"Very well, I'll go talk to the owner about your ransom later..."
Leilin rubbed his fingers together and made his promise.
"Thank you, Master!" Karen immediately changed her address. Although she looked like nothing more than a fragile half-elf at the moment, Leilin knew that once the poison in her body was neutralized and she was equipped with a sharp dagger and proper gear, this half-drow would instantly become a terrifying reaper of lives lurking in the darkness!
After the exchange, the atmosphere in the room turned somewhat awkward.
"Master... shall I call a few of my sisters over?" Karen fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, looking quite flustered.
"No need. Weren't you supposed to run me a hot bath?" Leilin smiled faintly. After the bloody battles he'd been through on this trip — and especially from accumulating and absorbing so much Life Energy — he'd built up a bit of heat of his own.
"Yes, Master!"
A seductive smile crept across Karen's lips, and the entire room was suddenly enveloped in an air of spring...
Breakfast at the Barbarian Inn was quite lavish — fluffy, soft oat bread and milk formed the staple, accompanied by fragrant cheese and fried eggs. In a wicker basket nearby, several clusters of bright red berries glistened, tantalizing the appetite.
Leilin had a white napkin draped around his neck and was eating at an unhurried pace, his movements remarkably smooth. Karen sat beside him, stealing glances at him from time to time, a faint blush flickering across her cheeks.
Her manner drew a quiet chuckle from Leilin. She was indeed a stunning beauty, and last night had been thoroughly enjoyable.
Drow clearly had a special talent in this regard, but Leilin was no novice either — his stamina was enough to exhaust even a dark elf.
"Boss, can we come in?"
Cyclops's voice came from outside the door.
"Come in!"
At Leilin's command, Cyclops, Giant, and Hulk filed in together. The massive dark circles and bags under their eyes spoke volumes about what kind of frenzy they'd been in the night before.
And even though they'd clearly made an effort to clean up, Leilin could still smell a strong mix of alcohol and perfume on them.
Cyclops and the others spotted Karen beside Leilin, but the three of them acted as though they didn't even notice her — though a few knowing, suggestive smiles crept into their eyes.
"Master, I'll take my leave!"
Seeing them arrive, Karen understood that Leilin clearly had important matters to discuss with his subordinates. Though she hadn't finished breakfast, she wisely made to stand and leave.
"No need. You're one of us now — stay and listen."
Leilin kept Karen seated. This move visibly stunned Cyclops. He looked Karen up and down — she was clearly just a half-elf servant moonlighting as a working girl. How had she suddenly been recruited by the boss and made one of their own?
But since it was Leilin's decision, it wasn't theirs to question.
"Spill it. How did last night go?"
Leilin picked up a clean silk napkin, dabbed his mouth, and looked at Cyclops and the others.
"Boss! I've already made the rounds..." Cyclops naturally understood that Leilin didn't want to hear about their debauchery, but real intelligence. He cleared his throat. "Back in Pirate's Port, quite a few merchants are interested in the goods we've got. But the one with the biggest backing is the owner of this inn... heh heh..."
"The fox woman?" Leilin nodded. "What's her offer?"
"Eight hundred and fifty Danbules gold coins for the whole lot! The price is middle of the road compared to the other buyers, but it's the safest option..." Cyclops spat emphatically. "Some of the others are offering higher, but I, Cyclops, could tell at a glance what they're really after. Bah!"
He was an old pirate after all, and the rough language came naturally. But Leilin didn't mind. Pirate's Port was a cesspool of all sorts — it wouldn't be at all strange for other pirates to have designs on them. Some might even want to swallow their entire fleet along with the cargo.
In comparison, the Barbarian — who served as the biggest backing and the largest bookie in these parts — running a fencing operation was hardly surprising.
"Mm. That price is decent enough."
Even though Leilin had held back an entire shipment of raw sugar, the remaining goods were still worth at least three thousand gold coins.
But since these were stolen goods that had changed hands several times, being able to pocket a small fraction of the profit was more than enough for Leilin.
"Here is a detailed map of Pirate's Port along with the locations of all the temples!"
Hulk respectfully handed Leilin a sheet of parchment and relayed the shipyard's reply. "That yard master inspected the Crimson Tiger under our guidance. He says the repairs are no problem, but magical modifications are completely out of the question. As for the fee, he's asking three hundred gold coins..."
"Our little brats had a blast last night, but nothing major happened — just a brawl with a few other drunks!"
Giant said this with an air of pride, and from the look on his face, it was clear he'd gotten the better of the exchange.
"Good. We'll rest and resupply here for about five days. Have the repairs done during that time. Tell him to finish as fast as possible, and we can be flexible on the price..."
It was only hull repairs, nothing involving the keel or magical modifications — and in this world of supernatural abilities, if the yard master gave it his all, there shouldn't be any problems.