What Witch? A Deadly Apothecary!

Chapter 146 : The Count’s Friends and Enemies

Chapter 146: The Count’s Friends and Enemies

Archbishop Kulik’s enthusiasm was no less than Archbishop Miller’s. He began discussing atomic theory with Leon, and then moved on to the latest academic views on the subject.

Fortunately, after Leon learned that the theory he had proposed had unexpectedly gained attention, he had studied this world’s academic journals and used the power of Blessing to record them in his mind. With the help of some knowledge from his previous life, he barely managed to keep up with Archbishop Kulik’s conversation.

In the end, Archbishop Kulik even took the initiative to exchange communication addresses with him before leaving with great satisfaction.

Then Weiss, who had been standing nearby, said to Leon, “Archbishop Kulik has been researching atomic theory for many years. He has paid close attention to the theory you proposed that time and said long ago that he wanted to meet you.”

“It is my honor,” Leon replied.

Then Weiss slightly lowered her voice. “Then this afternoon———”

She was confirming whether Leon’s earlier plan to attend the lecture had changed. After this gathering ended, the preaching lectures of the major churches would begin at three in the afternoon. There were still three hours left.

Leon nodded.

“Alright.” Bishop Weiss also nodded and replied calmly, “Then I will excuse myself first.”

“Thank you, Bishop Weiss.” Leon bowed according to etiquette.

After Weiss left, Leon turned around and immediately saw Enrique and Bena standing side by side. Their expressions had not changed much, but their eyes were filled with disbelief.

When Leon had been conversing with someone of that level, it had originally been a good opportunity for them to step forward and at least make their faces known.

However, when Archbishop Kulik had begun discussing academic terminology with Leon, they realized that the topic was completely beyond their ability to participate in. Earlier, when Archbishop Miller had arrived, they had at least been able to exchange a few greetings thanks to their brief acquaintance during the examination. But once the academic discussion began, they could not insert a word.

In the end, not only did they fail to step forward, they also tactfully moved a little farther away and chatted with each other for a while.

“Mr. Leon, do you know Bishop Weiss?” Bena’s tone had already become cautious. From the way Bishop Weiss had introduced Archbishop Kulik earlier, it was obvious that she knew Leon.

“We happened to meet twice before. Later, during the examination, the free question I wrote at the end was taken by Archbishop Miller and published in a journal, which drew a little interest from them, so———” Leon explained. “It was only a simple academic discussion.”

“No, to attract the attention of scholars of that level, it absolutely can’t be that simple,” Enrique corrected calmly.

Leon smiled and slightly changed the subject, chatting casually with the two about recent events. After a while, a familiar figure appeared in his field of vision again.

It was Bishop Beckett. He had just finished speaking with someone in the distance and then turned his gaze over, meeting Leon’s eyes.

A steady smile appeared on Bishop Beckett’s face. Leon raised a hand in greeting. This action also drew the attention of the two beside him toward Bishop Beckett in the distance.

Bishop Beckett nodded in response but did not immediately shift his gaze. Instead, he slightly raised an eyebrow.

Leon realized that Bishop Beckett was signaling for him to come over and speak in detail, so he excused himself to Enrique and Bena and walked over.

This time, Enrique and Bena were not as shocked by Leon knowing Bishop Beckett. Leon had once mentioned to them that the person who recommended him was Bishop Beckett, who had temporarily been serving in Hamel Town.

Bishop Beckett’s position in the Church of the God of War was not particularly high, and his rank was only one level above newcomers like them, though he had much more seniority.

However, Enrique had once heard that although Bishop Beckett’s background was not particularly noble, he unexpectedly possessed extensive connections within the eastern circles of power.

Leon walked up to Bishop Beckett and bowed. “Long time no see, sir.”

“After taking office, you’ve really begun to show your capabilities. Not bad. You did not disappoint our expectations,” Bishop Beckett said meaningfully.

Leon had not yet accomplished anything notable after becoming Director of the Inquisition, so what Bishop Beckett referred to was naturally their enterprise.

“It is thanks to your excellent guidance,” Leon replied politely.

“Just now I saw Bishop Weiss and Archbishop Kulik come looking for you. Do you know they are both members of the Rose School?” Bishop Beckett lowered his voice.

“This is actually the first time I’ve heard about Archbishop Kulik’s situation. He was just a little interested in the hypothesis I proposed before, so Bishop Weiss helped him find me,” Leon explained.

After all, his name was the only thing printed in the journal. It was not strange that Archbishop Kulik did not know his appearance and needed someone to introduce them.

“I see.” Bishop Beckett’s reaction was unexpectedly calm. Leon had originally thought he would once again warn him not to associate too much with members of the Rose School.

“He exchanged communication addresses with me. Should I———” Leon asked cautiously in a lowered voice.

Should he keep his distance—he did not say the latter half of the sentence aloud in case someone overheard.

“Archbishop Kulik has considerable prestige in the Church of the Creator. Maintaining contact with him is not a problem and will also help your development,” Bishop Beckett gave an answer that surprised Leon.

Just as Leon had previously thought, the Rose School—whose influence within the church was still shallow—did not pose much of a threat to the Count’s business. Bishop Beckett did not actually care that much about the Rose School itself, but he strictly required Leon to keep his distance from Weiss.

The main reason lay with Archbishop Rogers, though Bishop Beckett had only ever revealed that much.

Bishop Beckett examined Leon for a moment and suddenly said, “After this gathering, you don’t have any arrangements, do you?”

Leon froze when he heard that. He had planned to go watch Weiss’s lecture afterward, but under the current circumstances, it did not seem appropriate to mention that to Bishop Beckett.

Attending a lecture of the Church of the Creator itself was not a major problem. It did not count as direct social interaction with Weiss. However, explaining the reason why he was going would still be somewhat troublesome.

After thinking it over, Leon asked proactively, “Do you have any instructions?”

“At three in the afternoon, go to the public lounge of the club at No. 66 Clock Avenue in the Archdiocese District and wait there for orders. I have something to discuss with you afterward,” Bishop Beckett said.

“Three o’clock?” Leon asked in surprise.

Wasn’t that exactly when the lectures began?

“If you were planning to attend the lecture of the Church of the Prophet, put it aside for now,” Bishop Beckett said in a tone that suggested the decision had already been made.

“Is there a mission?” Leon lowered his voice to probe.

“We’ll talk about it in detail then.” Bishop Beckett did not reveal anything easily.

What exactly was this about? Leon was puzzled by the sudden arrangement Bishop Beckett had given him. But from his position, if the arrangement was related to the Count, it seemed he could not refuse.

If that were the case, he would probably be unable to attend Weiss’s lecture as promised———

He was still thinking about how to deal with it when Bishop Beckett suddenly said, “Alright, stay by my side and get ready.”

“Ready for what?” Leon asked reflexively.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a commotion suddenly arose in the crowd. Leon and Bishop Beckett both followed the sound and saw a large group of people gathering in a corner of the hall.

“They’re here.” Bishop Beckett smiled slightly.

Leon looked carefully and saw that the gathering crowd was actually surrounding a guest who had just entered the hall and was escorting him toward the center.

The distinguished guest being surrounded by those church members was none other than Count Foyle, dressed in a knight’s outfit and leaning on a cane.

“Is that———Count Foyle?”

“He specially came to attend the Holy Spirit Festival this time?”

Leon heard surprised whispers rising from the surroundings.

He himself was also surprised. Count Foyle had once served as the church’s Vice Knight Commander, but he had long since retired and was now a territorial lord. He could attend such events, but he was by no means required to come.

The position Count Foyle once held in the church was not extremely high, but as a lord his power was astonishing. He was one of the most powerful lords in the eastern region.

Many members of the churches in the Southeastern Archdiocese were themselves eastern nobles. The nobles of the eastern and western regions of the empire tended to form their own circles, and this tendency also faintly existed within the church. Count Foyle was undoubtedly one of the leading figures among the eastern nobles. From this perspective, it was not strange that he received such attention at church events.

Although Leon knew that the Count was probably the heretic who had committed the gravest crime of blasphemy in the entire empire—without question—and the rumors that some high-ranking church officials knew about this were likely true, this information had not been made public. Those within the church who knew about it had not yet intended to move against him.

In fact, not many people knew that the “Count” who dominated the empire’s underworld was actually Count Foyle.

Leon could clearly feel the eagerness in the gazes directed toward the Count. The Southeastern Archdiocese also belonged to the east, and most of the powerful figures present surely wanted to build connections with one of the leading figures of the eastern region.

But it did not seem that everyone felt this way.

Leon discreetly observed the crowd and discovered that not everyone looked at the Count eagerly. Some reacted very coldly, glancing toward the Count from afar while talking among themselves with indifferent expressions. It perfectly matched Leon’s impression of people speaking ill of someone behind their back.

He recognized that those people were representatives from other dioceses. If they were major figures from the central or western regions of the church, they were most likely old noble families from the west.

“Alright, follow me,” Bishop Beckett suddenly said to Leon before striding toward the Count.

Leon reacted half a beat late and followed Bishop Beckett forward with some surprise until they arrived in front of the Count.

The Count, who had just finished conversing with an archbishop, turned around at the right moment and smiled at Bishop Beckett. “Bishop Beckett, my old friend. How have you been?”

“Of course, thanks to your blessings! Your Excellency, Count!” Bishop Beckett replied with a broad smile as he shook the Count’s hand.

In the world of the underworld, Bishop Beckett was the Count’s loyal subordinate. But on the surface, Bishop Beckett’s relationship with Count Foyle was that of former superior and subordinate within the Church of the God of War—old friends. At the same time, the Count was the great benefactor who had once sponsored and recommended Bishop Beckett.

Leon watched them exchange a few words. Then, as if intentionally or unintentionally, the Count shifted his gaze toward him.

Bishop Beckett immediately introduced him. “Oh, Your Excellency, Count. This is the young man I recommended some time ago when I was handling a mission in Southport County. He has great potential and can be considered half my student.”

“Oh, a pleasure to meet you, promising young man. What is your name?” The Count extended his hand toward Leon in a polite manner, as if meeting him for the first time.

“Leon Set, Intermediate Inquisitor. It is my honor to meet you, Count,” Leon said, cooperating with the act. He shook the Count’s hand and bowed with proper etiquette.

At that moment, many gazes gathered upon him.

He finally understood what was happening.

With his prestige in the eastern region, the Count had already formed a network of people within the church who were friendly with him—including Bishop Beckett, who secretly served him. Leon had been recommended by Bishop Beckett, which meant that to a certain extent he had already been within this circle. What the Count and Bishop Beckett were doing here was publicly declaring that he was a member of this circle.

From this day forward, the Count’s friends within the church would also be his friends.

And the Count’s enemies———would also become his enemies.

Of course, this matter had long since been decided. His opinion was not required.

The Count did not allow too much attention to linger on Leon. After offering a few polite words of encouragement, he continued speaking with others.

For a brief moment, the corner of the Count’s eye seemed to glance toward the distance.

The Saintess of the Church of the Creator, Weiss Rogers, had not paid much attention to the commotion. She was still discussing the details of the upcoming lecture with her colleagues beside her.

The elegant smile at the corner of the Count’s lips never faded.

And there were still———three hours left!