One percent—this interest rate would be considered astonishing in Ed's previous world. For the borrower, an annualized rate of one percent would be a lifesaver, while for the lender, it would be a complete waste of time.
Fortunately, the dragon in front of them had no similar experience before, and even if it knew that one percent was not a large number, it could not find corresponding evidence.
Seeing the dragon in front of him struggling with its decision, Ed began to probe indirectly:
"In just one hundred years, the money you lent me will double in value!"
This might sound counterproductive, but Ed already knew from the dragon's previous behavior that it didn't care much about time.
Sure enough, after the words were spoken, the dragon before him became slightly more resolute, and asked in its hoarse, husky voice:
"How long will our contract last?"
Very good, it seems we're almost there.
Ed's eyes darted around:
"How about... two hundred years?"
"It's a bit too long."
The dragon thought for a moment and then said.
"This is long? "Ed thought to himself. If he could, he would like to sign a five-hundred-year contract, since he probably wouldn't live that long anyway.
If he's a deadbeat, he can be a deadbeat. It's not like the dragon would hire a necromancer to resurrect him and collect the debt. If that were the case, he'd actually be making a profit.
Thinking of this, Ed couldn't help but find a new angle, and he said in a tone that suggested he was hopelessly hopeless:
"You really are too short-sighted."
"Um?"
The dragon was somewhat unhappy.
Ed continued:
"I ask you, how long can Red Dragon live?"
The golden-eyed man in front of her turned his head and said:
"Three to four thousand years."
How old are you this year?
One hundred and fifty years old.
Ed shrugs:
"That settles it! As long as we continue this partnership, I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury, growing old and dying surrounded by gold."
"Emmmmm..."
The dragon let out a "whoosh" sound, clearly lost in thought once again. The golden mountain was indeed a tempting prospect the Red Dragon had never tasted before, causing it to begin daydreaming.
The world has collapsed to this state; who knows how long it will take to rebuild order...
Since the outbreak of the Demonic Tide, his business has been decreasing, and in recent decades, only a small group of his followers have been helping him with smelting and forging.
While I don't actually eat precious metals, this meager growth rate is still quite frustrating.
The deal in front of us, if completed, would double the money lent out in a hundred years—a truly tempting prospect...
The dragon wasn't worried about the boy running away. As long as a contract was signed, it could bring him to justice even if he ran to the other side of the world. So there seemed to be nothing to worry about. The only problem was the dragon's own greed.
However, the thought of the guy in front of him just now mocking his shortsightedness made the dragon realize that he should make some changes.
The world has become like this; perhaps it's time for the dragon race to adapt to the times and make some changes...
As Ed watched the dragon deep in thought, he silently accepted Little Green's praise.
He knew that by the time the dragon began to think, everything was already settled.
He's determined to get this deal today; now it's time to start thinking about his next move.
Ed did intend to borrow money in the initial plan, but the recipient was the Dragonborn Village was responsible for casting and smelting.
How much money does a village have? Even if they scraped the land clean, it wouldn't be enough to meet their long-term needs.
But now everything is different. When Ed saw the vast amount of precious metals in the cave, he realized one thing:
As long as I can control the dragon in front of me, I won't have to worry about money for a very, very long time.
The plan naturally became more ambitious, and the so-called loan was just the first step; the real main course was yet to come.
Although I have a leaf on my head, I can't be like Lord Ye in the story. Since I've seen a dragon, I should naturally fleece it—no, fleece its scales.
Finally, the dragon awoke from his reverie and looked at Ed, asking firmly:
How much do you want to borrow?
Ed had already inquired about the exchange rate in this world from the Dragonborn Village. Fortunately, it wasn't too abstract; it was simply a matter of 100 to 1.
Seeing that the dragon had made up its mind, Ed recited the set of numbers he had already thought of:
"One hundred thousand gold coins, one million silver coins, and ten million copper coins."
As soon as he said those words, Ed himself felt a little breathless.
If the dragon in front of me agrees to this condition, I will become a real billionaire in debt!
If you consider a copper coin as one dollar, then you've essentially borrowed 1.11 billion dollars in one go. With an annualized rate of 1%, that's 11.1 million dollars a year just for interest, 30,000 dollars a day, 1,200 dollars an hour, and 35 cents a second.
At this point, Ed felt as if even breathing had become expensive, as if fate had its grip on his throat.
However, since things have come to this point, he doesn't intend to be a deadbeat. Whether it's robbing Peter to pay Paul or increasing revenue and cutting expenses, he has a whole bunch of ideas in his head, just waiting to get the players to help him achieve them once he reaches a higher level.
After Ed finished his calculations, the Red Dragon in front of him seemed to agree with the number, so it lowered its massive head and looked at Ed:
"Okay, let's sign the contract."
The boy nodded. He was also curious to know how the dragon would sign the contract. After all, his contract with the Dragonborn Village was essentially with this person acting as both guarantor and debt collector. So what form would the contract with the dragon take?
If I break the contract, will a three-thousand-year-old dragon come knocking on my door? What kind of otherworldly underworld is this...?
Ed was already smiling to himself at the thought.
The dragon closed its eyes, and under its will, two gold coins floated up from the sea of gold, slowly rotating between the man and the dragon.
Words formed from condensed thoughts began to appear in the air above the two gold coins, as if information was being written into them.
Soon, the gold coins carrying the hastily made contract were pushed from afar by the dragon to Ed's front:
"Let me confirm. If there are no problems, we can sign it. It's a blood pact."
Ed looked at the semi-transparent terms and conditions, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. Finally, he gently pushed the gold coin back.
The dragon on the other side, seeing this, instantly became alert and looked at Ed with suspicion:
"Human, do you want to back out?"
Ed shook his head:
"It's not that I don't want to sign, but your contract is so unprofessional. I can find at least three loopholes with just a glance."