"You're flattering me," Alex said modestly, lifting his coffee cup with a polite smile.
"With your strength, this sort of thing must feel like a stroll through the park. Maybe we'll get the chance to work together someday, there are still a few things I'd like to ask you, depending on where you stand."
"Oh?" Claremont raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite knowing the real business of the day was about to start. "Work together? What exactly do you mean by that?"
"I actually came to Germany hoping to find some potential partners," Alex explained, his tone thoughtful as a faint frown crept across his face. "But lately, I've run into something that's a bit... confusing. And I think we need to move faster than planned."
Claremont poured more coffee into Alex's cup and gestured for him to continue. "If you need help, just ask. I might not be a big name internationally, but I do know quite a bit about Sid's situation."
"And West Germany..." Alex murmured, staring into his cup. "That's what's been bothering me. It's strange, Germany feels like two different countries. Even here, you can see the split so clearly."
Claremont nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's a unique problem of ours. Relations between East and West Germany have been rough ever since...
Well, you know, the history's not pretty. Sounds like you've been poking around in political matters?"
Alex set his cup down, his expression turning serious. "Not really. I don't care much about politics, but this division is hurting my business. You probably saw it back in Egypt, I made deals with two German merchants there."
He paused, then added with a hint of annoyance, "What I didn't realize until recently is that one of them's from East Germany. He was supposed to handle our civilian product line. The other's from West Germany, and he's in charge of distributing our alchemy gear…"
"And now we're stuck," he said, shaking his head as if he could see Galleons slipping right through his fingers.
"The Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company's products can't move freely between the two sides. East Germans don't have access to our alchemy amulets, and West Germans can't buy our magic lamps. It's like half the market's just... gone."
Claremont leaned back with a knowing look. "Yeah, I've heard about that. You're not the only one running into that wall. Funny enough, that's actually boosted the black market around here.
People say there's more money to be made smuggling than running a legit business. In most places, working across the country means profit. But here? It means breaking the law."
Alex scoffed. "Seriously? I'm supposed to be okay with that? Watching my business get split down the middle like that?"
He looked up, locking eyes with Claremont. "You've got a strong reputation here, people say you're one of the top players in Germany.
What's your view on the whole East-West divide? Any chance things might calm down soon?"
Claremont chuckled, waving off the compliment. "Elite? I think that's pushing it. But I'll answer you honestly.
I'm not exactly pessimistic about East and West Germany, but I wouldn't bet on reunification anytime soon. If anything, I think the odds of staying divided are higher than coming back together."
Alex tilted his head, still curious despite his cautious expression. "You think so? So reunification isn't really on the table anymore?"
Claremont paused, pretending to think for a moment before giving a measured answer. "If I had to guess... I'd say there's a pretty high chance, maybe around seventy or eighty percent, that Germany will stay divided.
It might even end up more fragmented than it is now. And if that happens, the Ministry of Magic could very well split too, right along with the country."
"So you're not optimistic about reunification," Alex said with a frown. "That lines up with what everyone else has been telling me. If that's really how things are going, then Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company is going to need to rethink its entire strategy for Germany."
He sighed and leaned back slightly, looking a little frustrated. "The main reason I came here this time was to find a dependable dealer we could work with long-term.
Right now, we've only got short-term contracts with two merchants, one year left, that's it. But with the way things are going, one dealer isn't going to cut it. I'll need solid partners on both sides of the country, one in the East and one in the West."
He glanced at Claremont, his tone turning more exasperated. "What's even more frustrating is that we can't move goods between East and West. It's completely blocked.
So before I can even think about long-term distribution plans, I have to sort out these two temporary agents first. That way, East Germany can take charge of selling our alchemy equipment, and West Germany can handle our civilian product line. It's just… way more complicated than I expected."
Claremont nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth curling into a knowing smile. So he'd been right, Alex wasn't just here to chat, he was here to negotiate. That explained the roundabout questions and cautious tone.
"Oh, Alex," Claremont said, his voice light but firm, "it's not that complicated.
All you need to do is turn those short-term contracts into something more permanent. Set up two reliable distributors, one on each side, and divide the product lines based on what each market needs."
Alex tilted his head. "And how exactly would that work?"
"Simple," Claremont replied smoothly. "Pick one long-term partner in East Germany and another in West Germany.
Let each one handle the goods that are currently missing from their side. When your existing contracts run out, just hand off the responsibilities to your new partners. That way, there's no disruption, and your market presence stays solid."
Of course, Claremont knew someone like Alex had probably thought of this already. The young man was clearly waiting for Claremont to suggest the plan first, to lead the conversation and make the offer.
And Claremont didn't mind. If it gave him a better shot at securing the dealership, he was happy to play along.
"That would definitely save me a lot of time and hassle," Alex admitted.
Then, without dancing around it any longer, he asked directly, "So, Sir Claremont, are you interested in becoming a partner with Wilson's Arcane Alchemica Company?"
"Absolutely," Claremont replied without hesitation.
"If you're willing to work with my firm, we can join forces. I'll make sure you get the support you need to grow your brand here. You'll have access to the best contacts and logistics on this side of the country."
Alex nodded thoughtfully, not giving anything away. "That does sound like a strong partnership. But Germany has a lot of capable merchants.
Why should I pick you over the others? Maybe I should host a bidding round, invite the top players and see who's the most committed."
At that, Claremont's smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "Mr. Wilson," he said calmly, "with all due respect, there aren't many merchants in West Germany who can handle what your company offers.
To be blunt, my firm already dominates the local alchemy market. We've got the largest share, and our infrastructure is in place.
If you choose us, you'll get results right away. No learning curve. No risks."
"Oh, really?" Alex raised an eyebrow, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. It seemed Claremont had caught his attention.