Kill Soyer to Vent My Child's Anger

After hurriedly leaving the castle hall and walking about fifty or sixty meters, Ailin realized that he knew nothing about where the elves lived.

He hurriedly returned to the castle hall, intending to ask Lady Vesemir.

Before the door could even be opened, the girl's sobs escaped through the crack and were caught by the Witcher's keen senses.

His right hand, already resting on the verdigris-stained door knocker, ultimately failed to push the door open.

Although he and Philippa Ehrert were completely innocent, the alluring nakedness of last night, the touch of the softest silk, kept swirling in his mind, making his innocence less pure.

Moreover, he asked Francesca Fantaby, which might just add fuel to the fire.

"Anyway, Kaer Morhen isn't that big; we can find it eventually if we spend some time..."

Ailin sighed inwardly.

Before Ernie Klar and his group, who had just returned from training, could get close, he used the most standard stealth technique of the School of the Cat Two-Handed Sword to quietly hide in the shade of the trees at the castle gate. In the blind spot of the approaching people, he slipped through the grass and disappeared.

To be honest, he never imagined that the School of the Cat Two-Handed Sword techniques would be used in this place.

Francesca Fantabay's residence is indeed not hard to find. With two Tracking skills, she can always find her recent destination by following the unique fragrance of chamomile and cedar and then by her red footprints.

It's a bit of a hassle, but it won't waste much of your time.

It didn't take long for Ailin to arrive at his destination.

Both are towers, both on the third floor, but one is in the north and the other in the south, both attached to the castle, just like Ailin's house.

Judging from the room specifications, it is unclear whether this arrangement was made by Lady Vesemir or Master Aristo, but it is certainly of the highest standard in terms of accommodation.

It's just that Ailin's room originally belonged to the Chief of the School of the Wolf, and it's unknown who originally lived in this tower on the north side.

"These witchers are so rude! We've been waiting for three days and haven't even seen one of the school's administrators!"

As Ailin stepped onto the last step, he paused in his knocking, and a complaining voice came from the other side of the door.

"Who do they think they are?"

"They call this an alliance? We're here to protect them, and this is how they treat us!"

"Why do Lady Sadia and the Sage value these Witchers so much?"

Clearly, the fact that the chief had left them waiting for several days due to his health condition had greatly angered the usually arrogant elf.

"Alright, Zova, Carla," Francesca's clear, melodious voice broke the silence. "Stop complaining. Grandmaster Soyer of the School of the Wolf must have been held up by something."

"What could possibly happen in Kaer Morhen in the summer?" a woman's voice said angrily. "There are hardly any people in this castle. They are clearly looking down on us Mountain Folk."

"Yes, Miss Enid," another female voice echoed, "Zova is right. I investigated before coming here. The chief of the School of the Wolf has a close relationship with the King of Kedwen. That the Glutton is dead now, but he is definitely still inclined to the Kedwen royal family."

"That's the sworn enemy of the Free Elves, Miss Enid, don't be fooled!"

The female voice, referred to as Zova, advised without the Rift: "If you ask me, we must be careful. We can't eat anything here. If we don't see anyone today, we must leave as soon as possible."

"Otherwise, the School of the Wolf of witchers might hand us over to human nobles or royalty as payment."

"If you ask me, Miss Enid, you were taking too much of a risk. You shouldn't have gone there yourself..."

"Enough!!!" Francesca interrupted angrily. "I believe in the School of the Wolf. They have always adhered to neutrality and are trustworthy."

"Grandmaster Soyer must have encountered some troublesome problem and is unable to spare the time."

"Let's just wait patiently for our notification. Let's not talk about this anymore. Carla, come over here and take a look at which earrings would go with this butterfly pendant?"

"Miss Enid looks good in anything, but who are you trying to impress?" Carla's mood shifted quickly as she teased, "I've never seen you dressed like this at the Freedom Camp."

Another female guard named Zova chimed in tacit agreement, "Who else could it be? It's that one..."

The two female guards were clearly on good terms with her.

"Shut up!" Francesca Fantaby snapped angrily.

A silvery laugh came from inside the door.

Ailin, standing outside the door, dared not let them continue their conversation, lest they bring up any more sensitive topics and he would be hesitant to knock again.

"Thump~ thump~ thump~"

The laughter inside the room stopped abruptly when there was a knock on the wooden door.

"Who is it?" shouted the female guard named Zova.

"Ailin of the School of the Wolf," Ailin replied, "Has come to discuss signing an alliance..."

Before he could finish speaking...

Suddenly, a chaotic crashing sound and cries of pain echoed from inside the room.

It seems that the chair bumped into the female elf named Carla before it fell to the ground.

"Here comes, Ailin!" Francesca Fantaby called out in a flustered tone.

What followed was a murmur that was difficult to understand, and at least ten minutes of waiting.

Ten minutes later.

"Squeak~"

The wooden door slowly opened, and the familiar, fresh scent of chamomile and cedar wood wafted out.

This is a large, roughly circular room, similar to Ailin's room, with a wooden screen blocking the view and preventing people from seeing what's inside.

Francesca Fantaby was standing in front of the screen, still wearing the same gray-green dress with yellow trim, but the pendant had been changed to a thumb-sized one, with a sapphire as the main element and sparkling diamonds set in slender silver wings.

Like the most beautiful butterfly in the world, lying on the pure white snow of winter.

There is a unique beauty in the face of death and rebirth.

"This is the butterfly pendant..." Ailin thought, then his gaze unconsciously rose to Francesca Fantaby's ear.

The earlobes are bare, which means that the person hasn't chosen any earrings yet.

However, as if sensing his gaze, her fair earlobes instantly turned a rosy pink.

"Cough cough~"

A female servant next to him coughed twice.

"Sorry," Ailin quickly apologized, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, it just happened..."

"No need to say anything," Francesca waved her hand, trying to appear calm, but the pink clouds had already tinged the snow where the butterflies lay low with red. "I know you didn't mean it."

"Let's get down to business first, the alliance?"

Ailin glanced subtly at the two female attendants and explained sincerely, "Chieftain Soyer did not mean to slight the three of you, but he is currently in a certain situation and it is not convenient for him to see anyone."

"We understand," Francesca nodded, immediately agreeing with him, then said with a feigned headache, "But the Mountain Folk only recognize Grandmaster Soyer's signature on the covenant. However, we can wait in Kaer Morhen Morhando for a while."

"That's not necessary," Ailin shook his head. "The chief can sign the alliance agreement tonight, but only you can go to sign it..."

"No!"

"Tonight? So soon!"

Francesca Fantaby and two maids' voices interrupted Ailin.

However, Ailin and his two female attendants simultaneously looked at Francesca Fantaby with strange expressions.

"I...I...I mean we can Grandmaster Soyer in Kaer Morhen, there's no rush," Francesca Fantaby explained hastily.

Ailin pretended not to understand her meaning and explained, "It's hard to say when the chief's condition will return to normal. It might not be until this winter."

"Waiting won't get it."

The two maids frowned, subtly shielding Francesca Fantaby behind them, and watched him warily. "Why must only one of you go?"

"You School of the Wolf..."

"I will go!" Francesca Fantaby stepped forward, nodding solemnly. "What time tonight?"

"Enid!"

"Your Highness!"

Zova and Carla tried to dissuade them.

"Alright!"

Francesca Fantaby waved her hand, interrupting the two maids, then stared at Ailin with her large, clear blue eyes, even clearer than Killer Lake, and said firmly:

"I believe him."

Ailin, who was being glared at by Zova and Carla, remained silent for a few seconds before saying in a deep voice, "After the sun sets and we have dinner, I will come to pick you up."

Upon hearing that it was Ailin who was coming to pick her up, Francesca Fantaby's eyes widened immediately, and then she nodded with a beaming smile:

"Yes, I will be at the castle hall on time."

The task was so simple that even Ailin hadn't expected it to be so easy. He certainly didn't think he would be rejected in the end, but it would still take at least twenty or thirty minutes to persuade the two female attendants beside Francesca.

Unexpectedly, Francesca accepted the invitation despite everyone's objections.

All the arguments I had prepared suddenly became useless.

Moreover, the agreed-upon procession to Kaer Morhen could not possibly take place this afternoon under these circumstances.

then.

After thinking for a moment, Ailin could only bid a dry farewell.

Smack!

Almost as soon as the wooden door closed, loud "admonitions" came from inside the room, or more accurately, an argument.

"Miss Enid, you can't go! It's too dangerous!"

"Who knows what the School of the Wolf might have in store for you? You might not meet that Soyer, but some human nobleman."

"Have you forgotten Drakkenberg? Have you forgotten how many elves have been deceived in the name of love and never returned?"

The voices of the two female servants Zova and Carla, were very clear even through the door, clearly indicating that they were deliberately trying to let him hear them.

But Ailin didn't see anything wrong with it. Putting himself in her shoes, he couldn't just let Francesca go alone on someone else's turf to meet a dangerous person who hadn't shown up for three days.

"It's not love! Ailin isn't a liar!" Francesca Fantaby's voice was low but couldn't hide her extreme embarrassment and anger. "Don't talk nonsense!"

Then came a series of arguments and persuasion.

"Eh~"

Ailin didn't listen any further. After letting out a soft sigh, she walked down the dark, deep corridor.

It seems I'm accumulating more and more emotional debts.

The Wooden Hut in Toussaint.

After Vesemir's voice was swallowed by the silence of the void, the Wooden Hut remained quiet for a long time.

On the wooden bed, in a pool of blood, Soyer, whose hands and feet were bound by chains, knelt on the bed board with his head down, seemingly asleep or unconscious.

However, Vesemir knew he was awake; the torment of the remnant red dragon's soul wouldn't allow him even a second of rest.

No one can sleep under the burning pain of the soul; it is a kind of pain that can send chills down your spine just by imagining it, without even experiencing it.

He just needs some time to allow the broken soul, isolated from his body, to descend into an even more broken husk.

"Heh~ Heh~"

A strange, drowning sound came from Soyer's throat.

"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~"

Amidst the creaking of the chains, he spat out a mouthful of dark red, lumpy blood onto the floor beside the bed.

The smell of blood in the air was stronger, along with a slightly rotten, acrid odor.

Vesemir watched this scene, closed her eyes involuntarily, and waved her hand with practiced ease.

The gruesome bloodstains and the stench in the air inside the Wooden Hut vanished instantly.

Obviously.

She had become so used to this scene that she didn't want to be used to it anymore.

Soyer slowly raised her head with difficulty. Her gray Cat Eyes were full of scarlet blood vessels, but they were not ferocious. Instead, they appeared gentle, sad and desolate because of the apology they contained.

"I'm sorry, I can't hold on much longer." He sighed softly, his soul seemingly utterly exhausted in his sigh.

Vesemir didn't open her eyes, her voice hoarse. "What happened to the promise to clean the seats for our children, add armrests, stabilize the legs, and embroider some patterns and carve some textures to show glory and majesty?"

"I'm sorry, I can't do that."

"I've already bought the vineyard, right on the Sansidore River. We'll grow grapes, make wine, and participate in competitions..."

"Feel sorry..."

"Besides apologizing, don't you have anything else to say?"

"...Feel sorry."

There was a long silence between the two.

Vesemir opened her eyes and stared at the man whose soul and body were both broken and shattered.

She had no intention of bringing out Ronnie Dickinson's Vessel of Great Deeds, because it was useless—a conclusion Ida Emin and she had just reached without much investigation.

It's useless for Soyer right now, because he won't last until the two of them get the results of their experiment.

The Second Mutation of Thomas Maurice, as mentioned by Ailin, may be the only hope.

But...

Aside from Thomas Maurice, Ailin didn't "see" much else.

Who can be sure that the so-called Second Mutation will be effective against Soyer?

Rather than offering a vague hope, it's better to say nothing. Perhaps he can hold on a little longer, perhaps there's still hope, perhaps... a miracle...

Child of Miracle...

"Wei..." Soyer's voice interrupted her wandering thoughts, "She's about to die, so don't say anything, don't mention anything."

"Love and hate, it's too late now..."

"Ailin's parents died fourteen years ago. He is now a Witcher, an orphan. Don't let him relive the pain of loss."

"We all know that's not a good feeling..."

Vesemir's nose stung, her eyes reddened, and she forced back her emotions, saying, "He'll find out eventually."

"But what's missed is missed; there's no going back, and you can't get it back."

"Soyer, which one is more painful?"

Soyer opened his mouth, but was interrupted by Vesemir turning around.

"At least if I tell him now, he can still kill you with his sword to vent his anger."

Soyer smiled helplessly, "Why wasn't it you who was killed?"

"Because I'm still useful," Vesemir replied earnestly. "I still need to protect him, I still need to watch him grow up, watch him marry and have children like an ordinary person, watch him raise his children, plant grapes in the vineyard, make wine, and participate in competitions..."

She opened the door and whispered:

"Tonight, Soyer Henrietta, you're ready."

Smack!

The wooden door gently bumped against the frame, but the Sorceress didn't even turn her head.

"To get married and have children..."

A long sigh came from the small Wooden Hut, seemingly filled with anticipation, yet more like regret.