The World's First Leech Bard

"Those women were gorgeous. Though they looked travel-worn and filthy, I could tell they were ten times prettier than those wildflowers at the Camilo Tavern. They were red roses, white lilies, daisies..."

"Shut your mouth, Villard. Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"What? They were traveling on foot, not horseback. They weren't noble ladies, and even if they had guards, they could only be mercenaries. Besides, they dressed boldly and revealingly. Maybe they were sweet little flowers growing behind red curtains, just begging to be adored. I could write a few poems about their beauty..."

"Shut up! Bold clothing doesn't mean they're prostitutes. Don't let their looks blind you. Take another look at those guards..."

"They're too far away to make out, but leather armor, two swords on their backs... They look like witchers, so they must be..."

"Sorceresses. They could only be sorceresses, you idiot!"

Amid the noisy chatter, Ailin lay on a stretcher. Though his view was blocked by green weeds and bushes, his keen witcher senses caught the whispers drifting from the Old Road. Judging from their frivolous language, they sounded like two bards.

Vesemir had come... Ailin realized at once. And if there were several women, then there were more than two sorceresses. Francesca Findabair and Adda of Vengerberg should be among them as well.

Had the Free Elves already been settled?

Adda of Vengerberg had actually come with Francesca Findabair.

"You stay here and look after the witch... Look after Lord Ailin. I'll go see what happened ahead..."

Colin was only human and could not hear the whispers Ailin had caught. Without waiting for Visenna's reply, he rose and headed toward the Old Road.

Visenna's senses seemed not to have picked up any useful information from the commotion either. That did not necessarily mean