What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

Even though Queen Alice was so wary of Red Mercury, it was only because Red Mercury "might" pose a threat to her life.

“My suggestion is to find Lamia and learn more about Her Majesty’s power. Although Her Highness only possesses the Blessing of New Life and incomplete dragon power, her blessing power still has many similarities with Her Majesty’s. Through her, you might be able to learn more about Her Majesty,” Dorothy said with a smile.

"Yes, I'll ask her more questions when she wakes up. Thank you." Leon thanked Dorothy.

He was genuinely grateful to Dorothy; the information and advice were crucial to him.

“You don’t need to thank me. After all, there are still conditions to discuss between us, aren’t there?” Dorothy said with a smile.

"Go ahead and say it," Leon thought, finally, they'd reached this topic.

"My condition is simple: continue what we didn't finish before," Dorothy said with a smile.

"What?" Leon didn't react for a moment.

“Have you forgotten? The time I tried to seduce you, you refused. I want to make up for that.” Dorothy smiled meaningfully, gesturing back and forth between Leon and herself. “You and I… will spend a night together. That’s my condition.”

Chapter 683 The Employee Who Wanted to Flip the Boss's Desk

Faced with Dorothy's incredible condition, Leon didn't waver much because he didn't take it seriously at all: "Don't you feel embarrassed making jokes like this at a time like this? Hurry up and tell me, what do you want?"

"Oh dear, that's a bit hurtful. It takes a lot of determination for a woman to say something like that," Dorothy said, feigning a sigh.

Leon didn't reply, and he and Dorothy stared at each other for a while before Dorothy calmly added, "I'm serious."

Leon frowned. Could this really be considered a condition?

This is practically a bonus of a romantic encounter after obtaining crucial intelligence—pure perk. There are probably not many men in the world who can resist Dorothy's seduction, so why would it need to be done in the name of a transaction?

But that's precisely why it seems so strange, and it's even more so when it happens to Dorothy.

"Reason?" Leon asked.

“We’ve come this far, and you still can’t understand my feelings? I’m really going to be heartbroken.” Dorothy said this, but her smile became even brighter. “This is the first time in my life that I’ve met a man who can move me. If I miss this opportunity, I might never have the chance to experience that kind of passion again in my life.”

“If that’s your point, why not seize the time now instead of making arrangements for later?” Leon didn’t accept Dorothy’s reasoning. “I’m not confident about the next plan. We can’t say for sure when we’ll die. Aren’t you afraid of having regrets?”

“Oh dear, that’s a bit of a stretch. If you did that and something happened to you, wouldn’t I be essentially a widow? Just because I’m attracted to you doesn’t mean I’m willing to spend the rest of my life remembering a dead person. If you’re going to die because of this, then I think it’s better to let go as soon as possible,” Dorothy said.

Leon shook his head: "You talk so emotionally, wanting to have a one-night stand with me, but when it comes to timing, you become so rational. In the end, you still see this as a business deal, right? What exactly do you want? If I succeed in obtaining the Blood of Moirai, do you want to use this method to find an opportunity to take it away?"

Since Dorothy is treating this as a business deal, she certainly doesn't want to do a losing business. Even if she gives up some profits now, she will definitely get them back with interest in the future.

“If you can survive the Queen and obtain the blood of Moirai, what power do I have to take that power from you? In your eyes, am I so naive as to carry out such a foolish plan? Shouldn’t I be worried that you will try to control me with your cursed blood at that time?” Dorothy asked.

"So what exactly are you after? You could have tried to propose many other conditions, and I would have seriously considered them, but you brought up this one, which means that this matter is more important to you than any other possible conditions," Leon continued to press.

“There are several reasons. First, as a woman, I am indeed interested in you. Second, I learned about your special constitution from Miss Saint and Lamia.”

"You not only receive Moirai's favor yourself, but you can also share that favor with witches you've had physical relations with, so I'm even more eager to try," Dorothy continued.

"Anything else?" Leon pressed, certain that Dorothy's reasons went beyond that.

“These reasons are enough, aren’t they? There’s no need to go any further. If you insist on digging deeper, then I’ll have to add a clause to our agreement: please don’t ask for any more questions about the reasons,” Dorothy said.

"How can I feel at ease if you say that?" Leon asked.

"That's enough, darling. Don't act like you're really at a huge loss. Do you think I'm at ease betting on a man who could die at any moment? Risk should be mutual. If the Queen finds out that I'm leaking information to you, it'll be enough to get me torn to pieces."

"And what risk is there in spending a night with me? You are now more powerful than me, so why should you be afraid of me then? If I become your woman, will I be able to control you? You are willing to take risks in so many things, but not in trusting me? Don't lower your opinion of me; I might change my mind at any time," Dorothy said.

Having said all that, Leon really couldn't refute it. Dorothy had already handed over her information, and now she was just getting a promise from Leon in return.

If you're going to be so petty about this promise, then you're being petty.

"However, your seriousness shows that you're serious about keeping your promise, which is why you won't say it easily," Dorothy said with a smile. "So, what do you say? Do you mean that I, as a woman, have absolutely no appeal to you?"

“No, that’s not it. You are very charming, I have to admit that,” Leon replied frankly.

"So, it's settled then?" Dorothy asked Leon for confirmation.

"Okay." This time, Leon thought for a moment and then nodded.

"Then I will look forward to your triumphant return." Dorothy smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"With your support, aren't you afraid that if I gain that power, it will threaten your country?" Leon said.

"If I misjudged, I will naturally take responsibility for my choice. But it's pointless to doubt my choice before the results are in."

"If you truly threaten my country, I probably have little hope of winning a direct confrontation with you. But if we talk about feelings, there might still be a chance, that's what I think," Dorothy replied calmly.

“Alright.” Leon nodded, accepting this explanation for the time being.

"And I quite like your idea about Queen Alice—to subdue her and make her accept it… Heh, I probably wouldn't have dared to even think about that before, given how Her Majesty has instilled in me a mindset of obedience. But now that you've said it, I'm actually starting to look forward to that kind of scene," Dorothy said.

"Have you been harboring resentment towards Queen Alice for a long time?" Leon suddenly realized something.

“Perhaps. Her Majesty’s decisions sometimes do annoy me. Maybe I’ve wanted to overturn the table at the tea party and give her a piece of my mind, but I just can’t do it.” Dorothy shrugged as she spoke. “So, the reason I support you and am attracted to you is probably because you dare to overturn the table with Her Majesty the Queen.”

"To be described like that by your employees, it seems Her Majesty Queen Alice isn't exactly a good boss," Leon chuckled softly. "Alright, in that case, I'll be the one to flip the table for you."

Chapter 684 The Headache of the Parish

In the monastery of the Southeastern Diocese, Cardinal Zevin, the diocesan rector, sat in his command room, watching several messengers come and go, constantly handing him urgent reports. He felt as if his head had been split open.

Cardinal Zevin's career was originally quite smooth. Those who can become cardinals are the best in the church, and they must have a combination of factors such as background, ability, and luck.

Although he wasn't a particularly prominent figure in the cardinal councils, and couldn't be compared to those who truly wielded immense power, such as the Pope, the Inquisitor, the Treasurer, and the Commander-in-Chief of the Church's military, he at least became the head of a diocese.

However, his career did not go so smoothly after that. The saintly incident that occurred in the Archdiocese a few years ago burdened him with enormous responsibility.

The church was humiliated and someone had to take responsibility. Although he decisively used his political skills to hold those in positions accountable to the cardinal council, he himself was ultimately affected quite a bit.

Although he remains in office in the greater parish, he is still under probation and needs to achieve some results to avoid the risk of having his title revoked.

Fortunately, although he hasn't made any great achievements in the past few years, he has managed to keep the diocese running steadily. If things continue like this, he should be able to apply for the removal of this punishment at the Cardinal Council in a while.

Unfortunately, at this critical moment, an army from within the empire suddenly approached the Grand Parish, seemingly poised to launch an attack.

It wasn't difficult to figure out that it was Viscount Arendt's troops, since it would be hard for a force of that size to completely conceal its whereabouts and origin.

That was undoubtedly the city defense force from Southport County, and the governor of Southport County was Viscount Arend.

Not long ago, the new King Aaron II issued a punitive order against Viscount Arend. Logically, the Viscount should have lost his title of governor at that time, and the local city garrison should not only not obey his orders, but should also arrest him.

As a result, the city garrison of Southport County acted efficiently within a few days, first taking control of River Valley County, and then marching rapidly through Redwood County towards the Southeast Parish.

The governor and local lords of Redwood County had tried to intercept the troops and had some clashes, but they were mostly at a disadvantage.

Viscount Arend's troops were well-trained and equipped to an almost otherworldly degree; they were also well-prepared, and ordinary city garrison and territory troops were no match for them.

Cardinal Zevin even heard from urgent reports that this force had a considerable number of superhumans, comparable to the Church's Knights. However, considering that Viscount Arend had sided with the Church of the Mystic God and the western nobles, it was not surprising that he received some funding.

The defeated Redwood County troops had no choice but to seek help from the Archdiocese. Cardinal Zevin was now in a bind over this matter. He had sent messengers to inquire about the intentions of Viscount Arend's army, but the reply he received was that Viscount Arend claimed to have been framed and was now in a position to be attacked. Therefore, he had to launch a self-defense counterattack in the surrounding areas to control the situation and hoped that the Southeast Archdiocese would publicly promise not to take action against Viscount Arend's territory.

This is clearly absurd. The emperor's order to attack cannot directly affect the church. The court has not admitted Viscount Arend's crimes, so the church's power is not going to take immediate action. At least the Southeastern Archdiocese has not shown any intention to attack Leon. Cardinal Zevin is not keen on causing trouble either. He does not want to go through the trouble that could lead to his demotion again.

What exactly is Viscount Arendt trying to do? Isn't he just asking for trouble?

"An urgent report from the Church of War! Pope Reginald personally sent a messenger to deliver the message." The messenger entered with a new report and spoke rapidly to Cardinal Zevin, "They request that the Archdiocese defeat Viscount Arend's forces as soon as possible and capture the Viscount himself. If necessary, the Church of War will send people directly to provide support and assistance..." The messenger continued his report.

"Support from the Church of War?" Cardinal Zevin was initially delighted, but then became somewhat worried.

In this way, the crisis in the diocese will be resolved, and the credit will likely go entirely to the Church of War.

More importantly, at this point in time, Cardinal Zevin still hoped to avoid large-scale use of force in or around the diocese, and instead use deterrence or negotiation to get Viscount Arend to withdraw his troops.

If a fight really breaks out, the damage and casualties will be one thing, but he himself will inevitably bear the responsibility again.

If another church scandal similar to the Saintess incident were to occur, he would probably really have to expel the cardinals.

But after a moment's thought, he replied, "I agree to provide support. Tell them to send as many reinforcements as possible."

The current situation is that His Majesty the Emperor and Viscount Arendt each have their own version of events, and the Church also has its own sides. Viscount Arendt's sudden actions make people suspect that he really wants to rebel.

If that's the case, then the support from the Church of War would be very important to them. Although it's unrealistic to think that a county's garrison could take over an entire diocese, Cardinal Zevin was still somewhat uneasy.

“Yes, sir. If we’re going through the formalities, it will take a little time to complete the registration procedures. You and the person in charge over there will need to sign before the support personnel can pass through the magic circle.” The messenger bowed in response.

"Hurry up, let me know when you need to sign," Cardinal Zevin said, dismissing the man.

Cardinal Zevin then continued flipping through the reports on the table with lightning speed, quickly classifying and organizing them. Before long, another report was delivered.

"Just leave it there," he replied to the messenger without looking up; he was already overwhelmed by the sheer volume of reports.

Ironically, after the incident involving the saintess Weiss Rogers, Cardinal Zevin barely managed to keep his position, but those who could take responsibility were held accountable and severely punished, and soon no longer served in the archdiocese.

The remaining key positions in the Grand Diocese are filled with seasoned veterans who are unwilling to take responsibility for their own affairs. As a result of their unwillingness to take responsibility for their decisions, everything, big or small, is passed up the chain of command and ultimately ends up in the hands of Cardinal Zevin, who makes the final decision.

Cardinal Zevin was not to be outdone, often issuing instructions that left his subordinates to "do as they see fit."

As a result, the efficiency of work in the diocese became unusually low. Now that the entire diocese is facing such a critical crisis, so many reports are being passed back and forth, causing Cardinal Zevin's desk to be piled up with reports.

But this time the messenger did not comply. Instead, he reported seriously: "This is a message from the Chief Justice. He requests your immediate reply."

Chapter 685 The Chief Inquisitor's Warning

Cardinal Zevin almost immediately put aside his work and responded to the call.

In the cathedral's reception room, he sat facing the vision of Inquisitor Stuart.

This was, after all, a liaison from the court, so he dared not be negligent.

“It is truly exhilarating to receive your message at such a critical juncture, Your Excellency the Chief Inquisitor. I believe you have already heard about our situation here, we are here…” Cardinal Zevin tried to explain the situation to the other party.

“I know.” Chief Justice Stuart nodded and raised his hand to interrupt him. “Viscount Arend sent troops to approach your parish, and then just three hours ago, he stormed the St. Rosalia prison where he himself was stationed.”

"What?" Cardinal Zevin nearly jumped up in shock. "Could it be that Viscount Arend is really... what is Warden Malor doing?"

He was unaware of Leon's capture of the Santa Rosalia prison, which was supposed to be as heavily guarded as a parish, and where Viscount Arend's army was mostly stationed.

Even though Viscount Arendt had served in the prison and could enter it, Cardinal Valerie Malor was wary of him because of His Majesty the Emperor's decree.

As a law enforcement agency, Santa Rosalia Prison can bypass some procedures in emergencies and has the right to request support from all parishes. Zevin simply couldn't figure out how to take it down.

"We haven't been able to contact Cardinal Malor yet. It must be because Viscount Arend used some means that he has openly apostasyed. I'm here to give you a warning."

"Go and seal the magic circle now, and prohibit any teleportation into the Southeastern Archdiocese. He will launch an attack from there soon!" Chief Inquisitor Stuart warned coldly.

After being warned by Leon, Levin Stuart ignored numerous questions and remained inactive. Even though the royal family and the Church of War were putting pressure on the Inquisition, he still delayed issuing an arrest warrant for Viscount Arend.

He believed Leon's threat that once the court took a stand on the matter, the other side's retaliation would be inevitable and deadly.

Even if he publicly acknowledges Leon's apostasy on behalf of the Tribunal and issues an arrest warrant, mobilizing the Cardinals to deal with Leon, the four major churches will not unite against Fenrir, because the Church of the Mystic has already sided with him, and the Pope of the Mystic, who has a long-standing grudge against him, will inevitably publicly impeach his arrest warrant.

By manipulating the royal heir and the conflict between the East and West, Leon has carved out his own space for survival amidst the Church's contradictions. Since the Church cannot suppress him all at once, he can free up his resources to take revenge on the Stuart family.

Even more troublesome is that even if the Church successfully deals with Fenrir, the Chief Inquisitor of Stuart, who was once considered to have a close relationship with Leon, will still be hard-pressed to escape unscathed. He will inevitably be targeted by his political enemies during the Cardinals meeting and may even be accused of serious dereliction of duty.

From this perspective, all he can do is lay low for now and remain inactive.

If Leon's only goal is to defeat Aaron and the Church of War, who are targeting him, and to support Princess Freyde to maintain his position, then it would be a relatively acceptable outcome for the Chief Inquisitor of Stuart.

Even though he hadn't liked the Duke of Gran's family taking power before, this would at least minimize the losses to the Stuart family.

However, when he heard about Leon's actions against the Southeastern Archdiocese and the Santa Rosalia prison, he finally couldn't sit still any longer.

Fenrir knew all too well what in the Southeastern Archdiocese could interest him. He and two other high-ranking members of the Church of the Prophets had obtained this miraculous power from the remains of Saint Astartes in the ruins, which allowed them to secure their current positions.

He hadn't expected Fenrir to have such a huge appetite. It would be best if he could die in the Great Labyrinth Ruins, but if he were to devour the contents of the ruins, what in this country... or rather, what in this world could possibly control him?

Realizing the seriousness of the consequences, he weighed the options carefully and still took action, at least to prevent Leon from achieving his crazy goal. As long as he held the Southeastern Archdiocese, everything would be fine.

“Seal the teleportation array? But… that means we can’t call for help from the outside! The Church of War is preparing to send reinforcements for us!” Cardinal Zevin shouted.

“It’s too late. Leon Seth’s offensive could come at any moment. The support from the Church of War is just a drop in the ocean. But as long as his attempt to sneak into the parish from St. Rosalia Prison is thwarted, the parish can withstand his army’s attack with its own strength. We should be able to wait for reinforcements from other parishes to arrive from the outside,” the Chief Inquisitor said.

“There’s another way!” Cardinal Zevin’s mind worked quickly. “You can now contact all the dioceses on behalf of the court to issue an emergency arrest warrant. That way, I can mobilize the elites from each diocese without any formalities and wait here to capture Viscount Arend as soon as he comes to our door!”

If Cardinal Zevin could receive elite reinforcements from the Church and capture the apostate Leon Seth directly, it would undoubtedly be a great achievement.

More importantly, by thwarting Viscount Arend's offensive, the losses in the parish under his jurisdiction could be minimized.

“You have seriously underestimated his strength. This will only make the church suffer greater losses. It may not be too late to blockade him now. He has been active in the Southeastern Archdiocese for a long time. Maybe your side has already been infiltrated…” Stuart said.

Once an arrest warrant is issued, Fenrir will consider it a breach of the agreement by the Stuart Chief Inquisitor, and the conditions for releasing the Stuart family will naturally be nullified.