Capítulo 40: Vizima City
Negotiations with the businessman Revardon proceeded smoothly. As a Southern businessman, he held a natural curiosity about the northern regions and lacked prejudices against witchers that were common among northerners. Hearing that the two witchers were willing to go with him, they readily agreed. And he was quite generous, directly giving a hundred Oren as a reward, and hired two witchers as guards to escort his caravan.
The journey from the Floating Harbor to Vizima would take about five days, and there would be no irresistible danger along the way, so the reward was quite fair.
Despite appearing as a generous and affluent businessman on the surface, Wayne remembered that Revardon would later become the representative of the Nilfgaard Merchant Union in the south after over a decade.
He had been staying in Vizima City in Temeria, presiding over the trade union's trade in the north, and with a high probability, he would also work as a spy.
Unlike some Nilfgaardian officers who advocated slavery and destruction, Revardon was not inclined towards destructive plunder in the north.
Instead, his hope was for the North to maintain stability, keep its industry in a less advanced state, and serve as a region for southern businessmen to acquire resources and offload goods. This way, wealth could be obtained peacefully and sustainably.
The journey proceeded smoothly, with Levardon's caravan being of considerable size. It comprised around forty to fifty individuals, including ordinary guards and workers. The caravan included numerous horse carts and donkey carts, making it an imposing force that would deter any thieves from attempting to interfere.
The journey remained peaceful as they traversed the wilderness for five days. Guided by their local guide, they took a rest in a village and bought some agricultural products and subsidies.
Wayne even managed to assist the village in dealing with a big brown bear. In appreciation, he invited Revardon, Jaskier, and Geralt to savor a delightful dish of steamed bear paw, earning praises from everyone, especially Jaskier and Levardon, who were experiencing Wayne's culinary skills for the first time.
On the morning of the sixth day, the group passed through a forest and finally arrived at the outskirts of Vizima City.
Vizima, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Temeria, is under the rule of King Foltest. Situated at the crossroads of vital trade routes, the city was established alongside Lake Vizima in the Ismina Valley, a tributary of Pontar. Once an elven city, it fell under human occupation, resulting in the destruction of the splendid elven structures. However, the magnificent and extensive sewer system left by the elves still remains in use by humans.
The city is divided into several densely populated districts, hosting thousands of residents and travelers from various corners of the world. Vizima boasts well-established infrastructure, featuring castles, shopping centers, temples, blacksmiths, merchant stalls, banks, workshops, hotels, and brothels, encompassing a variety of functional facilities. In the Northern Kingdom, it stands as a symbol of prosperity.
Unlike others, gazing at Vizima City from a distance triggered memories of Wayne's past life, when he resided within its walls.
Of course, these were not his memories but rather the recollections of the original body's owner, the half-elf boy. In his early years, he dwelled in the slums of Vizima, where his mother worked as an elf prostitute.
Due to her severe illness, she found herself unable to care for her young child and was unwilling to subject him to the harsh life of the slums, potentially falling victim to gangsters or other nefarious elements. Consequently, she entrusted Wayne to Vesemir, who was undertaking commissions in Vizima at the time.
Speaking of which, when Vesemir took him away, the elf mother Martha was already running out of time, but the location of the poor woman's burial site remained unknown ten years later.
Jaskier rode at the forefront on horseback, happily humming a tune. Abruptly, he turned back to Wayne and Geralt, pointed toward Vizima City, and exclaimed,
"Hey! Geralt, Wayne, look, Vizima seems to be constructing a new city, and there are a lot of people working."
Wayne and Geralt followed Jaskier's gaze. Sure enough, they looked up and saw that on another piece of land next to the old city of Vizima, a large number of workers were working in full swing.
The foundations of numerous structures had been laid, and simple shacks were scattered densely around the construction site. Countless construction materials had been transported to the location from various directions, forming substantial hills of resources. Observing the vast scale of the construction site, its area seemed to be several times larger than that of the old city. Once completed, it promised to be a truly magnificent city.
In response to Jaskier's remarks, the businessman Levardon, seated in a nearby carriage added,
"Well, that's New Vizima over there. Since last year, King Foltest of Temeria has initiated preparations for the construction of New Vizima. Mayor Vedlard is overseeing the planning of the new city. It was this piece of news that encouraged me to come here with the caravan. For businessmen, the establishment of a new city brings countless business opportunities—precisely the wealth opportunities we seek."
Upon hearing this, Geralt stroked his stubble-covered chin and remarked thoughtfully,
"I recall that beneath this land lies a sewer system constructed by elves. The interior space is quite extensive, housing numerous ancient ruins buried underground. There are likely many hidden monsters. If they intend to build a new city on top of it, clearing out the monsters in the sewers will be necessary. They'll require a witcher. This could turn out to be a good commission.
Jaskier, seemingly inspired, swiftly retrieved his lute and began playing a melody before expressing,
"Marvelous! It's yet another epic occasion. I shall observe closely and craft a new poem for the founding of New Vizima. It is sure to be adored by the residents of the Kingdom of Temeria."
Revardon appeared to appreciate Jaskier's talent greatly. He promptly pledged that if Jaskier's new poems could meet his expectations, he would arrange for a performance, inviting a large number of celebrities to witness, thereby elevating his status in upper circles. This promise thrilled Jaskier, prompting him to sing and dance while subtly praising Revardon—an act that left Geralt with goosebumps.
Amidst their lively banter, Wayne's mind began to wander.
Unknown to many, Wayne, having played the game and delved into the original book, was well aware that King Foltest's urgency in constructing a new city stemmed from the cursed fate of his daughter, Adda. She was destined to awaken from the grave and transform into a formidable vampire demoness at this juncture.
Given her status as the king's daughter, Adda enjoyed Foltest's protection, preventing others from slaying her. However, with no known method to lift the curse, she was left to roam freely. Due to her monstrous nature, the vampire demoness frequently ventured out of her tomb during the night, venturing into the royal city and nearby residential areas to unleash her lethal attacks, resulting in a gruesome toll.
This ongoing menace created a dreadful legend in the old city of Vizima, with dozens, if not hundreds, of victims falling prey to her claws annually. Simultaneously, King Foltest faced animosity and curses from other nobles, undermining his rule.
In the original narrative, this dire situation persisted for an extended period. Numerous powerful sorcerers and witchers attempted to break the curse, only to meet with repeated failures.
King Foltest even offered a high bounty, but no one could complete this task.
It was not until a few years later that Geralt the white wolf passed by here that he finally found a way to lift Adda's curse and turned her into a human princess again. Because of this, he met the warlock Triss and gained the friendship of King Foltest.
Today, because of his intervention, Geralt he came to this country ahead of schedule, and many things in the future will definitely change because of this.
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