The reason Alan targeted Aseria was because, during their previous conversation, he had used Legilimency and sensed a hint of malice from her. Although Aseria had concealed it well, his instinctive use of the art had caught it. This flash of ill intent appeared the moment Alan stated that the Anti-Apparition Jammer was not for trade. Before that, Aseria had behaved normally, and her attitude toward him had been quite restrained.
Considering she had been subtly inquiring about the details of his shop, her intentions became clear: Aseria was extremely interested in the jammers, even to the point of being prepared to use violent means. Since that was the case, Alan saw no reason to be polite. He wasn't particularly curious about other people's secrets, but now that someone wanted to pry into his own, he wouldn't be blamed for being ruthless.
After instructing Kiki to follow her, Alan returned to minding the shop. He was currently enjoying the role of a boss; when he eventually tired of it, he would let Kiki take over the counter.
Spending the day in the shop allowed him to discover the varied preferences of his customers. Young wizards disregarded the powerful alchemy tools, showing more interest in the glowing silver sign, the mysterious chairs, and the raven that spat light orbs. Older students were drawn to the Communication Amulets, which allowed for discreet messaging; indeed, teenagers loved passing notes, but most were deterred by the price.
Adult wizards had different priorities. Men were interested in items like the Self-Checking Pocket Watch, drawn to its exquisite appearance, complex internal structure, and high performance. Conversely, adult women generally left after a quick browse, having no interest in these specific alchemy items at all.
Everyone shared one common characteristic: they looked but did not buy. In one afternoon, Alan only sold a single Self-Checking Pocket Watch. Facing this, Alan finally understood how the shopkeepers felt when he used to browse without buying at the alchemy shop in Hogsmeade. Although his products were specialized and not entirely aimed at ordinary wizards, the dismal sales still made him uncomfortable. Moreover, people frequently asked if he sold Wizard Chess or Quidditch equipment, which made things even more awkward.
"It seems ordinary wizards are more interested in aesthetics and entertainment, and they prefer inexpensive items. They are often deterred the moment they see the price list." Alan was a novice in business, but he was a fast learner.
After closing the shop that evening, Alan walked into his laboratory to prepare. Regarding Aseria, he installed a set of induction locator runes in the core defenses of his home. This would allow him to sense the three pairs of Tactical Boots if they approached within a certain range. Since she had designs on his inventory, it was possible she might attempt a theft.
He prepared for two possibilities. First, he strengthened his home's defenses to guard against her maneuvers. Second, he was concerned about her question regarding his return to Hogwarts; she might try to steal something while he was away from Diagon Alley. He decided to use her own scheme against her. If she planned to play dirty while he was away, he would let her "steal" tampered jammers. He added backdoors to these devices, which would not only reveal her location but also allow him to bypass the shielding and anti-apparition spells enchanted upon them. After tampering with the jammers, he stored them in a safe inside the first-floor testing room to make them look like a high-security target.
With that settled, Alan turned back to the shop's future. Following Joey's ideas, he decided to categorize the Humanoid Target by level: a junior version, a youth version, an adult version, and a professional version. These changes were simple, as he only needed to subtract features from his existing designs. Next was the development of civilian products, like the magic lamps Gemma had liked; these were low-cost and could be mass-produced. Finally, he planned to upgrade the appearance of his inventory. He had previously only considered durability and concealment, resulting in rugged, matte-black designs.
However, Alan had no eye for fashion. He preferred things to be simple and durable. Since he couldn't handle the aesthetic side himself, he sought outside help. He wrote a letter and sent the owl, Shunfeng, to deliver it overnight.
The next day, an old acquaintance appeared in his fireplace.
"Alan, you're really something. You won't even let people rest during summer vacation. Don't you know I haven't touched a Mahjong tile for almost a year? I was planning to play to my heart's content, otherwise, once we're back at Hogwarts, you'll be watching me like a hawk again," Vivian grumbled, walking out of the Floo clutching a large chicken leg.
"I'll pay!" Alan said, offering a bag of Galleons directly to the plump young girl.
After years of interaction, Alan was well-acquainted with her personality. He knew that if Vivian was in a bad mood, she could lecture him for an hour. He simply ignored her grumbling and hit her with the one thing he knew worked.
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