Guilliman knew that the Witchers present were not men who liked to mince words, so he straightforwardly walked to the center of the tavern without any pretense.
He then pulled over a large table and laid out the combat supplies he had prepared.
"This battle against the Wild Hunt is one I invited you all to, so I will bear the costs incurred during the fight."
"Here are various Witcher potions, alchemical bombs, and specter oil specifically for ghost-like monsters, all prepared for you."
"For tomorrow's battle, please take what you need."
"After the battle, I will also pay each of you a reward, consider it a token of my appreciation."
To be a leader of a faction, one must be fair in rewards and punishments and not act stingily.
Although Guilliman also felt a pang of heartache at spending so much money, many social graces, if not invested in beforehand, might cost even more when they are needed.
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than Vesemir, the elder of the Wolf School, stood up and said:
"Thank you for your kindness, Guilliman."
"We will certainly give our all in tomorrow's battle."
"But as for the reward, please don't bother. Our most important purpose in participating in this battle is to rescue our comrade, Geralt; that is our primary objective."
"To receive your assistance is already a great help to us in the Wolf School; we will not ask for any further compensation."
The old man's attitude was firm. After he stated his position, Eskel, Lambert, and Leo all expressed that they did not need compensation.
Guilliman did not force them; he was not one to compel others, so he nodded in agreement.
However, the Witchers from the other three schools did not follow suit. Although they each had their own reasons for confronting the Wild Hunt, they did not refuse the reward Guilliman offered.
After all, Witchers lived a hard life, and if their equipment were damaged in battle, it would be another considerable expense.
The idea of receiving compensation for fulfilling a contract was deeply ingrained in almost every Witcher's mind.
Once the brief combat mobilization concluded,
Guilliman finalized the plan to depart by portal early tomorrow morning, and the Witchers dispersed.
They belonged to different schools and would make other preparations before the battle, according to their respective school's characteristics.
However, while the other Witchers left, Letho and his cloaked companions remained, quickly approaching Guilliman.
The three of them showed no hostility.
Letho, a tall man only slightly shorter than Guilliman, suddenly pointed at the Viper School medallion on his chest and asked:
"Mr. Guilliman, I am Letho of the Viper School."
"Though it may be presumptuous, I must ask, where did you obtain the Witcher medallion on your chest?"
"Why do you claim to be from the Viper School?"
This was indeed a problem, especially for Letho and his companions.
Guilliman's answer would also influence the trio's attitude.
No matter how much they yearned to defeat the Wild Hunt, Letho and his companions would not cooperate with someone who had killed other members of their own school.
Guilliman had no intention of hiding the answer to this question.
"I have actually explained this question to others, Mr. Letho."
"It might be a bit hard to believe, but I was actually transformed into a Witcher by the creator of Witchers himself, Mr. Alzur. I belong to the same era as the first batch of Witchers from the time of the Conjunction, which was hundreds of years ago."
"I was sealed in a special laboratory and only escaped from it a year ago."
"Then, I met Mr. Coën of the Viper School—or, to be precise, Mr. Coën's soul."
"Although the time we spent together was short, I learned some Viper School swordsmanship, knowledge, and abilities from him, and I completed his revenge for him."
"Subsequently, to better integrate into the Witcher profession, I began to call myself a Viper School Witcher and started accepting contracts and completing Witcher tasks."
Guilliman recounted his experiences to Letho and his companions, a mix of truth and fabrication, emphasizing his connection with Coën and his idea of creating a Witcher school.
This was also a way of appealing to their interests.
At this time, the Viper School's Witcher school had long been destroyed, and Letho and his companions, inheriting its legacy, besides their pursuit of the Wild Hunt, aimed to re-establish and pass on the knowledge of the Viper School.
This explanation made Letho and his companions exchange glances, their expressions becoming quite complex.
However, with the battle imminent tomorrow, since they could confirm that Guilliman was not an enemy, this issue would be temporarily shelved, to be resolved later.
But Guilliman's idea had certainly planted a seed in the hearts of Letho and his companions, opening a gap.
It was just waiting for the battle to end before it would take root, sprout, and bear fruit.
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