"Oh?" Alex raised an eyebrow, amused by the sudden shift. "Is Sir Claremont having second thoughts? I'm curious, how could just a few thousand Galleons change your mind so suddenly?"
"Well..." Claremont coughed, feeling embarrassed as he gently led Alex back to his seat.
"Mr. Wilson, perhaps we can renegotiate the amount a bit? Especially that reserve fund, it's really too steep. I just don't think anyone could produce that much gold upfront, even if they wanted to."
"Sorry, Mr. Claremont," Alex said coolly, shaking his head. "Everything else is up for discussion, but the agency fee and reserve fund aren't negotiable."
His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. He wasn't interested in promises about future orders or commissions, what he wanted was upfront cash before even considering any further talks. Did Claremont seriously believe Alex would just hand over agency rights without something concrete first?
Claremont's frown deepened, clearly troubled. Could he really come up with 6,000 Galleons right now? If he pushed through with it, he'd have to drain the shop's working capital, dig into the funds used for his underground dealings, and even tap into the money allocated to the breeding base.
That would practically be embezzling from the club's finances. And no matter how bold Claremont was, he knew better than to cross that line.
He badly wanted access to the equipment Alex had, but now he was stuck in a bind. Maybe he could turn to the older members of the club and ask for an advance to help cover the costs of this trade. But if he did, the deal would have to come with something valuable enough to get the green light, namely, those high-end alchemy tools.
As he did the math in his head, Claremont figured that if Alex agreed to include the premium goods, the Silver Wand group might be willing to fund the whole thing. But first, he needed to make a few things clear with the sly young man sitting across from him.
"Mr. Wilson," Claremont began cautiously, "I might be able to accept your terms, but only if you're willing to accept one of mine."
"Go ahead, I'm listening," Alex replied, casually gesturing with open hands. "As long as it's reasonable, I'm all ears."
Claremont inhaled deeply. "I know you're not just dealing basic alchemy supplies. You've got more advanced gear, too. I want those included in the deal."
His gaze briefly drifted to the worn dagger by his side, one of the many outdated tools he'd had to rely on lately. This was the real reason he'd been pushing so hard.
If he could secure the agency rights to those high-end items, he'd have the leverage he needed to negotiate with the senior members of the club. They desperately needed updated tools. Of course, the club had ways to get those through official channels, but the British Ministry's prices were sky-high, and their watchful eyes made any purchase feel like walking a tightrope.
If Claremont could secure a private, steady supply at a fair rate, he could offer the equipment in exchange for support, and those guaranteed yearly orders would more than cover the upfront cost.
"You're talking about the higher-grade alchemy items?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. He smirked on the inside but kept his expression polite and measured.
"I'm afraid those are restricted. They've already been handed over to the British Ministry of Magic, and selling them without a permit would be considered illegal."
Claremont leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Can't you bend the rules a little?" he asked, trying to sound persuasive. "If you give me a signal, I can add a 'reserve' clause in the agreement, and I'm open to negotiating other parts of the deal as well."
Alex shot Claremont a teasing look when he heard his suggestion and thought to himself, 'Is he trying to bribe me? Does he actually think I'm someone who's strapped for cash?'
He shook his head firmly and said, "I'm sorry, Sir Claremont, but I don't joke around when it comes to this kind of equipment. The last thing I want is to cause trouble with the Ministry of Magic back home."
Claremont sighed, clearly running out of options, and tried to come up with another angle.
"What if we disguised some of the items? We could label them as lower-grade props, things that can pass inspection. Or we skip the official paperwork and arrange private deliveries."
Alex stared at him, speechless for a second. "You're seriously suggesting we smuggle them in without going through the proper channels?"Claremont's casual suggestion made Alex feel like he was being dragged into some shady underground operation.
"Please, Sir," Alex said sharply, his tone serious now, "don't joke about that kind of thing. I'm not going to risk my future over a deal like this."
Seeing that Alex wasn't budging, Claremont's expression grew tense with frustration. "Then I'm afraid I can't accept your previous terms."
'If I can't offer those high-tier items, it'll take forever to make back the 6,000 Galleons,' Alex thought silently.
But outwardly, he kept his composure and gave Claremont a calm smile. "It seems you have quite a fondness for powerful equipment," he said lightly.
Then, smoothly shifting the topic, he added, "Now, while I can't sell those top-level restricted items, I might have something else that can meet your needs."
Claremont's ears perked up. "Oh? What are you suggesting?"
"I'm preparing to release a new batch of alchemy products," Alex explained, pausing for just the right amount of suspense. "They're significantly stronger than the current line of items, but they don't cross into the Restricted Use category, so they're perfectly legal for sale."
"New products?" Claremont asked, clearly intrigued. It surprised him that Alex wasn't referring to the highly classified tools from earlier. "And what makes these so special?"
Instead of answering right away, Alex smiled and reached into his belongings. He pulled out a small, elegantly decorated box and set it on the table. "Let me show you one."
He opened the box to reveal a sleek metal badge, carefully nestled in a velvet lining. The badge was engraved with the image of a griffin and was slightly larger than the average talisman. Even at a glance, Claremont could tell it was crafted from top-tier materials, polished, durable, and expensive.
"This," Alex began proudly, "is the Guardian Badge. It's an upgraded version of the standard Defense Talisman." His voice carried a quiet confidence as he continued. "In life-threatening situations, it can automatically trigger Protego, forming a protective shield around the wearer."
He leaned in slightly, his voice becoming more persuasive.
"This shield can absorb attacks with a combined force of up to 300 point. To give you a better idea, that's roughly equivalent to seven Stupefy cast by a trained wizard. Maybe eight if they're not at full strength."