"Hamilton! Tell me, where is that boy Dana now?"
Inside the Black Old House, Sirius Black grabbed a servant by the shoulder and shook him vigorously.
"Mr. Black, please calm down," the servant said nervously. "Mr. Emrys has been traveling across Europe during the summer break, aside from when he competes. None of us know his exact whereabouts. If you have urgent business with him, you might want to ask the Earl. Perhaps he knows where Mr. Emrys is now."
Sirius took a deep breath and tried to contain his rising frustration.
"Then where is Earl Dantes now? I've been here for days and haven't seen him once. Isn't that a bit rude?"
Hamilton smiled awkwardly. "I'm sorry, Mr. Black, but how could us servants possibly know the master's whereabouts? The Earl owns many estates—he could be anywhere."
Sirius felt that Hamilton was deliberately being evasive, but he had no concrete proof. Suppressing his irritation, he asked slowly and clearly:
"Then when is Dana's next match?"
"In four days. At the Falmouth Falcons' home stadium."
Four days…
Sirius was impatient and didn't want to wait even another hour. But what other choice did he have?
Seek out the Earl?
From what he had observed in Merlin City during the past few days, Earl Dantes wasn't just a wealthy noble—he was a global powerhouse. Even Sirius, head of the Black family, knew that if they ever met, he would be the one "received" by the Earl—not the other way around.
Besides, right now, he was just a fugitive living under the Earl's protection. What right did he have to demand an audience?
In the end, he could only wait.
Meanwhile, the very Earl that Sirius viewed as a towering figure was hosting a meeting in the largest mansion at the center of Merlin City. Seated around the long table were representatives of Britain's most ancient wizarding families and influential members from powerful European lineages and merchant guilds.
"Gentlemen," Earl Dantes began, his voice calm but powerful. "Merlin City has been running smoothly for some time now. With the high concentration of wizard-kind, commerce has boomed—and I believe all of you have enjoyed your share of profits, yes?"
Lucius Malfoy, considering himself the Earl's closest partner, was the first to speak up:
"Indeed. In just a few months, Malfoy family revenue has surpassed what we earned in the past few years combined. Your Excellency's vision in creating Merlin City is far ahead of its time!"
Old Avery, thinking himself the second-most influential, chimed in:
"Though the initial investments were quite large, the returns have exceeded our most optimistic expectations. The Earl's methods are truly remarkable!"
With these two leading the charge, the rest of the meeting room quickly erupted into a chorus of praise. As far as they were concerned, a few flattering words were a small price to pay for the fortune they had gained.
Once everyone had spoken, Earl Dantes smiled and raised his hand gently for silence.
"Gentlemen, you've all made money, yes—but who made the most?"
A murmur of confusion spread through the room. They couldn't quite grasp what the Earl was getting at.
Ollivander Avery spoke up: "Isn't that you, Earl?"
Earl Dantes nodded. "Indeed. I run a few businesses here and there, and my earnings are on par with yours. But the real profit I've made came from building Merlin City itself."
Everyone nodded knowingly.
Of course. The Earl had sold properties at a premium as the city flourished. While they made money reselling plots, it was clear that the lion's share had stayed in the Earl's hands.
Still, those who knew the Earl well didn't believe he would brag without reason. Even though his noble title was likely acquired through wealth, no one questioned the power he wielded. After all, the man used Stonehenge as mere decoration on his estate.
There had to be a deeper purpose behind his words.
Their suspicions were confirmed as the Earl continued:
"Merlin City must grow. Are any of you interested in sharing a bigger piece of the pie?"
The room fell silent.
Most of the world's prominent wizarding families and merchant guilds had already established a presence in Merlin City. Expand again? Who would even buy into a second phase?
"With all due respect, Earl," said the representative from Germany's Ascanian family, "the current Merlin City is functioning excellently. If we build an entirely new district, many homes may remain unsold. After all, only a select few can afford property here."
The Italian Esposito family rep agreed: "Exactly. If demand doesn't match supply, our investment may be wasted. Earl, it's hard not to question your motive. Are you hoping to spread the risk?"
All eyes turned to the Earl, eager to hear how he'd respond.
Earl Dantes, still calm and collected, answered with a small smile:
"Two questions were just raised. Let me begin with the first—about the buyers.
You've considered buyers from America, Europe, and Africa. But why has no one mentioned Germany?"
A few people chuckled dismissively.
"Germany? Do they really have the wealth to invest in Merlin City?"
Unbothered, Earl Dantes went on:
"Germany is the heart of Central Europe. A nation with centuries of magical tradition and families that have silently accumulated wealth and magical strength for generations. Don't underestimate them simply because they've kept a low profile.
These families are uninterested in Muggle politics or global conflicts. They've stayed hidden, but I assure you—their power is not to be underestimated."
The representative from France's Rothschild family—a woman of striking poise and beauty—nodded.
"I can attest to this. The only German wizards we see at the International Wizard Congress come from the Black Forest region. But I've heard that the larger Germanic wizarding clans possess the kind of resources that would rival all the wizard families of Britain combined."
A stir of disbelief swept the room.
Earl Dantes raised a hand to quiet them again.
"As some of you know, I was born in Germany, so I have longstanding ties there. Recently, the Jenny Weasley family contacted me. Several major families from the region heard about Merlin City and saw the value in participating. Germany is also opening up, integrating more with the magical world.
These families want to build a dedicated district within Merlin City—one large enough to house over fifty thousand people."
He paused, letting the weight of the number sink in.
"To that end, they're prepared to invest ten billion Galleons in gold—and antiques worth another ten billion."
Twenty billion.
Gasps echoed throughout the room.
The Earl continued, expression serious:
"Of course, I could have claimed all this wealth for myself. But I've read enough history to understand this: the most unpredictable thing in the world… is the human heart.
If I monopolized all the benefits, would those of you present truly remain calm? Today we sit together as allies—but tomorrow? Who knows? Perhaps you'd draw your wands against me."
The room was silent. No one denied the truth in his words.
"I believe that one man getting rich is nothing compared to everyone getting rich. That's why I've called you here—to share the opportunity."
The representative from America's Lysander Group finally spoke:
"Do you have a plan, Earl? If Merlin City expands to hold fifty thousand more residents, the terrain may not support that. The only space left is in the surrounding mountains."
Earl Dantes gave a slow, enigmatic smile.
"For the second phase of Merlin City," he said, "we will not build on the mountains.
We will build… a Floating City."
The entire room fell into stunned silence.
"Yes," the Earl confirmed, eyes gleaming with ambition. "Merlin City Phase II will be suspended in the sky—a Floating City. Only then will it truly deserve the name of 'Merlin.'"
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