What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

"Uncle..." Jay's face was deathly pale as he clutched his stomach and managed to utter a sound with difficulty, "Did you do this?"

He started feeling unwell as soon as he came down the mountain. When he got into the car, he began to feel excruciating abdominal pain and numbness in his hands and feet.

In an instant, he realized that he had been poisoned and that the count was responsible. He immediately ordered the carriage to stop. Just as he was about to lead his men back up the mountain, the count came down again.

"Yes, now you should know that I have people around you, so it would be very easy for me to poison you," the count admitted readily.

"You poisoned me from the start? Why did you have to do that?" Jay shook his head weakly, gritting his teeth as he stretched out his hand. "Give me the antidote! Give it to me now!!"

“I gave it to you, and you threw it away,” the count said expressionlessly.

Jay froze on the spot.

“That bottle of medicine laced with magic also contains the antidote you requested. Drinking it will come at a price, but at least you won’t die. But you’ve made your choice. I’ve said it before, since you value freedom so much… even more than life itself, I respect your wishes. After all, you’re my nephew.” The count raised a hand and waved it expressionlessly. “You should have known the price of doing this. Farewell, Jay.”

Jay trembled with rage, his eyes suddenly widening in fury, and he screamed the Earl's name at the top of his lungs: "Isaac Mustang!!!"

The next moment he was about to order his soldiers to fire a volley when suddenly a burst of cannon fire erupted in the distance, drowning out his voice.

The docked cargo ship positioned its loaded cannons on its side, and as the count waved his hand, they fired all at once towards the foot of the mountain.

Heavy shells rained down on the musketeers' ranks, kicking up clouds of dust. Two shells struck the ranks, instantly causing blood and flesh to splatter and screams to fill the air.

A beastly roar echoed from the swirling dust, and then the previously weakened Jay burst forth from the dust, his body covered in blood, his muscles bulging so much they nearly tore his clothes apart. The God of War's blessing had granted him a brief but significant boost to his physical abilities, even as he lay on the verge of death.

He held a sword in one hand and grabbed a long-handled musket in the other, aiming it at the count. His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the count, determined to take him with him even if it meant death!

Johnny, who had been languishing, suddenly stepped forward and snapped his fingers with lightning speed. A bolt of lightning shot from his fingertip, striking Jay before he could fire his gun.

Jay's body tensed from the electric shock, and he was thrown several meters away. He convulsed a few times before dying shortly afterward.

Johnny Wellman silently lowered his hand. The Earl had only brought him with him to this meeting, but Johnny, who had once served as the Grand Master of the Knights in the church, was the Earl's most powerful subordinate.

“So many corpses again…” Johnny shook his head with his hands on his hips, then turned to the Earl for instructions, “Shall we throw them all into the sea as usual? Should your nephew’s body be buried separately?”

“No, all the bodies have been embalmed and preserved,” the count replied without much thought. “I’m meeting the young man Beckett brought tomorrow, and I’ll be giving these bodies away as gifts.”

"Huh?" Johnny frowned.

Chapter 78 Fenrir and the Earl

The following day, at the villa in the mountains of Helenbergh, Leon sat at a square table, turning his head to look out the window.

He saw the wide river, with the estuary faintly visible in the distance. Sailboats ply the river, reflecting the setting sun. The Holden River is one of the busiest rivers in the empire. River Valley County and Southport County are located on the north and south sides of the river, respectively, and both have built prosperous port cities along the way.

Bishop Beckett arranged for him to meet with the Earl in Helenburg, Valles County.

The journey took six hours, involving switching from a carriage to a ferry and back to a carriage. For the last part of the journey, he was blindfolded until he was taken to the foot of the mountain.

Then he was led up the mountain to this mountain villa.

He was to meet a powerful figure who wielded immense influence in both the legitimate and underworld circles, but surprisingly, he remained calm.

He had already experienced the struggle of being in dire straits. Now that the other party had extended an invitation to meet, it meant that there was room for negotiation. No matter how bad the situation was, it couldn't be worse than when he was driven into a corner by the other party before.

Suddenly, he heard a noise at the door and turned his gaze back to it.

A middle-aged gentleman stood alone in the doorway, smiling at him: "This is my favorite part of the house. The view is beautiful, especially at dusk when the whole river turns a lovely orange hue."

In that instant, Leon was almost certain who the newcomer was. The other person's speech and mannerisms naturally revealed that he was the undisputed master of this place.

Just as he was about to get up to greet them, the other person smiled and raised their hand, saying, "You're a guest, just sit down."

Then, the Count sat down opposite Leon and suddenly asked, "Are there any dietary restrictions?"

Leon paused for a moment, then shook his head.

Then the count snapped his fingers toward the door, and immediately someone came into the room, laid out a tablecloth, and set out the tableware for the two of them.

Then he served them both a bowl of red soup and a dish of coarse oatmeal, and poured honey-colored lemon liqueur into their glasses.

"They probably didn't have time to prepare food for you along the way. Let's eat first and then talk. It's local cuisine from Fulai, I hope you like it."

The count raised his glass in a toast as he spoke.

Leon also raised his glass in a gesture of greeting, and the two of them 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 and prepared the dish, scooping up a spoonful and putting it in his mouth. The mutton soup with onions and tomatoes was spicy and sour, mixed with oat flour. The texture was thick, and the aroma of the spices was somewhere between mint and lemongrass, refreshing and invigorating. The mutton had a very mild gamey smell, was sliced ​​very thinly, and melted in his mouth.

After the soup came breaded and fried cheese balls, followed by grilled conger eel fillets, and finally sliced ​​apple honey tarts. The dishes were not luxurious, and by the standards of entertaining guests, they could even be described as simple, but each dish was impeccably prepared.

The count didn't say a word while eating, just focused on enjoying his meal. Leon also didn't bring up the subject. At first, he was a little reserved while eating, but he relaxed later. He was really hungry after the long journey.

After everyone had finished eating and drinking and all the dishes had been cleared away, the Earl wiped his mouth with a napkin before getting to the point: "Mr. Fenrir, you must have considered the purpose of my meeting with you, right?"

"Do you want me to work for you?" Leon asked, looking at the count.

The count guessed his true identity but did not take action against him. Instead, he invited him to meet. Naturally, he realized that the count wanted to recruit him.

“In Southport County, Mr. Griffin, who controlled the magic essence business, is dead, and in Hamel Town, Caron Esso is dead, leaving a vacancy for the head of the Inquisition. If someone could fill both vacancies at the same time, business in this region would be smooth sailing,” the Earl said, staring intently at Leon.

Leon looked surprised: "You want me to do it?"

He assumed that the count probably wanted him to supply them, just like he had produced magic essence in the labyrinth to supply Mr. Griffin before.

But the count's words were a promise he'd never even imagined. Putting aside the fact that he would replace Mr. Griffin in controlling the underground market, could he really become the head of the Inquisition instead of Caron Esso? That was far too ambitious a promise.

"Imagine this scenario: you become the head of the Hamel Town Inquisition, you know everything about the church's movements, you also have a firm grip on the entire Southport County's underground market, you can use your power to protect tens of millions of dollars worth of business every year, and you even have a way to keep that woman currently detained in the inquisition."

The count smiled slightly. "Sacrificing a woman who doesn't have long to live is indeed the most rational choice, but I heard that you seem to be trying to cure her illness. If you have the chance, you would still want to save her, wouldn't you?"

Leon's heart stirred slightly. If he controlled the entire Inquisition, he would have the opportunity to apply for Selene's local imprisonment after her sentencing. He could also ensure that Selene received potion treatment at any time, which would extend her lifespan by at least five years. During these five years, he might even be able to find a cure for the saltification disease.

Even the plan he had previously considered—to rescue someone by faking their death—was no longer entirely impossible after he gained the authority of the director.

Moreover, he could certainly be tempted to have both the power that Caron Esso once held and the wealth that Henry Porter once possessed.

"Judging from your expression, I know you're interested." The count's smile widened.

"But why me?" Leon quickly calmed down and asked the question.

The count must have many men under his command. How could such a good thing fall to an outsider like him?

“Because no one is more suitable than you. You have worked with Mr. Griffin and have some understanding of the local underground market. At the same time, you are the Inquisitor of Hamel Town, which gives you the basic qualifications to rise to that position. Moreover, Aaron seems to admire you. If you have the opportunity to cross paths with him again in the future, that relationship alone is enough for me to invest in you,” the Earl explained.

"Who exactly is Director Aaron?" Leon asked tentatively.

The priest had analyzed that Aaron's background must be very impressive, and it seems that the Earl knew the details.

“You will have the chance to know in the future. What you need to know now is that he doesn’t know the true situation here, nor does he know yours. Keep your mouth shut in front of him,” the count replied.

Leon nodded. It seemed that Bishop Beckett was someone the Earl had specifically placed by Aaron's side. He appeared to be helping Aaron gain merit, but he didn't intend to let Aaron know that he controlled the underworld businesses that the church prohibited.

"However, the most crucial reason I chose you is what you did." The count smiled nostalgically as he said this, "I never imagined that someone other than me would actually collaborate with a witch to raise monsters in the labyrinth!"

“You also once…” Leon was somewhat surprised.

"Twenty-five years ago, when I was still a novice knight, I encountered a witch while exploring a labyrinth. Instead of capturing her, I chose to cooperate with her, having her raise monsters in the labyrinth to produce magic essence for me. That was the first pot of gold I made in this business. Later, we lived together. Although I couldn't marry her for various reasons, she is the only woman I have ever truly loved in my life..."

At this point, the count's expression shifted from nostalgia to melancholy, "Unfortunately, because of my negligence, she was caught by the church."

“Then she…” Leon remembered what Bishop Beckett had mentioned: more than twenty years ago, someone had faced the same choice as him, but the outcome was different.

“She’s dead.” The count’s voice was very soft. “The Inquisition knew she had other accomplices, and she chose to commit suicide to protect me.”

Chapter 79 Mission: Annual Production of 200 Grams

"So, you immediately thought that someone was raising monsters in the labyrinth and that someone was assisting the witch because you had experienced all of these things yourself?" Leon asked the count for confirmation.

"Yes, I think this might be the guidance of fate," the count chuckled softly.

Leon breathed a slight sigh of relief. Bishop Beckett had mentioned that whether it was the raid on the maze or the suspicion falling on him, it was all thanks to the Earl's advice.

This constant feeling of being seen through made him deeply wary of the count, but now it seems that the count's predictions were accurate mainly because they were based on his own experience, rather than because he was a precocious monster.

"And you've done what I couldn't do back then. You actually found a woman who was about to die and was willing to take the blame for becoming a witch to help you. Someone was willing to sacrifice for you, and you have both the compassion to save people and the decisiveness to make choices. All of this makes me think highly of you," the count said with a smile.

Leon astutely gleaned information from this passage: the Count believed that Selene had become a witch to take the blame. This meant that he had successfully deceived at least one thing: the Count and Bishop Beckett did not know that Selene was not actually a witch, and that he was the one who truly possessed the power of that cursed blood.

At this moment, the count suddenly changed the subject: "But whether you are capable or not still needs a period of observation. I need you to prove your worth to me."

"What do you want me to do?" Leon asked.

"I'm going to give you a task first. By this time next year, you must hand in two hundred grams of magic essence," the count said.

"Two hundred grams?" Leon was taken aback.

Even if we include the magic essence that Lena initially gave to Hannah Weslan last year, their total magic essence production was only about a quarter of this requirement. Raising the requirement to 200 grams all at once sounds a bit unreasonable.

"In terms of purity, it must reach at least 75%, of which at least 50 grams must be of high-grade quality reaching 80%," the count continued, setting his requirements.

“That’s really difficult,” Leon said frankly.

They don't even have a single monster left, and the labyrinth has been sealed off. It's difficult to even start production, let alone meet the purity requirements of the Earl, which can only be consistently achieved by monsters that have eaten humans.

Moreover, it would be difficult for Leon to refine magic essence of this purity on his own; only Lena could do it, which meant that he would have to involve Lena in this matter again!

"Don't worry, I'll give you some support too." The count snapped his fingers, and immediately someone came in carrying a box.

When the box was opened, Leon saw neatly rolled-up gold vouchers and stacked gold coins.

"Here's two million pfennigs, my investment in you, and also the deposit for that batch of goods. You can use it as start-up capital. When you reach the quantity I require, there will be a final payment of four million pfennigs. Any excess will be purchased separately. In addition, I have some gifts for you, but we just finished eating, so I won't show them to you. They are some corpses, which I have taken care of for you. One of them is a person who has received a blessing," the count explained.

Leon looked surprised, not at the money, but at the corpse the count had mentioned. The count clearly knew that feeding monster corpses could increase the purity of magic essence.

"I can also prepare the altar for Moirai for you. As for the monsters, I have channels to prepare some for you, but there are limitations on the quantity and types. Someone will contact you to arrange it," the count continued.

Leon came to his senses a little. With the monsters, the basic conditions for producing magic essence were met, but there were still some difficulties to overcome.

“The maze near Hamel has been sealed off, and the quantity you requested requires large-scale breeding, which could easily be investigated by the church again. Didn’t you say earlier that Aaron didn’t know you were involved in these businesses? If he continues to be the director, he will launch an investigation as soon as he discovers anything amiss!” Leon said.

“You don’t need to worry about safety at all. Aaron will be transferred soon after he solves this case, and then the Church of Beckett will temporarily take over as the local director for at least a year. During this time, he will be in charge of managing my business in Southport County and will provide you with a lot of protection. At least you won’t be investigated by any church members while you are moving around in that old maze,” the Earl said calmly.

Leon was at a loss for words. With Bishop Beckett temporarily serving as director, it meant that he would be largely uninvestigated by the Inquisition, and might even receive its protection and assistance, allowing him to stay informed about the Church's movements. This would undoubtedly greatly reduce the risks.

Moreover, if his work goes smoothly enough, he should be able to secure the conditions for Sally to receive treatment in prison.

With funds, monsters, and a suitable location, plus security guarantees, the basic conditions are in place. The only problem he needs to overcome is production capacity.

The conditions offered by the count were quite comprehensive, so it seemed a bit unreasonable to ask him to feed her.

Two hundred grams of magic essence, totaling six million in payment—this was his goal for the next year, and also the first task assigned to him by the Earl.

“What will happen if I fail to meet the requirements?” Leon asked.

"It depends on the situation. If you can at least supply some of the goods, I'm still willing to pay for the purchase. But in that case, you can only be a supplier, and I will withdraw most of my support. The opportunity I'm giving you is just a chance to try. If you can't do it, I'll replace you with someone else. But in any case, there is no option to back out here. I hope you can understand." The Count said, staring into Leon's eyes.

Leon nodded. He knew he had no choice but to stop when he came to see the Earl.

“Don’t be nervous. If the production model you pilot here works, and you can scale it up, it might free us from our dependence on smuggling. The upper limit of the status you can achieve is not just becoming both Caron Esso and Henry Porter at the same time,” the Earl said encouragingly.

Leon was suddenly puzzled by this: "You've tried this production model before, and now that you have this power, haven't you expanded it on a large scale?"

“I haven’t tried this method since I established a smuggling route using the import and export business of my own territory. Compared to setting up production sites within the Empire, the risk of smuggling is much lower,” the Earl explained.

"Then why suddenly switch to this method?" Leon asked.

“Our smuggling partners are in a pagan country across the sea. There’s a group of great witches there who have formed an organization called the Witches’ Gathering. They are our main trading partners. But recently… we’ve run into a little trouble.” The count offered a brief explanation. “You’ll have a chance to learn the details later. For now, please focus on your target of two hundred grams. I’m looking forward to seeing how you perform.”

Chapter 80, the atmosphere has reached this point.

River Mouth Village, Lena's wooden house.

“…That’s the situation right now.” Leon stood in front of Lena and explained the current predicament to her in detail.

Throughout the process, Lena's reaction went from shock to bewilderment, but she finally calmed down a bit. After listening to Leon's explanation and thinking it over repeatedly, she asked Leon to confirm: "So we now have to supply two hundred grams of magic essence within a year?"

“It’s something I have to do,” Leon said, looking at Lena and reminding her, “Lena, you have other options.”

"They know I'm a witch, will they let me go?" Lena frowned in confusion.

“The case report will be out soon, and your investigation and trial will end then. There’s no formal suspicion, so they can’t use the church to issue a warrant for your arrest. They can only use their own power. And once you leave their territory, they won’t be able to find you, and they won’t bother with that effort,” Leon said.

"In that case, aren't you the same?" Lena retorted.