"What do you think, Lady Barbara? A full tenfold return on your investment! I doubt there's a better deal in this world."
Xiluo spoke slowly, his voice slightly low, echoing beside the female Green Dragon's ear like a devil's whisper.
"Huff... huff... huff... a tenfold return..." The temptation on the female Green Dragon's face grew stronger.
She wrestled with herself for a long while before finally fixing her gaze on Xiluo.
"You little fellow... to think you'd come up with this idea. I have to admit, it's incredibly tempting.
"But this isn't intangible knowledge. It means paying out actual gold coins.
"And for this to work, you have to survive and grow until you're at least an adult. That will take nearly a hundred years!"
"It's only a hundred years. Is that a long time for us dragons? Surely not?
"Or are you worried I'll die before then?"
"..." Barbara gave no answer.
"With the Dragon Mother here, and with me not being a dragon who likes making trouble, your worries seem completely unnecessary to me!
"In just a hundred years, every gold coin invested in me will multiply tenfold!
"Where else could you find an opportunity like this? If you miss this chance, you probably won't find another in the thousands of years you have left!"
Xiluo continued.
"..."
"What are you still hesitating over? Surely Lady Barbara isn't unwilling to take even this little risk?
"As Chromatic Dragons, we burn, kill, rob, and plunder. Which of those isn't fraught with danger? Plenty of dragons have died doing those things, but have we ever been afraid?
"Investing in me should be much safer for you than going out plundering, shouldn't it?
"Or do you lack confidence in yourself and think you can't live another hundred years?"
Xiluo spoke again.