Hogwarts: Lacus doesn't want to be a witch who destroys nations.

After a familiar wave of dizziness, Lux stumbled out of another fireplace; she really had no resistance to this teleportation-like movement.

The expected pain of falling onto the cold stone floor did not come. Instead, she felt herself being supported by a gentle force. After regaining her balance, Lux was shocked by the sight before her.

She was in a huge, palace-like room, with a gleaming black marble floor beneath her feet that clearly reflected the giant crystal chandelier on the ceiling.

The walls were covered with deep blue velvet wallpaper, embroidered with intricate patterns of roses and wands in silver thread—the emblem of the Rozier family.

The air was filled with an extremely delicate yet refreshing blend of aromas: fresh lilies, croissants baking, expensive cedarwood, and a hint of magical spices.

"Welcome, Miss Laksana Crownguard." This is a greeting in French.

Lux looked up and saw a middle-aged male sorcerer wearing a perfectly tailored dark purple robe, with a face displaying just the right amount of respect, bowing slightly to her. He wore an exquisite silver rose brooch on his chest.

"I am Durand, the butler of Rozier Manor. I am here to await your arrival on the orders of the head of the family." Butler Durand straightened up, his movements elegant and fluid. "Your room is ready. You must be tired from your journey. Please allow me to take you to rest for a while."

He clapped his hands lightly.

Silently, two equally well-dressed sprites appeared before Lux.

Unlike the house-elves of Hogwarts who wear uniforms made from tea towels, they are dressed in well-tailored, dark green silk uniforms embroidered with the Rosier family crest in silver thread, their pointed ears neatly combed, and their eyes bright and respectful.

"Pap, Lop, serve Miss Crownguard," the two elves said in unison, their voices clear and melodious, carrying a well-trained humility.

"Please come with me, Miss Crownguard." Butler Durand gestured for her to follow.

Lux followed the butler through a series of breathtakingly luxurious corridors.

Ancient magical portraits hung on both sides of the corridor, depicting wizards and sorcerers in gorgeous robes curiously observing Lux and whispering among themselves.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows is a meticulously manicured French garden. Under the moonlight, the magic fountain changes the shape of its water jets to the accompaniment of silent music, and the water droplets shimmer with rainbow colors in the moonlight.

Her room was located in the east wing of the manor. Pushing open the heavy, carved wooden door, the sight inside made Lux and Lumi exclaim "Wow!" at the same time.

The room was spacious enough for Lumi to roll around in. In the center was a large bed with pale gold curtains and expensive-looking silk sheets.

A smokeless magical flame burned in the fireplace, and by the window stood a small round table covered with a lace tablecloth and two comfortable armchairs. In one corner of the room was an indoor hot spring bath made of white marble, emitting wisps of steam.

"Miss Lux, this is your temporary residence," Butler Durand introduced. "The master has instructed that you will enjoy the highest level of hospitality during your stay at the manor. Pap and Lop will be in charge of your daily life. If you need anything, please feel free to ask them, or pull the silver bell by your bed and I will take care of it."

"A scented bath is ready for you in the bathroom, and several sets of everyday clothes are provided in the dressing room."

The butler paused for a moment, then said, "Also, knowing that you have had a tiring journey, the kitchen has prepared some snacks for you. We hope you will enjoy them."

As the butler spoke, the little elf Sparkle waved her hand gently, and a dessert stand instantly appeared on the small round table in the center of the room.

On a three-tiered silver pastry stand, there were small, exquisite macarons, éclairs, raspberry tarts, and chocolate mousse sprinkled with gold leaf.

Next to it was a steaming silver pot filled with rich, hot black tea, accompanied by whipped cream, a small dish of ground cinnamon, and a plate of sliced, enticingly fragrant Brie cheese.

The aroma of the food instantly won over Lux and Lumi.

"My Merlin..." Lux felt her mouth watering. "This...this is too..."

"Boo boo! Oh my goodness!" Lumi jumped straight from the wicker basket onto the table, her little paws precisely grabbing the largest raspberry tart, her eyes narrowing into slits with happiness. "Little sister! Why don't we just stay here!"

Butler Durand gave a professional smile: "Please enjoy your meal, Miss Lux. Please rest well after your bath. The head of the family will discuss this with you in detail at breakfast tomorrow."

He bowed again, and with the two little elves, quietly left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

Only Lux and Lumi, who was engrossed in eating, remained in the room.

Lux walked to the huge French windows, looking out at the magical manor under the moonlight, which looked like a dream. She then looked back at the luxurious pastries on the table and the luxurious bed.

"Lumi," she murmured, "you mean LeBlanc... is she trying to corrupt me with sweet talk?"

Lumi looked up from the raspberry tart, her lips smeared with red jam, and mumbled, "Who cares! Sis! Let's eat first! This coating... it smells so good! The shell... I'll chew it... I think it's pretty good too!"

Lux slept soundly on the soft, four-poster bed, without even a dream, until the morning sunlight shone through the gaps in the heavy velvet curtains and danced on her face, waking her up.

The two house-elves had already quietly prepared everything, and the indoor hot spring bath was so engrossed that she almost didn't want to get out.

When Lux was led into the breakfast room looking refreshed, the Rozier family was already seated and waiting inside.

At the head of the table sat a middle-aged male wizard with a solemn expression. He must be the head of the Augustan Rozier family. On either side sat several family members with equally uneasy expressions. They barely spoke to each other, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it could be squeezed out of water.

"Miss Luxana, please have a seat." Augustine stood up, forcing a polite smile, and gestured for Lux to sit in the empty seat to his right. "I hope you slept well last night."

"Great! Your bed is so comfortable!" Lux said cheerfully, picking up a croissant and taking a bite without hesitation. The crispy crust and rich buttery aroma made her squint her eyes happily. "Mmm, this is delicious too."

Augustine seemed taken aback by her frankness for a moment, then smiled and said, "I'm glad you like them. I'll have Pap send a few to your room later."

He waved his hand, and the house-elf immediately poured Lux ​​a hot chocolate.

After a brief meal, Augustine tapped his glass lightly with his spoon, drawing the attention of everyone present, even though few people were actually talking.

"Miss, Ms. LeBlanc has summoned you here, so you must already know that our family is currently... facing some thorny troubles." Augustine's voice was low, filled with barely concealed anxiety.

Lux swallowed the bread in her mouth, nodded, and tried to make her expression look serious: "About the missing potion?"

"Yes." Augustine's gaze swept over the other family members at the table, who all lowered their heads or looked away, making the atmosphere even more tense and filled with awe for the pale witch.

Augustine continued, his voice tinged with disbelief: "It all started last month when a wizard who owed us a lot of money died unexpectedly. We went through the proper procedure to inventory his assets to pay off the debts, and in his workshop we found a bottle of potion we'd never seen before. It looked ordinary; it had just been put into storage as ordinary debt settlement."

He paused, a look of confusion on his face: "But soon, the warehouse guards began reporting that they were inexplicably drawn to one of the potions, feeling uneasy. I went to investigate myself..."

At this point, the patriarch, who claimed to be a master of potions, showed a hint of embarrassment and confusion. "But I swear on all my knowledge, I can't tell what it is at all. Its magical fluctuations are very peculiar. I've never seen anything like it before... so I had no choice but to ask Lady Iris for help."

Lux listened attentively and then picked up another piece of honey-smeared pancake for herself.

"Who is Ms. Iris?"

"They are subordinates of the Pale Witch." Augustine spoke the word with a tone full of awe.

Lux instantly realized that this so-called Iris Lady was LeBlanc's alter ego.

"Lady Iris arrived quickly. With just one glance, she determined that it was no ordinary potion, but a liquid produced by some powerful force. She believed that the first bottle had likely been drunk by the dead wizard for unknown reasons, while the second bottle, which she was focusing on, was called the 'Force Potion,' which could greatly enhance the wizard's magical power... but that's not the key point."

Augustine's voice grew even drier: "Lady Iris said that as a product of runes, the runic power contained within the potion itself is the target that must be recovered. The Pale Witch was in Germany dealing with an extremely important matter at the time and could not leave immediately, telling us that she would need two hours to get there."

The breakfast room was completely silent, save for the occasional soft clinking of silver cutlery against plates.

"Then...while we were waiting for the adults to arrive..." Augustine's voice was filled with suppressed anger and a hint of incredulous shock.

"Something unimaginable happened. My son, Armand Rozier..." He practically spat out the name, "He inexplicably burst into the secret chamber, not only... not only killed Lady Iris, but also stole the potion, and then fled the manor!"

"Wow." Lux couldn't help but murmur in surprise at the twists and turns of the situation. She noticed that the other Rozier members present all showed expressions of shock, fear, and extreme disapproval when they heard the name "Armand".

Augustine rubbed his temples, looking utterly exhausted and defeated: "The lady was furious when she heard the news, but she is currently tied up with important matters and cannot come in person. She has ordered us to retrieve that bottle of potion at all costs before she finishes her business."

"They also instructed us to assist you, Miss Lux, in investigating this matter."

He raised his head, his gaze passing over Lux and looking towards the restaurant entrance: "That's why, Malena."

A girl who had been standing quietly in the shadows by the door came forward in response.

She looked to be about the same age as Lux, with dark curly hair and sharp eyes similar to Augustine's, but her expression was cold and her lips were tightly pressed together, revealing a stubbornness and vigilance that was out of place in this luxurious environment.

"This is my daughter, Malena Rozier," Augustine introduced, his tone complex. "Armand's sister. She will be accompanying you from now on. She is more familiar with the family's affairs and the magical world of Paris than most people. The other members of the family will also use all available channels to search for Armand's whereabouts in Paris and throughout France."

Malena gave Lux a slight nod, her movements stiff, her eyes filled with scrutiny, showing no sign of welcome.

She spoke coldly, her voice as devoid of warmth as she was: "Father, I believe the most urgent task is to immediately restrict all FlyNet exits within France and investigate all of Armand's cronies, rather than entertaining an unknown outsider here."

Although she was speaking to Augustine, her gaze swept over Lux without any politeness.

Lux immediately sensed the undisguised hostility. She put down her waffle, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and then flashed a bright smile: "Hi, Malena, right? My name is Lux. Don't worry, although I may have 'unknown origins,' I'm certainly not stupid enough to steal what the Pale Witch specifically asked for and then kill her subordinates along the way, right?"

Malena's face turned deathly pale instantly; she couldn't refute her brother's actions.

Augustine coughed sharply, interrupting their eye contact: "Marlena! Watch your words! Miss Laksana was personally appointed by Lady LeBlanc. Now, finding your brother and that potion is our family's sole and paramount task!"

Lux winked at Malena, then turned to Augustine, her smile unchanged: "Of course, Mr. Rozier, then let's not delay."

Lux stood up and patted her skirt, which wasn't covered in any crumbs.

"Marlena, where should we begin our investigation of your...brave and fearless brother? By the way, where is your family's secret room? Could we go to the crime scene first?"

Malena glared at her, but under her father's orders, she had no choice but to turn around stiffly: "Come with me."

Lux didn't pay much attention to Malena's behavior, and even felt a little pity for her.

Lux noticed the problem as soon as she sat down at the dining table. The entire Rozier family was permeated with LeBlanc's magical energy, extremely subtle yet so clear to Lux's perception.

LeBlanc implanted false memories into all of them; they might not even know what runes are, yet they are blindly searching for them.