What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

“Don’t be discouraged. You can still get jobs on this island, and there will be many more opportunities in the future.” Leon glanced at the people present. “After this is over, let’s get to work as soon as possible.”

Chapter 110 It's time to start money laundering.

Deep within the labyrinth, in a large open area that was originally the habitat of the demon wolves, Leon directed Simon and others to build simple fences and place the headhunting rabbits, slimes, giant scorpions and other monsters in different areas.

The large pit that the demon wolves used to pile up the carcasses of their prey was filled with soil brought in, and then plant-type demons such as maze mandrakes and living vines were transplanted on it.

There was a large area with several animal cages, prepared for the dire wolves. At this time, half of the dire wolves were roaming outside. When Lena was in the maze, these dire wolves were still controllable and could serve as guards in the maze.

Outside the maze, the remaining manpower repaired the dilapidated houses, set up sentry posts, and prepared stables. In the future, many monster materials would be transported out of this maze and sent to the dock.

The temple dedicated to Moira was converted into a research lab for Lena, where all the work of producing magic essence and concocting potions was carried out. The materials would be processed outside and then sent inside for her use.

After Leon finished arranging the work inside and outside, he went inside the temple, where Lena was testing the purity of a batch of magic essence.

"How is it?" Leon asked Lena.

“The purity of the magic element has undoubtedly increased,” Lena replied to Leon. “This time, the highest purity is eighty-eight percent.”

As their blessing power grew, the two of them not only gained the ability to become demonic, but the purity of the refined magic essence also increased.

Originally, Lena extracted about 78% purity from level 1 monsters that had eaten humans, but now it can consistently exceed 80%. As for monsters that had eaten the corpses of the Blessed, the purity was originally between 82% and 85%, but now the highest purity has reached 88%.

“It seems we don’t need to worry about demand for that batch of high-end goods,” Leon said.

Of the 200 grams of magic essence the count requested, 50 grams were required to have a purity of over 80%. Originally, they could only reach this level by consuming monsters that had eaten the corpses of blessed beings, and even then, they had to consume a sufficient quantity.

The only corpse they had was the one the count had initially provided, which was still a bit of a stretch to meet the required quantity. But now they didn't have to worry anymore, because Lena could extract more than 80% of any monster that had eaten a human.

Moreover, they currently possess level-three magical creatures such as demonic wolves and hatched petrified lizards, not to mention the magical essence of an entire earth dragon that can be extracted. The higher the level of the magical creature, the greater the potential for the purity of the magical essence.

“But Leon, there’s a problem now. The earth dragon we refined before also ate people, and it was a level four monster. Logically speaking, the magic essence we refined should be far higher than that of a level one monster, but the purity I refined was only 88% to close to 90%, which is not much different from those level one monsters that ate the corpses of the blessed ones.”

Lena looked at Leon and said, "And the part you tried to refine, when you refined ordinary monsters, the purity was still five points lower than mine. However, whether it was the earth dragon or the slime that ate that blessed corpse, the purity of the magic essence you extracted was over 86%, which is close to mine."

"What do you mean?" Leon realized what Lena meant.

“What I mean is, after purifying it to 88% to 90%, we seem to have hit a bottleneck. Even if we let monsters eat people, it seems we can only improve it to this level,” Lena said seriously.

“Lena, this purity is more than enough. You should know that magic essence of over 80% is considered top-grade among the Earl’s goods,” Leon said.

“But for us, if possible, it would be best to try to improve a little more…” Lena suddenly lowered her voice.

Leon paused for a moment, then understood what Lena meant: "There's been progress with the special medicine?"

"The purest batch of magic essence extracted from the earth dragon has almost stopped the erosion of internal organs by the saltification disease. Theoretically, this medicine can keep Miss Selene alive," Lena said.

Leon was pleasantly surprised: "Then Mrs. Hershey doesn't have to worry about dying from salination?"

“No, I said ‘theoretically.’ Most people in the late stages of chlorination die from complications before their organs completely fail. The current medication can barely prevent Miss Celie from reaching the point of organ failure due to chlorination, but that doesn’t mean she won’t die from other complications. I think it’s just a little bit more, if only the condition could be reversed…” Lena said earnestly.

"Would it be useful to increase the purity of magic essence to over 90%?" Leon asked.

“At least, it’s a direction worth trying,” Lena replied.

“Alright, I’ll see if I can gather some information from within the church,” Leon said after thinking for a moment.

"Speaking of which, how is Miss Selene doing lately?" Lena asked.

"She's doing quite well, her spirits are alright, but she still occasionally has a low-grade fever. I visit her often," Leon said.

Leon frequently visited Selene in the inquest's holding area, bringing her medicine, food, clean clothes, and even bedding and books to ensure her basic quality of life in the cell. Bishop Beckett fully acquiesced to his special care for Selene, which was part of their deal.

He also explained his new decision to Selena, who seemed somewhat worried and even told Leon that there was no need to worry about her life, because she had already made up her mind.

But when Leon mentioned that if there was a chance in the future, she might be able to cure her illness and even continue living with Melissa, Selena hesitated. In the end, she accepted Leon's arrangement.

"Then, what about Melissa..." Lena asked hesitantly.

“I sent her some things, and I also went to the reformatory to ask about her situation. I even saw her from a distance. I heard she was studying quite hard at the reformatory and seemed to have made some friends,” Leon replied.

"You haven't seen her yet?" Lena asked.

"..." Leon was silent for a while, then shook his head.

There were still many uncertainties surrounding Selena's situation, and he couldn't give Melissa much assurance. When they met, he didn't know what to say.

Moreover, when Sally made the deal with him, she pleaded with him to keep his distance from Melissa, and he has always been wary of this.

"I see..." Seeing this, Lena didn't ask any further questions.

“We need a little more time,” Leon said, turning to leave. “I’ll go patrol outside again.”

Leon surveyed the maze again, then stepped outside to inspect the progress of the construction. Just then, Father Auden, who was guarding outside the maze, approached him and said, "I saw that you left some people at the dock to repair the pier?"

“We’ll be frequently docking cargo ships from now on, so we need at least a proper pier, right?” Leon replied.

The dock on Arend Island was so badly damaged that it was unusable, and their previous docking there was somewhat risky.

But if they frequently transport personnel, materials, and products back and forth, it will cause cargo ships to frequently enter and leave this dock. Leon felt that the pier should at least be repaired, and he could afford to pay for it.

“Fenrir, there are people coming and going from this side of the labyrinth. You can use the Inquisition’s warrant to cover it up. But if you plan to use that dock long-term, I think you’d better reach a commercial agreement with Viscount Arend,” Father Auden suggested.

“Isn’t Viscount Arend supposed to be uninvolved in matters concerning the labyrinth? And isn’t the merchant guild you’re dealing with Viscount Arend a major creditor? Why don’t you have him mortgage the docks?” Leon said.

“The Watchers Merchant Guild has long since assessed that this dock has insufficient collateral value, and the nominal operating rights of the dock still belong to Viscount Arend,” Father Auden said.

“They probably don’t even have a business to run, right? Now that someone’s paying to repair it, how could they not be happy?” Leon asked.

"You need to provide funding in a way that doesn't arouse suspicion. Do you think the Church would pay Viscount Arendt to repair the docks just to investigate this labyrinth?" Father Auden retorted.

“That makes sense.” Leon had to admit that the priest was right.

If the work is carried out under the guise of sealing the labyrinth, the church certainly wouldn't pay for Viscount Arend to build a dock; on the contrary, it should collect a large donation from Viscount Arend for sealing the labyrinth in the other party's territory.

It's highly suspicious that the church would rent the pier on Arendelle Island in its name and even pay for its repairs.

“We need to use this dock under a third-party name, a private fleet willing to provide services to the church, transporting materials for the church’s labyrinth survey work, so it is reasonable for them to pay for the repair of the pier,” Father Auden said.

It is not uncommon for individuals or commercial groups to pay out of their own pockets to serve the public; it is simply a transaction of money and power.

"Then I'll leave this matter to you. Just find a civilian fleet and get a contract with Viscount Arend." Leon waved his hand, dismissing Father Auden to handle the matter.

“The fleet is yours to use, so it’s best to operate it in your name. If you buy these ships, the fleet can operate in your name, and it can also help you launder some assets. To make your money usable in the open, you should start laundering money now.” Father Auden said, handing Leon a prepared contract.

Leon glanced at it and said, "You want me to spend four hundred thousand to buy a cargo sailboat and two small ferries?"

“Don’t forget to add my handling fee.” Father Auden held up a finger. “You’ve used those ships before, so you should know they’re great value for money. I’ve evaluated them for you, so you don’t need to worry about me ripping you off. I don’t want to be poisoned by you one day.”

“Isn’t it strange that I, a junior inquisitor who has only been in the position for three years, own several ships?” Leon asked.

"As long as you don't have any debts before, there's no problem. Nobody knows your specific financial situation. You learn through a friend that a ship owner is selling several ships cheaply because of debts, so you use the money you've saved by scrimping and saving, plus a loan from your friend, to buy the ships and rent them out to earn some extra money."

"That's not surprising. Which of those bishops and knights doesn't have some private property? You're an inquisitor for heresy, so it's perfectly reasonable for you to use your own property to serve the church and curry favor with your superiors. I've already forged the loan records and all sorts of documents. As long as you sign them, these ships are yours, and I can use your name to negotiate with Adele Lovelace about renting the docks," Father Auden said.

"Not with Viscount Arend?" Leon asked, puzzled.

“Viscount Arendt doesn’t need us to go to such lengths. Who do you think we’re trying to fool?” Father Auden shrugged.

Chapter 111 First Visit to the Viscount's Daughter

The Viscount Arendt residence, located on the eastern side of Arendt Island.

Leon and the priest stood side by side in front of the courtyard gate. Father Auden rang the doorbell and waited with Leon.

"Is it really necessary for me to get involved in this?" Leon glanced at the priest.

He had assumed that after buying those ships, Father Auden would go directly to Viscount Arendt to discuss renting the docks, but Father Auden insisted that he come in person.

“You’re not going to finish operating that labyrinth after just a year or two, are you? You’ll be operating on Viscount Arend’s territory for a long time, and you’ll have to come into contact with this family sooner or later. It’s not a bad thing to get acquainted with them early on,” Father Auden said.

Leon observed the mansion and courtyard through the fence. The mansion was large and grandly built, and it didn't look very old. It seemed that the previous Viscount Arend had been quite wealthy when he bought this territory.

However, the courtyard has not been maintained for a long time, and the garden is overgrown with weeds.

After waiting for a long time, through the fence gate of the courtyard, he saw the door of the mansion being pushed open, and the female attendant hired by Adele came out of the house. She showed a wary look when she saw Father Auden.

Adele's attendant had no grudge against Father Auden; her wariness of him stemmed solely from Adele's repeated instructions.

Leon remembered that this person had appeared with Adele last time, seemingly as Adele's bodyguard. It turned out that she was the one who answered the door, which suggested that Viscount Arendt's household could no longer afford a butler and servants.

The attendant then noticed Leon, but she clearly didn't recognize him, because the last time Leon pointed a gun at Adele's head, he was wearing a mask.

“Hello, Miss Hayley, I have an appointment with the Viscount,” Father Auden greeted Hayley, Adele’s attendant.

“I’m sorry, Father, Viscount Arend is not at home right now,” Hayley replied with a serious expression.

“Oh, he’s often late.” Father Auden said, unsurprised. “It’s alright. May I go in and wait? I think if Miss Adele were here, she would be interested in what I need to discuss with Viscount Arend. Please tell Miss Adele that this Mr. Seth intends to rent the dock on Arend Island.”

Hayley glanced at Leon with surprise, adjusted her expression, and replied, "Yes, sir, please wait here for a moment."

Hailey returned shortly after entering the mansion, walked over, opened the courtyard gate, and beckoned the two inside: "Please come with me."

They walked through the overgrown garden, which had been neglected for its care, and through the stained corridors, which had been left uncleaned, before finally arriving at the mansion’s study.

"Miss, Father Auden and Mr. Seth have arrived," Hayley announced, knocking on the door.

“Come in,” Adele responded from inside the doorway.

Hailey opened the study door and led the two into the study. Adele, who was sitting behind the desk, stood up.

“It’s been a while since I last greeted you, Miss Adele,” Father Auden said first.

“Please sit down, Father Auden, and… Mr. Seth.” Miss Adele glanced at Leon, but did not recognize him immediately either.

In fact, this was Leon and Adele's first real "meeting".

Leon nodded to Adele: "Thank you, Miss Adele."

The moment he made a sound, Adele and Hayley's expressions froze.

In an instant, the psychological trauma of having a dark gun barrel pointed at her head returned to Adele's mind.

“You are… that inquisitor from that day?” She looked at Leon, her pupils trembling.

“Yes, we met once before. I was honored that you still remember my voice,” Leon replied calmly.

“Of course I’ll never forget the person who pointed a gun at my head…” Adele said, trying to remain calm.

She actually wanted to complain about it, but she didn't dare show any of that emotion in front of Leon.

Father Auden, observing Adele's reaction and suppressing the urge to laugh, said, "Since we all know each other, business is easier to discuss. Miss Adele, you must already know why we're here, right?"

"You mean... renting that dock?" Adele realized.

“Yes, Miss Adele, you should already know that the Inquisition in Hamel, Southport County, has applied to the Church for an investigation warrant for the Arend Island labyrinth. You should have noticed the ferries traveling from Southport County recently, right?” Father Auden said.

"If those are church ships, then the church wants to rent the dock? Does the church want us to repair the dock before they're willing to investigate the labyrinth?" Adele's expression turned serious.

After learning that the church might investigate the labyrinth on Arend Island, she had been worried about how to pay for the donations the church needed to seal the labyrinth. Now that the church wanted to use the dock to investigate the labyrinth, the local lord should cooperate.

Since the dock still belongs to Viscount Arendt, they have an obligation to maintain it for the church.

But right now, they really can't come up with that money.

"Please rest assured, Miss Adele, this time, a private fleet is providing transportation services for the church. The owner of the fleet, this Judge Seth, wants to rent the dock on Arend Island, and the rental fee will be offset by the cost of repairing the dock. It's a very good deal for you."

Father Auden took out a prepared contract from his person, stood up, and handed it over.

Hayley took the contract from Father Auden and handed it to Adele.

Adele first looked at Leon with surprise, then carefully glanced at the contents of the contract: "The lease term is tentatively set for three years? In a personal name?"

Those ships became assets under Leon's name, and the contract for leasing the docks was naturally in Leon's name as well.

Father Auden knew about the cases Leon and Rena had been through, and knew their real names and identities, but in front of Leon and his recruited subordinates, he still addressed them as Fenrir, partly out of habit and partly out of caution, to avoid unnecessary bystanders hearing Leon's real name.

But in this kind of business, especially in the money laundering business, he had to let Leon use his real identity so that the laundered money could legitimately be attributed to the identity of Leon Seth.

"Yes, it is this Mr. Seth who wants to rent your dock. He is not here today as an inquisitor, but in his personal capacity. Mr. Seth serves in the church and is willing to use his own assets to serve the church."

The Viscount's dock has been neglected for years, and even the Watchers Merchant Guild considers it worthless as collateral. But if you sign a three-year contract with Mr. Seth, you'll get a repaired and usable dock—a very good deal," Father Auden said.

"So, you personally own a cargo ship and two ferries, and then rent them out to the church, and you also have to pay for the church to rent a dock?" Adele asked Leon to confirm.

“Yes,” Leon replied.

“Judge Seth is a young and promising man who has accumulated some assets through investments outside of his official duties. He is also highly regarded within the church and is willing to make some contributions to it,” Father Oden added. “If this cooperation goes through, he may consider further investment in the island in the future. Miss Adele, haven’t you been looking everywhere for people willing to invest?”

Adele stared at the priest, frowned, and thought for a moment before speaking, "Father Auden, what are you up to this time? What scheme are you trying to set up against our family this time?"