Bloodhound’s Regression Instinct

Chapter 62

“Hmm-hmm.”

Bella wiped the drool from her mouth and straightened her clothes.

“So, you want to recruit me?” she inquired.

“Exactly,” was the succinct reply.

She appraised Yan from head to toe, taking in his expensive suit, the famed sword at his waist, and his youthful appearance, still wet behind the ears.

‘He looks like the scion of some high-born noble family.’

But with no family crest in sight, his lineage remained a mystery.

‘A family of magic users… No, wait.’

A sly smile crept across Bella’s lips as an idea struck her.

With a sultry voice, she stepped forward, provocatively tugging at Yan’s tie, careful not to cause discomfort.

“Why would a young master like you need someone like me?”

Confidence in her beauty allowed her such boldness.

After all, her looks had prompted confessions from more than a few patrons.

‘Perhaps being the offspring of a wealthy noble isn’t so bad?’

If luck was on her side, she might even secure a position as a mistress, leaving the dangerous life of an informant behind.

And his youth might make him easier to handle.

With a coy glance, Bella pushed her chest forward.

Yan watched her silently before letting out a chuckle.

“What are you doing now?”

“I just want to hear, in detail, why you need me,” Bella said with a bashful smile, looking up at Yan.

Yan returned the smile, looking down at her.

“Your abilities as an informant.”

“Oh, come on. There are plenty of informants better than me.”

“If that were true, I would have sought them out instead.”

“You really are something…”

As Bella attempted another seduction, Yan’s previously amused eyes hardened.

‘She’s trying her tricks again.’

A chill ran down Bella’s spine.

She looked up at Yan, who now seemed disinterested.

“How long do you plan to keep up these pointless acts?”

Bella bit her lip, then smiled sheepishly again.

She wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

Just as she was about to speak…

Bang!

A dagger embedded itself into the table she was leaning on, its handle quivering from the force.

Seeing this, Bella’s face stiffened. Yan’s annoyed voice reached her ears.

“If you spout nonsense one more time, I’ll find someone else.”

“Ha, haha.”

“Or shall we get to the point?”

“…Yes.”

Bella abandoned her plan to ensnare Yan with her charms.

Noticing the shift, Yan sat down without further comment.

“What should I call you?”

“Hmm… Young master? My lord?”

“Huh, you’re not planning to tell me your name, I see.”

Bella shook her head in mock disappointment.

“Well, as long as you pay me. So, what do you want me to do? You have to tell me that much if I’m to do anything.”

Yan’s lips curled in satisfaction.

“Two things. First, bring me the information I need. Second, grow an information network.”

Bella’s eyes widened in surprise.

The first task was clear, but the second?

“Grow an information network?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Bella asked innocently, and Yan looked at her with disdain.

‘How did such a girl become the owner of that beggar’s den?’

Yan pulled out two large wooden boxes from his spatial pocket.

And with great effort, he lifted them…

Boom! Boom!

Yan placed it atop the table.

The heavy wooden boxes added to the pile of gold coins made the table legs seem as if they would snap at any moment.

“…What is this?”

“Funds to establish and expand the organization.”

Bella tiptoed to peek inside the wooden box.

It was filled to the brim with jewels of every hue.

Converted to gold, it would amount to at least a thousand coins when added to the previous sum.

Bella’s eyes widened in astonishment.

‘Is there still so much more?’

Which noble family’s scion possessed such financial power?

Yan, observing Bella’s distracted state, issued an order.

“First, use this to get set up. Then, start expanding your influence from this area outward.”

“What about the informants? It will take time to develop them from now…”

“Why raise informants? Use the ones that already exist and process the information they’ve gathered.”

“The existing ones? To absorb another organization would mean war…”

“There are beggars, aren’t there? I know there are plenty around here without a penny to their name.”

At Yan’s words, Bella trembled as if struck by lightning.

Beggars were everywhere.

Wandering for food, they inevitably picked up various pieces of information.

Bella herself had occasionally used beggars to gather intelligence.

People treated beggars as invisible, carelessly spilling valuable information in their presence.

“How… How did you come up with such an idea?”

“Can you do it, or not?”

Bella’s mind raced.

Subtracting the 400 gold coins she received as her share, about 600 remained.

She would use that to persuade and train the beggars.

Create an outlet for the beggars to utilize, and through it, receive information.

Assign a value to the information and provide the beggars with their due.

The information might not be of the highest grade, but Bella knew.

Even trivial information, when combined by the tens or hundreds, could be processed into top-tier intelligence.

For instance, if a force was purchasing significantly more food and weapons than usual, it could indicate the signs of impending war.

She was speechless.

‘This… This is revolutionary!’

Depending on how the information was processed, it could surpass the empire’s top intelligence organization, the Special Task Force.

No.

It could dominate the information of the entire continent, beyond the empire.

Bella felt a shiver run down her spine once more.

“But, why entrust this to me?”

“I’m too busy. Can you handle it, or not?”

“You’re too busy to pass this on to someone else?!”

Bella shrieked, rising abruptly from her seat.

Yan’s eyes narrowed.

“So, can you do it or not? If not, say it quickly.”

“If I can’t do this, I’m a fool!”

Persuading the beggars wouldn’t be too difficult.

If this plan were executed, from the beggars’ perspective, even if they failed to beg, they wouldn’t starve as long as they had information.

The real challenge would be educating the beggars.

‘But that’s not the stage to worry about right now.’

Bella took a deep breath and sat down.

She looked earnestly into Yan’s eyes.

“How much will you pay me?”

“For what?”

“Are you playing dumb?”

At Bella’s words, Yan smirked.

“Bring me the information ticking like a clock, and you’ll get 10% of the net profit. And don’t sell what I tell you not to.”

“That’s easy enough. But what if other information organizations or powers covet our plan… Won’t we need force? Can I use this money to hire some?”

Yan shook his head.

He knew that relationships bound by money could always break.

“I’ll find someone suitable and send them over in about a month.”

“Okay, I’ve got it.”

Bella stood up with a smile. Yan also rose and extended his hand to her.

“Let’s do well from now on, shall we?”

“We should have a drink to that.”

“I have work, so let’s just shake hands and call it a day.”

Bella grasped Yan’s hand, shaking it.

A thrilling sensation lingered in her hand.

Bella thought it was the residual chill that hadn’t faded away.

Yan released Bella’s hand and picked up a sheet of paper and a pen from the table, scribbling something down.

Scribble, scribble.

After writing for a while, Yan neatly folded the paper and handed it to Bella.

“Read that after I leave. No need to do it right now.”

“…?”

“Why did you call me in from the front, disguised as a strange old man? Isn’t that inefficient?”

Bella rolled her tongue at Yan’s perceptiveness.

To think he noticed the expensive disguise mask she had bought.

Bella nonchalantly replied.

“The clients who come here are all obsessed with the mysterious. A bit of theatrics makes them more willing to pay.”

“Ah, I see.”

He knows the art of doing business well.

With that thought, Yan turned to leave.

There was no need to stay any longer.

“Take care!”

Bella bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, seeing Yan off.

Yan glanced at Bella, who was bowing so politely, and smirked.

That smile was like that of a mischievous child plotting something fun.

* * *

After Yan’s departure, Bella trembled alone in the room, overwhelmed by the staggering amount of gold and the brilliance of the idea that had struck her.

“…Pffft!”

Her motto, ‘Always be intelligent and smart,’ seemed a joke as a foolish giggle escaped her lips. She pulled a leather pouch from the wardrobe drawer and swept in the gold coins.

Chinglingling.

Humming a tune to the delightful sound of coins, she grinned. It was shocking enough that he wielded magic, but for someone his age to carry such wealth was beyond the means of even the most affluent nobles.

And to work under such a lord?

Her long-trusted instincts screamed that not even ten lives would suffice.

“Am I mad to work under such a dangerous-looking lord?”

Now, with this money, she would flee to another kingdom. Even if he were a high noble’s son, it wouldn’t be easy for him to find her in another land.

And in the meantime, she could start a new venture.

Of course, it would be the information business using beggars, as Yan had suggested!

“Hehehe…”

Bella wiped away drool as she slung the pouch over her shoulder. Though one pouch was full, it seemed she’d need to make several more trips. Despite the weight requiring both hands to manage, the smile never left her face.

Why would it be hard to move ‘her own money’? Especially when it was free!

“Today’s fortune was good!”

She thought of rewarding the fortune-teller she frequented as she moved to open the door.

That’s when it happened.

Throb!

“Ouch!”

A sudden, splitting headache struck. Bella spilled the pouch onto the floor as she collapsed.

“What, what was that? I need to get out of the empire quickly…!”

Throb!

The pain in her head throbbed again, like a tight ring squeezing her brain.

In her dazed state, she recalled Yan’s last words.

“Read this after I leave. No need to rush.”

Clutching her head, she hastily spread out the note on the table.

Until the organization grows to a certain size, don’t make waves. Just quietly recruit the beggars. If you draw attention and have to respond, you’re just wasting time. Once you’re useful, I’ll come looking. And if you can, look into this symbol. There’ll be a generous bonus.
Below was a symbol resembling fire.

But Bella focused on the part written beneath it.

ps. Just in case you get any funny ideas, I’ve placed a curse. If you harbor ill intentions and act on them… Boom goes your head! Got it?

Bella read the note over and over, her eyes unfocused, especially on the last part.

“If I do something strange… my head will explode?”

She knew of curses but never imagined it would apply to her.

Bella slowly began to open her tightly shut mouth.

“Th-that bastard!”

What difference was there now from a slave?

Bella, unrepentant of her misdeeds, cursed vehemently.