Heroic Legends of Arland

The sun was blazing, casting golden rays through the gaps in the tall sycamore leaves, scattering shimmering spots of light on the avenue in front of the temple.

Although it was the height of summer, the temperature in Arland was not too hot because it was located behind Mahakam.

On the contrary, because of the lush foliage of the sycamore trees, walking down the mountain road, with a gentle breeze, the climate is very comfortable.

After leaving the temple, Ailin and Lyra walked in silence for a long time, as if they had suddenly become strangers.

However, in total, the time they spent together probably didn't even add up to a week.

"A month ago, you left through the gates of Arland and returned to Kaer Morhen. I thought I wouldn't see you again until at least next year."

Lyra tucked a strand of wind-blown hair behind her ear. "That place is really far from Arland, it's right on the edge of the temple's revised map."

"I didn't expect to be back so soon..."

Ailin gave a wry smile. His original plan was to focus on improving the strength of the Monster Hunting Legion after returning to Kaer Morhen.

Even if you want to find monster hunting commissions to earn Combat Points, you can do so around the Ancient Sea Fortress.

Who would have thought that after descending the mountain, they would encounter Vilgefortz using Shapeshifting Sealing Artifact, while Lady Vesemir happened to be out at the same time.

"A friend of the School of the Wolf, caught in the vortex of the wars of Kedwen and Ard, sent a letter for help, and then many things happened, and then..." Ailin shrugged, "We had no choice but to come."

"War..." Lyra, dressed in a white short-sleeved linen shirt, paused, asking somewhat awkwardly, "Who wins and who loses? I mean, between Kedwen and Ard ..."

"We are now in Ard. When we left from the southern border of Kedwen, Kedwen had already lost almost all the fortresses along the Pontar River," Ailin recalled, looking up.

"I see..." Lyra murmured softly, her tone making it impossible to tell whether she was happy or sad.

Ailin noticed the little priestess's unusual behavior and suddenly remembered her background.

Lyra's father was Kedwen Viscount, and according to information revealed by Vesemir when they were still at Hundred Fruit Garden, Viscount Hudson was also a pure military nobleman.

The country that the deceased father protected his entire life is now ruled by the descendants of the enemy who wiped out his family...

Ailin thought for a moment, then abruptly changed the subject. "How's life at the temple? It's been so long, are you getting used to it?"

"Huh?" Lyra was taken aback, glanced at Ailin, and smiled. "It's great. Nannick, Mother Ianna, and the other priests have all taken good care of me."

"Moreover, I'm quite talented in Divine Art. I learned basic Divine Art like healing in less than a week, while other apprentice courses take at least a month..."

"However, Nannick and Mother Ianna generally don't allow us to use Divine Art on the injured, saying that combining medicine with treatment is the best way to heal..."

When talking about her life in the temple, Lyra became much more cheerful and recounted her experiences over the past few months to Ailin with great familiarity and without reservation.

There was an indescribable brilliance in her eyes; anyone could tell at a glance that she truly loved her life as a priestess apprentice.

As she listened, Ailin felt as if she were following along with her, learning Divine Art, medicine, and doctrines regularly, just like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west each day, carefully assisting the elderly priests in healing each wounded person, and receiving their gratitude and blessings.

Along the way, there were many women praying, and they greeted them respectfully, whether they were poor or rich.

This is not something that has nothing to do with him.

He saw firsthand the girl he had rescued from the abandoned mine and the fake Hundred Fruit Garden, living a good life and still having the energy to save other people's lives.

Ailin turned her head and looked at Lyra.

He found it hard to reconcile the peaceful, serene, and respected young woman before him with the rebellious girl who once yearned to go to Kaer Morhen and become a Witcher for revenge.

My feelings are complex and difficult to express in words.

And so, as they talked, the two followed the tree-lined corridor, where the crowds and vehicles gradually grew denser, and soon arrived at the boundary between the temple district and the city district.

It was right here that Ailin's ears twitched, and he couldn't help but slow down.

"What's wrong?" Lyra asked curiously.

Ailin turned to look at her with a complicated expression. "I think I know why they sent me here."

Lyra paused, then glanced instinctively at the three-story red brick building blocking her view. After a moment of surprise, she smiled and said, "I almost forgot, your hearing is much better than ours."

The two stopped talking.

Quietly, as if afraid of disturbing something, they walked around the three-story red brick building.

The magnificent flower sea of May Festival is no longer there, but it's not like the desolate ruins it was a month ago.

Scaffolding was crowded on both sides of a long stone path.

Workers were busily building and repairing the house, while the owner assisted them.

The houses with intact doors and windows were decorated with simple white flowers.

After the disaster, the vigorous vitality of human beings is like wild grass in the wilderness. No matter if it is exposed to the sun and wind, or burned and rained on, nothing can stop this kind of wild grass, which grows desperately.

The vibrant vitality overflows, which is breathtaking.

But that wasn't all that surprised Ailin.

Five mischievous children, barely big as beans, were playing around with each other, holding wooden sticks. Three of them had white linen sheets over their heads.

Smack!

Smack!

The haphazard clanging of wooden sticks mingled with the hammering of nails.

"Don't run! You damned demons, quickly take the sword of Erin, the peerless Blue Death May King, Ailin knight hero of Arland! My sword is called Elsa, and it is made of pure silver. With just one strike, I can reduce you all to ashes."

"Ah—have mercy, Blue Death God... Ah... It hurts, it hurts... Noi, why did you really hit me?"

"Hey! Call me Blue Death Ailin!"

"No, you've hit me so many times, I have to get my revenge."

"Ouch! Ouch—you damned demon, how dare you? I am the Blue Death God Ai... Ah... David, Henster, you hit me so many times... Ouch... Why are you still hitting me..."

The unparalleled Blue Death of May King Ailin Arland, stood there, swords on his back, staring blankly at this scene.

To be honest, when Ailin was being stared at by Lyra with a half-smile, and heard the child's awkward words, the first thought that came to Ailin's mind was to correct the child.

Although Elsa is silver, it is not actually made of pure silver, but rather of many metals that are more precious than silver.

Pure silver is too soft to be forged into weapons.

Then he suddenly chuckled.

Who could have imagined that one day he would become a child playing "Nie Feng" and "Bu Jingyun", and that Elsa would become "Peerless Swordsman"?

"How does it feel?" Lyra asked with a smile.

"Um..." Ailin thought for a moment, "I can't quite put my finger on it, it's just... very strange."

Lyra parted her lips slightly, as if she wanted to ask something else.

The children not far away had already fought their way from one end of the long street to the other, and had even started a fight.

"You've been the Blue Death all morning, now it's our turn."

"This afternoon I'll give you... oh... and you'll fight... Black Hat Witcher Vesemir, the unparalleled Blue Death May King Arland Ailin, summons you! Come quickly to help your master destroy these demons."

The boy called "Vesemir" actually joined the battle, yelling "Ahhh!" and wielding a wooden stick that was slightly bent and not quite straighter than the one in "Ailin's " hand.

A soft chuckle came from beside me.

Ailin shrugged helplessly. "Luckily, Vesemir didn't come along..."

He couldn't even imagine how awkward it would be if he had come with Vesemir and witnessed this scene...

But to be honest, for some reason, deep down he was actually quite looking forward to it.

He's such a bad witcher!

Lyra stared blankly at Ailin, who was intently watching the children play, for a long time until he seemed to notice her and turned his head, then suddenly said, "Let's go, I'll take you to the next place."

"Okay... be careful!"

In a flash, he reached out and caught "Ailin," who was being chased by a group of "demons," fleeing in a disheveled state and crashing into Lyra in her panic, crying out as she was about to fall. He grabbed the wooden stick that was about to hit Lyra with his left hand.

The little "demon" also ran over at this moment. Knowing that they seemed to have caused trouble, it slowed down and walked over with its head down.

"The real Ailin wouldn't be so reckless."

Ailin gently lifted the little bean "Ailin" and placed it lightly on the ground.

"Hmph! Thanks! But you're not the Blue Death, how do you know Ailin isn't like me?" The little "Ailin" was helped up, still quite unconvinced, "Besides, it was just the 'demon spirit' that was despicable, ganging up on the few."

"Ailin wouldn't shirk responsibility either!" Ailin said.

The little boy patted his clothes, trying to figure out how to explain the stains on his new clothes to his mother, when he heard the people around him calling him "Ailin" repeatedly, and he immediately retorted in annoyance:

"How can you be like this? Ailin, it's you..."

Before he could finish speaking...

He suddenly noticed that three "spirits" draped in white sheets were staring wide-eyed at him from behind, taking a few steps back in alarm, muttering to themselves:

"Blue eyes... cat-like eyes... is he... is he..."

"But witchers all carry two swords..."

There was no need to disguise oneself in Arland, but since he was in a hurry when leaving Ard and had no plans to go hunting today, Ailin did not change his attire and remained a mercenary with a long sword at his waist and a red leather jacket.

As for eyes, they're gone too...

But to be honest, you really wouldn't notice it unless you look closely.

DouDing "Ailin" suddenly turned around, raised his head, and stared wide-eyed, all in one smooth motion.

"Ah! The unparalleled Blue Death, the knight hero of King Arland of May King, Ailin, has come to life!"

Real Ailin:?

When did I die?

"Is it really Ailin?"

The "demons" were stunned for a moment, and the sheets covering their heads fell to the ground.

They never saw him in person, but Noi did, and reportedly saw him several times during May Festival and at the funeral in Arland.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have made him the first "Ailin".

"I am Ailin, but not the peerless Blue Death May King Arland's knight hero Ailin," Ailin waved his hand helplessly, "I don't have such a long title prefix."

"Furthermore, Vesemir is my mentor, not my pet."

Since a delusional, immature kid has come right in front of us, it's necessary to correct him.

"Pfft!" Another soft laugh escaped from beside me.

Little Ailin stared wide-eyed, his dark, warm eyes like those of a young deer, and nervously swallowed.

Then, for some reason, his gaze suddenly shifted downwards, pausing for a second on the straight wooden stick in Ailin's hand before moving to the silver sword at his waist, and then he boldly took a step closer.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" Ailin asked in surprise.

Although the group of children claimed to be impersonating him and to like him, they actually backed away after seeing his unusual eyes and learning his name.

"Don't be afraid!" Little "Ailin" shouted. "My mother said that in the world... the Witcher Ailin is a great hero who saved Arland."

Then he moved a little closer, his gaze fixed intently on Ailin's silver sword. "Is this the sword of Elsa?"

"She's so beautiful!"

Ailin lowered his head.

Not only was the entire blade of the silver sword Elsa in its sheath, but the counterweight, hilt, and guard were also tightly wrapped in bandages.

It was all gray and unremarkable.

"Can... can I touch her?" Her dark, moist eyes looked pitifully at Ailin.

Ailin and the smiling Lyra exchanged a glance and nodded helplessly.

"Little Bean" Ailin's eyes widened in surprise. She solemnly wiped her hands on her clothes, then with a resolute gaze as if on a pilgrimage, she gently touched the bandage on the hilt of Elsa's sword with her tiny, egg-sized right hand.

It can be withdrawn immediately upon contact.

Then, screaming "Ah! I met Elsa!" "Ah! I met Elsa!", she raised her right hand like she was carrying a torch and ran back to show off to her friends.

"Vesemir" and the "wild spirits" looked on with envy and were eager to try, but no one dared to take another step closer.

Ailin smiled gently, then turned to look at Lyra expectantly. "Let's go, where do we go next?"

"Come with me."

Next, they went to many places.

The bard in the tavern played the lute and hummed "The Death Knight from the North."

"... He came from the north... he came from the north..."

"... As the azure Cat Eyes opened and closed, death answered the call..."

"... A fourteen-year -Young Knight of Arland named his beloved Silver White Longsword Elsa..."

"... He used this sword to kill the demons, to kill the water ghosts, to kill everyone's fear..."

In the city square of Arland, a skilled florist has created a "Blue-Eyed Cat Eyes Witcher" sculpture in a newly built large flower bed in the center of the square, using flowers of various colors.

Those blue eyes were made from a rare blue rose from Naser, a place further south than Toussaint.

From the Lower City to the Upper City, you can see exquisite wooden carvings of witchers carrying two swords everywhere in the streets and alleys, often surrounded by a large group of children about the same age as "Ailin".

Some people even carved his image on wooden doors.

If it weren't for the fact that Ailin wasn't just a fourteen-year-old witcher boy, and that the widespread use of his image was largely due to the Old Duke's approval—perhaps with political motives mixed in, such as using his image to boost the confidence of the citizens—then it would be a different story.

Who knows, he might really lose himself in this place where his traces are everywhere.

On the way back, we walked to the corner of the red brick building where the temple district and the city district meet.

Lyra patted him lightly, her eyes crinkling with a smile, as ethereal as a witcher floating on a cloud.

"The great hero who saved Arland, your legend is known throughout the city."

"So, won't you reconsider?"

"Do you want to stay?"