The Witcher: Make Witcher Great Again

Chapter 346 Alphonse Willie
Walking through the courtyard inside Willy Manor, Lynn noticed that from the outside, people would mistake it for just a manor, but once inside, they would discover that it was actually a small fortress.

The buildings throughout the manor are arranged in a maze-like manner, with tall stone brick walls surrounding the courtyards, allowing the guards to form a second line of defense if the main gate falls.

Behind the inner gate, there are two towers, one on the left and one on the right. The positions of these two towers are designed in a very clever way, so that they do not block each other's firing range and can form crossfire.

Lynn could imagine that even if the outer gates were breached, Hawthorne I's men could retreat to this place and continue to defend, and the attackers would have to pave the way with corpses if they wanted to achieve a complete victory.

However, he was not surprised by this arrangement.

Alphonse Willie's current position is the result of countless deaths and sins.

He doesn't know how many people he had to step on to get to where he is today.

The number of people who want him dead could probably stretch from Temple Island all the way outside the city.

This is why Hawthorne I rarely left this fortress-like estate.

Unless absolutely necessary, even when he leaves this tortoise shell, he always brings a large number of guards with him wherever he goes, to advance and retreat together.

However, Lynn was not an enemy—at least not for now—so the inner wall was easily breached.

After passing through the inner wall, the group finally arrived in front of a building with a red exterior.

Perhaps to avoid the rain, the lobby on the first floor of the building was filled with guards.

The old man clapped his hands three times, and immediately several beautiful maids came with clean towels to wipe the hair and bodies of Lynn and the other two.

But only Lynn opened her arms and let the maid serve her.

His two attendants waved their hands, refusing the maid's service.

The old man remained silent.

Only after the pretty maid had left did he cough lightly and put on a big smile.

"Your Excellency, the master is waiting for you upstairs. However, your two attendants seem to be quite tired. Why don't they stay here and wait for you, and take a rest?"

The old man spoke very respectfully, but his tone revealed an unyielding authority.

Lynn gave the old man a deep look, but ultimately did not refuse.

He nodded to the two attendants who had come with him.

Both of them nodded slightly, indicating that they understood.

Then, Lynn followed the old man alone up the wooden stairs.

As soon as the two figures disappeared down the stairs, all the guards in the hall stood up.

Those who were closest to the gate went first to close the hall door, while the others went to be near the two remaining attendants.

They didn't speak, but just stared at the two of them defiantly.

……

In the lavishly decorated room, a middle-aged man sat on a chair covered with a tiger skin, seemingly deep in thought.

Behind him stood two guards and a sorcerer, all standing respectfully.

The sound of footsteps interrupted the man's thoughts.

The man looked up and saw the old man leading Lynn into the room. "Sir, the person has been brought."

Hawthorne I, Alphonse Willy, was someone whom countless people in Novigrad both hated and feared, yet he had an honest and simple face.

It was as if he were a simple and kind farmer, not a fearsome gangster boss.

“Baron Brandon, you are younger than I thought.”

Alphonse's opening remarks were polite enough, but unfortunately, Lynn had no intention of putting on a show with him.

“You are weaker than I thought. I thought the most powerful gang leader should be stronger, not like this, who is indulging in wine and women.”

The guards standing behind Alphonse tensed up instinctively.

They are Alphonse's dogs. If Lynn doesn't respect their owner, then he's disrespecting them as well.

But Alphonse just laughed it off.

"Baron Brandon is indeed a nobleman; his way of speaking is completely different from those peasants begging for food in the rotten fields."

"I admire your forthright character, Baron. But out of friendship, I have a sincere piece of advice for you: this is Novigrad, not Toussaint. You'd better tone it down a bit, or else..."

Alphonse tilted his head to the side: "Ed."

The silver-haired old man bowed with the air of a steward: "Sir."

"Just a reminder, what happened to that city councilor who dared to offend me in this room last time?"

“I think there shouldn’t be much left,” the old man replied with a smile, his tone as relaxed as if he were discussing what to have for dinner. “After all, he was thrown into the sea with stones tied to his feet. So much time has passed, he’s probably just a skeleton now.”

“It’s a pity that the world has lost another good person,” Alphonse Way said with a regretful tone. “I’ve never understood how a councilor as brilliant as him could exist in a corrupt city council.”

The old man chimed in, "Yes, yes."

"It's a pity that he shouldn't have coveted the little money in my pocket. Old Willie worked hard for most of his life to build up this business. Do you think it was easy for me?"

"Now that I'm older, I just want to enjoy life. What's wrong with that?"

"It's all that guy's fault. He had to come up to old Willie and talk to me about how 'the poor in Novigrad are living too hard, and someone like me who makes a fortune every day should donate some money to them.' He even said, 'This isn't charity, it's to protect people like me. After all, if those poor people have a way to survive, they won't take any risks.'"

Alphonse Willie let out a sneer.

"Old Willie also climbed up from the bottom step by step, stepping on the shoulders of countless people. How could I not know that giving money to the lower class is to protect the rich?"

At that moment, he revealed a terrifying smile.

"When old Willie was living in poverty, not a single rich man ever thought of helping him. Now that old Willie is rich, suddenly a good man appears, sincerely advising him to help those poor people who are struggling. What the hell is he to do that?!"

The old man standing to the side nodded and said, "That really doesn't make sense."

"So old Willie had a stone tied to his foot and was thrown into the sea. Since he liked peasants so much, he got what he wanted and ended up like them. He can probably die in peace."

"You are as kind as ever, sir."

Alphonse feigned concern by pulling a handkerchief from his inner pocket and wiping away nonexistent tears from the corners of his eyes.

"How rude of me, I almost forgot that we have distinguished guests here, Your Excellency. Since you have come all the way from Toussaint, you must have something very important to tell me."

(End of this chapter)