“Leos! What is going on?! Didn't you say everything was under control?!”

“Esteemed Elders, the decision to directly consume the Hogwarts contract was made after a vote by the entire Elder Council. Since such a thing has occurred, the possibility of a break in the financial chain should have been clear to everyone. Moreover, haven't all our past financial wars been won in this way...?”

Leos clenched his fist, coughed twice, and the icy expression on his face was gone.

“The specific financial statements in this regard have been preemptively removed from the archives by me. This is also to prevent malicious people from taking advantage of Gringotts' vacancy. Apart from Baug, the Deputy Director of the former Venture Capital Department, no one has yet realized the problems with cash flow…

“…Perhaps in these days, someone will notice Baug's abnormal mental state. Furthermore, after the news of Baug's suspension is released today, it will inevitably trigger even more discussion. But fortunately, Baug has always been cautious. Even if he had detected some abnormalities in the accounts before, he wouldn't have publicized them before reaching a conclusion.”

“Of course, I guess at first he might have held a bit of luck, but as the amount of capital invested has increased during this period, even if he hadn't rummaged through the files, he would have felt some of the problems... Thanks to Baug's actions, we can be considered to have plugged the last loophole. Even if someone comes to investigate again, they will no longer be able to find any clues.”

“Is that so…”

At the huge circular goblin Elder Council table, Grand Elder Gloin frowned, his long, sharp nails tapping lightly on the table. A hint of hesitant gloom flashed across his aged cheeks.

“Well done, Leos. You have not disappointed the Gringotts Elder Council's trust in you…”

The Gringotts Goblin Elder Council is the core class that has secretly controlled the direction of the goblin race for thousands of years. Rather than a senior advisory group, it is the ruling class hidden in the shadows since the goblin king was killed by human wizards.

Leos, who came from the Venture Capital Department as the former minister, was originally not qualified to join this level.

However, the Gringotts Goblin Elder Council took into account Leos' outstanding performance in several financial investments more than a hundred years ago, and also considered that the resources he controlled had gradually threatened the Gringotts shares held by the Elder Council, so he was exceptionally made the thirteenth Elder of the Goblin Elder Council.

“However…” Chief Grand Elder Gloin pondered for a few seconds, exchanged a glance with the two old goblins around him, crossed his slender, bony fingers, and said slowly and deliberately, “After all, it has caused some unrest…”

Both Douglas and Baug were elite goblins promoted by Leos.

Although Leos now follows the opinion of the Gringotts Elder Council and dealt with these two dangerous seeds, it also allowed him to return to the helm of the Venture Capital Department. Having experienced those world-shattering war gambles, they were all very clear about how unsettling the ambition and gambling nature of that “young” Goblin Thirteenth Elder at the end of the round table were.

“What do you intend to do with those little fellows who raise objections or pry into secrets?”

“As I reported to the Elder Council before, I dismissed them from their posts at the first opportunity, completely blocked the news, sealed their workplaces, destroyed all draft documents, and put them all under control in Vault 997…”

“But…they will eventually come out, when things calm down…”

Gloin frowned, sighed slowly, and looked at Leos meaningfully, without saying anything more.

The situation in recent days gave them a very bad feeling, as if some extremely dangerous force had been secretly spying on the gold in the Gringotts vaults. Thinking about it carefully, it ultimately fell on the Venture Capital Department.

As the only bank in the wizarding world, with the right to mint and issue Galleons, and shares in dozens of large Muggle commercial banks, Gringotts Wizarding Bank should not have any opponents - unless the threat comes from within themselves.

The empty and cold underground hall fell into a strange silence. The twelve goblin elders who controlled the actual operation of Gringotts stopped talking and doing things in their hands and turned their attention to the thirteenth elder with the least qualifications standing at the end of the round table.

“…I, understand.”

Leos grinned, revealing his sharp teeth, and answered in a low voice with an unchanged expression.

“Since Douglas and the others have abandoned the interests of the Gringotts goblins, then they are not worth continuing to consume our valuable resources… Rest assured, I will take care of all this. They will no longer be a problem for you.”

“That would naturally be the best…”

“After this incident is over, give the head position to Ras. After all, it seems that he is the right one. As for your side, the Gringotts Council will reward you with 1% to 5% of the equity based on the final profit…”

“Yes, then I will go to clean up the storage space of Vault 997.”

Leos bowed respectfully, holding his cane and slowly walking out.

Before receiving the emergency meeting of the Gringotts Goblin Elder Council, he had already imagined the worst-case scenario. After all, the world has changed too quickly in recent years. Neither goblins nor Muggles were fully prepared.

As for the current result, it can be considered that he has not wasted his efforts over the past century.

Walking out of the cold and spacious underground council hall, not far away was the hub channel leading to the Venture Capital Department, Overseas Strategy Department, Relics Survey Department, and other core departments. For thousands of years, the Gringotts Goblin Council, located in the core position, was like a heart that never stopped, constantly sending orders to departments in all directions, driving the goblins to exist tenaciously in the world.

Therefore, when Leos received the notice more than a hundred years ago and stood at this fork in the road, the sense of accomplishment and pride in his heart can be imagined – as a goblin of Gringotts Wizarding Bank, being able to set foot in the class of the Elder Council and have the hope of becoming the final leader, this can be said to be the greatest dream and luck of all goblins.

But at this moment, he stroked the gold coin carving on his cane, his heart was cold and peaceful.

Whether it is the Gringotts Elder Council, the goblin traitors of North America, or those selfish and short-sighted idiots in the Venture Capital Department…

If he could be given another two hundred years, Leos might have the confidence to slowly sit on the position of Chief Elder, and then spend the rest of his life to change all of this - however, the time left for him and the goblins is running out.

The wizarding civilization is gradually declining, and magic is slowly dying.

As a long-lived species, Leos can clearly foresee that in the next one hundred, two hundred, or perhaps a little longer, the collision between the non-magical world and the magical world will definitely occur. At that time, the goblins who control the common wealth of the two worlds will become the first to be divided…

War needs interests, and war needs fuel, and goblins - happen to have both.

The goblins in America saw all this, so they chose to surrender, placing all their future on the whim of the bureaucrats of the Magical Congress of the United States. Fortunately, they here, have a second option...

“Elder Leos, sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go?”

Two goblins in dark red magic armor came to Leos's side, nodded respectfully, and said in a muffled voice.

Each goblin held a long scythe stained with black and red marks in their hands. Unlike the common goblins' yellow-green skin, the skin of these two goblins was particularly dark. There was a hint of sulfur in their speech - the Black Heliopaths do exist, but they are not the secret army of stupid wizard bureaucrats, but the secret executioners of Gringotts.

“Okay, let's go… I also have something to say to my former subordinates and students…”

Leos nodded, showing a cold smile, with a flash of heat in his eyes.

Just like back then, when facing that short Muggle from Corsica, he completed the greatest war investment in Gringotts history, against all odds, earning the capital that allowed the goblins to stand tall for nearly a century after several rebellions.

And now…

Leos touched the small women's wallet in his arms…

The Devil's… contract?