What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

His face darkened, and he stared intently at Bishop Beckett: "What do you want?"

At this moment, he was not speaking as Leon Seth, the Inquisitor of Heresy, but as Fenrir, the outlaw.

The person in front of him was no longer Bishop Beckett, but an agent of a certain underworld tycoon.

"More than twenty years ago, someone faced the same choice as you, but his fate was different. My master greatly admires your actions, and therefore he specifically instructed me to extend this sincere invitation to you—"

Bishop Beckett straightened his posture with his hands behind his back, his smile impeccably polite, like a butler relaying a message from his host to his guest:

"Mr. Fenrir, the Earl... wishes to see you!"

Chapter 76 The Earl

North of Southport County, River Valley County, Helenburg.

In a villa built on a mountain, young Jay Sid sat at a square dining table, gazing out the window. The villa's exterior wall was right on the edge of a cliff, from which one could see a large river flowing into the sea.

Southport County and Vale County are located on the north and south sides of the estuary, facing each other across the river. Helenbergh is the largest port city on the Vale County side.

At the same time, this is also the southernmost border of the Earl's sphere of influence, but soon this border will cross the river and extend to the Southport County on the other side.

Jay was an officer who managed the Earl's business in the Vale region, and was also the Earl's nephew.

Over the past few years, while managing his business in River Valley County, he has been trying to expand into Southport County, but the expansion has not been smooth.

The local tyrant, Mr. Griffin, had established a fairly solid relationship with the local elites, and he also had an expert by his side to manage his business and provide advice. Jay even suffered losses a few times.

Until recently, the Earl began to pay attention to the territory of Southport County and began to personally invest resources in it, which finally led to the successful resolution of the local tyrant in Southport County.

Mr. Griffin is gone, but the demand for potions from the powerful and wealthy remains. The market there is now a huge pie that urgently needs someone to take over.

Logically, the business here should be taken over by Jay, who has the closest territory.

But Jay wasn't really sure about it, because he hadn't performed very well in the previous years, and had even been investigated once, which led the Earl to find a way to clean up the mess for him.

After the Earl personally dispatched people to handle the struggle for the territory of Southport County, he did not allow him to get involved again.

He was deeply uneasy about this. He once suspected that the Earl's reason for not informing him of the progress of the matter was that he intended to control the situation in Southport County and then make that Griffin Man submit to him and become his new subordinate in charge of the power in Southport County.

The Earl had done this kind of operation—turning enemies into subordinates—more than once.

He has such a broad mind that he is willing to recruit anyone who is a useful talent, even if they were once his opponents.

Conversely, if someone is deemed useless by him, he will be ruthlessly abandoned.

If another official takes over the business in Nangang County and does it even better than he did in River Valley County, his situation will become very awkward.

Now that the situation in Southport County seems to be settled, the Earl took the initiative to visit him in Helenburg and asked him to meet here. He was not quite sure how the Earl would announce the results.

Just then, the old butler of the house came in and announced earnestly, "Mr. Sid, the Earl has arrived."

Jay quickly got up from his seat, and a moment later, a middle-aged gentleman walked into the house with a cane and handed his hat to the butler who was there to greet him.

He looked to be in his forties, very tall and strong, with meticulously trimmed hair and beard, and a kind face with an elegant smile that seemed to always be on his lips.

In the empire's underworld, almost everyone has heard of the Earl, but nowadays, apart from a few surviving old men and members of the Earl's faction, few have actually seen the Earl or know his true identity.

Few people know that the "Earl" is actually an Imperial Earl, Isaac Mustang, an Imperial Earl granted the title of the Eastern Frye region, and one of the most powerful lords in the eastern part of the Empire.

"Jay, my child, it's been so long!" He burst into hearty laughter as soon as he saw Jay get up, and gave him a warm and enthusiastic hug.

"It's been a long time, Uncle." Jay forced a smile and hugged Earl Frey.

As they embraced, he glanced outside before the butler closed the door and left. Count Frye seemed to have only brought one burly attendant, who had found a place to sit and rest in the courtyard.

"How is Celia? I haven't contacted her in a long time." Count Frye sat down with a smile.

“My mother is recuperating at the monastery in Alzheimer’s, and she’s much better than last year…” Jay also sat down across the table.

The two chatted amiably about everyday things, including business in the area, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

But Jay's unease did not subside. Looking at Earl Frey's ever-smiling face, he had no idea what the other was thinking.

Finally, he found an opportunity to steer the conversation back on track: "Speaking of this uncle, there's been a lot of news coming from Nangang County lately. Are the people you've arranged there handling things smoothly?"

"It went very smoothly; they have essentially completed their mission. The local suppliers have been completely eradicated by the Church, and the Griffin you often mention is dead," Earl Frey said calmly.

"He...is dead?" Jay blinked, looking surprised.

"Why are you so surprised?" the Earl asked with a smile. "You're the one who killed him, Jay."

Jay's face froze, realizing that the Earl had indeed found out about his little scheme.

Previously, extremely pure magic essence suddenly appeared in Southport County. The Earl took this very seriously, which is why he personally used his connections in the church to put pressure on Mr. Griffin through the local inquisition.

Jay had overheard rumors that the Earl's men had apparently gotten close to Mr. Griffin by starting with local clients, and Jay also learned Mr. Griffin's identity and the location of the manor.

But the Earl, who was always decisive and efficient, suddenly postponed his action against Mr. Griffin at that time, which made Jay very nervous.

Jay guessed that the Earl might have become interested in Mr. Griffin because of the high purity of the magic essence and had the idea of ​​recruiting him.

If Mr. Griffin is successfully recruited, Jay will not only lose the opportunity to take over Southport County, but he will also have another cadre who used to be at odds with him near his territory. If Mr. Griffin's business does even better, his position will become even more precarious.

After much deliberation, Jay sent one of his most trusted assassins to kill Potter ahead of schedule.

But several days passed, and the assassin never returned. Instead, news of Potter's death came from other sources.

Before Jay could fully grasp the situation, the Earl suddenly visited Helenburg.

“It seems you don’t quite understand what happened. Let me tell you. Your men successfully took down Mr. Griffin, but the people I placed in the Inquisition also raided the manor that day. They ran into each other, and your assassin was arrested on the spot and had no choice but to commit suicide.” The Earl explained with a smile. Seeing Jay’s sudden change in expression, he reassured him, “But don’t worry, the Church of Beckett handled it well. Even if the Church opens another case, they won’t be able to find anything.”

But Jay's face fell even more. His assassin had run into the Earl's men in the church and was arrested on the spot!

His unauthorized actions were discovered by the Earl's men, and his men also hindered the Earl's plans. He even caused the organization to sacrifice a skilled assassin in vain—this was an absolute disaster!

“Uncle, I just wanted to help. I just felt that I should do my part in this matter. I knew nothing about your plan, so I didn’t know it would turn out like this!” Jay tried his best to explain.

“Jay, haven’t I told you that there’s no need to do anything unnecessary? You are my nephew, and we have a blood-is-thicker-than-water bond of trust. In this line of work, a person’s trustworthy companions are as important as their fingers. That’s why I put you in charge of River Valley County. But you don’t seem to trust your uncle that much.” The Earl placed his hands on the table, scrutinizing Jay’s eyes.

Jay felt a chill run down his spine when he realized that the Earl had seen through his motive for killing Mr. Griffin.

Count Frye's special invitation to him was indeed to confront him and demand an explanation.

"Uncle, I..." He tried hard to find an excuse, but couldn't think of a single word.

“Now that we’ve come this far, you should be mentally prepared. Mistakes must be punished eventually.” The Earl said, taking a small bottle from his person, placing it on the table, and pushing it towards his nephew, “Jay, drink this.”

Chapter 77 I'll give these corpses away as gifts

Jay saw the bottle of medicine and immediately stood up, his face drained of color.

"Uncle! Are you really going to be so ruthless over such a small matter?" He glared at Earl Frey, his face full of disbelief.

Although he did act without the Earl's knowledge, Potter was still their rival at the time, so sending someone to assassinate him could not be considered betrayal of the organization.

And the count actually wanted him to commit suicide by poison?

“Jay, what you need to do now is take responsibility, rebuild the trust between us, and drink it,” Earl Frey replied calmly.

Jay looked at the bottle of medicine, and his heart trembled violently.

So, this was just a test? The count didn't intend to kill him? As long as he dared to drink it, the matter would be over?

He reached for the bottle of medicine, opened it, and smelled a pleasant, sweet aroma. Suddenly, his expression changed.

“Uncle, isn’t this… a solvent for magic essence?” he asked, staring at the count.

“Yes, you drink it, take responsibility, and that will be the end of it.” The count nodded.

Jay's eye twitched.

Magic potions made from magic essence possess various magical effects; for example, the potion of immortality can slow down aging and make people young again.

However, the Church still strictly prohibited potions. This was not only due to hostility towards Moirai, but also because all potions, strictly speaking, the potions themselves, had strong side effects on those who had been blessed by the four Origin Gods.

Those who have received the blessing will experience necrosis in parts of their bodies after ingesting a certain amount of magic essence. However, this necrosis is usually not fatal. The necrotic parts may result in blindness in one eye, deafness in one ear, necrosis in one hand or foot, or irreversible lesions in some internal organs...

When the Earl was training Jay, he had him receive the blessing of the God of War.

This was the punishment the count gave him!

Jay let out a sigh of relief and put the bottle down.

"Aren't you going to drink?" Count Frye raised an eyebrow.

“Uncle, I know you’re disappointed in me. How about this, I’ll give up the business here!” Jay spread his hands. “If you’re not satisfied with me, you can always replace me. I’m quitting!”

He made enough money in this position and secretly built up his own power, enough for him to leave the count's territory and live a carefree life.

Drinking the potion to cripple himself in exchange for forgiveness was not worth it at all. It would be better to just quit and get out unscathed than to stay by the count's side and live in fear. He had long considered the possibility of the count coming to question him and had made contingency plans.

"Don't talk nonsense. You can't just quit this line of work. Listen to Jay, drink it." The count's tone remained unchanged.

This answer was exactly what Jay had expected. As a high-ranking official, he was deeply involved in the business network of Riverdale and possessed a great deal of intelligence. A normal retirement would have been fine, but leaving in such an unpleasant manner would certainly make the Earl see him as a potential threat who might betray the organization at any time.

"I'm sorry, Uncle, I cannot comply with this request!" Jay's attitude suddenly became assertive, and his voice rose sharply.

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and a burly middle-aged man with a full beard opened it and poked his head in. Jay remembered that this was the attendant who had accompanied the Earl.

The attendant looked listless, even a bit dejected, and Jay could smell alcohol on him.

"What's wrong, Johnny?" the count asked, looking at the middle-aged man.

"Uh... I didn't mean to disturb you, but a lot of people have barged in. Did one of you invite them?" The middle-aged man called Johnny opened the door and stepped aside so the two could see clearly.

Through the semi-open corridor outside, one can see the courtyard. At this moment, a row of soldiers holding steel shields appeared outside, followed by a row of musketeers, who lined up in formation with the shield bearers as cover and aimed in this direction.

Johnny is now within shooting range, but he doesn't seem to care at all.

"..." The count didn't speak, but looked at Jay.

"Excuse me, Uncle, my men have come to pick me up." Jay straightened his clothes and poured the bottle of medicine directly onto the ground. "Please rest assured, I have no intention of doing anything to you. I'm just trying to protect myself. I know that you can easily kill me here, but it's hard to say whether those people outside will let you leave safely."

From the very beginning, he led his men up the mountain quietly and ambushed them in the nearby woods. When he shouted loudly, these men would rush in to rescue him.

The count stared at Jay expressionlessly. Jay was still quite nervous. He knew that Count Frye had been a church knight and a powerful superhuman, and that his attendant also seemed to be no ordinary person. If they really fought here, his chances of winning were not high.

He could only gamble that Count Frye didn't want to take the risk and, after weighing the pros and cons, would choose to let him leave first.

Jay had already made plans to escape. Once he came down the mountain, he would take his packed possessions and leave the Earl's territory for the western part of the Empire, or he could choose to leave the Empire altogether.

“Alright, if you don’t want to drink, then you can leave.” Count Frye suddenly nodded, his attitude remaining calm and composed.

Jay was taken aback. Although this was the result he wanted, he didn't expect the other party to agree so easily.

“Uncle, I’m backing out now. I just want to ensure my own safety. I don’t want to betray you unless necessary, and I don’t want to. I hope you won’t push me too hard,” Jay said earnestly.

"Rest assured, Jay, since you so desire freedom, I respect your wishes. After all, you are my nephew. Farewell," the Earl replied.

Jay was finally relieved upon hearing this. He left the room and entered the courtyard, hiding behind the ranks of soldiers outside. Then, escorted by his own men, he went down the only mountain path.

Johnny stood at the door watching them disappear, then took out a tin flask from his pocket, opened it, took a sip, and turned to the Earl: "You just let him go like that? That's not like you."

“Everyone has their own choices,” the count replied, still seated.

"Now that you've just seized the territory of Nangang County, and River Valley County is left unattended, which of these two lucrative positions do you plan to let take over?" Johnny asked while unscrewing the lid of the flask.

“Those people have enough territory. If a wolf in a pack becomes stronger than the wolf king, it will want to take over.” The count thought for a moment and replied, “I think it’s time to train some new people. Bishop Beckett met a very interesting lad in Southport County. Like me back then, he found a witch and raised monsters in the labyrinth to extract magic essence. I’m a little interested in him.”

"You have so many promising young people under your command, why did you have to find a magic element dealer who suddenly appeared?" Johnny didn't quite understand.

“His conditions are really perfect, but whether he can be used or not still needs to be investigated. The main reason I came here is to meet him. Until then, Southport County will be managed by Beckett. Johnny, can you temporarily take over the business in River Valley County for me?” The Earl looked at Johnny.

Any executive within the organization would be overjoyed if they suddenly had the opportunity to receive the profits from a county business, even if it was only temporary.

But Johnny looked annoyed: "Are you serious? Who's going to manage the fleet without me?"

"Have your men handle the transportation at the entrances and exits for now; it shouldn't be a problem," the count replied calmly.

Johnny sighed upon hearing this, and after a long while, he asked the Earl, "Can we leave now?"

The count took out his pocket watch and glanced at it: "Alright, let's go."

The two left the villa one after the other and went down the mountain road. At the foot of the mountain, there was a small dock, and a large cargo ship was bobbing on the waves in the distance. There was also a road leading to the city of Helenburg, which was convenient by both land and water.

Just as they approached the foot of the mountain, they saw a caravan of carriages blocking the way, surrounded by people—the fully armed soldiers that Jay had just brought were still waiting for them there!

As they were preparing to ascend the mountain, upon seeing the Earl descending, the soldiers immediately regrouped and assumed aiming stance once more.

The count's gaze swept over the soldiers, and he saw Jay being helped up beside the ranks. Standing on the steps of the mountain path, he called down, "What's wrong, Jay? Weren't you leaving?"