After dismissing the annoying manager, Leo turned his gaze toward Flint, who was sitting opposite him as upright as an elementary school student with his hands on his knees.
"Speak."
Leo tapped his finger on the table.
"Adoptive father! I beg of you!"
Flint lowered his voice again, his tone so sincere he sounded like he was about to cry: "Please, fill in that last crucial 'return lock' on the diagram!"
Flint was no fool.
Although the previous improvements were simply breath-taking, the mana could not form a closed loop at the final step.
He knew this was a failsafe Leo had left behind.
Flint pulled a crumpled ball of paper from his pocket—one he treated like a precious treasure—and carefully smoothed it out on the table.
"Give me a reason," Leo said indifferently. "You should be well aware of the value of that diagram."
"I am very aware!"
Flint took a deep breath and looked at Leo, rubbing his calloused hands together, a flash of desperate determination in his eyes.
He knew that when facing a big shot who could casually draw a formation of this level, lying was pointless.
Only sincerity could serve as the ultimate winning move.
"Sir, let's not beat around the bush."
"I'm a rough man, a commoner from a humble background. But I know what this piece of paper means to me."
He took a deep breath and pulled a heavy coin pouch from his dirty trouser pocket, slamming it onto the table with a loud clatter.
"This is my entire life savings from the last five years—7 gold coins, 12 silver coins, and 35 copper coins."
"I know that for a genius like you who can draw this kind of formation at will, this money might not even be enough for a single meal. If this paper were taken to an auction house or sold to a major trading firm, people would fight to pay hundreds of gold coins for it."
Flint gave a bitter smile and continued, "But, sir. You can't sell it."
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Because this diagram is specifically designed for the mana chassis of our Riders' Dealership's flagship model—the Black Wind-Ultra."
Despite his humble posture, Flint's logic was exceptionally clear: "This is a dedicated patch, not a universal technology. Other dealerships don't have our underlying formation data; they wouldn't understand the mysteries within even if you showed it to them."
"And the nearest city with a branch of Riders' Dealership is at least a week's journey away."
Flint looked at Leo with a sincere tone: "I can see that you all are in a hurry and are in urgent need of a vehicle. If you want to liquidate this paper or exchange it for a good carriage within just half a month..."
"Then in the entire Worcester City, you can only rely on me—Flint."
Leo smiled.
This guy was quite interesting.
Not only had he seen through Leo's predicament—needing a carriage and not wanting to delay the journey to sell a diagram—but he also dared to use those facts as bargaining chips.
Yet, what was rare was that he didn't have that arrogance of 'I know your situation, so I'm going to squeeze you.'
On the contrary, Flint lowered his head again, his attitude even more respectful.
"Of course, I am not trying to threaten you, sir. Quite the opposite, I want to beg you to give me a chance."
"I'm a mechanic with no background. This might be the only chance in my life to turn things around."
"It is no exaggeration to say that as long as I complete this diagram, I can use this technology to be promoted directly to the headquarters as a technical director!"
Flint gritted his teeth and threw down his final chip: "If you are willing to help me complete those last few nodes..."
"Before noon tomorrow, I will secure a brand-new Black Wind-Ultra flagship edition for you! I will give it to you for free!"
"And! If I, Flint, make it big in the future, you only need to give the word, and I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
After speaking, Flint lowered his head deeply once more, waiting for the verdict of fate.
He wasn't stupid, because he understood something else even better.
Shallow waters cannot hold a true dragon!
Someone who could casually draw a formation of this level was definitely a hidden dragon in the depths.
Right now, the man was only in a bit of trouble or temporary inconvenience, which was why he needed this trade.
Such a person would surely soar to the heavens sooner or later.
If he could establish a good relationship now, even if he was just a hanger-on, it would be of infinite benefit in the future!
Silence filled the scene after those words.
Vespa and A-Ling were completely stunned.
A top-tier luxury car for free? Giving away his entire life savings? Even bowing down to become a subordinate?
All because of that scrap of paper Leo had casually scribbled on?!
"Heh heh heh..."
Just then, a smug little chuckle broke the silence.
Lucrezia stood with her arms crossed, her small chest puffed out and her chin held high, wearing an expression that said 'This princess expected as much.'
She glanced sideways at the dumbfounded Vespa and A-Ling, letting out two proud snorts from her nose.
Humph! It seems this princess knows Leo best after all!
Weren't you two doubting him just now? Didn't you think he was just being arrogant and making a fool of himself?
Such superficial women! You don't understand Leo's true worth at all!
Lucrezia looked at Leo's profile, a sense of superiority welling up in her heart.
As if you two could even compete with me? Keep dreaming!
Leo was in no hurry to take the heavy coin pouch.
With one hand, he rubbed Lucrezia's head, while the other rhythmically tapped on the industrial distressed style concrete table. Before him sat the cup of coffee served by that pretentious manager, which supposedly possessed a 'sense of life narrative.'
Leo took a sip.
As expected, it was sour and astringent, like drinking dishwater.
But his mind wasn't on the coffee right now.
Listening to Flint's earnest monologue and seeing his submissive posture, Leo fell into deep thought.
To be honest, he was also startled; he hadn't expected the array he modified on a whim to be worth so much.
Hundreds of gold coins?
One had to realize that an average family of three in this world only spent a few gold coins a year.
This sum was enough for them to buy four sets of fake identities and tickets to the Floating City!
If he could just sell these things at will, why the hell would he be an adventurer?!
He could just stay at home, draw a few diagrams, and improve a few arrays, and he'd have the ticket money for the Floating City in no time!
He could even buy an aerial villa with a swimming pool and live out a shameless retirement!
Unfortunately... while the ideal was bountiful, reality was skeletal.
If he actually did that, he'd probably make the front page of the 'Continental Mage Weekly' the very next day—'Shocking! A Mysterious Genius Emerges, Inscription Attainment Rivals Legends!'.
Then, the inquisitors of the Holy Light Church would see the paper and smile thinly.
"Oh, isn't this that one that got away?"
Then would come a Holy Light orbital cannon, and it would be GGBoom!
Damn it! Holding a mountain of gold but unable to cash it in... it feels like a eunuch in a brothel—the spirit is willing, but the flesh is unable!
Leo's teeth ached, and the coffee in his mouth tasted even more bitter.
Rate on N.U.
