The needle still pointed straight at the building. After double-checking, he stepped inside, thoughtful. The moment he entered, his eyes widened. The interior was nothing short of astonishing.
The space inside had clearly been expanded using the Extension Charm. It was vast, almost like stepping into an entire palace. The floors were smooth, polished marble; the walls and ceilings were covered in exquisite, hand-painted murals.
Above him, golden oil lamps floated in the air, flickering gently and casting warm light across the chamber. "Merlin Beards… they're really swimming in Galleons," Alex muttered under his breath.
He couldn't help but compare it to his own modest alchemy lab back home. Here, magical patterns were visible to the naked eye, densely etched across the floors and walls like a circuit board made of runes. It was a staggering display of wealth and magical sophistication.
"Welcome. How may I assist you today?" came a soft, professional voice.
A graceful young woman in flowing Arabian robes approached him with a warm smile. Floating beside her was a levitating tray, actually a stiffened flying carpet, bearing seven or eight cups of vividly colored drinks, each in a delicate glass.
"I'm here to ask about renting a market stall," Alex replied smoothly, returning her smile.
Of course, he wasn't about to say he was actually hunting someone. As he spoke, he let his gaze casually drift around the room, pretending to admire the view.
"Certainly. Please follow me. Feel free to help yourself to a drink if you'd like," the staff member replied, leading him politely to a comfortable seating area that looked more like the lounge of a high end wizarding bank than a reception corner.
Moments later, a robed man with a stack of documents approached. He was local, with dark hair tied back neatly, and carried himself with a mixture of professionalism and curiosity.
"Good afternoon. I'm Heydir el-Zaher from the Research Center. I'll be assisting you today. You can call me Zaher" His tone was warm but measured.
As he gave Alex a quick once-over, he added, "You don't seem to be a local wizard. Visiting for the alchemy conference, perhaps?"
Alex nodded without hesitation. "That's right. I'm part of the British delegation. I'm looking to rent a temporary stall in the marketplace to see how well my alchemy products do here."
His tone was polite and businesslike, but his eyes kept scanning the room, carefully tracking the signal on his monocle. Thanks to a recent upgrade, the tracker was far more accurate now. If the one he called the Silver Wand was nearby, Alex had a real shot at finding him.
Zaher didn't seem bothered by Alex's wandering gaze. Many visiting wizards, especially those from far-off places, tended to gawk a bit when they first stepped inside. The ornate décor, the sheer scale, it was all a bit overwhelming at first.
Still, Zaher found himself mulling over Alex's words.' British? Selling alchemical wares? That was odd. Wasn't Britain famously poor when it came to alchemy?'
He'd only ever heard of one notable figure, Albus Dumbledore, a master alchemist, but beyond that, British alchemy was practically a joke in academic circles.
Even so, Zaher kept those thoughts to himself, smiling politely as he passed the documents across the table.
As a professional representative of the research center, Zaher knew better than to judge a customer by appearances, , at least not outwardly. His tone remained neutral and respectful, with the smooth confidence of someone who'd done this many times before.
"No problem at all," he said. "You just need to complete a simple registration process here at the center, and then you can apply for a booth.
For the International Alchemy Congress, we've set up a dedicated sales area for foreign guests. There are two types of stalls available. One is closer to the main plaza and offers more space.
That one rents for three Galleons per day. The second option is smaller, about half the size, and located further toward the back. It rents for one Galleon per day."
'Three Galleons a day just for a booth?' Alex blinked. He wasn't short on money these days, but the steep price still caught his attention. He stopped scanning the room and turned his full attention to Zaher, raising a brow.
Zaher immediately caught on. "I know it might seem expensive," he said quickly, "but the location we've set up is directly connected to the main square.
With the congress underway, foot traffic from visiting wizards both local and international, is very high."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice just enough to sound persuasive without being pushy.
"Many merchants specifically plan their promotions around this event. It's not just about Egypt. This is a rare chance to introduce your products to the global wizarding community.
So, while the price might seem a bit steep, we have people renting out stalls every day. It's worth it for the exposure."
Alex nodded slowly. He still suspected the rent was inflated, probably a little exploitative, but if it helped him make a name for himself, then it might just be worth it.
He remembered the crowds he'd seen earlier that morning in the Kara Bazaar, easily ten times denser than those in Diagon Alley. If things picked up even more in the evening, this was the right move.
"All right," he said at last. "I'll take the larger stall for two days. And I want to start today."
Zaher blinked, clearly surprised by how quickly Alex decided. "Of course," he said, recovering with a smile. "Right away."
He began preparing the paperwork with practiced efficiency. But just as Alex was halfway through the forms, something across the lobby caught his eye, a figure in motion.
His instincts kicked in. The signal was stronger now. "Zaher," Alex said, nudging him lightly and nodding toward the distant figure, "do you know that man? The one with the black turban?"
Zaher looked up, following Alex's gaze. "Oh, him? That's Mr. Sebastian Krüger ," he said casually. "He's the honorary chairman of the center and one of our senior spell researchers. Why, do you know him?"
Alex shook his head, tone light and nonchalant. "No, not really. He just looked familiar, like I might've seen him somewhere before."
"Ah, well, he's originally from Germany, I believe," Zaher explained.
"But he's been working in Egypt for years now. The center named him honorary chairman after he recovered three ancient spells from a ruined site in the desert.
He's quite well-known around here. A bit of a celebrity in the research center, to be honest, especially in spellcraft."
Alex nodded again, though his mind was already working overtime. 'Sebastian… a German spell researcher in Cairo…?'