It sounded as though the structure of the Silver Spears organization was akin to ancient feudal states, where the headquarters' leadership collected and allocated resources, while the Spears responsible for expanding markets externally only needed to send resources back periodically. This left the specific operational details of each branch completely unchecked.
After listening to Aseria's explanation, Alan gained a deeper understanding of this smuggling organization.
"Then how does the Silver Spears absorb new members, and how much do you know about the members of other branches?" The group was no longer a complete mystery to Alan, but he still needed more details before he could proceed with his next plan.
"Regarding new members, I'm not very familiar with how things work at headquarters. For Silver Spear members, it's mainly through recommendations from senior members. Most of those with recommendation qualifications are Spears. A few experienced and trusted Short Spears also seem to have the authority to recruit, but I've never seen it happen."
"To join the Silver Spears, there are some basic requirements, the most important of which is personal strength. It seems the group still adheres to its original dueling club traditions. In any case, when selecting recruits, the first test is a duel. Many of the recruits were former collaborators, so many Silver Spears internally possess black market resources of their own."
"As for the other branches, I don't know much. I only know that the Egyptian Spear is code-named Sphinx, the one responsible for France is Phoenix, and I heard someone mention the Italian Spear is called Acromantula. I'm not too clear about the others."
By this point, Aseria had given up on resistance, continuously revealing the organization's secrets. Her emotions had shifted from initial apprehension to a much calmer state.
"Then, what do you know about Thunderbird, who is responsible for Britain alongside you?" Alan brought up the man, recalling those terrifying, monstrous blue flames. It was the first time he had encountered someone who could completely suppress him without relying on alchemy equipment.
"That man, hmph." Aseria snorted angrily at the mention of Thunderbird. "That bastard, strictly speaking, isn't the head of the British branch. He was only sent by headquarters to establish a transit station."
"He's not the head of the British branch?" Alan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"That's right. Thunderbird never seemed to belong to a fixed branch. He has always acted independently, somewhat like a general within the organization specifically responsible for the battlefield. Before this, he was helping to establish branches in America and was only sent to Britain after completing his mission there."
"Moreover, he has a massive reputation within the group. Most of the Spears I've encountered believe he is currently the most powerful person within the Silver Spears. His signature spell is Fiendfyre. He has a volatile temper, is arrogant, possesses a strong desire for control, and is a fanatical dueling enthusiast. He utterly despises the use of alchemy tools in combat, just like an old fossil from centuries ago."
Speaking of her former superior, Aseria clearly held a lot of resentment, muttering several disgruntled remarks.
"So, you didn't know this Thunderbird before returning to Britain? Then how did you join the Silver Spears, and who was your referrer?" Upon learning that Thunderbird was a lone wolf, Alan became curious about Aseria's own path.
"Me?" Aseria's tone became hesitant, seemingly not wanting to talk much about herself.
"I have a slight understanding of your past. You acted very normally before going to Europe, but when you returned to Britain, you were suddenly a member of the Silver Spears. Clearly, something happened during your time on the continent." Alan curled his lips with interest.
Aseria's expression grew increasingly conflicted, indicating that her past was not a pleasant memory.
However, Alan remained indifferent. "It's fine if you don't want to say, but don't blame me for using Legilimency to find out myself. If I accidentally see secrets protected by a contract and you end up like Aethonan, don't blame me. Our deal will be off."
"Don't! I'll tell you…" Aseria immediately raised her head in terror, her face turning pale. She was well aware of the Silver Spears' contracts.
"I truly didn't know Thunderbird before returning to Britain. The reason I joined the Silver Spears was actually out of coercion." Aseria sighed, then slowly began to recount her story.
It turned out that Aseria's branch of the family had fled to Europe to escape the war within Britain. Aseria had only graduated a few years prior, so she moved with them. Although their family, the Rowle family, was a pure-blood line, they were disgusted by the Dark Lord's extreme ideology. As a pure-blood family, not supporting the Death Eaters meant opposing them, so they were often harassed.
Their situation was not uncommon in that era. Pure-blood families could not accept Voldemort's rule, but resisting the Death Eaters was dangerous, especially when many of their enemies were relatives. Many smaller families chose to flee. Aseria's family settled in France.
If things had developed normally, her family would have stayed safely in France or returned to Britain after the Dark Lord's downfall. The trouble arose because of Aseria herself.
She was an exceptionally talented witch, but because of her alluring appearance, she was often treated as a mere pretty face at Hogwarts. Although she drew many eyes, she wasn't taken seriously as a witch. This was intentional; due to the unwanted attention her beauty attracted, Aseria had developed a personality that avoided the spotlight. Despite her abilities, she instinctively kept a low profile.
But after moving to the new environment in France, she no longer hid her talent. Young, beautiful, and with high magic proficiency, she quickly stood out among the French wizarding community. Due to her activity, Aseria met her teacher—a powerful witch who admired her. This witch formed a teacher-student bond with Aseria and, for a period, taught her advanced dueling techniques.
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