Leaving aside how much enjoyment Wayne had during the previous nights with the two sorceresses, on the morning of the third day, the group gathered at Keira's mansion. Together, they opened a portal that led to a small city in Kaedwen, near the mist.
This town, named Uneva, was once home to a population of five to six hundred. However, as the fog teeming with monsters spread nearby, the wealthy and noble residents quickly fled, and some fearful townsfolk followed. Now, only about a third of the population remained, mostly the elderly, the weak, the ill, and those unable to escape.
The Warlock Brotherhood temporarily took control of Uneva, establishing a stronghold to accommodate visiting sorcerers. They frequently issued bounties, attracting mercenaries seeking fortune. These mercenaries weren't particularly strong and typically formed groups of ten or twenty for safety. This influx of outsiders, with their various needs for food, lodging, and supplies, brought an unusual kind of prosperity to the town.
"Headmistress Margarita, Lady Keira," greeted the sorcerer standing guard by the portal. "Are you here to participate in the bounty competition as well?"
As the Head Mistress of Aretuza, Margarita held considerable status among sorcerers. The guard naturally assumed she was leading the group. With her warm personality, Margarita smiled at his assumption and then turned to Keira, saying:
"I joined Keira on this journey primarily to study the unique properties of these monsters from another world."
The sorcerer at the portal looked at Keira with mild surprise, then glanced at Wayne and his companions before addressing Keira again:
"Lady Keira, according to the Supreme Council's guidelines, all participants in this bounty competition must sign a contract of peaceful conduct. This agreement ensures no sorcerer engages in internal conflicts or betrayals. Violating this rule will not only result in expulsion from the Warlock Brotherhood but also make the offender subject to bounty and pursuit by the organization."
Keira and Margarita nodded, fully aware of these regulations. They followed the guard to a room where they could sign the contract, while Wayne led Letho and the others outside the Warlock Brotherhood's office.
Just as they stepped outside, a striking sorceress approached. Tall, with black hair and piercing black eyes, she wore a bold, red dress. Her hair was styled in a bun, and her gaze was serious. Behind her trailed over twenty fully armed knights in gleaming armor.
Upon noticing the four Witchers standing outside the office, the sorceress raised an eyebrow and spoke to Wayne and his companions in a surprised tone:
"Are you Witchers? I haven't seen a Witcher in Kaedwen for some time. To see four at once is quite unexpected."
Seeing that Letho and the others weren't inclined to respond, Wayne stepped forward and introduced himself.
"Greetings. My name is Wayne."
"Although we Witchers have always maintained a neutral stance, it's hard to remain in a country where we're not welcome for long."
"The people of Kaedwen aren't particularly fond of us, so we rarely stay here anymore," Wayne said.
The sorceress nodded, her expression tinged with arrogance. "I've urged Henselt countless times to see that the non-human residents of Kaedwen are still his subjects and could bring prosperity to this kingdom. But he's a stubborn man who won't heed my advice. Now, with him in a coma, the entire country has fallen into disorder."
She looked at Wayne and extended her hand. "Greetings, Wayne. I am Sabrina Glevissig, Royal Advisor to the Kingdom of Kaedwen."
"Welcome, Witchers. Monsters are rampant in this land now, so it is indeed a time when we need your skills. But from the looks of it, you seem to be here for the Warlock Brotherhood's bounty competition."
"If so, be cautious. The creatures within the mist are formidable, capable of overpowering even the army—they aren't opponents a few skilled swordsmen can easily handle."
"The profession of Witcher is already rare enough. Don't risk extinction at the hands of these foreign creatures."
Wayne's brow furrowed at her words. Though Sabrina's tone was polite, her remarks carried a subtle warning, which he found grating. But with them deep in Kaedwen, surrounded by what were likely noble knights, he knew better than to act on his irritation.
If circumstances were different, he would gladly teach her a lesson. After all, Sabrina had no idea that Wayne had once come close to ending Henselt's life himself—had she known, she likely wouldn't have dared to stand before him.
Just as Sabrina finished speaking, the door behind Wayne opened, and Keira's voice floated out.
"Thank you for your concern, Sabrina. These Witchers are my allies," Keira said smoothly.
"Your king lies bedridden in a coma, yet you have the time to compete for this bounty?" Keira's tone was laced with sarcasm as she eyed Sabrina. "Don't the other ministers have opinions on this?"
Wayne turned around at the sound, raising his eyebrows in surprise as he noticed the new arrivals at the door. Margarita had arrived, but alongside her was Yennefer, draped elegantly in a black dress with her usual knowing smirk.
The sorceress from Vengerberg, catching Sabrina's irritation, spoke with a sly smile. "Keira, haven't you realized? Sabrina is here because Henselt is a sinking ship, and she's eager to find a new path."
Yennefer's tone shifted to a mockingly concerned expression as she added, "Sabrina, I heard you were planning to support Henselt's cousin, the Marquis of Iracet. He shares similar views, so you two should get along well."
As longtime rivals, Yennefer and Sabrina maintained a thinly veiled animosity, always trading barbs beneath a surface of politeness whenever they crossed paths.
Facing the three sorceresses alone and realizing she was outnumbered, Sabrina forced a smile. She gestured to the knights behind her and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Yennefer, Keira. I can manage my affairs."
She continued, "Welcome to Kaedwen, but unfortunately, I won't be able to play the gracious host this time. Let's catch up after this bounty is over."
With that, Sabrina and her knights exited, leaving Wayne to greet Yennefer. He asked with a grin, "Yennifer, why are you here alone? Where's Geralt? Didn't he come with you?"
Yennefer returned his smile, albeit with a hint of exasperation. "That man still can't get used to portals, so he decided to travel by horseback. He'll probably arrive in a day or two." She added, "I'm here because Kovir's royal advisor, Síle de Tansarville, invited me to study these otherworldly monsters. We won't be participating in the bounty."
"Geralt set out early—about half a month ago. He wanted to stop by Kaer Morhen to prepare for winter and pick up a few contracts along the way."
Wayne nodded. "Looks like Kaedwen's quite the gathering spot. Didn't expect to run into so many familiar faces here."
...
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