Clues of Alchemy

The Killer Whale's potion recipe was obtained.

Ailin's current goal was naturally to reach Alchemy Level 2, and the key was how to acquire the skill.

Hunting Drowners and opening chests was one path, but he really didn't have high hopes for his luck. Besides, chests didn't always contain Alchemy skills.

Another path was learning.

Since the School of the Wolf's greatsword could be recognized and upgraded by the Witcher's Handbook, there was no reason Alchemy couldn't be.

Therefore.

After leaving the apprentice dormitory, Ailin headed straight for the east tower.

Vesemir had mentioned that morning that there was an alchemy room on the second floor of the south tower, and someone there should know Alchemy.

Kaer Morhen in 1179 was different from its state in the game in 1272.

Given the extremely low survival rate of Witcher apprentices, the vast castle was naturally not bustling with people.

However, it wasn't desolate either.

Perhaps it was because winter was approaching and traveling Witchers were returning home.

Just on the path Ailin had just walked, he had already passed four or five Witchers carrying twin swords.

Along the main road leading to the central keep, there were also scattered blacksmith shops, tailor shops, material stores, and other establishments.

If not for the fact that the shop artisans were all elderly Witchers with white hair and cat-like eyes, Ailin would have almost mistaken it for an ordinary castle.

"So, the reason this magnificent castle became dilapidated, the prosperous School of the Wolf was nearly destroyed, and Kaer Morhen's defense battle ultimately left only Vesemir, Geralt, Eskal, and Lambert..."

"Which year was that?"

Ailin couldn't help but wonder.

With a lead on the Trial of the Mountains, Ailin couldn't help but ponder the future he had been deliberately avoiding.

That was the downside of having foresight.

Knowing the future naturally made one worry about their own tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow.

What was even more difficult was only knowing the outcome, not the process, and not even knowing when the crisis began.

The journey to the alchemy room went smoothly.

He didn't encounter anyone who grabbed him and asked why he wasn't in the apprentice dormitory, suffering and trembling during his "lunch break."

The pre-prepared excuses were not used at all.

Upon reaching the tower, after walking through a long corridor and up stairs, Ailin arrived at the alchemy room.

The wooden door to the alchemy room was closed.

"Knock knock~ Knock knock~"

Ailin knocked on the door.

"Creak~"

The door was opened by a girl a bit older than him.

She had dark red hair and a delicate appearance.

"Who are you looking for?" the girl asked.

A girl?

Weren't the sorcerers of the School of the Wolf male sorcerers?

Although a little surprised, Ailin still asked as planned:

"Is this the School of the Wolf's alchemy room? I want to learn Alchemy?"

"Learn Alchemy?" The girl seemed very surprised. After looking him over carefully, she replied, "This is indeed an alchemy room, but it's private."

"Private?"

This was something Ailin hadn't anticipated.

The alchemy room where Vesemir had the apprentices treated and took their "lunch" didn't belong to the school.

Did the male sorcerers have such great authority in Kaer Morhen?

Or, even in Kaer Morhen, had cracks begun to appear in the relationship between sorcerers and Witchers?

Ailin froze for a few seconds, then took out the illusion pendant from his collar and tentatively asked:

"Then can I learn from the owner here?"

"I can pay tuition."

Just as the girl was about to speak, a mature female voice came from inside the room.

"Mary? Who is it?"

Mary turned her head and replied, "A young Witcher, who wants to pay to learn Alchemy."

"A young Witcher? To learn Alchemy with payment?" The mature female voice held surprise. "Among the mindless brutes who can only spin in circles, there's such an anomaly?"

"Dada da."

Footsteps, like those of high heels, approached.

The future mindless brute, the young Witcher Ailin, stood awkwardly at the doorway.

Mary, equally awkward, struggled to lift the corners of her mouth, forcing a smile full of apology.

When the footsteps stopped, a woman appeared before Ailin.

In Kaer Morhen's deep autumn, even the weeds by the roadside would condense white frost flowers in the early morning, showing respect for the solemn autumn atmosphere.

Yet, from the woman before him, Ailin couldn't see the slightest bit of respect for autumn.

A thin, sheer deep-V dress.

On the fiery red silk fabric, gold thread and pearls outlined intricate patterns.

Finally, flowing, dark red hair.

At first glance, Ailin thought it was the height of summer.

Her sexy attire, coupled with a face as delicate as a porcelain doll.

Clearly, this was no male sorcerer, but a sorceress.

Ailin vaguely sensed he might have come to the wrong place.

But since he was already here...

"Can I learn Alchemy from you?" he asked again, steeling himself, then took off his magic pendant and placed it in his palm. "I can use this magic pendant as tuition."

The sorceress was taken aback when she saw Ailin.

Then, with a complex expression, she glanced at the pendant in Ailin's palm and asked, "Do you know the name of this necklace?"

"Vesemir's Illusion Pendant?"

The sorceress nodded and said, "That's what the pendant is called, and also..."

"I am Vesemir."

Ailin: (⊙_⊙)

?

!!!

"Pfft~"

A suppressed laugh came from the side.

"Sorry."

The girl, Mary, apologized awkwardly before running into the house.

Ailin, utterly embarrassed, withdrew his hand and retrieved the pendant, preparing to leave.

However, at that moment, the sorceress suddenly said, "But I can."

Ailin subconsciously asked, "Can what?"

"Weren't you asking if I could teach you Alchemy?" Sorceress Vesemir repeated. "I said I can."

Then, the sorceress turned and walked into the house.

Ailin quickly followed.

"Bang."

As his back foot stepped inside, the wooden door closed by itself.

"Is this magic?" Ailin marveled internally.

Entering the Alchemy room, Ailin found that although it was a place for Alchemy, there were no strange odors inside.

Instead, upon entering, he caught a faint, fresh scent of orange mixed with cardamom.

Fluffy red carpet, brightly colored oil paintings.

Lace-trimmed curtains adorned the cold stone windowsill.

Aside from the lack of a bed, it looked more like a bedroom than an Alchemy room.

Only four Alchemy tables stood against the wall, stubbornly proving the room's legitimate purpose.

Mary sat at one of the Alchemy tables, grinding something in a mortar.

Seeing Ailin enter, she smiled and gestured before lowering her head to continue grinding.

"Sit here." Vesemir pointed to the seat beside her.

Ailin sat down somewhat stiffly, still clutching the pendant, unsure where to put it.

"Where should I put this pendant?" he asked.

"It's your stuff, why are you asking me?" Vesemir asked, a little confused, but then she realized, "I'm teaching you alchemy, no tuition fee."

"Then what do you want?" Ailin continued to ask.

He was certainly happy to be able to keep the pendant, but free things were always the most expensive.

Ailin didn't think his charm was that great, enough to invite a strange sorceress to teach him personally for free.

"Just answer me one question," Vesemir raised her slender, fair index finger. "Why do you want to learn alchemy?"

"What kind of price is this?" Ailin thought.

Because he didn't know if the sorceress in front of him could read minds, after a moment of consideration, Ailin still chose to tell the truth.

"I want to brew a potion to pass the Trial of the Mountains."

"You're an apprentice?" Mary exclaimed.

The girl had been eavesdropping openly.

Ailin nodded.

Mary's surprise was not unusual.

Monsterology, swordsmanship, Signs, adaptive body modification potions…

The period from the Trial of Grasses to the Trial of the Mountains was likely the busiest time in most Witchers' lives.

If it weren't for the decoctions, he would still be lying in the apprentice dormitory right now, with no time to run around.

But what made him a little surprised and uncertain was that the sorceress still had that expressionless face.

There was no surprise, nor any follow-up questions, as if she accepted his answer, or as if she didn't care about his answer at all.

"Pop"

Vesemir snapped her fingers.

A black leather book slowly flew over from the alchemy table next to Mary.

After landing gently on Ailin's desk, it opened itself to the first page.

Without regard for Ailin's surprise, Vesemir began the lesson directly.

"Since you want to refine potions, we'll start with the most basic, 'Alchemy and Potions'."

"Potions, as the name suggests, are potions that contain magical power..."

"Ding, a clue for the skill [Alchemy] has been discovered."

"Do you want to spend 10,000 Lesser Experience Orbs to unlock the skill?"

10,000?

Ailin: (╯°□°)╯︵┻━┻

Newcomer, new book, please follow, please recommend, please collect! The internal review has passed, please rest assured to invest!