The moment Adele heard the priest’s words, obvious displeasure surfaced in her eyes. However, she knew the priest was deliberately provoking her into losing composure, so she forced down the anger in her heart and said, “Father Auden, I don’t require your advice on how I choose to handle this debt. If you dislike the way I am trying to resolve it, then the money can simply remain unpaid. In any case, the debt still belongs to my father for now.”

In truth, Viscount Arend had long since given up on the debt entirely. Only Adele, driven by a sense of responsibility to preserve the family estate left behind by her grandfather, was still making an effort.

If Adele adopted the same indifferent attitude, it would clearly be unfavorable to the priest and the Watcher Merchant Consortium he represented. She was using that fact to warn the priest not to push too far.

“In the future, it will be your problem. Very well, you are correct. The debt is the Viscount’s matter. Then we shall discuss the contract after the Viscount returns.”

Seeing that Adele would not yield, Father Auden simply reverted to his old method—bypassing her interference and preparing to finalize the agreement directly with Viscount Arend.

“Are you avoiding me again, Father Auden? You should know that every time you sidestep me and go to my father instead, it only proves you have no way of dealing with me.” Adele stared at him as she spoke.

“Interpret it as you wish, Miss Adele. I am merely following procedure,” Father Auden replied shamelessly.

However, this time Adele had no intention of stepping back.

“This time, I am not without options. Of course, you may sign a dock rental agreement directly with my father. But as Viscount Arend’s heir, and as a direct stakeholder, if I suspect that you are renting the dock for illegal purposes, I have the right to exercise supervisory authority—for example, bringing people to inspect the cargo on your ships. I imagine that would be rather troublesome for you, wouldn’t it? You knew this, which is why you came to negotiate with me, didn’t you?”

Father Auden clicked his tongue inwardly and frowned. This was the most troublesome scenario he had anticipated. It was precisely because he feared that, after securing a long-term dock lease, Adele would grow suspicious of their operations on the island that he had staged this maneuver. Yet she had not been fooled at all.

Regarding the Labyrinth, they possessed a Church investigation warrant. Adele could not interfere, nor would she likely dare to visit the Labyrinth herself.

But the dock ultimately belonged to the Viscount’s family. If Adele insisted on interfering, it would inevitably cause them some inconvenience.

They were operating a massive illegal enterprise on Viscount Arend’s island—so massive that it was nearly impossible to conceal entirely. Therefore, they had to find a way to manage the local lord, especially the restless Adele.

Adele had already keenly realized that they intended to use the dock for something improper. That realization had merely come sooner or later.

Though at present she could not possibly imagine that the man before her was turning their territory into the largest Mana production site within the Empire.

Just as the priest was about to speak, Leon, who had remained silent until now, suddenly opened his mouth.

“Are you about to do something foolish again, Miss Adele?”

The moment he spoke, the air in the room seemed to freeze.

“Wh-what do you mean?” Adele looked at Leon’s expressionless face and felt an involuntary pang of dread.

“Do you believe that by doing this, you will cause us trouble, and therefore we will abandon renting your dock?” Leon asked.

“I merely wish to confirm whether you intend to use my family’s property for illegal business. Is there a problem with that?” Adele summoned her courage and asked.

“Have you already forgotten the consequences of questioning me like this last time?” Leon suddenly smiled.

But to Adele, the smile on Leon’s face was as cold as meltwater seeping through cracked ice. Of course she remembered—after questioning him before, he had pressed a gun to her head.

“Your bodyguard is rather unprofessional—allowing strangers into the house without thoroughly searching them for weapons first,” Leon continued.

Adele and Hayley tensed simultaneously. Hayley immediately placed her hand on the grip of her gun and warned, “Please refrain from any improper actions, sir!”

Leon made no threatening move. Instead, he looked at Hayley and asked, “Miss Hayley, correct?

Are you merely employed by Miss Adele, or do you share a personal bond? How much does she pay you? Ah, no need to tell me—I’m just curious. If I offered you double, would you resign immediately and accept my employment instead?”

Adele and Hayley both revealed astonished expressions. Hayley shook her head. As a guard, betraying one’s employer rashly would be unwise.

Before Hayley could voice her refusal, Leon continued casually, “Five times?”

Hayley’s expression shifted slightly, but she still gave no response.

Seeing this, Leon felt reassured and added, “Or perhaps I could simply pay you a large sum outright. How about three hundred thousand?”

Hayley stood dumbfounded. Adele, meanwhile, had gone pale.

“W-wait!”

She paid Hayley only a market-rate salary. Hayley was merely a novice guard; her wages were not particularly high. Yet this enormous sum—this man before her likely could afford it.

If Hayley were poached here and turned against her, it would mean that she would be alone in this room, without protection, at this man’s mercy.

Leon suddenly laughed. “Just a joke. I have no need to go that far.”

Hearing this did not ease Adele’s heart; instead, it tightened further.

She glanced at Hayley, who had clearly shown a flicker of disappointment. This terrifying man had spent not a single coin, yet with just a few sentences, he had already created a subtle rift between her and her hired guard.

And his final declaration—“I have no need to do so”—explicitly implied that he had other methods to deal with her.

“Miss Adele, let me ask you—suppose you discovered that I was using your dock for illegal activities. What would you do? Report me to the Church?” Leon looked directly into her eyes. “Have you considered the possibility that doing so might get yourself killed? For instance, what if the Church suddenly found a heap of contraband in your home and charged you with suspicion of blasphemy?”

“I—I would defend myself. I studied law! Your threats—” Adele stammered.

“Oh? Then why don’t you defend your family yourself and invalidate your father’s gambling debts outright? Do you still believe that, when facing those more powerful than you, you can protect yourself through the law?” Leon countered. “Let me put it another way. What if one day you were suddenly stuffed into a sack and thrown into the sea? Would you defend yourself before the fish and shrimp at the ocean floor? The waters surrounding Arend Island are rather cold this season.”

Adele was too frightened to speak.

“Don’t be so tense. Just a joke. I don’t need to go that far either.” Leon still smiled.

Now, whenever Adele saw that smile, she felt herself teetering on the brink of collapse. In the future, she might very well awaken from nightmares startled by that very expression.

“I merely wish to know—have you truly considered the consequences of opposing me, Miss Adele?” Leon stared at her.

“I only—I only don’t want my family entangled in illegal affairs—” Adele stammered in defense.

“Your family is nearly finished, and you still wish to preserve dignity without taking any risks?” Leon raised a brow. “Miss Adele, do you truly intend to save your family? How great a price are you willing to pay?”

Adele stared blankly at him, unable to respond at once.

“Would you marry some wealthy man in exchange for clearing your family’s debts? Or would you risk committing a crime to earn a fortune? Oh, and your father’s gambling addiction is severe, isn’t it? A gambler cannot control himself. No matter how much money you earn, it will be useless. So are you willing, for the sake of preserving your family, to kill your father?” Leon spoke lightly.

“Wh—” Adele suffered a tremendous shock.

“Of course, there are gentler methods. You could confine him—ensure he can never go out to gamble again. Starve him for a few days and force him to sign over management of the family estate to you.” Leon continued.

At this point, Father Auden, listening from the side, had initially intended to remind Leon that advising Adele to replace the Viscount would not benefit them. But upon reconsideration, even if Adele seized power, she posed no threat to Leon whatsoever. As things stood, Leon had already pressured her to the point she scarcely dared breathe.

This Fenrir truly countered the Viscount’s daughter perfectly.

Seeing that Adele could only stare at him in shock, Leon understood clearly.

“It seems you can do none of it. Then I can assert that you will never have the opportunity to save your family. Are you still hoping to encounter some fool willing to invest in your estate without seeking returns?

You lack resolve. You stand on a sheet of ice about to collapse, yet you still worry that swimming will ruin your pretty dress. How many people struggle desperately to carve out a path to survival, willing to lose limbs if necessary? Compared to them, what does your so-called effort amount to?”

Sally had sacrificed her life to repay debts and secure a future for her daughter. Melissa had borne enormous debts and labored tirelessly to save her mother. Rena had risked becoming a Witch and facing capture by the Church to save her grandmother. Compared to them, Leon found it difficult to feel any respect for the Viscount’s daughter before him.

The Arend family had once been prosperous. Adele had likely grown up in luxury, never truly experiencing despair. She did not understand how one ought to struggle when facing utter hopelessness.

“I will sign the dock agreement with Viscount Arend. The dock will be mine to use. Three years later, I will return it intact. With the Church’s involvement, you need not worry about legal issues. If you refuse, I can proceed through Church requisition instead—you have no right to supervise. If you still wish to stop me, you may try. But prepare yourself.”

Leon met Adele’s gaze directly, causing her to shiver.

Then he suddenly stood and patted Father Auden on the shoulder.

“Old friend, wait here for the Viscount and have him sign the agreement. I’ll be going back first. After all—” he glanced at Adele, who sat as silent as a frightened cicada, “—there’s no one here qualified to negotiate with me.”

With that, he left the study without bidding farewell to anyone, leaving behind a silent Adele and Father Auden.

Father Auden watched Leon’s departing figure as he opened the door, then glanced at the shaken Adele and sighed inwardly.

Originally, he had hoped that a meeting might deepen the impression between Adele and Leon, laying groundwork for Leon’s future purchase of a noble title.

Well, in essence, it had been something akin to matchmaking.

The impression had certainly deepened—but it was hardly a favorable one. Only the surface area of Adele’s psychological shadow toward Leon Set continued to expand.