Vera's Unreserved Confession! Atoning for Sin!

All eyes were on Vesemir.

She paused for a few seconds, then turned and instructed, "Mary, take Ms. Ida Emin to the Alchemy Room. You know where to get the materials she needs."

"Yes, mentor."

Mary glanced at Ailin with reluctance, then respectfully led the way, taking Ida Emin out of the castle hall.

"Ailin, come with me."

Vesemir nodded to Ailin and turned to walk up the steps leading to the upper floors of the castle.

Ailin glanced at Vesemir, Dante, and Aristo, then silently followed.

"Thump~ thump~ thump~"

Dull footsteps echoed in the empty corridor.

The stone corridors connecting the castle's floors are cold and damp, a feeling that even the sweltering summer heat cannot dispel.

He had assumed that Vesemir had asked him to come along simply to find a quiet, secluded place so that they could discuss the chief's situation.

Unexpectedly, when they arrived at the deserted stone corridor and closed the corridor door, Vesemir did not stop. The Sorceress, who usually liked to use portals to travel, patiently followed him up the steps.

"You use the Oterrohp Sign well. Few Witchers can master the Oterrohp Sign to your level."

Vesemir did not bring up the matter of the chief executive as soon as they were alone together.

Ailin didn't know what Vesemir wanted to say, so he could only humbly say, "Some simple applications are not as good as real magic."

"The best is the one that suits you best," Vesemir shook her head. "While normal spells may be superior in terms of practicality and power, for a witcher, signs are a more suitable auxiliary means."

"Many people believe that Alzure is a master of genetic modification, but in fact, he is also an absolute genius in the field of elemental destruction."

"The ingenious structure of Alzure's Lightning Spell is a pinnacle of magical aesthetics..."

"Improving spells is not a simple matter, and the importance of signs in academia is underestimated..."

Ailin casually continued the conversation, gradually shifting the topic from the practice of the Signs to the development of the entire Witcher system.

Vesemir spoke vividly and in great detail.

The role and development of the Witcher Company are questions that Ailin has often pondered.

Vesemir's words gave him a lot of theoretical inspiration.

At any other time, he could spend the entire day in the Alchemy Room listening to Vesemir talk, and he would even be willing to pay for her knowledge.

But now, Ailin just felt a little uneasy.

What exactly happened to the Chief that required Vesemir to set the stage like this?

Although he had always had some rebellious ideas, the School of the Wolf couldn't afford to lose its leader at this time.

Otherwise, before he could integrate the Wolf School through his achievements and deeds in hunting and subduing the Greater Griffin, protecting Arland, and expelling the Evil God, and with the help of the gradually developing Monster Hunting Legion, the School of the Wolf would have to fall apart.

Soyer is the founder of the School of the Wolf, and that's the status he holds today.

Furthermore, why did Vesemir set up this scenario for him, and even dismiss Vesemir, Dante, and Aristo?

Could it be...?

[Ailin, do you want to be the chief?]

Soyer's shocking question echoed in his mind, and Ailin's heart raced.

"Da~Da~Da~"

Footsteps echoed on the lonely stone steps.

As she spoke, Vesemir gradually fell silent, her steps halting before a pointed arched window decorated with burning flames.

Outside the window, the pale city walls, the scattered training grounds, and the tiered, staggered roads offer a panoramic view of half of Kaer Morhen.

When the last Duke Mason discussed the Migration School with Soyer, Soyer and Ailin had discussed it in detail.

These seemingly ordinary furnishings and roads, besides their basic functions, will become sharp swords with their health bars taut, ready to pierce the enemy when they arrive.

But what truly clever enemy would launch a full-scale attack on a fortress deep in the mountains?

They only know how to deceive, assassinate, and form alliances, cutting flesh piece by piece with a dull knife, until they either die unexpectedly or are forced to die.

Separated by a thick city wall, the moat flows swiftly, shimmering in the sunlight, heading eastward.

This unnamed moat flows down the mountain and merges with the Rixhil River, eventually becoming one with the Pontar River, which separates the north and south and flows westward to the North Sea.

Vesemir stared silently at the sunlight streaming through the window for a long time.

Ailin didn't urge him. Following his gaze, he saw the apprentices training on the training field.

Those are Witcher apprentices who are going through the Witcher "Choice" phase.

A group of small figures, amidst the shouts of the old witchers during their training, brandished wooden swords and swayed precariously on a training log bridge, dodging the pendulum swinging back and forth.

No matter how much the death rate in the Trial of Grasses and Trial of the Mountains has decreased, the Witcher's Trials remain arduous.

But Ailin has no intention of changing this. Every drop of sweat he sheds now may save their lives in the future.

actually.

If we exclude the death rate of the Trial of Grasses, at least in this era, being a Witcher is still a pretty good career path. They are respected and well-paid, and because they are neutral, they are basically unaffected by war.

As long as you're willing to be cautious, you can still live a long, comfortable life with a fairly high survival rate.

Unfortunately, few witchers are cautious, especially when they are young and impetuous. Young brutes always hope to push their limits, challenge stronger monsters, and seek glory.

Even so, they lived better and longer than many commoners, and even knights.

After all, war is the most terrifying monster.

"Ailin, what do you think of Sadia?" Vesemir didn't turn around, her voice devoid of emotion.

Sadia ... Ailin frowned.

He had assumed that the breaking of the long silence would lead to discussions about Chieftain Soyer or the future of the School of the Wolf.

"Sadia ..."

Ailin recalled.

Sadia and Lady Vesemir were once very good friends, but they became enemies because of the conflict and war between humans and elves.

During the war, she was weaker than Vesemir and had her spellcasting abilities stripped away before being sent to the Temple of Melitele.

Then, disguising her appearance, she practiced medicine on the Northern Continent, fell in love with Viscount Haxor's knight, and was hunted by Kedwen and Ban Ade because of the fragments of the Gate of Ade Gais, which ultimately led to the destruction of Lyra's family. She struggled to survive for a long time in an abandoned mine and Hundred Fruit Garden woven with illusions.

so...

Which part does Vesemir want to ask about?

What are Sadia's political stance, abilities, and character?

Or perhaps the relationship between Sadia and Himles Fantaby will affect the School of the Wolf?

"In which aspect?" Ailin asked, puzzled. "I've only spent one day with Sadia, so I don't know her very well."

"However, she should hold a high position among the Free Elves. Forming an alliance with them would be beneficial to the current School of the Wolf."

"No need for 'should'," Vesemir said after a moment of silence. "Sadia is a pure-blooded member of the royal family of Ian Siddi."

"The last king of Aen Seidhe, Dufusov, who swore allegiance to Ludovic, the first human king of Toussaint, and buried the last mound of earth for the elven era, which lasted for more than 1,500 years, was her great-grandfather."

"Otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many fairies following the white rose of Shaer Lavhed during the Aelirenn Uprising."

This was the first time he had ever heard of this, so the claim of the Elf Kingdom was actually in the hands of Sadia.

Francesca Fantabe really is Elf Princess ... Ailin raised an eyebrow.

Vesemir continued, "Given the current situation, uniting with the Free Elves is not a bad thing; you've done a good job."

"But..."

Vesemir paused inexplicably. "What I wanted to ask wasn't about the alliance..."

She pointed out the window.

Looking over, Ailin's gaze fell upon the training ground where the apprentices were practicing.

What does this have to do with Sadia?

Ailin was puzzled.

Before he could voice his doubts, Vesemir took a deep breath and said:

Do you think Sadia did the right thing?

"Just because of a prophecy, she sent her own flesh and blood to Kaer Morhen and charted the path of the Witcher for them?"

Ailin then noticed that several of the apprentices in the training ground did look familiar.

It has dark golden hair and slightly pointed ears, but not as pointed as a normal elf.

Half-elf!

Those apprentices were all Half-elf, descendants of Sadia and the knight Hodon.

To be honest, if Vesemir hadn't brought it up, he would have forgotten that there was such a group of Half-elf in Kaer Morhen. Besides the Half-elf, he had also forgotten about the "Child of Surprise" he had brought up the mountain— Yennefer's younger brother.

After all, he wasn't the Witcher responsible for training apprentices. It would take several years for an apprentice to go from entering Kaer Morhen, passing the trials, to reaching the point where they could join the Monster Hunting Legion and hunt monsters independently. He didn't have that much energy to spend on training apprentices for the time being.

so...

Why would Vesemir ask such a question?

Vesemir rested her hands on the windowsill, looking at the Half-elf in the training ground, and said, "Sadia could have brought them all into the settlement of the Free Elves, so that they could live a life that was not very stable, but at least peaceful and prosperous."

"But now, because of a prophecy, they've been sent to Kaer Morhen. If it weren't for your Essence Fluid, only one or two would have survived..."

"Do you think," Vesemir turned and stared at him, "They will hate Sadia?"

"Being used as a bargaining chip to gamble on one's fate..." Ailin watched the thin figure staggering to avoid the pendulum, the crisp sound of the wooden sword slipping from his hand could be clearly heard even from this distance.

"I think... I think so..."

Ailin was caught off guard; he didn't understand why Vesemir would ask him such a question.

And is there even a need to think about this issue?

There will inevitably be hatred!

Aside from orphans chosen by wandering witchers among their apprentices, whether as payment for a commission or as Child of Surprise out of wedlock according to the Accident Law, very few of them do not hate their parents.

Just like Lambert of the School of the Wolf in the original novel and the game, even after nearly a hundred years, he still hasn't forgotten his drunken father, and Geralt Maurice, the son of Thomas Maurice of the School of the Griffin...

There are far too many.

Moreover, these Half-elf had just escaped the prison of illusions and hadn't even experienced a normal life before being given to the School of the Wolf because of the prophecy of the "Child of Miracle" whom Sadia firmly believed in.

What's the difference between this and abandonment?

What Sadia did was definitely wrong, Half-elf would inevitably hate her; there's no need to carefully empathize or think about it.

"Yes, how could I not hate her?" Vesemir looked at Ailin, sighed inwardly, and murmured softly.

"What's wrong, Lady Vesemir?" Ailin probed. "Does Ms. Sadia want to take them all back? Is this another condition of the Alliance?"

If that's the case, then it's really quite troublesome.

The School of the Wolf only ever enters, never leaves. This is the School of the Wolf's strictest rule; otherwise, it wouldn't have offended so many forces in the Northern Continent.

"No," Vesemir shook her head, "Sadia didn't ask this question at all when we went to the Free Elves ' settlement."

"That's...that's really quite heartless..." Ailin raised an eyebrow.

These Half-elf apprentices are incredibly unlucky to have a mother like this.

However, this is quite in line with Sadia's usual style.

You might say she's heartless.

Sadia abandoned her noble status and devoted herself to traveling the Northern Continent, saving many people.

Moreover, she not only accepted the advances of an ordinary man whose title was merely knight, but also bore him many children and did her best to protect Lyra, the offspring of her benefactor, Viscount Hudson.

But you could say she has feelings.

Because of differences in ideology and what later became known as love, she not only cuckolded her husband, Himles Fenderbe, but also abandoned their young daughter Francesca.

Now, several other Half-elf offspring have also been sent to Kaer Morhen.

It's hard to judge, very hard to judge.

Vesemir gazed at Ailin, who was only fourteen years old but had already made a great name for himself, and remained silent for a long time before letting out a soft sigh.

"Yes!"

"Those who can use their closest relatives as bargaining chips to gamble their fate are more than just heartless..."

"If such a person can still beg for forgiveness, even the gods will feel it is unjust and will bring down the cruelest punishment."

The candlelight flickered and trembled in the darkness, illuminating only half of the Sorceress's face.

Before Ailin could fully grasp the nuances of her words, Vesemir glanced at the few Half-elf in the training ground with a complex and pitying expression, her skirt brushing against the damp stone steps.

"But..."

Vesemir seemed to have made up her mind, and her usually somber tone suddenly became unusually forceful. "Sins will always be brought to light, even if they are difficult to atone for."

"Let's go, I'll take you to see Soyer."

Sin... atonement...

This doesn't seem to be referring to Sadia...

And go see Soyer?

Frowning, Ailin, still unable to extract any useful information from Vesemir's meaningful words, watched with suspicion as Vesemir stepped up the stone steps.

In the dim candlelight, the spiraling corridor seemed to have no end.

But there is no end, and this is not the way to the chief's residence.

The corridors connect guest rooms and empty storage rooms; there are no functional rooms like libraries or Alchemy Room, and they are deserted except in the dead of winter.

What's the chief doing here?

Why hasn't he seen the messenger of the Free Elves in three days?

What happened in those two short months?

Why are Aristo and Vesemir keeping quiet about it?

The delicate scent of oranges mixed with cardamom wafted over her from the hem of her simple skirt, just like when he first pried open the door to the Alchemy Room.

Listening to the echo of heavy footsteps, Ailin's nerves were stirred by unease, like dark clouds gathering before a storm.

"Don't ask, Ailin, don't ask," Vesemir seemed to sense his emotional turmoil. "I know you have many questions, but I'll tell you everything after we meet Soyer ..."

"Without reservation, not a single word was missed..."