Chapter 54

I know you want to be friends with me.

That's childish talk. If old Mr. Soman were to know that a girl dared to say such things to the genie, he would probably be so disgusted that he would throw up his dinner from the night before.

Edmund himself was also not having a good time.

So what did he reply?

If he didn't have Elena as a mother, and could truly live independently as a combination of the genie and Edmund, he might perform with a gentle yet melancholic air:

"You're right, Lily, I've never had friends my own age before...that's why I lost my composure. I'm sorry."

Genie trivia: To get humans to willingly make wishes on you, you must get close enough to them and gain their trust!

God knows—this time, only God knows how much the genie longed to obtain such a pure soul!

……well.

Unfortunately, Edmund Soman's personality is slightly different from that of many of the previous vessels.

On the one hand, he was just an 11-year-old boy with a lot of curiosity and enthusiasm for the world; on the other hand, the genie had been plotting many conspiracies for thousands of years, seizing countless treasures, and fulfilling too many unspeakable destinies.

Having finally gained a completely free body, he wanted to live life to the fullest for once.

Therefore, Edmund, feeling frustrated but not angry, said to the girl with a stern face:

"Maybe."

After saying this, Edmund couldn't help but fall into memories.

Thinking back, someone must have asked him a similar question in the past. And back then, the genie must have said what the other person wanted to hear.

But that guy met a terrible end.

He fell, no longer pure or beautiful. The genie no longer desired His soul; they broke ties.

Therefore, Edmund can directly admit that he doesn't want Lily Evans to become like that.

Perhaps he should indeed be her friend—a true friend; perhaps only by giving up stabbing Lily in the back could he possibly win her soul.

Then again, there are so many people in this world, so many worthless bastards who deserve to die—even dogs wouldn't eat their souls.

If they are all still alive and well, then why did Lily Evans have to die a horrible death?

Her best fate would be to make a desperate wish and offer him her pure soul.

One day, he'll surely come up with a perfect deception. Ideally, he'll get her to make three wishes at once, becoming his possession in the most painful yet purest way.

……

Returning to reality from long-forgotten memories.

Edmund felt that it was perfectly normal for a girl Lily's age to have a bit of her own temper.

Lily seemed remarkably patient—Edmund later learned that neither her own sister nor Snape had particularly good tempers—so even though his reply was vague, Lily simply assumed he was being difficult.

The little witch wiped away her tears and said goodbye to him. Edmund had a strange feeling; looking at Lily's expression, she wasn't really angry at all, but rather she was becoming friendly with him on her own.

...That's really strange.

With that thought in mind, Edmund used the Levitation Charm to control the stack of magazines and returned to his dormitory quite naturally.

Ever since he made an appearance at the Duel Club, apart from top members like Black and Malfoy, other upperclassmen in Slytherin would unconsciously make way for him.

These little snakes, who believed in pure-blood theory, were so oblivious that no one dared to even glance at him, and thus no one noticed that Edmund had openly floated a bunch of "Muggle-made trash" into the Slytherin common room.

The closest he came to being exposed was when Travers, returning from the Quidditch stadium, "curiously" approached him and greeted him warmly.

But the kid muttered to himself, "Why don't the pictures in German magazines move?" and then turned to admire the quill pen that Edmund Scheres had given him.

Edmund sensed that Snape in the distance had also looked up, but the man was always shrewd, and even though he had doubts, he didn't come closer to ask any more questions.

Sometimes Edmund couldn't help but think of Snape as a rotten mushroom—silent, gloomy, and greasy. Although he was not likable, he seemed harmless if left alone.

This "positive" impression was quickly shattered by Snape himself.

Everything was peaceful on Thursday morning, but just after lunch, Snape, whose face was almost as dark as his robes, stopped Edmund and said he wanted to talk to him alone.

Since the start of the school year, Edmund and Snape have only spoken a handful of times. Moreover, unless Snape is desperate to defect and join Edmund's clique, even such an invitation for a private conversation is quite presumptuous.

Edmund could barely understand his feelings and had some expectations about what he wanted to talk about.

In search of a quiet enough corridor, the two returned from the Great Hall to the basement level where the Slytherin common room was located, and after many twists and turns, they arrived at an old washroom.

"Let's say it here."

Snape nodded, and as if still worried about not keeping it a secret enough, took two more steps forward. This sent a chill down Edmund's spine, and he quickly said:

"Wait a minute—I'm not targeting you, but please just stand there. I don't mean anything by it."

He paused for a moment, but for the sake of future harmony in the dormitory, he still voiced his complaints.

"I am, well, I'm a bit of a germaphobe... So why do you dislike washing your hair so much? If it's... is it because you don't like the shampoo at school?" Does such a thing really exist? "I can give you a few bottles."

Snape, whose face was already gloomy, was stunned. His dark eyes, which seemed to absorb the surrounding light, were filled with anger. He felt humiliated.

Edmund didn't know whether speaking the truth was humiliating or not.

He only knew that the reason he had been so kind to Travers on many occasions was to thank this mercenary boy for separating him from Snape.

In a well-off, pure-blooded family, Edmund believed he was definitely the "unkempt" one. Without his mother's control, he would just grab whatever clothes he could find in the closet and wear them.

But that being said, personal hygiene is the bottom line... the bottom line!

Moreover, considering that the other party was also a Slytherin, Edmund wasn't even prepared to apologize.

The difference between him and Snape is stark; offense is the norm for him, and his lack of offense is a sign of his good upbringing.

Hilarious! What kind of upbringing does Edmond Soman have?!

Perhaps sensing his arrogance, Snape quickly suppressed his anger.

Why did you say those things to Evans?

Edmund burst out laughing. He even called her "Evans".

"What are you referring to? What did I say?" He asked with a deliberately German accent, a disdainful smile on his face.

"And by what right do you speak to me like this? Who are you to her, an acquaintance? A friend?"

"How come I didn't know you'd taken over the interpretation of the magical world? It's ridiculous. Curb your controlling nature. It smells like a dirty mop; it's disgusting."