"I'm not specifically sure." About a census. "If we interviewed people who lived there before Morgana, we might gain some insight. Sometimes work like that goes nowhere, but sometimes you stumble on something unexpected." Unfortunately, a lot of investigation work is tedious. You run down dozens of leads to find a half-interesting 'maybe', run down dozens more, rinse and repeat, until you trip into the answer. But Geralt lives and dies by that tedium. Witchering is a whole lot of detective work leading up to one fight.

He watches Waver, the nervous way he shifts around. Geralt doesn't blame him. It's very brave or very stupid of any of the monsters to have come back, and he's glad for things like the enchanted tattoos. (He assumes. Note to himself: ask.) But a part of him still thinks none of them should have come. He'll feel better if they make it to the midway point and everyone's allowed to return back on the ship with no unexpected delays.

"She thinks she's saving the world. Which is not an excuse. The world has to be worth saving." And a world like this would not be. He remembers, practically dying from his wounds after Stygga, and the imperial majesty explaining his grotesque plan, all in the name of--

Not now. NO SPOILERINO 4U even tho that's rly a book one

"Back in the library. You did pretty good, wriggling out of that spell. Wasn't even a command."