244 Appointee (1/2)

”What?” Fors touched her earlobes, wondering if she had heard wrongly.

The beautiful, naive, curious, and scatter-brained Miss Audrey actually assigned an assassination mission!?

Furthermore, the target is the ambassador of Intis, a powerful country in the Northern Continent!

Xio was slow on the uptake as she hesitantly said, ”Our strength i-isn't enough to complete this mission.”

The first thing she considered was the difficulty of the mission!

Audrey ignored her question and allowed her to imagine the reason. She said, with faint dimples showing, ”I'm not asking you to take the job. I just wish for you to find a Beyonder with the strength to complete it. For example, Mr. A, I'll pay you 4000 gold pounds for this. Of course, this is only my initial offer. The details are negotiable.

”If it eventually succeeds, I'll pay you 500 pounds. Even if the mission ends up failing, you will receive 200 pounds due to the risk you have taken.”

Her uninvested annuity and the rest of the bounty was around 13,000 pounds. However, any large utilization of it would certainly attract the attention of Count Hall, and even the Varvat Bank would investigate. She had calculated that 5000 pounds was the tipping point, and it was best not to exceed it.

4000 gold pounds… Xio heard her own heavy breathing, but she quickly became depressed, knowing full well that she wouldn't be able to complete the mission herself.

Just 500 pounds to seek out other Beyonders in our names while maintaining it a secret… Miss Audrey is the most generous and beautiful lady I've ever seen! Xio quickly returned to reality.

While feeling enticed, Fors's mind was filled with questions.

Why would Miss Audrey delegate such a mission?

Is there some internal strife among nobles?

Is this the precursor to inciting a war?

Is Count Hall representing some important figure in a bid to make the situation turn chaotic?

…

The duo quickly contacted Mr. A using a previously agreed-upon channel. At three o'clock in the afternoon, when the rare sunlight shined through the fog and lit up the whole of Backlund, they arrived at the house where they had previously participated in gatherings. There, they saw Mr. A sitting with his legs up and his hood over his head, but he gave off a condescending air.

”You said that you have something important to talk to me about?” Mr. A's eyes move back and forth between the two ladies.

I heard that some female Beyonders would use their bodies to trade for potion ingredients with Mr. A… He's really a disgusting pervert… Fors curled her lips and said, ”There's a large transaction; I wonder if you're interested in it?”

Mr. A scanned Xio's face and chuckled.

”Tell me. Let's see what this large transaction is.”

Holding back the urge to draw her triangular blade, Xio answered with the tone of a tribunal, ”Assassinate the Intis ambassador to the Loen Kingdom, Bakerland Jean Madan.”

Mr. A fell silent, but since his expression was obscured by the shadow of his hood, Xio and Fors couldn't guess what he was thinking.

After a while, he slowly leaned back and said with a deep voice, ”So, what's the reward?”

”4000 pounds. In addition, we will provide the relevant information such as Ambassador Bakerland is a Sequence 6 Conspiracist of the Hunter pathway, or that his weakness is lust.” Xio tried her best to make Mr. A believe that there was hope in completing the mission.

Mr. A chuckled and said, ”I can accept this mission, but the reward must be raised.”

”The first choice—the potion formulas to Unshadowed, Cataclysmic Interrer, Prophet, or Manipulator. Of course, their price is higher than this mission. There's no need for the complete formula. A partial formula will suffice.

”The second choice—10,000 gold pounds. Heh, this is the bounty of Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos. Bakerland's strength definitely isn't as strong as he is, but he has powerful aides. Besides, believe me, he definitely has mystical objects on him.”

A reasonable price, but that's also an exaggerated price… Xio and Fors looked at each other and said, ”We shall return and discuss it. At this time tomorrow, we'll give you our answer.”

”Sure.” Mr. A made a gesture of farewell.

After being led out by an attendant, Fors murmured in puzzlement, ”Those are High-Sequence Beyonder formulas?”

”Frankly speaking, I find it strange. I thought Mr. A would only want formulas or potion ingredients. Money shouldn't be a necessity for him.”

Xio turned to look at her friend.

”Fors, you really are a naive clinical doctor and author. You must know that Mr. A has many subordinates. They need a house to sleep in, stomachs to fill, clothes to buy, and the need to vent their desires. All of this has to be bought using money. Besides, to some nobles who have declined, what wouldn't they sell if there are gold pounds to be made?

”Without his men, Mr. A would be just as scary, but he will be rather lacking in intelligence.

”That's what all the small gangs in the East Borough know.”

Fors frowned and said, ”Xio, you're not that stupid after all…”

In the evening, the two of them met the familiar large golden retriever at a predetermined location and passed Mr. A's reply to Audrey.

When Audrey finished reading the note, not only did she not feel stumped, she even let out a long sigh of relief.