"What's wrong? Did something unexpected happen again?" After getting what he wanted, Aldric asked calmly. Judging from the witch's expression, it was obvious that their original plan had gone awry once more.
Having grown accustomed to the organized and efficient structure of a modern command system, the witcher now found the Witch Coven's way of planning to be utterly chaotic—more like a band of scattered mercenaries than a proper organization. If the rival faction, the Sisters of Pure Heart, operated at the same level of disorder, then Aldric felt there was little need to worry about them causing him trouble in the future.
As if she hadn't heard the mockery laced in his tone, the witch replied tersely, "The Black Ship will arrive tonight. In three hours, it'll reach the harbor. All of our previous plans are now invalid."
"You didn't prepare a contingency plan in case of emergencies like this?" Aldric pointed toward the young girl, Carla, who was still tending to her unconscious father.
"No!" The witch's teeth almost ground together as she spat out the word.
In return, she was met with the witcher's sly, foxlike grin.
Of course, his smugness lasted barely three seconds. That was the eternal curse of every player whose Charm stat hadn't reached 13, never handsome for long before the world itself smacked them back down.
Ten minutes later, Vittoria and the newly recruited warband member, Liam, carried in the wounded Shadow Assassin. They gathered inside the Witch's jewelry shop.
The moment was filled with awkwardness. The girl, Carla, immediately leaped into Liam's arms upon seeing him, while her father, Knight Bart, who had just regained consciousness, glared at the pair like an angry lion. Liam, sweating bullets, didn't know whether to explain things to the political officer, to apologize to Bart, or to push the girl away first.
"So, what you're saying," the female warrior Vittoria asked, staring at the young witcher apprentice with an expression that screamed you idiot, "is that a rescue mission has somehow turned into a full-scale assault and occupation… because you couldn't keep your mouth shut?"
The young witcher apprentice was speechless. Right now, he deeply regretted his earlier words—sometimes, disaster truly did come from one's tongue. He hadn't even finished smiling before the system notification popped up in front of him.
"Your quest log has been updated."
[Follow-Up Quest: The Witch's Request: The Unexpected Arrival]
You confidently stated your position to the witch: as long as the commission is sufficient, you're willing to serve, even if it means capturing the Black Ship. However, while you were fighting in the dream realm, something unexpected happened in the real world, disrupting the witches' plans.
Good News:The Witch Coven is not short on money—you'll be handsomely rewarded.
Bad News:Your new mission objectives are to cooperate with the Witch Coven in exterminating the nuns aboard the Black Ship, rescuing three captured Children of Calamity, and seizing the ship itself.
Difficulty: Epic
Reward:You've always danced on the edge of a blade. If you succeed, the covens payment will show you just how far money can take you. If you fail… well, you'll get to experience the nuns' "holy enthusiasm"—assuming you weren't already burned to ashes in your last encounter with them.
"This is my team," said the Witcher, gesturing at the motley group behind him. "I hope your Coven will show me the same honesty I've shown you. Oh—and one of them needs healing before he can participate in the mission."
The witch stared at the so-called "elite team" before her: a burly woman who frequently traded junk for coins at her shop, a young dandy who barely looked out of school, and a crippled man lying dazed on the floor. Her temples throbbed painfully.
"This," she said slowly, "is the elite team you claimed could accomplish the impossible?"
Aldric smiled and nudged the wounded assassin with his boot. "This one—former member of the Shadow Assassin guild. He's now turned over a new leaf and fights for world peace. Sure, he looks down on his luck now, but if you heal him, he'll be your best scout."
The assassin, Colin, clearly didn't share that sentiment. Badly injured and carried here by two burly men, he had long accepted his fate with detached calm.
'If you actually heal me,' he thought darkly, 'I'm running the hell out of here the first chance I get.'
Next, the witcher gestured toward the awkward young man standing by the door, still trying to smile politely at Knight Bart while holding Carla in his arms. "And this one—his combat abilities can be vouched for by that knight there, as well as by our friend on the floor. He's a qualified fighter."
Knight Bart nodded respectfully toward the witch. "Honored lady, I can attest that this young man from Cerys, though somewhat inexperienced, is a natural extraordinary being. With time, he'll become a fine knight. Even now, he possesses decent combat strength."
The assassin rolled his eyes and said nothing.
"And this one is the mighty female warrior—" Aldric began, but the witch interrupted him.
"No need to introduce her. I know Vittoria's reputation well," she said with a faint smile. "Her fame in the taverns surpasses even her fame on the battlefield. Her heroic slaughter of Nurgle cultists has already spread through the Witch Coven."
"Now," the witcher said, "perhaps you can brief us on the situation. Why did the mission suddenly turn into a ship takeover? And what's your backup plan?"
The witch exhaled slowly, as though resigning herself. "Very well. I have no other choice but to trust you. Our original plan was for the pirate Mama to intercept and harass the Black Ship at sea, while our insider aboard the ship would destroy their supplies, forcing the vessel to dock at Port Anthony for resupply."
"My god," groaned the assassin on the floor, finally realizing just how deep he'd been dragged into this mess. "Don't tell me you actually plan to go after the nuns! I'm out. I'm fine right here—no healing necessary!"
The witch waved her hand, and the assassin froze mid-motion, pinned to the floor in a ridiculous pose.
"Don't worry," Aldric said smoothly, smiling at her. "He's just a bit nervous. He'll come around. He's shy like that."
The witch gave a reluctant nod, deciding to trust this young hunter one more time. As she'd said before, their best chance of success might truly depend on his luck—luck that, so far, had never failed him.
(End of Chapter)