A Witcher's knowledge focuses on dealing with manifested monsters and the immediate effects of lifting curses.
He often did not delve deeply into the root causes of curses that were deeply embedded in the bloodline.
He sighed heavily, his eyes dimming.
Just then, Karl spoke, his voice low and full of meaning: "Your Majesty, whether a curse recurs or not depends on its root cause."
As he spoke, his gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over the Guards around him, who were listening intently, seemingly respectful but actually curious.
Foltest was an astute man, naturally skilled at reading expressions and tones.
He immediately caught the key information from Karl's eyes and tone—the words that followed were of great importance and absolutely could not be known by outsiders.
Foltest instantly reined in all outward emotions, regaining the King's stern demeanor.
He commanded the Guards, "All of you, step back!"
"Retreat twenty paces and stand Guard. No one is to approach without my command!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Guard Captain immediately took the order, leading his men to quickly retreat to the designated distance, forming a cordon with their backs to Foltest.
After all the extraneous people had moved away, Karl lowered his voice and said to Foltest, "Your Majesty, according to some ancient knowledge I've learned about curses..."
..."For a curse like the Princess's, which was inflicted before birth, its root cause often does not come out of nowhere."
"It is usually closely linked to intense jealousy, power struggles, or past sins."
Karl paused, looking sharply at Foltest: "Before the Princess's birth, did you... or the late Queen, ever form an irreconcilable hatred with someone?"
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"Or... did you touch upon someone's crucial interests?"
Foltest's body suddenly trembled upon hearing this.
He was first stunned, then his pupils constricted, a flicker of horror in his eyes, which then became incomparably gloomy and sharp.
Fragments of past memories, some court secrets he had suspected but temporarily set aside due to lack of evidence or the timing not being right, surged into his mind like a tide.
His brows furrowed tightly, his face became exceptionally grim, and the arm holding Adda unconsciously tightened slightly.
His silence lasted for a full minute, the air thick with a sense of impending storm.
Finally, Foltest raised his head, and when he looked at Karl and Geralt again, the gloom on his face had softened considerably.
But in the depths of his eyes, there was a cold determination.
He said solemnly, "Karl, Lambert, you two have not only saved Adda but also enlightened me."
"Thank you. This kindness, Temeria and I, Foltest, will never forget."
"The rewards I promised you will be delivered as soon as possible. And now..."
"I need to go deal with some... long-standing minor troubles."
He glanced at his sleeping daughter in his arms, his voice carrying a hint of weariness, but even more, an undeniable authority.
Karl and Geralt exchanged glances, understanding. The previous hints had pointed the way.
With Foltest's shrewdness and control, as long as he had a clear target for suspicion, it would not be difficult to follow the clues and find the true culprit from back then.
And as outsiders, they were indeed not suitable, nor did they have the right, to interfere in this internal purge involving royal secrets and power struggles.
"We understand, Your Majesty. Please be careful in everything."
Before leaving, Karl reminded him again: "Your Majesty, one more thing."
"Although the Princess has regained human form, her long period of non-human life may have a profound impact on her mind and habits."
"She may now be... closer to a startled beast, unable to communicate, and will require extremely patient and professional care."
"It would be best to arrange for absolutely reliable specialists who know how to deal with such situations to look after her."
Foltest nodded deeply, taking Karl's reminder to heart: "Thank you for your reminder, Karl, I will arrange it."
Holding his daughter, he walked towards the royal palace, surrounded by a retinue of Guards.
His back seemed resolute, yet also carried the heavy weight of an impending storm.
Meanwhile, Karl and Geralt stood in place, watching them leave.
Both knew that beneath Vizima's seemingly calm surface, the root cause of Adda's curse would lead to a number of people being beheaded or hanged... Foltest's wrath, like a long-dormant volcano, erupted with thunderous force after he confirmed his daughter's safe return.
He did not even spend much time resting, unleashing royal spies and loyal knights like hounds based on the clues Karl provided and certain intelligence he had long possessed but kept hidden.
A swift and ruthless purge commenced in Vizima.
In just two days, the streets of Vizima reeked of blood, and gallows, guillotines, and burning stakes operated with unprecedented efficiency.
The number of nobles, officials, wealthy merchants, and their factions executed on charges of treason, harming royal family members, and other heinous crimes reached a staggering figure of over a hundred people.
Once prominent mansions were sealed, luxurious carriages confiscated, and cries and pleas for mercy were drowned out by the clamor of the public watching the executions and the cold shouts of soldiers.
The core of this purge was directed at the main culprit—Minister Ostrit and his vast family network.
Investigations revealed that it was out of covetousness for the succession to the throne and hatred that Ostrit had meticulously planned and carried out this malicious curse through clandestine channels before Adda's birth.
At least, that was the result announced by the external investigation.
In reality, Ostrit was in love with the King's sister, Adda.
And Foltest's incestuous relationship with his sister led to Ostrit's curse born of jealousy.
Ostrit himself, after being arrested, endured unimaginable torture.
By the time he was finally dragged onto the execution platform, he was no longer recognizable.
He was barely clinging to life, his gruesome state making even some seasoned executioners avert their gaze.
Ostrit's family was uprooted, and all their assets, including their highly profitable businesses, were confiscated by the royal family.
For those two days, the execution ground was packed, the crowd so dense that a stampede almost occurred.
The populace, amidst fear and a certain morbid excitement, witnessed the changing of power and the ruthlessness of the monarchy.
They did not care which noble died, as long as it was a noble.
However, one name was absent from this long list of executions—Alessandra Davell.
This sorceress, suspected of having a direct connection to the curse's implementation, and possibly even being the spellcaster, was temporarily spared due to her special status.
Although Foltest was enraged, he also knew the trouble and backlash that directly dealing with a sorceress might cause from the Brotherhood of Sorcerers.
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