What Witch? This Alchemist is Breaking Bad!

“Leon, big brother? Leon, big brother!”

Leon jolted awake amid Melissa’s light pushing and calling, his face drenched in cold sweat.

For a brief moment after opening his eyes, he could not even remember what time it was, nor where he was.

“Leon, big brother?” Melissa stood by the bedside and called again worriedly.

Leon turned his head and saw Melissa.

Only then did he remember that he was sleeping in his own room, as yesterday’s memories slowly surfaced.

Yesterday, after changing clothes, he had left the Inquisition, gone to the relay station to rent a carriage, and rushed straight to River Mouth Village.

Fortunately, when he found Rena’s residence, the Church’s people had not yet arrived.

Using the key Rena had given him, he opened the cellar door and cleared out everything that could possibly become evidence, including the altar and experimental tools, as well as the remaining magical potions used to treat Saltification Disease.

When he struggled to hoist the heavy altar onto the carriage, the wound on his arm even split open because of it.

Fearing that the Church’s people might arrive at any moment, he hastily wrapped it up and drove off.

As he passed through the village, he happened to see apprentice knights everywhere in the village, asking around for information.

He covered his face with a dust veil and drove the carriage past them.

Fortunately, their attention was focused on asking about Rena, and they did not notice him.

After returning to the city, he avoided attention and found a place to hide those deadly pieces of evidence.

By then, it was already deep into the night, and he was so exhausted that he was on the verge of collapse.

Although he was still very worried about Rena’s situation, at that time he ultimately had no legitimate reason to return to the Inquisition, and the toll from his injuries and prolonged high pressure had completely drained his strength.

The rest of his memories were even somewhat blurred.

He seemed to have returned home, treated the bleeding wound once more, and then collapsed into unconscious sleep.

Though exhausted to the extreme, his sleep had been very restless.

Bizarre, chaotic dreams kept tormenting his mind.

After waking up, he could not remember a single detail, only that his clothes were soaked through with cold sweat.

“Melissa?” Leon came back to his senses and realized that Melissa standing in his room was highly unusual.

That meant that when he staggered back to his room yesterday, he had not locked the door at all… no, he had probably not even closed it properly.

Melissa must have heard some noise downstairs and come over to take a look.

“Leon, big brother, you were breathing heavily the whole time while you slept, and your face was covered in sweat, so I came in to wake you…” Melissa said worriedly, her gaze shifting to Leon’s bandaged arm.

“You’re injured again?”

“I was stabbed during a mission. It’s nothing serious,” Leon replied casually.

He glanced at the morning light streaming in through the window.

“What time is it now?”

“The eight o’clock bell just rang. Mom is still lying down. I was just about to make breakfast. Leon, big brother, what would you like to eat?” Melissa asked.

“I don’t really have an appetite right now,” Leon said softly, getting up to change clothes.

“I need to go to work.”

Recalling Rena being caught yesterday, that nauseating pressure returned to Leon once again.

Having finally recovered a bit of strength, all he wanted now was to hurry to the Inquisition to see what the situation was.

“You’re injured and you still want to go to work? You should rest! At least eat a little. You need to recover!” Melissa urged anxiously.

“I’m fine, Melissa…” Leon forced a smile at her.

At that moment, a knock on the door suddenly rang out.

Leon and Melissa both froze for a moment.

Then Melissa reacted and walked toward the door.

“Coming!”

She was a little confused.

After her mother fell ill and the family incurred debts, there were rarely any visitors—aside from debt collectors.

But debt collectors usually did not knock so gently; they were far more aggressive.

She opened the door to find a well-dressed, handsome young man standing outside, wearing a refined, courteous smile and holding a gift box in his hands.

“Hello, little sister. May I ask if this is the home of Inquisitor Leon Set?”

Aaron, standing outside, asked Melissa in a warm tone.

“Y-Yes. Leon, big brother!” Melissa replied nervously.

Just as she was about to turn and call Leon, she realized Leon was already standing behind her.

“Director, what brings you here?” Leon looked surprised, and also somewhat tense.

After all, he had just transferred a batch of crucial evidence.

Being visited by his direct superior at such a time made it easy to imagine that something had been exposed.

“I’m here to visit the sick. Showing concern for an injured subordinate is proper etiquette for a superior—especially since you were injured on my behalf. By both reason and sentiment, I should come see you,” Aaron said.

Hearing this, Leon finally relaxed inwardly and returned a polite smile.

“You’re too kind. I’m really flattered. Please, come in.”

Melissa quickly stepped aside to let Aaron enter the house.

Aaron glanced at Melissa and asked Leon, “Is this your younger sister?”

“She’s my landlady’s daughter, Melissa,” Leon introduced her, then said to Melissa, “Melissa, this is Director Dias of the Inquisition—my direct superior.”

“Ah—H-Hello!” Learning his identity, Melissa grew even more nervous and subconsciously lowered her head. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

“Hello, Melissa,” Aaron replied with a smile.

“I—I’ll go pour some water!” Melissa suddenly realized and hurried into the kitchen.

“Sorry for visiting so abruptly. I checked your address at the Inquisition and came straight over. This is Holy Water for healing. I hope you recover soon,” Aaron said, lifting the gift box toward Leon.

“You’re far too polite… Please, come in and sit for a while,” Leon replied courteously.

“Will it disturb your landlady?” Aaron asked.

“It’s fine. Please, come inside,” Leon said as he led Aaron to the dining table.

Seeing that the house had no living room and that guests could only be seated by the dining table, Aaron blinked, then sat down without comment.

“Please have some water,” Melissa said as she set the glasses before them.

Seeing that it was not tea but simply boiled water, Aaron still smiled and nodded.

“Thank you, Melissa.”

He keenly noticed the calluses on Melissa’s hands.

He had never seen a child of her age with such hands.

The worn furniture that was used until it was falling apart, unwilling to be replaced, as well as Melissa’s clothing, all made him clearly feel the family’s hardship.

“Melissa, go upstairs and take care of your mother. I’ll entertain the Director here,” Leon said, giving her a meaningful look.

“Ah! Okay…” Melissa suddenly understood.

After her mother contracted Saltification Disease, it was only thanks to the Holy Water privately provided by Bishop Leona that her condition had improved.

Such a matter could not conveniently be known to the Church.

Just in case, she should go upstairs to remind her mother.

After Melissa went upstairs, Aaron looked at Leon.

“Is your landlady ill?”

“…Saltification Disease,” Leon answered after a moment of silence.

Aaron was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood why this family was so impoverished.

“That child must have it very hard, doesn’t she?” Aaron recalled the calluses on Melissa’s hands.

“Yes. Their family has some debts…”

Leon briefly explained Melissa’s family situation, and Aaron’s brows gradually knit together as he listened.

There were many such impoverished families in this country, yet given his status, he rarely had the chance to come into contact with them.

At present, he needed to conceal his identity and could not directly provide help that would change this family’s circumstances.

At most, after he left Hamel Town, he could arrange for someone to anonymously send some things to help them out.

Moreover, Saltification Disease was incurable.

Even with his resources, there was nothing he could do.

“Melissa seems quite close to you. You often help them out, don’t you?” Aaron said.

“I only do what I can,” Leon replied softly.

The look in Aaron’s eyes as he gazed at Leon grew increasingly appreciative.

After a moment, he spoke in a formal tone.

“Inquisitor Set, I’ve been thinking since yesterday. I intend to promote you to Captain of Team Three. Are you willing to accept?”

“Th-This…” Leon was greatly surprised.

“With my seniority, is it appropriate?”

“The captain position of Team Three is still vacant. Your performance yesterday was better than those captains’. I believe you are fully capable and qualified for it,” Aaron said seriously.

“After we return, I’ll write the letter of appointment. Once you’ve recovered and returned, you’ll be the captain.”

“Thank you, sir…” Leon forced a smile.

To be honest, even with a promotion at a time like this, he really could not feel happy.

Rena was still being detained.

“By the way, sir, how did yesterday’s case turn out? When I left, I heard that the Witch had already been caught?” Leon smoothly steered the conversation.

“Well, about that—we ran into a bit of trouble…” Aaron sighed softly.

He briefly explained the situation of yesterday’s investigation to Leon.

As an Inquisitor involved in the case, Leon was qualified to know the details.

“If there’s no evidence, then if the suspect never confesses, after thirty days wouldn’t we only be able to…” Leon probed cautiously.

“Procedurally speaking, yes,” Aaron nodded.

Hearing this, Leon finally relaxed inwardly.

Lowering his eyes, he said, “I see…”

Aaron seemed like a by-the-book superior who valued reputation more than profit, completely different from Caron.

It seemed he would not violate procedure and privately use torture on Rena.

All the evidence had already been hidden by him.

As long as Rena did not confess and held out until the end of the Detention Period, she could escape conviction!

Aaron took Leon’s reaction as regret.

After all, Leon had risked his life and been injured to solve the case.

In the end, they had caught a highly suspicious suspect, yet lacked evidence to send her to the tribunal.

After thinking for a moment, he lowered his voice and said to Leon, “However, you don’t need to worry. Bishop Becket has already applied for the highest investigative order from the Prophet Church. As long as we obtain a guilty determination from the Cardinal, we’ll confirm the suspect as a Witch.”

Leon felt as if he had been struck on the head.

“What did you say? Isn’t it that the Church has no way to determine a Witch?”

“No, there actually is a method—just that very few people know about it. I can’t go into the details… In any case, don’t worry about the case. Focus on recovering,” Aaron said.

Aaron reached out and lightly patted Leon’s shoulder.

But to Leon, each pat felt as if a mountain of weight had come crashing down.