After Lann left, Vizimir II gestured with his hand for the knights on guard to leave as well, leaving the room for only the king and prince.
As if he had held back his questions for a long time, Radovid asked as soon as Lann left: "Father, why were you so kind to that Lannister? If we want Cintra, wouldn't it be easier for me to marry his princess Cirilla?
Vizimir II, patient and intent on educating his son, responded: "It is too late. Princess Cirilla has been hidden by Lannister."
"Lannister is the one who really controls Cintra. My intelligence chief informs me that Foltest is also interested in a marriage alliance with Princess Cirilla."
"I was afraid that Foltest would beat us to it, but from the Lannister's attitude towards Temeria, it seems that we are both late."
Radovid, still confused, continued: "So, can't we just kill Lannister and then find Cirilla?"
The king shook his head and, trying to guide his son, explained: "You have misunderstood, Radovid. Now Cirilla is not the important thing. The true power lies in Lannister, who is also of royal blood, with the lineage of the lion."
"But he is a witcher, and he has never hidden it, and witchers cannot have children. The power of Cintra belongs to Cirilla after all."
The king shook his head again and said: "You have seen the recent battle reports. Everyone in Cintra has met Lannister, received favors from him, and seen him fight an army alone on the battlefield. No one has seen Princess Cirilla. Do you know what this means?"
The prince began to understand his father's reasoning and said, hesitantly: "It means that Lannister's reputation is at its peak. And that Cirilla's absence means that... she has disappeared... or perhaps she has died?
The king shook his head, encouraging his son to continue thinking. Suddenly, Radovid had a revelation and exclaimed: "Just because no one has seen Cirilla means... that anyone could be Cirilla!"
The king, satisfied, nodded and explained: "If we wanted to take Cintra, the best time would have been right after the fall of its capital. At that time, we could have sent someone who claimed to have captured Cirilla, regardless of whether it was true or not, and that would have given us an advantage. Even if other northern powers did not recognize a false princess, we could have weakened the authority of the true princess, making our future actions easier. But now, it's too late."
The king shook his head, showing that he had seriously considered this strategy. He then raised his glass, instructing his son to pour him more wine. "Do you know what they call Lannister in the north now? The lion! And Cirilla? The Lion Cub!"
"Making the cub disappear doesn't matter. Now, all of Cintra and the north have reached a consensus: as long as 'the Lion' is there, the 'cub' will not be in danger."
"Even if you kill Cirilla today, another Cirilla might appear tomorrow. I even suspect that the current Cirilla is no longer the real one!"
"Lannister has lost the ability to have children, but that doesn't matter now. He may not be king of Cintra, but Cintra cannot ignore him."
"He is the Lion, the savior of the people in times of crisis, the resurrected one who returned from the dead, the protector of the kingdom and the princess who became a witcher to safeguard them."
"He decides who Cirilla is! He is the most authoritative arbiter of the lion bloodline in the entire continent."
The king looked at his son, whose face showed astonishment, and continued seriously: "I don't know how long Lannister has planned all this, or if it has simply been a coincidence. But now that doesn't matter. He is the true power behind Cintra. If we want an alliance with Cintra, we must negotiate with Lannister."
...
On the other side, Lann, who had no idea that he had received such a high evaluation from the King of Redania, was walking back.
Those involved often don't see clearly, but outside observers do. As a person who has experienced many things, Lann himself may not think it is a big deal, but in the eyes of onlookers, he has stepped onto the political stage in the north and holds important political bargaining chips.
At this moment, Lann was not thinking about politics, but about watching how his assistants were dismantling the corpse of the Aeschna.
Going around a corner ahead, Lann saw a big man wearing a bright silk coat. The man had his hands crossed in front of his chest, calmly contemplating the landscape. His shoulders were rigid, motionless, and on them rested a large gray owl.
Perhaps alerted by the sound of Lann's footsteps, the owl turned its head 180 degrees, drawing the big man's attention.
Lann was surprised to see that it was the fat Dijkstra. However, he maintained his composure and greeted politely. "Count Reuven, I didn't expect to meet you here again."
As Lann waved, the owl's head turned at the same time as Dijkstra turned around, looking directly at Lann.
Lann responded with interest, seeming to be really interested in birds of prey.
Worried that Lann might say something rash, Dijkstra stepped forward. "Earl Lannister, I have been waiting for you. Let me take you to your lodgings, furthermore, a friend has commissioned me to tell you that she wanted to communicate with you."
Lann raised his eyebrows. "I would like to hear the details."
The two walked through the Oxenfurt Academy.
Students wandered through the alleys, absorbed in reading thick volumes and parchment manuscripts. Many sat on benches, on lawns and in gardens, discussing their tasks or playing mind games. Professors also walked nearby, fervently discussing academic topics. The young attendees paced everywhere, their gazes fixed on the female students.
A breeze blew from the delta, bringing with it a faint aroma of salt water, while a stronger smell of hydrogen sulfide came from the tall alchemy department building next to the canal.
In such a free place full of academic atmosphere, Lann and Dijkstra discussed political issues, hiding their true intentions.
"I heard Lord Lannister encountered a group of our Redanian soldiers on the canal in the Delta?"
Lann nodded and said seriously: "They fought bravely, sacrificing themselves to protect the civilians on the barge from an Aeschna attack. I have hunted one such monster and am in the process of dissecting it. Would you like to watch?"
Dijkstra hesitated at Lann's words, although he maintained his pace and expression. For a moment, he forgot what he was going to say next, his mood becoming unstable.
But the spymaster soon regained his composure and continued: "At least they have redeemed their honor, because they informed me that they were hired by a sorcerer to attack you."
"I planned to execute them, but it seems they redeemed themselves with their sacrifice."
Lann sighed and said with emotion: "I also heard about this from them. It seems to be a sorcerer named Rience. But, since they are dead, I can't blame them."
Dijkstra added: "Then Earl Lannister doesn't want to know why this Rience is looking for you?"
Lann looked interested: "What can you tell me about it, Count Reuven?"
Dijkstra shook his head: "I don't know much, but I know who might know. Have you heard of Dandelion?"
"According to my information, Rience also searched for him, and miraculously, he escaped. If you want to know about Rience, he is your best choice."
Lann nodded. "And why would Count Reuven help me in this? You can pretend that you know nothing. Is this the instruction of His Majesty the King?"
Dijkstra nodded. "The king wants an alliance with Cintra, so I must help. Furthermore, I would like to establish a personal friendship with you."
"When the right time comes, I have a friend I would like to introduce you to. It will be a pleasant surprise for you."
'A friend? A surprise?' Lann stared into Dijkstra's eyes, though his peripheral vision couldn't ignore the owl watching him.
Lann readjusted his expression, then squeezed Dijkstra's hand gratefully. "I thought we were already friends. Thank you for your help, Count Reuven."
They both smiled, showing mutual respect like two strategists who finally met.
Lann did not give much importance to that sorcerer called Rience. After all, someone who would hire seven or eight Redania soldiers to cause trouble for him couldn't have great vision.
But Lann didn't want to always be on the defensive either. Allowing a hidden figure like that to continue lurking around could ruin his plans at crucial moments.
Since Dijkstra 'kindly' gave him the information, he must also use it.
Anyway, Lann has long wanted to meet the famous bard Dandelion. This man's name has appeared many times, but he has never been able to meet him in person. Shani seems to know him and Lann should be able to contact him through her.
At that moment, the new medical student was performing the dissection of an Aeschna with his assistants, and Lann decided to go see their progress.
Near the door of the dissection room, Lann heard an unknown voice coming from inside.
"This is a rare and precious specimen, never seen before! I will not allow it to be treated so rudely."
Looking inside, Lann saw a small, thin man being pinned against the wall by House, the man was flailing his arms and legs.
Shani looked panicked and wanted to persuade House to let go of the thin man, but she was worried about the relationship between herself and Lann and was in a dilemma.
The thin man was dressed like an academic and wore a round bronze brooch. The brooch pin was evidently missing but had been replaced by a bent nail.
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