Chapter 264: Customer Poisoning Incident

In the outskirts of River Valley County, at Baron Lawrence’s estate, the Baroness entertained another noblewoman in the garden behind the manor, sitting around a tea table drinking tea and chatting.

The entire estate had been built atop a low hill. From this beautiful garden, they could look down along the grassy slope toward the meadows and woods below. The view was broad, and the scenery pleasant.

At the foot of the hill, their husbands, the middle-aged Baron Lawrence and his wealthy merchant friend, were riding horses with hunting rifles on their backs, accompanied by hunting dogs, laughing and chatting as they headed toward the woods, with mounted attendants following behind.

“My, it’s already been an entire year since we last met. When I saw the Baron last time, his hair had already started turning white. This time when I saw him, I almost thought your son had come back.” the wealthy merchant’s wife lifted her teacup and smiled at the Baroness, “And you too, when I first saw you, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Her words were not flattery. When she had seen the Baron last year, he had still looked sickly, with graying hair and dark circles beneath his eyes that even makeup could not conceal.

But today, when she saw him, the Baron clearly looked much younger overall. His hair had turned black again, and even his voice had become full and vigorous.

The Baroness also looked radiant, with considerably fewer wrinkles.

Hearing this, the Baroness smiled smugly: “Hehe.”

“What’s the secret?” the wealthy merchant’s wife immediately leaned closer with shining eyes, “You can’t keep something good all to yourself.”

The Baroness then glanced at the servants still some distance away, lowered her voice, and said mysteriously: “I used it!”

“Used what?” the wealthy merchant’s wife blinked.

“The one the Viscountess mentioned at the gathering the year before last.” the Baroness said suggestively.

“That…… heretical one?” the wealthy merchant’s wife widened her eyes.

That Viscountess was also a very close friend of theirs. At a gathering, she had once mysteriously mentioned to them a special medicine that could only be purchased through certain special channels, one that could make people regain their youth.

At the time, both of them had been very surprised. After all, anyone could tell that what the Viscountess had mentioned was a Magic Potion forbidden by the Church.

But the Viscountess had not cared in the slightest, saying that plenty of nobles and powerful people bought such things. She had even mentioned several prominent figures in their social circle. It hardly counted as much of a crime at all, and even if the Church discovered it, paying a fine and making a donation to the Church would settle the matter.

The Viscountess had also said she could introduce them to the proper channels. At the time, the wealthy merchant’s wife had still been afraid, repeatedly waving her hands in refusal, which had made the Viscountess laugh.

“That stuff really works. We only drank one dose every week, and we’ve been using it for a year.” the Baroness smiled at the wealthy merchant’s wife.

“There weren’t any…… side effects? Doesn’t the Church always say that medicine is unsafe? That drinking it can make you grow horns or tails or something.” the wealthy merchant’s wife said worriedly.

“Then take a look and see whether I have any?” the Baroness smiled and tapped her own forehead.

“Seriously, you really used it?” the wealthy merchant’s wife still could not quite believe it.

“Why would I lie to you?” the Baroness shrugged, “As for me, I let my husband try it first. I only started using it after seeing that there was no problem.”

“You made the Baron test the medicine, you’re really something.” the wealthy merchant’s wife raised her eyebrows and laughed.

“Of course I had to let him use it first. Just look at how weak he usually was!” the Baroness curled her lips, “I was doing it for his own good too.”

“Then how well did he recover?” the wealthy merchant’s wife grinned, even raising her eyebrows suggestively.

“Quite well.” the Baroness raised an eyebrow, “Now I’m more worried about him fooling around outside.”

Hearing this, the wealthy merchant’s wife was immediately somewhat tempted. Holding her teacup, she considered it for a long while before finally putting it down: “Then do you know where to buy it now?”

“You want some too?” the Baroness smiled knowingly.

“After everything you’ve said, there’s no harm in trying it, right?” the wealthy merchant’s wife replied.

“You need someone to introduce you before you can buy the medicine. The Viscountess introduced me to them, and I’ve been buying it for so long that now I also have the qualifications to introduce people.” the Baroness said this with a fair amount of pride.

“Then……” the wealthy merchant’s wife smiled.

“When we return to the city tomorrow, I’ll take you there. There are all kinds of medicines you can buy there, and every single one is incredibly miraculous. Let me tell you……”

The Baroness began enthusiastically telling her friend about her first experience buying the medicine, and before they knew it, quite some time had passed.

At this moment, the sound of hurried hoofbeats came from the woods.

“My, they came back so quickly today. What did they catch?” the Baroness turned toward the woods.

“With them insisting on going into the woods even in this season, they’d be lucky just to catch a rabbit.” the wealthy merchant’s wife pursed her lips and smiled.

However, when the two turned to look, they saw only the wealthy merchant and an attendant anxiously riding back on separate horses. The Baron, who had still been laughing and chatting when they set out, was now lying weakly across the attendant’s horse, his eyes rolled back and his entire body swaying unsteadily. If the attendant had not been holding him in place with one arm, he would have fallen off long ago.

The women’s expressions immediately changed, and both stood up at once.

“Baron Lawrence has collapsed! Someone come quickly!!” the attendant shouted with all his strength.

A short while later, a summoned doctor hurried over carrying his case. The moment he saw the dilated pupils in the Baron’s opened eyes, his heart sank halfway. Then he noticed the unnatural iron-gray color covering the Baron’s entire body and could not help feeling puzzled.

He crouched down and reached out to palpate him, feeling an unusual stiffness. At the same time, he caught an abnormal stench of decay.

“I’m afraid we’ll have to summon a Healing Officer from the Sacred Healing Order to take a look!” the doctor said while beginning a rescue attempt he held little hope for, instructing the people beside him at the same time.

……

Two days later, at the port of Arend Island.

Leon was standing inside the lighthouse, looking out at the ships entering and leaving the port.

One section of the port had already been completed and put into use. There were quite a lot of ships coming and going, after all, Arend Island’s geographical location spoke for itself.

“Viscount! Viscount!!” He heard an urgent shout and looked down, seeing one of his subordinates galloping toward him on a fast horse.

Leon frowned slightly. By now, just from looking at his subordinate’s expression, he could basically tell whether the news was good or bad.

Judging by how hurried he looked, it was obviously not good news.

He waited for a moment, then turned around and saw the subordinate rush up the lighthouse. Leon was the only one in the room. The subordinate delivering the message saluted him and lowered his voice, changing how he addressed him: “Mr. Fenrir! Something happened!!”

“Tell me.” Leon frowned and pressed him for details.

“Just within the past two days, two customers in River Valley County died!” the subordinate said between gasps, “And another person is still being treated at the Sacred Healing Order today! The diagnosis there said they were poisoned by a Magical Beast! The families of these customers reported it to the Church, and the Inquisition in River Valley County has already intervened in the investigation. They arrested the two people responsible for making contact in that territory!!”