Claremont shook his head slightly. "With all due respect, those alchemical accessories might be useful for everyday dueling or city patrols, but they're not enough for the kind of work we do here.
A pendant that only casts Protego won't help much against dragon fire or a griffin's claws. It might buy you a few extra seconds to react, but that's about it.
Besides, our team already knows Protego. Injuries are still rare, but when they do happen, it's not because they didn't use the spell."
He didn't bother sugarcoating things. Everyone had already looked into those kinds of protective items back when the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company first came to Germany. On paper, the gear sounded impressive, but in practice, it didn't hold up. For regular wizards, sure, the equipment was fine. But for people dealing with magical beasts in the field? Not so much.
The standard Protego wasn't anywhere near as effective as the advanced Humanoid version, and the enchantments inside those gloves and amulets burned out fast. Once they were triggered, you'd need to replace the magical core inside, and Germany's supplier couldn't do that on-site.
Everything had to be ordered from the UK, which meant long waits and high costs. So for their park's purposes, those lower-tier items weren't reliable or efficient enough to be worth the trouble.
"I'm well aware," Claremont said with a mysterious smile, "but I might have found another way." He reached across the table and picked up a piece of letterhead, its edges decorated with intricate patterns, then handed it to Gail.
Gail accepted the paper, gave it a quick glance, then looked more closely. "An invitation?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
As she read through it, her expression shifted. "Alex Wilson? Isn't that the founder of Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company? He actually invited you for a meeting?"
Gail looked genuinely surprised. "He's really here in Germany?"
Claremont let out a soft chuckle, clearly pleased with himself. "You probably didn't hear, but while you've been busy with the park, Mr. Wilson sent me that invitation. He came to Germany looking for a reliable distributor.
I checked up on it, and it's true. The dealers he signed with in Egypt had one-year contracts, and now he's searching for a long-term partner. Wilson's already been here for a few days and even met with someone local."
Gail narrowed her eyes. "So… what exactly are you planning?"
Claremont leaned back slightly, his tone calm but confident. "If we can't get gear from the club itself, why not go through Wilson?
If my company manages to secure the agency rights to Wilson's Arcane Alchemica , we might be able to source directly from them, including their tactical vests."
"Even if that kind of gear can't be sold to the public," Gail said, "if you can at least get your hands on more protective amulets, we could start making them standard issue at the park. Sure, it's a bit of a hassle to replace the cores after each use, but the maintenance team is capable of handling that much."
Claremont nodded slightly but didn't answer right away.
Gail tilted her head and pressed him again, her tone growing more pointed. "This sounds like a great opportunity, but are you really confident you can win the agency rights for Wilson's Arcane Alchemica ?"
She leaned in, not letting it go. "There must be a lot of merchants trying to get that spot. Even though I spend most of my time here at the park, I still know how sought-after Wilson Alchemica's gear is. Just how competitive is this agency slot?"
Claremont gave her a helpless look. "Why are you always so negative?" he muttered, not unkindly.
She was sharp and capable, he couldn't have asked for a better assistant, but she had a habit of shooting down ideas before they had a chance to grow. He let out a breath and continued, his tone calm but firm.
"Look, financially speaking, there are only three or four serious competitors in all of Germany who could really challenge me for this. Merchants from East Germany aren't a real concern, Mr. Wilson likely already knows that East and West German markets are completely different. That's probably why he's so eager to find a new agent."
He straightened his back and went on, "If we focus on West Germany alone, there are really only one or two other merchants I need to deal with. And I happen to have a decent relationship with one of them.
With a bit of private negotiation, I might be able to work something out. Worst-case scenario, I give up some short-term profit to sweeten the deal."
Claremont's voice gained a quiet confidence. "If I'm willing to invest a bit of money upfront, I'm confident I can win the agency rights."
Gail smirked, clearly amused by his conviction. "So that's what you're planning. Well, good luck with it."
"Thanks. I'll be counting on you to hold down the fort while I take care of the Wilson Alchemica deal over the next few days," Claremont said, offering her a grateful smile. "I still need to finish inspecting the Core Hub, and after that, I'm heading out. Don't expect me back tomorrow."
"Got it," Gail replied with a nod. "I'll take care of things here." With that, she turned and left the office.
Claremont stood in silence for a moment, then began tidying up his desk quickly and efficiently. Once he was done, he stepped out as well. What he didn't know was that nearby, Shalltear had been eavesdropping on their entire conversation.
She'd been unsure before, but now it was clear, Alex had personally invited Claremont, which meant he were already making moves. The realization settled her nerves. If Alex was directly involved, then this park really was about to change.
The big battle at the breeding base no longer felt so frightening. It wasn't just her anymore, serious people were taking action.
For the first time in days, Shalltear felt a small wave of relief. Staying hidden all the time, living like some kind of nocturnal creature, had worn on her more than she wanted to admit. She wasn't meant to live like a bat forever.
Outside, Claremont walked purposefully toward the center of the base, and Shalltear silently followed. Along the way, Muggles and wizards alike stopped to greet him.
He returned every nod, every wave, with a polite smile. It was easy to see how respected he was, despite everything, people at the base clearly liked and trusted him.
When he reached the tall spire at the heart of the base, Claremont stepped inside without hesitation. Shalltear paused across the street, staring at the steeple.
'This must be the "Core Hub" they'd mentioned,' though she couldn't quite figure out what made it so special. There weren't any guards or magical traps that she could see, and the area surrounding it was strangely quiet.
But what unsettled her more was the fact that Claremont didn't come back out.
She waited for two full hours, hidden across from the building, eyes fixed on the door. Still, there was no sign of him.