Three... vulnerabilities?
The dragon stared wide-eyed for two seconds before realizing what Ed was talking about. For a dragon, having its financial capabilities questioned was an insult.
But the boy in front of him was genuinely stronger than him in this aspect, which put the dragon in a dilemma. It was neither easy to get angry nor easy to ask questions, so it could only sulk on the side.
Upon seeing the dragon, Ed didn't bother to ask any questions. Instead, the know-it-all Ed quickly stepped forward and pointed to one of the contract terms:
"First, this only mentions gold, silver, and copper coins, but not their styles or precious metal content. If I use a large number of smaller coins or inferior coins with low precious metal content when I repay you, it will cause you a loss, but this contract will still be accepted."
"Secondly, this contract does not specify the method of interest settlement. Whether it is settled annually or once every hundred years makes a big difference to me, and I hope you can understand."
"Third, a clause should be added stating that 'neither party may unilaterally alter or terminate the contract without the consent of both parties,' to prevent either party from backing out at any time."
Ed looked at the somewhat embarrassed dragon and said with a smile:
"Luckily, I'm an honest and upright person. If it were a morally corrupt individual, they might easily exploit these three loopholes to manipulate you."
"This, I..."
The dragon wanted to refute something, but then it felt that Ed's words made some sense. After thinking it over, it finally took the two gold coins back and used its mind to revise the terms on them according to Ed's instructions.
"Is it okay now?"
It asked somewhat hesitantly.
"No problem."
Ed boldly extended his right hand, made a cut, and dripped a drop of blood onto a gold coin. His name immediately appeared in the translucent contract: Ed Adrian.
The dragon was treated in the same way, except that its drop of blood seemed exceptionally thick. Just being exposed to the air made Ed feel a wave of heat. Through the air, which was constantly fluctuating due to convection, Ed saw the dragon's true name on the contract: Seraphina.
Ed frowned slightly, but began to mutter to himself:
Haji Dragon, why does your name sound so effeminate?
Both gold coins were stained with blood, and the dragon solemnly said in a deep, husky voice:
"[The blood pact remains unbroken; those who break it will be punished!]"
Ed felt a chill run down his spine, thinking that Haji Dragon had seen through his little scheme, but then he realized that this was just a necessary ritual procedure.
He quickly nodded in agreement.
"Yes, yes, yes, they must be punished!"
The ceremony concluded, and each party kept one of the two gold coins that symbolized the contract. Ed, satisfied, pocketed them and began to consider how to steer the conversation toward the next transaction.
He wasn't worried about not getting his hands on the newly acquired gold. Judging from the dragon's style, Ed believed it wouldn't be long before a group of half-dragons would huff and puff carrying gold coins to the castle to deliver them to him.
Just then, the giant dragon in front of them suddenly asked:
"... How much?"
Ed, lost in his own fantasy, didn't hear the first half of the dragon's sentence, so he asked:
"How much?"
"Your knowledge."
The dragon rested its head on the ground and stared at Ed, saying:
"Before today, I would never have believed that any intelligent being could take even a single copper coin from my hand, but you did it."
"Whether you steal it or borrow it, the achievement of getting money from the dragon is enough to earn you a prestigious knightly title in those human nations before the Demonic Tide erupts."
Ed's lips twitched. He thought to himself that even before the Demonic Tide broke out, he wouldn't have the audacity to go to a human nation to ask for a reward—what reward? Would it be honorable to be awarded a "Loan Sharking Knight" or a "Loan Sharking Knight"?
But sensing the unspoken meaning in the dragon's words, Ed forced himself to remain calm and waited for what was to come.
The dragon continued:
"I originally thought that the commissions I initiated were relatively avant-garde within the clan, but compared to your knowledge, they are nothing but child's play."
"As a dragon, I know that nothing in this world is truly free, so name your price. I want to learn some things about gold coins from you... that is, what you call 'economics'."
"As you can see, I am very wealthy and can give a lot, so... feel free to speak without hesitation."
Although the dragon's words made Ed feel reckless, anyone with a brain would have suppressed their ambitions upon seeing the hundred-meter-long dragon's body.
If Ed were to rashly set a price, it would be difficult to satisfy both parties; either he would feel he was losing out, or the dragon on the other side would think he was arrogant...
But if Ed refused outright, Ed felt like he was missing out on a fortune... or even more.
Heaven have mercy, this is a genuine dragon! Anyone who misses out on even a single hair would be incredibly disappointed!
etc...
A thought suddenly struck Ed; he realized he had a second reason for coming here today, besides borrowing money.
He had been thinking about how to steer the conversation in that direction, but now it seemed he could cleverly incorporate his own objectives into the topic raised by the dragon, and even pass the buck back to the dragon, turning the conflicted party back into himself.
Ed's one eye darted around a few times, and his words began to take shape in his mind:
"Your offer is tempting. I believe there are few people in this world who can calmly face such a huge amount of wealth, but that's not enough to sway me, because we've already signed a contract, and I'm no longer short of money."
"Moreover, while knowledge certainly has its value, it is difficult to measure in monetary terms, so... I have a suggestion that will allow you to learn without spending a single copper coin."
Tell me about it.
The dragon's hoarse, deep voice revealed an impatient emotion.
Ed calmly replied:
"The reason I borrow from you is because I have mastered a secret technique that can create undead minions, which I call Soul Returner."
"But to command the Soul Returner, currency is needed as a consumable, which is why I'm borrowing money from you."
The dragon's eyelids drooped, looking somewhat bewildered.
"So what?"
"Therefore, I hope you can join my team. While managing the currency circulation department, you can learn more about economics. This way, you can not only learn what you crave, but also quickly apply it in practice."
Ed paused and then added:
"Every coin circulating in my camp is borrowed from you, so you can always keep track of that portion of the funds, and that money will be safer than ever before due to your overwhelming military power."
"In conclusion, what do you think of my proposal?"