Chapter 191: Marriage Requires Discussion
After hearing the priest's words, Leon chuckled softly. “Sometimes I really feel like you're an old father worrying about a daughter who can't get married.”
“If you're talking about that, her real father, Viscount Arend, is far more anxious than I am. I've already sounded him out for you. As long as you, this promising young Inquisitor, are willing to repay the Viscount family's debts, he's ready to marry his daughter to you at any time and cooperate with all the necessary procedures to make you the third-generation Viscount Arend. If you were to refuse now, he'd probably come over and cling to your legs while begging you in person,” Father Auden said.
“But I doubt Miss Adele has any intention of doing that,” Leon replied.
“Her opinion isn't important. Haven't you already brought her under your control? Just use a little coercion and temptation. That's your specialty, isn't it?” the priest said meaningfully, deliberately tapping the tabletop with his knuckles.
Leon smiled. It seemed Father Auden was still brooding over how he had been "coerced and tempted" into joining the struggle against the Earl.
“Fenrir, when we discussed this before, you could treat it as a joke. But this time, you really can't brush it off anymore. You don't just need to become a noble now—you need complete control over all of Arend Island to deal with the Church's investigation, which could begin at any moment.
“You know that yourself, which is why you've been stepping up your control over the Viscount's family, haven't you? If you become Viscount Arend and obtain noble status, your legal standing will be completely different. The Church's investigation into you will be subject to many more restrictions, especially within your own territory,” Father Auden said slowly.
“You do have a point, but... the Viscount's debts aren't exactly a small amount,” Leon said.
The Viscount owed more than thirty million Fenni. After a year's worth of revenue, deducting all operating costs and the various assets he had purchased, Leon could currently mobilize only around forty million Fenni in liquid funds. At such a perilous time, spending that much money just to buy a title would be a serious blow to his finances.
In reality, most of the Viscount's debt was grossly inflated. It would be more accurate to say it was entirely a bubble. The gambling debts exceeding thirty million Fenni had been engineered through a carefully designed snowball scheme, while the Watcher Merchant Consortium's actual costs had been minimal. The Viscount had no hope of repaying it anyway. If Leon refused to pay, then once the deadline expired, even if they seized every valuable asset in Viscount Arend's territory, they still wouldn't recover much.
The debt simply wasn't worth anywhere near its face value. There was definitely room to squeeze out more of the inflated portion.
“I already discussed this with several of the consortium's directors beforehand. After my negotiations on your behalf, they're willing to transfer the debt claims to you free of charge.” Father Auden smiled faintly.
“The more you say that, the less convincing it sounds,” Leon frowned.
As the saying went, the most expensive things were often the free ones. Whenever someone willingly gave up enormous profits, it was usually bait to obtain even greater benefits elsewhere.
“Listen to the whole proposal first. Here are the specific terms. For the next five years, you'll provide the consortium with one loan every year. Each loan will have a two-year term, with the amount determined by your publicly declared assets. This year it can start at three million. The contract will state an annual interest rate of ten percent, but in reality no interest will be collected, and the principal will simply be repaid after two years.
“After that, the amount of each new loan will gradually increase based on your assets. If all goes well, next year's loan will increase to five or six million. In this way, you'll lend a total of thirty million over five years, and it'll all be repaid in sequence within seven years. In other words, you won't actually have to spend a single Fenni. You'll even be able to use black money to pay the contractual interest, allowing you to launder at least an additional three million. Of course, as usual, I'll still charge my handling fee on that three million.”
“And the consortium gets a long-term interest-free loan while also balancing at least three million in its accounts,” Leon immediately understood their objective.
Receiving what was essentially a thirty-million interest-free loan over five consecutive years was immensely valuable to any merchant consortium. The contractual interest allowed Leon to launder money, while internally the consortium could use it to explain the flow of certain concealed funds and conveniently balance its books. It benefited both sides.
“Besides that, you'll become a member of the Watcher Merchant Consortium. The consortium will protect the commercial assets you own in Southport County. As you continue climbing higher, you'll eventually need money-laundering operations on Potter's scale. At your current stage, the consortium's resources will be of tremendous help,” Father Auden said.
Under the Earl, Leon's earning capacity had already become quite impressive, but his money-laundering operation still couldn't compare to what Mr. Griffin had managed in his prime as a successful businessman. Leon's goal now was to follow the Earl's path and simultaneously become wealthy, noble, and influential.
Likewise, after Father Auden's persuasion, the Watcher Merchant Consortium had established this long-term relationship with Leon because they hoped he would take the consortium along as he climbed higher.
“Not a bad deal, is it? I'll admit I've always been trying to find someone to take over the Watcher Merchant Consortium's debt, but I've never cheated you, have I? With these terms, you'll secure Arend Island. As your advisor, I'd say I've delivered a perfect performance report,” Father Auden said.
“I have to admit, it really is a good offer...” Leon nodded.
“Then let's not waste any time. The sooner we complete the debt transfer and loan contracts, the better,” Father Auden urged while the iron was hot.
“But let's wait a little longer. I need to discuss this with someone first. After all, it's about getting married,” Leon said.
“Someone's going to object?” Father Auden sensed something.
“...” Leon gave no direct answer and merely shrugged.
If he suddenly married someone else, based on his understanding of Rena, there was no way she wouldn't have objections. Putting himself in her shoes, if Rena entered a fake marriage with someone else, he certainly wouldn't be able to accept it easily either.
Even if marrying Adele to obtain noble status was necessary, he still had to persuade Rena first. Otherwise, he feared there would never be another peaceful day in his life.
“It's only a fake marriage... Of course, what you do with Miss Adele afterward is your own business. A beauty like her—I think, given your usual style, there's no way you'd let her go. She won't be escaping your clutches,” Father Auden teased. “What? Has the young witch still not gotten used to your style?”
Only then did Leon remember that, in Father Auden's eyes, he was the sort of lustful man who would sleep with everyone, from Mrs. Hesh to Melissa.
Leon couldn't be bothered arguing over that and merely explained, “She's been by my side this whole time, and I still haven't given her any proper status. Then all of a sudden I go and become someone else's husband. There's no way she'd accept that so easily.”
“Status, huh? That really does make it different.” Father Auden nodded repeatedly. “All right, I understand. After all, she's such a dangerous young witch. It's only right to handle things carefully.”
“Is she really that dangerous in your eyes?” Leon laughed.
He knew Father Auden didn't understand witches or Blessing powers all that well. All this time, he had believed the Cursed Blood Leon used had been Rena's handiwork.
“It's not just my opinion. I've been gathering information from other territories for you, and I'm hearing more than just your infamous reputation. Everyone's saying there's a terrifying witch by Fenrir's side. Not only can she control Magical Beasts and refine Mana, she can also transform people into berserk beasts and slaughter countless people on the battlefield with poisonous mist. They're calling her the Blood Witch capable of turning the world into a river of blood,” Father Auden said.
Leon froze for a moment.
Only then did he realize that, within the Earl's organization, everyone basically knew there was a witch by his side. Otherwise, there would be no explanation for the production of Mana. Furthermore, given what had happened on Arend Island, those who knew little about witches' Blessings could easily attribute his Werewolf Transformation and Cursed Blood to Rena. After all, almost everyone who had witnessed him releasing the poisonous mist of Cursed Blood up close had died.
Naturally, many people had also attributed the Earl's annihilation, along with his elite force, to Rena and developed a deep fear of this witch.
Still, Leon couldn't expect that rumor to remain effective forever.
Anyone knowledgeable about witches and the various Blessings would eventually spot the inconsistencies as soon as they learned even a few details about the battle on Arend Island. Sooner or later, someone would figure out that he possessed witch powers far beyond common understanding.
The Earl had never known that Leon could simultaneously wield witch powers and the Blessings of the Supreme God, and that had been the decisive factor allowing Leon to defeat him on the battlefield. However, he could no longer expect that trump card, once revealed, to remain hidden from everyone else—especially not from the person he now feared the most.
“How are things on the island now?”
“I've rebuilt the fortress's defenses and strengthened them a little,” Leon replied briefly.
The Earl's assault had destroyed many of his fortifications, cost him manpower, and wiped out most of his combat Magical Beasts. The fortress's defensive strength had been greatly reduced, and restoring it would require both time and resources.
“You shouldn't be wasting your efforts on that right now. If the Church comes to investigate your stronghold, what good will strengthening your defenses do? It's not as though you can openly rebel against the Church. Stop wasting your time. Expanding your territory and becoming a noble are what you should be focusing on.”
“No. The most important thing I need to do right now is secure my main base. The crisis isn't over yet,” Leon refuted.
“The Earl is already dead. Aside from the possibility of the Church launching an investigation, who else is going to attack you directly? Those Cadres neither dare nor have the ability to invade your home base right now. Besides, with the level of control you have over them, they can't possibly launch a surprise attack,” Father Auden said.
Thanks to the intelligence provided by Bishop Beckett, Leon had already gained a solid understanding of the other Cadres and had begun monitoring them.
Yet there was still one person he could not fully grasp.
“There is,” Leon nodded. “Father, our greatest problem right now actually isn't the Church—it's one person.”
No one knew when the Church would finally turn its attention toward him, but that person's threat was immediate.
“Don't tell me you've provoked someone else again?” Father Auden asked, puzzled.
“Johnny Willman, the strongest commander under the Earl. He'll be back very soon,” Leon said slowly.