—
Looking at Cintra, which already seemed very much like a modern society, Gustave couldn't help but sigh in sadness. If Cintra in the original timeline had survived just a few more decades, it might have developed into something like Nilfgaard—but for the north.
From the way the residents dressed and carried themselves, it was clear that the city was already on the verge of becoming a second Nilfgaard. A modern society where each resident prospered, content with their well-being and enjoying daily meals without worry—that was the Cintra he was seeing now.
Just as Nilfgaard first prospered under Torres var Emreis, Cintra might have flourished under Queen Calanthe. Like Torres, who made sociological adjustments for his Nilfgaardians, Calanthe had done the same.
From what he could see, people seemed to possess their own personal magical trinkets and took pride in wearing anything in shades of blue.
Sadly, it seemed that the Continent's Destiny in the original timeline did not tolerate the rise of two behemoths, pitting them against each other, with Dunny as the first catalyst for everything that happened to Cintra afterward.
This ultimately turned Cintra into merely a footnote in history, despite its impressive track record.
That track record included being the first human kingdom, led by the first human king, Dezmod. Not only was it the first human kingdom, it was also home to the Elder Blood royal line and the center of the House of Raven—which was basically the Targaryen equivalent for the Witcher.
From what he knew of the lore and history of the world, half of the royal lineages of many Northern kingdoms originated from Cintra. That alone showed how impressive Cintra's track record was—and there were likely many other achievements he could not possibly know.
One of those achievements might resemble the budding magical kingdom knowledge he had just begun to learn—achievements he would not fully understand without digging deeper into Cintrian history.
That is why, for the sake of a better future for the North and for his own safety, he intended to strengthen this already impressive kingdom to the point that it could stand equal to Nilfgaard.
Even though he could have simply followed the plot and let Destiny take its course—benefiting him as a reincarnator who knew the original timeline—Gustave thought it would be far too wasteful.
Here was a kingdom that, with just a little effort, could become a second Nilfgaard. To remain apathetic would be to surrender himself to Fate—and as someone who loathed anything to do with predestined destiny, he firmly refused to do that.
So, looking at Ciri on the distant shore of the dock, Gustave began to calculate with his [Knowledge]. He aimed to create a connection so close that she would see him as a little brother, just as he saw her as an older sister, knowing that both of them would eventually become enemies of the world.
Her due to the Elder Blood, and him due to his Sequence. That is why he knew their bond could be crucial in guiding Ciri at such an early age. He hoped that both of their kingdoms would prosper—not just his own—because he knew he could not achieve it alone; his strength as a Paragon lay in the advancement of civilization.
Seeing Hjalmar and Cerys at her side, he couldn't help but think that if he drew them into the circle as well, having more allies would make it easier to resist the world. He knew that, until he established an industrial assembly line to build ships during the early stages of the kingdom's development, the seas and rivers would remain Lyria and Rivia's greatest vulnerability.
His thoughts did not stop there. After imagining Skellige joining the picture, Gustave turned to his side, where Syanna stood, driven by her desire for revenge on Toussaint. His thoughts were not specifically on Toussaint, but on how impressive Syanna was as a bandit.
A bandit he knew would thrive in Angren, the swampy territory he had just passed—an ideal place for underhanded dealings and for raising an army without holding any legitimate status.
Moreover, the example of a successful bandit ruling there had already been proven by Gimpy Gerwin during the Second Northern War in Thronebreaker. Gustave knew that Syanna could do it many times better than a dwarf who had no understanding of monarchy or ruling a kingdom.
With this line of thought and these territories as his potential allies, Gustave imagined that if they formed a united front, they could resist both the North and the South, no matter the angle of attack.
They wanted guerrilla warfare—they would need to consider the bandits of Angren. They wanted mystical warfare—they would need to consider Cintra. They wanted technological warfare—they had Lyria and Rivia. They wanted sea or naval warfare—they had Skellige.
Thus, everything was almost complete, with only one thing left: racial warfare, which he knew was Nilfgaard's preferred method of propaganda. Although he knew Saskia from The Witcher 2 would be the best potential candidate to combat this, Gustave still didn't know where the golden dragon had flown after hatching.
Even his benefactor, the vampire Regis, who had known her father personally, didn't know where she had gone—or, more precisely, where Borch Three Jackdaws had left her. Because it was customary for a dragon, after a few years of learning about society, to be left to fend for itself, since they were considered adults from the moment they were born.
With no choice but to set the thought aside, Gustave noticed the ship beginning to dock at the harbor. Seeing about two hundred soldiers lined up to welcome them—a small procession, a gesture of goodwill—Gustave took in the Reynard Odo version of Cintra.
If his kingdom had Reynard Odo, Vizima had John Natalis, Aedirn had Black Rayla, Toussaint had Damien de la Tour, and Nilfgaard had Menno Coehoorn, then Cintra had Vissegerd.
"All hail! Presenting Her Highness Queen Calanthe, Princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, the Lion Cub of Cintra, heir to the throne! We are most pleased to receive you, the three Princes of the Twin Realms of Lyria and Rivia, in our kingdom! May your stay be comfortable, and may our kinship strengthen with each passing day!"
Reynard Odo wanted to make an announcement in response to Vissegerd's proclamation, intending to represent all three princes equally, but he was interrupted by one of the nobles' men, whose master had a close relationship with Caldwell.
"All hail! Presenting His Highness King Reginald, Prince Villem the First, heir to the throne! We are most pleased to meet you, Princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, the Lion Cub of Cintra! May you live a long and healthy life, and may Cintra prosper as the dazzling Pearl of the North!"
Hearing Cintra being called the "Pearl of the North" by their own countrymen did not just displease Gustave—it angered every soldier loyal to his mother present there.
Even though in their hearts they knew Cintra represented the finest of the North, hearing their own countrymen announce it so blatantly—like the bleating of a goat in the middle of the night—was outright disrespectful and humiliating.
It was like a saying from his world: the best pizza comes from Italy because it is the most authentic, yet there are always those who insist New York, Chicago, or Detroit pizza is superior, claiming it to be the most authentic.
That was how it felt when their own countryman declared Cintra the Pearl of the North—but even worse.
Even though calling it the Pearl of the North could technically apply to any kingdom they deemed beautiful, it was neither the time nor the place to do so when referring to someone else's kingdom. This was an official state event, which meant they were essentially signaling their willingness to kneel and lick the boots of Cintra like dogs.
Although common folk might consider such feelings an exaggeration unworthy of much thought, for those who ruled the country or served in the civil government, that was exactly how it felt in the moment.
And considering this was a medieval society, where everything was dialed up to 100 when it came to taking matters seriously, the feeling was many times worse for the soldiers, unlike him, who came from a modern society.
Although he understood that this was merely Caldwell and those under house arrest trying to save themselves from the clutches of his mother, he knew such an act would only bring them a fate far worse than it already was.
It seemed they had forgotten, in their panic, how close his mother and Queen Calanthe had been in their youth—so close that, if not for society's moral dictates, they might have become lovers.
Although that flame had waned by now—so much so that his mother in the original timeline treated Ciri merely as a breeding mare for succession—in the year 1256 their bond was still somewhat strong. Because of that, he simply looked at them coldly and let them shoot themselves in the foot, knowing their lives in Cintra would only grow more miserable.
What baffled him even more was why they had chosen to act this way, especially with Caldwell among them—the smartest of the group. He was certain that such a tidbit of information could not have slipped his mind.
But after observing Caldwell's gaze, which wandered frequently among the Cintrian nobles, Gustave finally understood: they were trying to find a way out through the nobles rather than approaching Queen Calanthe directly.
Still, the act made him chortle. It seemed that even Caldwell and the other clever nobles among them were unaware of the latest developments in Cintra. The new Cintra was very different from the old. The people were united, from the top nobles down to the commoners; they were now cohesive and determined to build Cintra into a better future together.
To the point that news of their magical kingdom ambitions remained completely under wraps, with outsiders having no inkling. This unity was evident not only from current events but also from the original timeline, where the nobles would rather die by suicide alongside their Queen than hand a strong Cintra to Nilfgaard on a silver platter. That was how united they had become.
Sighing as he looked at his Lyria and Rivia nobles—so utterly useless—Gustave thought that once he returned to his homeland, he would need to overhaul his kingdom's social structure. He would need to place in power civil servants who came from the people, rather than nobles who could do nothing but scheme day and night.
"Hmph! Although I am flattered you called my Cintra the Pearl of the North, now is a terrible time for you to say it! Do you have any dignity at all?!"
Chuckling aloud now that he could act like a semi-adult, Gustave couldn't help but applaud Ciri for being so blunt, making the ones who announced it flush red with embarrassment.
And because he knew it was the perfect moment both to bond with the little princess and to pour salt on the wound to earn extra points from the soldiers, he said,
"You are right, Princess Ciri. Gustave sees that this guy acts like… like… a dog whenever he meets Caldwell and many disgusting people like Caldwell. So yes, this guy does not have dignity at all, Princess Ciri."
Squinting his eyes first at the man who made the announcement, then at the nobles from Lyria and Rivia, Gustave continued, "Not only that—Gustave bets this nauseating man is a scheming person who has connections with other insidious people… the ones Gustave's Mother told me never to trust. Someone who could sell their King and Queen like in the book Thorns of the Red Crown of Redania."
Seeing him speak like a little devil with a vocabulary already ten times more colorful—someone who had barely grown yet could already recognize political scheming and even suspect their ties to the mages—made all the nobles' eyes widen.
And to make matters worse, now that the little devil had grown, the books they once assumed were merely entertainment for the youngest prince suddenly seemed like something more than simple stories, making some of them fume with a mix of rage and anxiety.
But because they could not voice any profanity during a state event—while blunt children could say whatever they pleased—they had no choice but to grit their teeth and glare at him with hostility.
And seeing them look at him with such hostility, he only gazed back with pity, knowing these pawns would no longer be useful. The first thing they had done upon arriving here was shoot themselves in the foot, and their own stupidity left him no choice but to accept the loss and move on.
Ciri, who did not understand what this little one was saying, tilted her head and asked, "What are you saying, little guy? What scheming people? What connection? And is the book fun to read?"
Although he would have loved to chatter with this little chatterbox and deepen their bond, Gustave knew he still needed to act cold and indifferent, since the alibi he had crafted for himself was that he had been traumatized after seeing a monster and had devoted himself to a solemn duty for the good of the people.
So, nodding to Ciri, he briefly answered, "Yes, it is fun, Princess Ciri."
Then he turned toward Reynard and said, "Uncle Reynard, you can redo the announcement now."
"Hey, little guy! I am not done talking to you yet!"
Looking at Ciri with cold indifference, Gustave reprimanded, "Princess Ciri, you need to behave yourself. This is a state affair. It is not appropriate for you to raise your voice—except for the announcer. After this state affair is over, then we can continue talking as normal."
"Hahahahahaha! I like this little guy! He has the guts to reprimand Ciri! Hehehehe, look at you, Ciri—your cheeks look like red tomatoes. Did you—"
Turning to Hjalmar, Gustave interjected and reprimanded, "And you as well, friend of Princess Ciri. Gustave may not understand Skellige customs yet, but when an announcement is being made, everyone needs to behave."
Turning back toward Reynard, he repeated, "Uncle Reynard, you can redo the announcement."
Watching Hjalmar and Ciri both left tongue-tied by the youngest Prince of Lyria and Rivia, Cerys couldn't help but chortle and stifle her laughter, amused that they were being put in their place by someone much younger than them.
Then, as a mischievous idea crossed her mind, she wore a gloating expression, realizing she now had an extra helper to keep these two idiots in line.
"Ahem, ahem… Just as Prince Gustave said, let us redo the announcement."
"All hail! Presenting His Highness King Reginald, Prince Villem, Prince Anséis, and Prince Gustave! We are most pleased to meet you, Princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, the Lion Cub of Cintra! Our most heartfelt thank you for the hospitality! And may the bond between our two kingdoms last through the ages, strengthened by the warm welcome you have given us!"
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