The Witcher World: The Path to Domination Begins in Velen

Several days later, early morning, in the courtyard of the manor.

Erwin spread the note from his informant on the table in front of Ron; it contained only a few lines of hastily written words.

A witch with blond hair and short stature came to the forest near Midcops. She lived alone and occasionally treated people's illnesses. The villagers both needed and feared her.

"A witch hiding in a place like Velen is either a fraud or truly possesses magic. Midcops is our trading partner; if she's the former, she's cheating the villagers out of their food."

If it's the latter, she's highly likely a member of the assembly. Both the North and South are after them; anyone who could survive and hide in Velen wouldn't be an unknown figure.

Erwin turned the note over to look at the back, making sure there was nothing more, then put the note on the table and pushed up his glasses.

He began speaking in an academic tone, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the edge of the notepad.

"The Sorcerer's Guild is composed of a group of sorceresses with top-level magical skills. Their initial goal was to liberate sorcerers from the king's control; in other words, they did not want to be anyone's political tool."

Their loyalty to the sorcerer's council alone was enough to make them a thorn in the side of all the northern kings. However, the real reason they were wanted by both the north and south was more complex.

"The Assembly Hall attempted to cultivate its own political power; they intervened in succession disputes and assassinations against the king, participated in the infiltration of Redania, and even successfully took control of Redania at one point."

After regaining power, Radovid declared the assembly hall an illegal organization and launched a massive purge of the sorcerer community.

Any warlock arrested will be burned at the stake. As for Nilfgaard, Emhyr cannot tolerate any magical power outside the Empire's control existing within his sphere of influence.

"So starting two years ago, the members of the meeting place scattered and hid in various remote areas, some of them went to Cowell."

Some choose free cities like Novigrad, while others choose to hide in swampy areas like Velen where no one pays attention to them.

Erwin tapped the note with his finger: "If this witch is indeed a member of the Gathering Hall, then she has been here for quite some time, and the nearby villagers know of her existence."

She doesn't shy away from using her abilities, which means either she's very confident in her covert methods, or she has no better choice.

"Whether she is friend or foe, she could potentially affect the security of our intelligence network and trade routes."

Ron folded the note and placed it on the table: "I'll take a team to check it out."

That afternoon, Ron selected ten men from the regular army, along with Fiona Champion as his scouts, and set off lightly for Middlecops.

Ten regular soldiers, fully equipped with breastplates, chainmail, and neck guards, and armed with spears and kite shields, led the column, with Fiona carrying a woodland longbow.

Ron, dressed in his full plate armor with his greatsword hanging beside his horse, faced an unidentified sorceress.

Armor inlaid with magic-resistant metal is an effective safety guarantee, and the swamps of Velen have never been a safe zone, as evidenced by the Nilfgaardian scouts that appeared in the southeast last time.

The group had been traveling for about half the morning, and the forests of Midkops were appearing and disappearing in the mist.

Fiona crouched behind the bushes by the roadside and gestured towards the treeline. There was a clearing in the woods. Ron had ten regular soldiers spread out to guard the perimeter of the woods, while he led Fiona through the last section of the path.

A faint floral scent began to fill the air, clashing with the rotten smell of the surrounding swamp. A little further on, a dwelling hidden in a forest clearing came into view.

Upon entering, it became clear that this was not a simple cabin in the woods; the furnishings in the front hall were excessively elaborate, with cushions embroidered with gold thread placed on carved wooden chairs, and exquisite tea sets laid out on a low table.

The air was filled with the aroma of incense, a warm and moist scent. Steaming water vapor drifted from a half-open door in the corner, and the sound of water was very soft, indicating that someone was taking a bath.

Before Ron could speak, a woman's voice came from the bathroom, languid and slightly nonchalant at the end.

"So, the new sergeant finally remembered that there's a sorceress living in this forest? Let me guess, you're not here for medicine or treatment."

Your footsteps are so heavy they're shaking my barrier, and the timing is perfect—the tea's gone cold, and I'm bored all by myself.

The sound of water stopped, and the bathroom door was pushed open by a slender hand. Kayla Metz walked out, drying her arms with a towel as she went.

She was petite, with wet blonde hair that clung to her shoulders, and wore a long, sheer robe with a low neckline.

With a silver Anka amulet inlaid with zircon hanging around her neck, she walked to the cushioned chair, sat down, crossed her legs, picked up her teacup, and only then did she raise her eyes to look at Ron for the first time.

Her gaze swept over him from head to toe. He was clad in full-body iron-gray armor with a matte finish, and his greatsword was undecorated, its lines as hard as a sword-shaped iron plate. The corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

"This outfit makes you look like a mercenary who just escaped death from the northern battlefield. I heard you're doing quite well in Raven's Den."

"What, after Temuria fell, all that's left as officers are these kinds of scum? What's your mercenary group called again? Calad?"

Ron ignored her provocation.

"I didn't come here to listen to a sorceress who's wanted by both Radovid and Nilfgaard evaluate my gear."

Kayla's smile vanished for a fleeting moment.

"You hide here not because you admire the swamps of Velen, but because you have no other choice."

She put down her teacup, sat up straight, and her languid posture was mostly gone, replaced by a sharp scrutiny.

"Since you know so much about this, you should also know that I can take a research note of sufficient value and go directly to Radovid to exchange for a pardon. This deal is very risky, but with my abilities, I might not die."

She crossed her legs again, a lazy smile playing on her lips: "So, Sergeant Major, give me a reason, a better reason than a pardon."

"You're hesitating. After Radovid has used you, he'll tie you and the other mages to the stake. You know better than anyone that this is a death sentence."

Ron’s voice was calm, as if stating an undeniable fact.

"Calad Manor has stone walls, towers, crossbowmen, and an army; its protection is more secure than a pardon."

Kayla didn't answer. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, a gesture that gave her time to hide her expression behind the rim of the cup.

"That sounds really good. Strong walls, military protection, so I don't have to worry about being burned at the stake. And then? What's the price?"

What am I supposed to do for you? Like a craftsman in the army, endlessly enchanting weapons for your soldiers? Or making those tedious potions for you? I have no interest in being anyone's vassal.

She looked up, her gaze fixed on Ron's face: "If you think a safe house can bribe a sorceress, then you're underestimating the value of a sorceress."