Lucius Malfoy had never set foot in the Hogwarts kitchen before.

As a pure-blooded Slytherin, he only needed to know how to command house-elves.

But that didn't mean he was completely ignorant about the kitchen: flustered, humble house-elves, filled with moist, hot mist and pungent spice aromas.

Oh, and of course, the annoying clatter of plates and the clashing of pots and spoons.

Even in Malfoy Manor, the kitchen had always been Lucius' least favorite place, just as his father often said when he was alive: a gentleman shouldn't spend even half a second on the stove or with knives; only house-elves and women spend long periods in the kitchen.

However, as he stepped into the Hogwarts kitchen, Lucius Malfoy found everything seemed completely different from what he had imagined.

The interior space of the Hogwarts kitchen was at least three or four times larger than it appeared from the outside.

The kitchen worktops were like mirror images, extending to both sides and into the distance along the central main passage.

Unlike the noisy, chaotic environment Lucius had imagined, hundreds of house-elves skillfully and lightly manipulated kitchen utensils in their respective positions.

Ingredients of various colors, shapes, and types seemed to float in an invisible river, passing between the work stations of each house-elf.

Apart from the occasional house-elf wearing a tall white hat giving orders to the surrounding area, most house-elves quietly and conscientiously completed their work.

There was no atmosphere of stagnation or chaos. Perhaps having learned of his arrival in advance, not a single house-elf stopped their work to look up at him as Lucius Malfoy moved forward. He felt as if he had stepped into a tightly meshed, constantly rotating precision gear factory, or the accounting site of Gringotts Wizarding Bank...

This sense of oppression brought about by the silence and assembly-line operations was no less to Lucius Malfoy than the first time he returned to Hogwarts Castle after becoming a Death Eater.

Obviously, these machine-like, cold changes could not have been brought about by that senile, sluggish old wizard.

Compared to those numb, humble little creatures outside, some frightening and unsettling power was brewing among the house-elves in this kitchen.

Although Lucius Malfoy didn't know what that meant, he knew that this was definitely not the training ground for domestic slaves that the Ministry of Magic and the Hogwarts Board of Governors imagined it to be.

Combining the information he had previously learned about the "Demon King's descendant," the little elf with a strange smile guarding the door, and the ongoing clash between black and white wizards in the distance...

Lucius was very clear that even if this wasn't the most important secret hidden in Hogwarts, it wasn't public content that ordinary wizards could understand and touch—he didn't think that Gellert Grindelwald's descendant in the magical world would be a harmless, silly, cute child; that witch had just single-handedly blocked Hagrid's last magical blast a few tens of minutes ago.

And in the magical world, a wizard's talent for destruction is only greater than her talent for protection...

From the moment he stepped into the kitchen, his answer today could only be one, with the only difference being the depth of the "degree."

"Miss Ailiana Kaslana, I heard... you needed to see me?"

Lucius stopped and looked at the "magic throne" floating in mid-air in front of him, asking softly.

However, the silver-haired little witch sitting in mid-air didn't answer him immediately, but continued to instruct the house-elves beside her unhurriedly.

The conversation between the two wasn't deliberately lowered, and Lucius Malfoy could easily hear the conversation between Ailiana and the little elf from his distance.

"...Yes. Hogwarts can extend invitations to the outside world, and we can take in any homeless elves..."

"The issue of character isn't a big deal. As long as they meet the fertility conditions, there is room for negotiation..."

"That's right, I will of course arrange more work for you... and the current workload will not be reduced in any way."

Ailiana comforted them softly. She knew very well the source of the house-elves' anxiety—they were worried that the increase in the number of Hogwarts elves would reduce their work.

As a "prophet" from decades later, with rich experience in finance, capital, and national enterprises to guide her, Ailiana never worried about excess labor. She had too many ways to satisfy the house-elves' strong desire for work. This racial trait of taking overtime as happiness and increasing workload as a reward was simply the greatest blessing in the magical world.

A moment later, house-elf Boli left with a pile of new "work indicators" with peace of mind, but Lucius, not far away, began to feel a little uneasy.

Some extremely terrible thoughts were constantly floating in his mind, and he began to worry whether his previous preparations and awareness had deviated from the track.

Compared to a cruel, sinister dark lord, this demon king princess seemed to be interpreting what is called terrifying in another way.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, hello. Welcome to the Hogwarts kitchen."

Just as Lucius Malfoy was a little distracted, he heard the girl's soft voice beside him.

Ailiana turned around, folded her hands on her abdomen, and looked at the middle-aged wizard in the distance who was thinking about something, and said with an elegant smile.

"I'm very sorry, as you can see, Professor Dumbledore left in too much of a hurry, and there are so many visitors to Hogwarts today, so many things are piled up together—"

*Snap*.

Before Mr. Malfoy could instinctively respond with polite remarks, Ailiana gently raised her right hand and snapped her fingers.

The next moment, several tables full of words and numbers floated silently from her side and drifted towards Lucius Malfoy.

"This is the list of tableware damaged in the Hogwarts hall at noon today, below are their market prices and depreciated prices, and the last few pages are the appendix with the list of corresponding wizards."

Ailiana said, signaling Lucius Malfoy to quickly open and check, while muttering in a tone like a housekeeper.

"You know, the school has recently updated a lot of courses, and the finances are a bit tight."

"Actually, I don't necessarily want the parents of Slytherin to compensate, but this is also school property, and as the youngest and most shrewd member of the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Mr. Malfoy, you certainly know how to deal with this situation..."

"Oh, you see, I have marked everyone's name at the back—"

Ailiana said meaningfully in a low voice, a touch of pale blue magic flame flashed across her fingertips, and she casually tapped in the air.

"All, at a certain moment, suddenly broke cups and dishes, or accidentally scratched the plate, or seemed to have a sudden physical discomfort, adult wizards who are currently in Hogwarts Castle. Do you think this list should be handled when Professor Dumbledore comes back, or should you help to negotiate and communicate to see if everyone is willing to take some time later to chat about the past..."

————

————

Not good!