218. Apartment

"Mr. Sean ..."

By the time Sulu had finalized the 'ritual' procedure, it was getting dark outside. Duran, looking anxious, walked in. He had originally intended to address her as "Master," but seeing the person beside him, he quickly changed his address. "The matter you instructed has been completed. Please follow me!"

"Very good!"

Sulu slipped a one- Silver Dollar note under his coffee cup, then followed Duran out of the coffee shop and into a carriage waiting by the roadside.

The coachman, Wood, was silently driving the horses ahead.

Inside the carriage, Duran handed a document to Sulu with both hands. "Your identification... is registered with the police station, so you have nothing to fear from being traced!"

He felt a pang of heartache as he spoke.

It's normal for gangsters who frequently commit crimes and operate on the fringes of the law to have access to such channels, but the cost is terrifying.

Not to mention the favors and other connections that were used to get things done.

"Very good..."

Sulu took the document and looked at it. His new name was ' Sean Beta', Scholar from Gusta State.

"As for the apartment location, as per your request, we have found three places for you. Would you like to take a look at them one by one?"

Duran asked, "The first one is located at 12 Kleber Street. The rent is 7 Silver Eagle per month, and a three-month deposit is required upfront, which covers the cost of furniture insurance."

"The second one is located in the wealthy district, suitable for businessmen and the rich. It has rooms specifically for servants, as well as a ballroom for banquets... It's very expensive, costing 5 Gold Dragon per month."

"The last one is located in the suburbs, but it's very conveniently located, close to the public carriage stop, and the rent is the cheapest... 3 Silver Eagle a month is enough."

He glanced at Sulu furtively, fearing that the other man might want to live in a luxury mansion in the wealthy neighborhood and have him and Wood pay for it... that would be an unbearable burden.

"Cross out the second one, let's check out the first and third ones!" Sulu quickly made the decision.

He's not here to enjoy himself; his strength hasn't recovered yet, so keeping a low profile is the best approach.

"OK!"

Duran's voice suddenly became much lighter as he called out to Wood outside, "Let's go to Kleber Street first!"

Black Rose Road.

Sulu stepped down from the carriage and looked around.

What came into his view was a row of houses, each with some space between them and flower beds in the middle.

However, by this time, some gardens had been transformed into vegetable sheds by hardworking female homeowners, exuding a pastoral atmosphere.

"The apartment that will be rented out is number 13..."

Duran's voice was somewhat low; 13 wasn't a good number in this world, carrying an ominous connotation.

The apartment that appeared before them was the same.

But Sulu didn't like the first apartment, so they had to come here next.

This is a two-story villa, mainly made of wood, which appears somewhat gloomy in the dim night.

"So you're the ones who're interested in renting my apartment?"

A young man was already waiting at the gate.

He was probably in his early twenties, with a languid expression, thick dark circles under his eyes, and frequent yawning, as if he hadn't slept well in a long time.

"This is Mr. Owen Dogwell, the owner of the apartment!"

Duran quickly introduced them, "This is Mr. Sean Beta, who is interested in renting the apartment!"

"Hello!"

Sulu glanced at Owen, found him to be just an ordinary person, and extended his hand to shake hands with him.

"Let me show you..."

Owen lazily pulled out his keys and opened the apartment door. "It's still pretty good here..."

Upon entering the enclosure, Sulu immediately saw a flowerbed filled with a vibrant green plant that emitted a strong fragrance in the breeze. "Hmm... this is... Wormwood?"

"Yes... it's a crop grown by the previous tenant. If you don't like it, you can change it..."

Owen casually remarked, "But I think they're quite good; they have a lemony aroma when used to make tea..."

Although Wormwood is an extraordinary material, it is actually just an ordinary plant. It can be used to brew wine, has a nice color, is often used as teaching material by flower arrangement teachers, and can also be used to make perfume, repel mosquitoes, and so on.

It can be said that it is a very economical crop.

"No... I like it very much!"

Sulu walked into the apartment and looked around. He found that although the furniture was old and worn, the space was large and there were many rooms.

The coffee table, cabinets, chairs, and even the oil paintings on the walls all look quite stylish.

"If you're too lazy to clean, you can hire a maid..."

Owen lit the candle. "How about it? Not bad, right... If its previous owner hadn't died here, I wouldn't have lowered the rent so much..."

"Huh? The previous owner? Died here?" Sulu was startled.

Duran's face turned pale. "I'm sorry... Mr. Sean, I didn't know..."

The other party was in too much of a hurry, and he hadn't paid close attention to this aspect; it seems he was scammed by some intermediary.

"Yes, otherwise I wouldn't only ask for 3 Silver Eagle a month..." Owen was very frank. "Its previous tenant was Old Mad, a very funny single old man, oh... don't worry, he didn't die from external forces, but from natural causes, and he passed away peacefully. I even attended his funeral."

Is it really okay to be so blunt?

Sulu sensed something and found no evil spirits or resentment in the apartment, so he asked...

"It's nothing, you'll find out eventually anyway..."

Owen yawned. "Besides, losing this deal isn't a big deal... I own this apartment complex. After graduating from university, my business failed, and I had to slink back to my hometown to inherit the apartment my dad gave me... It's probably worth 1000 Gold Dragon."

'The life of a landlord, ah, it used to be what I longed for most...'

Sulu couldn't help but do the math for the other party. Even at the lowest possible rate of return, he would still earn about 5% to 10% annually, which is 50 to 100 Gold Dragon. The income was very stable and enough for a family to live a carefree life as a middle-class or relatively wealthy family.

'But... is it really okay for you to be so honest? Didn't you see Wood and Duran's eyes practically lighting up?'

Sulu glanced at the landlord speechlessly. "I plan to live here for a year. Is it alright to pay two months' rent upfront?"

"Okay, no problem. Wait for me to draft the contract. Of course, I'll also need your identification!"

Owen smiled and walked out.

The area is quite safe, and his father has secretly assigned bodyguards, so there's nothing to be afraid of.

Another ten minutes or so later, he came back in, holding two copies of the contract.

Sulu checked it over, confirmed there were no problems, signed Sean's alias, paid the first installment, and received the house keys.

"Well then... have a pleasant stay, I won't invite you to dinner!"

Owen yawned and got into a carriage.

"What a carefree rich young master..."

Duran followed behind Sulu: "It's obvious... this job is just a pastime for him... otherwise, he could have easily sent a butler."

That's just how the world is; envy and jealousy are useless.

Sulu, however, took it all in stride.