Chapter 491 - 222: "Business Comes First

This time, the yelp was real.

When he looked up with a pained expression, Elvire finally got a clear look at his face. The frosty look on her own face instantly melted away. After a moment of stunned silence, it was replaced by pure, unadulterated surprise. Her doe-like eyes widened as she exclaimed with delight, "Sean??"

’Alright, alright, she recognized me!’

This meant the Cognitive Magic on his face had finally failed.

This was precisely why Sean hadn’t appeared directly in front of Elvire. He had no idea if the "mosaic" on his face was still there or not—Daeli hadn’t told him. If it was, this little performance wouldn’t be a chance encounter; it would be a complete self-sabotage.

Seeing that things were going smoothly and Elvire had recognized him, Sean immediately switched personas. He widened his eyes and feigned surprise, "Eli?"

"What are you doing here?"

His acting was so convincing it made Elise want to laugh.

She hadn’t expected Sean to show up like this, but a moment’s thought was all it took to understand his plan. ’This guy is really something else,’ she thought. ’Bold when he needs to be, and meticulous when it counts. As expected of Mr. Blake.’

Elvire helped Sean to his feet, then quickly let go of his hand. She tilted her head and huffed, "Well, what did you expect? You and Elise disappeared at the same time, and I didn’t hear a peep for days. I was starting to think you two had run off together."

"How is that possible? What do you take us for?" Sean retorted, though his heart was hammering in his chest.

’A woman’s intuition is a terrifying thing.’

"Exactly," Elise chimed in, feigning indignation. "We’ve known each other for so long. Don’t you know me by now?"

Elvire replied, "Is it possible that I think this way *precisely because* I know you?"

’In other words: Don’t you have any self-awareness?’

’You’re always making R-rated jokes with Sean. Anyone who didn’t know better would think *you* were his girlfriend.’

Elise: "..."

’Is my reputation really that bad?’

Elise retorted, "It’s not like you don’t know me. I’m all talk and no action."

"Besides, the guy is so into you, he only has eyes for you. Even if I wanted to do something to him, I’d never get the chance..."

Her tone was tinged with a hint of grievance, her words a half-truth laced with hidden meaning. She was truly in her element.

Sean felt this was a dangerous topic to pursue. It could easily lead to trouble. He tried to change the subject, winking at Elvire. "So, did Miss Flame Crow come all this way just for me?"

"Don’t be so conceited," Elvire huffed. "I came to find my sister."

Sean started, "But didn’t you just say you thought Elise and I..."

Elvire cut him off. "That was then, and this is now!"

She declared with unearned confidence, "I came home to see my sister because I missed her. Finding you was just incidental."

’As for Elise... we just happened to bump into each other.’

"Alright, alright, incidental it is," Sean said quickly.

Seeing his sister-in-law return to her usual prickly state, he finally breathed an inward sigh of relief.

’Looks like I got away with it.’

Only then did Elvire notice Sean’s appearance. He was filthy from head to toe, as if he’d just returned from a survival trek in the wilderness. She eyed him and asked, "What happened to you?"

"Ugh, don’t even ask," Sean grumbled. "I’m never taking a collection mission like that again. It was absolutely exhausting."

"Serves you right," Elvire said. "Why didn’t you check the location before you accepted the mission?"

She had already learned from Elise that the mission was in a remote corner of the New World, at World’s End. Sean’s displaced, vagrant-like appearance certainly matched that description.

The New World was far more dangerous than their Farm World, and Sean was only a Tier Three. Over here, that was nothing. ’The poor guy must have gone through a lot on the way,’ she thought.

Though she said it served him right, a part of her couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy. She reached out to smooth his messy hair. "You’re not hurt, are you?"

"Nope," Sean said with a wide grin. "Thanks for your concern, Miss Flame Crow."

Elvire saw his pearly white teeth and snorted. "Your teeth are surprisingly clean. Guess you haven’t been forced to eat dirt yet."

Sean’s heart skipped a beat. ’Careless,’ he thought.

’I shouldn’t have brushed my teeth this morning.’

Fortunately, it was a minor slip-up and didn’t arouse Elvire’s suspicion.

Sean steered the conversation away, saying to Elise, "I was actually planning to get some rest, find a hotel to shower and change, and then contact you. I never expected to run into you here..."

Elise, sneaking a glance at Elvire, picked up the thread with a smile. "Perhaps a certain destiny is guiding your path."

Elvire turned her head away, pretending she didn’t understand the implication.

Sean discreetly gave Elise a thumbs-up before asking, "How’s the investigation into Fan Ke’er going?"

Elise replied, "I contacted a local intelligence agency through the Grev Family and had them do some digging. Fan Ke’er and his group are almost at Cadola Royal City."

Sean asked, feigning ignorance, "Whose territory is that?"

"The Potter Earl Family," Elise said.

Sean nodded in understanding. "In that case, we shouldn’t delay. Shall we head over now?"

Elise blinked. "Huh?"

’Go over now?’

’That wasn’t in the text!’

"What’s the rush?" Elvire asked as well.

’Sean just finished a mission in Blake City and rushed right over without a break. He must be exhausted, yet instead of resting, he wants to immediately head for Cadola Royal City... Is the man made of iron?’

In truth, Sean wanted to rest too.

He might not have gone to World’s End, but he was genuinely exhausted.

Daeli had been a storm of passion the night before. As if worried he’d make off with her valuables, she’d drained him completely dry. Normally, if his first attempt to get out of bed in the morning failed, he wouldn’t even bother with a second. He’d just lie there for a day or two until the ache in his back subsided. His schedule was dictated by his whims.

But this time was different.

If he hadn’t left on his own, his sister-in-law might have sent him packing for good.

As they were talking, a woman walked over from across the street, apparently heading for the coffee shop.

It was none other than Owl from Witch’s Bay.

Everyone around seemed to know her, greeting her with smiles.

Sean quickly averted his gaze.

’If Owl spots me and comes over to say hello, it’s all over.’

’After all, I’m supposed to have *just* arrived on the Golden Coast "today."’

Thankfully, Owl knew too many people. She didn’t notice him, or even Elise, and went straight into the coffee shop.

Sean breathed a sigh of relief.

It also solidified his resolve to get out of town.

’Not only do I have to leave, I have to leave fast.’

Seeing him turn his head away, Elvire asked, puzzled, "What’s wrong?"

"Ahem, it’s nothing. This collar is a little uncomfortable," Sean said, adjusting it. He then returned to their previous topic. "Fan Ke’er is already ahead of us. If we delay any longer, how will we ever catch up?"

"Eli, this whole affair is probably connected to my dead friend, Chris, and the passage. Elise and I came all this way to get to the bottom of it. Plus, this will help us map the geographical correspondence between our two worlds."

"I’m not hurt, so it’s fine. The mission comes first."

Elvire was silent.

’Is he really okay?’

For some reason, she felt Sean’s words had a manipulative, cloying quality.

It reminded her of a hypothetical scenario: if they were at home and she got a call to go run an errand, Sean, not wanting her to leave but not wanting to seem childish by saying so, would tell her, "It’s okay, you go ahead. I’ll be fine here by myself..."

Ugh!

The mental image gave Elvire goosebumps, and she quickly shut down that train of thought.

If a day like that ever came, she’d be completely wrapped around his little finger.

Elvire used to despise that kind of manipulative coyness in people, but when she was the one being served the "tea," it tasted... different.

"Don’t hesitate, let’s go," Sean pressed. "Elise and I have been in the New World for a while now. We need to finish this and get back, or we could run into trouble."

"...Alright, fine."

Elvire hesitated for a moment before finally nodding. She didn’t want Sean and Elise to get trapped here, unable to return.

"I’ll send my sister a message," Elvire said, taking out her phone.

She knew her sister and brother-in-law had already left. The problem was, she didn’t have contact information for the Grev Family, so she would need her sister to help pass a message to Viscount Mockray.

Leaving without a word was certainly impolite—very un-aristocratic—but compared to so-called etiquette, Elvire felt Sean and Elise were more important. Her sister probably wouldn’t blame her for being a little selfish just this once.

And just like that, Sean successfully coaxed his sister-in-law out of the perilous Harbor City.

Sean and Elise both had mission funds from Blake City, and as for Elvire, money was the one thing the Blazing Angel Family never lacked. So, this time they simply bought a car outright, paid extra for a temporary plate, and set off immediately for Cadola Royal City.

And then, something strange happened...