Tissaia's expression changed; her brows were tightly furrowed, and reluctance and internal conflict were clearly reflected on her face.
Her lips moved, as if she wanted to say something, but for a moment she didn't know where to start.
After a long hesitation, she finally said sincerely: "Hen, isn't this too... extreme? After all, they are members of the Brotherhood."
"Too many killings will cause panic and discontent among others, and even... shake the very foundation of the Brotherhood. Could we..."
However, faced with Tissaia's almost pleading words, Hen not only remained unmoved, but his gaze became even more resolute.
He didn't refute it directly, but simply said something inexplicably, unrelated to the current topic.
"Tissaia, I have recovered," Hen looked into his old friend's eyes and spoke word by word.
Tissaia was stunned, unable to understand what Hen meant by this phrase.
But what Hen said next made her immediately understand what he meant.
"Now I am even younger than many young people... more 'reliable'."
Tissaia's pupils sharply contracted, and her calm and composed expression for the first time showed shock, disbelief, ecstasy, and anxiety...
She stared intently at Hen, her lips trembling slightly, her voice trembling with emotion: "Hen, you...?! You mean...?!"
Seeing his old friend lose his composure, a look of relief and a relieved smile finally appeared on Hen's face.
He nodded gently, then his eyes showed Karl beside him.
"Yes, Tissaia," Hen's voice became much softer.
"Thanks to Karl, the problem that has troubled me for half a century... has been resolved."
Tissaia received Hen's definite answer, but still felt a slight dizziness, as if in a dream.
She suddenly turned her head, her gaze becoming sharp as a torch, sweeping over Karl, as if she wanted to dissect him from the inside.
Hen's healing – was it an illness caused by the natural aging of the body, where even the most advanced healing techniques and alchemical potions were powerless?
This ability... No, it goes beyond "spells." Maybe he wants a djinn to make a wish?
At the time, she had simply considered Karl an exceptionally talented genius.
But now, it seems she had greatly underestimated this young man.
What he possesses may surpass everyone's imagination.
At that moment, Karl clapped his hands, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Karl's expression straightened, all his casual expressions became restrained, and his gaze swept over everyone present.
Hen, Tissaia, Margarita... And Ciri, instinctively protected by Yennefer.
"First of all, thank you all. Although the specific reasons are unknown, I am willing to come and lend a helping hand."
"Karl, I will remember this friendship in my heart," Karl said.
The first to respond was Geralt: "Karl, you are my friend. Just as you helped me several times without asking for anything in return."
He paused, looked at everyone present, and added: "Perhaps the process and the personality of each of you when you met Karl are different."
"But I think that when it comes to 'willingness to help friends,' everyone is the same."
Triss, Mousesack, and the others nodded in response to his words, their faces showing that they agreed with him.
Karl smiled sincerely and nodded: "Well then, no need for formalities."
"Next, I am going to talk about the specific reason I am asking everyone for help this time."
He took a deep breath, his gaze becoming distant, as if returning to the moment of conversation with the nymph.
"About two months ago, passing through the outskirts of Vizima, I heard a voice... The call of a lake fairy."
"The Lady of the Lake? You mean... a nymph?" Yennefer frowned slightly, crossing her arms, her fingers involuntarily tapping lightly on them.
Karl nodded: "Yes, a nymph who lives by a lake and guards a seal."
"She sent me a request for help, asking me to help her fight against an evil god imprisoned deep beneath the lake."
"An evil god?" A flicker of doubt appeared in Margarita's eyes as well, but she controlled her expression well and didn't immediately ask questions.
Because she keenly noticed that when Hen and Tissaia heard this word,
their expressions changed slightly, but they showed neither surprise nor objection; instead, they took a silent stance.
This made Margarita suppress her doubts and continue listening.
After all, the "evil god" to which they both respond with such caution,
may not have been just the imagination of ordinary people or a lack of knowledge, but rather they mistakenly believed it to be a monster.
"At first, I knew my abilities were limited, and I didn't want to get into trouble of this level, so I decided to refuse," Karl continued.
"But this nymph gave me something... something I cannot refuse and am willing to take a risk for."
He didn't specify what it was, but everyone present heard the seriousness in his voice.
"I made a promise to the nymph and will do my best to help her fight against the evil god."
"And I don't intend to break my promise. That is why the current 'God Hunter' plan has come about."
He paused, giving everyone time to process, before delivering the most important message: "It needs to be clearly stated that the evil god we are facing is not its original form."
"Most likely, it is just a projection of its power, or rather, a clone weakened by the seal."
"It can be killed, or at least banished or re-sealed."
Karl's gaze swept over everyone: "The most dangerous part—fighting the evil god head-on—I will handle."
"Your task is to minimize losses in battle and deal with unexpected situations."
"And... be prepared for other threats that may be attracted, distorted, or caused by its power."
Having said that, Karl stopped, calmly looking at each future comrade present.
"This is the basic situation. If you have any questions about Him,"
"anything about plans or risks, you can ask me now. I will do my best to give answers."
Geralt walked over from the edge of the crowd, his cat-like eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly, showing inner gravity.
"Karl, regarding this 'god,' what kind of attack methods does it have? Does it use a certain kind... of spells?"
"If so, perhaps we should consider using magic-blocking gold for targeted protection or to set traps."
Magic-blocking gold is a special metal capable of suppressing and causing magical chaos.
It is the enemy of sorcerers and magical beings, and one of the key advantages Witchers have in fighting powerful mages.
Karl turned to Geralt and the gradually gathering gazes, slowly shaking his head.