What witch? The Deadly Pharmacist!

According to the church's traditional views, this statement must be a blasphemous heresy, and it is no wonder that Raven Church was put on trial for leaving "the death of God" in his notes.

However, this claim has now been overturned, and it is now considered to fall within the scope of freedom of speech.

Does this mean that some in the current church leadership are once again considering the idea that humans can become gods—just as Astartes destroyed Eland three hundred years ago, perhaps to surpass the saints?

“That possibility cannot be ruled out. At least three hundred years ago, Saint Astartes supported the doctrine that ‘the gods sealed Moirai and left this paradise of creation.’ Although the Church did not acknowledge it, many scholars actually believed that after assisting the royal family in unifying the empire, he launched a war to destroy Eland in order to become a demigod, or rather an angel, to manage the world in place of the gods and reshape the order,” Weiss said.

"That's a truly ambitious goal," Leon commented.

“Ultimately, this is because the four Origin Gods only left this world for mortals and divine power for them to use, but they never truly conveyed their will to them. It’s not surprising that some people doubt the existence of the gods’ will now,” Weiss said.

“But Moirai has a will, and as you said before, Moirai truly hates humans,” Leon said.

“Yes, the Moirai hate humans, and they hate the Four Origin Gods even more. There is a lot of evidence to support this. Among the heretics, there is a tradition of sacrificing living people and those who have received blessings from the Four Origin Gods to please the Moirai. In fact, a witch's blessing can indeed be elevated by sacrificing a transcendent being who has received blessings from the Four Origin Gods to the Moirai,” Weiss said.

Upon hearing this, Leon immediately recalled the witch's blessing he received after killing Caron Esso in the labyrinth.

Could it be that the ritual he and Reina performed afterward, which led to their advancement in rank, was also related to that previous "sacrifice"?

"Can a witch's power also be upgraded? Is the blessing structure of Moirai similar to the blessings of the gods...?" Leon said, trying to keep his voice down.

“You really can’t say things like that in public,” Weiss reminded him earnestly.

“I know,” Leon nodded.

He could only consult Weiss on this topic. Weiss was not only a member of the Rose School, but also an accomplice in violating the rules by experimenting on Selene with potions to treat the salt disease.

Moreover, Weiss also works at the St. Rosalia Prison and is an expert on witches in the church. It's rare that Weiss has the patience to discuss theology with him.

“In fact, Moirai’s blessing does have something in common with the blessings of the gods. Basic blessings and divine spells can be upgraded, and the levels correspond one-to-one. In ancient Eland, Moirai was directly regarded as the mother goddess, considered to be of the same origin as the four gods, and was worshipped along with the four gods. The pentagram used by witches in this era is a legacy of the Eland church’s tradition of worshipping five major gods at the same time,” Weiss said.

"If they share the same origin, why is it that only Moirai retains a will of hatred towards the other gods?" Leon asked.

“So the Elanders themselves are also studying this. Even though they worship both the Four Gods and the Mother Goddess, they have also discovered that the blessings of the Four Gods conflict with the blessings of Moirai,” Weiss said.

"Conflict?" Leon was taken aback when he heard this.

He had considered the possibility that the blessings of the Four Gods and the blessing of Moirai might conflict, and had therefore inquired about it with Bishop Beckett.

Knowing that there was a precedent of the witch's blessing and the church's four gods' blessing coexisting, he chose to take a slight risk and accept the supreme god's blessing out of necessity for the plan. As a result, he found that the two blessings did not contradict each other at all and could even be used at the same time, complementing each other.

"Yes, in fact, a person can not only have one blessing, but at most two. In very rare cases, the church may give the same person two blessings for various reasons. The blessings of the four gods are generally compatible with each other and can be used simultaneously."

But according to Ailand's records, if one simultaneously receives the blessings of the Earth Mother and any of the other four gods, the two blessings will result in a severe backlash," Weiss said.

"What backlash?" Leon asked subconsciously, appearing calm but inwardly full of surprise.

He had considered the possibility of conflict in the blessing when he heard of precedents of coexistence, but within a controllable range, and took a slight risk based on that premise. But when he received the blessing of the Supreme God, he showed no abnormal reactions whatsoever.

Weiss suddenly fell silent, and even looked away for a moment, as if she was considering something. Her expression seemed somewhat subtle.

Just as Leon was about to press for more information, she spoke up: "According to the records left by Eland, if one possesses two blessings, a part of the recipient's body will be confiscated by Moirai as a price."

"Confiscated?"

“It means that a part of the body will lose its function and become disabled. It could be a hand, a foot, a sense, or an internal organ. But this price will not be fatal. Even if you lose a potentially fatal part, you can still survive. It’s just that the pain caused by the disability will not change, just like the punishment that Moirai inflicts on traitors,” Weiss said expressionlessly.

A price? I haven't paid any for it at all! Leon was utterly confused.

Bishop Beckett mentioned precedents of coexistence, but he was unaware of the costs involved, a fact he had not found despite consulting numerous sources. Had he known this would occur, he might not have dared to take the risk.

But Leon did not lose any limbs as a result, nor did he experience any obvious physical abnormalities...

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he asked again, "In these cases, can the blessing power of Moirai and the power given by the four gods be used simultaneously?"

“No, the records clearly state that the power of the four gods and the power of the Mother Goddess cannot be used at the same time, but in church practice, the blessings of the four gods can be used simultaneously and complement each other,” Weiss said.

At this point, Leon was truly convinced.

Just as he was able to receive the witch's blessing as a man, he was able to possess the blessings of Moirai and the Supreme God simultaneously without paying a price, and he could drive both blessings at the same time without conflict. All of these were exceptional cases in his case!

Is this what makes him different from the people of this world as a transmigrator? Is this what his transmigrator cheat code is all about?

However, the specific principles behind this do not seem to be very clear.

After thinking for a while, he still couldn't reach a further conclusion. He snapped out of his reverie and saw that Weiss was also lost in thought, seemingly pondering something as well.

They had been talking for quite a while, and this pause in thought brought the conversation to a close. Leon took the opportunity to pause the discussion: "Sorry for talking for so long, the food is getting cold. Let's eat first."

“Okay,” Weiss agreed, then reached for her knife and fork, at which point her left hand suddenly touched the wine glass beside her.

Just as the wine glass was about to tip over and spill its contents, Leon swiftly stood up and slightly accelerated time. The speed at which the glass fell slowed down in his eyes, allowing him to seize the opportunity to lean over and catch the falling glass, preventing a single drop of wine from spilling.

"Please be careful." Leon placed the wine glass a little further away.

"Sorry." Weiss smoothed her side hair a little embarrassedly.

“Your bangs…” Leon reminded her cautiously. Weiss usually covered her left eye with her bangs, which seemed to be the reason she bumped into the cup, but Leon was not sure if it was to cover up a scar or birthmark.

But he had occasionally caught a glimpse of it; Weiss's left eye seemed a little different from others.

"It's nothing. I had an accident in this eye during an experiment before. It got splashed with chemicals, which affected my vision and made me a little sensitive to light. That's why I covered it with my hair. I hope you don't find it funny," Weiss replied.

"Not at all, I asked an unnecessary question," Leon replied politely, a slight thought stirring within him, as if he had vaguely realized something.

Weiss lowered her head, silently watching the glass of wine she had almost spilled.

Having only one eye to see still presents many inconveniences.

Chapter 145 Rising Stars in Academia

On Holy Spirit Day, the cathedral in the Southeastern Parish.

Three hundred years ago, the empire launched a war against Eland. With the situation hopeless, the Eland royal family chose to flee before the capital fell.

The remaining priests of the Church of the Earth Mother of Elander went mad, and in the church of the Earth Mother, they carried out a grand sacrifice using the evil artifacts of Moirai, attempting to bring down a part of the body sealed underground.

This ritual turned the entire capital of Eland into a labyrinth, with the ground collapsing everywhere, revealing bottomless tunnels from which countless high-level monsters rushed out, including multiple level-five monsters.

On that day, hell descended upon the earth. A massive horde of monsters first slaughtered the remaining Elandians in the city, and then the imperial army, which was besieging the city, suffered the same fate.

As the ritual progressed, the labyrinth expanded, magic spread like a tsunami, and the ever-increasing number of monsters began to spread to the surrounding areas. No one could predict how far this abyssal calamity would spread.

At the critical moment, Saint Astartes stepped forward and resolutely led the Church's elite forces to brave the tide of monsters and storm the capital of Eland, which had been turned into a labyrinth.

The labyrinth was eventually sealed, but none of the heroes survived.

After the labyrinth's magic subsided, the imperial army cleared out the remaining monsters and liberated the land.

To commemorate the heroic sacrifice of Saint Astartes, the Empire built the Cathedral of Saint Astartes in the former capital of Eland, and around it, the seventh diocese of the Church, which is now the Southeastern Diocese.

—This is the story that Leon heard at the church's commemorative service on Holy Spirit Day, a story that is told every year on this day.

On Holy Spirit Day, the Southeastern Archdiocese holds solemn commemorative ceremonies, a procession of the Knights of Faith, church exhibitions and sermons, attracting tens of thousands of local residents and pilgrims from afar.

On this day, all church officials serving in all counties of the Southeast Diocese will gather in the diocese, along with representatives from other dioceses, to attend the commemorative event held at St. Astartes Cathedral.

Leon, as the head of the Hamelin Inquisition, was no exception. On this day, he dressed in formal attire and went to the church's main hall, where he sat with hundreds of elected knights, bishops, and elected magistrates. He listened to the cardinal, who was serving as the diocesan, deliver a long and tedious speech, and then rose with everyone to observe a moment of silence for the deceased saints amidst the chorus of the choir.

After the lengthy commemorative event, all attendees moved to the meeting hall for a meal, which is also a social activity within the church.

The magnificent hall was brightly lit with candles. Leon strolled around the dazzling array of food and drinks, carrying a glass of mixed cocktails. Most of the partygoers were gathered in twos and threes, chatting happily.

Leon attained a rank in the church and was the superior of everyone in the inquisition in Hamel, where everyone had to show him respect and bow.

But everyone here is a regular member of the church, and everyone has a rank, even though Leon is currently just a nobody at the bottom.

Even bishops and knights of the same rank held a slightly higher implicit status within the church than him, not to mention archbishops, knight commanders, and high-ranking officers.

Such gatherings provide an opportunity for newcomers like him to meet those in positions of authority. Many young people, through introductions from relatives or seniors within the church, will try to strike up conversations with the important figures present.

However, Leon, who came from a common background, did not have any connections in this area; in fact, he did not know many people in the church.

Fortunately, he wasn't particularly interested in this kind of socializing, so once he entered the venue, he focused on the food and drinks and enjoyed himself immensely.

However, after more than ten minutes, someone finally spoke to him: "Isn't this Mr. Seth?"

Leon turned his head and saw a young man and woman walking towards him at the same time. He quickly went through his memories and accurately recalled the other person.

“Mr. Davidson, Ms. Vick,” he replied with a smile.

He was greeted by Enrique Davidson, whom he had met during the regular selection trials, and Bella Vick. The former was wearing the bishop's robes of the Church of the Mystic God, while the latter was in the knight's formal attire of the Church of the Creator.

We were all in the same year for the assessment, so we can consider ourselves acquaintances.

After that assessment, all participants received a rank and were granted corresponding positions.

"It's so reassuring to see acquaintances here," Leon replied with a smile after exchanging pleasantries.

“Me too, it’s my first time attending a party like this, so many important people make me nervous.” Enrique echoed Leon’s words, “Luckily we ran into Miss Bena, she’s experienced and can show us around.”

"Don't make fun of me. I only attended a colleague gathering that my uncle hosted at his mansion," Bella said with a smile.

“By the way, we’re planning to visit Miss Bena’s uncle. Mr. Seth, why don’t you come along too?” Enrique invited.

This was their way of showing concern for Leon. Given Leon's humble origins, it was unlikely that he would have any connections in such situations. By bringing him along to greet the higher-ups, they were essentially doing him a favor by introducing him to the people.

Before Leon could respond, a voice suddenly came from the side: "Judge Seth."

Leon and the two others from the same year turned around at the same time and saw Archbishop Miller, who had once supervised their exams, walking towards them with a smile.

"Archbishop Miller, how have you been?" Leon quickly bowed in greeting.

"Finally found you. How's work going since you took office?" Archbishop Miller greeted him with a smile.

"Everything went smoothly." Leon caught a glimpse of Enrique and Bella looking at him and Archbishop Miller with surprise out of the corner of his eye, so he promptly introduced them to Archbishop Miller, "Sir, these two are Mr. Davidson and Miss Vick, who took the exam with me. You must remember them, right?"

“Of course.” Archbishop Miller looked at the two of them kindly. “You have all become pillars of the Church.”

“The Archbishop flatters us; we are still far from being worthy of his praise!” Enrique quickly replied.

Archbishop Miller was a church official and researcher. He didn't hold a high-ranking position, but he came from a distinguished family and was appointed archbishop based on his academic achievements. He did have status and connections.

Being able to chat with him at this kind of gathering is a rare opportunity!

After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, Bishop Miller continued his conversation with Leon: "Judge Seth, the concept of the one-sided curved surface ring you mentioned in your letter is really interesting. You can make that structure with a strip of paper and fill both sides of the original strip with one stroke. It's a curved surface with only one side and no orientation! My students and I are very interested in it, and we have held several seminars on it."

"Haha, that just came to mind when I was fiddling with the notes..." Leon smiled modestly.

Even after he took office, he would still occasionally correspond with Archbishop Miller. Archbishop Miller would send him some academic textbooks he had compiled, hoping that he could study them when he was interested.

Archbishop Miller clearly felt that Leon had mathematical talent and hoped he wouldn't waste it. To deal with Archbishop Miller's enthusiasm for getting him involved in mathematics, Leon could only try to come up with something that would allow him to communicate with the other.

Moreover, considering the possibility of changing the course of history, he felt that he could try his hand at academia.

However, he wasn't a mathematical prodigy in his previous life; he was just an ordinary student. Even if he could use the blessing to replay his memories, he couldn't come up with any particularly complex theories.

After much deliberation, he sent a letter to Archbishop Miller containing a concept of the Möbius strip that no one in the world had yet proposed, along with a brief description of it.

The Möbius strip, a seemingly simple concept, was not independently proposed by Möbius and Listing until the mid-19th century in his world. Of course, there was no such predecessor as Möbius in this world; Leon, who proposed the concept on his behalf, named it a one-sided curved surface ring according to the definition.

Archbishop Miller seemed quite pleased, pulling Leon aside to discuss their various discoveries with great enthusiasm. At the end, he patted Leon on the shoulder and asked with concern, "So, how's your paper on this discovery coming along?"

Leon was taken aback, then realized that Archbishop Miller naturally assumed that he was already writing a paper on this "groundbreaking discovery".

“I’ve been busy with work lately, so I haven’t…” Leon replied somewhat awkwardly.

“Write one and send it to me as soon as possible, and I’ll help you publish it. Once it’s published, our subsequent research can follow up by citing your paper. I’ve also sent your findings to colleges in other dioceses. This academic community will definitely be named after you!” Archbishop Miller said with unusual seriousness.

"This really makes me a little nervous," Leon replied, somewhat embarrassed.

He was genuinely a little embarrassed, feeling somewhat sorry for the venerable Möbius, even though the latter didn't exist in this world.

He suddenly realized that this way his name might be recorded in history, but whether this could be considered a blessed and recognized change of history was hard to say.

Archbishop Miller then gave a long explanation of the precautions for submitting the thesis, and seeing other acquaintances, he said "excuse me" to Leon and walked over.

Leon breathed a sigh of relief as he was extricated from Archbishop Miller's enthusiasm, and when he turned around, he saw Enrique and Béla staring at him in a daze.

"Mr. Seth, are you acquainted with Archbishop Miller?" Enrique asked cautiously.

“We’ve had some academic exchanges,” Leon replied with a smile.

"I didn't know you were so knowledgeable in mathematics..." Enrique's tone suddenly became polite.

At that moment, Bella noticed two figures walking from not far behind Leon and suddenly held her breath.

“Your Grace! Archbishop Curiq!” she whispered to Enrique and Leon.

As a knight who had just joined the Church of the Creator, she recognized these two important figures in her own church:

Bishop Weiss, daughter of Archbishop Rogers, a saint chosen by the Church of the Creator, and the undisputed future archbishop.

Archbishop Curiq, a renowned scholar of the Church of the Creator, and the deputy director of the St. Rosalia Institute.