Victor did not feel guilty about coldly exposing the truth. The logic behind the crimes wasn't particularly complicated. Any sufficiently perceptive and intelligent person would eventually figure it out, including the ruler of Toussaint herself.
So it was better to make everything clear in advance. Whether the sisters reconciled or tried to kill each other afterward, at least they would do so fairly and without misunderstanding.
Lost in thought as he walked, Victor gradually slowed his pace.
He had ridden the momentum of the moment earlier and made a wonderfully cool, dramatic exit, but the truth was that he wasn't particularly familiar with Beauclair Palace.
In other words, he didn't know the way.
He had no idea where to go next.
Fortunately, at that awkward moment...
"Vic! Is that you?"
Victor, outwardly calm while inwardly preparing to ask someone for directions, was called to a stop.
The voice belonged to the most beautiful lady-in-waiting at court, Vivienne de Tabris.
"It's been a long time. I'm so glad to see you."
She approached with a smile, lightly lifted the hem of her skirt, and curtsied to the witcher.
"It really has been a while. Have you recovered well since then? No other problems with your body?"
At Victor's concerned question, Vivienne's cheeks reddened slightly as she gently shook her head.
"There's no need to worry. I've examined her. The curse left no lingering effects. You, on the other hand, look like you have quite a problem!"
A gentle yet unquestionable woman's voice cut forcefully into the conversation.
The instant Victor saw its owner, his gaze was firmly drawn to her.
Yennefer...
There could be no mistake.
This was Yennefer of Vengerberg.
The sorceress wore a fitted black-and-white top with matching trousers. Her naturally voluminous black curls framed pale skin that gleamed with a pearly sheen.
She was beautiful enough to have stepped straight out of a painting...
Or rather, straight out of Victor's memories.
The subtle fragrance of lilac and gooseberries filled his nose.
Thank the gods her complexion was still pale and she hadn't somehow suddenly turned Zerrikanian. It wouldn't exactly have been unacceptable if she had, but it certainly would have been disappointing.
"Mr. Victor Corion. I am Yennefer of Vengerberg. Perhaps you've heard of me. I am Ciri's mother. If you have any doubts about my identity, you may confirm it with the young woman beside you.
"Now come to my room. There are several things I need to verify with you."
Without waiting for an answer, she turned around and entered the room.
There was no need for confirmation.
After Keira Metz's meticulous education, Victor was no longer particularly bothered by the sorceresses' habit of phrasing commands as though they were questions.
He placed a hand over his chest and inclined his head toward Vivienne before following Yennefer.
...
The sorceress's room was furnished very simply.
It looked as though she had no intention of staying for long. Apart from the palace's standard necessities, there were very few possessions that actually belonged to Yennefer.
Besides, once those violet eyes fixed themselves on someone, it was difficult for anyone to look elsewhere long enough to examine the room.
Sitting in a comfortable reclining chair, she crossed her long, slender legs.
"Viscount Victor Corion. Witcher. Dovahkiin. Bard. Prophet. And a great many other blah-blah-blah titles that don't seem to mean anything.
"You know, when someone has too many completely unrelated identities, wise people can usually find one obvious label that fits him.
"Liar.
"Are you a liar, Mr. Corion?
"Don't try to deceive me. Perhaps you've heard that sorceresses can read minds, and I happen to be exceptionally skilled at it.
"Are you really Ciri's younger brother?
"No. A better question would be...
"Have you ever even met Ciri?"
Victor blinked.
The aggression this woman displayed was astonishingly strong. Their very first meeting had begun with provocation and suspicion.
Then again, perhaps he shouldn't have been surprised.
This was simply the kind of person she was.
Maybe it was an effective technique, allowing her to judge truth from the other person's reactions.
Unfortunately for her, whether it was mind-reading or verbal manipulation, neither caused the slightest disturbance in a young man with such immense mental resilience.
If anything, Victor almost felt like laughing.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Ciri and her horse Kelpie appeared by chance in Bell Town, where I was living. We became very close.
"But me being her younger brother? Impossible. That's something she decided entirely on her own.
"In fact, during the six months I looked after her, she displayed unparalleled talent for mischief, troublemaking, and generally creating chaos.
"She never once set any sort of example as an older sister.
"If anything, calling her my little sister would be more accurate."
The Ciri described by Victor sounded perfectly consistent with Yennefer's impression of her.
A child who hadn't yet lost her youthful innocence, but always wanted to behave like an adult.
The sorceress's expression became serious.
She had discovered that the witcher's mind resembled a vast blue ocean.
At first glance it appeared perfectly transparent, yet she couldn't see what was hidden beneath its depths at all.
Her mind-reading had absolutely no effect on him.
She couldn't even determine whether he was telling the truth or lying.
"Do you have any evidence to prove what you're saying?"
"No.
"Lady Yennefer, because I care about Ciri, and because of my personal friendship with Geralt, I am treating you with goodwill and telling you the truth.
"If you have doubts about my identity, you can ask Vesemir or Ciri herself in the future.
"She'll appear again soon."
"How do you know she'll return?"
"I made a prophecy.
"The Burning Omen. Remember?
"Judging from the current situation, within a year at most, all of you will meet again."
Her mind-reading couldn't determine whether his words were true or false, and the man opposite her clearly wasn't some idiot who could easily be tricked into revealing information.
His words and reasoning left virtually no openings.
Yennefer hesitated.
She realized she had very few effective ways of dealing with the man in front of her.
Beneath his mild exterior, his fierce refusal to be manipulated was completely undisguised.
Using force to pressure him was out of the question.
She had read the Imperial Intelligence files concerning him. He had been confirmed as an extraordinarily powerful witcher capable of fighting a dragon alone.
Trying to ambush him with magic wouldn't be easy either.
Judging by the way he had lifted Vivienne's curse, he was extremely sensitive to magical currents. Silently incapacitating him would be exceptionally difficult.
And most importantly...
Victor's story sounded convincing, and he had never attempted to profit from his supposed relationship with Ciri.
What if he was telling the truth?
Since he claimed everything would become clear within a year...
Perhaps she could simply wait another year...
After pondering for a while and settling her thoughts, the sorceress raised her head.
Having temporarily put aside the matter she cared about most, she finally had the inclination to properly examine the young witcher before her.
A solid, powerfully built body was wrapped in a fitted black-and-white formal outfit.
His face itself was utterly unremarkable, but four blade scars marked it, one across the bridge of his nose and three along his left cheek, almost like the brands once carved into a criminal's face.
...
Yennefer hesitated.
She realized she had very few effective ways of dealing with the man in front of her.
Beneath his mild exterior, his fierce refusal to be manipulated was completely undisguised.
Using force to pressure him was out of the question.
She had read the Imperial Intelligence files concerning him. He had been confirmed as an extraordinarily powerful witcher capable of fighting a dragon alone.
Trying to ambush him with magic wouldn't be easy either.
Judging by the way he had lifted Vivienne's curse, he was extremely sensitive to magical currents. Silently incapacitating him would be exceptionally difficult.
And most importantly...
Victor's story sounded convincing, and he had never attempted to profit from his supposed relationship with Ciri.
What if he was telling the truth?
Since he claimed everything would become clear within a year...
Perhaps she could simply wait another year...
After pondering for a while and settling her thoughts, the sorceress raised her head.
Having temporarily put aside the matter she cared about most, she finally had the inclination to properly examine the young witcher before her.
A solid, powerfully built body was wrapped in a fitted black-and-white formal outfit.
His face itself was utterly unremarkable, but four blade scars marked it, one across the bridge of his nose and three along his left cheek, almost like the brands once carved into a criminal's face.
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