Belendil Rogrides felt a chill brush across his neck. Recalling those gray beastly pupils—cold as the eternal ice buried deep within the Blue Mountains—he shuddered violently.
Agostino Austin remained silent, head lowered, lost in thought.
After confirming that Belendil Rogrides had properly received the threat from the Wolf School, Magnus continued, "So no matter what plans your Rogrides family has, if you can't deal with that monster, everything else is nothing but empty talk."
"Besides, although Sol is acknowledged as the strongest among witchers because of his dragon-slaying, the Griffin School still has Erland of Larvik, and the Bear School still has Arnaghad."
"They are all powerful witchers who, like Sol, are grandmasters of their schools."
"If they also join the expedition, and are anything like Sol—"
"No!" Magnus shook his head. "Even if they're weaker than Sol, as long as they aren't too much weaker, the Rogrides family's plan is nothing but a joke!"
Belendil Rogrides' expression flickered between light and dark.
He didn't rush to refute Magnus or insist that the plan would certainly succeed.
The expedition was about to begin. With the Crowned Silver Eagle and the Sword of the Kingdom stationed in the same camp as him, that represented the will of 'the Bald One,' Radovid IV.
There was no longer any need for persuasion—the plan's execution was already inevitable.
And Magnus wasn't rejecting the plan. He was merely identifying its weaknesses and flaws. They were all sitting in the same small boat, sailing across treacherous and stormy seas—on the same side.
So what Belendil needed to do was not sophistry, but adjustment.
However, before Belendil Rogrides could think of a countermeasure—
"By the way," Magnus asked again, "the expedition starts in two days. The Griffin School and the Bear School still haven't arrived. Do you think they'll still take part?"
"I received intelligence yesterday," Belendil Rogrides said, knowing what Magnus was really asking. "The Griffin School is already on the road. The Griffin School witchers led by Erland of Larvik will only be half a day later than the Wolf School. It won't be long before we see them in camp."
"As for Arnaghad of the Bear School, there's no concrete information yet, but—"
Belendil shook his head. "There's no need to wonder whether they'll come. Even if half the Bear School witchers were dead, Arnaghad wouldn't miss this feast."
"The price paid by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers is enough to move even the most hard-hearted person, let alone Arnaghad."
"That's going to be troublesome," Magnus sighed.
One Wolf School alone could slaughter at least half of the Sword of the Kingdom head-on. Add the Griffin School and the Bear School, and the plan would already be doomed before it even began.
Magnus was already preparing himself to think about how to face his enraged king.
"Erland won't," Agostino Austin suddenly raised his head.
Belendil Rogrides turned toward him. "Won't what?"
"Erland doesn't possess the level of strength Sol displayed just now," Agostino Austin said. "Since Radovid IV ascended the throne, Redania's relations with Kovir and Poviss have eased year by year. The Crowned Silver Eagle sends people to Poviss every year to procure dimeritium, other ores, and various magical materials."
"Those are extremely large and valuable purchases, and Poviss usually hires the Griffin School to escort the caravans."
"Because the Griffin School specializes in magic and is highly knowledgeable, I've come to know quite a few Griffin School witchers through various opportunities."
"When the Crowned Silver Eagle lacked rare magical materials for alchemy, we also issued commissions to Erland of Larvik, the Griffin School's grandmaster."
"I've personally witnessed Erland in battle. It's a combat style similar to that of sorcerers, yet not quite the same. In hunting monsters—well—it's so efficient it can be called a refined work of art."
"But I'm very certain that Erland of Larvik absolutely does not possess the power Sol displayed today. You could even say he falls far short of it."
"As for the Bear School—"
Agostino Austin shook his head. "I haven't seen Arnaghad fight, but the Bear School specializes not in speed, but in strength. To sorcerers and the Sword of the Kingdom, they're far too clumsy."
"Moreover, when the Witcher Order split apart back then, Arnaghad's faction of witchers couldn't defeat Erland's faction either."
"And there's more—"
Agostino Austin thought for a moment, then continued. "The very principles behind the creation of witchers determine that they are flawed creations. Otherwise, Alzur and Cosimo wouldn't have abandoned the Witcher Order."
"For most witchers, by the time they reach fifty to seventy years old, they've already reached the peak of their physical growth."
"After that, further improvement becomes extremely difficult. They can only seek refinement in swordsmanship, Signs, knowledge, and combat experience—not in physical attributes."
"Arnaghad and Erland won't have changed much."
Belendil Rogrides and Magnus both let out a sigh of relief, but then the same question occurred to them simultaneously.
"Then why is Sol so strong? Why is he so different from the records?" Magnus hesitated for a moment before asking.
Agostino Austin's expression stalled. After thinking for a while, he said uncertainly, "It might be related to the Trial of the Grasses Sol underwent?"
"I've heard that the main ingredient in Sol's Trial of the Grasses decoction was a dragon's heart?"
Agostino Austin looked toward Belendil Rogrides.
"Uh, yes, it was indeed a dragon's heart. It's recorded in the Rogrides family's archives," Belendil confirmed.
A look of sudden realization dawned on Magnus' face.
Since it was a dragon, everything made sense.
Though he wasn't a sorcerer, he had undergone alchemical modification himself—albeit not as thoroughly as a witcher—and understood some of the basic principles.
In fact, there was no need for anything abstruse or complicated. Even a common farmer could grasp the logic.
A dragon is stronger than a ghoul. A potion made from a dragon should naturally be more effective than one made from a ghoul.
Arnaghad and Erland had used ordinary Trial of the Grasses decoctions. Of course they couldn't compare to Sol.
"Arnaghad of the Bear School and Erland of the Griffin School don't need to concern us. They're still within the plan, which is good news," Magnus said, drawing everyone's thoughts back to the core issue. "But we still have no way to deal with Sol."
"As long as he's there, there's a variable, and the plan will be very hard to succeed."
Agostino Austin and Belendil Rogrides fell silent.
After a long while, Belendil Rogrides finally broke the quiet. "Before the expedition begins, can Redania send more people?"
"Sending more would be meaningless," Magnus shook his head. "All the Sword of the Kingdom knights are already here. Sending ordinary soldiers would not only be useless, but once we set out and enter Dol Dhu Lokke, they'd become a burden."
"Then poison?" Belendil Rogrides turned to Agostino Austin again. "The Crowned Silver Eagle's alchemical potions are famous across the Northern Continent. Is there no way to poison Sol—poison the Wolf School witchers?"
Agostino Austin shook his head as well. "Setting aside how to administer the poison, given the Wolf School's vigilance toward the Crowned Silver Eagle, Redania, and the expedition."
"The stronger a witcher is, the greater their resistance to poison. They also possess senses far sharper than ordinary people—keen smell and taste."
"I can't think of a single potion that could reliably work on a witcher grandmaster like Sol—"
As Belendil Rogrides listened, he began to feel despair creeping in.
This wouldn't work, that wouldn't work—was he supposed to just abandon the Rogrides family's plan entirely?
If Agostino Austin and Magnus failed, at worst they'd receive a light scolding from 'the Bald One,' Radovid IV.
But the Rogrides family had colluded with so many forces. Over time, there was no way they could keep it hidden from Tissaia de Vries.
Add to that the blood feud with the Wolf School, the Griffin School, and the Bear School—
What about him? What about the Rogrides family?
No.
Absolutely not.
That would be the Rogrides family's abyss.
Belendil Rogrides didn't dare imagine their fate then—it might be even worse than what happened to Evenson, who was publicly tried—
No! It would definitely be worse than Evenson!
The Wolf School and the Griffin School might not do anything too excessive, but the Bear School witchers were a pack of bloodthirsty bandits!
So what could be done?
Ignore the Wolf School and strike directly at Tissaia de Vries?
But everyone knew the relationship between the Wolf School and Tissaia de Vries. Even though the even closer Vera wasn't present, with Sol alone, it would be impossible for him to stand by and watch Tissaia de Vries come to harm.
Wait—
The Wolf School witchers couldn't possibly guard Tissaia de Vries at all times during the expedition.
And—
A sudden flash of inspiration struck Belendil Rogrides. A hint of madness flickered in his eyes.
Why did I have to deal with those troublesome witchers myself—
That place… was Dol Dhu Lokke.
The Dol Dhu Lokke known as the Lair of Thousand Monsters.
"Perhaps… it's not completely impossible!"
Belendil Rogrides raised his head to find Agostino Austin and Magnus staring straight at him, scrutinizing him closely.
Belendil Rogrides knew that at this moment, the chairman of the Crowned Silver Eagle and the commander of the Sword of the Kingdom were very likely already weighing, in their hearts, how to abandon him and draw a clean line between themselves and the Rogrides family.
"How do you plan to do it?" Agostino Austin pressed him at once.
Belendil Rogrides did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his head to look at Magnus across the table. "Before I answer, I want to ask one question—"
"What question?" Magnus asked instinctively.
"Why does the Wolf School's grandmaster know your grandfather, Gregory?"
Magnus froze for a split second, then flew into a rage. He slammed the table and stood up abruptly.
"You're suspecting me?!!"
Clang!
The expensive yew-wood high-backed chair was blasted away by a powerful force, smashing into the wall behind Magnus and snapping two of its legs clean off.
Feeling the surging killing intent rushing toward him—so intense it was almost tangible—Belendil Rogrides suppressed his instinctive fear and said expressionlessly, "It's not suspicion. It's a normal confirmation."
"Our Rogrides family has wagered our lives on this plan."
"Once the plan changes—or even if there's the slightest leak—when the expedition ends, the Rogrides family will be buried in the dust of history alongside the fallen kingdom of Kaedwen."
"So I think—"
Belendil Rogrides met Magnus' gaze without yielding an inch. "We are entitled to know any variables related to our allies."
Magnus' brows knit tightly, his right hand faintly drifting toward the sword at his waist.
Agostino Austin hurried to smooth things over. "Belendil, I trust Lord Magnus' loyalty to Redania. Of course," he added, turning slightly, "the Rogrides family has placed even heavier stakes on this table, Magnus."
Magnus understood the implication in Agostino Austin's words, and his expression stiffened.
"Magnus," Agostino Austin continued, seeing that he was still reluctant to speak, his own expression turning cold, "even if His Majesty were here, he wouldn't refuse such a reasonable request."
It was clear now that this wasn't something only Belendil Rogrides cared about.
But Magnus couldn't refuse Agostino Austin as forcefully as he could refuse Belendil Rogrides.
Because in Redania, the surname Austin carried even more weight than Rogrides did in Kaedwen.
Or, to put it another way—
The Crowned Silver Eagle was Agostino Austin's personal princely domain.
After a long silence, Magnus finally shot Belendil Rogrides a glare and said unwillingly, "Sixty years ago, when my grandfather was inspecting the family's mines, he ran into a nest of venomous arachnomorphs. He was saved by Grandmaster Sol, who happened to be passing by at the time."
"After that, our family maintained good relations with the Wolf School—until my grandfather passed away, and I joined the Knights of the Sword of the Kingdom. We no longer needed witchers to protect our lands."
"But—" Seeing the looks in Agostino Austin's and Belendil Rogrides' eyes turn strange, Magnus quickly amended himself, "my loyalty to His Majesty will never be weakened by such an old story."
"Besides, Grandmaster Sol has lived for over two hundred years. Which noble family of note on the Northern Continent hasn't received his aid at some point?"
"And not just us—"
Magnus glanced at Belendil Rogrides. "I'm not familiar with the Rogrides family history, but from what I do know, the favors Rogrides received far exceed those granted to my grandfather and my family."
"The Rogrides family paid generous rewards for every commission," Belendil Rogrides said quickly.
Magnus snorted with disdain. "Do you think my grandfather—generous Gregory—would be stingy?"
Belendil Rogrides had nothing to say.
Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Agostino Austin stepped in again. "Enough. Witchers were created by Masters Alzur and Cosimo Malaspina to protect humanity."
"That is their duty."
"I believe both of your positions are clear. There's no need to waste more time on this."
"Belendil, you've gotten the answer you wanted. Can you tell us your plan now?"
Belendil Rogrides did not push the matter further.
He fell silent for a few seconds, gave a slight nod, glanced around the room, and then asked in a voice so soft it was barely audible—almost as if he feared disturbing something—
"Have you ever… heard of a Viy?"
.......