Chapter 137: When Dealing with Heretics
"Please sit, esteemed masters. The conditions here are limited, so please forgive any shortcomings in the hospitality."
"You are too kind, Sir Knight," Lynn and Geralt each found a chair and sat down. After exchanging a glance, Lynn took the initiative to ask, "But if you don't mind, I'd like to ask about the Duchess. Why do you suspect a curse is at play?"
Massimo's expression immediately turned grave.
"At the beginning of last year, the Duchess, who had been in good health, was the target of an assassination attempt within the palace."
"When we arrived, we found no trace of the assassin, only the Duchess and her handmaidens lying in pools of blood."
"Although the Duchess survived that vile attack, she remains unconscious to this day."
"The most renowned physicians in Toussaint cannot determine what afflicts the Duchess."
"Later, we even invited several eminent physicians from the Nilfgaardian Empire, but the result was the same."
"Therefore, some of the ranger-knights who serve the Duchess believe that if even the doctors cannot diagnose her illness, is it possible that the Duchess has fallen victim to a curse?"
Lynn nodded slightly.
"I understand. But I have another question. If it truly is a curse, why not seek the help of the Toussaint court sorcerers? Why go to the great trouble of seeking the aid of witchers from the North?"
Massimo sighed.
"I am not entirely clear on the specifics. I only know that even the esteemed Artorius Vigo and Fringilla Vigo seem helpless to break the curse. At most, they can only sustain the Duchess's life."
Lynn and Geralt exchanged puzzled looks.
They both saw their own doubts reflected in each other's eyes.
Even the knowledgeable court sorcerers cannot identify the curse?
But how could that be?
Unless what caused the Duchess's confinement to bed was not a curse, but something else entirely.
Perhaps because Lynn and Geralt remained silent, Massimo couldn't help but feel anxious.
He feared that the two witchers might decline the task due to its difficulty.
So he quickly said, "Esteemed masters, Regent Count Raymonde has said that whoever can restore the Duchess to health will be handsomely rewarded, and the masters will certainly not be disappointed."
"Furthermore, even if the curse cannot be lifted, that noble will not hold the masters accountable."
Since things had been laid out so clearly, further refusal would be impolite.
"Very well, we accept this task. Geralt and I will devote ourselves entirely to the radiant Duchess."
Massimo was overjoyed. "Then everything rests on your shoulders, esteemed masters."
An agreement was reached between the parties.
The atmosphere in the room immediately became much more harmonious.
"Speaking of which, before our arrival, Sir Knight, did you have some misunderstandings with the local villagers?" Lynn inquired about the scene he had witnessed earlier in the village square.
Massimo paused for a moment before replying.
"Misunderstandings are not quite the right word. In fact, when I was bestowed the title of ranger-knight by the radiant Duchess, I swore a solemn oath:"
"I shall not marry, nor hold land, nor bear children, nor wear a crown, nor seek glory. I shall faithfully serve, and die in this service...unless I bring five hundred criminals to justice."
Lynn was immediately shocked upon hearing this.
Playing it this big?
Even those warlords of Japan's Warring States period...
The likes of the Peerless Warrior of the West, the Yellow Spot of Kozuke, the Red Yaksha, or Oni no Heihachi...
Might not have personally taken five hundred heads in their entire lives.
Massimo continued, "Therefore, when I learned that this village was being plagued by bandits, I immediately felt it my duty to shoulder this sacred obligation."
"I heard from the villagers that tomorrow is when those bandits will come to rob them again."
"Esteemed masters, how about we depart after I have driven away those bandits?"
Seeing the sincerity in Massimo's expression, Lynn nodded.
"Of course, no problem. Furthermore, please allow Geralt and me to assist you in dealing with those villains. There's no need for chivalrous conduct; let's go together."
"Thank you."
Considering the battle that awaited them the next day, the three of them had dinner, sharpened their weapons, and went to bed early to rest and gather their strength.
The next day, they rose early and quietly waited for the arrival of the bandits.
Around noon, the three inside the house heard a sudden commotion and noise outside.
Mixed in with it were cries of alarm.
Before long, the door was urgently knocked upon.
"Sir Knight, they...they've come!"
The ranger-knight sprang from his chair, picked up the ornate helmet adorned with feathers, and placed it on his head.
"They've finally arrived. Two masters, let's go."
The three left the small house and headed outside.
The village was already in chaos.
Most people hurriedly hid inside their houses, tightly closing doors and windows.
However, a few villagers who had not had time to escape were caught by the bandits who had already poured into the village.
They did not kill immediately.
Instead, they amused themselves by beating the villagers who dared not resist.
The number of bandits was not large, only a dozen or so.
But everyone carried a strong smell of blood, and some bandits' armor even had bloodstains that had not been cleaned.
It was clear at a glance that they had been stripped from the dead.
"Boss."
A sharp-eyed bandit noticed the three witchers walking out of the house.
The bandit leader signaled his men to stop.
"The three of you, may I ask how to address you?"
Massimo took a step forward, standing in front of Lynn and Geralt.
He placed his hands on his hips and roared in a voice like a booming bell:
"I, Massimo Norris Maclino, am a ranger-knight serving the Duchess Carolina Roberta, who rules Toussaint."
"And these two are the renowned Witcher Geralt and Witcher Lynn."
"Shameless villains, I demand that you repent. If you are willing to lay down your weapons and surrender, you will have a chance to live. Otherwise, you will surely die."
The bandits who had just been bullying the villagers looked at each other in confusion.
Although the opposing side was small in number, they were well-equipped.
If a real fight broke out, they would likely be at a disadvantage.
Therefore, for a moment, no one dared to move.
They simply looked at their leader.
And the bandit leader, as if acknowledging defeat, raised his hands.
"We are willing to repent, noble Sir Knight. Please, have mercy."
"Boss?"
The bandits were dumbfounded.
They couldn't believe that their leader, who usually had no qualms about harming women, children, and the elderly, would surrender so easily.
But they were immediately silenced by a fierce glare from the bandit leader.
Then, he composed his expression and put on a smiling face.
"Esteemed Witcher Masters, would you perhaps be willing to accept a commission?"
(End of this chapter)
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