“I believe that bringing me here to negotiate was done out of goodwill?”
Alexander spoke with a confident smile as he asked the elder who looked a bit to young to be called one.
“It seems that our actions have caused unnecessary worry in our honored guest’s heart. Worry not Sir Walsh, we mean you no harm, please understand that our actions were born out of a tradition of self-preservation”
The elder said with a look filled with sorrow.
Piecing together the information he got from Jiayi, Alexander could understand where the elder was coming from. Although he did feel a bit bad for mistrusting them, he still believed that his actions were warranted.
We both have things we need to look out for, but I believe in Jiayi and have faith in my own abilities. But it really was unnerving to be brought into some hidden world… now I wonder why this world was not tackled in the movies?
Alexander thought lightly as he did not seem to recall this setting in the world of Harry Potter. Though the answer why is pretty obvious but he still let such thoughts linger just to calm his own mind.
“I understand, I have heard of your clan’s history and I know why you called me here. Well, honestly speaking, I did already predict this kind of situation after a bit of research on Jiayi’s condition. But I was not really expecting to be brought to such a magical world.”
Without letting go of his smile, Alexander explained his position to the elder.
Seeing and hearing his response, the elder let out a relieved sigh as she made a gesture which dropped the raised platform, lowering it to the level of where Alex stood.
“I deeply apologize for this, as you may already know, our situation is not all that… promising. Not only is our clan in exile but we are all barely surviving given our clan’s- peculiarities. But please, if there is anything we can offer you do not hesitate to ask”
So you are working on the premise that I would give you the cure… whether this is a calculated move, a move of desperation or a trap is beyond me. I could try to look at things from a philosophical perspective but a battle of wits is the thing I am particularly bad at. Maybe that was why I did not get too many projects in my past life…
Alexander lamented as he tried to think of how to respond but unfortunately he did not know where the conversation was actually going. The few “smart” or witty conversations he knew of existed only in writing, movies or shows.
In short, all the boy knew how to be deceptive, calculating and cold was based on fiction. Which, unfortunately enough followed a systematic way to make conversations look “cooler” and character’s “smarter”.
But such knowledge forgoes other underlying problems in any deals. Unspoken rules, biases, honey traps, appeals to emotion…. There are a plethora of ways to lead a conversation and I am at a dead end when it comes to such dealings…
Alexander sighed in his heart as he answered.
“I don’t know if you read my mind but I never really planned on making things hard for you guys… but I do hope to get some benefits from my contribution to your clan-”
He started off calmly, he sighed as he started to explain his position. As he continued to talk Alexander realized how bad he was at negotiation when he heard his own words and saw the look on the elder’s eyes.
Recalling how he dealt with Dumbledore he realized that even his actions against Snape were nothing but childish which brought him a sudden pang of shame. His words slowed down and softened and taking that chance the elder cut him off as she said.
“I wholeheartedly agree! A child like you need not worry about the complicated life of politics and chasing after benefits! But our clan has few things it could offer you… money, power, prestige… These things were lost by the clan decades ago but! We can offer you one thing! Li Jiayi is the daughter of the current clan head, if you are willing we don’t mind making her your bride! In that manner you become the young master of the clan and could take the head position in the future!”
She completely dropped her formal tone and began to fervently speak, she even went as far as to hold Alexander’s hands. Her actions did not carry the regal air that he saw before but now she looked a bit like a fawning servant with her manner of speech and actions.
The beautiful woman’s actions caught Alexander off guard as he found himself flustered at her sudden skinship and her words that held a bit of allure.
If I become the clan head… then-
Alexander looked around to see all the beautiful young and mature women around him. His thoughts suddenly spun wildly seeing a beautiful image of him being surrounded by countless beauties. The hidden world now looked like a hidden paradise as he fantasized of the blissful almost dream like nature of his visions-
Visions? Wait somethings wrong!
As he savored the beautiful dream Alexander realized that there was something amiss. Then he quickly activated his magical eyes and as he did he saw the pink aura that was floating all over the grand hall.
Pink aura… no this is an air based- no… the magic is scent based… a perfume? It’s effects are… crap!
“Sensory based magic that causes one to feel… lust?”
Alexander’s magical eyes turned clear as he spoke in a calm demeanor, he still felt his heart thumping wildly as his lower head began to react.
Shit… I could see it happening but have no way in counteracting this in a way that does not look like an attack!
Finally after looking at the eyes all around him, Alexander realized what kind of mess he got himself into. He used his vision to look for Jiayi only to find her sleeping comfortably at a bench near the large doors.
Damn it! This meeting was the trap!
Now Alexander realized the trap, it was not the deal, the contract, the verbal warfare that he should have prepared for. Instead he should have been more vigilant of his surroundings and prepared for direct attacks on him.
I did not think about this kind of situation, I knew they were not going to harm me in any way, after all Jiayi does not know how to engrave the magic circle and even if she did, without fully grasping the meanings behind the runes and magic circle recreating it would have a high chance of failure! I believed in their need of me which brought me false confidence, never would I have thought of such a trap…
Alexander had thought about a variety of traps but he never thought of one as temp- as insidious as this.
“Don’t worry child, we promise to take good care of you~”
Suddenly the elder pulled Alex into her embrace, her actions would have done nothing for a normal 13 year old but Alex- well he was anything but.
“The women of our clan has become increasingly younger over the years, in fact the last generation were so desperate in revitalizing our clan that they went out to hypnotize attractive and powerful men in order to get the best genes. Right now the current generations ages range from 20 to 30, the youngest being Jiayi who is the daughter of the current head who is the olders among us turning 33 this year-”
“Elder! I don’t mind being first!”
“No me!”
“I promise to take care of the boy!”
“Elder!”
Hearing the voices all around him Alexander felt a shiver run down his spine, his rational mind was going crazy but his lower body had a different reaction.
“Don’t worry child, all these girls are still virgins~ Moreover due to the nature of our blood curse, we all have used our youth to obtain the necessary capital to support the clan.”
The elder said with a smile as she showed Alexander the variety of jewels and riches that the clan had hidden all over the great hall.
“We were unable to make a mark in the world of magic but the world of non-magical beings was our playground. It helped that the magical world of China is in the brink of collapse due to its nature of sticking to tradition”
Her words gave Alexander a better understanding of the current situation in the Chinese magical world. Adding her words to the information he had gleaned from Jiayi now he had a good picture of the current state of this clan.
I guess the, “being in a desperate situation” is both a lie and the truth…
Alexander wanted to say something but his body was out of control, his mind wanted to do something else but his body just stiffly stood still.
“You’re invention really saved us! Not only did it give our clan hope to reenter the magical world, the benefits it gives us also makes it so that if we ever do enter the magical world we are bound to become one of the strongest clans!”
The elder said as she embraced Alexander even more tightly.
“Now, we have no fear of whether the curse makes us bear only female children or not, because the power your curse gives us allows the clan to prosper under the leadership of women!”
Her words incited all the other women praise Alexander and fawn over him.
This is… not western magic… it’s eastern- there are no countercurses from- no maybe there are but I have not found them… wait! This is not a spell! It’s a substance! A POISON!!
Suddenly a spark of inspiration hit Alexander as he came to a quick realization. With all his strength he pulled out a perfected antidote, one that did not have the side effects of his initial brew. Now it was stronger and it’s effects more long lasting than Professor Snape’s potion.
The only downside was that extracting all the beneficial components took him two days. An exponential difference compared to the regular potion but its benefits far outweighed the cost of production.
With all his strength Alexander pulled out the potion from his satchel and using psychokinesis he downed the potion. The elders and women all around him were not quick enough to stop him and as he finally ingested the potion his mind began to clear as he turned his body into mist form escaping from the elders embrace.
