What is remembered will surely be echoed

Night—Between the outskirts of Ellander and Floating Harbor Forest—

After finishing the fragrant basil-roasted chicken carefully prepared by Chef Victor, Angoulême sat by the campfire and resumed her endless murmured chatter with the goshawk. Ever since Catherine had joined them, Angoulême's foolish remarks had noticeably decreased. Perhaps Catherine reminded her from the side—or perhaps Angoulême had simply told all her nonsense to her instead.

Without bothering to hide it from Angoulême—she could not tell the difference anyway—Victor set up a small pot to boil water and began Incredible Alchemy. He added mandrake, nostric, allspice, blood moss, black vine reed petals, and a little dwarven liquor, then began stirring.

Thinking it over, he had spent more than a year in the witcher world. His physical abilities, swordsmanship, and traditional alchemy had all improved significantly, yet Incredible Alchemy had progressed slowly. The only harmonizations he was truly skilled at were still those few.

Aside from the Vitality Decoction, which counted as a new formula, the aphrodisiac potion, hangover cure, and the morning-after medicine he was currently making were all perfected masterpieces he had refined countless times back in the alchemy world. Beyond that were food and furniture.

Victor knew why his progress was slow. First, his mental strength could not sustain focused harmonization for longer periods. Second, the rational education of his past had limited his imagination. If he could not mentally simulate a process that could be reproduced in reality, it was difficult for him to create something out of thin air.

And neither of those problems was something he could solve right now.

Back in Ban Ard, the youth had tried to search for formulas that could raise mental strength. Unfortunately, such formulas were monopolized by mages, who also needed such things to improve themselves. Several potentially useful ingredients were extraordinarily expensive and rare.

The influence of rational education was even more troublesome. So-called "belief" was an intensely subjective feeling. Even the slightest doubt could affect whether Incredible Alchemy succeeded.

Yet his worldview had taken shape in the internet age, where seeing was believing and everything could be questioned. Doubting everything was an instinct deeply rooted in him, so he could only broaden his horizons and let time gradually change him.

Light flickered faintly. Victor kept the rainbow glow from the alchemy vessel to a minimum, took a dozen or so delicate candy-like tablets from the pot, placed them in a small leather pouch, and tossed it to Angoulême.

Angoulême caught the little pouch and looked at Victor with utter confusion.

As he packed away the small vessel, the youth said, "You know, the captain always gives you the best. This is the best morning-after medicine."

"Morning-after medicine?" The girl's expression remained blank. Apparently, she could not understand the youth's subtle verbal artistry.

Victor could only lower his voice and strive for a serious tone. "It's medicine for contraception. It is guaranteed to work within three days afterward. You might feel a little dizzy, get headaches, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or fatigue, but they'll all be mild."

He had explained it clearly; she had understood it thoroughly wrong.

"Then why are you giving it to me?" she asked.

"Wasn't there a celebration yesterday? I saw you and Xilang... cough cough... cough cough cough... so, well... you know."

"Oh! Captain, you mean ＊＊! I didn't ＊＊ with him!"

The unexpected answer left Victor looking blank instead. "Uh... you didn't? Then why was he pursuing you so closely...?"

"He likes me, but I don't ＊＊ with anyone outside Hansa." Angoulême said it as if it were only natural.

That Hansa theory again. Victor understood, yet also got stuck. "But there's only one man in the troupe now—me? Don't tell me you...?"

Angoulême spoke with an innocent face, her words piercing his heart. "Captain won't do! You know about that period in my life, so I decided long ago that I'd only ＊＊ with people in Hansa, and only with handsome, strong people. Captain, you're strong enough, but unfortunately, handsome has nothing to do with you."

She stroked the goshawk's feathers and continued, "I'm fine, anyway. Several years have already passed like this, and my needs aren't high. Now I have Catherine with me, too.

"But if Captain is really concerned about that side of things, then hurry up and recruit a handsome, strong man into the troupe!"

Victor smiled on the surface and rubbed his nose, while inwardly gritting his teeth. Just endure it. The troupe won't recruit a single man until you're forty!

"Anyway!" The girl tossed the small pouch in the air before stuffing it into her clothes. "Thank you for your concern, Captain. I'll accept this."

The tent was quite spacious—more than enough room for two people to sleep.

After putting away his alchemy tools, Victor crawled into the tent. Angoulême seemed to be feeling around for something outside, and only when he was nearly asleep did she rustle her way inside, slightly interrupting his drowsiness.

Once she had settled into a sleeping position, she naturally began, "Captain, did you know? Catherine misses the forest very much."

Angoulême had started a bedtime conversation, and Victor's sleepiness came under attack once more.

"Is that so?"

"Mm. She feels uncomfortable here. There aren't any tall trees to roost in.

"I miss the forest a little too, and the friends we drank and danced with. Yesterday was really fun. Captain, do you think we'll see them again someday?"

Victor paused. "It's better not to think like that. Think about it too much, and it might come true."

"Huh? I thought you'd at least want to see Toluvel again?"

"Listen to me. If you see them anywhere humans gather, stay as far away as possible. They'll definitely bring trouble—in every sense of the word."

"I thought we were friends with them?"

Under Angoulême's continued harassment, Victor's drowsiness suffered a severe blow.

The youth simply turned onto his side to face Angoulême and said seriously, "Then let me ask you this: if one day they fought the Floating Harbor garrison, and you were there, which side would you help?"

"That's easy. I'd help them!" Angoulême answered decisively.

"..."

Victor had not expected that Angoulême already had an answer to a question that he himself had only reached after repeatedly considering it while making medicine.

Even more frighteningly, this silly girl's answer was the same as his!

Thinking of that, he asked curiously, "Why did you decide that?"

"Because they're closer to us."

"But the guards are humans like us?"

"Race isn't the first consideration. That's what Zoltan said, and I think it makes a lot of sense."

"Oh... what did he say?"

"When I was still following Uncle Geralt in search of Ciri two years ago, we first met Zoltan. At the time, he and his dwarven companions were helping a group of human women and children flee the flames of war, yet those women relied on their protection while also despising their crudeness.

I found it hard to watch and was about to go complain to him when I overheard him talking with Geralt. This was what he said to Uncle then—"

Zoltan Chivay: "My greatest flaw is my unrestrained altruism," he said. "I can't see someone in trouble without helping them.

But I'm a rational dwarf. I know I can't help everyone. Even if I did, for the whole world and every creature living in it, it would be no more than a drop of fresh water in the ocean.

In other words, it'd be a waste of effort.

So I decided to help only certain people, to avoid wasting my effort.

I give priority to helping those close to me."

Angoulême's imitation of Zoltan's manner of speaking was flawless, making Victor feel as though he were truly there, listening to the dwarf expound on his views.

Yes, it was far too difficult—and too foolish—to distinguish right from wrong at all times in this chaotic age. It was simpler to hold to one's bottom line and prioritize helping those close to you.

Victor sighed. "Zoltan truly is a wise dwarf!"

"Then should our troupe do the same from now on?"

"Yes! The Phantom Troupe always stands with its friends."

Not long after the subject ended, the girl's breathing gradually evened out, and Victor drifted back toward sleep.

At midnight, Catherine let out a sharp screech and beat her wings.

Angoulême sprang up like a cat. "Catherine says there's danger!" She grabbed her steel sword and immediately darted out of the tent.

Victor quickly followed. The moment he stepped outside, he caught a faint stench drifting on the wind.

The boy sniffed... considered carefully... how to classify this unfamiliar odor.

Then he took four vials from his herb pouch and handed them to Angoulême. "Drink these three immediately, and pour this sword oil over your blade. It's a group of Nekkars. Pay attention to my warnings later—I might throw bombs. Let's hope there aren't any Nekker warriors."

He then took out another four vials. He bit open the stoppers on three and drank them in one gulp. With the last vial, he drew his silver sword with a swish and solemnly poured Ogroid Oil over the blade.

Beneath moonlight like water, Victor adjusted his breathing. He was a little nervous. This was only his second time hunting monsters. Though his opponents were merely Nekkars, tonight would undoubtedly be another long battle of attrition.