[That's great news. You guys were very thorough with this one. Color me impressed, girls,] Ace praised his toy summon upon learning that Doctor Druid's doll was in stock and he could animate his fourth toy summon within a day or two. His voice carried genuine admiration, though his smile remained faint, controlled.
[However, I'd still prefer to check the doll and its condition before deciding,] he added, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the armrest.
[Master, I knew you'd ask for an inspection,] Dame Wasp replied with a hint of pride, [So, I already made an appointment with them. They're waiting for our call.] She added, her confidence evident.
[Great. You can arrange the video call through our shared Wi-Fi network,] Ace leaned back, eyes gleaming. [Don't forget to use the video filter to deepfake my appearance as Bob—the one they know and love,] he added eagerly, pulling out his phone and waiting for Dame Wasp to work her magic.
Moments later, the call connected, and a zealous Emily, dressed in a pink casual suit with a white plunging V-neck blouse, appeared on the screen. Her smile was wide, almost too eager. "Hello, Bob—"
"Skip the small talk," Ace cut in, tone sharp. "Show me the doll." He wasn't in the mood to chat. He knew all too well that if he let Emily, she'd steer the conversation toward probing for information. Her subtle tactics had become clear during the last call. Besides, Dame Wasp had been conversing with them as Bob, long talks would only make it easier for them to spot any inconsistencies.
Emily blinked, her smile faltering for a second. "Yes, of course. A man of your status must be very busy," she said smoothly, regaining her composure. "We've already set up the display. But before we proceed, I should inform you that the doll was inspected by staff from the Comic Museum." She hesitated briefly, gauging his reaction. "Luckily for you, the inspector was female—"
Ace's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?" he interrupted, voice hardening.
"I mean no offense, Bob," Emily replied quickly, her expression turning apologetic. "The doll was rejected because the inspection staff was female. If it had been a male inspector, they wouldn't have been able to reject Addy's craftsmanship. Actually, with her superhero costume, the doll looks decent and presentable for display. But the staff claimed that the night guards and janitors do nasty things to the wax figures. She claimed that if they added this doll to their collection, the night staff would turn the museum into a brothel—or steal the doll by the next day," she explained, her words spilling out in an eager rush, as if desperate to unload the doll on to Bob. Understandable, after all, no would want thousands of dollars worth merchandise to eat dust in a warehouse.
Ace leaned forward slightly, steepling his fingers. "I see. I don't mind that," he said evenly. His eyes narrowed just enough to show intrigue. "But it's comforting to know I'm the first man to lay eyes on her. Unless you've shown the doll to other potential buyers?" His tone turned teasing. "You didn't, did you?"
Emily flushed, clearly caught off guard. "N-no, of course not!" she stammered. Her usual flirtatious demeanor was absent, replaced by a more serious, desperate edge. It was clear she wanted to make this sale more than anything.
Ace chuckled softly, savoring the shift in power.
"That would be against our brand policy. We would rather take a loss on this deal than compromise our brand," Emily hurriedly explained, her voice firm but tinged with nervousness. She leaned slightly forward, as if willing him to believe her sincerity. "I'm only showing you this because you asked us to deduct your $10,000 advance if you don't buy it after seeing it. Even if you don't buy it, we'll sell it off-brand to cover our costs but not hurt our brand." Her expression softened, trusting that Bob valued their integrity as much as the craftsmanship of the doll more than money.
Ace smirked, the corners of his mouth lifting just enough to hint at approval. "I like your honesty. Just for that, I'm tipping your entire team $20,000. Take them out for coffee on me," he said casually, the confidence in his tone underscoring his indifference to money. Following his cue, Dame Wasp seamlessly transferred the funds to their listed crypto wallet.
A soft ding echoed from the other side of the video call, followed by a ripple of murmurs and gasps.
"Oh my God, he really did tip $20,000~!"
"Someone pinch me. I feel like I'm dreaming."
"What kind of coffee is worth $20,000?"
"Shhh! Save it until after the call!"
Emily visibly struggled to contain her excitement as she hushed her colleagues, shooting them a quick glare. She smoothed her hair, subtly tugging the neckline of her dress lower, offering Bob an even more revealing glimpse of her cleavage—if she pulled it any further, it risked a nip-slip fiasco. Turning back to the camera, she composed herself and apologized, voice sultry yet sincere. "Bob, I'm sorry about that. My team and I weren't expecting such a generous tip. Thank you—you've made our day."
Ace chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with amusement. "That's alright. Just keep doing what you're doing. Never compromise," he said with a casual wave. "I'm sure you'll have many loyal customers soon and make it big. When you do, just don't forget about me." His words were laced with encouragement, but the underlying message was clear: loyalty could be bought, and he had big plans for them.
Emily's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with genuine gratitude. "Thank you for your kind words, Bob. My team and I will remember you in our prayers tonight. Now, let's not delay any longer—introducing Luna Green, aka Doctor Druid," she said with an alluring smile, switching to the back camera to provide a detailed view of the life-size silicone adult doll.