These details added up, and Karl raised his eyebrows, his heart suddenly becoming clear.
Well, I thought Geralt had accidentally gotten into a fight with a hot-tempered sorceress, but I didn't expect it... to actually be with Yennefer.
It seemed something had happened between these two again, causing the White Wolf to be "hunted."
However, in Karl's opinion, the situation before him with Geralt
was less about being hunted and more about the intensity of the "flirting" between the couple.
Yennefer had quarter-elf blood and surpassed Triss in magical talent.
Combined with her age, her strength was far greater than Triss's.
If Yennefer had truly had murderous intent, given Geralt's abilities, he would probably have died several times over.
It would have been absolutely impossible for him to escape to Karl's territory with just a few minor skin injuries, still intact, with a couple of hickeys.
This was clearly a game of ready to fight, ready to reconcile...
Karl looked at Geralt's slightly embarrassed appearance, especially the bruises and bloodstains on his face, and couldn't help but feel a little amused.
He casually raised his hand and waved it, and a soft, pure golden light touched Geralt's body like sunlight.
The golden light flashed, and Geralt only felt a pleasant coolness on his face and body.
The previous skin injuries left from the "battle" healed as if new, without a trace of scarring, as if they had never been hurt.
He raised his hand in surprise and touched his chin and cheeks; his fingertips were smooth, and even the dried bloodstains had disappeared.
"This is..." Geralt looked at Karl with surprise in his eyes.
He knew Karl was physically strong, but he didn't expect his spellcasting to be so exquisite, not even uttering an incantation.
Before he could thank him, Karl took the initiative to walk out of the temple, treating it as a small matter.
"Let's go, Geralt."
Geralt immediately suppressed the surprise in his heart and followed in Karl's footsteps.
They walked side by side along the edge of the temple, a playful smile adorning Karl's face.
He looked sideways at the Witcher beside him and asked directly: "Geralt, I'm curious."
"What happened between you and that... passionate lady? To the point where she had to come looking for you personally?"
"Moreover, it seems she doesn't actually want to kill you, but rather... some kind of special punishment?"
Geralt walked alongside Karl, his gaze slightly wandering, silent for a moment.
A complex emotion flickered in his amber cat-like pupils, as if he were contemplating his wording.
In the end, a hint of helplessness remained, and he whispered: "She... she wants a child. But I..."
His words trailed off, but Karl immediately understood.
Combined with what he knew of their relationship, he instantly grasped the crux of the conflict.
Yennefer had always been obsessed with having offspring, especially since she had lost her fertility due to becoming a sorceress.
And Geralt, at this time, before he had developed a deep connection with Ciri, the child of destiny,
likely had a complicated or even avoidant attitude towards the topic of children.
Or perhaps he knew the harsh reality that Witchers also cannot have children, and chose to refuse.
His clear, and perhaps even slightly harsh, refusal had probably hurt Yennefer.
This triggered this situation that seemed like a chase but was actually full of entanglement.
Karl laughed, his voice clear: "Geralt, I think I roughly understand what's going on."
"Since she always has a way to track your whereabouts, she must be near my territory by now."
"I believe the knights under my command will soon report traces of a strange sorceress."
He patted Geralt on the shoulder, his gaze sweeping over the surrounding streets and rooftops: "Don't worry, she wouldn't dare, and couldn't, cause trouble on my territory."
Hearing this, Geralt nodded, and the small worry in his heart about being tracked largely disappeared.
Karl was now famous, and when taking on contracts in the field, he often heard about Karl, the Grand Duke of Terra, in taverns and on his travels.
From knight champion to turning the tide at the border, from territorial reforms to elevation to a duchy, especially the benevolent policies towards civilians, had long spread throughout the North.
On this friend's territory, Yennefer would indeed need to weigh her options.
They talked as they walked, slowly strolling through the streets of Terra, and the scenery along the way surprised Geralt.
At that moment, Karl meaningfully turned his head and glanced at a crow perched on a nearby roof, looking particularly quiet.
Geralt also followed his gaze and noticed the crow.
Besides feeling it was unusually quiet and its chirping was barely audible, there were no signs of spell camouflage or abnormal magical fluctuations.
At that moment, a knight quickly approached Karl and reported: "Lord Karl, we have found a strange, beautiful woman suspected of being a sorceress in our inn."
Karl nodded and said to Geralt: "Let's go. It seems she is already waiting for you."
...
When they arrived at the village center, at the door of the newly built inn,
the surrounding villagers stopped one by one, spontaneously bowed and saluted Karl, respectfully calling out: "Lord Karl!"
In their eyes, there was no longer the initial fear and alienation from the nobility, but now heartfelt admiration and gratitude.
The appearance of these villagers was also very different from what Geralt remembered.
No longer yellowed and gaunt, ragged, but replaced by a healthy complexion and a noticeably improved physique.
The villagers could evidently eat and dress warmly thanks to the improved living conditions, and their diet had also improved.
Naturally, Karl didn't put on airs and greeted the villagers.
He responded with a gentle smile and occasionally nodded in acknowledgment.
Geralt silently watched all this, and a flicker of surprise involuntarily appeared in his eyes.
He hadn't set foot on Terra for more than three months, and the changes here were like a transformation of the world.
The muddy dirt road in his memory was gone, and the ground was now paved with neatly cut marble slabs.
The sharp smell of livestock and feces that had previously filled the air had also significantly decreased, and a special area seemed to have been planned for livestock.
What surprised him even more was that besides human villagers, there were many elves, dwarves, and even halflings, harmoniously coexisting with humans and busy with their own tasks.
And most importantly, when he had earlier entered Terra's territory alone, even without Karl's company,
when these villagers saw him, a Witcher, there was no hostility, no discrimination, nor fear in their eyes.
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