The Heat Won't Quit, and a Sixty-Percent Deal Is Sealed

Cedric ate the entire plate of spicy stir-fried Dragon Blood for lunch, using the white bread Ron had handed him to mop it up.

Once the 400 enhancement points were his, he wiped his chili-reddened lips, picked up the black creature that had finally run out of energy, and left the Kitchen.

Inside the Leaky Cauldron, people were sucking in air everywhere, their faces twisted by the heat.

Quite a few wizards bought a dish from Cedric, then ordered a staple from Ron: bean soup with white bread.

Together, they made a fantastic lunch.

That was why Cedric could hear such a spectacular chorus of sharp breaths.

The wizards' faces were bright red. They craved more even as they dreaded it, and their conflicted expressions only made Cedric feel better.

Just then, Hawke spotted Cedric and hurried over. His expression was complicated, and his voice trembled from the heat. "Mr. Grey, could we discuss something? Next time, could you make something a little less intense?"

Cedric looked innocent. "What? Didn't it taste good?"

Hawke tugged at his collar, sweat pouring down his face. "No, it tasted wonderful. It's just... in the middle of summer, a dish like this isn't exactly kind to those of us wearing robes."

Cedric grinned wickedly. "Oh, I'm fine. My clothes have a built-in ventilation charm. They're wonderfully comfortable. You should order some from the Spirit Feather Tailor Shop."

This is nothing. By tomorrow—no, by tonight—you'll find out what this dish can really do.

Hawke blurted out, "That place is far too expensive. Apart from the time I went there to win my wife over, I wouldn't dare set foot in it."

Only then did he realize he had said too much. He gave a dry cough and changed the subject. "By the way, Mr. Grey, do you remember what we discussed?"

"I do," Cedric said. "But I'm a little puzzled. Does getting one bottle of Cheering Potion really take this long?"

It had been three days since Hawke had approached him about working together. It was just one bottle of Cheering Potion. Was it really that rare?

"Of course not," Hawke explained. "Cheering Potion is easy to buy. Any Potions shop will have it. But securing a steady long-term supply is much harder. You need a dedicated Potions workshop and reliable brewers."

He paused. "You also have to control the quality. To make sure every bottle has the same taste and effect, I picked out a Potions workshop and bought it outright."

Cedric stared at him. "You've planned this far ahead? Don't forget, I haven't even started experimenting, and you're already thinking about mass production? What if I fail? You'd lose a fortune."

Hawke laughed. "Haha, how could anything you make fail? Besides, I wouldn't lose much. Even if you don't come up with that candy, I can still sell the Cheering Potion."

Well, look at that. Money was no object to him.

Then again, it made sense. Hawke had a near monopoly on ninety percent of the magical candy on the market. He was a major capitalist by any measure.

"All right." Cedric put the potion away. "But before that, let's draw up a contract. I hope your offer is generous enough, Mr. Hawke, or this partnership won't go any further."

Smiling, Hawke pulled out a sheet of parchment. "No problem. I've already prepared it. Take a look. I'm offering you sixty percent of the new candy's revenue!"

Cedric was startled. Sixty percent? That's a generous offer.

Then it struck him: That's a share of revenue, not profit. I won't have to put up a penny and I'll get sixty percent of every sale. Hawke will have to cover every expense out of the remaining forty percent.

It was practically free money.

"You're very generous, Mr. Hawke," Cedric said frankly. "But I assume there's a condition attached?"

"Of course," Hawke said with a smile. "Nothing troublesome. I'd just like to use your name when we promote it."

He wanted Cedric as the face of the product. That sixty percent would buy both his culinary skill and the drawing power of his name.

Cedric had no objection to making money from his reputation. He nodded without hesitation. "No problem. That's all in the contract too, right?"

"Of course. The contract has already been notarized by the Ministry of Magic and bears its seal. Once you sign, it takes effect immediately."

Cedric glanced over the contract and found a thoughtful clause: Hawke could use Cedric's name to advertise only the candies made from recipes Cedric supplied. He could not use it to promote any other products.

That alone showed Cedric how sincere Hawke was.

"Good. I understand." Cedric took the pen from Hawke and signed his name. "See you tomorrow afternoon. If all goes well, I'll give you the candy recipe."

Hawke held out his hand with a smile. "Here's to a good partnership."

Cedric reached out too. Their hands, one large and one small, clasped together, sealing the deal.

At last, one of Cedric's ventures was on track.