“Reinhart, what on earth did you do?”0

Olivia seemed completely clueless about how I had managed to finally secure a sponsorship from the Merchants’ Guild’s guild master through various roundabout conversations.1

“It seems like he knows you, and you know something too… I just don’t get it,” Olivia said.0

Olivia was glancing back and forth, clearly confused by the situation.  However, Owen and I didn’t give any clear explanations.0

We had suddenly entered into a sort of cryptic dialogue, and conducted the negotiations using roundabout expressions only we understood.2

What exactly was this value that was unique to me and only present while I was enrolled in the Temple, and why was Owen interested in buying it?0

“Just take it as it is. Why do you need to know everything?” I said brusquely, ending the discussion.0

Olivia pretended to be on the verge of tears. “Hey, that’s mean!”0

We spent a significant amount of time going around the sponsorship gathering, but in the end, I had received funding not because of what the Magic Research Club was doing, or because of Olivia—it was thanks to the Rotary Club’s ongoing project.0

I hadn’t expected the guild master of the Merchants’ Guild to show any interest, so it was essentially a lucky break.0

However, there was a problem. While we did secure a promise of sponsorship, we have no idea how much it would be. No matter how much we got, it would never be enough. The more, the better, but there didn’t seem to be anyone else willing to sponsor me apart from the somewhat exceptional case of the guild master of the Merchants’ Guild.0

“You obviously need more, right?” Olivia asked, apparently reading that sentiment from my expression.0

“Well, I don’t know how much we will receive,...0