Now it seemed the one responsible was this mysterious Mr. Liravita.
Like the house-elves, he quietly kept Hogwarts running from the shadows.
"Mr. Liravita, hello," Sean said respectfully.
He never forgot a single feast at Hogwarts.
"Ah—ah, Mr. Green, just call me Lira," Mr. Liravita said. He was plump and warm, with a kindly face.
The moment he appeared, Ora glanced at him more than once. Marle grew visibly wary.
Even Suya tensed up, clenching her hands tightly.
The negotiations began almost immediately. Most of the time, it was Professor Tayra handling exchange rates and interest—numbers and percentages flying like hexes.
Sean didn't speak, and he didn't need to.
What surprised him was that Suya didn't join the negotiation at all. Instead, she sat beside him, sipping pumpkin juice.
"Dear Mr. Hermes, don't look at me," Suya whispered, apparently sensitive to his gaze. "Just like you don't need to step onto the field yourself, I don't need to participate in the bargaining."
"Why?" Sean asked, glancing at the four people arguing intensely, then back to Suya—who looked completely at ease.
"Aunt Tayra will fight for the best contract for you. She's always been like that. And with you here, she'll probably break every bottom line international merchants have."
Suya lowered her voice even more.
"Can you believe it? Just now, she offered them less than ten percent profit…
Merlin—your biggest 'payment' is a tiny slice of your friendship and a gorgeous line on their résumé.
I don't know whether they'll accept it, but I would. I already do…"
Sean felt more at ease. It looked like the professor really would secure favorable terms for the Tayra family.
"Oh, don't misunderstand," Suya added quickly. "The reason I don't need to negotiate is because Aunt Tayra will fight for your best contract—which means I'll always end up with the worst one.
Last time, the contract she gave me actually required me to put money in at the start."
Sean blinked, momentarily stunned.
"Merlin—don't tell me you don't know how valuable your name is."
Suya started counting titles like she was afraid they might bite:
"The future greatest wizard. The one who'll surpass Dumbledore. The greatest alchemist in eight hundred years…"
She shivered a little, then continued, calmer now.
"And you really don't have to worry. International merchants are all sharp. No matter how strict the contract is, they'll find other ways to profit.
The simplest one: if a product sells well enough, less than ten percent profit can still beat being the agent for ten other goods."
Suya looked utterly unconcerned.
Then the discussion abruptly stalled. Professor Tayra's voice cut through.
"Come here, Miss Suya—and my dear apprentice."
When Sean walked over, the plump wizard was wiping sweat from his forehead, as if the negotiations had been a full-contact duel.
Ora looked dazed, eyes unfocused.
Even Marle had collapsed into his chair.
Sean had no idea what Professor Tayra had said to crush three eager, energetic international merchants into this state.
"My dear little Green, I'm truly sorry," Mr. Liravita said. He crouched down, shyly clasped Sean's hand, and spoke with sincere regret.
"I'm more than happy to help Hogwarts's children, but I can't accept the clause requiring twenty-four-hour on-call availability. Too many other children still need me."
He was the first to leave.
"Senior Tayra, you're absolutely ruthless," Ora said—yet her eyes burned with determination.
"But I accept. Half a percent profit, then half a percent.
I only have one request: I want to study the principles behind the magical device. For that, I'm willing to earn nothing."
"Ora, you're too eager," Professor Tayra said, shaking her head and gesturing for her to go.
"Even if we didn't reach a deal, dear Mr. Hermes, I still long for our next collaboration," Ora said, letting out a long breath as she carefully handed Sean a business card.
Suya leaned in and whispered an explanation.
"Ora is an exception among international merchants. She's obsessed with alchemy.
She'll even handle international trade without profit—but many alchemists who've worked with her swear they'll never do it again.
She learns too fast. Work with her long enough, and your device gets 'decoded.' She has good credit and never uses it to profiteer, but… it does terrible things to an alchemist's pride."
The last to approach was Marle, who had only just dragged himself upright. He walked over looking miserable.
"Honored Mr. Hermes… I can barely see any profit at all. Sigh…"
He looked at Professor Tayra like a man who'd been robbed in broad daylight.
"Half a percent is enough to make you filthy rich, Marle," Professor Tayra said without even looking up.
"Three percent is the minimum standard for international brokers, my dear teacher," Marle whined.
"That's a standard," Professor Tayra said flatly. "Standards exist to be broken."
Marle sighed dramatically.
"Thank goodness it's you—and honored Mr. Hermes. If anyone else said that, I'd have run. I'd have run far.
Do you know how hard business is right now? The Department of International Magical Cooperation keeps raising review thresholds, keeps increasing taxes…
The magical communications market is saturated…
And staffing is a nightmare. These days we don't even have enough new blood in international trade…"
He rambled on and on.
Half a percent—he was basically trading with his head on the chopping block.
If this product weren't about to change the entire wizarding world, he'd be bankrupt down to his grandmother's teacups.
"Didn't I give you a new recruit?" Professor Tayra finally looked up.
"Yes… an inexperienced recruit," Marle complained, flipping open a résumé.
Then he froze.
What did it mean—ten percent profit in half a year: two thousand Galleons? What did it mean—London University, Economics, honors graduate?
What even was London University—some kind of wizarding school?
Suya stared at her aunt in disbelief. Professor Tayra gave her a single, calm nod.
"You sold me again! Every time—you—"
Suya flared up.
Professor Tayra raised her eyes.
Suya immediately deflated, then muttered under her breath, "Always looking down on me… just you wait, I'll be the best international merchant…"
"Marle will handle sales for the Magic Hand Mirror," Professor Tayra said briskly. "Suya will be his assistant.
Procurement of materials, sales channels, and operations will be handled by Marle and Suya.
Compensation: for every Magic Hand Mirror sold—half a percent profit."
With a casual flick of her fingers, a magical contract floated into Sean's hands.
He signed without hesitation.
Meanwhile, London was waking up. Golden sunlight spilled into the courtyard, warm and gentle.
Before leaving, Marle told Sean respectfully:
"Tomorrow is the first day the Magic Hand Mirror will be sold.
I know it's inconvenient for you to appear publicly, but we hope you'll attend in secret.
It will be a special moment."
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 120 Chapters Ahead of Others!