The Witcher: Lord of the Empire

The merchant fell to the ground suddenly, while Lann threw away the handle of the cup that remained in his hand and glared at him fiercely.

 

“You are making money in Cintra, and you dare to say such stupid words? Since you think you can make money anywhere, get out of Cintra!”

 

Deafening cheers suddenly erupted in the tavern, and the half-drunken drinkers smashed their wine glasses on the table and spilled the wine everywhere.

 

“Long live Cintra!”

 

“Hail to the triumph of our hero Lord Lannister!”

 

“No, no, no.” Lann shouted loudly. “I’m not a hero.”

 

“Cintra cannot be protected without one of you. You, my friends, are the real heroes of Cintra!”

 

The noise in the bar was deafening, almost raising the ceiling; the bard plucked the strings and sang a new tune in a passionate tune.

 

People outside looked inside curiously, wondering why the bar was so busy even before night.

 

Then more people joined in and cheered.

 

In the midst of this outpouring, Lann turned around. Her face, which had previously shown a modest smile, was now expressionless.

 

Lann turned around and grabbed several city guards by the head, saying: "I remember teaching when you can fight and when you can't, where you can fight and where you can't. I've said that right?"

 

The soldiers, who had been excited by Lann's words, instantly calmed down. They looked at each other and nodded.

 

“Very good, it seems I said so. Then...”

 

Lann turned to look at the owner of the bar, pointed at a few soldiers and said: "The money they spent drinking tonight will be charged to my account, and they can drink as much as they want. Then don't sell them any more wine within a month. Let the tavern know as well. That’s what I said.”

 

The bar owner smiled and nodded.

 

"Oh, yes." Lann pointed to the soldier who hit the merchant: "The broken glass and the wine glass were recorded in his account."

 

The bar owner smiled and nodded.

 

"Take advantage of your last night at the bar. You won't have any free time for the entire next month."

 

Several soldiers did not dare to defend themselves, so they rushed to the bar and surrounded the boss. They held up their glasses and started pouring them into their mouths as if they had never had a drink in their lives.

 

Lann tilted his head and motioned to the businessman who was bending down to sneak out of the tavern and said to Ace: "It's okay for others to leave, but the things in Cintra must stay in Cintra."

 

The Arrow Attendant nodded in agreement, turned and left.

 

Geralt ordered a glass of beer and kept drinking while watching the show. When Lann came back, he said: "I finally know why your name is so famous, Lord Lannister of Cintra."

 

“Don’t call me that, or I won’t pay for your drink.”

 

Geralt's amber cat eyes suddenly shone brightly: "Will you pay for my drink?"

 

At that moment, the bard finished his song, and the atmosphere of the bar reached its peak. Surrounded by praises and cheers, he walked to the bar and bowed slightly towards Lann.

 

Lann pointed at the bard and said to the boss: "Give him a glass of wine too."

 

“Thank you, Lord Lannister.” Said the bard. "I'm Milo Glass, I've heard a lot about you."

 

As he spoke, Milo crossed his fingers over his chest, his tone and rhythm calm, with a natural elegance.

 

Lann looked him up and down: "Thank you for your just words, Mr. Glass. I will instruct the merchants not to publicize this matter, lest you lose business after leaving Cintra."

 

Milo bowed slightly and thanked: "Actually, you don't need to worry about it. In addition to a bard, I am also a businessman."

 

"It is a rule that merchants should not slander the land that feeds them. He broke the rules, so I want him to take the punishment, that's all."

 

"If no one follows the rules, who will want to do business with merchants?"

 

Lann looked at him in surprise, he was amazed that a traveling merchant of this era could live to say such a thing. But maybe it was precisely because he could say such things that he had to be reduced to a part-time job as a bard.

 

The bar owner smiled and handed over a glass of wine and said: "Milo just came here two days ago. Since he came to the bar, he has been singing your father and your poems, which has attracted a lot of business to my bar. He has been wanting to meet you in person, and today his wish has been granted."

 

Lann carefully looked at Milo Glass in front of him.

 

As a bard, he was not handsome enough. He had an unkempt beard and thin hair. In addition to the lute, he also had a flute on his waist. As a businessman, he seemed a little downcast. His clothes were shabby, and the two satchels slung across his body were badly worn.

 

“Now that you have met me, what next?”

 

"I have no other intention. I just admire you for a long time and want to see what kind of knight the poem is based on. I should leave Cintra in two days."

 

Geralt, who was sitting on the side, suddenly interrupted: "You don't look like a businessman, nor do you look like a bard. You feel incompatible with them. You look like a descendant of a down-and-out noble or a rich man who fled."

 

Milo smiled slightly: "Living in this world, everyone always has their own difficulties."

 

Lann nodded and no longer cared about this traveling poet. He remembered that Geralt had a close friend as a bard who would spread his good name to future generations.

 

It’s not a bad thing to have a poet fan yourself.

 

Putting the matter behind him, Lann asked the tavern owner about the time.

 

After getting the information, he turned to Geralt. "I have to make a stop at the palace. I must greet the Queen upon returning to Cintra. Would you like to come see Mousesack and Ciri with me?"

 

Geralt shook his head: "I won't go to the palace."

 

Lann expressed his understanding, threw a cloth bag embroidered with vines and leaves to Swade and House, and said: "Take my guest to have a good tour of Cintra."

 

After speaking, he pointed to the merchant bard Milo and said to the tavern owner: "Your drink will also be charged to my account."

 

Milo Glass bowed to Lann to express his gratitude.

 

Lann headed towards the door, and with each step he took the cries of "Lannister forever!" and "The pride of Cintra!".

 

He knew that all this was just an illusory bubble that would soon be crushed by Nilfgaard's iron hoof. He has been in this country for a year and has been the recipient of many flowers and praises from the people here.

 

He is troubled: just as he angrily hit the merchant after hearing the insulting words of Cintra, in addition to acting according to his own plan to create a character to win people's hearts, he was actually really angry at that moment.

 

After Nilfgaard invades, can he really escape calmly as planned?

 

Lann walked and thought until he stepped out of the tavern and the sun shone on him again.

 

The door closed, and House shook the cloth bag in his hand, and there was a pleasant sound of coins clinking inside.

 

“Take the guests for a nice walk”? The two attendants looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

 

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