What Witch? This Alchemist is Breaking Bad!

One month later, Caster Town, Church Reformatory of South Harbor County.

“Melissa, you’ve been very diligent lately. You’ve already taken first place for three consecutive months.” In the study, the head of the reformatory, the gray-haired Sister Tran, held a test paper and smiled approvingly at Melissa standing before her.

“It’s all thanks to the Matron’s guidance.” Melissa replied with a smile.

“Not just your grades. I feel that after your birthday that day, your overall condition became much better than when you first arrived.” Tran looked at Melissa and suddenly asked, “Did something happen to trigger that change?”

During the first few months after Melissa arrived, she had been extremely gloomy, often with dark circles under her eyes from poor sleep.

But after a certain day, her condition suddenly improved, and she regained her energy.

Not only that, she began to devote herself unusually to studying. She listened attentively during lessons, asked questions whenever she did not understand something, and even spent her rest time reading borrowed books, looking as if she had resolved to strive forward with determination.

Tran had once been a Disciplinary Officer of the Church Disciplinary Order, responsible for arresting and judging internal Church personnel who violated Church regulations—similar to military police within an army. She had even once served as a Disciplinary Elder on the same level as an Archbishop. After growing old, she retired and took up a teaching position at this reformatory.

When Aaron had sent Melissa—who was connected to the case—to the reformatory, he had specifically sought out Tran and asked her to take care of the girl.

But in reality, even without Aaron’s reminder, Tran would have paid extra attention to Melissa. Among the children in the reformatory, having a direct relative who was a Witch was quite rare.

Moreover, judging from this case, both the mother who had become a Witch and Melissa as her daughter were in circumstances worthy of sympathy.

“That day Brother Leon came to visit me. He brought gifts and a cake, talked with me about Mother’s recent situation, and passed along a message from her. I realized that there were still people who cared about me all along. I couldn’t keep going on like this. Otherwise, Mother probably wouldn’t be able to rest easy in the end. So I tried to work a little harder————” Melissa answered cautiously.

She remembered everything Leon had instructed her. She had already rehearsed this explanation in her mind.

“Mm, if you can pull yourself together like this, she will certainly feel relieved when she hears about it.” Tran said with a smile.

“Matron, actually I’ve always wanted to ask something————” Melissa hesitated.

“If you have a question, just ask.” Tran smiled kindly.

“Matron, in the future… will I have a chance to work in the Church?” Melissa asked softly.

“You want to work in the Church?” Sister Tran did not seem surprised.

Seeing Melissa’s unusual diligence, she had already guessed that Melissa might intend to enter the Church.

Among the children in the reformatory, those with excellent grades had a chance to be recommended to schools of the district Church. Once admitted to such schools, there was a good chance of obtaining a position within the Church.

“Yes,” Melissa answered.

“Of course that opportunity exists. Haven’t I told you this often?” Tran smiled.

“But my mother…” Melissa said cautiously.

“Your mother being a Witch will not affect you. The fact that you are now in the reformatory itself is a grace of the Church. The Church treats you and the other children equally.” Tran said seriously.

In truth, that statement was not entirely accurate. Strictly speaking, Melissa actually received more care than the other children.

However, it was indeed possible for the child of a Witch to enter the Church. Tran had not lied about that.

If a Witch’s child accepted the calling and became a member of the Church, it would be a good promotional story in line with the original intention of establishing the reformatory—very suitable for promoting the Church’s positive image.

Moreover, as a former disciplinary elder of the Church Disciplinary Order, Sister Tran actually knew that not everyone within the Church rejected the existence of Witches—for example, those from the Rose School.

“Have you thought about what you want to do? There are quite a few positions within the Church.” Tran asked with a smile.

“I want to become an Inquisitor.” When this question came up, Melissa answered without hesitation.

“Why?” This time Sister Tran was genuinely a little surprised.

Considering Church positions was not strange. After all, working for the Church—even without rank—was already quite respectable for the common people of this country.

But the daughter of a Witch wanting to become an Inquisitor? It was impossible for Director Tran not to be curious about the reason.

I want to stay by Brother Leon’s side—this was the answer that naturally arose in Melissa’s heart.

But of course she could not say that. After thinking it over, she replied:

“I want to understand personally what is truly correct.”

This was not merely an excuse to fool Director Tran; it could also be considered her genuine thought.

As the child of an ordinary family, Melissa had once naturally believed in the Church’s claims of its own righteousness and the evil of heresy. Although her family had owed the Church a great deal of money, strictly speaking the Church’s interest rates were already lower than private loans. After encountering an Inquisitor like Leon and also “Bishop Leona,” the Church’s image in her eyes had grown increasingly positive.

However, after learning from Leon that “Bishop Leona,” who had been treating her mother all along, was actually a Witch—and that the one who truly had hope of curing her mother was not the Church’s Holy Water that had pushed them into overwhelming debt, but a Witch’s Magical Potion—her worldview had undergone a tremendous upheaval.

Wanting to become an Inquisitor was not only for Leon’s sake. It was also because she hoped to re-examine the Church and the so-called heretics from the same perspective as Leon.

In addition, during Leon’s last visit, he had already informed her that Sally had successfully completed the ritual, become a Witch, and begun treatment with the medicine—and that the medicine was working quite well.

Now that Sally had become a real Witch, she was regarded by the Church as a heretic. Even after Leon rescued her, that fact could not be changed.

Melissa felt that she should have the ability to protect her mother. She could not always rely entirely on Brother Leon to be the hero.

“So you still have some doubts about how the Church treats heretics?” Director Tran read the seriousness in Melissa’s eyes and asked calmly.

“N-No, that’s not what I meant!” Melissa became flustered.

“Don’t be nervous. Any organization can only improve through doubt and correction, and the Church is no exception. Many people within the Church share the same thoughts as you. I’m glad you were willing to be honest with me—it shows that you trust me. But outside, do not say such things to others. Do you understand?” Director Tran said slowly.

“I understand, Matron.” Melissa relaxed.

“If you truly have that ambition, then with your current momentum, the opportunity is quite good. Most people who enter district Church schools tend to become Priests, Nuns, or Apprentice Knights. The status of a Delegate Officer is not as high as those positions, but the competition is also much less intense. Keep working hard when you go back.” Director Tran smiled and handed the test paper to Melissa.

“Thank you, Matron. I’ll take my leave.” Melissa accepted the test paper and bowed before departing.

She really is a good child. After watching Melissa leave, Director Tran thought to herself.

At the same time, in Hamel Town, inside a private room at the Deer Antler Hotel, Leon and Bishop Weiss sat facing each other. After the dishes were served, Leon dismissed the waiter and locked the door.

According to the agreement Leon had previously made with Weiss, after Sally had taken the medicine for one month, Weiss would personally visit Hamel Town again to examine the effectiveness of the treatment and bring new medicine.

The results of the examination could be described as expected good news. Although Sally had only taken the medicine for a month, compared with when she used Rena’s medicine, her condition had shown a small but undeniable improvement. The symptoms of internal organ lesions had eased, reaching Weiss’s initial expectations.

This meant that although the medicine developed by Weiss could only be used on Witches, it indeed had the potential to completely cure Saltification Disease.

After the examination, Weiss left the Hamel Inquisition prison amid Sally’s constant gratitude. She had originally planned to chat with Leon for a while longer at the Inquisition before leaving, but after thinking it over, Leon felt it was not very safe to talk in the office where Bishop Beckett had once worked. Thus he invited Weiss to dine at a local restaurant as a gesture of hospitality.

Now that he had become the Director of the Inquisition, he was somewhat a figure of status. If he was to host Bishop Weiss, who had come from afar, he ought to do it properly.

Moreover, after receiving the Magic Mirror from Weiss, they had already contacted each other privately three times, discussing some academic matters and getting along quite well. Gradually they had become familiar with one another, so inviting her to share a meal did not seem abrupt.

“I offer you a toast, congratulating you on the success of your research.” Leon raised his table wine toward Weiss.

“Thank you.” Weiss calmly lifted her glass in response. After taking a sip, she looked at the dishes on the table. “This restaurant looks quite high-end. It probably isn’t cheap, is it?”

The salary of an Intermediate Inquisitor was not low, but Leon had only taken office for a little over a month. It did not seem like he could casually afford places like this.

“Half a year ago I used a friend’s connection to take over a tavern. I hired someone to run it, and the business unexpectedly turned out quite good.” Leon explained.

“I see.” Weiss said, once again taking out the familiar small black medicine bottle and placing it on the table. “This is the medicine for this round. It can last forty days. The shelf life of this medicine is short and it is difficult to prepare, so please forgive me for only providing one course at a time.”

“On behalf of Mrs. Hesh, I thank you again.” Leon put away the medicine and bowed his head in gratitude.

“Having the effectiveness verified is better than anything else. As for further researching a medicine that ordinary people can also use… that will probably be a long road.” Bishop Weiss said calmly.

“In that case, the next time we meet face-to-face like this will be at least a month later?” Leon asked.

“Not necessarily. In a little over ten days, it will be the Holy Spirit Festival. For the next period of time, I will stay directly in the Southeastern Major Diocese instead of returning to the research institute.” Weiss said.

“Ah right, Astarte’s Holy Spirit Festival.” Leon remembered.

Astarte had sacrificed himself in the southeastern region, on what was once the land of the Islander Nation. The Southeastern Major Diocese lay northwest of River Valley County. Traveling through the diocese and continuing northeast for some distance would lead to the territory of the Earl Foyle.

“Now that you have a rank, you will certainly attend Church activities during the Holy Spirit Festival that day.” Weiss suddenly thought of something. “By the way, did you know that during the Holy Spirit Festival, the Sons and Saintesses of each Church publicly give preaching speeches?”

“This is the first time I’ve heard of that,” Leon said honestly. “So that means you also—”

“Yes. This will be my first time giving a speech during the Holy Spirit Festival.” Weiss replied.

“Then I must definitely come and show my support!” Leon said with a smile.