Having successfully sold another of his creations, Kramer looked as though he had been given a shot of stimulants. His enthusiasm instantly soared to its peak, and he looked ready to pocket every pound Herman held in the very next second.
But his sales efforts hit a rough patch after that. Armor, swords, tableware, and the rest of Kramer's product line passed before Herman's eyes like fleeting clouds. He gave them a cursory glance, but not a single item caught his fancy.
As Kramer enthusiastically tried to sell him armor yet again, Herman finally ran out of patience. "Look at the size of this armor. Can I wear it? Even if I squeezed into it with all my might, I'd still outgrow it next year! Isn't that just an obvious waste of money?"
Like a stubborn salesman, Kramer insisted on explaining, "Even if you can't wear it, you can keep it as a collectible! Look at the workmanship, the craftsmanship. Five hundred Galleons isn't expensive at all. This is a masterpiece that can stand the test of time!"
Herman merely chuckled, not even bothering to respond to Kramer. Five hundred Galleons to buy an ornament-no, to rent an ornament, to be precise. What was that if not madness?
Herman turned and strode toward the other side of the shop. The section he had just visited displayed metal goods, while this side held a dazzling assortment of miscellaneous items, including the money pouches he had seen earlier. Herman casually picked up a pouch and opened it. Just like Harry's, it looked small and dainty on the outside, but held a vast space within.
But even that size failed to meet Herman's storage needs. He turned to Kramer and asked, "Do you have any larger magical storage items? I need something that can hold more."
Seeing that Herman was no longer paying attention to the goods he had made himself, a trace of disappointment slipped into Kramer's eyes. Still, he knew that although the goods on this side cost more to acquire and offered much smaller profit margins, he could still make something from them.
So he quickly rallied and resumed his enthusiastic sales pitch. "Yes! This magical tent is just like the ones wizards sell. It's practically a large villa on the move. And ours are sturdier and more durable. It can protect your property from any threat like a mighty fortress, just like an impregnable little vault."
As Kramer spoke, he pointed at a tent pitched in one corner of the shop. Looking at the little tent, which was barely taller than himself, Herman could not help twitching the corners of his mouth. "Are you sure this is suitable for me? Won't everything inside be pathetically small?"
From the shop's layout and the goods on its shelves, Herman had already gained a thorough understanding of goblin style. Whatever else might be said about it, everything was certainly miniature in size.
Kramer tried hard to persuade Herman. "With your current height, you'll have no trouble using it! It'll definitely meet your needs."
"So I'm just never going to grow, am I? Show me something else. It doesn't need to be this big, either. As long as it holds my luggage." Herman helplessly lowered his requirements.
Hearing Herman's request, Kramer moved like a nimble little monkey and quickly produced a suitcase.
Though called a suitcase, it was actually not much larger than a briefcase and could easily be picked up with one hand. It was made of metal, with intricate, exquisite patterns engraved across its surface. One glance was enough to tell that it was worth a considerable sum.
All smiles, Kramer opened the suitcase to show Herman the space inside. It was astonishingly spacious, roughly a room ten meters long and ten meters wide. Several magical lamps were set into three of its walls, illuminating the interior brightly so that it did not seem dark at all. The remaining wall had several steps, cleverly designed.
Kramer excitedly began his introduction. "Once you close the case, windows will appear in the ceiling inside. Not only can you observe what's happening outside, you can also open them. If necessary, you can hide inside, just like a safe house."
Herman asked curiously, "Is this very sturdy too, as indestructible as a vault?"
Kramer's face flushed with excitement. "Yes, exactly! And you can lock this case with a specific spell, from either inside or outside. Once locked, opening it again will reveal an empty box. Safe and confidential-it'll absolutely keep your belongings secure."
"I bet all goblins have persecution complexes, always afraid of being robbed wherever they go," Herman muttered, then said more loudly, "Not bad. I'll take this case. Work out the total for me." Herman asked.
Kramer quickly quoted a price. "2,852 Galleons. Would you like anything else?" That price fell just short of converting all the pounds Herman held. Kramer was reluctant to leave it at that and wanted to sell him a few more things.
"That price isn't right, is it? How can you charge full price? Isn't there a discount?" Herman pressed.
"Our shop never offers discounts," Kramer declared with a perfectly straight face and righteous conviction. "It's too expensive. I'll return an item or two, then," Herman said, bluffing. He thought he had to knock at least something off the price so he could keep negotiating.
Seeing that Herman wanted to return things, Kramer immediately grew anxious. After all, he very much wanted those pounds.
Goblins secretly participating in Muggle economic activities were already violating Ministry of Magic regulations, so naturally they could not use magic to obtain Muggle currency. Every pound was hard-earned, and now it was all tied up. He had to hold on to a big spender like Herman.
"Yes, yes, we can offer a discount! Twenty percent off, just two thousand-I'll round it down further. Just 2,200 Galleons, or 9,900 pounds," Kramer said hastily.
"That's more like it. But there's something else I'd like to buy," Herman said, seizing the opportunity. Seeing how readily Kramer had lowered the price, he thought he could probably move on to the next stage of negotiations.
"What else would you like to buy?" Hearing that Herman wanted to buy more, Kramer immediately became as delighted as a child. He had thought he would not get all the pounds, but now there had been an unexpected turn, and there was still a chance to do more business.
This time, Herman was very polite, first flattering the goblin. "Goblin craftsmanship really is excellent. Nothing I saw in the wizards' shops was this exquisite or practical. Your craftsmanship is simply unrivaled."
Kramer thoroughly enjoyed Herman's words and said proudly, "Naturally! How long have wizards even known alchemy? In the past, they all came to us for custom orders. All the famous treasures in history were made by us goblins. The Sword of Gryffindor, Merlin's robes, King Arthur's armor-which of them wasn't our handiwork?"
Listening to Kramer boast, Herman chimed in from time to time, while inwardly working through his plan. Once the timing seemed about right, he said directly:
"I've always greatly admired goblin alchemy. Do you have any textbooks or anything like that? I'd like to buy one and study it properly. That way, if something breaks, I can repair it myself."
Hearing Herman's request, the goblin immediately grew wary. "No. Goblin techniques must never be taught to wizards! These are secrets passed down from our ancestors."