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nFor a moment, Irea was unable to utter a word. Stunned by how direct the question was, the girl at first took a huge breath of air to her lungs, before slowly releasing it as she relaxed her body.

n'Can't he just drop the topic of those damned stones for a moment?!' All the good points that Layn earned over the course of the girl's lecture, were now gone.

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"About a hundred or so? Mostly depends on how much Sitra would be willing to dish out.

" Unwilling to waste even a single moment more over the topic, Irea shook her shoulders as she answered. The number she came up with, was pure fantasy though. With her means, she could procure two or three magic stones at the very most. Even being the elder of the academy, Sitra could pull in another thirty or forty. Counting everyone else from the group, a hundred was already quite a positive estimation.

n

"Well, I know that this will sound ridiculous…

" Starting up, Layn took a moment to repeat all the steps of his sprouting scheme in his mind. 'For now, that should suffice… The question is, how much I can reveal to this lass?' Being attracted to the girl and trusting her with world-changing secrets were two entirely different topics. No matter how much he liked her, she was nowhere near as near to the archmage for him to just explain his ideas to her.

n

"But let's say I might be in possession of a certain treasure.

" This was a complete and utter lie. That is unless one considered knowledge and intricate skills a treasure.

"If you manage to organise at least, let's say, forty stones, I will be able to set up a business bringing in…

" Taking a slight moment to recalculate, Layn recalled all the data he had.

n'She said an opportunity to get enough energy to break through the first true stage of cultivation, would be worth about half the magic stone.' That was the first bit that allowed Layn to formulate his plan. Because by diffusing the stones into a special kind of material, he could use just about forty of them to create a seemingly endless source of energy.

nBut instead of using some kind of precious treasure, he would create one himself. Just like with the robe constantly wrapped around his upper body, Layn could use those forty stones to create about five spots with a constant output of the required energy.

n'If my calculations are not off, that would mean five spots times twenty-four hours, times a fourth of a magic stone, slash it in half just for the good measure…' It would be naive not to include the additional costs into the equation. From buying and maintaining a site, through administration and wages, Layn counted.

n

"If you will be willing to help me just a bit, for the price of about a hundred stones, we could get around fifty magic stones in return.

" Finally revealing the number he estimated, Layn watched the changes on Irea's face with delight.

"That is, daily.

"

nAdding this one, simple information, instantly changed the atmosphere. From a potential enthusiasm to complete disbelief.

nIrea's face soured when she heard the number. Because the proposition was simply too good to be true!

nTheir entire group had to spend the entire hunting season in the desert to hopefully obtain a stone or two. And it just so happened, that their last trip was completely uneventful in that regard. That alone proved how precious those magic stones were. But all the challenges aside, it was the most common cultivation resource in the entire world!

n

"I know what you think, but I really have a way to achieve it.

" Noticing the changes on the girl's face when she suddenly curled her legs underneath her, Layn eased his previously serious expression.

"Think about it, as long as I can prove it can work, wouldn't your academy be interested in fully sponsoring it? That's why I brought the forty stones before.

"

nDuring this discussion, everything that Layn said was perfectly planned to lay a simple trap for the girl. By making her ridicule potential outcome, he could force her to acknowledge how little they actually needed to do. But for that to work, there was one more question that the girl had to ask.

n

"Sponsoring it? Sponsoring what, your delusions?

" Irea snapped. There were some limits to just how much bull** one could utter. But the charming smile that appeared on Layn's face somehow managed to calm the girl down.

n

"Oh? I thought the academy would be interested in a place, where five people can get enough energy to break through the energy infusion stage.

" Starting the bombardment, Layn couldn't help but smile. The joy of the victory he was claiming with each of his words was just too great.

n

"That is, five people per hour.

" Layn's smile widened even further.

"For the cost of a measly quarter of the magic stone.

"

nThe bomb exploded. Widening her eyes, Irea looked at Layn's face.

"You are actually serious…?

" Still unable to believe the numbers this strange man gave away, Irea swallowed a gulp of the saliva that appeared in her mouth.

n

"What, did you think I was delusional?

" Smiling to his own thoughts, Layn stood up from the soft mat before reaching his hand out to the girl. Helping her stand up, Layn sent the girl a taxing look.

"So, how will it be? Can you organise forty magic stones?

"

nPutting the girl into a moment of thought, Layn could only wait. After a moment of standing still, she suddenly blinked her eyes before casting a confident look back at the archmage.

n

"Yeah. But we will need to talk with Sitra. Without his support, we won't get the stones nor the approval of the academy.

" Nodding to herself, Irea finally resolved herself to this strange plan of this strange man.

n

"Without his support?

" Layn shook his head with a polite smile on his face.

"There isn't anyone as dumb as to refuse it!

"

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