The Witcher: Serpent School Witcher's Otherworldly Journey

They reminisced for a while, discussing the recent situations of mutual acquaintances, such as which retired sorceress who ran a herbalist shop in Novigrad had recently fallen out with which dwarven blacksmith, and whether a junior disciple who had been separated from them after the attack on Karmorhan might still be alive.

Geralt only learned of Geralt's next plan from Gillian.

"So you're saying you received news of the Wild Hunt's reappearance in Velen, and planned to board a merchant ship from La Valedi bound for Shanid Island, then disembark midway?"

Geralt wore a somewhat complicated expression, and even considered getting up on the spot to go with Gillian to Velen to find the Wild Hunt, just to find out the whereabouts of his adopted daughter Ciri.

Since she disappeared completely after the chaos on Shanid Island, he had spent countless nights waking from nightmares and countless times futilely drawing possible routes on a map. Velen, that swamp repeatedly ravaged by war—if the Wild Hunt had indeed appeared there, it likely meant his daughter was nearby—those ghost riders never appeared anywhere without reason; they were always searching for something.

But now he himself is also in trouble. Thanks to the failed assassination attempt on Folstätter by an unknown assassin, the king has become suspicious of everyone around him, including Geralt, who helped his daughter break the curse of turning into a vampire bird.

However, Geralt, as an outsider, was far more deserving of the king's trust than an unknown spy lurking within Temeria. Therefore, Folstätter offered his terms: protect him until the shameful rebellion launched by Baron La Valetti ended, in which case he would dispel any suspicion of Geralt and set him free.

Although it sounds like a ridiculous reason, Foltest is the king! In this era where humanity struggles to survive, the king has the privilege of being capricious, the power to do absurd things. Who gave him the right to make it impossible for Witchers to work in Temeria with a single word? Keep in mind that among the Northern Kingdoms, Temeria is considered a relatively friendly country to Witchers—at least compared to Henselt's tendency to hang "inhuman" individuals who spy in the fields at the drop of a hat, Foltest is quite restrained.

“That’s right.” Kiliam nodded. “It’s obviously safer to deal with those scum who only scratch the bottom of the boat on the Pontal River than to cross the dangerous swamp. If all goes well, we might be able to reach Velen overnight by following the swollen summer waters, which is much faster than by land. Besides, there are a few secluded tributary entrances on the lower reaches of the Pontal River, and the boat captains know how to get a passenger off the boat quietly without alerting the tax collectors. This business has its own rules.”

"This is on the premise that the port of La Valédé Castle will still allow merchant ships to enter and leave their territory."

"What do you mean...?" Kiriam put down the wine glass he had raised to his lips, raising an eyebrow.

"Folstetter's destination is La Valedi Castle. Obviously, with the alliance in place, the Temurian army is not going to train on the border of Redania. There is no need to strain relations between the two countries at this time."

"So this is a civil war? And the king's target in suppressing the rebellion is the lord of La Valedi?" Kiliam quickly sorted through the events in his mind. This fortress, standing on the banks of the Pontal River and controlling an important waterway, was indeed one of the few noble strongholds in Temuria that had the courage and strength to challenge the royal power.

"It's obvious that unless you respect His Majesty the King and want to clear the water ghosts off the Pontal River so that merchant ship owners can avoid the trouble of repairing the bottom of their ships after every voyage."

"Ha! I suppose the high and mighty king wouldn't care about the water ghosts outside of Lake Vijima."

Kiliam snorted coldly. In the long lifespan of a witcher, he had seen many kings, and few of them, whether they were praised in poetry or not, would sacrifice their own interests for the benefit of their subjects.

In this era, the cost of feeding people and horses, and mobilizing troops, was not cheap; even a king would feel the pinch. The expenses of a thousand-strong army on a month-long campaign were enough to bankrupt a small noble family, and Foltest was clearly preparing to stay here for more than a month.

"After the rebellion in Vizimar, the king still dared to personally lead the suppression... Clearly, this matter isn't as simple as it seems on the surface, is it? Geralt, to be honest, if it weren't for that squire with his nose practically pointing to the sky, judging from the size of the camp, I wouldn't even recognize a king here. There are far too few soldiers here, and there are even mercenaries. Could it be that Foltest has gone so far as to hire witchers as soldiers?"

"I'm sorry, this is not something I can tell you, Giliam."

Gillian shrugged noncommittally, unconcerned by Geralt's concealment. He had no intention of getting involved in the kingdom's politics; he simply wanted to assess the risks of continuing to Baron La Valedi. Witchers were all the same in this respect: the first thing they assessed was the risk-reward ratio, and only when the profit outweighed the danger was it worthwhile to take action.

"It seems I'll have to take the arduous overland route to Velen. Hmm... is this broth alright?"

The soup, brimming with unidentified meat, was still steaming, and large chunks of potatoes and meat glistened enticingly. Geralt was also a bit hungry after his battle with the water ghost, but the bowl of soup in front of Gillian was clearly much smaller than Geralt's.

Geralt hesitated for a moment. Triss had specially arranged for wild mushrooms brought from Vizima to be sliced ​​thinly and simmered in a copper pot with large chunks of wild boar meat for an entire afternoon. It was a rare and exquisite meal that she had prepared for him.

"when…"

"Kiliam, is that right? I heard about you from Dean Margaret."

A woman with beautiful long red hair emerged from behind the screen; the vibrant red surpassed even the finest moon roses of Temuria, unforgettable at first glance. Her mistress's appearance was equally striking, but what impressed Giliam even more was that she was one of the founders of the Sorcerer's Guild.

"Um...excuse me, Ms. Triss."

Kiliam feigned surprise, but clearly, a witcher wouldn't be so oblivious as to not sense a sorceress beside him. Aside from the school emblem glowing beneath her clothes, the sorceress's carefully chosen scent alone was enough for him to detect the presence of another person in the room.

However, showing just the right amount of surprise in such situations is a matter of courtesy.