[ Whether Claude has something in mind, Geralt isn't looking for an answer from the man this instant. A year or two on a brand new sphere is not near enough to learn its intricate web—experienced or not. This is not merely about making plans. It's about concerns that bloomed when he realized Thancred had vague ambitions of overthrowing the throne. He's hardly against taking the heads of those in power—his personal experiences with Ellya have not been pleasant, to say the least—but the risks can't be disregarded. Thorne is predictably callous as a kingdom. The Free Cities is...something else. Something he is not eager to see sweeping the continent should Thorne collapse under the weight of its crown. ]

I didn't listen to your speeches. [ Geralt sticks his spoon in his mouth. ] Sorry.

[ There's a touch of lightness to the blunt remark. Just the truth. Geralt's interest in who runs for representative is nonexistent. Hell, he barely graces the meetings with his presence. Often, he doesn't attend at all. He has their names. That's all he cares to know.

But Claude's assessment is about what he's gathered himself. Being marked the Summoned is as much a reason they're allowed to exist freely for now as it will be the reason when they're inevitably labelled a liability. Dangerous. Different. What they're told is a gift that the world needs can easily be made a curse it should be rid of. He's watched it happen with his kind, with the elves. It'll happen here, too. ]

Status is a blade with two edges. [ He weighs his words for a few minutes. ] You arrived shortly before the attacks. Did you know the Free Cities were meant to hold elections that winter?