After all, Mozzo's tiny apartment only cost twenty copper pence a week to rent.
Two hundred copper pence?
Good heavens, that was ten whole weeks of rent. Nearly half a year!
As for one hundred gold pounds...
Mozzo no longer even wanted to calculate how much that was worth, because just thinking about it made him feel like he was dreaming.
Not to mention the remaining four hundred gold pounds that had yet to arrive.
At this point, Mozzo genuinely felt that he had stepped into the realm of life's winners ahead of schedule.
Meanwhile, Audrey, sitting across from him, was somewhat troubled over how she was supposed to gather the remaining payment so quickly. But even so, she felt she had profited greatly from this deal.
After all, five hundred gold pounds was indeed a huge sum, but no matter how she calculated it, it was still far better than blindly stumbling around on her own and suffering unpredictable consequences.
Not to mention that Puppeteer she had mentioned earlier would definitely charge her four to six hundred gold pounds, only to sigh regretfully afterward and tell her that the curse was too powerful for him to transfer.
Even though Mozzo had already clearly stated that Puppeteers could not transfer other people's curses.
In truth, Audrey herself had already been suspicious of that possibility beforehand. She simply lacked concrete proof.
Now that Mozzo had confirmed it, her confidence in his abilities grew even stronger.
But why did he know so much mystical knowledge?
Was he a member of some hidden organization?
Or perhaps an official agent?
No... probably not an official agent.
Those people would never behave this gentlemanly.
In the eyes of wild Beyonders like Audrey, official Beyonders were generally viewed as greedy, lustful pigs and parasites.
Though the reality differed greatly, class divides often distorted perceptions like that.
Perhaps because he felt he was taking too much advantage of Audrey.
Or perhaps because he wanted further confirmation that the dream world was real.
After suppressing the joy in his heart, Mozzo seriously said:
"Miss Hepburn, there is actually one more method we can try. And we can attempt it right now. Though the success rate isn't very high. However, I can guarantee that even if it fails, there won't be any side effects."
Already far more trusting toward Mozzo, Audrey immediately brightened with delight.
"What is it?"
Then she instantly became irritated again at the thought that the payment she owed was probably about to increase once more.
After organizing his thoughts, Mozzo said:
"You're also part of the mystical world, so you should know that some bloodlines possess very special abilities."
Audrey's eyes immediately lit up.
I knew it! You definitely have an extraordinary background!
So what exactly are you?
A descendant of nobility from some fallen empire?
Or perhaps from an Angel Family? Maybe even a Divine Family?
No, the latter two were probably impossible.
Then that only left the descendants of a lost empire's nobility!
What a pity. If he were the descendant of a modern noble house instead, he would've been the perfect marriage candidate!
Audrey still had not given up on her dream of becoming a noble lady and enjoying life.
Though she was a commoner, her Beyonder identity and virgin body still gave her a chance to leap across social classes.
After all, didn't several nobles every year supposedly marry commoners "for true love"?
According to Audrey's sources, those women were never truly ordinary civilians.
They were Beyonders like her.
Of course, they were also quite beautiful and possessed fairly high sequences.
"Yes, I know. So you are...?"
"There are things I can't conveniently say. But my bloodline should possess methods for removing certain special concepts. Such as curses and marks. Though this has never truly been proven, since my family members haven't succeeded very often."
As Mozzo fabricated lies on the spot, he carefully observed Audrey's expression.
Her eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Clearly, she believed him!
Excellent.
Mozzo nodded internally before continuing:
"That's why I didn't mention it earlier. The success rate is simply too low. So... may I try?"
Audrey immediately nodded.
"Of course. Then what do I need to do?"
"Ah, it's not particularly troublesome. I just need to drip a drop of my blood onto your mark."
"Huh?!"
Audrey froze.
Though she lacked proper mystical knowledge as a wild Beyonder, having someone drip blood onto a slave mark sounded dangerous no matter how she thought about it!
But soon after, Audrey became conflicted again.
She had indeed heard that certain bloodlines possessed the ability to remove curses.
And Mozzo truly did not seem like some lustful pig obsessed with women.
After struggling internally for quite a while, Audrey hesitantly asked:
"Does it absolutely have to be directly on the mark?"
In Audrey's memory, Saint John had once removed a demonic curse from believers by dripping his blood into a river. After the believers drank the river water mixed with holy blood, the demonic curse had been lifted.
Based on that, it did not necessarily have to be directly on the mark.
Of course, she could also be completely mistaken.
But this was Audrey's bottom line.
Absolutely no blood directly on the mark!
After thinking for a moment, Mozzo nodded.
"That should be fine."
Mozzo remembered that within countless dream operas, he had once been the great Saint John Connor.
Not only had he personally built one of the three greatest and most legendary temples in the world, but with a single drop of blood, he had also saved an entire city cursed by demons.
If he truly carried over some traits from the dream world, then his blood should easily deal with what was merely a mid-level magical slave mark.
Still, Mozzo himself did not hold much hope.
Because he had already attempted similar things many times before.
And every single attempt had failed.
Yet today, with Audrey, one attempt had actually succeeded.
So he wanted to test it again.
Since the blood did not need to be applied directly onto the mark, Audrey agreed readily.
"In that case, I can accept it. And even if it fails, I'll still pay you an additional one hundred gold pounds. Though it'll take me two months to fully pay everything."
Mozzo nodded.
Then he found a pin, bent it slightly, and pierced his fingertip.
Under the tense gazes of both of them, he let a drop of blood fall onto Audrey's forehead.
The next moment, Audrey suddenly discovered that her body had begun heating up intensely.
But it only lasted for an instant.
Immediately afterward, a cool sensation spread throughout her entire body.
And Audrey also discovered something even more shocking.
The Sequence 9 potion she had only recently consumed had completely stabilized!
Which meant...
She had fully digested the potion already.
She could now begin advancing toward Sequence 8!
This...
This succeeded?!
Audrey hurriedly looked toward Mozzo, hoping for confirmation from him.
And Mozzo smiled as he nodded.
"It succeeded. And from the looks of it, the effect was unexpectedly good."
After saying that, Mozzo suddenly gave Audrey a solemn bow.
"Thank you very much, Miss Hepburn. As for the extra five hundred gold pounds, you no longer need to pay it. Because you helped prove the truth of my bloodline. That is extremely important to me. So now, we're even."
One unexpected joy after another left Audrey so happy that she no longer knew what to say.
What she did not know, however, was that beneath his lowered face, Mozzo was already drenched in cold sweat.
The slave mark on Audrey's body had not been removed.
Instead...
It had been strengthened.
From this day onward, Audrey Hepburn had become his, Mozzo's, exclusive servant...
I'm sorry, Miss Audrey.
I swear I will never order you to do anything against your will.