Chapter 457: Our Shop
"This is our shop, Grandpa Marcus," Sean whispered.
However, the chatter echoing throughout the Fairy Tale Workshop was deafening. Marcus didn't catch the words, his attention instantly snagged by an eager shop assistant.
"Which version would you like, sir? If this is a gift for the young gentleman beside you, I highly recommend the Pegasus Edition. No effort required—it can hover in the air autonomously, making both calling and taking pictures incredibly convenient," the attendant suggested earnestly.
He produced a pair of Magic Hand Mirrors and released them into the air. Defying the laws of physics, they drifted upwards and stabilized in mid-air. With a soft click, a photograph drifted out from the back of the mirror. The attendant handed it to Marcus: the old wizard was caught on camera looking at the mirror with a sparkle of delight, while the dark-haired young wizard next to him appeared to be saying something. In the moving photograph, the boy sighed.
"How marvelous—the Pegasus Edition—" Marcus stared in wonder, striking up a conversation with the attendant.
"Indeed, sir. There are only fifty Pegasus Editions in total, and they are nearly sold out. Mr. Hermes's workshop will only produce one batch for the immediate future; goodness knows when the next one will appear," the attendant said with a smile. He wasn't lying.
"Of course, you might also consider our other models. The Dragon Edition..." The attendant pulled out a mirror embossed with a dragon relief. The moment he touched it, the metal turned red-hot like a branding iron. "You see, aside from dear Mr. Hermes and the customer who purchases it, it will not permit anyone else to draw near," the attendant added proudly.
"Excellent, truly excellent..." Marcus nodded incessantly.
"And our Golden Snitch version—it follows the wizard around just like a pet..." The attendant plucked a mirror with translucent wings from the display window; it buzzed softly and settled behind his shoulder.
"Ah, marvelous..." Marcus was utterly spoiled for choice.
"Just think, sir: if your young gentleman has a Magic Hand Mirror, you can communicate with him at any time. And, naturally, our privacy settings are top-tier. Aside from you and your young gentleman, no one can eavesdrop on your conversations." The attendant upped the stakes.
"This is truly—" Marcus was completely blown away. Ignoring distance, real-time communication, anti-eavesdropping, face-to-face contact...
"The Ministry of Magic..." he asked suddenly. He knew all too well the appeal such an object would have for the Ministry.
"The Ministry of Magic has placed a small order, but Mr. Hermes has refused their requests for more. It is no boast to say that in the entire British wizarding commercial world, only the Fairy Tale Workshop has the backbone to do that," the attendant said, chin held high.
"Oh—" Marcus nodded, his respect for this mysterious alchemist growing by the second.
"Times are always changing. For those of us from the old guard, it's hard to fathom that such a magnificent invention could truly exist," Marcus finally lamented.
"Perhaps it is simply that Mr. Hermes has achieved greatness," the attendant replied with a twinkle in his eye.
"Perhaps. Now, sir, the price for such a magical item..." Marcus had already made up his mind to buy it, but he knew the value of two-way mirrors. He assumed a creation like this would be astronomically expensive. He thought of his savings, then looked at the lovely child of the McGonagall family, and made his choice without a second thought.
"Thirty-seven Galleons, sir!" the attendant declared confidently.
"Thirty-seven Galleons?" Marcus looked up, suspecting he'd misheard. It was a significant sum for most wizarding families, to be sure, but compared to the hundreds of Galleons for a traditional two-way mirror, the price was a steal.
"Yes, sir. As I said, this is the reform that the great Mr. Hermes brings to the wizarding world," the attendant said reverently.
"I'll take it!" Marcus nodded decisively.
Beside him, Sean gave a helpless tug on his robe.
"My dear child, whatever you wish to say, we shall talk later. As you can see, they are about to sell out—" Marcus looked down, smiling happily.
"This is our shop, Grandpa Marcus," Sean said, seizing the opportunity to say it again, clearly.
"Oh, so you've picked up a sense of humor, have you?" Marcus chuckled, clearly still not processing the words, his mind focused elsewhere.
"Sir, then..." The attendant steered Marcus's attention away again. "This is our procurement contract. I must remind you that the craftsmanship of the Magic Hand Mirrors is not yet entirely finalized; you will need to replace it in two years at the latest." The attendant held up the Pegasus mirror, speaking with professional gravity.
"I agree," Marcus said with a grin. He still hadn't grasped the significance of Sean's earlier words.
"Very well, sir. The Pegasus Edition comes in both Slimline and Multi-Way versions; would you like those? Manager Sua has established a membership system—when your mirror is damaged, we provide repair services. However, after two years, we hope you will return the damaged materials to us. In exchange, you will receive a discount on your next purchase." The attendant rattled off a series of suggestions, making it even harder for Marcus to recall Sean's cryptic remark.
What sort of joke was his dear boy trying to play on him earlier?
"Ah, there's such a perk?" Marcus agreed without hesitation.
Sean watched from the sidelines, feeling a mix of frustration and resignation. However, after hearing the attendant's proposal, he felt a flicker of surprise. He knew the cost of the mirrors lay primarily in the raw materials; the labor costs at the Emerald Workshop were negligible compared to the potential output. If they could reclaim the durable materials—which were notoriously expensive in the wizarding world—the cost could be compressed even further.
University of London Economics... he mused to himself.
"Congratulations, Mr. McGonagall. I believe that as your ward, this young gentleman is truly fortunate. A tool to communicate with you anytime, anywhere, combined with the trendiest magical invention of the age—it is surely the finest gift imaginable," the attendant said, placing the mirror into Marcus's hands.
"Shall I sign and pay here?" Marcus was pleased by the attendant's words. He didn't care much for flattery, but the thought of the distance between himself and "Little Green" dissolving into nothingness made his smile radiate.
"Yes, sir. May I ask your name?" the attendant asked.
"Marcus McGonagall," Marcus said happily.
"You mean to say... ?!" The attendant's expression underwent a massive shift for the first time.
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