chapter: 23 Existence of Teigus

[ONE OF THE MANY UNKNOWN BASES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY]

The office fell silent as Geralt watched Leo hand over the documents, then turn to leave.

The boy's black-clad figure moved, his hand already on the doorknob when Geralt's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Got something on your mind, kid?" Geralt asked, his tone calm but probing.

Leo froze, his body language betraying the hesitation he rarely showed. Geralt's perceptive nature had caught him once again.

"Tch. You always see through me, old man," Leo muttered, clicking his tongue in frustration. He turned back slightly, knowing there was no point in denying it.

"Experience teaches you to read people," Geralt replied evenly, his keen eyes fixed on the boy.

Leo remained silent, his aquamarine eyes staring at the floor as he tried to find the words.

"What's on your mind?" Geralt pressed, leaning back slightly in his chair.

Leo's shoulders tensed before he finally spoke, his voice softer than usual. "...The words you just said. Liya used to tell me the same thing."

Geralt blinked, caught off guard by the personal revelation. He opened his mouth to respond but closed it again, unsure of what to say.

"...Don't worry about it," Leo said quickly, his tone shifting. He approached Geralt's desk, withdrawing a blood-red pill with silver edges from his storage artifact and placing it on the table.

"What's this?" Geralt asked, his eyes narrowing as he picked up the crimson pill, studying its design.

"It's a pill made from my blood," Leo stated bluntly, his voice tinged with bitterness. "At least, that's what the crazy bastard muttered during my years in that hellish lab."

Geralt stiffened, his eyes flicking between the pill and the boy. "A pill… from your blood?" he repeated, his tone turning serious.

Leo nodded, his expression darkening as he recounted what he had uncovered. "I found it in the slave trader's vault. After I... interrogated him, he confessed he didn't know the identity of the person who supplied it. Said they always wore a mask and a full-body suit."

"The pill was payment," Leo continued, his voice colder now. "That bastard had been supplying male slaves for twenty years in exchange for these."

Geralt's grip on the pill tightened as he listened. "You're certain this pill is made from your blood?"

"I am," Leo said grimly. "I remember the scientist ranting about using my blood to create something that could 'transcend human limits.' And now this… this thing shows up in a vault connected to him."

---

Geralt's jaw clenched as he regarded Leo. "What do you intend to do with it?"

"It could be useful. My regeneration takes time, and in battle, that could be the difference between life and death. If this pill truly grants instant healing, it might save me when it counts."

'Though, it may also kill me because of my mutation.' He thought inwardly but didn't say anything about it to Geralt.

Geralt studied the boy closely, sensing there was more to the story. "What else are you keeping from me, kid?"

'I have to shift his focus.' Leo thought as he flinched slightly under Geralt's gaze, but eventually sighed in resignation. "Fine," he said. "I snuck into your office and read some documents while you were away."

Geralt raised an eyebrow, both annoyed and intrigued. "What were you looking for?"

"Information on slave traders and their dealings over the last ten years," Leo admitted. "I wanted to find a pattern, anything that might explain why that bastard chose certain children for his experiments."

"And what did you find?" Geralt asked, his irritation giving way to curiosity.

"Nothing conclusive," Leo replied, shaking his head. "There weren't any clear patterns. The only unusual entries involved imperial officials selecting specific children, but even that didn't lead to anything solid."

Geralt's eyes narrowed in thought. "Imperial officials purchasing children instead of adults for labor… That is suspicious. I'll look into it," he said, filing the information away for later investigation.

As Leo moved to leave again, Geralt called out, "Hold on, kid."

Leo turned back, his expression guarded.

"The Revolutionary Army's higher-ups have taken notice of your performance during recent missions," Geralt began. "They've decided to give you the opportunity to obtain a Teigu."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise. "A Teigu?" he repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Geralt nodded. "Yes. But don't get too excited just yet. Not everyone is compatible with a Teigu, and this particular one comes with… complications. We'll discuss it tomorrow when we assess whether it suits you."

Leo's initial excitement dimmed as he absorbed Geralt's words. He had spent years searching for a weapon that could withstand his immense strength.

Every sword, dagger, or artifact he used ended up breaking in his hands. Learning about Teigus had given him hope, but he knew the Revolutionary Army wouldn't hand such a powerful relic to just anyone, especially not a thirteen-year-old.

Still, the opportunity was too significant to ignore. "Understood," he said, nodding.

As Leo turned to leave once more, Geralt's voice stopped him yet again. "Where do you think you're going, kid?"

Leo froze, a faint grimace crossing his face.

"I haven't punished you yet for breaking into my office," Geralt said, his tone sharp. "Meet me in the training hall in thirty minutes."

Leo sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine," he muttered, quickly fleeing the room before Geralt could add any more to his punishment.

Geralt watched him go, shaking his head. "Damn stubborn kid," he muttered under his breath. Yet, despite his gruff demeanor, there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.