What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

Alicia understood Leon's thoughts to some extent. After thinking it over, she turned to Fred and asked, "Your Highness, what do you think?"

She had actually noticed Fred's unusual silence and her subtle expression.

Even she, who had served Fred for many years, couldn't guess Fred's current thoughts. In fact, ever since Fred chose to switch allegiance to Fenrir, she had completely lost sight of her former master.

Fred seemed to think about it seriously for a moment, and instead of answering Alicia, she went straight to Dolucy and asked, "Great Witch Dolucy, why did you choose him?"

“Your Highness’s question is indeed very insightful.” Dorothy laughed. “My reason for choosing Fenrir is simple: in terms of talent alone, he is the closest to the pinnacle right now.”

“If we’re talking about near the pinnacle, isn’t your Queen the most powerful being in the world?” Fred said.

She herself had once envied Queen Moirand's power, who could single-handedly control the entire Church of Norren. If she herself had the qualifications to become a saint, she would certainly prefer to have that real power rather than become a restrained emperor.

"Her Majesty the Queen wields power, but lacks the heart of a strong person. She carries too much on her shoulders. If she falls, that precious power will perish with her, and the nation established by her predecessors and the long-cherished wish left to her will all disappear. Therefore, she is wary of the weapons in the Church that could kill her."

She wanted to force Mr. Fenrir to work for her, but her methods were not decisive enough. Her reluctance to take risks simply gave him an opportunity. The Church, on the other hand, was even more hopelessly indecisive. The four major churches and the royal family each had their own agendas, constantly undermining each other. Without the factional struggles between the Church and the monarchy, how could Mr. Fenrir have had the chance to control the country?

"Heh, seeing that he kidnapped Her Highness the Princess really surprised me. Let me guess, he's already secretly gathered those declining western nobles under his command through you all, hasn't he? In terms of courage and ambition, Fenrir is undoubtedly the closest to the top, so of course I'm willing to place a bet on him as insurance," Dorothy laughed.

Alicia's face turned pale and then red. Indeed, if it weren't for the power struggles and infighting among the nobles in the east and west of the empire, Fenrir would never have found an opportunity to manipulate the heir to the throne and thus secretly control the country.

Fred accepted the sarcasm without hesitation: "That makes a lot of sense. It seems we share the same opinion about him."

“Then our views are still slightly different. I have a little… personal opinion about him.” Dorothy smiled and moved closer to Leon, reaching out to take his arm again.

Leon raised his hand to block her, lest the witch spoil the atmosphere of the meeting.

“I think we are the same,” Fred repeated.

Dorothy finally showed a surprised expression. She looked at Fred again, and Fred looked back at her without flinching, and then said, "I hope you understand the order of arrival."

"Ah!" Dorothy immediately showed a delighted expression and turned to Leon teasingly, "Even Her Highness the Princess has been conquered by you? What a sinful man you are."

“If you’re really as obedient as you say, then sit down and have a proper meeting. We don’t have much time; we might have to take action tomorrow.” Leon grabbed Dorothy’s shoulder and pushed her to her seat. “Now report to me on the progress of your preparations.”

Chapter 664 The Emperor's Emergency Summoning

“His Holiness the Pope has already arranged what you requested. We will create an incident at the appropriate time where high-level documents for the prison transfer are missing. Cardinal Malor will need to personally travel to the Western Diocese to handle this matter. We will stall her as much as possible at that time to ensure she does not receive any information about St. Rosalia Prison,” Alicia said.

Leon nodded in agreement. He had been considering running for cardinal and becoming the warden of St. Rosalia Prison to gain control of the prison, but the changing circumstances meant he couldn't wait that long.

His only option now is to take control of Santa Rosalia prison using more forceful measures at that time.

He had planted a lot of his own people inside and around Santa Rosalia Prison, and had also won over many prisoners. Considering that Lamia was also on his side, as long as the prison did not take precautions against him in advance, his chances of success were still very high.

However, if Cardinal Valerie Malor, the warden, were present, the prison might immediately organize a crackdown and could also contact other dioceses to send reinforcements via teleportation arrays, which would result in greater losses for him.

Moreover, what Leon needs to avoid most is the prison authorities discovering his intentions in advance and choosing to block or even destroy the prison's teleportation array. Once he is unable to use the teleportation array to travel to the interior of the Southeastern Archdiocese, his strategy of seizing St. Rosalia Prison will lose its meaning.

The only person authorized to issue such an order to the teleportation array is the warden. If the warden is transferred, the prison will descend into chaos.

Based on his understanding of the remaining two deputy wardens, they were all practically indifferent to their own affairs, and they might not even be able to successfully organize a suppression, let alone destroy the magic array.

Therefore, he contacted the Church of the Mystic God through Alicia and reached an agreement with them to delay Warden Malor by using procedural issues.

Considering the risks at the prison, Leon has also found a reason to temporarily send Melissa abroad to assess the situation and take action.

“My maternal grandfather and the other dukes have already entered a state of war preparation. They have secretly gathered people to keep an eye on several key points connecting the west to the east, and three major parishes are under our control. We can at least guarantee that no punitive army will cross the border of Luowan County within half a month when the war starts.”

Fred said that during this time she was allowed to keep in touch with Duke Glen and others under surveillance. The Duke and others were trying to negotiate with Leon to let Fred return to the West for protection, but Leon did not agree. Fred herself also expressed her desire to stay with Leon.

“You should have been aware of the situation of your own troops all along, so I won’t go into details. Anyway, everything is ready.” Johnny shrugged and gave only the simplest report. “But the problem is, what will happen to Arend Island when our main force marches toward the Grand Diocese? The navy of the Church of War, along with the allied forces of other Eastern nobles, will definitely come and take your territory.”

"Use the troops at hand to hold out for as long as possible. If we can achieve the results we want in the Grand Parish, then we can launch a counterattack at any time. Otherwise, there is no point in holding the rear. It's either success or destruction," Leon said.

“I really can’t understand what a madman is thinking…” Johnny sighed.

“You can keep up if you want,” Leon said.

“Then I’ll go to the Grand Parish with Mr. Fenrir,” Dorothy said with a smile.

"You wouldn't be thinking of stealing your witch's treasure yourself, would you?" Johnny looked at Dorothy suspiciously.

"With my qualifications, even if I obtained the blood of Moirai, I probably wouldn't be able to advance smoothly. Besides, I also think that Mr. Fenrir is definitely planning to use the red mercury there, and I don't want to die there without knowing why," Dorothy said with a smile.

“Dolucy will only participate in the internal attack on the Grand Parish and the exploration of the ruins, while Fred and I will accompany her.” Leon’s gaze shifted to Fred.

"A wise judgment." Frey smiled, glancing at Dorothy intentionally or unintentionally.

Dorothy understood Freyd's meaning, and simply smiled and shrugged: "Your Highness, there is the seal of Astartes in the Great Labyrinth, and you will also have to face Her Majesty the Queen's clone. I think you should probably be prepared to die there with Mr. Fenrir."

“That would be quite nice, at least it would leave a mark on history, better than being a mediocre empress,” Fred said fearlessly.

“…” Alicia remained silent. She was actually capable of going along, but she was quite hesitant to participate in such a heretical act as breaking the seal on the Great Labyrinth.

Moreover, she lacked the resolve to risk her life to help Leon fight Queen Alice.

“To be honest, we’re not fully prepared yet. How much time do we have?” Johnny suddenly asked.

Dorothy laughed when she heard this.

"What's so funny?" Johnny glanced at her unhappily.

“Her Majesty the Queen should have noticed that I’ve lost contact. Although she will probably need some time to prepare, I think it will take less than a week for the evidence of Mr. Fenrir’s identity to appear at the Church of War. If I were you, I would take immediate action and catch them off guard,” Dorothy said.

The remaining people exchanged glances, and this explanation wasn't entirely without merit.

The bell rang abruptly, and Leon instinctively looked towards the main entrance. This hall was basically soundproof to the outside world if the door was not opened, so the guards could not shout to him from outside the door if they had something to report, and could only do so through the bell connected to the mechanism.

Leon made a pause gesture, turned and walked to the door, carefully opening it.

The door opened a crack, and the guard leaned in and whispered, "Sir, the report from the Governor's Office is an urgent message from His Majesty the Emperor. To prevent our location from being exposed, they did not bring their badges with them."

Upon hearing this, Leon suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, and only one thought occupied his mind.

What was bound to happen has finally happened.

He nodded to the other person to wait a moment, then turned and went back into the hall. At that moment, everyone noticed the change in his expression and realized that something extraordinary had happened.

“Aaron said he wants to see me, right now,” Leon said before anyone else could ask.

"They're here already?" Johnny was caught off guard.

“You should find a reason to refuse, delay as long as you can. We need to strike first before they accuse you!” Alicia said seriously.

“I think so too,” Fredeud chimed in.

However, Leon only thought for a moment before answering: "No, I'm prepared to see him."

Chapter 665 I am Fenrir

The projection in the badge gradually appeared, and Leon saw the scene in the room begin to change, gradually being replaced by the scene of the royal study he had visited before.

However, this time he felt that both the room's layout and atmosphere were different. The carpet, which had been spotless by the maids, was now littered with various documents, making the place a complete mess.

Leon saw that Aaron was facing away from him with his head down, seemingly looking at a document spread out on the desk. Leon couldn't see his face, but he could feel a gloomy atmosphere.

The atmosphere seemed to have become an invisible wall separating them, and Leon did not immediately call for Aaron to turn around.

He glanced at a document on the ground and saw that it was part of the case file from Hameltown many years ago. The conclusion on the paper read:

"The main culprit, Henry Porter, has been selling potions prohibited by church law for many years in quantities that are difficult to count, constituting a serious blasphemy. In this case, he premeditatedly murdered Church Inquisitor Caron Esso and is suspected of multiple crimes including fraud, embezzlement, illegal armed force, kidnapping, and murder, which are unforgivable. However, he was murdered before being brought to justice, and the suspect was also shot dead during the arrest. His trial was terminated due to the death of the perpetrator..."

Suspect Selena Hershey, under duress from Potter's organization and burdened by debt, became a witch and produced potions for him under the name 'Fenrir.' While her actions of becoming a witch and producing potions undoubtedly constitute blasphemy, her surrender significantly advanced the investigation. Considering her motives and family circumstances, I formally request the court to grant her leniency. Given her long-standing chlorination disorder and physical condition making long-distance transport impossible, I request that she be detained locally and serve her sentence there…”

The signature of the person in charge of the case file is Aaron Diaz.

Next to this document was another original letter of appointment related to the case file. The person recommended was Leon, and the signatory was Aaron. This was the letter of appointment Aaron gave to promote Leon to captain because of his bravery in acting as a commando in the case.

That was the first time Aaron had a truly profound impression of Leon.

Past memories suddenly surged up, but Leon stopped them in time.

Leon naturally knew why Aaron was studying these files. He didn't intend to continue reading and was just about to look up and call out to Aaron when the liaison officer's voice rang out first: "Um, Your Majesty..."

Bishop Marcus, the liaison officer serving the royal family, sent an urgent message to Viscount Arend, the governor of Southportshire, at Aaron's behest, a message of wartime importance. Viscount Arend responded shortly afterward.

After consulting with Aaron, Bishop Marcus projected Leon onto the scene. However, His Majesty Aaron kept his back to the guest, an unprecedented move that made the atmosphere seem somewhat strange.

Aaron finally turned around, his face expressionless.

This startled Bishop Marcus. In the past, Aaron would at least wear a polite smile no matter who he met, and even when he was serious, his eyes would be lively. But now, his face was lifeless, and his eyes showed no spirit.

“I’m very sorry, Bishop Marcus, could you please excuse us this time?” Aaron spoke to Bishop Marcus first.

“Of course, Your Majesty.” Bishop Marcus quickly bowed and pulled up the hood of his robe, which enveloped him in a dark barrier, turning him into a black block in the projection.

This robe allows the superhuman who casts the Transcendental Blessing to shield their senses while still maintaining the blessing. However, it prevents timely adjustment of the projection. Sometimes, the liaison officer needs to avoid the private conversations of important figures.

Only Leon and Aaron remained facing each other in the projection. Seeing Aaron's expression, Leon decided not to speak first and waited silently for Aaron to speak first.

Seeing Leon's unusual reaction, Aaron vaguely understood what was going on and frowned.

The study was quiet, the two of them motionless, as if time had stood still.

After an unknown amount of time, Aaron finally opened his mouth and spoke:

Fenrir?

"..."

Leon did not reply directly, but nodded almost imperceptibly.

Aaron's eyes flickered. Even though he already knew the truth beforehand, when the trial actually arrived, he still felt the impact of a knife falling on his head once again.

"You don't deny it?" Aaron stared at Leon and gently shook his head.

“Given your trust in me, when you started to waver and doubt, and looked at me here to confirm with that expression, I believe you already had a definite answer. I know what Moyland will do to me,” Leon said in an unusually calm tone. “I know it’s time. The only thing that surprised me is that you actually confronted me face to face instead of trying to lure me into a trap first.”

If it were Leon himself, he would definitely try to lure the other party into a trap with a transfer order, or keep an eye on the other party's whereabouts to find an opportunity, and then capture the other party.

During this time, he had been on guard against any similar moves by Aaron or the church, but Aaron confronted him directly, which was indeed very much in line with Aaron's style.

“I’m looking for a different answer from you…” Aaron said softly.

“You’ve already arrived at the truth. What’s the point of simply denying it? Perhaps you expect me to produce something to overturn everything you’ve seen, but unfortunately, Aaron, I don’t.” Leon calmly spread his hands.

A deathly silence descended, and after a long while, a look of grief and indignation began to appear between Aaron's furrowed brows.

He glared at Leon and said in a hoarse voice, "It's you! It's always been you! Fenrir, Fenrir! You and Rena Lothark were the ones who created the magic element in Hamel Town. You rushed into the winery before me to kill Potter first! Lady Hershey wasn't a witch at all. The cursed blood was yours. You made her take the blame for your witch!"

You kidnapped Weiss Rogers on Holy Spirit Day! You killed Bishop Beckett and Earl Frey! You killed Alexie and the remnants of the Chaelland gang because they got in your way! You helped me only to use me to help you build a potions empire that covers the entire Norren! You…”

His voice suddenly trembled as he said this, and he took a deep breath: "You...killed Norman!"

For Aaron personally, none of the preceding sins were as unforgivable as this last one.

“I also regret what happened to General Dawson…” Leon said softly.

"You killed my uncle... a man who was like a father and brother to me, and now you're telling me you regret it?" Aaron's expression suddenly turned fierce; he had never shown such a ruthless look in his entire life.

“He wanted to blow me up, and I was still debating whether to kill him or not. When I had him under control, the witch Mandala ambushed him. I admit that his death was related to me, but I didn’t kill him,” Leon replied without changing his expression. “The Inquisition wanted to use you to control me. I tried to dissuade you, but you didn’t listen. It’s a pity, Aaron, things could have been different.”

Aaron stared in disbelief as he listened to Leon speak of Norman's death and the things he had been kept from him in such a cold tone. The sense of unfamiliarity with Leon, so different from the Leon he remembered, was amplified at that moment.

"I don't even know who I'm talking to anymore..." Aaron said unconsciously, his voice so soft it sounded like he was talking to himself.

“Don’t you already have the answer?” Leon looked Aaron straight in the eye. “I am Fenrir, and I have been from the beginning.”

Chapter 666 Breakup

Aaron was stunned for a while, then suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly.

Looking directly at Leon, in just a few words, he clearly realized that he was not facing the Leon Seth he knew, but Fenrir, the Empire's most dangerous criminal, the underworld emperor Fenrir!

"Ha, so I've been deceived my whole life. You, like Bishop Beckett and Count Frey..." He stopped laughing as he spoke. "I trusted you so much, respected you so much, and even dreamed of becoming someone like you!"

“You can never be me; we live in two completely different worlds.” Leon shook his head.

“Yes, I’ve been living in a world woven with lies, and the biggest lie I’ve ever encountered is you. Leon Seth, the person I thought was my closest friend, was just a facade.” Aaron’s tone turned icy.

"So, would you rather see the truth? Forgive my bluntness, but everyone around you has lied to you to some extent. Princess Frederick disappeared because I assassinated her. This was a conspiracy that General Dawson, Marquis Lorraine, and your maternal grandfather, Marquis Veronia, invited me to conspire against her."

"You can imagine how many times they've used these methods to protect you before, and there are Earl Frey and Bishop Beckett, and perhaps many more who, like me, have been helping you in secret for their own benefit, in ways you wouldn't approve of..." Leon said.

"You mean that just because you shoved these things at me, I have no right to complain?" Aaron glared at Leon.