Chapter 27: The Shadow of the Curse
"It's a boy! Everything went smoothly!" Triss gently stroked the baby, using a sharp flash of light to sever the umbilical cord, then wrapped the infant in her shawl as a makeshift swaddle.
"How is the mother?" Arthur asked, hovering by the well, feeling strangely like an anxious father waiting outside a delivery room. He found it amusing, given that in both his lives, he was technically a mage.
"She was in the cold water for too long and is suffering from exhaustion. But don't worry, her body is very strong. A period of rest should be sufficient." Triss spoke a few more sentences about magical affinity and talent, but Arthur was no longer listening. The exhaustion from draining his magical power twice in a short period was eroding his will like a tide. The moment he relaxed, he plunged into a sweet, dark sleep.
[You feel well-rested. Skill Proficiency Increase Speed is slightly enhanced.]
When he woke up again, the familiar text appeared on the wooden ceiling. The room was small but clean, suggesting a tavern or inn.
Just as he was about to step out, the door creaked open. Adda, holding the handle, called out to Triss as if demanding credit: "See? I told you he was awake."
"How are they?"
"Not good."
Arthur shot up to his feet: "What do you mean? I thought you said everything went smoothly."
Triss sighed: "Yes, Claire and the baby are healthy, but that's the extent of it she and her child have nowhere to go now."
"How can that be? What about her relatives in the village?"
Triss's voice was complex: "The villagers call her a jinx. If I hadn't brought her, she wouldn't even have been allowed into White Orchard Village."
"Besides, she watched her husband get hacked to death yesterday. She doesn't want to stay in this place any longer."
"That's understandable." Arthur nodded. Having their home destroyed and family killed overnight, no one would want to remain in such a heartbreaking place.
But if she didn't stay, where could an orphaned mother and son go?
"My Lord, please let me follow you! I can sew clothes, cook, and I don't eat much!" Claire suddenly appeared. The woman who had just given birth was still very weak and had to hold onto the doorframe to stand, but her tone was resolute.
"Ayah, Triss said you couldn't get out of bed! Go back!" Adda cried out, trying to send Claire back to the room, but she desperately clung to the doorframe, silent tears falling to the floor.
"Please, don't distress yourself like this!" Fearing her emotional state might harm her, Arthur quickly put his hand on her shoulder and helped her into the room: "Given our ages, I should have called Walker 'Older Brother,' which makes you 'Older Sister-in-law.' A brother cannot stand by when his sister-in-law is in trouble."
"It's just that we are heading south, and I'm honestly afraid something might happen to you and the child on the road."
"If you trust me, go to Vizima. I have a sum of money that should be enough for you to live there until the child comes of age…"
Triss offered an opportune assist: "I can also write a letter of introduction. Take it to the Town Hall, and Velerad will arrange a job for you. The pay won't be high, but you'll only have to work half a day and you can bring your child with you."
…Under the dual assurance of the Knight of the Throne and the Royal Advisor, Claire's frayed nerves finally began to relax, and she accepted the suggestion of going to Vizima after she recovered, of course.
Before then, Arthur had one more thing to ask: "How is Lena? I remember she should have been in Hoffer Village too."
"The day after you left, Mikul dragged Lena away. Peter tried to stop him, but Mikul punched him." Speaking of Lena, Claire seemed to realize something and started adding more details before Arthur could ask: "Your medicine was very effective. She was practically dying, but by the next morning, she had regained her senses, and her ability to speak was starting to return."
"Everyone was so happy, but in the afternoon, Mikul forcibly took her away." At this point, she started crying again: "Lena said she never saw a griffin at all; she was hit by Florian. Walker was so angry his face went red. He said he was going to Vizima to file a complaint after your business was settled, but I never thought… Wuu!"
She looked at Arthur, finally voicing the question she had been desperately suppressing: "Walker… where is he?"
"At the cemetery," Arthur replied dully.
Florian had been utterly ruthless. The fire had reduced all the bodies to charcoal. All they could do was bury everyone together and erect a common grave marker.
Claire's expression froze. She bit her lip and began to wail again.
Arthur had no experience comforting women. He simply patted her shoulder and said: "Don't be too sad. I've already killed the entire Lord's family."
The words were completely useless. Claire cried even harder. Adda, squatting nearby, added to the chaos: "Exactly! If you meet any bad people in Vizima, I'll kill their whole family too!"
"Your Highness!" Triss couldn't help but scold her, turning to glare at Arthur. She slapped the table with fury:
"Get out!"
Arthur bowed his head awkwardly. As soon as he reached the main hall, he saw a familiar face: Roche.
"Are you here to arrest me?" The man who had just been banished from the room for 'corrupting the Princess' began to needle him.
Based on Kolgrim's analysis, the title of Knight of the Throne, though ceremonial, was conferred by the King himself, making Arthur one of the 'King's own people.' The Vyrillis family, on the other hand, was a powerful, landed nobility near Vizima. Their influence and wealth had accumulated for a hundred years, making them a serious headache for the King.
Roche would have to be an utter fool to pick a fight with Arthur.
"I need to speak with Madame Triss. We have made a new discovery at Amavet Fortress." Roche's expression remained grim. The man's face always gave the impression of cast iron.
"The Vyrillis family was plotting rebellion. Fortunately, you stopped them prematurely. It won't be long before the Council proposes the revocation of the White Orchard Fief."
Arthur's eyebrow twitched. What is going on? Are they really going with Adda's suggestion? But Roche seemed to have real evidence:
"We found a secret room in the Vyrillis home. The contents… are very similar to those of the Milhouse family."
"Milhouse is the minister who died mysteriously on the day you lifted the curse."
Triss emerged from the room, smiling like someone who was just about to start vacation but was told she had to work overtime: "Didn't the court mages already assist you? Why come to me again? I have other duties now."
Roche glanced around. Triss reluctantly expanded the sound barrier again.
"The King suspects this curse was not aimed at the Princess but was intended to cause unrest in the capital."
"The court mages have complex sources of interest, far from being as detached as you are. They can only provide peripheral assistance. Furthermore…" Roche paused, speaking sincerely:
"Their magical skill is simply not on par with yours."
Triss smiled like a blooming camellia: "I never thought the Blue Stripes would learn to offer compliments."
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