Chapter 501 "Informant

“Let me tell you a little secret,” Owl said, her voice low and suggestive. “I’m not wearing anything today… top or bottom.”

Sean: “?”

‘Trying to add some drama, are we?’

“That has nothing to do with me.”

Sean said, “Please find Owl for me and have her take the call. It’s urgent.”

Owl: “Of course. Please hold.”

She paused for a second, then switched back to her usual, languid tone. “Alright, what do you need?”

Sean said, “I’m in Cadola Royal City right now.”

Owl: “And?”

“The people here are a problem—they’re all tight-lipped. I can’t dig up any useful information,” Sean said. “I need your help.”

Owl understood. “You want me to help you contact our people?”

Sean nodded. “Exactly. Name your price.”

He had come to her this time, so naturally, he would be the one paying.

Owl said with a sly smile, “Since Mr. Gomez was the one who sent you, there’s no need to name a price. We’re all friends here. Wouldn’t it be tacky to talk about money?”

Sean: “Hm?”

‘I can get it for free?’

“Since when is Miss Owl so accommodating?”

“I’ve always been easy to deal with.”

Owl’s smile was full of meaning. “If we’re not talking about money, we can always talk about… other things.”

Sean: “Such as?”

Owl went straight for the kill. “Such as you spending the night with me?”

Sean: “?”

‘I thought we were friends, but you just want my body?’

‘Dream on!’

“You’d better just name a price,” Sean said, his face devoid of expression.

Owl: “You won’t even consider it?”

After all, Sean was handsome, but she was no slouch either. In a game between adults, nobody really lost. Sean would even get a piece of intel for free out of it.

“No time,” Sean refused.

“Alright then,” Owl said regretfully, and gave him a price. “Two hundred thousand. How about it?”

That price was nothing to scoff at. In this line of work, it was considered top-tier—pricier than what some minor celebrities charged for a dinner appearance. But for Witch’s Bay, two hundred thousand was just mid-range. Anyone else would have been quoted at least three hundred thousand. Owl had given Sean a discount on account of his handsome face. Though it still wasn’t cheap, business was business, and she had to turn a profit. Knocking one hundred thousand off for Sean was already a huge gesture of goodwill.

“Deal,” Sean agreed without haggling. He could afford two hundred thousand.

The bank card from Blake City had a high credit limit, serving as a kind of advance. Any amount that went over budget would be deducted directly from his mission rewards. Even if that wasn’t enough to cover it, it didn’t matter. Worst case, he could just pick up a couple more missions from Blake City the next time he was in the New World.

“I’ll send you the address and my account number in a bit,” Owl said. “After you meet him and you’ve talked, if you’re satisfied and everything’s good, then you can transfer the money.”

Witch’s Bay’s high fees weren’t just about ripping people off; it was because their services were worth the price. No matter the inquiry, they would investigate until the client was satisfied.

“Alright, I’ll wait for your message,” Sean said.

Seeing him hang up the phone, Elvire began to question him.

“Is this the first time you’ve contacted Owl?”

“What do you think?” Sean said nonchalantly, his expression natural. “It’s not like I come to the New World often.”

Elvire wasn’t convinced. “From the way you were talking, I got the feeling you two are old friends.”

Sean said, without batting an eye, “That’s because I’m kind, good-natured, a real people person.”

Elvire pursed her lips. “A ‘people’ person, or a ‘ladies’ person’?”

Sean: “?”

“I must remind you of something, Miss Flame Crow.”

He said, feigning anger, “You can question my abilities, but you cannot question my character!”

‘What does she mean, a “ladies’ person”?’

‘When it’s useful, I’ll reel in men, too.’

‘Like Howard, for instance.’

“Some character,” Elvire muttered under her breath. “And who was it that wouldn’t even leave the cleaning lady alone?”

Sean: “…”

“You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

“It’s in the past now,” Elvire said. She figured she shouldn’t keep bringing it up. If she really made him angry, she’d be the one who had to coax him out of it. So, she proactively changed the subject.

She had noticed that Sean used an alias when speaking with Owl.

And it was the same alias he’d used at Kovloki Castle when he’d posed as a butler to set a trap for Carlos.

“Ain…”

“Why Ain?” Elvire was a little curious.

Using it once could have been a random choice, but using it twice probably meant there was a reason.

Sean gave her a strange look. “You really can’t hear it?”

Elvire: “?”

“Am I supposed to hear it?”

“Of course.”

Sean said, “It’s the name of our child.”

The “Ai” from Elvire, and the “en” from Sean.

Full name: Ain Black!

He said with a dissatisfied look, “What kind of mother are you? You can’t even recognize your own child’s name.”

Elvire: “???”

‘Wait, who has a child with you?!’

‘Nothing’s even happened between us!’

Elvire’s face went completely red in a flash. She glared at Sean. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

‘This scoundrel… he’s already thought of a name for our child…’ She was now highly suspicious that Sean had been after her from the very beginning. Even her saving him at the hospital—it was all premeditated, all part of this guy’s plan!

Elise, who was standing nearby, laughed out loud.

‘Some people… they’re secretly overjoyed but still have to pretend they’re angry and act all, “Don’t you dare take advantage of me.”‘

‘No wonder Sean likes Elvire.’

‘This boss of hers really could be quite cute sometimes.’

Elvire, her face still red, said fiercely, “Stop laughing!”

Elise made a face. “But I want to laugh!”

Elvire gritted her teeth. “Watch it, or I’ll dock your pay!”

Elise wasn’t scared at all. “Dock it, then! I don’t care. I’ll just go be Sean’s personal assistant to earn some extra cash.”

SLAM! Elvire slammed her hand on the table, making the coffee cup jump.