Chapter 433: A Profitable Deal
Chapter 433: A Profitable Deal
(Previously: Chapter 432: A Profitable Deal) Kenneth Tolle shot a quirky glance at the trio beside him. Finally, it was Madam Padfoot who pulled up a chair to their table, sparing him from having to stand.
"Mr. Anderson, you're younger than I expected," remarked Mrs. Primpenelle as she shook Albert's hand.
"Well, I get that a lot," Albert replied courteously, offering his hand to the lady before him.
"Everyone?"
Mrs. Primpenelle was curious about whom Albert was referring to as 'everyone,' but she didn't forget the purpose of this meeting.
"Let's get to the point of today's discussion. Your Redness Reliever 2.0 is indeed impressive. However, your naming sense leaves much to be desired." Mrs. Primpenelle said with a smile.
Isabelle flashed a knowing smile at Albert, as if to say, 'I told you so.' "500 galleons is not an unreasonable amount, but I'm more concerned about the returns I can expect," Mrs. Primpenelle continued after sipping her tea. "I heard that Mr. Anderson here only took half a month to perfect the potion's formula." She raised her gaze to Albert. "If I purchase the formula and you further refine it later, I'll be left with a loss."
"Improving the potion wasn't solely my doing," Albert admitted, gesturing to Isabelle. "My friend here was a great help."
"And who might this young lady be?" Mrs. Primpenelle inquired, her eyes on Isabelle.
"Isabelle McDougal," Albert introduced, "a genius from Hogwarts."
"If you have an interest in beauty potions, I'd be delighted to offer you a position in my shop after your graduation." Mrs. Primpenelle extended an invitation to Isabelle, shaking her hand. "I can assure you that the terms will be most favorable."
Both Kenneth Tolle and Katrina felt awkward, as they hadn't found a chance to join the conversation.
"I'll consider it," Isabelle politely declined.
"Now, Mr. Anderson, you still haven't answered my question," Mrs. Primpenelle turned her attention back to Albert.
"Five years," Albert contemplated. "I believe that should be ample time for Madam Primpenelle to recoup her investment and make a substantial profit."
"That's too short a time," Mrs. Primpenelle shook her head in refusal. "If it's only for five years, I'm afraid I can only offer half the price."
"You must have used the potion yourself. Redness Reliever 2.0 is already a mature product," Albert argued, sipping his milk tea. "A significant number of young ladies and gentlemen at Hogwarts use it to clear their acne. Everyone wants to look more attractive. I'm sure you'll make a handsome profit, certainly not a loss."
Mrs. Primpenelle was about to respond, but Albert raised his hand to interrupt.
"Improving potions is no easy task, as you well know, being a potioneer yourself," Albert continued.
Mrs. Primpenelle fell silent, acknowledging the truth in the boy's words. This was a safe bet, and she was merely trying to maximize her gains.
"At most, it's a gamble," Albert went on. "If I don't improve upon the current formula, 500 galleons is a small price to pay for the Redness Reliever 2.0 formula, and Madam Primpenelle stands to make a killing."
Mrs. Primpenelle didn't refute this point, as she, too, realized that the young man understood the value of the formula.
"You view this as a gamble, then?" Mrs. Primpenelle asked, intrigued.
"Yes," Albert replied with a grin. "And it's a gamble you can't lose. At worst, you'll make a little less, while I could end up in the red if I lose. But I'm willing to take that chance because I've always had good luck, and I'm confident in my fortune."
Mrs. Primpenelle pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
Albert was right—deals like this were lucrative, and she couldn't lose out either way.
To illustrate, she could mention the Swift Hair-Straightening Potion, invented decades ago, which had made its creator a wealthy individual. Eventually, he sold the shop and the potion's formula, becoming even richer. To this day, the Swift Hair-Straightening Potion remained a highly profitable product.
If Albert didn't improve upon the Redness Reliever, the formula would still be worth a fortune—500 galleons might not even cover a fraction of its worth.
Was improving potions truly that simple?
As a skilled potioneer herself, Mrs. Primpenelle was all too aware of the challenges involved.
In the end, she readily agreed to the deal and produced a contract recognized by the Ministry of Magic for Albert to sign. The transaction was concluded amicably.
However, Mrs. Primpenelle included a stipulation in the magical contract: the new and improved Redness Reliever must be distinct from the current version, or Albert would be in breach of contract. In such a case, Mrs. Primpenelle reserved the right to acquire the potion formula for a certain amount of galleons.
This petty condition didn't escape Albert and Isabelle's notice, but Albert wasn't concerned. He knew that Redness Reliever 3.0 would be an ointment, not a potion.
Katrina, who had witnessed the entire transaction, was astounded as she watched Albert effortlessly secure 500 galleons. To top it off, he generously gave Isabelle 50 galleons.
Katrina opened her mouth to say something but ultimately left the tea shop without a word, looking dazed.
"It went even smoother than I expected," Isabelle remarked, sipping her milk tea. "But you are rather generous."
"You helped me throughout," Albert said nonchalantly.
Isabelle didn't dwell on the galleons, shifting the conversation back to the previous topic. She hoped Albert could lend a hand to her sister, and this was the second time she had brought it up. Due to their relationship, Katrina was gradually being excluded from their small circle. When the two of them were together, they preferred privacy, and Isabelle wanted to bring Katrina back into the fold.
"That's no problem," Albert joked, "but aren't you worried I'll run off with your sister?"
"Not at all," Isabelle kissed Albert's cheek. "I trust you, and I know you wouldn't do that."
"Haven't you heard the saying that boys are like fickle carrots?" Albert teased, unable to resist a bit of self-deprecating humor.
"It seems you have a lot of faith in yourself!" Isabelle ignored his self-deprecating remark and glanced at the bag of galleons. "While I admire your confidence, I suspect Madam Primpenelle will be popping open a bottle of champagne when she gets home to celebrate!"
"I don't feel like I lost out," Albert said calmly.
Even if he had kept the Redness Reliever formula, he doubted he could sell it for 500 galleons. This direct exchange was more practical.
"In my plans, the Redness Reliever is an ointment," Albert explained. "I'm confident we can achieve Redness Reliever 3.0, as my luck has always held. You know that."
"I do like your confidence," Isabelle said, "but you really need to work on your naming skills."
"Then you'll have to help me come up with a catchy name when the time comes."
(End of Chapter)
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