Malva tilted her head. "I am listening..."
I did not reply right away. Instead, I reached into my void pocket. Space bent around my fingers as a faint ripple tore through the air, and I pulled out a rolled piece of paper glowing with a faint, golden light.
A Mana Oath Contract.
"I know you need money. I know you need merit points, and I know you're barely getting by," I said, my voice losing its playful edge as I laid the golden paper on the small desk between us. "...Sign this. Not just for the tournament — join my faction permanently. In return, I will back you fully."
Malva's eyes narrowed a little. She did not reach for the paper right away. Instead, she looked up at me, her dark, unblinking gaze studying my face with deep suspicion. The silence grew thick as she looked at me.
A strange, deadpan guard settled over her face.
