these goblins were secretly executed by Gringotts long ago - but I guess most goblins look pretty much the same to human wizards, right? Sorry, I've never been good at hiding my whereabouts."

"This simple and crude attempt to frame us is full of loopholes..."

Groin sneered through gritted teeth, staring intently at Douglas, as if seeing this goblin clearly for the first time.

"Simple, but exceptionally effective, Elder."

Douglas replied calmly, and pointed casually at the spacious and bright marble hall.

"What does Gringotts Wizarding Bank represent in the wizarding world? Galleons and goblins. And we goblins symbolize financial activities themselves in the eyes of wizards. This financial scam involving all wizards, even without any evidence, goblins and Gringotts are the primary suspects. Not to mention, the wizards have a perfect reason."

Pausing slightly, Douglas looked up at the goblins in front of him who represented the past will of Gringotts, sighed, with no joy on his face, and continued in a heavy and clear tone.

"Under the influence of Veritaserum, Peter Pettigrew should have confessed to all his crimes, which not only includes betraying friends, joining the dark forces, mortgaging Hogwarts, and creating financial scams... but also includes proposing that Gringotts use forged mortgage contracts to frame ordinary Hogwarts students, and that there is support from goblins behind this scam... All the evidence, testimonies, and witnesses all point to the same result, and all the judges will be stakeholders."

Slowly, despair began to appear on the faces of the goblin elders and executives.

But Douglas couldn't help but sigh again, and said the final conclusion in a calm tone.

"Without a doubt, if all the crimes are pinned on Gringotts, then the next thing the goblins will face will not be an orderly bank run... Wizards have never trusted goblins. We have had more than one or two wars with wizards over the years, but if this one breaks out, it may very well be the last one..."

The middle-aged goblin's voice did not fluctuate much from beginning to end. It seemed as if he was completely detached, telling such a story calmly from the perspective of an observer.

In fact, this is the only thing he can do now.

This is the most absurd, the most crude, and also the most terrible negotiation he has ever experienced in so many years—if this meeting with Gringotts can be considered a negotiation. All the cards were almost generously displayed in front of the opponents, even including future methods and some previous conspiracy designs.

However, even if the goblins now know all this, clearly understand every link and every step of the trap set by Aeliana Kaslana, and know what is about to happen in the future, there is no way to stop the tide from crashing over.

As the helmsman of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, as the core leadership of the goblins, the goblins present may still be bound by the current era in terms of vision and thinking, but after Douglas gradually stripped everything away and stacked it in front of them one by one, they almost instantly understood the ending they were about to face.

This is not a huge loss, internal split, or faction change that allows for a buffer, but a catastrophe hanging over their heads like the Sword of Damocles, about to fall.

Wizards have never trusted goblins...

Exterminating the goblins, all the wizards need is a reason...

Colluding with dark forces, creating panic, and swindling away most of the wizarding world's wealth...

One seemingly independent event and piece of information combined together...

Douglas stood up and slowly walked between the various counters in the hall, his fingers quietly stroking the mottled wooden counters that were possibly older than him, waiting for the other goblins to digest the content just now.

After a while, the middle-aged goblin walked up to the elders and said in a heavy tone.

"At this point, the truth is no longer the most important thing. The number of wizards in the wizarding world who harbor malice towards goblins and Gringotts far exceeds those who are close to us. Before I arrived at Gringotts, the public trial had already begun, and all the content would spread quickly throughout the wizarding world. There is no room for recovery."

"However... it is not a good thing to let the angry wizards destroy Gringotts. Whether as a currency issuer or a circulation and return channel, there must be a bank after all. Completely smashing it and rebuilding it would cause a considerable period of chaos in the wizarding world's financial market... This is a very heavy price for a civilization."

"So, according to Miss's intention, she still hopes to resolve all these matters before everything becomes unmanageable."

Douglas paused and nodded to the goblins around him.

"As you all know, time is indeed very tight, but this is also to help Gringotts make a decision as soon as possible. In order to cope with this difficulty, many arrangements after taking over Gringotts still require the cooperation of everyone present, otherwise the final result will not change much..."

"Of course, the most important thing is the sincerity of Gringotts and our goblins. This is what Miss values the most."

"I remember that at the beginning, I said it once, and then I reminded you once, so now this is the third and last time to urge you – this is not a commercial negotiation, and there is no room for bargaining. There is not much time left for Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Once the tide of angry wizards starts to take shape, even if there are two Albus Dumbledores, they may not be able to control it."

"And the wisest choice is not to ask too many whys, but to quickly comply with Miss's next arrangements, so that all processes are smooth, and all orders do not encounter any delays or negligence. After all, for the wizards, if Gringotts does not cooperate, they have an even simpler way... although it will be much more troublesome afterwards."

Douglas sighed and swept his gaze across the face of each goblin.

All of the above content is the task that Aeliana Kaslana has assigned him this week. He has said everything he had to say, and now all he can do is hope that everything goes according to the best possible outcome.

As the Chief Financial Officer of Destiny, he only received one promise.

When everything becomes chaotic, Destiny Group promises to shelter a small number of Gringotts goblins, as the last spark of the goblins, and safely avoid the wrath of the wizards as lifelong employees of Destiny Group.

"So... you're finding an empress for the goblins and Gringotts...?"

"From a more optimistic perspective, that's about it."

Douglas nodded and glanced around at the wizards standing on the periphery of the "goblin group."

"This is a vast force beyond your imagination. Although it may be subject to a lot of control and interference in the future, from a good perspective, at least Gringotts has chosen a more promising force than the Ministry of Magic... When interests are tied together, even the Minister of Magic will no longer be able to threaten Gringotts... We have lost so thoroughly, those stupid and incompetent bureaucrats will only be more pitiful if they reach out their claws..."

Chief Elder Groin trembled and looked at Douglas and the wizards around him, opened his mouth, and said nothing, but the old goblin's eyes had almost answered all of Douglas's questions.

Looking at this old goblin who has been in charge of Gringotts Wizarding Bank for nearly two hundred years, Douglas murmured.

"Anyway, I'm very happy if you can understand all this..."

"Then..."

After a moment of silence, Elder Groin looked at the former Head of Venture Capital of Gringotts, who was much younger and more vibrant than him, and asked in a low voice, as if every word exhausted all his strength.

"After entrusting Gringotts, the entire Gringotts Wizarding Bank, including so many goblins, to that Aeliana Kaslana... can she protect all the gold and goblins, and defeat those traitors..."

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Wuwu... my home network crashed, both wireless and 4g can't connect, now I barely connected to 4g hotspot to send it out...