Alex didn't move, just watched him with a sneer. He had no intention of attacking first, after all, no matter where he was, retaliation always counted as self-defense. But if the man dared to cast a spell, Alex would make sure he regretted it, he'd show him exactly what it felt like to be turned into something as helpless as a slug.
Before anything could escalate, another man burst out of the bar. He was short but well-built, probably in his thirties, and he quickly grabbed the drunk by the arm.
"That's enough, Willhem. You've had too much to drink, don't make a fool of yourself," he said firmly, holding the man back. Then he turned to Alex with an apologetic look.
"I'm really sorry about that, sir. Willhem gets a bit out of hand when he's had too much. He didn't mean to offend you."
"Don't try to stop me, Franz! This guy's clearly from West Germany and he's obviously here to stir up trouble. Just watch, I'm gonna break his nose!" slurred Wyam, still fumbling around for his wand, though his mouth was working just fine.
"You idiot," growled a short, stocky wizard beside him. "Can't you see he's waiting for you to make a move so he has an excuse to knock you flat? And just look at him, he's clearly not from around here. He's not someone you want to mess with!"
He leaned in and whispered a few sharp words into Wyam's ear, then shoved him back down onto the bench.
Wyam grumbled under his breath, lowering his voice to a mumble. "Yeah, yeah, right... I'm 'Tiger Wyam,' remember? I'm not someone to take lightly. Last time, I was the one who sent that West German punk packing!"
"Sure you were." The short wizard rolled his eyes. "You definitely didn't get knocked out the second he showed up, and you absolutely weren't stuck to the ceiling by a 'Sticky Spell.' Yeah, we all remember what a hero you were."
Meanwhile, Alex, who had been watching the scene unfold from nearby, raised an eyebrow in quiet amusement. The two were trying to keep their voices down, but thanks to his sharp senses, he caught every word.
This guy picked up on me that quickly? That's not normal, Alex thought to himself. Still, he wasn't about to take a drunk seriously. There was no point in making a scene.
After finally calming Wyam down, the stocky wizard approached Alex. He removed his hat in a respectful gesture and said sincerely, "I'm really sorry about that, sir. I hope you're not offended. Wyam's got a short fuse, but he's not a bad person. Please don't hold it against him. Let me buy you a drink to make up for it."
Alex looked at him calmly. "He insulted me. Why should you be the one apologizing? Is he your relative or something?"
The wizard shook his head quickly. "No, not at all. We're just drinking buddies. Wyam works at the Dino Traubenheim Magic Winery. He's actually pretty well-known for his Flame Whiskey, it's even exported overseas." He gave a sheepish smile.
Alex gave a small nod. "Alright then. Let's go inside and talk."
Alex noticed that the peculiar wizard seemed to recognize him, which meant this wasn't just a casual apology for the drunk incident earlier.
"Please, come in," the short, stocky wizard said as he opened the door and politely gestured for Alex to enter. Once inside, they found an empty table tucked in a quiet corner. The wizard ordered a glass of light wine for Alex before sitting down with him.
"I heard that Willhem called you Franz? I don't think we've ever met, but you seem to know who I am," Alex said directly. He never liked beating around the bush and preferred getting straight to the point.
The wizard chuckled, seemingly unsurprised. "As expected from Mr. Alex Wilson, the founder of the Wilson's Arcane Alchemica, the youngest recipient in history of the Second Class Order of Merlin, and the winner of the Gold Medal for Pioneering Contributions at the International Alchemy Conference. Not to mention, the British 'Wizard hero', how could I not recognize you at first glance?"
After rattling off a list of Alex's achievements with practiced ease, the man introduced himself politely. "My name is Franz Albrecht von Hohenfels. That's my full name, you can just call me Franz. It's a real honor to meet you here."
Alex didn't show any visible reaction to the detailed summary of his accomplishments. He didn't look annoyed or surprised, but inwardly, he was a bit taken aback.
While he knew he had gained some fame in the UK, it was unexpected that someone in Germany would be so familiar with his background. Most of the information Franz shared was technically public, but the "Wizard hero" event had taken place years ago. He hadn't expected someone to not only know about it but to recall it so clearly.
"You seem to be very well-informed. Are you British too? Or perhaps..." Alex looked at Franz with a knowing gaze.
Franz caught the implication and smiled. "As you might have guessed, I work in intelligence. You're quite the well-known figure in Britain these days, gathering information about you wasn't difficult at all."
He hadn't expected to run into someone like Alex here in Germany. From what he'd heard, Alex's alchemy business had already spread across Europe, with deals in place with various magical chambers of commerce.
Rumor had it that even the top alchemists in Egypt held him in high regard. It was clear to Franz that this young wizard was on his way to becoming a major player in the magical world. He'd practically stumbled onto a golden opportunity, and he wasn't about to let it slip away.
Franz wasn't sure why Alex had come to Germany, but he figured Alex might not be too familiar with the area. That meant he might need help navigating the local scene, and that was where Franz could come in. He decided to put his best foot forward.
"So, you're an information broker," Alex said, unsurprised. He nodded slightly before continuing, "I don't mind using your services if you've got something useful to offer. But I don't know much about you yet, especially your capabilities. Not all information brokers are created equal, right?"
Alex didn't bother with small talk. He was direct, and it was clear he wasn't trying to hide the fact that he needed help.
Franz smiled again, recognizing the kind of businessman he was dealing with. "Just as I'd expect from someone managing a multinational alchemy trade at your age, you're straight to the point," he said, offering a compliment.
"But don't worry, I'm confident in my skills. I've got reliable sources across all of Europe, not just Germany. If you need information, I can get it. Of course..." Franz trailed off, lightly rubbing his fingers together in the universal sign for money.
Alex chuckled. "If you know who I am, then you know I'm not short on money. As long as your intel is accurate and delivered on time, payment won't be an issue."
Satisfied with Franz's confidence, Alex decided to test him. "Tell me, have you heard of the Silver Wand?"