On the belvedere of Beauclair Palace, sunlight streamed from behind the duchess, surrounding her with a sacred golden halo.
"Honesty! Honesty is the best policy! Viscount Corion, tell me plainly, did you already know that the person behind the Five Virtues Murders was my sister, Sylvia Anna?"
Dressed in a pale green court gown, Anna Henrietta spoke with passionate intensity before fixing her gaze upon Victor Corion's youthful face.
He appeared somewhat dejected and did not immediately answer her question.
Ever since he had arrived, he had seemed strangely absent-minded. Although he was nowhere near Dandelion's level when it came to handsome looks, that pitiful expression somehow reminded her of the bard...
Suddenly examining her own conscience, she wondered whether her anger had frightened the young man.
Perhaps treating him like this wasn't fair.
He might be a highly skilled witcher, but he was still very young.
Anna Henrietta softened her voice.
"Don't be afraid, child. I won't punish you. Just tell me the truth and explain everything you know."
The other three people present had more or less expected this outcome, but the duchess's attitude had changed so abruptly from furious condemnation to unconditional pardon that it nearly gave them whiplash.
Sebastian Le Goff, the chamberlain standing on the platform as well, couldn't help giving a quiet cough.
Damien, who had originally intended to intervene and smooth things over, was struggling so hard not to react that his cheeks turned red.
Horace, stationed below the steps, looked utterly incredulous.
Why was the duchess being so kind to Victor?
And "child"... what the hell was that supposed to mean?
As someone who had once been his companion in certain vigorous activities at The Belles of Beauclair, Horace could say with complete confidence that the first-rate lecher known as Victor Corion had absolutely nothing to do with the word child.
Could it be!?
Did Her Grace have designs on the witcher...
Was another rising star of Toussaint's political world about to be born?
Amid everyone's astonishment and the duchess's expectant gaze, Victor finally emerged from his daze.
He could put Yennefer aside for the moment.
The Five Virtues Murders really did need to be explained clearly to Anna Henrietta. No matter what, she was both his employer and the person most directly involved.
Besides, circumstances had changed.
After sparring with Regis, Victor was now quite confident that even if negotiations completely collapsed and things reached the point where he had to fight, Dettlaff would have absolutely no chance of killing him instantly.
That naturally gave Victor the confidence needed to negotiate with the higher vampire.
"Her Enlightened Ladyship, ever since accepting your commission, I have diligently pursued this investigation. So first, I must emphasize that even now, we cannot say with certainty that the mastermind is truly your sister, Lady Sylvia Anna.
"The reason I previously chose to remain silent was because I feared someone else might be acting in her name. Such a person could know how much you care about her and deliberately use that fact to misdirect the investigation."
Anna Henrietta drew a deep breath.
"Very well. That isn't unreasonable. Continue."
"The mastermind is certainly important, but when all is said and done, I am a witcher. You hired me to investigate the Beast.
"So I must warn you, the creature carrying out these murders is very, very, very dangerous.
"I have to use the word very three times because this case truly is extraordinary.
"It is the strongest opponent I have encountered thus far in my career as a witcher, a higher vampire."
The ruler of Toussaint frowned.
"A vampire? That nearly extinct race?" Damien de la Tour said. "Those monsters are fairly easy to deal with. We can use wooden stakes, holy water, garlic, and silver against them."
Victor shook his head seriously.
"Captain, with all due respect, forget those folk remedies.
"Silver is indeed effective against many vampire species, but everything else you mentioned is nonsense.
"Overwhelming strength and speed, astonishing regeneration, immunity to illusions, the ability to transform into mist or a bat, immunity to magical tracking and divination, and a lifespan approaching eternity.
"The vampires that can simply be defeated and killed belong to the lesser species. True higher vampires are effectively immortal and indestructible.
"They haven't disappeared. They've merely chosen to remain hidden and live alongside human society."
"Your absurd glorification of these monsters makes me uncomfortable, Mr. Victor.
"I hereby declare that my elite Ducal Guard can deal with the Beast easily. You need only locate it."
The prominent scar across Damien's face spoke clearly of a man with unwavering resolve.
"You heard Captain de la Tour," Duchess Henrietta said, lifting her chin slightly. "I find his argument quite reasonable. What do you think, Viscount Corion?"
The witcher placed a hand over his chest and bowed.
"Her Enlightened Ladyship, please allow me to reserve judgment. In my opinion, we wouldn't even need to involve a true higher vampire. An ekimmara, or anything stronger, could slaughter an entire squad of soldiers with ease."
Noticing the duchess's expression gradually turning colder, Victor decided to change the subject.
As a witcher, he had already fulfilled his responsibility by warning them.
If they stubbornly refused to believe him, so be it.
There was no reason to confront them over it.
On matters like this, they would apparently rather trust armored knights or sorceresses.
Perhaps Yennefer could explain the situation to the duchess instead.
"I also have another bold and rather radical theory regarding the mastermind's objective in the Five Virtues Murders.
"It directly concerns Lady Sylvia Anna, so I must report it to Your Grace."
The moment Syanna's name was brought up, Anna Henrietta immediately forgot Victor's earlier offense.
"What is it? Tell me quickly."
"Your Grace, this is an extremely serious accusation. I fear that once I say it, you will become furious and punish me for it."
The duchess snapped impatiently.
"Stop hiding things! No matter what you say, I grant you immunity from punishment!"
Considering that what he was about to say would undoubtedly inflict a severe emotional blow upon the ruler of Toussaint, Victor kept his manner perfectly proper.
He had absolutely no intention of provoking her unnecessarily.
"Her Enlightened Ladyship, as you already know, the fourth victim in the Five Virtues Murders was very likely intended to be the valiant Sir Milton de Peyrac-Peyran.
"The Beast planned to murder him brutally next month while he was dressed as the Cowardly Hare, thereby humiliating the very virtue of valor he represented.
"It is highly likely that this plan was carried out at Lady Syanna's instruction."
Displeasure appeared on the duchess's face.
She was beginning to dislike the witcher in front of her.
Why did he insist on bringing up precisely the things she least wanted to hear, repeatedly speaking ill of her sister?
Sebastian, Damien, and even Horace standing watch below the steps all began to feel nervous on Victor's behalf.
"There were certain things I originally wouldn't have dared say. But since Your Grace has magnanimously granted me immunity from punishment, I am happy to offer my loyal counsel..."
The young man remained relaxed, his tone calm and elegant.
"As everyone knows, Valor is the fourth of the Five Chivalric Virtues, and the knights of Toussaint have always sworn themselves to all five.
"So I cannot help wondering...
"In Lady Syanna's plan, might there also be a victim representing the fifth virtue, Compassion?"
The belvedere abruptly fell deathly silent.
It seemed as though even the drop of a needle could have been heard.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Where was that sound coming from?
Horace suddenly realized it was his own heartbeat.
His instincts warned him that this was the moment to leave.
Whatever came next was probably not something he ought to hear.
But it was already too late.
That damned, bastard witcher had already begun speaking freely.
"If the goal of the Five Virtues Murders truly is revenge, then after so many years spent wandering from place to place, let us consider who Syanna might hate most.
"My reasoning is that because of her parents, the lady's childhood was not a happy one. As a result, even the smallest amount of affection would have been extraordinarily precious to her.
"And therefore, the act capable of hurting her most deeply would undoubtedly be betrayal.
"So apart from the four knights suspected of mistreating her all those years ago, the fifth person she hates most would unquestionably be..."
"Enough!"
Anna Henrietta's eyes were now streaked red with blood, and the beautiful duchess resembled a lioness ready to tear someone apart.
"Utter nonsense! I don't want to hear another word from you! Get out of here immediately!"
Victor brushed lightly at his shoulder and looked directly into her eyes.
"I am sorry, Your Grace Anna Henrietta. Sincerely.
"But I shouldn't have concealed this from you, and you yourself ordered me not to hide anything."
"...Viscount Corion, your cruelty and vileness disgust me! Did you not hear me tell you to leave? Get out of my palace!"
Anna Henrietta tore a bracelet from her wrist and hurled it hard against Victor's chest.
It struck him and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Truly, I am sorry."
Victor bowed deeply and gently, then turned and walked down the steps.
Even after he had gone a considerable distance from the belvedere, the faint sound of hysterical sobbing could still be heard behind him.
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