The Royal Palace of Vizima was quite luxurious, serving as Foltest's primary residence.
As a king who had ruled Temeria for over thirty years, Foltest was not short on money and was willing to spend lavishly on the palace where he and his daughter lived. Thus, the entire palace was exceptionally beautiful, built in the style of ancient elven architecture.
It featured graceful marble statues, spacious and grand stone halls, vibrant stained-glass windows, and vaulted ceilings.
Overall, it appeared both exquisite and magnificent, possessing a true royal grandeur.
Led by Captain Vincent, Guilliman passed through layers of guards and inspections, finally entering the splendid audience hall where he met the man seated on the throne.
Foltest's face was somewhat gaunt, and his build was not particularly tall. Years of war against the Nilfgaardian Empire had left him looking a bit weary.
However, compared to the debauched nobles who indulged in wine and women, the King appeared quite capable, with sharp, spirited eyes, giving the impression more of a general or an elite warrior than a king.
Upon seeing Vincent and Guilliman enter, his gaze remained fixed on the Witcher's tall and robust physique.
Even among all the Northern Kingdoms, it was rare to see such a strong build, which made him quite striking.
For this King, who admired combat and enjoyed leading his soldiers to the front lines, he naturally held a good deal of affection for warriors like Guilliman.
In the audience hall at this time, besides King Foltest and some servants, court officials, and guards, there was also a short, stout, rather smooth-looking middle-aged man with shrewd eyes.
He stood respectfully at the King's lower right, holding a scroll of parchment, seemingly reporting something.
Judging by his attire and appearance, he was likely Mr. Velerad, the current Mayor of Vizima, an old official who helped Foltest manage the city.
It was said that more than a decade ago, when New Vizima had not yet been built and the populace lived in Old Vizima, this plump official was already the mayor of the area.
He was also the one who first hired Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf, to deal with the striga curse.
What surprised Guilliman even more was that the red-haired sorceress Triss was also in the audience hall, wearing an elegant long gown and standing to the King's right, seemingly assisting him with state affairs.
When she saw the Witcher enter the audience hall, a look of surprise also appeared on her beautiful face.
Captain Vincent, however, paid no mind to this. He walked straight to the King, knelt on one knee, and declared loudly:
"Your Majesty, esteemed King."
"This gentleman is the Witcher master I recommended, Mr. Guilliman Gellerman."
"He is immensely powerful, far beyond ordinary men."
"In just two days, he slew all two hundred and fifty drowners in the sewers, as well as many other monsters, and brought back their monster trophies."
"This is an astonishing feat."
"Currently, his commission has not yet been settled and needs to be handled by Mr. Velerad."
"However, Master Guilliman intends to try and see if there is a way to lift the remaining curse on Her Royal Highness the Princess."
"Your subordinate is here to seek your opinion on the matter."
Although Captain Vincent's appearance was ordinary, when reporting to the King in the grand hall, he spoke clearly and concisely.
After hearing his report, Foltest's expression was somewhat moved.
He was not like those sycophantic nobles who had never seen a battlefield; he understood very well what it meant to kill over two hundred monsters in two days.
This was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, and it made him think of the Witcher who died in the Rivian massacre, the Witcher he greatly admired, Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf.
He looked at the calm-faced Guilliman, then at Triss and Velerad, who were also surprised by the news. After a few seconds of deliberation, he spoke in a low, decisive voice:
"Velerad."
"Settle the Witcher's payment as soon as possible."
"Also, provide him with an additional one hundred orens as my reward for his contributions to Vizima."
Having said this,
without waiting for the plump mayor to respond, the gaunt-faced King looked at Guilliman and asked with a hint of expectation in his voice:
"Witcher, answer me."
"Are you confident you can remove the remaining curse from the Princess?"
"I have consulted many world-renowned masters, and none of them have found a solution."
"Can you do it?"
Listening to the father's questioning, laced with both expectation and doubt, Guilliman met Foltest's gaze without fear. After two seconds of consideration, he replied:
"I have studied Her Royal Highness's problem, Your Majesty."
"The striga curse is a soul-deep curse; it has grown with Her Royal Highness for over a decade and has already merged with her soul."
"Problems of the soul are extremely tricky, and even a slight mistake could harm the patient."
"However, the striga curse must be completely cleansed to prevent its recurrence; otherwise, it will be like a seed, easily exploited by those with ill intentions."
"I have about a fifty percent chance of clearing this curse."
He was not lying. He had learned about the striga curse from Berengar's teachings and Koglrim's memories, and he knew how formidable it was.
Originally, he had no solution.
However, after acquiring the [Astral Projection] skill, he indeed had some confidence, which is why he spoke these words.
"Fifty percent chance?"
Listening to Guilliman's articulate and seemingly professional words, Foltest lowered his eyelids, half-closing his eyes, contemplating the credibility of what he heard.
After a few seconds, he turned to ask Triss for her opinion.
After learning that the sorceress would soon investigate the plague with the Witcher and receiving her advice that it was worth a try,
Foltest stared into Guilliman's eyes with a sharp gaze. After more than ten seconds, he said:
"I can permit you to remove the Princess's curse, Witcher, but you must guarantee Princess Adda's safety."
"She is my only legitimate heir, the Princess of the Kingdom of Temeria. You should understand the implications of this."
"If you can completely cure the Princess, you will receive generous rewards."
"Wealth, fame, and status—I can give you all of these things you desire."
"But if the Princess is harmed, as her father, I will have your head cut off; I will show no mercy."
Temeria was a powerful Northern Kingdom, and the King's threat carried significant weight.
However, after hearing this, Guilliman's expression remained unperturbed, as if he was very confident. He nodded calmly and said:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty."
"My treatment is very safe; even if the curse is not lifted, it will not harm the Princess."
"Of this, I am very confident."
His [Astral Projection] skill level was too low; even if he wanted to harm someone, it would be difficult.
Foltest nodded noncommittally, then turned to Triss and said:
"It is decided then."
"Triss Merigold, you must accompany the Witcher throughout the treatment to ensure the Princess's safety."
"If this Witcher makes any untoward moves, I give you permission to kill him."