Chapter 382: The Strong Belong Only to the Beautiful
Now that the reward and the next course of action were settled, Lynn offered Foltest a few final pieces of advice before leaving.
First, until they returned, Foltest should find a secluded castle far from the sea, rivers, or lakes. He really shouldn't stay in Maribor. If the Prince of the region was a thrall of the Elder God, who else could be trusted?
Going through every noble and wealthy merchant in Maribor wouldn't be too bad, but the real concern was the common populace. Maribor was the seat of the Principality; while its population wasn't as vast as Vizima's, it was still a major city. To screen everyone would take ages. What if Dagon made another move in the meantime? They would be forever following the Elder God's lead. Most importantly, eliminating these thralls didn't truly affect the entity; no matter how many Lynn killed, as long as sentient races lived on the continent, It would eventually find new followers. Therefore, instead of reacting to Its moves, it was better to strike directly at Lake Vizima.
Furthermore, Lynn advised Foltest to evacuate the villagers living around Lake Vizima, lest they fall under the Elder God's control.
In front of Foltest, Triss had remained silent. Only after they left the manor did she ask curiously, "Lynn, why didn't you take the land for yourself and ask for it to be given to me instead?"
Lynn told Triss his true thoughts. Triss immediately understood.
Indeed, a sorceress becoming a countess or baroness was far less outrageous than a witcher becoming a lord. After all, Temeria had historical precedent for a sorcerer serving as a regent—the legendary sorcerer who shared his name with the Pure White Raffard's decoction. Had he wished, he could have taken the throne and turned this Northern Kingdom into a state ruled by mages.
He had ultimately chosen not to. Furthermore, to the north of Temeria, the Aretuza-trained sorceress Philippa Eilhart already wielded considerable power in Redania. Thus, merely gaining the authority equivalent to a barony would only cause a minor stir.
However, Triss still expressed concern. Given Velen's dreadful reputation, she was afraid she might do an even worse job than Baron Vissarad.
"Don't worry, Triss. I have a plan. And if you find it too much trouble, I can find people to manage it for you."
Next, the two went to see Keira Metz and informed her of what had happened. Of course, Lynn concealed the fact that he had received the Lady of the Lake's blessing and the ability to see through the Elder God's minions.
Even so, Keira was very surprised that Lynn had managed to expose Yourcast, the Elder God's thrall, and defeat him. The look in Keira's eyes as she looked at Lynn now was intensely charged.
This gaze made Triss feel slightly uncomfortable, and she quickly pulled Lynn away, positioning herself between him and Keira.
Considering that Foltest couldn't be left without protection, Triss decided to ask Keira to stay by the King's side, just in case. After Keira agreed, Triss, as if fleeing something, hurriedly pulled Lynn away.
Watching them leave, Keira said faintly, "The strong belong only to the beautiful, Triss. Do you think you've won already?"
Stepping out from Keira's quarters and into the open, Triss asked, "Since you confidently promised Foltest, have you thought of a way to defeat the Elder God Dagon?"
Lynn replied, "Yes, but I need your help."
"Tell me, how can I help you?"
"First, open a portal and send me outside of Vizima; then, I want you to go ask Marguerite for help."
The first part was no problem, but the second... Triss looked hesitant.
"But..."
Lynn explained, "Marguerite wouldn't let the King enter Aretuza for refuge because she was afraid he would draw Dagon's gaze there."
"But we aren't asking the King to take refuge. We are asking Marguerite to lend us a hand. I don't think she'll refuse."
"Don't forget, Thanedd Island, where Aretuza is located, is also surrounded by the ocean."
Triss thought it over and realized he was right. Eliminating Dagon would only benefit Aretuza. Furthermore, Marguerite's magical proficiency surpassed her own. With her assistance, their chances of success would be much higher.
She nodded. "I will do my best to convince her."
Lynn couldn't help but be amused by the red-haired beauty's serious expression. "Don't be so tense. Even if you fail, it doesn't matter. I have a backup plan."
Lynn's backup plan was Tissaia. He hadn't forgotten that Tissaia was Marguerite's former teacher. If all else failed, Tissaia's influence would certainly be enough to persuade Marguerite to help.
After parting ways with Triss and stepping out of the portal, Lynn quickly oriented himself and saw the walls of Vizima in the distance. The sun was setting on the horizon, and the world would soon be shrouded in darkness. However, for a witcher, there was little difference between day and night. With a Cat Potion providing enhanced dark vision, his sight wouldn't be affected even in pitch blackness.
Just as he had done the last time he met the Lady of the Lake, Lynn moved away from the city and found a shallow part of Lake Vizima. He waded a few steps into the water; the lake covered his ankles. That was how he had summoned her when he returned the Holy Grail.
This time, however...
Splash.
The sound of something rising from the water rang out. Moonlight fell upon a large group of half-fish, half-human creatures. They were soaking wet and gripped fishing spears.
These were the Fallen Mermen—the corrupted form of the strange non-humans who lived on Lake Vizima. They were also the final form of those who viewed Dagon as their savior.
Lynn didn't know why they had appeared, but facing the ambush, he instinctively thrust his left hand forward.
"Igni."
Crimson flames illuminated the night. Vast sheets of fire erupted like molten lava, engulfing the dozen or so Fallen Mermen in front of him. Lynn's Sign prowess was far beyond his novice days.
Every Fallen Merman touched by the Igni flames instantly burst into fire as if soaked in oil. They didn't even have time to plunge back into the lake to extinguish the flames before the terrifying heat burned them alive.
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