The moon hung high.
With no one else using the bathhouse, Roy left, his skin flushed red.
Carbon Mountain looked gloomy and terrifying in the night. Its towering fortress loomed like a demon in the shadows. Yet the entrance to the deep valley was brightly lit.
On either side of the road leading into the valley, two groups of archers and crossbowmen stood watch in tall guard towers, warily scanning their surroundings.
Inside the valley, every building between the square and the main keep had a torch hanging over its door, providing good visibility.
Dwarven guards in full armor patrolled back and forth, carrying heavy weapons. On the short walk from the bathhouse to the guest quarters, Roy ran into two patrols. He couldn't help feeling surprised.
"That's an awful lot of patrols."
When he returned to the guest room, the Witcher had changed out of his bloodstained leather armor. Wearing a robe, he sat on the bed meditating.
"Kid, what did you get out of your first day on Carbon Mountain?"
"I met a few dwarves. Other than that, my skin got all wrinkly, and I nearly went blind!" Roy sighed with relief and leaped onto the bed. He put his hands behind his neck, crossed his legs, and complained,
"Try spending the whole day watching a bunch of naked, hairy men."
The corner of Letho's mouth lifted discreetly. For once, he looked almost amused.
"You left me behind during the day. What 'major discovery' did you make in the forest?"
Letho shared his findings with him. When he heard about the dozens of wolves they'd blown up, the boy felt a pang of regret. Hundreds of experience points had slipped right past him.
Still, he could imagine how dangerous it had been. With his own clumsy melee skills,