Germany's magical situation was turning out to be more complicated than Alex had expected, and it was becoming clear that it wouldn't be resolved any time soon. So, having a legitimate reason for staying was crucial.
"I see," Shalltear nodded thoughtfully, then glanced back at the photo of Minister Eisenberg. "So, what do we do about him next? Just tailing him feels too passive."
"True," Alex agreed, though his expression showed hesitation.
"Still, we can't make any sudden moves until we know more about him. Especially not anything direct. He's the Minister of Magic, we can't risk getting branded as criminals by the German Ministry for assaulting one of their top officials."
"This is such a pain," Fang muttered, scratching his head with a hind leg, clearly annoyed.
"Even if Eisenberg isn't actually the Minister, he's obviously tied to the Silver Wand. I didn't think that shady group had dug this deep into Germany. What do they even gain by messing around with the government like this?"
"Well, from an outsider's point of view, splitting a country's Ministry of Magic might seem stupid," Alex said with a cold smile.
"After all, politically, it weakens the overall authority of the Minister. But for an underground group like the Silver Wand, it's a different game.
If they can fracture the Ministry and get enough of their people into one of the new branches, they could end up controlling an entire country from the shadows."
"Wait… what are you saying?"
Shalltear's expression turned serious before shifting to one of shock as she looked at Fang.
"Are you saying they're planning to create a country fully under their control?" she asked, clearly disturbed. "Don't tell me… they might actually pull it off."
Though Fang was just as surprised, he remained composed and nodded. "If the Ministry of Magic ends up being split, the officials would have to be divided between the two new Ministries. Among them, Eisenberg has a strong chance of becoming the Minister of Magic for one of the countries. And if he manages to take full control of that Ministry, then essentially…"
"It would mean a new nation completely ruled by the Silver Wand," Shalltear finished grimly, her face darkening as she turned to Alex.
"If that's really the plan, then aside from the four Silver Wands we've already identified in Germany, there could be a lot more."
Alex nodded in agreement. The four Silver Wands he had been tracking were only the ones listed in the Thunderbird's masked contact book, so it made sense that there'd be only a few.
But if the Silver Wand organization was preparing to launch a political coup and cause a full government split in Germany, they'd definitely need more people. That meant they had likely recruited additional members and allies within the country.
Still, Alex wasn't too worried that Germany would actually end up permanently divided. He remembered that the Berlin Wall would fall in about two years, and East and West Germany would reunify within three. Of course, that was assuming the Silver Wand didn't take things too far with a violent coup.
They decided to rest for the night and wait until morning before making any decisions. They needed time to observe the situation and figure out their next move.
However, their plans were interrupted early the next morning when someone knocked on Alex's door. Acting quickly, he told Fang and Shalltear to hide inside the enchanted suitcase, just in case.
When he opened the door, he found it was Franz, the information broker he had met the day before, standing there with a thick stack of parchment in his hands.
"Mr. Wilson, sorry to disturb you so early, but I believe I've completed the task you asked of me," Franz said with a polite smile.
Alex raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That was fast. I didn't expect results this quickly. Please, come in."
He stepped aside to let Franz in. Alex had asked him to gather information about Minister Eisenberg and the local scene, hoping to get some insight from someone who knew the area well.
Now, seeing the documents in Franz's hands, he could tell the man was thorough. Franz had managed to collect all the necessary details in just one night, organizing them neatly into categories. The report included not only a list of prominent German merchants but also detailed profiles of their managers, covering their backgrounds, personal interests, business operations, and more.
Even though Alex claimed he was planning to open a branch office in Germany, it was mostly a cover for staying long-term. Still, having these materials would be useful in maintaining the illusion and navigating the local business scene.
"Don't underestimate the drive and capability of an intelligence broker," Franz said casually, waving his hand like it was no big deal. "Especially when it comes to local information, this kind of thing is second nature to me."
In truth, Franz had spent the entire night working on the report, barely sleeping. But he didn't want to show how much effort he'd put in.
He was eager to prove himself to Alex, especially because he felt a bit underestimated during their first meeting. This job was personal now, he wanted to show the value he could bring.
As Alex skimmed through the documents, one name caught his attention. "Wait… the owner of Claremont's Magic Supplies is also running a black market operation on the side?"
Franz nodded. "Yes, Milan Claremont. He's actually a very promising candidate if you're looking for someone to work with discreetly or get things done under the radar."
Alex leaned back, considering this new piece of the puzzle. It was becoming clear that things in Germany were more complicated than they looked on the surface.
The magic supply shop that Franz operated carried all kinds of alchemical items from around the world, including British specialty brooms, but what really stood out was the unusual background of one particular supplier.
One of them, Claremont, was known to have ties to a small black market in West Germany. Based on Alex's earlier questions about the Chamber of Commerce, Franz quickly deduced that Alex was looking for a local partner.
Wanting to be helpful, he subtly hinted at something more, giving Alex a knowing wink. "This Claremont guy," Franz said, "he seems to have some connection to the Silver Wand. If you're interested in learning more about that, I can give you some intel."
Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by Franz's sharp instincts. "So when you said Claremont had a rather special background, you meant he's involved with the black market?"