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Chapter 1609: A War Without Victors (Fifty-Nine)
Chapter 1609: A War Without Victors (Fifty-Nine)
However, Mr. Weasley steered the evening's conversation towards a different direction, eventually leading to the topic of providing electricity to Avalon.
The clash between magic and electricity became a heated discussion among the group.
It was only when Mrs. Weasley asserted her authority that everyone was finally sent back to their rooms to rest, bringing an end to the lengthy debate.
Lying in bed, Hermione found herself unable to fall asleep, not because of the earlier discussion about magic and electricity, but due to her hesitation about responding to the letter she had received.
After a internal struggle, Hermione sat up in bed, picked up the enchanted bookmark and her wand from the table, and decided to reply to the sender.
Procrastinating would only make the situation worse; it was time to address the issue.
Isobel had sent her that letter as a gesture of her willingness to resolve the matter amicably.
What surprised Hermione was the speed of Isobel's response, which was faster than she had anticipated.
Just as she was about to close her eyes to rest, the words on the enchanted bookmark changed once more.
Furthermore, to prevent the bookmark from falling into the wrong hands, Isobel replied in a secret code that only she could understand:
"I am aware of your situation. Don't worry, I'm not angry. You are not the first, nor will you be the last. Therefore, I do not mind your existence. However, now that you have accepted that identity, you must also shoulder the corresponding responsibilities. In this world, there are no benefits without sacrifices, and the price you must pay is not something you cannot accept."
"What price must I pay?" Hermione asked.
"Your loyalty."
The words that appeared on the bookmark left Hermione stunned.
"Loyalty?"
With the faint light from her wand, Hermione examined the new words that had materialized on the bookmark, murmuring, "My loyalty?"
She understood what this loyalty implied, and she could also comprehend why Isobel would consider this a reasonable price.
However...
It was rather unexpected.
"Is it the loyalty that I think it is?" Hermione inquired, using her wand to modify the text on the bookmark once more.
"Yes, your loyalty," came the reply, as the bookmark calmly displayed the words once more. "To ensure your loyalty, a magical contract must be formed, and that is the price you must pay."
"Are you willing to pay that price?"
"Is that the price?" Hermione whispered.
To be honest, Hermione had never considered leaving Albert.
She loved him.
That was indisputable.
However, she couldn't understand why this would become the so-called price that Isobel had mentioned.
It piqued her curiosity.
"What if I'm unwilling?" Hermione countered.
"It will be considered a forfeit."
There was a slight delay in the response on the bookmark, perhaps indicating that the person on the other end was surprised by the question.
"If you truly don't want to accept it, then I suggest you give up as soon as possible and forget it as a beautiful dream."
"This is not a test, and no one needs such tests. You should be clear about that."
"Is this your decision?"
Hermione fell silent.
"I am willing, but what will I get in return?"
"If you accept your new identity, what you will gain will far outweigh your sacrifice."
"How do we form the contract?"
Hermione could almost envision the woman with a slight curve of her lips.
If it were indeed Isobel, she would certainly not want any other woman vying for the same man, as that was something she would find intolerable.
Thus, Hermione was curious about what had made Isobel so magnanimous.
"We will need to meet in person, preferably before the shop opens."
"Why before the shop opens?"
Hermione seemed to have guessed something, and her suspicion was soon confirmed.
"Because you are not the last."
"I suggest you drop by on the day the store opens."
"To be frank, you don't have much of an advantage."
That night, Hermione couldn't fall asleep.
The next morning, Hermione didn't stay long at Avalon before leaving alone for the cafe she had arranged to meet at the night before.
Katrina was already there, and the two sisters were whispering to each other. Their elegant and serene auras immediately put Hermione on edge.
Hermione had never considered herself unattractive, but she now regretted not putting more effort into her appearance for this meeting; she felt completely outshone.
She groaned inwardly! "I believe this is our first official meeting." Isobel smiled and greeted her.
"I was fortunate enough to attend your wedding to Albert," Hermione nodded stiffly, "so this should indeed be our first formal meeting."
"I'm glad you came," Katrina smiled. "Would you like a cup of coffee? They make a decent cappuccino here."
"Are we going to talk here?" Hermione asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course not," Isobel reassured her, "we'll move to a more private location soon. For now, we just thought you might need a cup of coffee or tea to calm your nerves."
"You're very tense."
"Oh, thank you."
Hermione ordered a cup of coffee for herself and took small sips to steady her nerves.
Normally, Hermione wouldn't be this nervous, but Isobel's presence was overwhelming.
It wasn't entirely due to facing the main love interest, but more so because her aura felt completely suppressed in Isobel's presence, and she had the nagging feeling that Isobel could see right through her, a discomfort that even the Obliviate spell couldn't erase.
"I'm not angry."
Isobel calmly slid a few photos towards Hermione.
"Because I knew it would happen sooner or later."
"These are..."
Hermione looked at the beautiful girls in the photos and suddenly felt inferior.
"They are..." she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"Their situations are similar to yours, but they weren't as lucky as you to succeed so quickly," Isobel said, clearly pleased with the expression on Hermione's face. "There's a brief introduction about each of them on the back of the photos."
As expected, they were the owners of the Wizarding Beauty Shops. Hermione had suspected as much the night before.
"They are, too?"
Hermione was indeed shocked by the number and quality of Albert's lovers. No wonder Isobel had said she had no advantage; it seemed she was lagging behind.
The one thing Hermione couldn't quite understand was why Isobel allowed this situation.
"It's better to divert than to block."
As if reading her mind, Isobel smiled and explained, "Besides, it's a matter of mutual interest."
Mutual interest?
So, the worldwide chain of Wizarding Beauty Shops had something to do with Albert?
That made sense; only he could provide the excellent and popular beauty formulas.
Perhaps this was Albert's plan for his lovers.
As Hermione's mind raced with these thoughts, a voice suddenly spoke up.
"This has nothing to do with Albert. Initially, we were just sharing beauty tips with each other, but then Katherine took the lead and opened her shop, and things just snowballed from there."
Hermione's mouth hung open in surprise! "Talented people are always in high demand, aren't they?" Katrina said meaningfully, "With Albert, they can get what they want, so they have no reason to give that up."
"Especially since they already have a head start."
Even Hermione had to admit this point; the girls in the photos were exceptionally beautiful.
"Alright, let's move on from this topic. Follow me." Isobel finished her coffee, paid at the counter, and smiled at Hermione, signaling it was time to leave.
(End of Chapter)
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