Chapter 311: "How Did You Insult Her? Just Repeated What She Had Done? Is That All?"
"Once things are wrapped up here, I won't be staying long. I like the Skellige Isles a lot, but I don't want to cause any trouble for the people here."
Gerd's words made Lynn curious. "Trouble? What kind of trouble could you get into?"
Although he hadn't known Gerd for long, the witcher was a straightforward, easy-going man. At the same time, he was remarkably thoughtful and respected boundaries, never overstepping his welcome. Lynn couldn't imagine a man like this making enemies.
Gerd set down the bone he'd stripped clean of meat, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "It's all in the past… a long story."
Lynn smiled. "But we have all the time in the world, don't you think?"
"True, that's true… All right, but before I tell my story, I have to ask you something: Do you know about the Duchy of the Arcane Coast?"
"Yeah. I remember it's near the Praxeda Estuary, bordered by Targor, Marlyur, Kreiydan, and Kangorn to the north, and Redania to the south. It's ruled by a duchess, and it even mints its own coins." Lynn gave Gerd a second look. "Don't tell me you were forced into that civil war a year ago?"
Lynn didn't know much about the Duchy of the Arcane Coast. It was one of the first human-established countries, and like Kovir, it was initially a part of Redania. But later, vast mineral deposits were discovered in Kovir, turning the once-cold, impoverished nation into a wealthy one. The count who ruled Kovir declared independence from Redania. Redania, of course, couldn't accept this and joined forces with Kaedwen to invade Kovir.
To everyone's surprise, Kovir was victorious. This led to the signing of the First Treaty of Lan Exetar, officially recognizing Kovir and Poviss as independent nations. The Arcane Coast followed suit, also breaking away from Redania and being absorbed into Kovir and Poviss.
This went on for many years until the "Poviss Secession" broke out. Manipulated by outside forces, Kreiydan, Marlyur, Befield, Kangorn, and the Arcane Coast all seceded from Kovir. Since then, the Arcane Coast had existed as a duchy.
But a year ago, something big happened in the Duchy of the Arcane Coast: a civil war. Lynn didn't know the exact details, only that the ruler's daughter overthrew her father and became the duchess.
Lynn had only said this offhand, but when he saw the look on Gerd's face, he knew his guess was right.
"You…"
Gerd took a big swig of his ale. "Before the civil war, I did a job for the old duke… Don't get the wrong idea, it wasn't one of those jobs. I just cleared out some monsters in the city's sewers."
"When the contract was done, I stayed in the city for a few more days. When I was about to leave, a group of people showed up. They took me to see a woman. She was the old duke's daughter and the current Duchess of the Arcane Coast."
"Her name is Helena Lange-Haar. She wanted me to stand with her and help assassinate the old duke. We of the School of the Bear are emotionally detached, but that doesn't mean we'll do anything. We're not assassins, so I refused her and gave her a good tongue-lashing."
Lynn was curious. "How did you cuss her out?"
Gerd thought for a moment. "I just ran down all the awful things she'd done, right to her face."
"I'm guessing she didn't appreciate your harsh truths."
"She certainly didn't. That very night, two assassins came to the tavern I was staying at. They bribed the tavern owner and put poison in my food and drink. They didn't know a witcher's senses are sharp. I could smell the poison without even tasting it."
Vindictive. That fit Lynn's stereotype of the nobility.
"And then?"
Gerd continued his story. "I killed the two assassins, but I let the tavern owner go. Not just because he had a wife and kids to feed, but because I could understand. How could a common man like him refuse a noble's demands? He had no choice, so I didn't blame him."
"Then, before daybreak, I fled the city. I traveled south until I crossed the Buina River and set foot on Redanian soil. Only then did I finally relax. After that, I made my way to the Skellige Isles."
...
Having eaten and drunk their fill, Lynn and Gerd left Kaer Trolde Harbor and set out on their journey again. But before heading to Aethenir Castle, Gerd suggested they first stop at the country tavern where he had first arrived on Ard Skellig.
"The owner of that tavern was nothing like a Skellige man. I even suspect he might secretly be a dwarf under a magical disguise. I've never met an islander who could play Gwent that well."
"I didn't find any evidence that he was cheating, but I'm still convinced he was."
Lynn let out a noncommittal snort. "Or maybe you're just bad at cards?"
Gerd laughed heartily, not at all offended. "Anyway, no matter what, I owe him a hundred ducats. Unfortunately, I was short on coin at the time, so I had to leave the blueprint for our School's steel sword as collateral. It was the only thing of value I had with me."
Lynn pressed his fingers to his temples. "Thank goodness you School of the Bear folk are emotionally detached. Even if Arnaghad, the founder, knew, he wouldn't do anything to you. But if Vesemir ever found out a young wolf-cub used a School of the Wolf weapon blueprint as a gambling debt…"
"He'd break so many belts, you wouldn't even know it."
Gerd felt a bit guilty, but he kept up his tough talk. "Hey, hey, why are you making it sound like I committed some terrible crime? Besides, I only pawned the blueprint. I didn't sell it. I was going to get it back as soon as I got my reward money, right?"
Lynn sighed. "Fine. Just don't gamble anymore. You know, a generous and open-handed noble like the clan elder here is as rare as a dodo on the Continent. Don't lose all the money you worked so hard to earn."
He didn't know how much of that advice would actually stick. He had heard that witchers lived for the day, but seeing it firsthand still left him shaking his head. Maybe it was his own self-control, but he couldn't understand Gerd's habit of spending all his money. If witchers were rich enough not to have to save, that would be one thing. But most of them couldn't afford to repair their armor or buy materials for potions and bombs… yet they spent their limited coin on bottomless mugs of ale.
Of course, Lynn wasn't trying to scold Gerd. After all, even the Wolf School, with its focus on discipline, couldn't teach its members to be frugal. Even the old man Vesemir himself lived a "drink today, worry tomorrow" lifestyle for decades when he was younger.
As they chatted, they slowly drew closer to the country tavern Gerd had spoken of. But when the tavern's charred ruins came into view, the smile on Gerd's face froze.
(End of Chapter)
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