"The experimental record ends here. It seems that this sorcerer has not been able to record the subsequent experimental data. This is a good thing." Lann said quietly, deep in thought. He moved and looked at the feline statue.
"So, that witcher is possessed by a demon?" Lann said. "If so, maybe there's still a chance to save him."
"Human experiments and summoning magic are all things that were banned by the Brotherhood of Sorcerers a hundred years ago." Triss said with disgust. "That Ireneus died too easily."
After expressing her contempt for the cruel experimenter, Triss offered her professional opinion: "Lann, if the witcher is possessed by a demon, it will be difficult. Summoning rituals are forbidden for a reason. Both enchantments and countercurses carry great risks. Some scholars believe they even interfere with fate."
Lann shook his head. "If it's a demon, it's actually simpler..."
Lann searched the lab for a while and found a cat-head medallion.
Seeing Lann's determination, Triss frowned. She didn't openly contradict Lann, but she decided to be present when he tried to treat the possessed witcher.
Afterwards, the two spent almost an hour sorting out the laboratory, mainly for Triss to identify the experimental data.
When they left it was already close to dawn.
The patrolling guards discovered the classic combination of the witcher and the sorceress.
But they immediately recognized the lion emblem on Lann's chest. Obviously, Chappelle had told these patrolling soldiers in advance.
"Are you earl Lannister?" One of them asked.
Lann nodded. "Inform Chappelle that the giant toad will no longer be a problem in Novigrad. If he wants more details, he knows where to find me."
The two of them walked away under the gaze of the Eternal Fire Patrol, and on the way they met up with the Cintra soldiers they brought with them and walked all the way back to their residence.
...
House was sitting in a chair in the living room, looking worried.
Levin leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed, looking around uneasily.
"Do you think our mission this time is completed... or not?" In the end, Levin was the first to speak and asked House. "It's my first mission after becoming part of the Lions' pride... but I don't know how to evaluate it."
House kept his worried expression, not knowing what to say.
Milva, meanwhile, was in the garden, watching the horizon from a tree, waiting for Lann to return.
"Hey!" Milva suddenly shouted. "They're back!"
Regardless of their previous thoughts, Levin and House immediately adopted serious and upright postures, ready to greet their lord.
Lann entered the courtyard, noticing the tension and anxiety hidden behind the serious faces of his attendants.
He chuckled. "I saw Milva on the tree from a distance. It seems you have been waiting for me for a long time."
Lann looked at his assistants and noticed that their hands were empty. "Couldn't they bring the object? Did the Borsodi family cause them trouble? Should I intervene personally?"
They looked at each other, and finally, House stepped forward. "Excuse me, my lord. We weren't able to bring what you wanted. It was... complicated."
Lann motioned for the soldiers who had accompanied him through the night to retire for the night. He then found a nearby recliner, sat down in a comfortable position, and motioned for them to continue.
"The head of the Borsodi family is now Horst Borsodi. He sternly rejected our request after hearing it. But we met a Countess. After seeing the Lannister emblem on us, she took the initiative to talk to us. After knowing our purpose, she helped us purchase House Borsodi."
Lann was stunned. "Countess?"
House nodded and said: "Afterwards, we thanked the Countess, but she refused and said she would not give us the Borsodi House for free."
Lann nodded. "That's logical. How much money does she want?"
"She doesn't want money." House shook his head. "According to her, she wants to talk to you in person. And from the information revealed in her words, she seems to be very interested in witchers."
Lann had a guess in his mind. "Did the Countess tell you her name?"
House said: "She asked me to call her Countess Mignole."
...
In Redania, and even throughout the North, when an auction was mentioned, people thought of the Borsody Auction House. Its scale and vast collection were rare in the North.
Treasures, antiques, foreign art and all kinds of rarities from around the world were gathered here, with auctions held every quarter.
Many objects that had been forgotten elsewhere shone here and were sold for astronomical sums.
When Lann assigned the three assistants the mission, the auction was about to take place. In the meantime, they had tried to visit the leader of the Borsodi family in private, but they never found the right moment. Only during the auction did they get a chance.
...
House had lived in the royal court of Cintra for years and had received some education in noble etiquette, so he did not feel uncomfortable at an event on the level of the Borsodi family auction.
Right now, he looked elegant in the middle of the crowd.
Levin and Milva were tense, afraid of accidentally brushing against some knight or noble and getting Lann into unnecessary trouble. They looked more like House's guards at the moment.
House was sitting at a small table near the window, opposite a finely dressed gentleman who was said to be a master of Gwent.
"My last card - Lion Knight Lann."
Faced with House's attack, the gentleman looked incredulous, staring at the collection card that would decide the game.
"How is it possible, how could you have this card!"
House laughed. "Lannister is invincible! Your Nilfgaard deck is no match for me at all!"
The gentleman slammed the table in fury, leaving behind a bag of money and muttering words like 'cheating' and 'magic', before storming off in disgust.
The gentlemen at the neighbouring tables playing Gwent were amazed and looked towards House. But House quickly gathered up his cards and nimbly put them into his pocket.
With a modest smile, he bowed to those present, apologizing that he would not be playing any more for today.
Seeing House coming back laughing, Milva said with a mocking expression, "Have you finally had enough fun? I thought you had forgotten why we came here today."
Milva had nothing against House, but the environment she was in now made her feel very uncomfortable, and House left the two of them to go play cards, causing her to be unable to control her temper.
House shook his head. "Do you think I've been playing? Card tables and taverns are the fastest places to get information."
Without waiting for Milva's reaction, House took them both by the arm and spoke softly as they walked. "The wealth of the Borsodi family is far beyond our imagination. Do you see the auctioneer over there? He is a noble, a knight, but now he is doing this kind of undignified job that is exposed to the public. It's just because the Borsodi family wants to improve the style of the auction, so they spent a lot of money to throw him here."
"I also asked about the sales volume of your last auction. It is said that the items auctioned here are limited to gems, collectibles, artworks, and antiques. The tax paid in one day is the same as that of two years of Brokilon Town!"
As the grandson of the mayor of Brokilon Town, Levin was immediately stunned by what House said.
House shook his head and continued talking to his companions. "I just spoke to a dwarf banker who comes here often. Horst Borsodi, the head of the Borsodi family, only appears at the end of the auction to greet some important clients. That's our time to get close to him."
As they discussed their next actions, an elderly voice sounded behind them.
"I heard that a Gwent master from Cintra appeared here... Lion's emblem, are you from the Lannister family? The family of the Lion Knight?"
Hearing the question, all three of them turned around.
In front of them was a graceful lady, with her hair neatly tied into a bun, a plain long skirt, and a belt dotted with diamonds.
She didn't wear much jewelry, but House, who had accompanied Lann to see the Cintra royal collection several times, knew that the few jewels this woman wore were very valuable.
"We are servants of the Lannister family, and I am the Earl's butler." House mentioned an identity appropriate to the occasion, previously approved by Lann. "Could you tell us who you are, my lady?"
The old woman in front of them showed no surprise at House's introduction.
A gentleman beside the old woman scanned the three servants with appraising eyes. "This is Countess Mignole."
Hearing the title of Countess, the three servants bowed. However, they were not nervous and maintained their composure.
"Mr. Kahn, can you give me some space? I want to talk about some private matters with the Lannister family."
The gentleman named Kahn seemed to be a banker. "If you need me for anything, I'm always at the other end of the room."
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