Chapter 1441 - 1406: Chaotic Analysis

"What... what?"

Shilton stood awkwardly holding this strange metal rattle.

He pressed Lann for an answer.

That night, his mind was already muddled and tense due to being drugged, and now it was almost going blank with anxiety.

What does ’after ringing the bell, explain that it’s helping me’ mean?

Who am I supposed to explain it to?

What will happen after I ring this bell?

But looking at Lann’s retreating figure in the long, luxurious corridor, and the sight outside the window beside him, reflecting a faint red glow against the city walls, Shilton still stomped his feet, gritted his teeth, and turned around to jog away.

In the end, he still trusted his friend Lann, and no matter what, he didn’t grit his teeth and leave his family’s bank just to see his career turn into a charred ruin!

"Damn it! Damn it!"

The red-bearded dwarf cursed under his breath, yet he carefully held the eerie and somber metal rattle, his short legs moving swiftly as he ran out of Airetusa.

And just as Shilton made his way outside the academy, to the workshop district by the walls of Gos Velen City, Lann, who had removed his bothersome collar, re-entered the banquet hall.

At this time, the magical candlelight in the banquet hall showed no sign of dimming, but there were only a few people left in the banquet.

They had all gone off either to rest or to amuse themselves.

Earlier, as Lann passed through the dormitory corridors, he heard the heavy breathing of men and women inside, and cries that were not at all restrained.

Along with those were the annoyed complaints of those awakened in other rooms, and in a nearby room, an artist, similarly breathless, seemed to clap in applause for those ecstatic screams.

Lann paid no heed, and after a cursory glance around the banquet hall, he walked toward Tishaya.

Triss and Margaret were still by Tishaya’s side.

"Oh, look," Margaret already had a flushed face and dazed eyes from drinking, but she still noticed at a glance that Lann’s collar was torn, and teased, "Dear, was there a female warlock who couldn’t resist trying to take you by force?"

"That’s quite unfortunate. Especially since she didn’t succeed."

But immediately after, Margaret and the others saw the expression on Lann’s face.

It was not the embarrassment and impatience caused by being entangled with some lustful female warlock.

The chill of that expression was self-evident, and the severity of that expression was instantly apparent.

If it were just one or two women in heat, they wouldn’t be able to provoke such an expression from Lann.

"Something’s wrong."

He no longer cared about the gazes still lingering on the remaining people in the banquet hall.

Lann directly bent down, leaning close to the female warlocks’ ear level, speaking in a low voice.

He described to the female warlocks the unusual occurrences happening to the various forces and industries under his name during this period, and this tense atmosphere at the banquet, with everyone harboring their own intentions.

Tishaya listened with her brow furrowed the entire time.

"Is all of this just speculation?"

Tishaya’s words carried a sense of incredulity, or rather a resistance to believing.

"Do you have any evidence, Lann? I can’t just decide that someone intends to make a move or stage a coup during this banquet and the several days of subsequent meetings based on a few words you said in front of me, can I?"

The banquet’s atmosphere was eerie, but this eerie feeling seemed so only to those in the know.

Those warlocks who were clueless, who lacked sensitivity, were still lost in the revelry and indulgence. In their eyes, this banquet, where they could each find a partner and a room to engage in entanglement, was no different from before.

Weren’t all warlock banquets like this?

This time, those libertines at least didn’t start seeking thrills directly in the corner of the banquet hall hosting the event.

Lann looked at Tishaya, whose eyes flashed with resistance, not surprised.

This esteemed female warlock was indeed powerful and knowledgeable, but she had been detached from the current political situation for a long time.

This led her to lack sensitivity and insight about both the internal affairs of the Northern Kingdom and the situation between the North and South.

But Lann didn’t back down despite Tishaya’s resistance, the demon hunter still regarded this female warlock with utmost seriousness and solemnity.

"...Are you serious?" Tishaya, after a long silence, instinctively straightened her collar and cuffs, saying, "Are you certain a coup will happen? Tonight?"

"There’s no time to lose." Lann stated flatly, then turned his head to search, "Dikoschek. Where did that spy leader go?"

Triss frowned, recalling, "I saw him leave with Philippa."

Margaret also slapped her face with her hand, trying to sober her up, "They definitely didn’t go to find a room to bed together! Philippa hasn’t been interested in men for a long time!"

"So is this Philippa’s doing again?" Speaking of this well-known female warlock, Tishaya seemed to accept Lann’s assertion of "there will be a coup."

Tishaya spoke lowly and angrily: "The true power behind Crito, the real ruler of Redania, the most remarkable successor of [Pure White] Rafad, the great Philippa Eilhart, now wants to find an excuse to purge dissenters among the warlocks?"

This display caused Lann to scrutinize what kind of image Philippa held in Tishaya’s heart.

Tishaya had always disapproved of warlocks meddling too much in politics, seizing mortal power.

It’s not that she thought warlocks shouldn’t govern mortals, but she and Henry Gemitis, these two ’Ancient Wizards’, still believed that warlocks should focus their energies on expanding the path of magic.

Being distracted elsewhere is a dereliction of duty.

And now, in the capital of Redania, in the palace of Crito, the female warlock Philippa Eilhart, who is almost unmatched, is undoubtedly the kind of person Tishaya dislikes the most.

Beside Tishaya, Margaret also wore an expression of deep agreement.

It seems that Philippa Eilhart, even among the female warlocks, is almost stereotypically known for loving power struggles and being adept at manipulation.

"I’m not sure if it’s that Philippa trying to eliminate dissidents by staging such a scene."

Lann frowned, speaking sincerely yet urgently.

As he spoke, he directly grabbed Tishaya, attempting to lead her out of the banquet hall.

The few remaining people in the banquet hall, at this scene, some even whistled, cheered, and clapped.

But Lann and the three female warlocks moved swiftly.

"Dikoschek’s conversation with me... makes me feel he’s here to hunt for traitors. Given the renewed tension between north and south, a purge is necessary for survival. His actions are reasonable under this situation."

"But from your understanding of Philippa, you think she’s using this opportunity to eliminate dissidents and persecute the innocent."

"Yet now, at High Hill Castle, the Workshop District... it’s evident there’s a force within the Northern Kingdom trying to tire me out with putting out fires."

Do the northern kings want to act against Lann and the warlocks?

Is Dikoschek really completing an internal purge in preparation for the inevitable, more explosive north-south war?

Is Philippa wielding power for personal gain, seizing any excuse to play the game of eliminating dissidents among the warlocks?

Unknown. Uncertain.

No one’s thoughts can be entirely read from their face. Everyone is searching for allies, but also unsure of others’ stances, so all communication remains vague, using hints to express ideas.

In the chaotic situation, trying to connect various parties and unite forces becomes such a troublesome affair.

"Suppose we are to capture the traitor among the warlocks from the Northern Territories," Margaret suddenly said, looking at Triss, "then it must be a joint action by the Four Northern Countries!"

"Triss, have you received any notification? You are Veltrest’s Royal Advisor!"

"Royal Advisors aren’t all trustworthy." Before Triss could speak, Lann said gravely.

"But Triss is close to me, and my stance is known... on the north-south position, she’s trustworthy. But when it comes to the Northern Kingdom and my, or the warlocks’ stance, she becomes untrustworthy."

Shaking his head, Lann said as he walked, "The situation is complex, we can’t figure out who’s telling the truth, or who’s only telling half the truth."

"Yes, it’s complicated." Tishaya continued speaking while keeping her pace, "Thanks to Yennefer for bringing that Ciri to the academy, we now have the precious ability to discern facts."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Lann frowned, questioning, while Triss and Margaret suddenly appeared enlightened.

By now, they had returned to the bridge where Lann previously spoke with Viggo Fortez, the sea breeze salty and cold, with the moon already halfway across the sky.

"The Magic Source!" Margaret firmly said, "Let a Magic Source fall into a trance from Chaos Magic Power exposure, in this state, she can prophesy!"

"No, we don’t need Ciri to foretell the future, we just need to use her Magic Source’s trance state," Triss tucked her burgundy hair behind her ear.

"Clarify what has already happened, that would be clearer than ambiguous prophecies, and places no burden on Ciri herself, most importantly..."

"A trance Magic Source lacks the ability to lie."

The female warlocks said in unison.

"This is a known axiom." Tishaya said coldly, "No matter who is playing tricks, if anyone dares to twist the truth in front of me and this fact, I will teach them a good lesson!"

For the first time, Lann saw Tishaya so angry.

But after the rare outburst, Tishaya turned around, looking at Lann with an expression almost mixed with obsession and pleading.

"Lann... I cannot allow my academy to become a battlefield! No one should die in Airetusa! This place should be a meeting ground for reason, not a slaughterhouse woven with conspiracy! No one should bleed here!"

"We must suppress the conflict to its smallest scale." Tishaya said, stopping on the bridge, looking back at the still brightly lit, magnificent large castle.

"I will start to unlock the anti-magic array within Gastang Palace, so that at least the conflict among warlocks won’t tear down the entire island, causing countless deaths and injuries. But..."

But now the academy’s guards have been infiltrated, who knows how many more people have already come in!

Warlocks without power are incredibly vulnerable before professional soldiers, even armed bandits.

"Leave it to me then."

Lann resolutely said.

"They are making trouble for me everywhere, wanting me to put out fires everywhere tonight, spreading me thin and disorienting me."

"They have evaluated my strength, they have evaluated the power of my castle, my knights, my workshop, and then with complete preparation and confidence, want to crush these things."

"But seriously," Lann’s smile carried a hint of sarcasm, "I don’t even know how they dare think... they’ve already seen through me?"

Clouds covered the moonlight as Lann stopped on the bridge, watching the three female warlocks walk towards the second tallest tower on the island.

But suddenly...

"Clang clang!"

The pendant on Lann’s neck began to shake, and Tishaya, who had already walked away, also stopped instantly, then hurried even more—

Someone had begun using magic in Airetusa!