The Witcher: Serpent School Witcher's Otherworldly Journey

“‘Azure Flame Sword’ Gillian, I’ve heard you’re a Witcher master whose alchemy is on par with that of a sorcerer. Philippa also told me that your refined extracts are very effective.” Triss nodded slightly, her tone now showing a restraint and politeness she had shown when speaking to Geralt earlier. “She mentioned your improved mandrake extract, which is said to be 30% more effective at treating deep magical wounds than the Gathering Hall’s own version. This isn’t an easy compliment to receive, especially coming from her.”

"I wouldn't call myself a master yet; it's just flattery from everyone."

Triss slightly raised her head and immediately cut to the chase.

"If you have sufficient strength, why not come with us to La Valedi Castle? The King of Temuria will surely be generous in rewarding you."

"To attack La Valedi's territory with you? I thought the Wolf School was a school that always maintained neutrality, unlike ours which had too much interaction with the kings." Giliam looked at Geralt strangely, and couldn't help but wonder if the other man was being controlled by the magic of the graceful sorceress in front of him.

"Yes...it's just a bit troublesome." Geralt was momentarily speechless. He could imagine how furious Kael'thas would be when he heard that he was going to participate in a civil war in the kingdom.

That being, arguably the oldest known living Witcher, would undoubtedly dislike his actions that violated the school's traditions. His extensive experience told Vesemir that Witchers who defied tradition always met a violent end. The ruins of Gesvid were the best proof, as was the earlier, nameless Southern School—both perished because they became too deeply involved in human conflict.

"That's because the assassin who tried to kill the king last time had eyes just like yours," Triss said quickly and urgently, clearly not wanting Geralt to suffer any loss.

"He was a Witcher, or at least someone who had undergone Witcher mutation. He coated the sword with a toxin I'd never seen before, and ordinary neutralizers were completely ineffective. If Foltest hadn't reacted incredibly quickly, and if Geralt hadn't happened to be in the corridor at that moment, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

"Triss—I thought we had an agreement." Geralt had almost lost the ability to show his emotions during his Witcher transformation, and it was generally difficult for others to understand his feelings from the changes in his facial muscles. However, at this moment, although Geralt's voice sounded as normal as ever, it was easy to hear the dissatisfaction in his suppressed voice.

He didn't want Kiliam to get involved. Their group was already small enough; losing another one would really make Kaer Morhan's winter gathering even more desolate.

A Witcher with beastly eyes just like himself... Gillian understood the source of Geralt's stammering words. The other party didn't want him to get involved in this incident. Serving the king always brought additional dangers.

But he also knew very well where the Witcher who assassinated Foltest came from; he even knew that another assassin would soon arrive from that place with poison made from pterosaur venom to assassinate the king again.

He knew all this because he had personally completed the final revision of the formula.

What he didn't know was that Geralt would actually accept the commission to protect the king. This caused a wave of discomfort in his stomach, not from hunger, but from a deeper, lingering pain stemming from old friendships.

"So our White Wolf is still His Majesty's personal guard and needs to protect the King's safety at all times," Giliam said calmly, as if he knew nothing about the matter.

Geralt sighed. Having said that, there was no need to hide anything from Giliam any longer.

"Yes... because the king was clearly in shock after the assassin was able to get close enough to him to kill him... and at that time I was planning to go to the king to collect the bounty after completing another commission."

"Then, by chance, you thwarted an assassination attempt, and because of your exceptional martial arts skills, the king appointed you to protect him?"

"That's right... Giliam, your mind is still as sharp as ever."

Kiliam smiled, a smile so stiff that even he himself found it distasteful.

"White Wolf, your statement makes me wonder if you've caught Dandelion's bad habit. 'Coincidence,' you and I both know, for Witchers, there's no such thing as 'coincidence.'"

As he said this, his gaze lingered on the other person's eyes for less than half a second before quickly shifting away. But Geralt noticed.

Of course, given Geralt's personality, he would only interpret that look as concern between old friends.

After Resso's vial of poison comes into contact with a human body, how many heartbeats will it take to cause devastating neurological damage?

Kiriam paused for a moment. Not all poisons have an antidote, especially those that cause devastating damage the moment they enter the body. Besides neutralizing the toxin, a medicine capable of reviving the dead and turning bones to dust is needed to pull the poisoned person back from the brink of death.

The poison he made was of this type, and even a Witcher wouldn't last more than an ordinary person.

In other words, once Letho drew that steel sword during the siege of La Valetti, the outcome would be the same whether it was ultimately aimed at the king or Geralt, who stood in front of the king.

That wasn't poison; it was a death certificate. He signed it himself.

If Geralt were to actually stand in front of Letho... he understood Letho's obsession; he would never hold back against his fellow disciples.

"How many more days until His Majesty the King launches his attack?"

"Kiliam? You didn't need to do this..."

Gillian raised his hand to stop Geralt from speaking, and looked at Triss with a serious expression before asking again.

"How many days left?"

"Except for the heavy siege tower that allows the king and nobles to safely ascend the city walls, most of it is completed. The ballistae and catapults are assembled on-site from parts transported from Vizima. If all goes well, the siege can begin in two or three days." Triss answered concisely and clearly. She noticed the change in Kilyam's eyes. A sorceress who had lived for so many years could easily discern that kind of look.

Gillian nodded, then turned to Geralt.

"Don't worry, going to Velen in early autumn isn't easy; the summer heat is still lingering. I hate having to fight swarms of mosquitoes in the swamp in this humid and hot weather. If the war ends quickly, you, who can speak to the king, should at least be able to help me find a merchant ship to Velen."

"I think the generous king will agree to this request."

This reason seems to be woven just right.

Geralt and Triss exchanged a glance, their beastly eyes and azure-colored eyes meeting, both able to directly discern the difference in their thoughts.

Protecting the king from assassination attempts on the battlefield is no easy task, and Folstätter is not one to remain in a safe zone. While a king leading from the front can greatly boost the morale of his troops, it also puts him in extremely high danger.

In that brief exchange of glances, Triss completed a deduction that belonged only to her.

Rejecting Giliam would be the worst option. A Serpent Witcher rejected to his face would disappear into the darkness outside the camp, carrying with him his suspicions, his alchemy, and his overly perceptive eyes, leaving her with absolutely no control over him. This would be ten times more dangerous than keeping him by her side.

On the contrary, agreeing to let him stay would be tantamount to placing this unknown pawn on the chessboard, in a square she could see. Letting him stand by the king's side, letting him stand shoulder to shoulder with Geralt, letting him eat, drink, sharpen his sword, and prepare medicine under the watchful eyes of the Kingsguard—everything he did would be under her watchful eye.

Moreover, she knew her white wolf all too well.

If she were to show even the slightest distrust towards this "old friend" at this moment, Geralt's stubborn gentleness, ingrained in his very being, would only immediately shield Gigliam behind him. Opposition wouldn't make Geralt more cautious; it would only make him more blind.

By going with the flow and placing Giliam in a seemingly "trusted" position, Geralt can maintain the closest possible distance to the man without arousing suspicion—close enough that she can continuously observe the potentially venomous snake through Geralt's eyes.

Of course, not a single thought of these appeared in her azure eyes.

She simply nodded slightly to Geralt, as if finally convinced. In the sorceress's view, whether it was having one more person to share the risks of the king's injury, or having one more pair of eyes watching over some nascent shadow, it was an acceptable outcome.

Most importantly—she didn't want Geralt to be left in danger alone.

This is true. More true than any political calculation.

"I will tell the King that there is another master witcher willing to protect the most honorable being in Temuria, and I think that for His Majesty's own safety, he will agree to the useful advice offered by the royal advisor."

Triss's attitude changed very quickly, from initial displeasure at Gillian's arrival to her willingness to speak on his behalf to the king. Gillian understood that his intrusion had disrupted Triss's hopes of being alone with Geralt, and also knew that Geralt did not want him, a fellow Witcher, to get involved in a kingdom's political affairs.

However, Giliam was even more reluctant to use the poison he had made on his friend. He knew Letho well enough to know that Letho would use that steel sword coated with deadly poison to cut down any enemy that stood in his way—whether it was a king, a sorceress, or another witcher.

The Snake School of Witchers are all fanatics... and he was one of them.

"Thank you, Ms. Triss." Giliam rubbed his stomach, which had been empty for a day.

"So...can I get my share of the broth?"