She suddenly lifted her head, staring intently at the crystal ball; the crack was gradually widening, and Karl El's vigilant face appeared in the interplay of light and shadow.
Karl El adjusted to the external light, forcefully pushed the heavy coffin lid open further, and then cautiously stepped out of the stone coffin.
Cool air rushed into his lungs, carrying the unique freshness of early morning, mixed with an lingering scent of blood and char.
He sharply scanned his surroundings, his gaze first falling upon a figure huddled in a corner not far away.
It was no longer a terrifying and horrifying Vampire Bird, but a young girl.
She lay on her side on the cold stone ground, her figure slender and frail, her skin a sickly pale from prolonged lack of sunlight.
Long red hair, like seaweed, fanned out, covering part of her face.
She was completely naked, trembling slightly in the dim morning light, and Karl El almost immediately averted his gaze.
But what surged in his heart was more a hint of joy and the relief that comes with success—the curse was truly broken! Adda had transformed back from a Vampire Bird!
Triss, on the other end of the crystal ball, instinctively pouted at first, a subtle hint of jealousy flashing through her heart.
But seeing Karl El's quick, almost embarrassed reaction as he looked away,
she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, her emerald eyes filled with satisfaction and tenderness.
Karl El quickly sprang into action; he remembered there should be remnants of clothing near the remains of the sacrificed knights.
Sure enough, he had only walked a few steps before finding several cloaks that, although damaged and stained, could still cover a body.
He chose the relatively most intact and cleanest one, then quickly walked over to Adda.
He knelt down, trying his best not to look at the girl's exposed skin.
He carefully placed the thin cloak over her, attempting to shield her from the cold and embarrassment.
However, the moment the cloak touched her body,
Adda's long eyelashes fluttered, she let out a faint sound, and slowly opened her eyes.
They were a pair of brown eyes filled with bewilderment, confusion, and the fragility of a newborn.
She seemed completely unaware of where she was or why she looked this way.
But she saw a strange, tall man's face close by.
And that person's body reflected light... she didn't know what kind of feathers they were, her pupils instantly constricted in terror.
"Ah...!" Her chest heaved violently, she opened her mouth as if to scream, or perhaps to say something.
But she had never learned any language, and her long non-human state meant her vocal cords could only produce hoarse, broken syllables.
Her limbs thrashed wildly, she clawed and flailed, opened her mouth, bared her teeth in a threat, and tried to scratch Karl El's face with her nails, attempting to escape the place.
Karl El was also startled, not expecting Adda to suddenly wake up.
Seeing Adda's agitated state, clearly at risk of an uncontrolled scream,
he made a swift decision: he had to calm her down.
So, Karl El controlled his strength, formed his right hand into a blade, and swiftly and precisely tapped Adda gently on the back of her neck.
"Ugh..." Adda grunted, her attempts to attack and struggle instantly ceased, and the light in her brown eyes diffused.
Immediately, she rolled her eyes and softly fainted.
On the back of her neck, a clear red mark quickly bruised before their eyes.
"Pfft—Karl El... you... actually treated the princess like that, so decisive."
Triss in the laboratory, seeing this scene, finally couldn't help but burst into laughter, shaking her head.
Karl El looked at the once again unconscious Adda, sighing helplessly.
He carefully wrapped her completely in the cloak from head to toe, ensuring no part of her was exposed.
Then, he picked up the greatsword placed nearby and reinserted it into its sheath.
Karl El carefully lifted her into his arms, and Adda felt so light it startled him.
He adjusted his posture so she could rest more comfortably against his chest, then took steady steps towards the palace exit... Outside the palace, time passed minute by minute.
The sun had fully risen above the horizon, casting golden light across the land.
However, the palace entrance remained utterly silent, not even a ghost in sight.
Foltest's face had become extremely grim, and his last shred of patience was about to run out.
He paced restlessly, his gaze like a knife repeatedly cutting towards Geralt, who was being guarded.
He had already planned countless ways to make this Witcher, who had deceived him, wish he were dead.
He even began to regret why he hadn't insisted on sending a squad of knights inside.
Which resulted in the loss of a knight with extraordinary potential and loyalty to the royal family, and Adda's curse remained unbroken.
Just then, Geralt, who had been standing silently, narrowed his cat-like eyes slightly.
The corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly upwards, a faint smile flashing across his face.
And Foltest, who had been pacing back and forth in front of him, almost simultaneously noticed the subtle change in Geralt's expression.
He suddenly turned his head, his heart pounding, and stared intently at the palace gate.
The light shifted from dark to bright, and a tall figure gradually became clear—it was Karl El!
His steps were steady, his expression showed no trace of fatigue, and his eyes were still sharp.
And in his arms, tightly wrapped in a tattered cloak, was a distinctly human-shaped silhouette.
When Karl El fully stepped out of the palace and bathed in the brilliant morning sun,
Foltest finally saw the pale, yet sister-like, half-face of the girl in Karl El's arms—it was his daughter! It was his Adda!
Immense joy and unbelievable excitement, like a tide, instantly overwhelmed the King.
A terrifying light burst forth from Foltest's eyes; all his weariness, anxiety, and anger vanished in that moment.
He completely disregarded the Guards' warning of "Your Majesty, be careful" and forgot his royal dignity.
He strode forward like any ordinary father who had found his lost beloved daughter.
He ran frantically towards Karl El, towards his regained daughter, his magnificent fur cloak flapping wildly behind him.
His heavy boots crunched on gravel and rubble, making his steps falter, and he nearly tripped twice in his eagerness.
The Guards who rushed to catch up cried out, wanting to support him, but he roughly shook them off.
Foltest's eyes saw only that pale figure; the entire world seemed to fade and recede.
When he rushed to Karl El's front, he abruptly stopped, his chest heaving violently, gasping for breath.
His gaze fell greedily, almost frantically, on Adda's face in Karl El's arms.
That face, though pale and thin, still faintly bore the contours of his sister from days past—it was the daughter he had seen countless times in nightmares and memories.
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