What Witch? This Alchemist is Breaking Bad!

Hearing Leon’s request, Father Auden’s reaction appeared very calm: “You can add conditions, but don’t go too far.”

“I want to give them a basic work injury protection system,” Leon said.

“What kind of protection?” Father Auden did not understand.

“It means that if they are injured while working for me, all medical and nursing expenses will be borne by me. During the recovery period while the contract remains in force, wages will continue to be paid as usual. If there is permanent disability, I will pay a disability compensation,” Leon said.

Father Auden looked Leon over in confusion after hearing this.

“If you want to do charity, I can recommend better targets.”

In this era, there was simply no such thing as a sound work injury protection system.

Whether an injured hired worker received a sum of compensation to be dismissed with depended entirely on the employer’s conscience.

The farms and factories all required hired workers to sign contracts that assumed personal risk.

The contracts drafted by Father Auden naturally did not omit exemption clauses set up for the employer.

Even soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the nation or were injured were, in theory, supposed to receive compensation by law, but the actual execution was far from ideal.

For example, in the war ten years ago, due to financial strain, casualty subsidies for soldiers were quickly suspended.

Fewer than five percent of people actually received compensation.

Ironically, the greatest benefit the wounded or fallen soldiers received was a national medal.

With the medal, they and their families were entitled to privileges such as delayed tax payments and being allowed to beg within city districts without being arrested.

In fact, lower-level delegate officers like Leon, who worked for the Church without any rank, received little in the way of additional compensation apart from free emergency treatment if injured during missions, and even that money was often embezzled.

Of course, it was not that no one could enjoy such compensation.

For example, noble ministers and officers serving the nation, as well as knights and bishops with rank within the Church—if these prominent figures fell ill, were injured, or died while on duty, they would all receive generous compensation.

Father Auden simply could not understand what merit these underworld thugs had to deserve such treatment.

These mercenaries were engaged in a line of work that involved licking blood off the blade.

If Leon wanted to show kindness, this town was not lacking in pitiful people like the Hesh mother and daughter.

In fact, there were many cases where hired workers obtained compensation by presenting evidence to the courts to establish an employer’s additional liability after being injured or killed.

One of Father Auden’s regular jobs was to represent merchant consortia and wealthy employers to settle such matters.

With him as Leon’s advisor, Leon basically did not need to worry about anyone coming to demand compensation.

Yet Leon was instead jumping into this pit himself, and Father Auden could not make sense of it.

Leon ignored his opposition and continued speaking on his own.

“Also, have them register contact persons and beneficiaries for handling their affairs if necessary. If they are killed while working for me, I will pay funeral expenses, as well as a death compensation.”

Father Auden froze for a moment after hearing this, then suddenly showed a look of realization, followed by a meaningful smile.

Lowering his voice, he said, “Oh, I understand. I understand what you mean now—”

“What do you understand?” Leon was somewhat puzzled by Father Auden’s reaction.

“You want to dig up their weaknesses! Through their beneficiaries, you can uncover their families behind them, see which ones can be controlled, and manage the risk of betrayal. Heh, this move is really something,” Father Auden said with some admiration.

Fenrir—truly a terrifying man.

Father Auden evaluated him inwardly.

Of course, in this line of work, that counted as praise.

Leon looked at Father Auden with a strange expression.

Had this priest gone through some kind of tragic experience before? Otherwise, why did he always imagine people in such a dark way?

“Father, what do you think was the original reason I entered this line of work?” Leon suddenly asked.

“What was it?” Father Auden was momentarily confused.

Leon could not be bothered to explain further.

Based on the money he currently had on hand, he briefly considered compensation amounts for different degrees of disability, then had the priest add them to the contract clauses.

The underworld mercenaries present all watched Leon and the priest whispering to each other with some unease.

They worried that Leon was dissatisfied with the contract and might further push down the price.

Being unemployed at present, they did have some room to compromise, but after all, this was life-risking work, and they could not give in too much.

Afterward, Father Auden turned to the mercenaries and announced Leon’s new terms: “From Mr. Fenrir’s generosity, all who sign the contract will receive a special form of protection—.”

Leon silently watched from behind as the mercenaries reacted after hearing the work injury protection provisions.

Not many of them showed gratitude.

More appeared confused; some found it novel, while others showed suspicion on their faces.

Leon did not mind this at all.

He simply felt that this measure was necessary.

He himself had been trapped on this path precisely because of the Church’s lack of protection.

This might not be enough to buy people’s loyalty to the point of completely eliminating betrayal, but at the very least, it could greatly reduce the risk of subordinates selling him out over such a small issue.

He did not want the organization he built to be as riddled with holes as the Church.

Two days later, a cargo ship slowly approached the shore.

Fully armed mercenaries began disembarking along the gangplank, and they also led down a freight carriage, its cargo covered with black cloth.

“Careful.” Leon extended a hand backward before disembarking.

Behind him, the masked Rena grasped his hand, cautiously watching her footing as she followed Leon ashore.

The last to come down from the ship was Father Auden, wearing a bitter expression.

He was seasick again.

“Are you sure you want to bring your precious witch lady into the labyrinth?” Father Auden spoke softly to Leon.

He knew about Leon sending Sally Hesh to prison in place of this witch, and naturally understood that the relationship between the two was far from ordinary.

Therefore, seeing Leon bring this witch along while tackling such a dangerous labyrinth surprised him somewhat.

“To deal with this labyrinth, her power is indispensable,” Leon explained.

“Oh, I’ve seen her power. I just hope she won’t affect other people. Don’t forget, you promised those mercenaries one hundred thousand for each death,” Father Auden reminded him.

He still believed that the witch beside Leon had the ability to turn people into poisonous bombs and wipe out large numbers with toxins.

“.”

Rena remained silent at the side.

Leon had told her that she did not need to interact with anyone else present, just to stay close to him.

She was still somewhat nervous, after all, there were so many fully armed mercenaries around her.

However, along the way, these mercenaries appeared to follow Leon’s orders quite obediently.

“What did Viscount Arend say?” Leon confirmed with the priest.

The ship they used to land on the island this time was not the small boat from before, but a commercial cargo ship capable of carrying a freight carriage and over twenty people.

It was very difficult to avoid being seen when landing.

“Don’t worry. I have already fully informed Viscount Arend. I guarantee that his daughter will not appear here,” the priest said confidently.

“Take one person and stand guard on the mountain path. If anyone comes that way, stop them. I don’t want to see any unnecessary people appearing near the labyrinth,” Leon instructed Father Auden.

“If I don’t have to go into the mountains, that’s even better,” Father Auden had no objections to this arrangement.

Leon, Rena, and the remaining manpower entered the mountains, making their way to the mine that served as the labyrinth entrance.

“Assign personnel according to plan. Other than Bloodsucking Mosquito Bats and Giant Rats, capture any magical beasts that can be captured alive if possible. Clear out all magical beasts along your assigned routes,” Leon began issuing orders.

“Simon, unload the things from the carriage.”

Bloodsucking Mosquito Bats were difficult to raise, and Giant Rats had very low Mana content.

Not all magical beasts had breeding value.

“Mr. Fenrir, are you sure that thing can be used?” Simon asked with some concern.

“Just watch,” Leon replied.

Simon let out a long breath and turned to direct his men to act according to orders.

They first led the horses away from the carriage to prevent them from being frightened by what was on it.

Then they pulled off the black cloth covering the flatbed.

Inside was a massive square iron cage, with a demonic wolf larger than a leopard lying in the center.

Although they already knew what was being transported on the carriage, upon seeing the demonic wolf, all the mercenaries still involuntarily sucked in a breath of cold air.

“Open the cage,” Leon ordered.

“Sir, this—” Simon hesitated.

“You all step back,” Leon understood their hesitation and stepped forward personally.

All the mercenaries distanced themselves from the cage, some even placing their hands on their weapons.

A demonic wolf of this size possessed strength and speed no less than a lion or brown bear, and had an extremely tough body capable of enduring several shots without collapsing.

If it went berserk the moment the cage was opened, casualties were almost guaranteed.

Leon did not open the cage immediately, but instead looked at Rena.

“Get up,” Rena called toward the cage.

The demonic wolf opened its hollow eyes and slowly rose as instructed.

Rena walked closer to the cage and extended her hand toward it.

“Hey, hey!”

A mercenary cried out in alarm, as if already seeing the scene of the demonic wolf biting the girl’s hand to pieces.

However, the demonic wolf merely rubbed against Rena’s hand through the gaps in the cage, appearing unusually docile.

The mercenaries present looked at one another.

Leon then reached out and opened the cage.

Rena pointed outside, and the demonic wolf stepped out.

The mercenaries retreated nervously, but the demonic wolf seemed to pay them no attention at all, even lazily yawning.

Rena reached out and stroked the demonic wolf’s head as it cooperatively lowered it.

At this moment, the mercenaries finally believed the fact that the witch before them could control the demonic wolf.

“Simon, your squad moves with us. We’re going to deal with the demonic wolf pack,” Leon called out to the dumbfounded mercenary captain.

“Yes—sir,” Simon took a long moment before coming back to his senses.

“Then, let’s go.” Leon waved his hand broadly, announcing the start of the operation.