Chương 71: Chapter 71: "The Art of Bargaining: A Tale of Power and Persuasion"
Fudge emerged from the Gringotts office with a displeased expression. When he saw Draco, he had been hopeful that the matter could be easily resolved, as he was the son of his old friend and business partner, Lucius. However, he did not expect Draco to be even more cunning than his father, and he ended up being extorted.
"Your father will be proud to have a son like you," Fudge forced a smile, despite being unhappy. Erasing the violation record was a minor concern compared to the demands made by Draco.
In the office, Draco smiled and reassured Fudge. "Thank you for your kind words. You may have lost some visible 'benefits', but I can guarantee that by cooperating with our family, you will receive more 'rewards'." Fudge could only laugh dryly, unable to continue the conversation.
Previously, Lucius and he had already had dealings in terms of power and money. Lucius used some publicity from the Ministry of Magic to gain some status and fame, while he received money. However, Lucius's son actually extended his hand into business, such as the tax-exempt quota for certain special industries. He didn't know how this teenager in front of him knew about this secret. He guaranteed that he didn't tell Lucius about it at all.
Of course, this was a trick. Draco only used his own guesses to trick him. He didn't expect to receive such a huge benefit. When Fudge walked out of the office, he found that his legs were trembling. He didn't know if it was because he had been sitting for too long or because of the extortion, but he still forced himself to maintain his standard politician smile.
"It's getting late," Fudge and Draco said as they walked out of the office together. After passing through the stone door, Fudge returned to the crowd and said, "I just contacted the Gringotts branch manager. Gringotts should be closed for business today. Our Ministry of Magic will restore order here as soon as possible. Please forgive us for the inconvenience."
They couldn't really bargain in public, so Fudge found an excuse to let Draco help him contact the short and fat Goblin. Only then did they openly discuss the conditions in private. The actual discussion only lasted for a few minutes. Most of the time, the two of them were haggling.
The people in the hall didn't object. They could only admit that they were unlucky. After today's incident, most people wouldn't be in a hurry unless it was an extremely urgent matter. After all, compared to ordinary people, wizards believed in so-called "signs" and "luck."
"Very well, I got off work early," Draco thought to himself. He didn't have much free time today, so he was happy to go home and rest early. But suddenly, he heard a female voice.
"How are you going to thank me?" The young lady's voice was still pleasant to listen to, but he could vaguely feel that there was a hint of playfulness and coquettishness. She was a completely different person from the arrogant one he had first met.
"Say it. What do you want as thanks?" Draco had a good impression of this girl. No one would mind spending time with a beauty. Moreover, this girl wasn't just a flower vase. Her performance in the face of danger was enough to make Draco view her in a new light.
"Then treat me to a meal," the young lady unexpectedly took the initiative to invite him. A man in a checkered shirt in the crowd saw this and suddenly blew a sharp whistle at them. The others who hadn't left also looked at the two of them with knowing smiles. The young lady, who was natural and unrestrained, now had a rare blush on her face. A talented man and a beautiful woman, a hero rescuing a beauty?
No matter which country it was, the masses would yearn for such a story. Since such a story happened by their side today, how could they not give their blessings?
Draco, who was being watched by the crowd, suddenly felt an invisible pressure. He realized that he was riding a tiger and couldn't back down. It didn't seem appropriate whether he agreed or not. He wasn't a slow-witted guy like those in shoujo manga. He could feel the affection of others. Besides, if a girl took the initiative to invite you to a meal, it wouldn't be gentlemanly of him to refuse.
"Okay," he still chose to agree. He vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. "It's not time to eat yet. You didn't touch the snacks just now. Now I think we can go eat something. For example, desserts and cold drinks? Florin's Cold Drinks Shop in Diagon Alley is pretty good. I'm quite familiar with the owner." As the host, Draco suggested.
"I have no objections," the young lady agreed readily. Her anticipation was evident in her words.
Sometimes, what to eat wasn't important. What was important was who to eat with. The naturally passionate French girl began to believe in the love at first sight that she had scoffed at. She felt that she had found the so-called answer — the method that would help her successfully summon the Divine Guard.
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