A soft noise accompanies the phrase our rescuer. They have their own agenda, he's certain, and that leaves him more uneasy than what these three city-states have in mind. Too many variables at play.
"Solvunn will not remain unaligned." That's the simple truth of it. States don't stay that way, even if they might have true intentions of doing so. If they're neutral, as the mage had claimed, then it will only be for so long. Eventually, they will tip—out of necessity, out of greed, out of pressure. Or they're waiting for the two sides to destroy each other before they step in with ambitions of their own. Either way, Geralt has no desire to be where he can't predict how the cards will fall.
As for the Free Cities—he suspects they don't want the Singularity's power to be available to fall into any one nation's hands. The city relies far less on magic than Thorne. Fewer mages. Less magic in the air. In fact, something about them almost seems to be moving away from it. He's seen mechanisms operating where a spell would do the trick. Worth noting, considering this world supposedly offers easy access to magic to anyone willing to tap into it. But those in the Cities don't all seem willing. Either they can't or they've found reason not to. And if the Singularity is the source of the world's magic, if Thorne relies on it to hold power, then why not cut them off? It's one theory, in any case.
What that means for everyone else, hell if he knows. His goal is to not find out.
When his gaze settles on Estinien's face, it's steady. He does not say that Estinien will never pick the right one. If the elf wants to believe there's reasoning to this bullshit, that it's more than humans jostling for power as always, it isn't Geralt's job to convince him otherwise.
"I don't need an explanation," he replies. He gets Estinien means to be honest, but it isn't his concern. All that matters to him is what Estinien is willing to do when it comes down to it—and how much of that will get in Geralt's way. Which has nothing to do with what side goes where. "Don't make it my business and it won't be."
no subject
"Solvunn will not remain unaligned." That's the simple truth of it. States don't stay that way, even if they might have true intentions of doing so. If they're neutral, as the mage had claimed, then it will only be for so long. Eventually, they will tip—out of necessity, out of greed, out of pressure. Or they're waiting for the two sides to destroy each other before they step in with ambitions of their own. Either way, Geralt has no desire to be where he can't predict how the cards will fall.
As for the Free Cities—he suspects they don't want the Singularity's power to be available to fall into any one nation's hands. The city relies far less on magic than Thorne. Fewer mages. Less magic in the air. In fact, something about them almost seems to be moving away from it. He's seen mechanisms operating where a spell would do the trick. Worth noting, considering this world supposedly offers easy access to magic to anyone willing to tap into it. But those in the Cities don't all seem willing. Either they can't or they've found reason not to. And if the Singularity is the source of the world's magic, if Thorne relies on it to hold power, then why not cut them off? It's one theory, in any case.
What that means for everyone else, hell if he knows. His goal is to not find out.
When his gaze settles on Estinien's face, it's steady. He does not say that Estinien will never pick the right one. If the elf wants to believe there's reasoning to this bullshit, that it's more than humans jostling for power as always, it isn't Geralt's job to convince him otherwise.
"I don't need an explanation," he replies. He gets Estinien means to be honest, but it isn't his concern. All that matters to him is what Estinien is willing to do when it comes down to it—and how much of that will get in Geralt's way. Which has nothing to do with what side goes where. "Don't make it my business and it won't be."