Wild Hunt's Plan

"Ailin, what are your thoughts?"

Vesemir tilted his head and asked seriously.

The Witcher Master's humble attitude in listening to the opinions of a fourteen or fifteen-year-old child struck both the dwarf John Kramer and Ernesto as somewhat peculiar.

Although they all knew that this fourteen or fifteen-year-old child was also a Witcher Master.

But such a scene really gives people a strong sense of contrast.

Especially the Blackbeard Dwarf.

As Vesemir's close friend, and someone with whom he had adventured on the Northern Continent, he had a profound understanding of Vesemir's stubborn nature.

It's hard to imagine him listening to a child, especially one who is Vesemir's own apprentice.

At least the dwarven blacksmiths, for the sake of their prestige, would not allow their apprentices to utter a single dissenting opinion in front of outsiders.

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Ailin gathered his thoughts and said:

"Master Vesemir is right. We know nothing about the Wild Hunt right now, and if we rush to chase it, we will surely gain nothing."

"But there are people in this world who understand Wild Hunt..."

"You mean the School of the Viper?" Ernesto had a sudden inspiration.

Ailin nodded and said:

"To be precise, it was Iva Evil Eye, the grandmaster of the School of the Viper."

"You mean you want to invite Grandmaster Iva the Evil Eye to deal with the Wild Hunt?" Vesemir thought the idea was a bit far-fetched. "Grandmasters haven't left Nilfgaard for almost a century. Are you sure he'll come?"

He was not responsible for communicating with other schools of thought within the School of the Wolf's group of masters.

But I've also heard some rumors about the School of the Viper.

Although this school was indeed founded because its founder, Iva the Evil Eye, originally intended to destroy the Wild Hunt.

However, in recent years, there have been many rumors from Nilfgaard that the School of the Viper has fallen so low as to accept assassination commissions like the dregs of the School of the Cat.

Therefore, Vesemir expressed doubt about this school of thought and whether Iva the Evil Eye still adhered to his original intentions.

"If Grandmaster Iva knew we had actually seen the Wild Hunt, he would definitely come..."

Ailin was aware of Vesemir's concerns.

However, the assassination attempt on the King by the School of the Viper in the previous life was a major event that runs through the main storyline of the second game.

Out of interest, Ailin had once specifically collected information about the School of the Viper.

Vesemir only knew that the School of the Viper Grandmaster's Evil Eye could see the Wild Hunt, but he didn't know that it wasn't that he could see it, but that he had no choice but to see it.

According to the official settings.

Iva Evil Eye's eyes are uncontrollably drawn to the bloody scenes of the Wild Hunt's Ghost Riders plundering, slaughtering, and conquering.

Those ghost riders were his obsession.

Even Vesemir might not know this.

Iva the Evil Eye even clashed with Anahad, the founder of the School of the Bear, because of the Wild Hunt.

Iva betrayed Anahad.

They almost killed him.

How could Iva the Evil Eye, having learned the exact details of the Wild Hunt, possibly not come?

However, Ailin could not express what was in his mind, and the existing reasons were not enough to convince Vesemir.

So Ailin put it another way:

"Even if Grandmaster Iva doesn't come, he will definitely send a few School of the Viper witchers to bring over the Wild Hunt's related research."

"Besides, it's unrealistic to expect Grandmaster Iva to solve the Wild Hunt on his own."

"I'd much rather he taught us how to deal with the Wild Hunt..."

"Dwarf Beard! You want to deal with the Wild Hunt?" the Blackbeard Dwarf exclaimed in surprise.

Seeing the massive ice clusters, as large as city gates, and even learning from the scholars of Cowburg that such spells were merely casually cast by the Wild Hunt.

He had never heard of any sorcerer who could do that.

Where did this silly boy get the courage to actually confront that legendary monster?

"We have no choice but to deal with it..." Ailin shook his head. "The Wild Hunt has already appeared. Rather than hoping to avoid these monsters, we should find a way to solve this problem."

Upon hearing this, Vesemir looked at the young witcher's expression, his eyebrows twitched, as if he had understood something.

But he didn't say anything.

Mary hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped herself.

The dwarf and Ernesto exchanged a glance and were immediately filled with awe.

"I didn't expect you to be so young yet so decisive," the dwarf exclaimed.

"I never expected you to go to such lengths for that mother and daughter," Ernesto remarked. "I always thought witchers were emotionless..."

Upon hearing this, Ailin opened his mouth but before he could speak.

"Only the School of the Bear of Witchers lose their emotions due to mutation!" Blackbeard glanced at him sideways. "I'm just a dwarf who runs a tavern, and you're supposed to be a professor of mysticism at Cowburg."

Ernesto wasn't angry; he chuckled and explained:

"My research focuses not on witchers, but on the occult connections between ancient myths and legends..."

Feeling dizzy from listening, Vesemir quickly interrupted:

"So, who informed the School of the Viper's Wild Hunt of this news?"

He finished speaking.

Everyone looked at Ernesto at the same time.

"Alright, alright, I'll go to Nilfgaard to deliver the message to the School of the Viper." Ernesto shook his head helplessly.

"Hahaha, of course it's you! You were planning to go anyway!" the dwarf laughed heartily.

After giving an explanation to the mother and daughter upstairs, everyone except Mary, whose expression was a little off, looked much more relaxed.

"However, I will have to wait until my journey to Nilfgaard is over..." Ernesto added with a smile, "This was agreed upon before I came."

"That's natural." Vesemir nodded.

Just then, the dwarf brought over a large barrel of beer from behind the bar, poured a glass for everyone at the table, including Ailin and Mary, and asked curiously:

"So, where are you planning to go on this trip?"

"Thanks~" Ernesto took the beer, took a sip, and casually said, "Ban Ad of Kedwen..."

"I have some materials for a research project, which are only available to Henry Gedimidis, the dean of Ben Ade Academy, and cannot be lent out."

"So I can only go there, see it all, and then come back..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ernesto noticed that everyone at the table was looking at him with a strange expression.

He subconsciously touched his face and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dwarf Beard!" Blackbeard looked at Ernesto as if he were already dead. "It's good I asked that question. Don't you know that King Kedwen died in Ban Ade?"

"Huh?" Ernesto put down his wine glass, somewhat bewildered.

"The Haxor the Glutton died at the Conjunction of the Spheres of Ban Ad," Blackbeard said with a pitying look. "Vesemir and Ailin were there when he died, and they witnessed it."

"Is it because Ailin killed two large monsters in Ban Ade that he was awarded the title of Witcher Master?"

The accurate intelligence made him stroke his thick beard with satisfaction, glance at Vesemir, and then at Ailin.

Ailin smiled knowingly and remained silent.

"Wait..." Ernesto felt like his brain was a complete mess.

How could the King of Kedwen have died so inexplicably, and at his very destination?

And the Conjunction of the Spheres...

Didn't that disappear hundreds of years ago?

What exactly is this dwarf saying?

Seeing the blank yet clear look in his eyes, Vesemir kindly told him the ordinary version of the death of the king.

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Ernesto's eyes lit up, and he slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming excitedly:

"Then we definitely have to go!"

"Conjunction of the Spheres... that's Conjunction of the Spheres that hasn't happened in a century..."

"Dwarf Beard! Are you insane?" Ernesto's fanatical appearance made Blackbeard quickly take a big gulp of beer to calm himself down. "The king died in the territory of those damned sorcerers..."

"Just by hearing the name, I know that kind of place must be extremely dangerous. You still dare to go?"

Ernesto took a sip of beer and swayed:

"What am I, an outsider scholar, afraid of?"

"The internal political struggles in Kedwen, no matter what, won't affect me..."

"But..."

Ernesto paused excitedly:

"The Conjunction of the Spheres has not occurred for hundreds of years, and now the male wizards seem to have found a way to Conjunction of the Spheres."

"A little danger is nothing."

Seeing Ernesto's "I could die content if I heard the truth in the morning" expression, and then glancing at Vesemir, Ailin interrupted his illusion:

"I also advise you not to go to Ban Ade..."

"Why?" Ernesto and the dwarf looked over curiously.

"Because of the war..." Vesemir sighed, then continued, "Ard is going to send troops to Kedwen."

"We came from Vengerberg, a city that's under martial law because of the impending war..."

"A few days ago, the city guards were arresting armed vagrants and mercenaries, so if you go there now, it won't just be a political risk..."

The table fell silent immediately.

The cold wind rushing in from the half-missing door seemed to carry the bloody, rusty smell of war.

Ernesto and the dwarf looked at each other in bewilderment.

The next second, the professor of mysticism from Cowburg understood, and his face turned deathly pale.

Being conscripted during wartime was a life-or-death situation!

He took a sip of beer, his hands trembling, and mumbled:

"Yes, those monsters also flew eastward."

"I'd forgotten that legend has it that wherever there's Wild Hunt, there's war..."

The dwarf sighed, gently patted his shoulder, and poured him another cup from the wine barrel:

"At least you know now, don't you? Lucky human kid!"

Ernesto nodded, took another big gulp of beer, looked gratefully at Ailin and Vesemir, and stood up solemnly, saying:

"Master Vesemir, Master Ailin, I owe you a favor..."

The two witchers waved their hands and said nothing.

"You do owe them a huge favor..." the dwarf slapped Ernesto hard on the back with a gruff voice. "So hurry up and go to Nilfgaard, and invite the Grandmaster of the School of the Viper over."

Ernesto nodded vigorously and said, "I'll find a caravan to go to Nilfgaard tomorrow..."

"Etc..."

Ernesto suddenly looked at Vesemir and Ailin, and asked pleadingly:

"May I inform the caravan members about the war?"

"They took good care of me along the way..."

Vesemir and Ailin nodded. "Of course, no problem."

After receiving an affirmative reply, Ernesto apologized and hurriedly ran out.

Watching Professor Cowburg's hurried departure, the dwarf sighed softly:

"War... war... human beings always love war..."

"It's as if they won't stop until all the blood is shed."

A rare look of melancholy crossed the dwarf's rugged face, as if he had thought of something.

He took a big gulp of wine, then sighed:

"The last war was caused by the affair between the prince of Temeria and the Earl's wife..."

"Vesemir, what excuse have humans come up with this time to kill their own kind?"

Vesemir remained silent for a few seconds.

Thinking of the hateful look in the eyes of Terrick Quinn, the vice-principal of the Knights of Ard, before he left Vengerberg, he took a sip of wine and sighed:

"It seems to be revenge."

"Revenge..." the dwarf repeated softly, clicking his tongue, "What a good excuse!"

Because of the news of the war, even Blackbeard's prized wine seemed to have lost its flavor.

then.

While Vesemir, Ailin, and Mary were still dirty, they helped the dwarves clean up the tavern.

During the process, the woman who had been unconscious also woke up.

She walked down the street, looking utterly dejected, her face as pale as a dead person.

Only after hearing Ailin's idea did he regain his spirits and keep saying thank you.

Because her husband had died, the woman had some savings, but had no source of income and did not want to leave the Gors Velen.

The dwarfs hired her as a kitchen helper at the tavern, where she did odd jobs.

The group also learned her name—Fura Dully.

In Elder Speech, this means "lily".

It seems the woman's background was not low.

However, she seemed unwilling to talk about the past, so the others didn't ask any further questions.

After helping the dwarves clean and tidy the tavern, Ernesto returned while they were having dinner.

He brought back news that surprised the Witcher.

Taking into account the war between Ard and Kedwen, the caravan prepared to return home.

We're leaving tomorrow morning; our next destination is Bayri Most in Temeria.

It's only two or three hours away from Arland.

Ernesto knew the Witcher wanted to go to Arland, so he arranged a place on the ship for them and paid for it.

This will save the three of them from having to find a boat again tomorrow.

After dinner, the two witchers and Mary walked back to their room.

Mary's room was on the outermost side, so she went back to her room first.

Vesemir then followed Ailin to his room.

Smack!

The door closed.

After briefly surveying the room's furnishings, Vesemir suddenly asked in a low voice:

"Ailin..."

"Do you have other ideas about the Wild Hunt?"

He considered himself to know Ailin somewhat.

Ailin has been involved far too much in the Wild Hunt, a matter that has little to do with the Witcher and the School of the Wolf.

The young witcher looked out the window upon hearing this.

The sky was full of stars.

But under that seemingly peaceful and tranquil night sky...

War is brewing.

An evil hunter rides a skeletal horse, spreading calamity...

Ailin sighed and said:

"Master Vesemir, it's not that I have any designs on the Wild Hunt."

"It's the Wild Hunt... that has designs on me!"