Escorted by the white-robed wizards, the convoy entered through a gate in the outer wall at the base of the castle.
After passing through a long tunnel, they finally came to a stop in a massive indoor plaza.
"Link, we're here.", Skofen's voice came from outside the carriage.
Link exchanged a glance with Dumbledore before stepping out.
The Aurors traveling with them had already formed up into ranks according to their prearranged formation, standing on both sides of Link's carriage.
Beyond them stood the white-robed wizards who had escorted them into the castle earlier, along with a witch dressed in a similar white robe, though hers was noticeably more elaborate and far stranger in style.
She looked young, around twenty years old, with delicate features. Aside from the unusually designed robe, she wore almost no accessories.
Most importantly, her temperament was icy to the extreme.
Just like the white-robed wizards beside her, she showed not the slightest trace of emotion.
It was as though the arrival of Link, the true ruler of the British Ministry of Magic, and Dumbledore, the greatest white wizard of the century, failed to stir even a hint of interest in her.
No, it was more than simple disinterest.
Through the passive Legilimency spell that was constantly active, Link caught a faint scent of arrogance from them.
In other words, they genuinely looked down on Link and Dumbledore.
The discovery made Link's brows twitch slightly.
He couldn't understand it. Were all the people from the International Confederation of Wizards this full of themselves?
Just as that thought crossed his mind, the witch in the distance finally moved.
A warm smile bloomed across her face, though it looked as though it had been drilled into her through years of mechanical training. She walked over while smiling and said,
"Professor Dumbledore and Commissioner Link Flamel... ah, my apologies, I forgot the British Ministry of Magic has already restructured."
"I should address you as Commissioner Link Flamel now. In any case, welcome to the International Confederation of Wizards, and thank you as well for your cooperative attitude regarding the international dispute between the British and French Ministries of Magic."
As she spoke, the witch bowed deeply to Link and Dumbledore.
Because of the peculiar structure of the white robe, Link could even see straight down the front of it. Aside from the robe itself, she appeared to be wearing nothing underneath.
There was no doubt about it.
Just as animals expose their bellies to show friendliness and submission, this was also her way of expressing goodwill toward them.
Yet Link, who had already sensed the arrogance buried beneath her demeanor, still gave her no pleasant response. He did not even bother with a nod.
Dumbledore, on the other hand, looked delighted. He nodded repeatedly at the witch, his grin practically reaching his ears.
"My name is Iyeta Jones. I am the deputy director of the British Ministry liaison office within the International Confederation of Wizards, and I will be serving as your host for this conference."
Iyeta paid no attention to the differing attitudes of Link and Dumbledore, maintaining her smile as she continued, "The mediation conference regarding the international dispute between the British and French Ministries of Magic will begin this afternoon once both parties have arrived and is expected to last approximately one week."
"This conference will also determine the International Confederation's final ruling on the dispute. Please, Mr. Link Flamel, Professor Dumbledore, along with your attendants, wait for a while in the lounge specially prepared for you before the conference officially begins."
After speaking, Iyeta respectfully stepped aside and gestured for them to proceed.
But Link did not move.
Though she appeared courteous on the surface, the arrogance in her bones had only become more obvious.
It felt like those European exiles during the early colonization of North America facing the native Indians.
Putting on airs of elegance while fundamentally looking down on the "savages."
The feeling made Link narrow his eyes.
He merely glanced around and said expressionlessly, "The French Ministry still hasn't arrived?"
"That is correct, Commissioner Link Flamel."
"And if they still haven't arrived by the time the conference begins, how does the Confederation intend to handle it?"
Link spoke calmly.
He wasn't asking without reason.
In negotiations, being late was itself a tactic.
Especially in meetings where there were no hard rules against tardiness.
Iyeta was visibly stunned by the question.
The mediation conference organized by the International Confederation was clearly one of those meetings without strict attendance requirements.
Or rather, the Confederation had never even considered the possibility that anyone would be late for something like this.
After all, in principle, this conference benefited both the British and French Ministries of Magic.
Peace was always the most precious thing.
So when faced with Link's question, Iyeta, having received no contingency plan whatsoever, looked momentarily lost.
Of course, she could have simply said the matter would be decided by her superiors.
If the French Ministry truly arrived late, Link could file a formal complaint during the conference.
That was a standard skill every front-line receptionist knew, passing responsibility upward.
But... could she really say that?
Of course not.
Because at this very moment, a powerful pressure mixed with magic was continuously pouring out from Link.
As the person directly facing him, Iyeta was under immense strain.
This pressure had nothing to do with status. It came purely from the difference in strength.
Iyeta did not believe Link's position as the true ruler of the British Ministry placed him that much higher than herself, but what she could not deny was that his absolute power was on an entirely different level from hers.
That overwhelming disparity in strength brought with it overwhelming pressure.
Iyeta had a feeling that if she really tried to pass the matter off, Link definitely had more methods waiting to make her even more embarrassed.
At last, the mechanical smile on Iyeta's face could no longer hold.
Her body trembled slightly. After a long pause, she bit her lip and said, "This matter was an oversight on our part."
"I will immediately propose to the Confederation elders participating in this conference that a mandatory attendance clause be established, and I guarantee that we will provide you with a definitive answer within half an hour."
"Until then, please wait temporarily in the lounge. My deepest apologies."
At the end, Iyeta bowed deeply to Link once again.
But unlike before, this bow no longer looked graceful.
If anything, it looked panicked.
"Heh. Then hurry it up."
Link let out a cold laugh and ignored her after that.
The lofty pride she carried had already been shattered by him, and she had returned to the proper attitude. That was enough.
Iyeta visibly relaxed after hearing this. She hurriedly forced another smile onto her face and led Link's group toward the magical elevator.
Contrary to Link's expectations, the magical elevators inside the International Confederation headquarters looked nothing like the ancient exterior of the castle suggested.
In fact, they resembled the futuristic elevators from the sci-fi movies Link had seen in his previous life, the kind installed aboard spaceships. The interior was highly advanced, even equipped with liquid crystal touch panels.
Most importantly, the ride was unbelievably smooth. Link hadn't even noticed the elevator moving before the doors opened once more.
This time, the scene before them had become a massive suite.
It seemed to be located inside some kind of super high-rise structure. Through the circle of floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the suite, Link could clearly see the scenery outside.
Yet unlike the highly modern architecture and the futuristic elevator that led directly to this room, the furnishings and decorations inside the suite were exceptionally antique in style.
Not old-fashioned antique.
Rather, it was the kind of refined antiquity that came from careful design.
The enormous Persian carpet covering most of the main lounge area, spotless to the point of seeming untouched, along with the ink paintings and porcelain displayed on the walls, made it obvious this place had not been put together carelessly.
Iyeta led them around the suite once, introduced the basic facilities, then hurriedly left via the elevator.
She already looked somewhat disheveled and eager to escape.
Which was understandable.
From beginning to end, the pressure Link exerted on her had never lessened.
Especially inside the elevator, where the distance between them became so close. The pressure naturally increased exponentially with that reduced distance.
The fact that Iyeta had managed to hold on until now already proved she possessed a certain level of strength herself.
After Iyeta left...
The Aurors who had entered with Link immediately began conducting a more thorough inspection of the suite.
They had no intention of completely trusting the International Confederation of Wizards.
This organization hanging over every Ministry of Magic in the world was not always as benevolent as it appeared.
A proper security sweep was absolutely necessary.