Chapter 231 Leonard: The clown is actually me!

Chapter 231 Leonard: The clown is actually me!

Leonard stood still, feeling like a clown.

What kind of plot twist is this?

The ageless witch let him go and now has her eyes on Hastur?

How long has it been, and Hastur has already fallen for the witch's charm?

You can't blame Hastur for his weak resistance; Leonard himself was easily taken down by the witch's few words back then.

Moreover, Hastur's face is indeed attractive, along with his slender figure and extraordinary discussions, plus he can write poetry.

No, he must warn Hastur to stay away from this witch!

The seemingly innocent girl in front of him is a terrifying existence that sucks the marrow out of bones!

Leonard thought about many things in an instant. He put his arm around Hastur's shoulder, pretending to be angry, wanting to drag him out of the bar and find an opportunity to tell him the true nature of Miss Séraphine.

He pulled hard, but Hastur didn't move, still sitting in his seat, looking at him curiously.

"Leonard, no need to be so nervous. Miss Séraphine is just saying these things on purpose in front of you."

Hastur smiled and calmed Leonard down, suggesting he have a drink first.

"Hastur, it's not about whether it's true or false, she is..."

Leonard wanted to speak out, but when he saw Séraphine's smiling eyes, he swallowed his words.

"Don't worry, Miss Séraphine is here tonight just to see me for something, not to settle old scores with you."

Hastur reassured Leonard again, telling him not to worry too much.

"What, she's here to see you?"

Leonard was confused again, unable to understand the situation in front of him.

"I happen to know her daughter, and she's just here to deliver something for someone."

Hastur said, looking at Séraphine, "Isn't that right, Miss Séraphine?"

"Daughter?!"

Leonard's head was hit by a heavy hammer again. The ageless witch has a daughter!

And Hastur knows her daughter!

This relationship is too complicated!

Wait, didn't he fall in love with his friend's friend's mother back then?

Leonard's mouth twitched, really wanting to slap himself.

Now he understood why Hastur acted so strangely about his feelings for Séraphine, as if he was holding something back.

Hastur must have been embarrassed to tell him that she already had a daughter!

"Of course, I'm not here to catch some heartless man."

Séraphine glanced at Leonard's complex expression, chuckled, and handed a piece of paper filled with content to Hastur. It contained the potion formulas from Sequence 8 to Sequence 5 of the Witch Path.

"Thank you, Miss Séraphine, for coming all this way. It must have been hard."

Hastur took the paper and put it directly into his pocket.

"Someone has to pay for their recklessness. I just hope there won't be a next time."

After saying that, Séraphine finished her drink and left.

After she left the bar, Leonard finally reacted from the shock. He stood up, pressed Hastur's shoulders, and stared at him.

"Hastur, don't you think you owe me an explanation!"

"What explanation?"

"When did your relationship with Miss Séraphine become so good?"

"She is Mrs. Germani's mother. I only found out about this recently."

"Her daughter is already married?"

Leonard was stunned. Although he had expected it, hearing that the ageless witch was already a grandmother was still hard to bear.

He had actually fallen in love with a grandmother and had seriously considered marriage and settling down...

"Yes, Leonard, you have a good eye. Miss Séraphine's daughter is also very beautiful."

"..."

Leonard let go of Hastur's shoulders, sat back in his seat, and didn't know what to think.

After a while, he slapped himself, drank a glass of wine, and mumbled for the bartender to bring more wine.

Hastur thought for a moment and decided not to provoke Leonard anymore. The shock he received tonight would probably be unforgettable for a lifetime.

After that, the two didn't talk anymore, each drinking their own wine.

Hastur drank slowly, tasting every different wine here, while Leonard started gulping down Southwell beer.

Around eleven o'clock, Leonard, already reeking of alcohol, looked at Hastur and said, "Hastur, be honest with me, did you know Séraphine's true identity long ago?"

Hastur raised an eyebrow, "You mean that Miss Séraphine is Mrs. Germani's mother?"

"..."

Leonard's question got stuck again. After a pause of two or three seconds, he waved his hand, "Nothing, I just found it a bit strange."

"I also found it strange. The breakup between you and Miss Séraphine back then wasn't that simple, was it?"

"..."

Leonard turned sideways, leaving Hastur with a desolate back, and said in a low voice, "It's all in the past. The past is like a flower, blooming and withering, irretrievable."

Seeing Leonard like this, Hastur couldn't help but tease him again, "Leonard, your melancholic and story-rich aura is very attractive to girls. Miss Séraphine must have liked you for this reason back then, right?"

"..."

Leonard shivered, quickly picked up his glass, and shouted, "Drink!"

Around one in the morning, Leonard staggered out. 

Already eight-tenths drunk, Leonard couldn't remember paying the bill. Hastur, who had been eating melons all night, had to pay for both of them, including Séraphine's drink.

"Can you get home by yourself?"

Hastur was a bit worried about Leonard's state tonight. He had been drinking one glass after another and had gone to the washroom four times.

"No problem, I... cough... know the way."

Leonard clearly overestimated his alcohol tolerance. Hastur hailed a carriage and had his coachman take Leonard back to St. Samuel's Cathedral, while he took another carriage home.

In the carriage, Leonard lifted the curtain, blowing the cold early morning wind, gradually sobering up.

Arriving near St. Samuel's Cathedral, he gave the coachman a gold pound tip and then staggered back to his residence.

As soon as he got home, Leonard fell on the bed and started shouting, "Old man, shouldn't you answer my questions tonight?"

"Heh, you're not dead yet, are you? So eager to call for help."

"That's an ageless witch. I'm calling you to give you enough time to prepare."

"Scared out of your wits."

"...I'm only Sequence 7. Of course, I'd be nervous facing an ageless witch."

"Your friend Hastur has always been calm. Why don't you learn from him?"

Mentioning Hastur, Leonard sobered up a bit more, seriously asking, "Do you think Hastur knows Séraphine's true identity?"

"You already have the answer in your heart."

"Sigh."

Leonard sighed, "I never thought Hastur could stay so calm in front of an ageless witch. Could he be part of the witch sect?"

He laughed at his own words, "If Hastur turned into a witch, his looks would definitely rival that of the ageless witch."

"And then you'd want to fall in love again?"

The mocking laughter made Leonard's face stiffen, "I'm not as dirty-minded as you think!"

"How do you know the ageless witch didn't become a witch by taking a potion from a male?"

"..."

Leonard's face darkened, not wanting to discuss this topic.

"Do you have any good ways to deal with Ince Zangwill?"

"The place you're in is your best support."

"Besides that?"

"You want to take revenge on a Sequence 4 Night Watcher alone?"

"Cough, I was just asking."

"Stop dreaming."

"...Old man, you're really heartless."

"Don't blame me for not warning you. When you notice Ince Zangwill, 008 will also notice you."

"I understand."

...

The next day, Leonard took half a day off and went to the West District to find Klein.

His abilities alone were limited; he needed a suitable helper.

When Klein learned of Leonard's intention, he told him not to speak for now.

After the last encounter with Ince Zangwill and 008 in Tingen, Klein had gained some extraordinary knowledge.

Without the protection of secrecy, every word he and Leonard said could be known by 008.

Making plans in advance was impossible; they couldn't hide from 008's abilities.

"We'll go to St. Samuel's Cathedral to discuss this."

Klein and Leonard took a carriage back to St. Samuel's Cathedral.

They explained the situation about Ince Zangwill to Archbishop Anthony Stevenson.

Archbishop Anthony understood and led them to a prayer room, indicating they could speak freely.

"It's like this, I learned from a friend that Ince Zangwill has a connection with Prince Edessak and has secretly arranged several coincidental events for him."

Leonard relayed the information he got from Hastur.

"It must be him!" Klein suddenly had a spiritual premonition.

"Prince Edessak is a royal family member. Without evidence, we can't act recklessly," Archbishop Anthony reminded them.

Leonard volunteered, "I want to personally contact Prince Edessak and then catch Ince Zangwill."

"That's very dangerous."

Klein disagreed with Leonard's risky behavior. The ability of 008 to arrange coincidental events was terrifying, even using tricks like stomachaches.

"Someone has to go and solve this. I'm a member of the Red Glove team. The more dangerous it is, the more I have to face it."

"But..."

Klein wanted to persuade him further, but Archbishop Anthony stopped him. He looked at Leonard with admiration and slowly said, "Since the church has sealed 008 before, we naturally know how to avoid its surveillance. It needs to meet some preconditions to arrange a script for someone, not acting at will."

(End of this chapter)