The peak where Carbon Mountain stood was even higher than the one Lynn and the others had descended earlier.
If they set out now and climbed up for an audience with the Great Elder, they probably would not arrive until dawn at the earliest.
Fortunately, this time they finally did not have to walk.
Lynn and Geralt followed the dwarf captain into the castle and boarded a lift in one of its rooms, slowly ascending.
Naturally, the lifts in this world could not match the speed of the elevators back in his home world, but they were still much faster than climbing.
Before long, they reached the very summit of Carbon Mountain.
After riding the lift, Lynn had only one thought: Mahakam technology, truly astounding!
They continued following the dwarf captain, and at last, in a resplendent throne hall, Lynn and Geralt met the ruler of Mahakam, Great Elder Brovar Hogger.
The old man wore a golden crown. His hair and beard were white, yet he was still as strong as a great bear.
Even the silks and satins he wore could not conceal his powerful build and solid muscles.
"Welcome, master witchers. Mahakam is a conservative and insular land. Outsiders have never been welcome here, but witchers are an exception."
Geralt gave Lynn a look, signaling for him to speak with the Great Elder.
Lynn knew Geralt was deliberately giving him practice.
Just as he had at other times along their journey.
After all, he could not stay by Lynn's side forever.
There would always come a time when Lynn had to travel alone.
Lynn was not intimidated. After bowing, he spoke confidently.
"Great Elder Brovar, we are deeply honored to be granted an audience with you."
Brovar nodded, his voice loud and full of vigor.
"Well, I expect you two masters have already guessed that I summoned you because there are dangerous monsters in the mountains-monsters only witchers can deal with."
"But you two masters have come a long way and must be weary from your journey. It's so late, too. Why don't you get some proper rest first?"
"I've had the finest guest rooms prepared for you both, and given orders to accommodate any requests you may have as best we can."
"We'll discuss the contract tomorrow-no, the day after tomorrow... Thor!"
The dwarf captain who had guided them entered the throne hall.
"Father."
Brovar waved a hand. "Take the two master witchers to their guest rooms. See that they're properly attended to."
And so Lynn and Geralt followed the dwarf captain, Thor, out of the throne hall.
At night, Carbon Mountain was even less lively than the town below.
A grim atmosphere hung over it.
Apart from the torches burning here and there, the only signs of activity were heavily armored patrolmen with stern expressions.
"Master witchers, didn't expect the Great Elder's son to be just an ordinary guard captain, did you?" Thor suddenly asked as he led the way.
Lynn and Geralt exchanged a glance, and Lynn answered honestly, "I really didn't."
Thor laughed heartily.
"Every Great Elder can only be chosen from among the clan elders. And Mahakam's traditions mean that even as the Great Elder's son, I still have to start as a captain, without any special treatment."
Lynn did not know whether his eyes had deceived him.
Just then, he seemed to have seen an odd expression flash across Thor's face.
But it had been brief, lasting only an instant.
Yet Lynn knew perfectly well.
Even without taking a Cat Potion, a witcher's night vision surpassed that of an ordinary human.
There was no way he could have mistaken it.
Still, he pretended he had seen nothing and said nothing.
Every building in Carbon Mountain was made of stone. Apart from the Great Elder's throne hall, none of the other buildings on the mountain had any gaudy, impractical decorations.
Thor left after taking them to their guest rooms.
Lynn and Geralt wished each other good night and entered their respective rooms.
The furnishings in the guest room were very plain and simple.
There were only a few tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture.
These, too, were made of stone.
Lynn undressed and lay down on the cold stone bed.
Perhaps because he was high in the mountains, he actually felt a little chilly.
Fortunately, he found several blankets in a cabinet. He pulled one out and covered himself, finally feeling somewhat more comfortable.
But within minutes, he opened his eyes again.
Only when his stomach growled did he remember that, apart from breakfast before leaving the village at the foot of the Mahakam Mountains, he had eaten nothing all day.
After a whole day of riding, with night now upon them, that little bit of breakfast had long since been completely digested.
"I wonder if dwarves have a habit of eating late-night snacks."
With that thought, Lynn dressed again and left his guest room.
Then he ran into Geralt in the corridor outside.
They exchanged a glance and both understood what the other had come out to do.
Geralt said nothing else, only, "Let's go."
The two went together, encountered a patrol of dwarf soldiers, and, after asking for directions to the dining hall, headed that way.
Carbon Mountain was brightly lit at night, but utterly silent.
There was no sound except the heavy tread of the patrolling dwarf soldiers' iron boots against the ground.
Although they were safely inside the city, Lynn and Geralt were accustomed to muffling their footsteps.
Precisely because of that, as they were about to round a corner, they faintly heard quiet voices coming from the other side.
"Why did witchers have to turn up in Mahakam right at this critical moment? Fuck, who said witchers were like rare, endangered creatures, and you'd barely run into a few in a whole year?"
"Shh, keep your voice down. What if someone hears..."
"Relax. Didn't our patrol just pass by? The next patrol won't come through here for at least twenty minutes."
"Ah, honestly, even without the witchers, I don't really believe that lord's plan will succeed... He's challenging the strictest Great Elder in Mahakam's history."
"I know it'll be hard, too. But if we don't try, nothing will ever change."
Lynn and Geralt exchanged a glance.
First, they quietly retreated, muffling their footsteps as they had on the way there.
Only after backing away some distance did they head toward the corner where they had overheard the conversation.
This time, neither of them concealed his footsteps.
When they reached the corner from before, they happened upon two dwarf soldiers who looked as though they were simply making their usual rounds.
"Master witchers, is there something you need out so late?"
One of the dwarf soldiers even greeted them warmly.
Lynn pressed his lips together and said nothing.
Then he exchanged a glance with Geralt. Without a word, each understood the other's meaning.
He and Geralt acted simultaneously, each forming the gesture for an Axii Sign.
They swiftly brought the two dwarf soldiers under their control.