As Lucius was still reeling from his discovery, exhilaration tangled with fear, Midgard suddenly appeared in his study, Leonard at her side with his appearance fully disguised.
The two of them fell into silence, their expressions strange, as if they wanted to laugh but didn't quite dare.
Why did Lucius look as though he'd lost his mind? Had he been so happy he'd gone stupid?
"Lord Malfoy, it seems killing those Death Eaters really did make you quite happy," Leonard said, arching a brow as he spoke in a thin, sharp voice.
Polyjuice Potion altered the drinker's voice along with their appearance. Leonard only needed to make a slight adjustment while speaking to turn Professor Flitwick's shrill tone into that of a different goblin altogether.
The sudden voice snapped Lucius out of his daze. He jerked his head up and nearly leapt out of his chair when he saw Midgard and Leonard standing in front of him.
"Mr. Ranrok… you… why are you here?" Lucius stammered.
"Oh? Is there some reason I shouldn't be?" Leonard cast him a sideways glance, the savage pressure of his presence bearing down so heavily that Lucius found it hard to breathe.
"N-no, that's not what I meant. I was asking about the Death Eaters," Lucius hurried to explain, afraid Leonard might think him unwelcome. "I was just worried they might escape and delay your… plans."
"Escape? With their abilities?" Leonard let out a cold laugh. "Trying to flee from my darlings? They're not qualified for that. Relax. They're all dead."
"Dead… all of them?" Lucius's eyes went wide with shock, and he instinctively looked toward the grandfather clock in the study.
It was 11:05 p.m.
He had sent those wizards off with Portkeys to the location Ranrok specified at exactly eleven.
Five minutes.
In just five minutes, dozens of wizards had been killed?
What kind of joke was this? Even slaughtering dozens of pigs wouldn't be that fast.
Even with the Killing Curse, raising and lowering a wand alone would make it impossible to kill that many wizards in such a short time. What method had Ranrok used to wipe out those Death Eaters?
Lucius was curious, even disbelieving, but he didn't dare voice it. The one standing before him was the most dangerous goblin alive, someone who could kill him with a flick of a hand.
Even now, Lucius still had no idea what kind of magic Ranrok had used earlier to subdue him and his wife.
"Yes, all dead. Other than the ones in Azkaban, Voldemort is practically on his own now. Without those Death Eaters on the outside, unless Voldemort personally intervenes, his loyal followers will never escape Azkaban," Leonard said with a twisted smile. "All right, Lord Malfoy. Your goal has been achieved. What do you intend to do now?"
Lucius's heart sank.
He understood instantly. This was about payment.
That was only natural. He hadn't fully become the other party's subordinate yet, and Ranrok clearly wanted a pledge of loyalty.
A pledge meant there was no turning back.
Voldemort's requirement for his Death Eaters had always been simple. Once deemed worthy, they were branded with the Dark Mark, a curse that could never be removed.
With the Dark Mark upon you, everyone knew you were a Death Eater. There was no retreat.
Back then, Lucius had been stubborn, clinging to the Imperius Curse, another Unforgivable Curse, and had turned that troublesome pledge into something of a farce.
But he'd already used that trick once.
Trying it again in front of a goblin who despised betrayal would be suicidal.
So what could he offer this time?
Lucius thought for a moment, then an idea struck him.
"Mr. Ranrok," he said respectfully, "I'm willing to offer three estates in exchange for your help in removing my Dark Mark."
Whether it was the three estates or the removal of the Dark Mark, both were, in essence, pledges of loyalty. A single estate was worth around fifteen thousand Galleons. Three meant forty-five thousand. Considering that Midgard had nearly winced herself sick when buying a small estate before, this offer was more than sincere.
Yet compared to the significance of removing the Dark Mark, the money was almost trivial. This meant Lucius was prepared to completely sever ties with Voldemort and swear absolute loyalty to Ranrok.
It was an extremely tempting offer.
And it left Leonard in a bind.
He had no idea how to remove a Dark Mark. That wasn't his field at all.
He couldn't exactly rip the marked flesh off, could he? That would be laughably crude, and Lucius would defect on the spot.
But he also couldn't ignore it. Lucius was openly declaring his loyalty. Remaining silent would be insulting.
Leonard's mind spun rapidly, searching for a solution, and soon an idea surfaced.
Perhaps Magic Sight could reveal something. If that failed, he'd have to find an excuse to stall.
"I understand your intentions, and I recognize your sincerity," Leonard said in Ranrok's voice. "As for the estates, give them to Midgard. I don't need them. As for the Dark Mark…"
He lowered his gaze, hiding the silver vortex flaring briefly in his eyes, and looked through his hood and lashes toward Lucius's arm.
There, etched into his skin, was a pitch-black magical mark, savage and oppressive.
...
Staring at the mark, which seemed almost alive, Leonard frowned faintly.
With a single look, he understood. He couldn't remove the Dark Mark.
It was bound directly to the caster's life. Unless the caster himself drank it away, the mark clung like a bone-deep parasite, impossible to remove.
So even Magic Sight was useless…
Leonard closed his Magic Sight and spoke calmly. "As for the Dark Mark, there's no rush. Voldemort isn't dead yet. If he returns, he'll definitely use this magic to summon his Death Eaters. I still need you to keep watch on him."
Lucius's expression cleared at once. "I see. I understand, Mr. Ranrok."
"That's all for now. You can put your grudges aside for the time being. Once Voldemort returns, you'll have your chance for revenge," Leonard said as he turned to leave. "Send everything to Midgard. And if you receive any news or intelligence, pass it to her. She'll contact me."
"Understood. Please rest assured…" As Leonard's back retreated, Lucius clenched his teeth and suddenly spoke up. "Um, Mr. Ranrok, please wait."
Leonard paused. In that brief instant, he mentally replayed everything he'd said and done, checking for any slip-ups. Finding none, he turned back.
"What is it?"
"It's just a small, personal curiosity," Lucius said carefully. "May I ask… is the Philosopher's Stone in your possession?"
In that moment, Leonard had already decided where to bury Lucius.