Quinn

Vesemir and the Chief left. Ailin sat on the bed, pondering how to get out of Kaer Morhen.

"Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a witcher?"

Ailin turned toward the voice and saw Huus lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Huus's talent really was poor.

By now, Fred and Bont had already finished dinner, while Huus was just recovering from the lingering effects of lunch.

When it came time to digest dinner, he'd be slower than the others again.

Compounded together, Huus got at most four hours of sleep each night.

Vesemir was a decent person, but he wouldn't bend the rules for a less talented apprentice.

That was the witcher way of teaching apprentices.

The trials left for the apprentices seemed to be only the Trial of the Mountains.

But the culling had been ongoing all along.

"Not even comparing myself to a natural-born witcher like you, I'm still way behind Bont and the others..." Huus turned over.

Ailin didn't know what expression Huus wore now; he could only pat his shoulder and comfort him:

"It'll get better."

Dawn

The main road of Kaer Morhen.

"Do you guys feel it?" Huus rubbed his eyes, puzzled. "I feel way more awake today than yesterday?"

Fred wiped his face, uncertain. "Now that you mention it, I do feel a bit clearer."

"No way?" Bont touched his forehead. "I don't feel a thing. Are you two imagining it?"

The three didn't quite agree, but the atmosphere was harmonious.

After Ailin's feat of taking on all three yesterday, the four apprentices had gotten along much better.

Or rather, they'd gotten to know each other much better.

Ailin's original body and Huus had been friends since childhood, training as witchers together from the age of four.

Then came the Choice, the Grass, the Dreams.

After several trials, calling it a bond of life and death wasn't an exaggeration.

Bont and Fred hadn't known each other before.

But kids only needed a spark to become friends.

The Chief's custom leather armor was that spark.

Though the goods hadn't been delivered yet, the four had already formed a small group with Ailin at its head.

Seeing that Bont and Fred had different feelings, Huus curiously tilted his head and asked:

"Ailin, what do you think?"

"Are you much more awake today than yesterday?"

Before Ailin could answer, Bont's voice cut in.

"Huus, you call that awake?" Bont patted Huus's little head. "Did you forget Ailin isn't affected by potions? You just said that yourself."

"Oh, right, I forgot..." Huus smiled sheepishly.

Chirp chirp... chirp chirp...

The biting wind couldn't freeze their chattering little mouths.

Ailin felt like he wasn't walking beside witcher apprentices, but a flock of chatterbox sparrows.

They'd been yapping since they got up, buzzing in his head till it ached.

But hey, whose fault was it that he'd been too trigger-happy?

If he hadn't acted on impulse last night, these little guys wouldn't be so full of energy.

Yes, Ailin had spiked the water bag last night.

After taking the water bag from the Chief and heading into the dorm, Ailin, on a whim, pulled out a bottle of Heart Essence Fluid and poured a quarter of it in.

He'd resolved to mind his own business at noon, only to break that resolve that very night.

Looking back afterward, Ailin couldn't understand why he'd suddenly acted on impulse.

Even without the Essence Fluid, these kids wouldn't die.

At worst, they'd suffer a bit longer, doze off more during lessons, and have a slightly higher chance of dying in the Trial of the Mountains.

Could it be the influence of the original body?

Ailin let out a long sigh.

Amid the lively chatter, Ailin and the others walked to the apprentice training ground.

Vesemir was already there.

He sat alone on the rock where he'd lectured yesterday, wearing his black wide-brimmed hat.

Seeing the apprentices full of energy, Vesemir nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Everyone looks sharp."

"Looks like no one's going to sleep through my lesson today," Vesemir said, turning his head to fix his gaze on Huus. "What do you think, Huus?"

The oppressive weight of that stare made Huus stammer. "Probably... not?"

Vesemir's face was expressionless. "You're asking me?"

"No... not probably. Definitely not. No one's going to sleep in your lesson." Huus jolted and quickly corrected himself.

"Good. Then let's officially begin." Vesemir nodded and started the day's Sign lesson.

"Signs are simple spells that can be cast quickly with one hand in combat..."

"We use them to aid fast-paced fighting, but always remember—they're just a tool. Your sword is your most reliable partner..."

"The School of the Wolf passes down six Signs."

"Today, we'll learn one of them—Quen."

"Quen is a passive Sign. Once formed, it creates a magical shield around your body that absorbs physical damage..."

"...For beginners, Quen is the most suitable Sign."

"It helps you safely locate your own magical organ, laying the foundation for learning other Signs..."

Just as Vesemir began, Ailin heard the familiar mechanical chime.

Ding. Discovered clue: Quen Sign.

Spend 100 Lesser Experience Orbs to unlock skill?

Selling a bundled Sign separately?

Witcher's Handbook, you've got some nerve.

Ailin had assumed the six Signs would be learned as a whole.

The appearance of the unlock option made him focus even more.

"The specific gesture: bend your thumb and pinky, then bring your middle and ring fingers together, pointing forward..."

Spend 64 Lesser Experience Orbs to unlock skill?

"...Remember, the symbol for Quen Sign is a triangle—the most stable structure discovered by mages. When constructing it in your mind..."

Spend 32 Lesser Experience Orbs to unlock skill?

"Now, I'll demonstrate. Watch my hand movements closely. Use your Witcher Senses to perceive the flow of magic..."

About half an hour later, Vesemir stopped lecturing. It was time to practice.

After a brief attempt, Ailin realized it would take him at least half a day to learn this Sign on his own.

But the Witcher Apprentice plan demanded he excel to increase his chances of leaving Kaer Morhen.

So.

Spend 8 Lesser Experience Orbs to unlock skill?

Ailin didn't hesitate. He tapped the option with his mind.

Ding! You have learned skill: Quen Sign LV1.

The moment the chime sounded, a flood of unfamiliar memories of practicing Quen surged into his mind.

It felt as if he'd trained in this Sign for a year.

After absorbing everything, Ailin opened his panel.

Name: Ailin Age: 13 Title: Child of Miracle Monster Hunting Level: 3 Health: 100% Stamina: 71/71 Attributes: Strength 5.8 (+0.3), Agility 5.9 (+0.3), Constitution 7.1 (+0.9), Perception 8.4 (+0.5), Mysticism 3.9 (+0.4) Special Skills: Monster Hunting LV1, Appraisal LV1 Skills: School of the Wolf Two-Handed Sword LV2 (0/500), Quen Sign LV1 (0/100) Recipes: Killer Whale (Unavailable) Items: Drowner Heart Essence Fluid*1, Rotten Flesh*3, Lesser Experience Orbs*23, "A Brief Discussion on Twenty-Three Ways to Cook Drowners"

Rating: Rubbish!!

The attribute increase came from dinner and that three-quarters portion of Drowner Heart Essence Fluid.

A total of 2.9 points were added—0.3 less than yesterday's lunch, but still quite substantial.

Waking up in the morning, Ailin could clearly feel his stamina had improved significantly.

Walking from the apprentice dormitory to the training ground, he didn't even need to catch his breath.

The boost in attributes was addictive; Ailin could now sense the surging power inside his body.

This pleasant mood lasted only until he reached the inventory screen.

Staring at the glaring number 1 next to the Drowner Heart Essence Fluid, even though he had already planned ahead, his heart still tightened with nervousness.

"Only one Drowner Heart Essence Fluid left. Whether I can get out of Kaer Morhen depends entirely on whether this new Quen spell holds up."

New writer, new book—begging for follows, comments, and collections!