Some say, "Since ancient times, has there ever been a field plowed to ruin? There are only oxen worked to death!"
But exceptions are exceptions, and every rule has one. Two factors created this exception. First, Victor's physique was no ordinary ox, he was an excavator! Second, Corion's technique was not simple digging, he was a master digger!
Having lived three lives, those eyes had witnessed battle scenes involving millions of people, from one-on-one duels to hundred-man brawls, from bloodstained bouts and rocking carriages to fights before husbands and midair grappling. He was skilled in them all. Infantry, cavalry, naval warfare, land warfare, he understood them all.
His reputation was, "If a frame struck a false note, Maestro Corion would notice!"
Besides, even after arriving in another world and losing the chance to observe and study, he still understood how to learn from the people! Think about his journey from Vizima onward, Novigrad, Kaer Trolde, Beauclair. He was just like Ash from Pallet Town, whenever he reached a new place, he would visit the local gym experts and polish his Pokémon through sparring.
And so, after ten years of honing his spear, knowledge and action became one. Whenever he met an enemy, he fought. Whenever he fought, he won. The sun rose in the east, and he alone remained undefeated.
In short, several dozen days passed just like that.
...
After ten days of discussion and analysis, the witcher and the sorceress, working together, could confirm that the focus of Professor Moreau's research was that upright coffin, the evolution chamber shaped like an Iron Maiden torture device.
By using giant centipede egg albumen to cultivate specific mutation-inducing substances, then supplementing the process with the evolution chamber, one could achieve specific enhancement effects.
Unlike the game, where only one mutation effect could be chosen, every type of enhancement in the real world could be stacked. However, when adding a different enhancement, the mutation-inducing substance could produce a violent allergic reaction and cause the body to collapse.
For example, if one first chose a griffin mutation inducer that improved "magical sensitivity," then during a future mutation, it would very likely conflict with a werewolf mutation inducer for "muscle strengthening" or a nekker mutation inducer for "toxic blood."
The more layers were stacked, the easier the structure was to collapse, and the more fine-tuning and correction it required. But carrying out the first enhancement was comparatively not that difficult.
So over the past few days, they had also taken time to delve deep into the mutated centipede nest and gather mutated centipede eggs, making it convenient to carry out the first mutation experiment today.
With the sorceress overseeing things, plus the witcher's Yrden Sign, if not for the sake of sustainable management, they could have exterminated every mutated centipede there.
...
That morning, while Victor was still asleep, Keira spoke with Triss Merigold through the megascope.
Triss complained, "Keira Metz! You left one line saying you had business, then disappeared for more than ten days. You didn't tell me what you were doing, and you didn't even say where you went. Surely you can at least let me see who you're with, right? Look at how radiant you are. Seems you've been eating very well!"
It was morning, and both sides of the conversation were wearing thin nightgowns. Neither had any dullness in her complexion. Their faces were bright with youth and full of collagen.
Keira smiled brilliantly. "Ahem, sorry, but that is still a secret. I cannot tell you who is with me. In short, I am conducting an invaluable research project, one tied to a century-long plan for magic. When the time is right, I'll tell you."
Faced with her colleague's deliberate mystery, Triss rolled her eyes. "Fine! Actually, I didn't want to disturb you either, but no matter where your century-long plan has reached, you'll have to pause it for a while.
"You must appear before tomorrow's morning meeting. King Foltest requires his advisors to attend his daughter's wedding. I estimate we'll have to accompany him for at least ten days."
"Tsk, tsk! That bitch Adda and that mad dog Radovid... what a nuisance!"
"I think you're biased against Radovid. He looks rational and wise. Being able to seize back administrative authority from Philippa means he is definitely no simple figure."
"Mad dog isn't what I called him. It was, never mind. I can't tell you."
"Heh, looks like that was the judgment of the man in your bed. You trust him that much?" Triss teased.
Keira asked in return, "Would you doubt Geralt's view?"
"...Fair point. You've convinced me. Congratulations on finding a decent fellow. I'm happy for you. It makes me look less unusual."
As soon as she finished speaking, there was movement on Triss's side, and Keira also heard the sound of Victor turning over.
The red-haired sorceress looked refreshed. "Geralt's awake. I'm going to keep him company first. We'll discuss the rest after you come back."
The megascope call ended.
Keira turned and looked at Victor, who was still asleep, thoughtful.
...
"Aard!" The Sign's shock wave struck precisely and snapped a wooden staff as thick as the web between thumb and forefinger.
In the newly set-up testing area in the corner of the laboratory, Keira rested her chin on her hand and watched the witcher carry out one test after another, recording the current strength shown by his Signs.
"Although their power still can't match Geralt's, Victor's Signs are already quite good," she thought. "But that isn't normal at all. The White Wolf has a century of accumulated skill and affinity. What right does a newcomer who only underwent mutation a few months ago have to master them so easily?"
The sorceress asked, "Do you know how to train the power of Signs? As far as I know, you underwent the Trial of the Grasses by yourself and never went through novice training."
"I know. Find Places of Power and meditate there to improve magical affinity. Aard!" The wrist-thick wooden stake was also snapped. The witcher sat down to recover to peak condition.
For some reason, looking at his back made her want to smile.
"Before, why were you unwilling to accept King Foltest's employment? He still appreciated you quite a lot. Wouldn't fine clothes, good food, baths, and soft beds in Vizima have been nice? Why insist on choosing the life of a wandering witcher, staying in taverns full of rats and fleas, fighting monsters in bloody battles, and still being despised by people?"
"Because that's exactly the life I, Victor Corion, enjoy. Free and unrestrained, exciting and interesting! Real intriguin'! Real thrillin'!"
Hearing Victor's answer, although Keira did not understand the Bell Town slang he spoke at the end, after more than ten days of close exchange, she knew it definitely was not important.
The important part was that she had sensed the pure and wild side beneath the boy's precociously steady exterior. He wanted a simple life, casually using a sword to chop down monsters... or people!
"Since you still want to run all over the place, why build Corion Manor? Will you return to Vizima in the future?"
"If nothing special happens, probably not. There are too many troublesome things over there, and I'm even more afraid of seeing Foltest. I refused his recruitment twice before and after. I'm afraid he might lose his temper the third time!" Victor turned his head and made a face at Keira, then walked toward the third wooden stake, one as thick as a bowl. "As for Corion Manor, that's my title and retirement land. I'll secretly tell you something only you and I know. I have a retirement account at Cianfanelli Bank, and there are fifteen hundred florens inside, which is forty-five hundred crowns! Trust me, buying florens right now will definitely preserve value."
The sorceress grabbed an apple beside her and threw it at him. "Whether it preserves value or not aside, retirement...? You brat, you aren't even twenty!"
Catching the apple that flew at him, the witcher took a bite. "What brat? That wasn't what you called me last night!"
Danger!
Victor, who had said too much and lost, was struck by Keira's lightning sphere and lay numb on the floor for several minutes.
...
After ending the Sign-testing stage and fully recording the current strength, Victor stripped clean and walked into the evolution chamber whose outer form resembled an Iron Maiden.
The space inside was fairly spacious. Even with Victor's tall six-foot build, standing inside did not feel cramped. The interior was made of corrosion-resistant black steel, connected to several pipes as thick as a man's wrist.
Standing in front of the chamber door, Keira held her notes. "Vic, final confirmation. Your first enhancement choice is 'magical sensitivity'?"
"Mm. I feel this enhancement direction has the most potential, and an increase in Sign power is more intuitive. We can analyze the differences with data."
Keira nodded and put away her notes, then took two steps forward and kissed Victor. After that, she took two steps back and closed the iron chamber door with a smile.
The experiment began. Very soon, evolution solution surged out of the wrist-thick pipes like poured cement, soaking the witcher below the neck in the magical mixture of centipede albumen and griffin mutation inducer.
Outside, Keira focused completely on operating the instruments. Inside, Victor did not feel uncomfortable either. So far, everything was under control.
Next, the evolution chamber began to heat up, increasing the activity of the evolution solution. As the temperature indicator continued to climb, the witcher began to feel changes in his body. It was prickling, numbing, itching, and aching. In any case, it definitely did not feel good.
Looking at the evolution chamber from outside, steam began spraying from the vents, which meant the solution inside had started boiling. After fixing the temperature control valve, Keira walked over to the side and activated the centrifuge to prepare the second-stage solution.
Amid the humming sound of centrifugal rotation, the sorceress folded her arms and stared at the upright coffin-like evolution chamber, thinking her own thoughts.
...
Several hours later, the experiment ended. After cooling the evolution chamber with the rapid-freezing apparatus, Keira gripped the handles with both hands.
She opened the chamber door, and with a bang, a plume of residual steam burst out. The witcher fell from inside and immediately pressed down onto the sorceress, nearly knocking her over. Fortunately, Mage's Grip took away most of the weight.
Leaning against Keira, Victor panted.
"Are you all right? How do you feel now? Do you feel like you've broken out of a cocoon and become a butterfly, or shed your old body and been reborn?" Holding him with a smile at the corner of her mouth, the sorceress immediately confirmed the experimental results.
Holding her and slowly evening out his breathing, the witcher's breath blew directly into her ear. "Unfortunately, not like what you said, but I can indeed sense magic more clearly. You know, you smell really good!"
"Be serious! We are conducting an experimental review right now!"
"You smell really good while conducting an experimental review!"
"Thank you for the compliment, asshole! Since you have the leisure to joke, it means you've recovered fairly well. Now go test your Signs on the target. Hurry up and finish, because we still have something else to test!"
Victor chuckled and let go of Keira, then walked toward the fixed target in the corner of the laboratory. "There's something else to test? Why didn't I know? Is it a new item you just thought of?"
"Mm, exactly! A new item you reminded me of. I need to precisely test whether your usefulness has declined!"
"Are you seeking your own death?"
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
...
The next morning, the witcher woke refreshed. Last night's battle had still ended in complete victory.
Then Victor frowned and discovered that something was very wrong! His enhanced sight did not see Keira, and his enhanced hearing did not hear her voice, not even the faintest sound. This was not normal!
He hurriedly got out of bed and walked out of the tent. He was shocked to discover that Professor Moreau's entire laboratory had already been emptied, emptied in the truest sense.
From the books on the shelves and the alchemical instruments to the mutation apparatus, everything had been taken away. In the empty hall, only Keira's luxurious tent remained.
His mind went blank for several seconds. He blinked, then burst out laughing!
Holy shit! That beautiful bad woman, that adorable bastard, had actually absconded with the loot without saying a word, and she had been thorough enough not to leave even a needle or thread for me!?
Anger was meaningless. His laughter slowly turned into a wry smile. Victor shook his head and returned to the tent, picking up the bookmark on the tea table, the one he had noticed before going out just now. It carried the scent of rosemary, Keira's scent.
"My dear friend Victor:
"When you see this letter, I will already have returned to Vizima. I hope you won't drink too much during the Wine Festival in a dozen days or so.
"Drinking too much at your age might affect your physical development. Of course, the same applies to overindulgence, so you must practice prudent restraint.
"I have some information here that you may be interested in. Not long ago, I happened to visit Toussaint and discovered the research of a certain Professor Moreau in an underwater laboratory in the Valley of the Nine. It can help witchers undergo secondary, or even tertiary and further, beneficial mutations.
"I studied there for more than ten days and worked out quite a few tricks. I originally wanted to continue, but because of Princess Adda's wedding ceremony, I had no choice but to interrupt the research and return to Temeria ahead of schedule with the results.
"For the next stretch of time, I will focus on ways to carry out three enhancements on the foundation of 'magical sensitivity.' This subject is quite difficult, and I estimate that it will be very hard for me to make a breakthrough on my own. I have enclosed the key to my home with this letter. If you also want to participate in the research, come find me in Vizima!
"If the women, wine, and other delicacies of Beauclair have made you weary, this matter ought to be enough to draw your steps and make your next stop a return to Vizima.
"Take care of your body, and stay safe.
"Your dear friend, Keira."
...
Victor brought the letter close to his nose. The rosemary scent had not yet faded. He placed it into his herbal satchel.
If he had still been a little angry a moment ago, now, after reading the letter, only amusement remained. This adorable bad woman... she actually did not know that I, Victor, never accept threats? Sooner or later, I'll have to teach her a very deep lesson!
After tidying up Keira's luxurious tent and storing it in the herbal satchel as well, he looked around the laboratory where they had lived for ten days. It was empty, and he suddenly felt that his heart was a little empty too.
That little blonde was surely in the Temerian court right now, lifting her chin and flaunting her authority, happily serving as a royal advisor.
The fact that she had been willing to put aside pleasure and run out to this wilderness to spend more than ten days with him proved many things. For example, the fact that she liked him.
He gathered his feelings.
After diving out from the bottom of the Sansretour River, he returned to the bank, dried himself, put on his armor, and headed toward the farmhouse where his horse was being kept.
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