Chapter 74 - 73: Google Ditu

Chapter 74: Chapter 73: Google Ditu

The woman frowned slightly. "That’s me. How can I help you?"

Hearing this, Gaode held up the bundle in his hands. "I’m from Camond City, coming to Bremen City to make a living, and I need to rent a house.

"It just so happens that my neighbor, Mr. Marcel, who previously worked as a watchmaker in Bremen City, rented from you. When he heard I was coming here, he highly recommended I seek you out to rent a house.

"Mr. Marcel said that Mrs. Misu is attentive and thoughtful, generous and fair to her tenants, making her the best choice for anyone looking to rent."

Mrs. Misu was a woman of about forty. She was well-maintained and carried herself with great elegance.

Hearing Gaode showering her with "praise," she revealed a reserved smile. After a brief moment of recollection, she remembered. "Ah, so you were recommended by Mr. Marcel, who ended his lease a couple of years ago.

"Mr. Marcel was a fine tenant, too. Before he left, he cleaned the house spotlessly and even gifted me a watch strap he made himself, saying it was to thank me for my care over the years.

"Since you were introduced by Mr. Marcel, come on in. We can discuss the details inside." Mrs. Misu invited Gaode into the house.

"Thank you, Mrs. Misu." Gaode placed a hand over his chest, gave a slight bow, and then looked at Leman beside him.

"Sir, I’ll wait for you outside!" Leman, knowing his place, quickly offered.

Gaode nodded. Under Mrs. Misu’s Guiding, he entered the house and sat down by the fireplace in the hall.

The hall of Mrs. Misu’s home was quite spacious, taking up almost the entirety of the ground floor. Numerous decorative paintings hung on the walls, and many potted plants were arranged around the room.

"Is black tea all right?" Mrs. Misu brought over a pot of black tea.

Gaode nodded. "Thank you."

"How should I address you?" Mrs. Misu asked, her eyes shifting slightly as she poured Gaode a cup of tea.

"Google Ditu, Madam. You can just call me Google." Gaode had already prepared an alias.

Although it could be roughly inferred from the letters Mrs. Misu had sent to Mage Seda that he likely hadn’t told her about his specific deeds in Hogan City, much less mentioned the apprentices in the Medicinal Garden.

He probably hadn’t wanted his wife to know about the evil things he had done, aiming to protect his image in her heart.

But what if she did know?

Just to be safe, a fake identity was an absolute necessity.

As for Mr. Marcel, that was also a name he had gleaned from the letters.

In a letter from a couple of years ago, Mrs. Misu had happily shared with Mage Seda that before her tenant, the watchmaker Mr. Marcel, left Bremen City to return to Camond City, he had given her an exquisite watch strap.

He was the only tenant in all these years to give her a parting gift before leaving.

That was why she had specifically mentioned it in her letter.

Gaode picked up his teacup and took a small sip of the black tea.

It was different from the delicate and elegant taste he traditionally associated with black tea.

The flavor of this cup was quite rich, carrying a faint floral scent and a slight astringency. It had to be a blended tea, mixed from several different types of black tea.

"A very fine black tea," he praised politely.

"How is Mr. Marcel doing lately?" Mrs. Misu asked with a faint smile.

"He’s doing quite well, enjoying his twilight years," Gaode replied carefully, trying to keep his answer free of specific details to avoid exposing any flaws in his story. At the same time, he quickly changed the subject. "Madam, do you currently have any unrented houses available?"

Mrs. Misu smiled.

"It just so happens that a tenant ended his lease last month, saying there were a lot of opportunities down in Hogan City recently and he wanted to try his luck.

"So, the house is vacant. I’ve been a bit delayed by other matters lately and haven’t had the chance to look for a new tenant yet.

"The exact location is 437 Camond Street. However, I should warn you in advance that No. 437 is a terraced single-story house. It only has a bedroom, a relatively simple kitchen, a washroom, a dining room, and a hall with a closet.

"Of course, the hall is certainly not as large as the one here."

"Madam, that’s just perfect. Being alone, I don’t need a house as big as yours," Gaode said sincerely.

Gaode’s straightforwardness pleased Mrs. Misu greatly, and she continued,

"The rent for No. 437 is 20 Gold Coins a year. I’d like you to pay for at least half a year upfront. Additionally, there’s a 2 Gold Coin deposit for the furniture.

"However, for Mr. Marcel’s sake, I can waive the deposit.

"If that’s acceptable, we can go take a look at the house right now." 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"Madam, your generosity is exactly as Mr. Marcel described." Gaode expressed his gratitude for Mrs. Misu waiving the deposit. "The price is acceptable to me. I’d love to go see the house now."

"Let’s go then." Mrs. Misu nodded in satisfaction.

Evidently, the non-stop praise Gaode had been dishing out from start to finish was very well-received by Mrs. Misu.

Gaode downed the rest of his black tea, then stood up alongside Mrs. Misu and left her house.

"Sir." Waiting at the door, Leman immediately came forward the moment he saw Gaode step out.

Gaode gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

"No. 437 is just a short distance from here. We can walk," Mrs. Misu said.

Led by Mrs. Misu, Gaode arrived at the house situated at 437 Camond Street.

Once again, Leman waited outside and did not follow them in.

Mrs. Misu opened the door and brought Gaode inside No. 437, giving him a detailed tour of the interior and exterior.

Compared to Mrs. Misu’s home, No. 437 was noticeably much smaller.

But it was still very nice. The dining room had excellent natural lighting, the kitchen extended toward the back, and there was even a small balcony big enough to dry clothes and grow flowers—an unexpected bonus.

At the very least, it was more than enough for one person to live in.

Moreover, the house came fully furnished with all kinds of furniture, and it was tidy and clean.

Looking around, Gaode nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

"Madam, let’s rent it for half a year for now."

Mrs. Misu had already brought the lease agreement with her when they left. She took it out right then and there, ready to sign the rental contract with Gaode.

"Mr. Google, what kind of work do you do?" Mrs. Misu asked before signing the contract.

This was essentially a background check.

If Gaode was engaged in some suspicious profession, it could potentially bring her losses. For the sake of risk management, she wouldn’t rent to him.

"I am a Repair Craftsman." Being away from home, Gaode had long arranged a cover identity for himself.

"The kind that can repair Magic items?"

"Yes, but I can only repair the lowest-grade Magic items. Just enough to put food on the table."

Mrs. Misu raised an eyebrow, looking slightly surprised. "You seem quite young. I didn’t expect you to have already mastered such an advanced craft."

Gaode chuckled softly. "My father and grandfather both did this. I learned by their side since I was little, so..."

The corners of Mrs. Misu’s mouth curled up slightly. Without further hesitation, she briskly filled out the lease duration and rent, signed her name, and handed it to Gaode.

"You may entertain guests in the house, but please try to avoid doing so at night," she reminded him.

"Also, if you plan to stay in Bremen City long-term as a Repair Craftsman, it’s best to join the local Artisan Guild.

"Although you have to pay some membership fees, compared to the benefits that joining the guild can bring, the fee is negligible."

"Understood, Madam." After signing his grand name "Google Ditu," Gaode counted out 10 Sean Gold Coins with a pang of inward pain and handed them to Mrs. Misu.

"There are clean quilts and bedsheets in the closet..." After putting away the lease agreement and handing the key to Gaode, Mrs. Misu added one last instruction before preparing to leave.

"It’s getting late, and Seer will soon be finishing his classes for the day. I should head back to prepare dinner.

"If you have any questions or need anything later on, you can come find me."

"Seer is your son?" Gaode asked, pretending to be casual as he walked Mrs. Misu to the door.

"Yes, he studies at the Church school." Mrs. Misu smiled affectionately. "His grades are excellent."