What Witch? This Alchemist is Breaking Bad!

The next day, at a mountain villa in Helenburg, Leon sat at a square table and turned his head to gaze out the window.

He saw a broad river.

In the distance, the estuary was faintly visible.

One sailboat after another traveled back and forth across the river surface reflecting the setting sun.

The Holden River was one of the busiest waterways for imperial shipping.

River Valley County and South Harbor County lay on the river’s southern and northern banks respectively, both having built prosperous port cities along its course.

Bishop Becket had arranged for him to meet with the Earl, with the location set in Helenburg of River Valley County.

The journey had lasted a full six hours.

He had gone from carriage to ferry, then back to carriage.

For the final stretch, he had been blindfolded until he was delivered to the foot of the mountain.

After that, he had been led up the mountain and brought to this villa.

The person he was about to meet was a major figure with enormous influence in both the underworld and the legitimate world.

Yet even Leon himself found it surprising that his mind was very calm.

He had already struggled through desperate situations.

Now that the other party had proposed a meeting, it meant there was room for negotiation.

No matter how bad things became, they could not be worse than when he had previously been forced into a dead end by this very person.

Suddenly, he heard movement at the doorway and withdrew his gaze, turning to look.

A middle-aged gentleman stood alone at the entrance, smiling at him.

“This is my favorite spot in the whole house. The view is excellent—especially at dusk, when the entire river turns a beautiful orange.”

In that instant, Leon was basically certain who the visitor was.

From the man’s speech and bearing, it was naturally evident that he was the unquestionable master of this place.

Leon was just about to stand and offer a greeting when the man smiled and raised a hand.

“You’re the guest. Just stay seated.”

After that, the Earl sat down across from Leon and then suddenly asked, “Any dietary restrictions?”

Leon froze for a moment, then shook his head.

The Earl snapped his fingers toward the doorway.

Someone immediately entered the room, spread a tablecloth, and set the tableware for both of them.

Next, a bowl of red soup and a dish of coarse oat flour were served to each of them, and honey-colored lemon wine was poured into their glasses.

“They probably didn’t have time to prepare food for you along the way. Let’s eat first and talk afterward. Foyle’s local cuisine—I hope it suits your taste.”

As he spoke, the Earl was the first to raise his glass in a toast.

Leon also raised his glass in return, and both took a sip.

Then the Earl poured the coarse oat flour into the soup, stirred it with a spoon, and began to eat.

Leon followed the Earl’s example in preparing the dish.

He scooped up a spoonful and put it into his mouth.

The lamb soup, mixed with oat flour and flavored with the sour and spicy taste of onions and tomatoes, had a thick texture.

The aroma of spices lay somewhere between mint and lemongrass, refreshing and invigorating.

The mutton’s gamey flavor was very light, sliced thin, and melted in the mouth.

After this soup came deep-fried cheese balls coated in breadcrumbs, then pan-grilled sea eel fillets, and finally apple-and-honey pie cut into pieces.

The dishes could not be called extravagant—by the standards of entertaining guests, they were even somewhat plain—but every dish was executed flawlessly.

The Earl did not say a single word while eating, focusing solely on the meal.

Leon also refrained from starting any conversation.

At first, he ate a little stiffly, but later he relaxed.

After all the travel by boat and carriage, he truly was hungry.

Only after they were fully fed and all the bowls and plates had been cleared away did the Earl wipe his mouth with a napkin and finally raise the main topic.

“Mr. Fenrir, you should have considered the purpose of my asking to meet you, correct?”

“Do you want me to work for you?” Leon looked at the Earl and asked.

The Earl had guessed his true identity but had not touched him.

Instead, he had invited him to meet.

Naturally, Leon would think the Earl intended to recruit him.

“In present-day South Harbor County, Mr. Griffin, who controlled the mana business, is dead. In Hamel Town, Caron Eso is dead. There is now a vacancy in the position of Director of the Inquisition. If there were someone who could conveniently fill both of these vacancies at once, business throughout this region would flow without obstruction.” The Earl stared straight at Leon as he spoke.

Leon revealed a look of surprise.

“You want me to do it?”

In his expectations, the Earl probably wanted him to supply goods for them, just as he had previously produced mana in the labyrinth for Mr. Griffin.

But the moment the Earl opened his mouth, he painted a picture so grand that Leon had never even imagined it.

Leaving aside replacing Mr. Griffin in controlling the underground market, becoming the Director of the Inquisition in Hamel Town in place of Caron Eso? This pie was drawn far too big.

“Imagine such a scene. You become the Director of the Inquisition in Hamel Town. You know the Church’s movements like the back of your hand, and at the same time you firmly control the entire underground market of South Harbor County. You can use your authority to shelter tens of millions in business every year. And moreover, you have a way to protect the woman currently detained in the Inquisition.”

The Earl smiled faintly.

“Sacrificing a woman who won’t live much longer is indeed the most rational choice. But I’ve heard that you seem to be trying to treat her illness. If there’s a chance, you would still want to save her, wouldn’t you?”

Leon’s heart stirred slightly.

If he controlled the entire Inquisition, then after Sairi was sentenced, he would have the opportunity to apply for her to serve her term under local detention.

He could then ensure that Sairi received treatment with magical potions at any time.

Her lifespan could be extended by at least five years.

During those five years, it might even be possible to find a cure for Saltification Disease.

He had even previously considered a plan to rescue her by swapping her out through feigned death.

With the authority of a Director, that plan was no longer completely impossible.

And with both the power once held by Caron Eso and the wealth controlled by Henry Potter being gathered into his hands at the same time, it was impossible for him not to be tempted.

“From your expression, I can tell you’re interested.” The smile on the Earl’s face grew even broader.

“But why me?” Leon quickly calmed down and raised the question.

The Earl certainly had many people under him.

Why would such a good opportunity fall to an outsider like him?

“Because there is truly no one more suitable than you. You have cooperated with Mr. Griffin and have a certain understanding of the local underground market. At the same time, you are an Inquisitor in Hamel Town and meet the basic conditions to rise to that position. Moreover, Aaron seems to appreciate you. If you have the chance to interact with him again in the future, that connection alone is worth my investment in you.” The Earl explained.

“Who exactly is Director Aaron?” Leon asked tentatively.

The Priest had once analyzed that Aaron’s background must be formidable.

From the looks of it, the Earl knew the inside story.

“In the future, you’ll have the chance to know. What you need to know now is that he doesn’t know the true situation on my side, nor does he know yours. In front of him, keep your mouth shut.” The Earl replied.

Leon nodded.

It seemed that Bishop Becket was someone the Earl had deliberately placed by Aaron’s side.

He appeared to be helping Aaron accumulate achievements, but had no intention of letting Aaron know that he controlled underground businesses forbidden by the Church.

“However, the most critical reason I chose you is your methods.” At this point, the Earl smiled with nostalgia.

“I never expected that besides myself, there would actually be someone else who cooperated with a Witch and raised Magical Beasts in a labyrinth!” 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

“You also once…?” Leon was somewhat surprised.

“Twenty-five years ago, when I was still an Apprentice Knight, I once encountered a Witch during a labyrinth exploration. I didn’t capture her. Instead, I chose to cooperate with her, letting her raise Magical Beasts in the labyrinth and extract mana for me. That was the first fortune I dug up in this business. Later, we lived together. Although for various reasons I couldn’t marry her, she was the only woman I ever truly loved in my life…”

As he spoke to this point, the Earl’s expression shifted from nostalgia to desolation.

“Unfortunately, because of my negligence, she was captured by the Church.”

“Then she…” Leon recalled that Bishop Becket had once mentioned that over twenty years ago, someone had faced the same choice as him, but with a different ending.

“She died.” The Earl’s voice was very soft.

“At the time, the Inquisition had evidence against her and other accomplices. To protect me, she chose to take her own life.”