Chapter 454: Before the Sale
As it turned out, the mystery man was Mr. Lira-Vita. Much like the house-elves, he worked in the shadows, silently maintaining the steady operation of Hogwarts.
"Mr. Lira-Vita, it is a pleasure to meet you," Sean said respectfully. He would never forget the countless feasts he had enjoyed at Hogwarts.
"Ah, ah, Mr. Green—please, call me Lira," the stout, amiable wizard replied.
The moment he appeared, Aura cast several searching glances in his direction, and Mall stiffened with wariness. Even Sua grew tense, her hands clenching tightly. Their conversation began in earnest, though for the most part, it was Professor Terra discussing currency conversions and interest rates. Sean remained silent; he didn't need to say a word.
What struck him as curious was that Sua did not participate in the debate, choosing instead to sip pumpkin juice alongside him.
"My dear Mr. Hermes, don't look at me like that. Just as you don't need to personally enter the fray, I have no need to participate in these negotiations," Sua seemed sensitive to Sean's gaze.
"Why is that?" Sean asked, looking from the four intensely debating figures to the relaxed Sua.
"Aunt Terra will secure the best possible contract for you. She was the same way in the past. Today, with you involved, I fear she's going to shatter the conventions of international merchants entirely. Can you believe it? She's only offering them less than a five percent cut... My heavens, the 'payment' is essentially a sliver of your friendship and a glowing entry on their resumes. I don't know if they'll agree, but I certainly would..." Sua whispered, clearly much more at ease now.
Sean felt a weight lift. It seemed the Professor was securing a favorable contract for her own, which made him feel much better.
"Oh, don't misunderstand me," Sua continued. "I'm not participating because Aunt Terra is fighting for the best contract for you, which means I'll always end up with the worst end of the deal. I still remember the last time—Aunt Terra gave me a contract where I had to pay out of my own pocket just to get the job done!" She looked genuinely indignant.
Sean was stunned.
"Goodness—you really don't realize how valuable your name is, do you? The Future's Greatest Wizard, the wizard who will surpass Dumbledore, the greatest Alchemist in eight centuries—" Sua ticked off his titles, looking genuinely startled. "And you have nothing to worry about. International merchants are shrewd. No matter how harsh the contract, they'll always find other ways to turn a profit. Simply put: if a magical artifact is popular enough, a five percent cut might be worth more than a ten percent cut on ten other smaller deals." Sua appeared completely unbothered.
Just then, the sound of the debate died down, and Professor Terra's voice rang out: "Come over here, Miss Sua, and my dear student."
As Sean approached, the plump wizard was wiping sweat from his forehead, as if the previous discussion had been a physical ordeal. The Hispanic witch looked dazed, her eyes unfocused, and even Mall lay sprawled in his chair. Sean had no idea what Professor Terra had said to put so much pressure on these energetic, high-spirited merchants.
"My dear little Green, my apologies. I would love to help the children of Hogwarts, but I cannot accept a clause that requires twenty-four-hour on-call service. There are too many other children who need me." The stout Mr. Lira-Vita crouched down, shook Sean's hand with a shy smile, and was the first to depart.
"Senior Terra, you are being far too harsh, but I agree. Half a percent it is. I have only one condition: I wish to study the principles of the artifact. For that, I am willing to waive my profit," the Hispanic witch declared with burning intensity.
"Aura, you are far too impatient." Professor Terra shook her head, signaling she could leave.
"Although we didn't strike a deal, dear Mr. Hermes, I shall always look forward to our next collaboration." The witch sighed deeply, carefully handing Sean a business card.
"Aura is an exception in the world of international merchants—she is obsessed with alchemy," Sua whispered to Sean. "She would happily conduct international trade without making a single Galleon just to learn. But many alchemists who have worked with her claim they'll never do it a second time. She learns too quickly. After working with her for a while, your magical artifact will be declassified. While she has an excellent reputation and has never exploited the secrets for profit, it's a severe blow to an alchemist's... dignity."
The final wizard to step forward was Mall, who had been sprawled out only moments ago. He approached with a woeful expression. "Respected Mr. Hermes, my profit margin is barely visible. Sigh..." He looked at Professor Terra as if he had been dealt a grievous wrong.
"Half a percent is enough to keep your pockets bulging, Mall," Professor Terra said without looking up.
"Thirty percent is the lowest standard for international brokers, my dear teacher," Mall complained pathetically.
"That is a standard, and standards are meant to be broken," Terra replied coolly.
"It's only because it's you, and the respected Mr. Hermes... if it were anyone else, I would have run away the moment I heard that—run away far into the distance. Do you know how hard it is to do business nowadays? The Department of International Magical Cooperation keeps raising certification standards and taxes... the magical communications market is already saturated... and finding labor is a nightmare—there aren't even enough new international merchants to go around..." Mall droned on and on. Half a percent—that was essentially trading at a loss. If this artifact weren't about to change the entire wizarding world, he would be bankrupt before he knew it.
"Didn't I just give you a new recruit?" Professor Terra looked up.
"Yes, an inexperienced rookie..." Mall glanced at a resume. As he read it, he froze. What was this? Half a percent profit earning two thousand Galleons in six months? What is a 'University of London Economics Honor Graduate'? Is the 'University of London' some kind of magical school?
Beside him, Sua stared at her aunt in surprise, who simply nodded in response.
"You sold me out again! It's always like this—" Sua bristled.
"Hmm?" Professor Terra raised an eyebrow.
Sua quietly swallowed her rage, switching to a low mutter: "Looking down on me again... you just wait, I'm going to become the best international merchant ever..."
"Mall will be responsible for the Magic Hand Mirror sales, and Sua will be his assistant. Purchasing the materials, managing the sales channels, and daily operations will be overseen by them. Their compensation will be half a percent profit for every Magic Hand Mirror sold." Professor Terra flicked her finger, and a magical contract fluttered into Sean's hand.
He signed it without hesitation.
Meanwhile, London was gradually waking up. Golden sunlight bathed the courtyard in warmth. Before leaving, Mall spoke to Sean with great reverence:
"Tomorrow is the day of the first public sale of the Magic Hand Mirrors. I know it would be inconvenient for you to attend, but we hope you will be there in secret. It will be a very special moment."
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