Goodbye, Enid

Once they left the illusion of Toussaint that Vesemir had created for Soyer, their instinctive disgust and discomfort immediately lessened.

The emotions left behind by the dead can ultimately not control the living.

Ailin would not allow the emotions of the deceased to influence his rational judgment, even though he was grateful for the second life given to him by his predecessor.

Because from any perspective, Vesemir and Soyer are very important to him.

Now, setting aside their instinctive repulsion, their identities have made them even more indispensable to Ailin.

Especially the latter.

For Ailin, the noble and powerful Grandmaster of the School of the Wolf and the noble and powerful Grandmaster of the School of the Wolf who is also her blood relative are two different identities.

No matter the era, blood relatives, especially parents, are undoubtedly the most trustworthy.

Don't say that some parents are harsh, cruel, or indifferent; those are just isolated cases.

Compared to any other identity, even siblings or children, parents are the most reliable.

If Erin had known Soyer and Vesemir's identities earlier and had been freed from those constraints, Ailin could have developed much better than he has now.

Since the Trial of Grasses, much of his energy has been devoted to futile battles.

Before the Trial of the Mountains, he planned to keep a low profile and not reveal all the talents he had gained from the Witcher's Handbook, lest he be coveted by outsiders.

After becoming the commander of the Witcher Company, he worried that the rapid development and the excessive division of power would arouse jealousy and retribution from the "rulers."

Even after descending the mountain, he kept his distance from Vesemir and Soyer, still showing some reservations.

After all, Soyer was the ruler of the School of the Wolf, and Vesemir was a world-renowned Alchemy Master and Sorceress.

Ultimately, the complete reconciliation with Vesemir was due to the Sorceress's selfless sincerity.

From expensive potions and the transmission of knowledge to the building of connections and emotional support, no one can remain vigilant under this all-encompassing offensive.

Of course, Ailin couldn't either.

As for Soyer, his opinion softened somewhat during the Apprentice Combat Tournament because of the Drowners King and the Giant Drowner who were shaved into "Magic Staff," but he still had many concerns before returning this time.

After all, the fall of Kedwen was a major event.

Their attitude was correct, but their handling of the Greater Griffin was wreaking havoc in Vengerberg and the Drakkenberg incident led the School of the Wolf down a path with an uncertain future.

This matter is highly controversial, so Ailin's ultimate fate depends almost entirely on Soyer's attitude.

But as the Witcher Company's prospects became increasingly bright, having first taken over the house in Kaer Morhen, and then, unprecedentedly, immediately after descending the mountain, joining forces to hunt down the giant Giant Ghoul...

As the founder of the School of the Wolf, did Soyer really not have any other thoughts?

Ailin's influence within the School of the Wolf is growing. Doesn't a leader in a position of power have any reservations?

This is a perfectly reasonable suspicion.

Politics is dirty, and the long history of the University of Tokyo has proven this point countless times.

Therefore, after rescuing Bont from Drakkenberg and returning to Arland, he only rested for one night before flying back without even collecting his reward for cleaning up the carnivorous creatures in Arland.

He even risked his life to agree to Tissaia de Veres's plan to rescue Henry Gedimidis.

Why did he do that?

It's certainly not wrong to seek an ally for the School of the Wolf against Ban Ade and the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate, but seeking an ally for oneself is equally important.

If he knew Soyer's identity, would he have needed to act so hastily?

Do they really need to risk their lives and get involved with Tissaia de Veres and Aretuza?

Of course not.

If I had known my identity was so distinguished, I probably would have accepted the dangerous commission to rescue Henn Gedimidis anyway, but I would have certainly gotten more benefits in return.

You can also take your time in Arland, finish everything, and then come back.

Therefore, from any perspective, Ailin could not allow the lingering emotions of his predecessor to linger; on the contrary, he should increase his investment.

Moreover, in a sense, he was both the middle manager who was rewarded and poisoned by his boss, and also the unknown child of the School of the Wolf who died silently in the Trial of Grasses.

But on a larger, more fundamental level, he received immense favors from Soyer and Vesemir.

Regardless of their original intentions, Ailin, who replaced the original body, owed them a great debt.

After calming down, the logic became clear and obvious.

As for whether or not to acknowledge kinship, Ailin was somewhat reluctant, and neither Soyer nor Vesemir had made that request, so they would just let things take their course.

[Ding! Do you wish to spend 50 Experience Orbs to unlock Xenogeneic Mutagenesis?]

Xenogeneic Mutagenesis emerged from the Sorcerer's Memory long before the battle between the Wild Hunt and the sorcerers in Passerlon Forest.

He initially thought he was learning useless knowledge, but who would have thought it would become a pleasant surprise today.

The ancient Witcher's Handbook were reflected in my eyes.

"Wait a little longer," Ailin thought. "Although the Vessel of Great Deeds is probably not going to be of much use, we should at least wait until Ada Emin has made some progress, understands the principle of Second Mutation, and finds a laboratory before unlocking it."

"At that time, we can upgrade the Xenogeneic Mutagenesis level as needed."

However, I'm still going to spend those fifty Experience Orbs.

"The gap to unlocking 'Beast Roar: No-Fly' has widened even further," he frowned. "I need to find a way to get more Experience Orbs quickly..."

He pondered a way to make money and pushed open the door to the castle hall from the corridor.

It's late at night.

Witchers and apprentices, who have little entertainment, go to bed early.

The castle hall should have been empty at this time, since it wasn't the dead of winter and people were feasting all night long.

However, upon opening the door, one could still see some firelight in the hall, seemingly coming from the restaurant.

"Is that Ailin?" A female voice broke his thoughts.

"Francesca?" Ailin looked up in surprise.

The fireplace was off, but Francesca Fantaby, dressed in a rose-red dress, looked like a blazing fire beside the oak table.

"Didn't you go back?" he asked curiously.

Not long ago, he and Vesemir personally escorted Francesca Fantaby out of the castle hall.

Francesca Fantaby didn't answer, but stood up and peered behind Ailin:

"Where is Lady Vesemir? Didn't she come down with you?"

"She...she and the Chief still have some things to discuss," Ailin's expression was a little unnatural, but he concealed it well. "What's wrong? Do you have a question for her? Is it related to the alliance?"

"No, no, it has nothing to do with the alliance." Francesca Fantaby waved her hand, her rosy lips curving upwards, seemingly pleased.

She chanted a few incantations, and immediately many plates carved with intricate patterns such as leaves and arrows appeared on the oak table.

Then...

Pastries resembling cookies, steaming roasted meat, and refreshing salads appeared on the empty plates, each with an elfin style.

"Your School of the Wolf's dinner time is long over," Francesca Fantaby said as she carefully set out the plates. "When I got back, I saw Carla and Zova —they are my bodyguards—grilling meat, and I figured you hadn't eaten, so I brought you some."

The time it took to sign the alliance and send Francesca Fantaby away seems not long ago, and Vesemir and Soyer's confession didn't take long either.

However, due to the length of the corridors, secret passages, and the illusion, Ailin was thinking about how to deal with it after leaving the illusion, and his steps were very slow, at least an hour passed.

In other words, Francesca Fantaby waited in the castle hall for about an hour.

in addition...

Ailin's gaze fell on the sizzling, steaming meat.

"Won't your guards have any objections?" Ailin couldn't help but ask.

There is no such thing as food conjuring up out of thin air in this world, nor is there any magic to create roasted meat. Therefore, all of this food must have been summoned from somewhere.

He already had two stern-faced female elves in his mind, grilling meat for an hour, their faces covered in charcoal ash, meticulously controlling the temperature.

The imagery is very strong.

"Ah..." Francesca Fantaby seemed surprised by his question, and paused for a moment before saying, "Carla and Zova are both very good people."

She avoided the question.

I understand.

Ailin is definitely being heavily criticized right now.

Yes, the imagery is much stronger now.

"Thanks."

Ailin didn't press the matter further, nor did he stand on ceremony; he simply sat down opposite Francesca Fantaby.

He originally planned to go back and get some dry rations to tide him over, but with better things available and pretty girls to keep him company, why should he fill his stomach with awful, tasteless dry rations?

Francesca smiled, then summoned a white candle with engraved patterns and gently lit it with a spell.

It has a strong sense of ritual.

"A candlelight dinner?" Ailin raised an eyebrow. He didn't know if this concept existed in the Witcher world.

However, when the candles were lit and the two people's eyes met amidst the rising steam from the food, the atmosphere at the table did indeed become somewhat romantic.

The two looked at each other and then fell silent for a moment.

It's like someone who was just talking eloquently suddenly ran out of things to say.

The candlelight flickered.

Francesca Fantaby's cheeks flushed slightly.

For the first time, Ailin realized that beauty was breathtaking, not an exaggerated sense of shame.

Instead, staring directly at such a beautiful face, one truly forgets to breathe, as if this face possesses a natural mental magic, with the effect of bewitching humans.

"Your first question to Lady Vesemir was whether we would have had this dinner if she had come with me?" Ailin joked, breaking the romantic atmosphere.

"No!" Francesca Fantaby denied playfully, then explained, "It's just that for some reason, we don't get along."

I understand, it's a blood feud that's almost like wiping out an entire family... Ailin thought to himself.

He never expected that the hatred that had just been irrelevant to him, which he could have watched with interest, would now be involved.

When asked about how Vesemir had completely dispelled the romantic atmosphere, Francesca Fantaby seemed worried that Vesemir might actually appear at that moment, and quickly said:

"Stop talking, let's eat. Carla's grilled meat is delicious."

Ailin nodded and focused on eating.

Yes, the roasted meat was indeed delicious, juicy and flavorful, and more importantly, it seemed to be seasoned with honey.

The rich aroma of fruitwood combined with the slightly charred meat creates a mouthwatering experience.

The salad and the pastry that looked like cookies were also quite good.

Perhaps because Vesemir could arrive at any moment, the two did not speak, causing the dinner to end quickly.

Francesca Fantabe ate a few cookies and some meat, and after a few polite exchanges, Ailin ate the rest.

"Dinner was very good, thank you for your hospitality," Ailin praised.

Upon hearing this, Francesca Fantaby happily raised the corners of her mouth and swayed her head while chanting a few incantations.

The plates, along with the leftover food, disappeared on the long table in the blink of an eye, and no one knows who will clean them up in the end.

Although it was dinner, it was impossible for everyone to finish eating and immediately go home.

Ailin was suggesting they go for a walk.

"I have to go back soon, Ailin, back to the Free Elves camp," Francesca Fantaby said reluctantly as she followed Ailin out. "I won't be able to hear you tell me about Kaer Morhen this time."

"So fast?" Ailin was taken aback.

He thought Francesca would stay in Kaer Morhen for at least another day or two.

"The news came in the evening," Francesca Fantabe said without hiding anything. "Ban Ade has been acting strangely these past few days. The Free Elves don't have many scouts available, and the camp needs Carla and Zova."

"Do you know what's going on?" Upon hearing about Ban Ad's movements, Ailin pushed open the doors of the castle hall, frowned, and asked.

"I don't know." Francesca Fantaby shook her head. "There's very little news from the camp, just that we should end the School of the Wolf trip as soon as possible and go back."

"But it shouldn't be anything serious."

"Ban Ade is often provoke by male witches and slave-hunting groups, who hope to capture elves who cannot bear their anger..."

She paused, but didn't elaborate further.

Ailin, however, thought of Passerlon Forest and Drakkenberg's fate.

Taking into account Ban Adli, and Otolan of the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate, he warned:

"Don't be careless. Otolan is now in Ban Ade. The Rissberg Civil Conglomerate has always been hostile to non-humans... Ian Siddi has designs on him."

"This time might be different from the past!"

Francesca Fantaby paused for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded vigorously. "I will tell my father this news. Thank you, Ailin."

"We are friends," Ailin waved his hand.

The two then walked out of the castle hall in silence.

Francesca Fantaby stopped at the door, and Ailin stopped as well.

She was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked with pleading eyes:

"According to the covenant, the School of the Wolf will send witchers to the camp to clear out monsters. Ailin, could that witcher be you?"

"I will try my best." Ailin looked at Francesca Fantaby, her large blue eyes like those of a docile doe, and couldn't bear to refuse.

Moreover, he is currently in dire need of Experience Orbs, and the more monster hunting commissions he receives, the better.

However, the Free Elves doesn't know when he will send someone to set up the Portal Array. He might go to Toussaint soon, and then he will be going to rescue Hen Gedimidis in a while, so he might not be able to make it in time.

Hearing Ailin's promise, Francesca Fantaby beamed. "Then, see you at the camp of the Free Elves, Ailin."

"Goodbye, Francesca, to the camp of the Free Elves," Ailin said.

"That's not the right way to address me." Francesca Fantabe's doe-like, moist blue eyes looked directly at him.

Ailin paused for a few seconds, then said softly, "Goodbye, Enid."

It's late at night.

The starry sky hangs low, and the lonely moon hangs high.