Chapter 14: The Mayor and the Sorceress
"The method for lifting the curse mentioned in this commission is the exact one Geralt validated ten years ago. It's just that we paid him 3,000 Orens then, and now…"
The Mayor's voice was serious: "The clouds of war in the South are drawing closer, and the allocation of state funds is becoming increasingly strict. In this environment, even the King finds it difficult to spend too much money on a personal matter."
"So that's the way it is…" Arthur sighed, speaking with a tone that suggested he had grasped the truth: "If I refuse, Ignatius will have the authority to arrest people on your territory, right?"
A flash of anger crossed the Mayor's eyes, and his voice rose significantly:
"That is an unfair thing to say! The one persecuting you is Ignatius, not me! I arranged for you to bathe and provided you with new clothes! These are acts of goodwill and deserve respect! If you complete the commission, the Orens will be paid in full. Your mentor's case will gain Royal attention, and I will be rid of this damn nuisance! Everyone stands to benefit! If you are unwilling, you can leave now as long as you do not violate the laws of Vizima, I guarantee your safety on my personal honor!"
This… did I misjudge a good man?
Arthur was so embarrassed he wanted to crawl into a hole: "I was clearly paranoid. Thank you for your goodwill. May I ask a few more questions about the curse?"
The Mayor hummed in satisfaction, put on a pair of crystal-ground spectacles, and pulled a yellowed file from the cabinet behind him that stretched to the ceiling. He spread it open before Arthur:
"This contains the full records of the first curse. Take a look."
The file was not too thick, but the narrators varied wildly, containing many contradictory points. It took Arthur considerable effort to piece together a relatively clear narrative:
When the Princess was born, a noble, seeking revenge on the King, cast a curse that resulted in the deaths of both the Princess and the Queen. Afterward, the Princess awoke in the crypt as a man-eating monster.
Seven years later, a Witcher named Geralt killed three thugs in a tavern in Vizima, then followed the guards to the Mayor, claiming he had come to lift the curse. He successfully completed the task, and the Princess was restored to her human form. However, the un-cursing was not complete. The Princess was forever accompanied by white hair and an amulet for the rest of her life.
"The most crucial information is missing from the file what did the monster the Princess turned into actually look like?" Arthur set the parchment down and looked at the Mayor: "You're asking me to spend a night in a crypt with a man-eating creature, yet you can only tell me it's two meters tall and incredibly strong?"
The Mayor rubbed his temples: "Other than Geralt and one fellow who vanished without a trace, everyone who saw the Princess's monster form is dead. But don't be so disheartened. You can pick out some suitable gear from the Town Hall armory, and we can also try to obtain information through other channels."
The Mayor took a set of well-fitted tights from a hanger by the door, checked himself in the mirror for a long time, and finally seemed satisfied. Just as he was about to leave, he frowned at Arthur:
"We are going to visit a lady of high status. You don't look presentable in those clothes."
He rang a small bell twice and instructed the quickly scurrying servant: "Go fetch this gentleman's sword, and a set of fitting half-plate armor. Old will do, but it must be clean."
Ten minutes later, Arthur looked at his reflection in the mirror and regarded the Mayor with suspicion: "Is the lady we are visiting very short-tempered? I look like your bodyguard."
He was now wearing a leather breastplate and studded gauntlets. With an iron horned helmet, he would be a spitting image of a Dovahkiin.
The Mayor, however, looked very pleased:
"Trust me, you're much more likely to get help looking like this."
Arthur wanted to ask more questions, but the Mayor was already at the door, so he hurried to follow.
Their timing was poor; it was the busiest part of the morning. Since the Mayor refused to ride in a carriage, the two accompanying guards had to struggle to clear a path through the crowds. By the time they finally arrived, the two guards were nearly exhausted.
The Mayor did not immediately knock on the door but carefully straightened his appearance before offering a piece of candy to the child sitting by the door:
"Please tell Madam Triss that Mayor Velerad has an urgent matter and wishes to call upon her."
The doorman happily tore open the exquisite wrapper. Just as he was about to turn, the brass beast-head door knocker spoke in a soft, pleasant voice: "Do come in, Mayor Velerad. I have just finished up with my current matter."
The two guards tried to follow, but a stern look from the Mayor stopped them. They reluctantly stood outside the door.
Interesting. A Witcher, who can only use crude Signs, is called a freak, yet a sorceress who can turn a magical voice transmitter into a door ornament is held in high esteem.
The doorman led them to the second floor and left. Arthur noticed that the entire mansion was crammed with books and various instruments of indeterminate purpose.
As he was looking around curiously, the Mayor gently tugged at him: "Don't stare everywhere…"
"It's fine. They're just research devices." A languid female voice interrupted the Mayor's scolding. Immediately, the door in front of them opened automatically.
Arthur completely missed the Mayor's ensuing pleasantries, as his attention was entirely elsewhere.
She was beautiful, but the word beautiful was insufficient to describe the woman. Her thick red hair was like a raging fire, but her eyes held the deep, profound blue of the ocean. A small mole below her full lips transformed the aura of her face from slightly innocent to passionately charming.
"Hiss…"
The sharp pain from his toe helped Arthur find his way out of the maze of snow peaks and valleys. He quickly lowered his gaze, somewhat surprised. What was wrong with him? As a dimension-traveler, he had seen many beautiful women. Why had he lost his composure in front of this woman?
Velerad subtly moved his foot away and smiled apologetically at the sorceress:
"Ah, I was hoping he might be able to lift the curse on the Princess, but I didn't expect him to be such an unstable young fool."
The sorceress let out a soft laugh:
"You can't blame him. I dabbed a bit of my Charm Salve on my hair when I was getting ready this morning. Haha, it's one of the few elixirs I can still use."
She walked past the Mayor and came to stand in front of Arthur, asking curiously: "Where are you from? I don't see your medallion."
She was too close. Arthur inhaled the faint fragrance from the sorceress and suddenly felt an urge to drink something.
"I haven't completed the Witcher Trial yet, so I don't have a medallion."
"What?!"
The pleasant amusement in her voice vanished. Arthur looked up. The sorceress's beautiful eyebrows were now knitted together, and she was angrily confronting the Mayor: "Velerad, what in the hell are you doing? You're sending a child to do something so dangerous! He'll be killed!"
The poor Mayor, wiping sweat from his brow, struggled to explain:
"It's not what you think, Madam Triss. I didn't force or trick the boy! I even released him from a potential jail cell! I truly want to help him!"
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