When Skyler uttered that sentence, his primary intention was to showcase unwavering confidence in his own capabilities, devoid of any ulterior motives.

However, he unwittingly miscalculated the magnetic allure he held for women.

His exceptional family background and striking appearance were already exceptional, and the formidable strength he exhibited only added to his allure. The self-assuredness he casually unveiled in that moment inadvertently instilled an unexplained sense of security in Eleanor.

Eleanor’s gaze was intensely heated at that instant. Hailing from a well-respected lineage, she had been groomed as the family’s heir with high expectations. Consequently, from a young age, she had always maintained a robust demeanor, setting lofty standards for a potential life partner.

While she held no disdain for the pure-blooded elites at Durmstrang, she had initially planned to remain unattached, focusing on familial succession and becoming a formidable woman capable of steering her family toward prosperity.

In her heart, Eleanor harbored the belief that her life partner must possess the ability to switch roles effortlessly – to be both a reliable partner and someone she could lean on like a little girl in times of pressure and helplessness. To fulfill this criterion, one needed to surpass her in mental fortitude, resourcefulness, connections, and physical strength.

Despite Skyler being two and a half years her junior, Eleanor did not dismiss the idea of him as her partner. Skyler’s masculinity and mature charm outshone any seventh-year boys Eleanor had encountered.

Engaging in conversation and games with Skyler sometimes led Eleanor to perceive the interaction as a verbal sparring match with a seasoned head of a prestigious pure-blood family.

Even her close opposite-sex friend, Poliarco, hailed from a renowned family in Eastern Europe, with intricate alliances and shared interests between their families. Having known each other since childhood due to these familial connections, their friendship blossomed through years of shared play and camaraderie.

However, Poliarco, being a bohemian and nonconformist, held a demeanor more akin to a rebellious little brother than an authoritative figure. His personal strength and mental prowess coexisted with unconventional habits; he could enjoy a meal or a drink with unpolished manners, endearing him to a select few within the school.

Without Eleanor’s influence, it remained uncertain whether Poliarco would have been chosen as one of Durmstrang’s 12 representatives, attracting attention from only a handful of students.

Contrastingly, Viktor Krum, the school’s prominent star, maintained a perpetually somber countenance, as though nursing a perpetual grudge against the world. He operated as a lone wolf within the school’s confines, eschewing connections and relationships.

His solitary nature extended to a lack of close friendships or companions. In the eyes of pure-blood families, individual strength, no matter how formidable, held little significance; exclusive, intricate circles often governed societal resources.

Despite his immense power, even Voldemort had to leverage personal charm to secure the loyalty of his initial followers during his school days. On the other hand, Krum relied on his personal renown and Karkaroff’s favoritism for protection.

No one within the school underestimated Skyler; indeed, many regarded him as an extraordinary individual.

The only factor causing Eleanor to hesitate was Skyler’s existing romantic involvement.

While the wizarding world featured a limited population, and to encourage births, governments had adopted a lenient stance on marriage laws. Particularly for pure-blood families, major taxpayers and principal supporters of the Ministry of Magic, polygamy was not uncommon.

However, these arrangements were often discreet, hidden from the eyes of ordinary wizards.

(The original book primarily depicted the wizarding world through the lens of Harry, a wizard born in the Muggle world, with limited exposure to the upper echelons of wizarding society. In his perspective, Auror might already be the highest-tier profession within the wizarding community.)

However, Eleanor’s status was exceptional. As the legitimate daughter of the Hohenheim family, the most influential family in Germany and Sweden, designated as the next head, it was imperative for her to share a husband with other women.

It would jeopardize her standing in the family and potentially lead to complications in her anticipated role as the family head. Eleanor was well aware that several family branches, including her cousins, harbored numerous ambitious individuals.

Unless—

Skyler could ascend to a position where he disregarded all societal norms, attaining a level of power comparable to Dumbledore in his prime. In such a scenario, merely becoming one of his lovers would be sufficient to secure a formidable support.

“Do you realize…” Eleanor gently bit her lower lip, “When you spoke with such power and dominance…” She lifted the corners of her mouth, flashing a mischievous smile. “No wonder you can allure so many girls and make them dedicate themselves to you.”

“Ah—” Skyler hadn’t anticipated Eleanor’s sudden shift in topic, so he responded, “You mentioned Daphne and the others…” Recalling his girlfriends, Skyler’s mouth curved into a joyous angle. “I once believed that the path I chose wasn’t worthy of personal emotions, but they tolerated me endlessly, even in my darkest moments… Hey, thinking about it, I am indeed very fortunate. They are all beautiful and wonderful girls. Winning their love is the greatest blessing in my life.”

“What about me?” Eleanor swiftly inquired. Abruptly, she took a step forward, gently leaning her body against Skyler. In a charming and low voice, she asked, “Do you think I… am beautiful?”

Eleanor’s attire was quite thin, her delicate body pressed softly against Skyler, the tender touch transmitting through the thin gauze skirt. A blush graced her delicate face, and her bright eyes filled with a layer of moving, radiant mist once again.

Skyler instinctively averted his gaze. As he lowered his head, he caught sight of a pair of snow-white peaks at the opening of her low gauze tube top.

His heart began to race wildly and uncontrollably, a sensation of painful tightness in his chest. Overwhelmed by a sense of emptiness, Skyler closed his eyes and uttered softly, “You are naturally beautiful, and you are no less than any girl I know.”

“Since you said that I am no worse than anyone…” Eleanor appeared resolute, as if having made up her mind. Prepared to lay it all on the line, she extended her hands and gently touched Skyler’s face, whispering, “Don’t talk about human alchemy; I can hand over all the inheritance of Hohenheim to you, as long as you become my husband… I know you have other female companions, but I don’t mind their existence. I can even promise you that I will never come to Great Britain to cause trouble for you. I will concentrate on being your foreign lover in Germany and wait for you to come to me to spend time together. Time…”

To be honest, it would be a lie to say that Skyler was not tempted at this moment. Few people in this world can resist the allure of beauty and power combined.

However, whenever Skyler contemplates adding the role of a girlfriend to his already complicated emotional world, the images of Daphne, Morag, Astoria, Meredith, and others flash in his mind. The unwavering trust was reflected on their faces.

Each of them got to know Skyler when he was still a young man. They accompanied him every step of the way, and they could be said to have never left his side.

Meredith didn’t even know whether she was alive or dead, waiting for Skyler to save her. It would be extremely unfair to each of them if he easily allowed a new woman to enter his emotional world.

Skyler sighed heavily, reached out, and gently pushed Eleanor away from his arms.

“Eleanor, thank you very much for your love for me,” Skyler looked directly into her eyes and said unwaveringly, “You are a good girl, and you deserve a better partner than me. I can talk to you about the Book of Truth. I can share it with you. What’s the content inside,” Skyler said slowly. “As for your family’s core heritage, it’s best if you can exchange it. If you think the deal is unfair, I won’t force it. I just hope you can keep the covenant between us in mind and avoid doing anything that harms the interests of the Malfoy family…”

Eleanor bit her lower lip tightly. She finally obtained the Book of Truth promised by Skyler. She also knew that someone with Skyler’s status had no reason to lie to her about this matter.

However, for some reason, her heart didn’t feel the excitement of getting what she wanted. Instead, it was filled with bitterness and loss.

Still, she was worthy of being a strong woman, aspiring to be the head of the family. Taking a long breath, she attempted to calm down her mood, and her eyes regained their former shrewd look.

“Okay,” Eleanor said solemnly, “I can make a contract here. As long as it does not harm the interests of the Hohenheim family, the Hohenheim family will form an alliance with the Malfoy family from generation to generation. The Malfoy family will be the leader in battle, utilizing the manpower and material resources of the family to cooperate with all the actions of the Malfoy family without limit.”

The two of them extended a hand, grasping it together. Both were senior alchemists, so it was only natural to use alchemy to form an alliance, a teacher’s unique way.

An alchemical formation in the shape of an eyeball first appeared on the back of Eleanor’s white hand, flashing with dazzling golden light.

Skyler recognized it as the famous “Eye of Horus” in the Egyptian alchemy school. Not to be outdone, he responded with a smile, conjuring a black dragon head pattern with red outside and black inside on the back of his hand, emanating a faint yet ominous aura.

The Eye of Horus and the black dragon head seemed to come to life simultaneously, “swimming” toward the place where the two shook hands, intertwining and bursting out with a bright light that caused the surrounding area to fall into a blinding white.

“Ah,” Eleanor exclaimed as an extremely strong suction force suddenly manifested at the handshake, causing Skyler and Eleanor to embrace each other awkwardly.

The bright light dispersed, and the two separated again. Eleanor’s face blushed shyly, and Skyler’s face was also burning.

This was undoubtedly an accident.

This was supposed to be just a flashy alchemical display. Neither of them anticipated that the encounter between their alchemical skills would result in such an embarrassing effect.

Skyler examined the back of his hand, finding a black dragon-head-shaped key while a lock adorned the back of Eleanor’s hand. The lock featured the Eye of Horus, forming an unusual heart-shaped design.

Clearing his throat, Skyler spoke, “The contract is established. Malfoy and the Hohenheim family are now allies, bound to advance and retreat together, protecting each other.”

[The Hohenheim Family has been established as an ally!]

Eleanor appeared somewhat distracted, softly uttering a nearly inaudible “Hmm.”

“Then…” Skyler observed her expression and decided to make a swift exit, “Since everything has been resolved, and your people are not feeling well yet, I’d better leave without disturbing you. Take good care and have a speedy recovery.”

“Wait a minute,” Eleanor hastily interjected as she saw Skyler preparing to leave.

“What’s wrong?” Skyler inquired.

“Our covenant has been concluded, but I have not yet thanked you for your kindness in rescuing me and providing me with such a precious potion,” Eleanor spoke softly.

“Isn’t this the same?” Skyler raised his eyebrows.

“It’s different,” Eleanor shook her head lightly, “The family is the family, and I am me. Although you said you would save me for the sake of the friendly alliance between the two families, I still want to thank you in my own name. Thank you, Skyler.”

“Okay, I accept your thanks,” Skyler said with a smile, “To be honest, even if we didn’t join, we don’t need to be so polite. We are friends, aren’t we? That day of the battle at the bottom of the lake, I already regarded you as a friend.”

Eleanor did not answer immediately but lowered her head, examining the heart-shaped lock pattern on the back of her hand as if lost in thought. Suddenly, she raised her head, a determined light flashing in her eyes.

“I figured it out -” she declared, “I like you. It’s inexplicable, but I just like you. While it’s your right to refuse to be with me, you haven’t denied my right to like you.”