Down the Mountain

ah?

How come I didn't know I had something to say?

Ailin was stunned, glancing sideways at the Sorceress, wondering why she was lying.

The Sorceress nodded and smiled, her eyes full of inexplicable encouragement.

The Witcher Master crossed their arms, their smiles enigmatic, their gazes shifting back and forth between him and Mary.

"They want to set me up with Mary?"

A thought flashed through my mind.

Ailin dismissed the idea in his mind, then changed his mind.

No... perhaps it is Lady Vesemir, Witcher Master are just watching the show.

But he was only fourteen, and Mary was only sixteen!

Surprised, he subconsciously looked down at Mary.

The two were only a step apart.

In the soft sunlight, the person opposite me had skin so white it seemed to glow.

A gentle breeze, carrying a hint of warmth, wafted towards me with a fragrance reminiscent of Sorceress, but with a stronger orange scent.

At this time,

Ailin realized that he was already taller than Mary, even though Mary was taller than him when they first met.

"Perhaps it was the various potions and Essence Fluid that promoted the body's development..."

Many strange thoughts suddenly appeared in his mind.

"Smack!"

A light red, soundproof magical shield rose up.

Ailin subconsciously looked up and saw Vesemir with an expression that said, "I understand you, keep going!" which made him feel somewhat helpless at that moment.

The helplessness turned into embarrassment when Vesemir and Dante looked at the rising soundproof barrier with regret on their faces.

However, with the school of thought facing imminent collapse, he had no time for romantic feelings.

Seeing the Sorceress raise the soundproof barrier, Mary assumed she had something important to say, and her expression immediately turned serious:

"Ailin, what do you want to tell me?"

"It's nothing, just some matters concerning the Witcher Company. I'm just checking with you again!"

He thought for a moment, then casually repeated the main points of the arrangements from the previous few days.

Mary, out of a sense of responsibility Chief Sorcerer of the legion, nodded earnestly from time to time.

Soon, everything was explained.

"... Well, that's about it."

"Don't worry, Commander. I've got it all covered." Mary gave a reassuring smile.

Ailin nodded, and after making some arrangements, he felt calmer.

He gestured to the Sorceress to retract the soundproof barrier, and was about to walk toward Vesemir and Huus when Mary's voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Ailin, if you encounter any danger outside, remember to use the... messenger bird to send me a message, and I'll try to find someone to help you..."

"... Of course... you can send me messages as long as there is no danger..."

Ailin turned around at the sound, paused for a moment, then smiled and said:

"I understand, Lady Mary, thank you."

Mary blushed when she saw Ailin's smile and ran to the Sorceress.

After saying goodbye to the two ladies, I didn't have much to say to the others.

After giving the members of the legion some verbal encouragement, he nodded to the other Witcher Master who had come to see him off.

Ailin then followed Vesemir, who led Huus, Bont, and Fred slowly down the mountain.

After walking for a while, he suddenly turned back.

The ancient, greyish-white castle blends seamlessly with the majestic distant mountains.

The vines twining around the city wall sprouted new buds, giving the cold, high walls a touch of spring.

Can he really save this magnificent castle that is destined to be burned to the ground?

Ailin couldn't help but ask himself the same question.

"What's wrong?" Vesemir noticed someone had stopped and turned around to ask.

"It's nothing, let's continue down the mountain!"

Ailin shook his head and walked away from the Ancient Sea Fortress, never looking back.

He is the Child of Miracle, born to create miracles.

Therefore, he can and must save Kaer Morhen.

The pioneers of the School of the Wolf established Kaer Morhen Fortress deep in the Blue Mountains, taking advantage of the terrain, as the school's later headquarters.

There is only one hidden path leading to the Witcher's Fortress.

Like the lake at the Trial of the Mountains, this path was known as the Assassin's Creed by the young Witcher because of its numerous traps and narrow passage.

It can be said that the thick walls from the passage to the castle made the Ancient Sea Fortress easy to defend and difficult to attack.

but.

The pioneers' goals were far-reaching, but they couldn't keep up with the needs of the Witcher's daily life.

This is understandable.

The demon hunters have been traveling and fighting demons all year round. Can't they come back and enjoy themselves at the end of the year?

Thanks to years of peace, the path has been gradually widened. Although it is still not safe for horses to walk on, normal people can now carry things up and down the mountain.

After all, witchers don't farm. They can hunt for meat in the mountains, but they can't dig up fruits, vegetables, or grains from the mountains.

so...

Yes, there is a village at the foot of the Blue Mountains.

The name is easy to remember: Kaer village.

Kyle of Kyle Mohan.

"Master Vesemir, it's time to go out and kill monsters again!"

"You're still taking on apprentices this year? How about we go to the tavern for a drink together...?"

"Master Vesemir, you're late this year. The young men before you have already taken all the village's commissions..."

Since entering this village of about a dozen households, Ailin was surprised to find that Vesemir skillfully greeted almost every villager he passed by.

The villagers of Kaer village seemed to know Vesemir, and their conversations revealed a certain respect for him.

The village children didn't flinch when they saw them approaching; instead, they gathered around, calling him "Grandpa Vesemir" this and "Grandpa Vesemir" that, asking the Witcher Master to tell them stories.

Many of the bolder, more fearless individuals even circled around Ailin, Huus, Bont, and Fred, reaching out eagerly to see the two sharp blades on their backs.

This left the several demon hunters who had just come down from the mountain scrambling to dodge, putting them in a very awkward position.

The witchers were only rescued when their parents arrived after hearing the commotion, apologizing profusely and using vines to drive the children away.

This scene is quite different from what Ailin imagined: a witcher, filled with bitter hatred, being driven away by villagers with pitchforks.

However, after thinking for a moment, Ailin understood.

When encountering monster attacks, you can almost immediately find a demon hunter to deal with it.

The entire village's livelihood largely depends on the dozens of witchers and witcher apprentices on the mountain.

certainly.

Most importantly, the Witchers of the School of the Wolf are generally very well-mannered, principled, and do not disturb the peace.

As a result, it's hard for the villagers not to have an overwhelming level of goodwill towards the witcher.

"Perhaps it's also related to the fact that the negative smears associated with Witchers haven't spread yet."

Ailin recalled the argument at the banquet after their first hunt for the Drowners King.

The sun is setting.

The sky gradually darkened.

Although the Killer's Trail has been widened, the mountain path is still difficult to traverse.

It was already evening when they arrived in the village.

After Vesemir led them on a brief tour, they arrived at the village's inn/tavern.

"Master Vesemir, what would you like?" The tavern owner was also quite familiar with Vesemir.

After ordering dinner in a few words.

Vesemir found a long table and said seriously:

"It's time to talk about our purpose this time..."

"Apprentice Combat Tournament between the School of the Wolf and the School of the Cat."