Armenian Forest, a temporary settlement for werewolves.

Birthday wishes?

Having werewolves sing a birthday song for a wizard?

This guy, he really is a mad wizard, beyond saving!

The werewolves glanced at Lockhart, and that thought flashed through their minds in unison.

However, before they could finish processing the thought, a silvery-white light descended from the sky, like the bright moonlight piercing through the forest, quietly hovering in mid-air above the forest clearing. Accompanying it was a sudden, suffocating pressure of wind.

As if an unknown deity was exhaling downwards, the powerful gale buffeted the forest clearing, and the cabin creaked and groaned.

At the edge of the steps of the werewolf cabin, Lockhart stood up and exhaled a long breath of relief.

Even without communication, the fact that Aileen Kaslana had personally come to rescue him proved too much.

At least the alliance of the Great Arcana Council was not a lie, and he was not a "guilty" role to be arbitrarily sacrificed.

"This is... the savior you spoke of? A mysterious, superstitious woman?"

The middle-aged werewolf wizard frowned, glancing at the mysterious girl hovering in mid-air, covered in blue and white magic armor.

A faint light shrouded the mysterious girl's face, and the werewolves squinted, trying their best to see through the light to discern her features.

There was no magic in the wizarding world that allowed free flight, at least not as Macintosh remembered it.

In other words, based solely on the ability to fly freely, this mysterious girl who had arrived following Gilderoy Lockhart's magical fireworks was considered quite dangerous in the eyes of the werewolf wizards. After all, they had not been able to see how she had appeared in the woodland.

Apparition would not be so quiet, nor would it leave a silvery-white trail, let alone carry such a strong wind pressure.

Antillesia Macintosh had only felt that suffocating wind pressure once before:

When a dragon swooped down to the ground!

"Lockhart, what are you doing?! Why didn't you return on your own?!"

Aileen hovered about three meters above the ground, looking at the male wizard below with an icy expression.

"Start explaining within three seconds! If there is any incantation or organized offensive behavior, you will be considered a Level One threat by 'The Fool'."

The magic "mask" not only concealed her face, but also automatically adjusted her voice, so the voice that reached the ears of the werewolves and Lockhart was not her cute loli voice, but a slightly arrogant, cold girl's voice.

While issuing the reprimand, Aileen's "Valkyria" magic protection, warning, and countermeasure systems were all activated.

If Lockhart was captured by the "enemy," or if this was a conspiracy against her and the Hyperion...

Then she would notify the Hyperion to launch a saturation attack at the first opportunity. With such a close-range linear lock, Gilderoy Lockhart wouldn't even have time to cast a spell before being shattered by the "Valkyrie," accelerated to the speed of sound – unlike the other "white-listed" werewolves, Aileen had long since activated the "defense and counterattack" system for all members of the Great Arcana. She could choose to proactively initiate a battle and end the opponent at any time.

Aileen warily scanned her surroundings, her gaze sweeping over the ragged werewolves and Lockhart.

Apart from the few haggard wizards clutching their wands not far away, there didn't seem to be anything in this woodland that could pose a threat to her.

"This is where most of the werewolves in Europe have gathered, including Muggles and wizards..."

Lockhart said quickly, his wand hanging down naturally, not daring to make any movements that might be misunderstood by the young lady.

"The werewolf community has now formed a special social model. If we want to explore the 'Lycanthropy Project,' then compared to starting from scratch or finding other analogies, simultaneously conducting research and treatment in the existing real environment would obviously be more valuable and effective."

"Escaping from this area is very easy, but it will be difficult to encounter such a gathering of werewolves again."

Gilderoy Lockhart spread his hands and said frankly, "The current environment in the magical world is becoming increasingly unfriendly to werewolves, especially after the British Ministry of Magic took the lead in raiding the werewolf community. The werewolves either dispersed and lived alone in hiding, or gathered together to form highly aggressive roaming tribes for self-protection. But the people in this woodland are different. They just want to live like a person again..."

"Get to the point, so—what do you want to do?"

Aileen sized up Lockhart and asked softly, as if lost in thought.

This was probably the most disheveled Lockhart she had ever seen. His golden curls were plastered to his forehead with sweat, his robes still had traces of mud around them, his face was pale, and his body was still trembling unconsciously... clearly, he had just experienced some unpleasant hospitality.

"If we take action, then a stable, normal living area, a monthly supply of Wolfsbane Potion, and even treatment attempts to restore werewolves to humans—in this world, no magic organization other than us can meet these conditions. Even if we can't popularize werewolf treatment in the short term, we can at least provide these werewolves with basic protection—"

"Very well, so what's the reason? Or rather, what's on the other side of the scale?" Aileen shrugged and interrupted Lockhart directly.

"Eh? Scale?" Lockhart blinked, "What scale?"

"The scale of equivalent exchange. Obviously, miracles and magic must be paid for—"

Aileen said coldly, the blue and white magic armor exuding a coldness that was completely different from Lockhart's usual impression.

"We've invested money, time, manpower, and taken risks... so what can we get in return? The werewolves' temporary friendship? A banner from the magical government? A Merlin Order of Merit badge? Forgive me for speaking frankly, the cost of treating and protecting a werewolf is enough to help a hundred innocent and lovely Ukrainian Muggle girls. If you want to be a 'hero,' perhaps you could consider some simpler, more cost-effective methods."

"But..."

"Did they actively ask you for help, hoping to get protection from the Great Arcana Council?"

"No."

"Then, apart from turning them into werewolves every month, does lycanthropy take their lives like 'Wizard's Woe'?"

"Probably... not, I think."

"One last question, during the majority of the time when they're not transformed, do werewolves have intellectual disabilities or physical disabilities that you believe prevent them from surviving without protection? If werewolves were really that weak and pitiful, they would have ceased to exist long ago."

Under Aileen's series of questions, the smile on Lockhart's face began to disappear for the first time tonight.

The young male wizard's lips moved, as if wanting to argue or refute something, but ultimately said nothing.

"Very well, it seems we've quickly reached an agreement again."

Aileen glanced at Gilderoy Lockhart and continued, as if there was no one else around.

"You still know how to Apparate, right? Coordinates, Aghashian's residence, we'll meet there and board the ship to leave. As for the punishment for your impulsive behavior this time, as well as subsequent cleanup and handover work, it will soon be submitted to the Great Arcana Council for discussion."

"But, this opportunity—I mean, the opportunity for most of the werewolves in Europe to gather in one place..."

"So are you working for the International Confederation of Wizards?"

Aileen frowned slightly, her peripheral vision sweeping over the surrounding dark mass of werewolves, and said softly, unmoved.

"It's rare, but for us, it's meaningless—if we want, we can attract several times more werewolves than this at any time, and in a legitimate way, without any need for concealment, do you understand my meaning? Mr. Lockhart."

"Now, please leave this dangerous area immediately... that's an order, in the name of 'The Fool'."

Looking at Lockhart, who seemed to still want to say something, Aileen waved her hand impatiently.

In fact, if it hadn't been for rational restraint, after realizing that Lockhart had "cleverly" issued a "highest level" false alarm, Aileen almost couldn't help but execute the rescue according to the "Russian Rescue Manual"—the Heavenly Mandate was almost about to start a war over this.

As the final ultimatum was issued, the runes around the Valkyria magic armor began to flicker one by one.

Just as a certain Dark Lord had guessed, Aileen's mood could be said to be quite bad right now.

She had been wandering in the skies above the Armenian Forest for more than an hour, secretly infiltrating and summoning armies, countless wizards and goblins, all running at high speed because of the alarm triggered by the destruction of the "Hanged Man" insignia. The Hyperion, the Heavenly Mandate Group, and the Gringotts Wizarding Bank had all initiated wartime preparations, and all of this was caused by... some idiot cleverly triggering the alarm, wanting to be a hero...

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Hooray!