Chapter 18: Fate (Thanks to reader "Ye Zou" for the monthly ticket)
Good grief!
Which Witcher Master had such wild tastes?
With someone beside him, Ailin suppressed his curiosity about opening the book.
Lowering his head, he happened to meet a pair of embarrassed eyes.
After handing the book back, Ailin smiled and tilted his head, imitating Huus.
"What was this Witcher Master's name?"
"And what kind of monster was a Nighon?"
"Was there really a battle that lasted over a thousand days?"
Of course Ailin knew about Nighons with ram horns and bovine hooves.
They were intelligent creatures similar to succubi from his previous life.
They survived by draining men of their vital essence, though some believed they were simply obsessed with pleasures between men and women.
Still, to avoid making his first meeting with a stranger awkward, Ailin chose to play dumb.
Besides.
The original Ailin's memories contained no creature called a Nighon.
And Vesemir's "Monster Economics" had not yet covered Nighons.
That was assuming Monster Economics even had such a lesson.
After hearing Ailin's questions, the man carefully studied his expression again.
Only then did he relax and dismissively say, "That has nothing to do with you. What are you here for?"
Ailin did not mind his perfunctory response. Finding the records was what mattered.
"I came to find experimental records concerning Witcher's Eye."
"I don't know about Witcher's Eye, but all the experimental records of your School of the Wolf are at the very back of the library." As he spoke, the man led Ailin deeper into the reading room.
"Your School of the Wolf? Aren't you from the School of the Wolf?"
"I used to be. But after my teacher fell out with the chief ten years ago, I gradually stopped being one." After casually explaining, the man cursed helplessly, "That old bastard really was something. He left on his own and did not even take his apprentice with him."
Though the man looked aloof and perfunctory, he was surprisingly easy to get along with—and a chatterbox.
Before he knew it, Ailin had learned a great deal.
For instance, the witchers of the School of the Wolf and the school's Sorcerers had actually fallen out!
Before they reached their destination, Ailin hurriedly probed further. "What do you do now? Manage the library?"
"Not really. Lady Vesemir just kicked me out of the Alchemy Room, so I'm only staying here for the time being." The man shrugged. "After the spring equinox, I'll be going to Ban Ard to teach."
So you were the Sorcerer apprentice Vesemir mentioned, the one who could only brew simple reagents.
But how was a Sorcerer apprentice like you going to teach at Ban Ard Academy?
"Teach at Ban Ard? What will you be teaching?"
"I don't know."
Ailin:?
The teacher did not know what he would teach?
"I have a letter of recommendation from Lady Vesemir." Seemingly noticing the disbelief in Ailin's eyes, the man proudly explained, "She said someone would arrange it once I got there."
"And you believed her?"
"What foolish nonsense are you talking about? That's Lady Vesemir, the Bloody Red Fox." The man gave Ailin a sidelong glance and offered no further explanation.
In silence, they walked on for a while longer. After passing more than a dozen rows of bookshelves, they stopped before one.
It was an ancient-looking bookshelf.
Dark growth rings formed decorative patterns across the shelf. Three entire rows of books were neatly arranged on it, every volume covered in a thick layer of dust.
"Here we are. All the School of the Wolf's experimental materials are here. Take your time looking."
Ailin swept his gaze over the bookshelf. As he searched for the experimental records, he suddenly noticed a large gap in the middle of the second shelf.
Had experimental records been taken away?
"Wait..."
Ailin hurriedly pulled back the man, who had already walked several steps away, and pointed at the empty space on the shelf.
"What happened to the experimental records here?"
The man glanced impatiently at the center of the bookshelf, thought for a moment, then said:
"Lady Vesemir's apprentice came by last night. I saw her take several books with her. Those should have been the experimental records from here."
Ailin froze at those words.
Mary had taken the experimental records, which meant the Sorceress must have wanted to read them.
Seeing that Ailin had nothing else to ask, the man eagerly headed for the exit.
After standing there and thinking for a moment, Ailin did not touch the materials on the shelf. He turned and left as well.
There was no need to examine those experimental records.
The materials concerning Witcher's Eye had surely all been taken by the Sorceress.
But why was the Sorceress researching Witcher's Eye? Out of curiosity?
And what exactly was Witcher's Eye?
As he reached the library entrance, Ailin suddenly realized:
He had come to the library to solve a problem, so why had he only ended up with more questions?
The temporary library manager, whose name he did not know, moved the wooden chair back and once again became hopelessly engrossed in that strange book.
Before leaving, Ailin glanced at the book as if possessed.
That one glance showed him the two special uses of the Black Wide-brimmed Hat.
Ailin was deeply shaken and left the library carrying several more questions with him.
After leaving the library, Ailin headed straight for the tower on the south side of the main castle.
Though it was still early, he had nowhere else to go. He might as well visit the Alchemy Room; perhaps class could begin early.
As he reached the Alchemy Room door, Ailin was about to knock.
"Creak~"
The door opened on its own.
After stepping inside, Ailin looked around the Alchemy Room.
Carpets, murals, lace curtains, and alchemical benches...
Compared with yesterday, nothing was missing, and nothing had been added.
The experimental records on Witcher's Eye were not in this room.
"What are you looking for?"
Ailin looked toward the voice and nearly failed to recognize yesterday's Sorceress.
A plain gray linen dress, a snow-white turtleneck sweater, and brown riding boots.
Her outfit was exceedingly conservative.
If not for that dark red hair, Ailin would have thought he had entered the wrong room.
"The experimental records on Witcher's Eye." There was nothing to hide about searching for the records, so Ailin said directly, "The Sorcerer in the library told me Mary took them."
Right, where was Mary?
"Mary is in the inner room organizing the experimental records."
Damn it, this Sorceress could read minds after all.
"I didn't read your mind. Your thoughts are written all over your face." Lady Vesemir smiled teasingly and continued, "Witchers who enjoy reading and studying as much as you do are rare."
"I'm only curious about Witcher's Eye."
"Ordinary witchers would not search through experimental records just because they were curious. There are no interesting little stories in there."
After pausing for several breaths, Lady Vesemir suddenly asked:
"Ailin, has anyone ever told you that you should become a Sorcerer rather than a witcher?"
"No one has ever said that." Ailin shrugged and asked in return, "Besides, I don't have a choice, do I?"
Who would want to be a warrior if they could become a mage?
But he had become a witcher the moment he transmigrated.
The Sorceress stared at Ailin's beautiful blue Cat Eyes for a long time before finally sighing.
"Yes."
"Before fate, none of us have any choice..."
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