Discussion between Keira and Triss

In Wayne Manor, Wayne summoned Ford to his study. After a conversation, Ford bowed slightly and said, "Rest assured, Wayne. In your absence, I will manage all manor affairs diligently. Every expense and income will be meticulously recorded. You have my word."

Wayne waved his hand with a smile. "There's no need for formalities, Ford, my friend. Of course I trust you; otherwise, I wouldn't have entrusted these matters to you." He continued, "While I'm away, White Fang and Robin will remain at the manor. Robin is self-sufficient now, hunting in the forest for food. But please keep an eye on White Fang. And those herbs I brought from other lands, please expand their cultivation area. Ideally, add a few more plots before I return. As for other matters, they're trivial. I'll be gone for about six months, and next time, I might bring back some acquaintances to help manage the manor and lessen your burden."

The old hobbit wasn't offended, but rather relieved. "That's wonderful, Mr. Wayne. Truth be told, managing the plantation alone is quite a task. Having some help would be a blessing. I still have a few more years left in me."

After settling the manor's matters, Wayne entered a secret room on the first floor. To others, it was an ordinary library filled with bookshelves. But to Wayne, it housed the spatial rift connecting him to the Witcher world. One of his main reasons for building the manor was to secure control over this passage. In the future, when the manor was managed by trusted individuals, no one would uncover the secret of his interdimensional travels.

Confirming there was nothing else to address, Wayne activated his ability and returned to the Witcher world.

.....

In Triss's mansion, the sorceress in light purple pajamas sat by the window, holding a glass of red wine, gazing at the moon with boredom. Across from her, Keira, clad in a white lace nightgown, poked at fruit with a silver fork, yawned, and asked, "What are you going to do, Triss?"

"The king is growing impatient. He plans to publicly announce the striga's curse," Keira explained. "Nobles will use this to tarnish the king's reputation." She paused, "As royal advisors, we shouldn't let this happen."

Triss remained silent, seemingly lost in thought while gazing at the moon. Keira continued, "Some ministers have suggested killing the striga. It's been almost three years, and over eighty people have died. Every month, we have to sacrifice prisoners to satisfy its bloodlust. This is causing discontent among the nobles and ministers."

"You know the situation with King Foltest and his sister was already a scandal. Now their child is a monster. If this continues, it could be exploited and cause a major uproar."

Seeing Triss's unresponsive state, Keira frowned and spoke louder, "Hey! Triss, I'm talking to you! You've been mooning over him for months. If you're so desperate, plenty of men would be at our feet."

"Missing him? That little bastard is probably enjoying himself in some wench's bed," Keira scoffed.

Triss sighed sadly, but instead of discussing Wayne, she said, "Keira, King Foltest is stubborn. As long as the striga remains his daughter, he'll never agree to killing it before all hope is lost. Unfortunately, we have little knowledge of such cursed creatures. I've read extensively but haven't found a solution. This situation will likely persist until things change."

Triss, with her greater political acumen and experience as a royal advisor, understood the king's character better. She continued, "The best course of action is to find a way to lift the curse and save the princess. Killing the striga will only anger the king and achieve nothing."

"Keira, remember, it's not the nobles who grant us power, but the Brotherhood and the king. You need to understand where our loyalties lie."

Keira fell silent, contemplating Triss's words. Wayne's involvement had strained their friendship, but it had also stripped away pretenses. They could now discuss matters openly and honestly, something they couldn't do with others.

Perhaps, in a way, their relationship had become closer. In the past, Triss might have briefly mentioned such political matters, but she would never have been as thorough as she was now. Realizing this, Keira cleared her throat to ease the awkwardness and said solemnly, "Thank you for the reminder, Triss. It seems we need to find an expert on curses to solve this problem."

Triss smiled. She felt more embarrassed than Keira did. After all, Wayne had initially been Keira's lover, and it was through her that Triss met the Witcher. She always felt a sense of indebtedness towards her junior.

For Keira, Triss was not only a close friend in Vizima but also a senior colleague who had helped her on many occasions. While she hadn't handled the situation with Wayne well, it didn't diminish her positive impression of Triss.

Having had a bit too much wine tonight and after months of abstinence, Keira felt a burning desire within her. Just as the tension in the room escalated, a playful voice interrupted from outside.

"You two are giving me quite a surprise. Did I come at a bad time?"