Chapter 133: Style of Conduct

Before setting off for Maribor, Wayne handled some chores at home and took the opportunity to bring Alex to his house.

Berengar would take him along to clear wasteland in the backyard, preparing to set up a small greenhouse in the future to grow various herbs, using farm work to hone the little guy's patience and physical strength, while also testing the little guy's character.

His body was too thin and weak; even if he wanted to practice swordsmanship, it would take some time to let him build up his health first.

Wayne, having prepared all the supplies and equipment needed for the battle, arrived at Triss's home as agreed, and set off with the sorceress to the location of the commission.

It must be said that in this age without airplanes or cars, a portal is truly a great skill, capable of crossing hundreds of kilometers in just a few dozen seconds to arrive at another place.

Magic is truly worthy of being called magic.

Never mind the Middle Ages; even in the interstellar era, the power of technology might not necessarily achieve this.

It is a pity that the feeling of passing through a portal is truly quite uncomfortable; even though Wayne's physical fitness far exceeds that of an ordinary person, he still felt like vomiting.

On the contrary, Triss seemed completely unaffected, saying with a beaming smile:

"Welcome to my hometown, Wayne. Do you need me to take you around Maribor City first?"

"I know several restaurants with good flavors; I can take you to have a taste."

Wayne steadied his physical discomfort, shook his head, and said:

"No, Triss. I like to handle work first and then play to my heart's content, rather than having a burden on my mind."

Triss wrinkled her nose, gave a huff, and said, "Hmph, alright then. Since Mr. Witcher is so dedicated, I will go and arrange for someone to take you to the crime scene now."

"Once you have found any news, come and notify me."

"I haven't been home for several years, and there are still some matters that need me to handle."

Wayne had no objections to this; this was the division of labor the two had discussed beforehand. The more intelligence obtained before the battle, the more adept one could be during the fight. After all, only by knowing oneself and the enemy can one be victorious in every battle.

As for work like reasoning and investigating cases, that has always been a witcher's specialty. Sorceresses are not good at these; what they are best at is using large-scale magic to bombard others.

And according to Keira, the beautiful Miss Triss is best at fire magic, naturally having an affinity for fire elements, and is even able to summon burning meteors from the sky to attack enemies.

Wayne was clear on this. In the famous Battle of Sodden Hill from the original work, Triss's meteor shower of fire killed who knows how many soldiers of the southern Nilfgaard, making her famous in one battle and becoming a renowned sorceress celebrated both north and south.

Although the red-haired beauty looked somewhat soft and cute, her efficiency in getting things done was still very high. She didn't make Wayne wait long before she brought in a middle-aged knight with a somewhat arrogant expression.

"Wayne, this is the deputy captain of the Maribor city guard, Sir Rams. He will lead twenty city guards to assist us in handling this incident."

"Sir Rams, this Mr. Wayne is an expert I have invited, responsible for investigating the culprit of this incident. Please have your soldiers cooperate with him in his actions. The Duke of Maribor hopes we can resolve this matter as soon as possible."

Wayne had disguised himself as an ordinary human mercenary at this time. Although his build was tall and strong, his appearance still looked too young, like a handsome youth who had just come of age.

After Triss finished the introduction, the middle-aged knight's expression remained very haughty. His turbid eyes didn't even look at Wayne, his head held high, nostrils pointed forward, looking as if he didn't hold anyone in his eyes.

He said to Triss in a disdainful tone: "A child, and a commoner at that?"

"Ms. Triss, up to now, nearly twenty people have died at the hands of the culprit, and until now we still cannot determine the culprit's identity or location."

"Pardon my bluntness, but letting this commoner participate in this case is simply a contempt for our capabilities."

Before this Rams could say anything more, Wayne, standing opposite him, had already extended his right hand and quickly traced the sign of Axii in the air. A glimmer of light rushed into Rams's brain, directly causing the middle-aged knight's expression to freeze on the spot.

His eyes were vacant, his gaze not knowing where it was looking, and he stood blankly in place, having entered a hypnotic state.

With Wayne's current spell strength, let alone ordinary witchers, even some true sorcerer apprentices were likely not as powerful as him.

Although the Axii Sign is called a small trick by sorcerers, the speed at which Wayne casts it takes almost an instant, and its power is also quite good; its practicality is far more powerful than those hypnosis techniques that require chanting spells. Seeing Sir Rams bewitched by Wayne's Sign and having entered a hypnotic state:

Triss covered her mouth and gave a soft exclamation in surprise, turning to look at Wayne, not knowing what his purpose was in doing this.

Wayne shrugged, met the sorceress's gaze, and then said: "Triss, this guy is clearly the type of incompetent and arrogant idiot knight. Rather than cooperating with such an idiot, I'd rather act alone."

"Taking this group of dead weight along not only won't get things done, but they might even hinder me. If I get annoyed and kill them, it won't be easy for you to explain to that Duke then."

Upon hearing this, Triss gave Wayne a somewhat reproachful glare, then sighed, waved her hand, and chanted a spell. This Sir Rams, like a puppet, with vacant eyes, swayed as he left the two of them.

Not until he had completely left did Triss complain in a low voice:

"Wayne, even if you are dissatisfied with him, you should have discussed it with me first. Without the help of the city guard, you aren't familiar with this place, and it won't be convenient to investigate."

"So what do you plan to do now?"

Wayne had already had an idea before driving Rams away, so he spoke directly: "Doesn't your family own one-tenth of the shares in the mine? They must have people familiar with the mine. Just find a commoner guide to show me the way."

"Anyway, once in the forest, the bullshit authority of those city guards won't have any effect. A leshen won't look at their status and spare them."

"Not letting them participate and letting fewer of them die can also allow you to better explain things to that Duke, can't it?"

Triss tilted her head and considered for a dozen seconds, then nodded helplessly and said: "Alright, Wayne, let's do it your way. The mine business seems to be managed by my nephew Will; I will have him arrange an obedient guide for you."

"However, Wayne, this world is after all ruled by nobles and royalty. You cannot blindly reject them. If you witchers want to live better, the thoughts of the noble class are also very important."

"We cannot despise these mortals just because of the power we possess."

You yourself call them mortals, Wayne muttered to himself.

But seeing Triss sincerely advising him like this, he still nodded, looking as if he were humbly accepting, and then said:

"Triss, I don't hate nobles; I only hate idiots."

"As for some enlightened and intelligent nobles, I am still very willing to be friends with them."

Triss sighed slightly and didn't say anything more. After leaving, she soon brought a somewhat thin, black-haired young man to Wayne's side.

"Wayne, this gentleman is named Alan. He is a hunter near the mine. He is very familiar with the forest environment and has also worked in the mine before; he should be able to serve as a guide for you."

After listening to Triss's introduction, the black-haired young man didn't even dare to look at the sorceress. He nodded to Wayne and bowed slightly, saying:

"Lord Wayne, just calling me Alan is fine. I am very familiar with the mine area; I can show you the way wherever you want to go."

Seeing Alan's humble and cooperative attitude, Wayne nodded with satisfaction and turned to Triss:

"Triss, then I will set off first. I will notify you if there is any situation."

"Wait a moment."

Before Wayne could leave, Triss took a red stone out of her pouch, handed it to his hand, and said:

"This is a magic stone capable of short-range communication. If you input chaos magic into it, you can contact me. However, its communication range is limited; you must not run too far away."

"If you encounter special circumstances, contact me immediately, and I will provide you with support as soon as possible."

Seeking collections, seeking recommendations, seeking tips.

(End of chapter)