The Witcher: Make Witcher Great Again

Chapter 430: I have a great scholar to argue for me
From Lynn's appearance to Wigford's death, only a very short time had passed. Fikater stared in disbelief at the fallen Wigford.

No matter how hard his brain, which was far more learned than that of an ordinary sorcerer, worked, he couldn't imagine that the invincible Vigfortz would actually be defeated.

Fikat tried to run, but suddenly several golden chains appeared in the air, binding him tightly like a net.

He struggled desperately, but he was just a traditional sorcerer.

Unlike Wigford, he didn't delve into martial arts.

Unable to use magic, he was now barely better than a salted fish.

In the end, he and Francesca were tightly bound by chains and unable to move.

"What do you want to do with them?"

"First, gather the others and put them on trial."

For centuries, the Warlock Brotherhood has either sided with the North or remained neutral.

There has never been a precedent for bowing down to the South.

This time, in particular, almost half of the top officials sided with the South.

Even Tissaya found it difficult.

“No need for that.” Lynn’s longsword flashed like lightning, and in the blink of an eye, Francesca and Fikat’s heads fell to the ground, their blood splattering and staining the surrounding air red.

Tisaya was shocked, but she didn't scold Lynn in the end; instead, she let out a sigh.

Lynn snapped her fingers.

The bodies of Wigoffertez, Francesca, Terranova, and Ficat were instantly engulfed in flames.

Lynn never intended to spare Francesca's life.

He never even considered trying to seduce this elven sorceress.

Francesca is not love-struck; she will not abandon the conflict between elves and humans just because she falls in love with herself.

Judging from this woman's troublesome behavior in the original storyline, even if you manage to win her over and marry her, there will likely be endless troubles in the future.

Lynn wanted to create a world where humans, dwarves, and elves lived in harmony and equality.

Instead of a world where non-human races enjoy privileges simply because they are a minority.

There is no need for an opinion leader to speak for elves.

……

The coup on Thaned Isle dealt a heavy blow to the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, severely weakening it.

Although Tissaia blocked the news of Wigford's defection, the fact remains that four of the ten high-ranking officials have perished.

The reputation of the Brotherhood of Warlocks plummeted. The kingdoms of Temeria, Cintra, and Skellige had long resented the Brotherhood of Warlocks as an "invisible hand" that operated independently of the monarchy yet extended its reach into the kingdoms, influencing their political landscape.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the three kingdoms successively announced legislation to strip sorcerers of their privileges, purged noble forces associated with sorcerers, and expanded royal power.

On the other hand, in Redania, the young Radovid V gradually realized how awkward his position as king was.

As he grew older, he became increasingly dissatisfied with the Regency Council—especially Philipba Ahart's autocratic rule.

The nominal king discovered that, despite being the king, his power was very limited. Apart from his three meals a day, he didn't even have the power to choose the servants and maids who served him.

As for matters of state and military affairs, needless to say, they were all in Philippa's hands.

The kingdom's nobles also valued Philippa more than him, the king.

Even his mother, Queen Hedwig, had long been stripped of her power by Philippa.

No one wants to be a good-for-nothing who just loafs around and waits to die, especially when that person is a king.

As he matured, Radovid began to doubt the truth behind his father's death and the death of King Vizmir.

The king, known as "The Just," died suddenly, and the biggest beneficiary was Philippa.

This gradually convinced Radovide that his father was most likely killed by this sorceress.

As for why the sorceress didn't simply take her place, it's because this world is ultimately still ruled by a hereditary monarchy.

Only nobles can overthrow nobles, and only kings can overthrow kings.

What? You're saying that Grand Duke Lynn Augustus, the Demon Hunter, doesn't have noble blood?
That's impossible. The one who can become the supreme ruler of Isparden, Humphries, and Nasser must be a descendant of some noble bloodline.

In short, Radovid was unwilling to accept that his father's country... and more importantly, his own country, had been taken over by the sorceress.

She was even more unwilling to become a puppet of the sorceress.

Thus began his secret plot. He secretly contacted nobles who were also dissatisfied with the sorceress and sent his trusted confidants to Kovir.

In order to reclaim the country that had grown and prospered under his father's rule, and also to prevent the bloodline from dying out in his generation, Radovid returned to Kovir several villages and a town in the northern part of the Arc Coast Duchy that his father, King Vizmir, had annexed while he was still alive.

In exchange, they would receive a high-grade anti-magic gold bomb meticulously crafted by Archduke Augustus of Kovir.

When his confidant returned to Tritog with the secret weapons, Radovid immediately summoned Philippa and proposed to marry her.

Although Radovic is not Philippa's type.

But the shrewd sorceress immediately realized that this was a golden opportunity—through marriage, she could rightfully control Redania.

Although the sorceress is infertile, she will become queen if she marries Radovid, at which point her power will be even more secure.

However, when Philippa stepped into the palace full of anticipation, she was met with a carefully planned trap.

Radovid placed hundreds of high-grade anti-magic gold bombs throughout the palace to ensure that Philippa could not escape once she entered.

As the bomb exploded, Philippa instantly lost her ability to cast spells.

A warlock without the ability to cast spells is nothing more than an ordinary person.

The king's guards captured the sorceress who was trying to escape, and Radovid personally put magic-resistant golden shackles on Philippa's neck, hands, and feet.

There are also superior and inferior grades of anti-magic gold.

Inferior magic-blocking shackles can only temporarily impair a warlock's spellcasting ability. Once the warlock adapts, they will be able to break free of the magic-blocking shackles.

Only the finest magic-blocking shackles can restrict the spellcasting abilities of the vast majority of warlocks.

Radovid ordered his men to lock Philippa in the dungeon.

He didn't intend to kill Philippa, but he wouldn't let her go either.

He wanted to torture her severely.

This once arrogant sorceress must suffer greatly and repay the humiliation she has endured over the years tenfold.

……

Water droplets seeping from the stone wall refracted a ghostly green in the flickering torchlight; years of mold accumulated in the crevices where moss clung; the stench of decay and rust condensed into a sticky mist, enveloping every breath.

The dungeon passageway extends downwards like the throat of a giant beast, and the congealed bloodstains on the stone steps have long since oxidized to a dark brown, intertwining with the scratch marks left by the prisoners' fingernails to form a bizarre totem.

Iron chains hung from the rack, with half a bone hanging from the end—a shackle that had not yet been removed, its rusted rings gnawing at the wrist bone, as if even death could not end the confinement here.

In the deepest water dungeon, sewage reached above knee level, and maggots wriggled in the eye sockets of the swollen corpses.

Embedded in the wall is the "Iron Maiden" torture device, with rusty spikes piercing a dried-up body. Half a piece of rotten parchment with a prayer inscription is stuck between the ribs, and the words "Forgiveness of the Gods" can be vaguely discerned, but it is stained and torn apart by blood.

When the sound of the jailer's boots pounded through the silence, the torches would startle swarms of bats, the echoes of their flapping wings resonating with the trembling of the chains, like a mass from hell.

The darkness here devours time. When the rats have gnawed on their last toe, when the seepage has blurred the ink on the indictment into ghostly shadows, only one thing remains tangible in the dungeon: the screams embedded in the bricks, more eternal than shackles.

In the deepest part of the dungeon, Philippa's hands were chained up, but her ankles were shackled to the ground. So, since she woke up, she had been kneeling in the cell.

The shackles binding her hands and feet were made of the finest anti-magic gold, and Radovide had long taken precautions to prevent her from escaping.

The air was filled with a nauseating stench.

In this cell, there was no light, no torches, only endless darkness.

In such an environment, even the powerful sorceress Philippa suffered greatly in mental torment.

Radovid did not seem to be in a hurry to torture her, perhaps because he was still busy consolidating his rule, or perhaps because not much time had actually passed in the outside world.

Just when Philippa thought she would just rot here like this, suddenly, a series of footsteps broke the silence.

The torchlight stung her eyes, which had been deprived of sunlight for so long.

She instinctively squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden light.

Someone walked up to her, took something out, and fed it to Philippa's mouth.

'Is it poisoned wine?'

Philippa thought this
But if it's poisoned wine, death is better than death; at least it's a relief, better than suffering.

Therefore, Philippa drank it down without hesitation.

But what entered her mouth was not poisoned wine, but cool water.

Her body, like a parched desert, greedily absorbed this source of life.

Only after she had drunk almost all of it did the person remove the water bag.

After a while, Philippa's eyes finally adjusted to the firelight, and she was able to see the face of the person who had just arrived:

Opposite her was another woman, who was wearing a prison guard's uniform, but it didn't fit her well, obviously taken from a real prison guard.

There is also a noticeable scar on her face.

Philippa sneered, "So Radovid finally decided to drag me out and torture me?"

The woman shook her head and answered calmly.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Francis Drake, Grand Duke Augustus of Kowell, and the current head of the national intelligence organization, the Syndicate."

"You're one of Lynn's men?" A glimmer of hope flashed in Philippa's eyes. "Lynn sent you to rescue me?"

Drake did not answer.

Philippa stared at Drake for a while, then suddenly seemed to understand something and had a sudden realization.

"So that's how it is, so that's how it is. This was all Lynn's plan, wasn't it? He sent you here not to save me, but to kill me."

Drake remained silent.

"Since your master sent you, then make your move. Are you planning to just stand there and watch me die of old age?" Philippa sneered.

"My lord asked me to deliver a message to you: If we spare your life, would you be willing to give up everything and live in a country outside the mainland?"

“I would be very willing, but can your master give me a way out? He and I are both the kind of people who won’t leave any danger behind.” Drake shook his head: “Ms. Philippa, you have a deep misunderstanding of my master.”

"Misunderstanding? I only regret not seeing his true colors sooner. If I had known, I should have... should have... uh? uh uh uh..."

Philippa's face turned deathly pale, her expression one of terror.

"Did mixing mud into a nest cause kidney problems?"

“Looks like the drug is taking effect,” Drake smiled slightly. “This is a paralyzing toxin extracted from a highly venomous spider called the ‘thorn flower spider’ that lives in the Kolaz Desert. This toxin is colorless and odorless, but it can paralyze the nerves, causing a person to lose control of their body in a very short time.”

“Ms. Philippa, I am sorry for poisoning you, but I must complete the task assigned to me by my lord without fail.”

Philippa glared at Drake. Bound by the magic-blocking shackles, she had lost her ability to cast spells and was now out of control of her body. All she could do was express her anger and resentment with her eyes.

But Drake didn't care at all; having accepted the mission, he naturally wouldn't care about such things.

Besides, it's the grudge of the dead.

Drake pulled out a dagger and stabbed Philippa in the stomach more than a dozen times in one go, then cleanly and swiftly slit her throat.

As Philippa breathed her last, Drake poured kerosene on the body and threw down a torch before leaving.

The raging flames instantly engulfed Philippa's body, to prevent the powerful sorceress from turning into a demon after her death.

And so, Radovid regained supreme power.

And the first thing he did after becoming the true king was to erect a large number of stakes in the country.

He ordered his henchmen to hunt down sorcerers everywhere.

Of course, while they are called warlocks, many of them are actually herbalists, alchemists, or similar professions.

But Radovid didn't care about any of that. Not only did anyone look like a sorcerer, but anyone accused of colluding with a sorcerer, or anyone who said "I saw that person performing witchcraft" even though that person was actually dressed as a peasant, were all arrested and burned at the stake.

For a time, Redania was in complete chaos because of him.

Radovid's series of reactionary policies successfully angered the people, leading to continuous rebellions.

Meanwhile, the Dragon-Slaying Saintess of the United Kingdoms of Cordwin and Aden also dispatched a large army to attack Redania.

However, unlike his abysmal domestic management skills, Radovide was an outstanding military genius.

Despite constant internal and external troubles, he still managed to raise an army and quell the domestic rebellion in one fell swoop while the United Kingdom's army was still gathering.

They quickly turned and intercepted the United Kingdom's army at the border.

Even though the coalition forces had a numerical advantage, Radovid still managed to defeat them in the initial engagement.

This forced the coalition forces to retreat several miles.

……

The autumn night's cold mist enveloped the camp like a ghost, and the damp, rusty air seeped into Lynn's heavy wool cloak.

He trod lightly across the camp, stepping on the frosty grass stems, as if blending into the night.

The amulet of deception disguised him as an ordinary Redanian soldier.

Radovid was naturally cautious... or perhaps more accurately, suspicious by nature. He planted a large amount of anti-magic gold in the camp, but this had no effect on Lynn's disguise.

The Deception Amulet is an extremely rare magical item that is unaffected by the Magic Blocking Gold.

Originally, Lynn did not intend to take the initiative herself.

But Radovid, as expected of the character who defeated the invincible Nilfgaardian army in the original story, was able to force Saskia's army to retreat under these circumstances.

Moreover, judging from the current situation, if I don't take action, Sakia's army might not be able to defeat Radovid.

There was no other way but to take matters into my own hands.

A few minutes later, Lynn arrived at the king's tent.

However, just before he was about to step into the tent, ten guards in full plate armor stood in his way like iron towers.

The head of the guards demanded, his voice as sharp as falling icy rain.

"Who are you? What makes you dare disturb His Majesty's rest?"

Lynn remained calm, his voice low and firm: "It's an urgent military situation."

"Speak," the guard said firmly.

This situation was within Lynn's expectations.

So he decided to use Plan B.

He took the enormous Lake Maiden's Sword from the magic-patterned leather bag.

The next moment, the head of the guard standing in front of him flew off, and blood spurted out like a fountain.

Then, with a light step, he charged towards the remaining guards like a ghost.

"Have……"

With just one word, the guard was cleaved in two by Lynn at the shoulder, his body almost broken in two.

Lynn's speed now far surpasses that of ordinary people, and even far surpasses that of the strongest Witcher.

In just a few seconds, he had killed all ten guards.

Most people didn't even have time to draw their swords.

Lynn stepped over the corpse and crawled into the tent.

He met Radovid's gaze as Radovid sat up in bed.

The young king was very vigilant and even slept in his armor.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

Before he could react, Lynn had already rushed in front of him, his cloak billowing blood mist, and with a single sword stroke, he cleaved him and the cot in two.

Just then, he heard a commotion coming from outside the tent.

Without hesitation, he cut open the tent with his sword and ran outside.

In the camp, countless soldiers were gathering in this direction.

Lynn quickly put the greatsword into the enchanted leather pouch, while simultaneously activating the Deception Amulet to change his appearance and make the bloodstains on his body disappear.

He blended into the crowd, pretending to be a soldier who had come running after hearing the commotion.

The other soldiers, as expected, didn't notice anything amiss; their attention was entirely drawn to the ripped tent and the corpses of the guards lying on the ground. Someone rushed into the tent, followed by a piercing scream: "Your Majesty!"

The scream served as a signal, and more soldiers surged toward the tent.

Lynn took advantage of the chaos to quietly retreat, gradually moving away from the center of the turmoil.

Once he had retreated some distance, he quickly took out a High Dancing Star from his pouch and silently tossed it around the camp.

The moment the Advanced Dancing Star exploded, flames shot up like raging serpents, quickly engulfing the camp's tents and supplies.

Before long, the entire camp was engulfed in flames, screams and shouts rose and fell, and chaos reached its peak.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Lynn quietly left the camp, his figure disappearing into the thick smoke and night.

With Radovid dead and the camp attacked, the frontline troops lost all will to fight and were quickly defeated by the Allied forces.

After that, Redania could no longer stop the Dragon-Slaying Saintess's attack.

The entire territory was occupied.

However, Saqia was not interested in the lands of Redania; she simply transferred the non-human races of Redania to the United Kingdom.

After that, the entire territory of Redania was adorned with a flag bearing a black and gold double-headed eagle.

Only then did people realize that the reason why the Dragon-Slaying Saintess had won so many battles was because she had the support of Grand Duke Augustus of Kovir.

The series of events that have occurred in Redania recently may very well have been orchestrated by that Demon Hunter Grand Duke.

……

Shortly after Lynn moved into Tritog's court, several more envoys arrived:
They were Mossak, representing Sintra; Vijma's mayor, Virerad; Queen Meve's eldest son, Prince Wilm; and Lynn's old acquaintance, Kratz Quett.

After exchanging pleasantries, the group slowly revealed their purpose.

Mayor Virelad, representing King Foltest, spoke first: "His Majesty the King, having heard that His Highness the Grand Duke is still unmarried, has specially sent me to sincerely wish to establish a blood oath through the princess."

"Princess?"

Lynn frowned.

He immediately remembered that the so-called princess should be Princess Yarda, who had been freed from the curse of the vampire bird by Geralt.

In the original storyline, Princess Yatta was notoriously dissolute and, like Philippa, also loved to manipulate politics.

But unfortunately, she herself lacked the ability to control the situation.

Marrying such a woman, while seemingly providing Lynn with legitimacy and orthodoxy for controlling Temuria, is undoubtedly more harmful than beneficial in the long run.

Lynn lightly tapped the armrest of the throne with his fingertips: "Please tell King Foltest that I am already engaged, so I must decline Your Majesty's offer, which is truly regrettable."

This is a lie.

But it doesn't really matter.

Virelad suddenly felt a dryness in his throat and was secretly surprised.

"Already engaged?"

He had never heard of this Grand Duke being engaged to any princess or noblewoman.

Verrerade was sweating profusely.

Before he came, King Foltest had given him the task of at least reaching a non-aggression pact with Lynn, and ideally, forming a military alliance through marriage.

Even a blind man could see that Lynn was now the most powerful and influential monarch in the North. Although his title was still only Grand Duke of Kovir, his ambition to annex and expand other powers was obvious.

More importantly, Lynn had no intention of following the aristocratic power game; instead, he broke the traditional rules.

Originally, a king needed to have a claim to a piece of land in order to gain the allegiance of the local nobles.

Otherwise, rebellions and troubles will only follow one after another.

(End of this chapter)