Chapter 151: Monsters Within and Without
Olgierd shook his head in the direction where the Mirror Master disappeared and sighed. "Fate is really wonderful. You, the Earl of Cintra, have now become a monster hunter of the devil. And I, a former hero of Redania, now leader of a band of bandits, not knowing where I will be tomorrow."
Lann, who had maintained an expressionless face since he entered, replied: "But I'm sure each of us got to this point by our own decisions. In other words: you asked for it."
Olgierd chuckled. "So, according to the current situation, I have to kill you, Lannister."
"Stop talking nonsense and tell me your three wishes." Lann did not want to continue talking. "We hate each other, so let's do this professionally. I want to get started on my job right away, I have a lot of things to attend to later."
"Too boring, Lannister, too boring. I thought you would have a sense of humor." Olgierd supported the table with his hand, looking disappointed.
"After I made the deal with Gaunter O'Dimm, I felt that the things around me gradually lost their appeal to me. I had love, wealth, and subordinates, but I lost happiness. I have been looking for something that can make my heart beat even a little bit, but I have never found it."
Lann folded his hands and leaned against the wall. "I'm glad to hear you're sharing your story. Since you've said so much, you must have thought of something that makes your heart of stone beat. Do you want to continue sharing it with me?"
"Yes, Lannister, with that more relaxed tone it's more interesting." Olgierd smiled and applauded. "How about doing justice? That fits with your reputation and your personality."
Lann extended his hand in an inviting gesture, indicating for her to continue.
"Recently, there is a rumor in Novigrad that a prince has turned into a giant toad and is wandering in the sewers. A kiss of true love can turn the toad back into a prince, and the girl who gives the kiss can become the prince's true love."
Olgierd came out of the collections room and tore off a yellow paper pinned to the wall, which showed a drawing of a grotesque toad.
"Many girls have disappeared trying to kiss him, losing their minds over the idea of curing a prince. Among them was my cook. Since she left, I have not organized any more banquets, because she was the only one who could make the food taste good."
"So I have my first wish. Listen carefully, Lannister: help me kill the giant toad... No, that's too boring. Help me catch it alive and bring it back." Olgierd denied his first request and added a much more difficult one.
Lann asked: "And after bringing him back alive?"
Olgierd replied naturally: "I will kill it."
Lann did not believe Olgierd's words. He knew there was something more dangerous in this task.
He looked Olgierd in the eyes. "Even if it's just for fun, this whole justice thing doesn't suit you. Tell me, Olgierd, what are you really thinking? There must be something more behind this story, this is your last chance."
Olgierd sneered. "What's the matter, you don't dare to face a big toad? It's just a rare creature, it won't cause you any more trouble."
Olgierd's eyes sparkled with amusement, and he seemed genuinely sincere. "If you manage to eliminate the monster that has been slaughtering innocent young people, Novigrad may sing new ballads about you."
Lann's gaze remained fixed on him for a couple of seconds, then she nodded. "Okay. This is your first wish, and there are two more."
Olgierd shook his head. "Like I said, Lannister. Don't be so impatient, give the story more suspense, give life more expectations. Complete this task first, and I will tell you the rest."
The system prompt sounded at this time.
[Quest – Heart of Stone Part 1 – Completed]
[Character level increased +1]
[New Quest Discovered – Heart of Stone Part 2:
After a tortuous journey, you finally arrive in Novigrad and receive a quest to bring justice: eliminate the gigantic and enigmatic 'Toad Prince', destroying the innocent dreams of young girls in the process. Everything seems to be going well but remember those who make deals with demons are not good people.]
...
After Lann left, Olgierd continued to enjoy the pieces of art in the room, not having the recent events alter his life in the slightest. Neither Lann nor the Master Mirror mattered to him.
His emotions did not fluctuate at all, as if his heart had long been frozen into a cold stone.
The appreciation of art, the destruction of art, the attitude towards Lann, the provocation to Master Mirror, and the desire to pretend to have fun were all just his attempts to arouse his emotions.
But in reality, Olgierd's heart was as indifferent as his expression as he looked at the shattered statue on the ground.
He didn't know what could break his stone heart like that statue. To be honest, he was looking forward to it.
He walked out of the collection room with large steps. Outside, the members of the Wild Ones, following the departure of the Cintra cavalry, returned to the mansion and began to celebrate loudly. Seeing Olgierd, they all stood up and shouted: "Chief Olgierd, may you live forever!"
"Long live the chief! Long live the chief!"
"Long live the chief!"
Olgierd looked at the Wild Ones gathered around him. The enthusiasm on their faces was not fake. They were loyal and willing to sacrifice their lives for him.
They gathered around him, bringing him strength, wealth, and power.
But Olgierd knew well that such loyalty only existed under the influence of the devil. If it weren't for his pact with the devil, he would never have had such charisma, and would have remained alone and ruined.
The young man who had just pretended to be Olgierd outside the manor laughed wantonly at this moment, and he shouted: "Chief, come and drink with us!"
"Ha." Olgierd, though with a heart of stone, smiled and said: "It seems that I have no choice."
The young man laughed out loud and, impatiently, shouted towards a simply dressed woman. "Why don't you pour wine for our chief? And prepare some snacks for him!"
The woman he was screaming at was the daughter of the mansion's owner. Her father had committed suicide, leaving her at the brink of being captured by debt collectors. In a way, Olgierd had saved her.
The owner's daughter looked nervously at the Wild Ones and, as she turned to leave, she clumsily collided with one of the men. The drunken man began to grope her, eliciting screams from her.
Olgierd, seeing this, suddenly became furious. "Let her go, is this how you treat the daughter of the manor lord?"
To anyone else it might have seemed that Olgierd was interested in the girl, but those close to him knew otherwise.
The young man quickly kicked the drunk and shouted at the terrified young woman: "What are you doing standing there? Quick, go!"
The woman hurriedly ran off, her demeanor sharply contrasting with the carefree attitude of the Wild Ones' women, eliciting laughter.
Olgierd suddenly lost interest. He watched the Wild Ones, celebrating as if it were the last day of the world, and rubbed his head, feeling a headache coming on.
He suddenly had a good idea and thought it could bring him a little joy.
Swords, blood, and maybe a little conspiracy.
"Gentlemen!" Olgierd stood up and shouted.
Olgierd's voice caught everyone's attention. The crowd, in the midst of its merriment, immediately quieted down, waiting expectantly for his words.
"That Lannister who came today wants to kill me. He has declared war on me."
The Wild Ones reacted very fiercely to this. Several people shouted at that time: "I will take people to kill Lannister now!"
"Kill Lannister!"
"How can a group of lions without a home defeat wild boars!"
Olgierd, pleased with the fervour of his men, said loudly: "Exactly! We are at war once again! And as is customary, we are going to light a great fire as an opening!"
The Wild Ones cheered, and they seemed to have been looking forward to this moment for a long time.
They destroyed everything in their path, spilled expensive wine everywhere and smashed everything they saw with their weapons.
Until everyone went outside, and the mansion turned into a huge bonfire, the shredded wood burning brightly, with smoke and flames that could be seen from Novigrad.
Olgierd stood closest to the flames, with no one around him, because the heat wave was close enough to burn people.
But the leader of the Wild Ones spread his arms out, enjoying the burning, painful sensation on his skin, his expression one of utter delight.
Behind him, the Wild Ones were shouting fervently.
"Kill Lannister!"
"Kill Lannister!"
"Cut off his head and make a wine jug!"
In the midst of this scene, which seemed like an oath ceremony, a discordant voice was raised.
With a loud bang, a gusty wind blew, and a fiery red portal opened behind the Wild Ones. A sinister voice came from inside: "I just seemed to hear you shouting—Kill Lannister?"
The man who walked out of the portal was wearing fine and well-maintained iron armor, and he looked very good.
It stood in stark contrast to his face and leg: a scar disfigured a third of his face, and one of his legs had been replaced by a metal prosthesis.
The sorcerer who suddenly appeared attracted everyone's attention. The warriors went from partying to unsheathing their swords in an instant.
Only Olgierd's expression remained relaxed.
"Wow, wow, today is turning out to be interesting." Olgierd turned around. "A witcher, a demon, and now a sorcerer. It seems I've seen it all."
He looked up and down at Rience's broken body: "Don't tell me it was Lannister who left you like this, because then I'll like him even more."
Rience gritted his teeth at the mockery but held back his anger and said: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Lannister and I have a big feud. I am looking for friends everywhere. Do you want to join us?"
Before Olgierd could answer, a dagger suddenly appeared on his throat.
The dagger stabbed through the back of his neck and out from under his jaw, filling Olgierd's mouth with bloody foam, drowning out any response he might have given Rience.
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