The Divine Hunter

Shortly after Oaks and Cantila set off, Linus used the prerogatives of the academy tutor to conduct a hearing for the witchers.

For the next three days, they can enter most of the faculties and departments of Ossenfurt to observe, except for the alchemy department and the espionage department.

These two colleges are strictly supervised and do not accept students as auditors.

But today happens to be a day off, and the side hearing is temporarily unavailable.

"Mr. Linus, I still have some questions about the feeding of griffins."

"Why is the master interested in this area?"

Roy thought for a while, and simply revealed Golphin's true identity.

"With an alchemy item changing its form, the body is a female griffin less than one year old?" Linus held Roy's hands enthusiastically, his face full of ecstasy, "Master, you are willing to tame Goerfen, and If you kill it, it's really different from other witchers!"

"You agree with what I said earlier, don't you, endangered animal protectionism—"

"Uh, I agree partially." Roy interrupted him immediately, "Let's talk about your suggestion first, how to raise a griffin better?"

"Goerfin's body must be seen... a full-body physical examination," Linus said with a serious face, pinching his beard, "and then tailor a feeding plan."

"So you're still a veterinarian?"

"I have devoted myself to the zoo for many years, and I have to be responsible for everything. Naturally, I understand a little bit, and the level should be no less than that of any veterinarian in Orsenford."

Roy nodded. He also wanted to see if his usual care was up to standard, and if the little guy had any root causes of malnutrition.

"But it will have to wait until evening, when Golfing returns to its original shape."

"Leave it for me to study first?"

"also."

In the afternoon, the people were divided into two groups.

Roy came to the library alone.

Serrit, Lesso, and Phillis followed Linus Pete to continue to look after the endangered animals in the ecological park.

Compared to lifeless books,

They are clearly more interested in live animals.

…

As one of the top universities in the world, Ossenfurt has a profound heritage.

The library is also amazingly large. Unlike other places, it is not only a certain floor in the building, but a whole three-story building buried in the shade of trees and flowers, which is larger than the library of the Temple of Meritelli.

The first and second floors of the library are open to students and the public, and the third floor is only open to teachers.

The structural layout of each floor seems to be different. There are neat bookshelves on both sides of the hall. The witcher roughly estimated that there are about three or four thousand books in the collection, with a total of tens of thousands.

In this age when literacy is not yet widespread, books are as precious as money gems, and the financial strength of Ossenfurt University can be seen.

Surrounded by the bookshelves, there are rows of rectangular tables connected end to end, which can accommodate about two or three hundred people. On the tables, delicately repaired pots and picks are placed at intervals, exuding a fresh fragrance, adding a touch of natural vitality to the library. Make the hall more elegant.

With such a wonderful setting, even on off days, the library is a favorite pastime at Ossenfurt College.

As far as the witcher's eyes can see, there are students who are immersed in their studies and roaming the sea of ​​knowledge.

Everyone tacitly kept quiet, and the only sound in the hall could be heard rustling the tip of the pen across the paper.

Roy lightened his pace and took a copy of "Research on Rare Herbal Preparations and Diseases" from the bookshelf labeled Medicine and Herbal Medicine. Because alchemy reached level 2, he was more interested in books on medicine.

Then, carrying the book, he turned around several times and found an empty seat on the second floor of the library, next to the toilet.

The medical knowledge that Ossenfurt College has is exactly what he lacks. He does not have many herbal formulas, and several are narrowly used remedies taught by Kalkstein.

And now the rare herbal knowledge, as well as the precious and rich herbal formulas are in front of him, he is dazzled and sinks into the books.

…

Concentration state time flies.

Roy didn't know how long it had passed. People came and went several times, and he memorized the formula for treating three common diseases, flu, fever, and stomach acid overflow.

The heart began to restless, the fingers sketched uncontrollably, and the painful and happy alchemy addiction showed signs of attack.

It is worth mentioning that even if he masters these formulas and refines the potions, he can only use them himself.

If you want to openly sell medicines in any big city in the north, you must pay a high formula patent fee, because the relevant laws in the north are very perfect, especially in the developed Redania, where you can freely transfer the knowledge of Niubao for commercial use. is absolutely illegal.

But selling in the countryside or going underground is another matter.

While thinking about it, a hot wind hit his face, and someone stood in front of him and cleared his throat.

"Who are you?" The witcher raised his head, and a well-dressed man with a khaki round-brimmed hat appeared on the opposite side. He was in his twenties, with a strong bookish air, looking at him with a smile.

"Sir, I'm very sorry to disturb your study," the man tried his best to keep his voice low, trying not to affect others, but his excitement was evident.

His eyes looked vaguely at the witcher's right wrist resting on the desk, and an ancient scarlet symbol was accidentally exposed.

Roy rolled up his sleeves hastily.

Recently, the mark made by Master Mirror did not respond at all, and he almost completely forgot.

"Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm Montes Distans, a graduate student in the Occult School of Applied Archaeology and Occult...I noticed your eyes, you're a witcher..."

The man paused, as if considering his words.

Niubao occult graduate student?

The witcher thought for a few seconds, closed the book in his hand, stood up, and shook hands firmly.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Montes, I'm Roy the Snake Witcher... I'm taking the liberty to ask, you don't look like a Redanian?"

This man has a slightly long and narrow face, an aquiline nose, deep eyebrows and eyes, his common language is relatively jerky, and his accent is not like the Lesuo people from the south, with a bit of a tongue twist.

"I was originally from Oufeier, and I came to Osenfurt to study by chance. I have been here for eight years."

Ofir, in the witcher's impression, is located on the other side of the ocean, far away from the country under his feet.

"Did you come by boat?"

"Yes, after floating at sea for more than two months, encountering several accidents, I survived and arrived on this continent." Montes said with a wry smile, "It was a bad and long experience."

Roy was slightly disappointed, "Then you came to me... Where have you seen this mark?"

"A book from my tutor's collection... How about we go out and talk about the specific situation?"

The man looked around, and some students were already dissatisfied because of the voice of the discussion.

...

The sun is warm and warm.

The verdant lawns of Oxenfurt College Island swayed in the wind.

The dark-haired witcher and the curly-faced Montes strolled down the golden forest path.

"What kind of book are you talking about? Mythology, poetry, or folk tales?" Roy asked.

"It was a folklore my teacher had collected," Montes said, "with a dozen twists and turns."

"For example," Roy said with interest, "I'm very interested in these stories, let's hear them."

"Then I'll pick one at random." Montes said slowly, walking around a holly tree.

"Just around Ossenfurt... some poor girl born during a solar eclipse, a teenage girl, abandoned in the woods by her terrified parents, living a life of hunger and cold, relying on stealing, cheating, and even She sold her body to live. Later, she joined the gang, cheated and cheated, and did all kinds of evil. After many years, during the second solar eclipse, she returned to her hometown with her accomplices and killed all those who abandoned her."

The voice paused, "Then naked, bathed in blood and entered the forest alone."

"No one saw her come out again... Since then, there has been an additional crypt witch in the forest who attacked passersby."

"It's obviously a made up story," Roy's eyes flashed coldly. "It's used to stigmatize girls born during a solar eclipse. It's just as nonsense as the curse of the black sun."

Curse of the Black Sun, a prophecy left by the mad mage Etibad probably means that girls born during the sixty solar eclipses will in the near future wear golden crowns on their heads, fill the valley with blood, and resurrect a girl named Nya The demon god, causing the catastrophe of the world.

Because of this prophecy, in the past few decades, the Daughter of the Black Sun had a worse reputation than the witcher, and was hated by others, but they did not have the force of the witcher, so the end was even more miserable.

Countless poor girls were persecuted, or dissected by warlocks inhumanely, or imprisoned in high towers and died alone.

Among the famous victims were the shrike Renfri and Sylvia Anna, the sister of the Duchess of Toussaint.

Today, most people realize that this curse is empty talk, but there are still very few warlocks who believe it.

"The curse of the Black Sun is true or not, there is no conclusion," Montes shook his head, "but it did refer to the two extinct human civilizations on this continent, the great tomb of the Wozger people, and the stele of the Dok people. , there must be some truth in the prophecy.”

"As for this story, if you don't believe it, you can treat it as a joke."

Before they knew it, the two walked to the wall on the edge of the academy island, and the witcher overlooked the sparkling water of the delta below, and quietly rolled up his sleeves, revealing tangled blood-colored threads, "About this symbol, there is another What allusion?"

"It's an old story..." Montes said, "a bad gambler who not only lost all his fortune, but also owed huge gambling debts, causing his family to die and his wife and children to be separated. So on a dark and heartbroken evening , rushed to a secluded and uninhabited intersection, found a tree with a crooked neck, and was about to hang himself. As soon as he wrapped his neck, a rickety old woman shrouded in a cloak suddenly appeared and rescued the tree. life…"

"Wait, are you sure it's an old woman?"

"That's what it says in the book. The old woman not only saved the life of the gambler, but also gave a precious gift - a teapot that swallows gold. Since then, the man has the capital to lose."

"What about the price? Or the side effects, the pie won't fall from the sky for no reason."

"The master is really a sober person. There is a prerequisite for the teapot to spit out gold. The owner must torture himself. The more severe the torture, the more generous the teapot will spit."

"Let me guess, the man tortured himself to death in the end?" Roy said with a hint of sarcasm,

"It's not like that..." Montes shook his head and smiled. "Not long after, the man dragged his bruised body - jumped into the river to commit suicide! The successors searched the nearby watershed and found nothing, and the body and teapot disappeared."

"And those who have good things write down the man's experience, which clearly records that there is the same blood-colored mark on him."

Roy was thoughtful, such a story of great joy and great sorrow is indeed like the handwriting of the one... The contractor disappeared for no reason, I am afraid that a "wonderful journey" to nothingness has begun, but how could that existence pretend to be a woman ?

In his inherent impression, no matter how the other party changed his identity, at least he was a man.

"According to my teacher's many years of investigation, the blood symbol has appeared at least a dozen times around the world, and the bearers are without exception desperate people who have experienced great changes. Before the accident, they met a mysterious figure with a changeable image... Mostly old women in capes."

"The mysterious man helped them get rid of the current predicament, but it was temporary... In the end, without exception, it ended in tragedy." Montes spread his hands regretfully,

"These are deeds in the book, or recounted by others, and they are not detailed enough. It is difficult and difficult to analyze and extract the principles of mysticism."

"But today, you are a living example." Montes pleaded. "Can you tell your own story? It's fine as a commission, and I'll pay a substantial fee for the materials."

Roy rubbed his temples and thought for a moment, before asking instead, "You study occultism, so do you believe that demons and demons really exist in the world?"

"Although I have never seen the legendary existence with my own eyes, during the eight years of studying with the teacher, I have witnessed many phenomena that cannot be explained by common sense, all of which have certain similar characteristics, and there must be mysterious forces that are difficult for ordinary people to detect. Drive them to develop." Montes looked determined and plausible,

"So I believe, without a doubt... in some unseen places, there are demons, devils."

"If my story will make you relate to these terrifying beings, put you in an extremely dangerous situation, die tragically, or even live more painfully than death, do you still want to get to the bottom of it?"

The witcher's voice was cold and emotionless, like a threat.

Montes gasped for breath.

"Young man, this is the end of the discussion about imprints. Listen to my advice, stop the investigation, it's better to transfer to a department and stop studying occultism." Roy patted him on the shoulder, "Get out early, get married and have children. It's not too late to leave a descendant."

How can ordinary people struggle with that existence?

Once caught by that one.

"Wait, Master!" Montes clenched his fists, and the ants on the hot pot seemed to be pacing eagerly, "You think I'm young, inexperienced, and lacking in ability. It's fine, but how about someone else?"

"You mean that teacher? His name?"

"Premessin Shashlake, professor of occultism at Oxburgh, have you heard of it?"

Roy was shocked, and the image of a wise old man immediately appeared in his mind. Shakespeare, isn't it the blind old man who was trapped in the rune circle by Master Mirror after many years, tormented by nightmares and visions?

He is undoubtedly an admirable person. With the flesh and blood of a mortal, he fought against Master Mirror to the end, and of course, he also gave his life in the end.

Roy hesitated.

When Montes saw this, he instantly gained confidence, "Professor Shakespeare has been deeply involved in the field of occultism for decades, and all mysteries are invisible to him. I hope you will wait another half a month until the professor returns from overseas. "

"As the bearer of the mark, you must have experienced despair. And the teacher must have a solution!"

"After half a month, I've already left Ossenfurt, so let's forget it." The witcher shook his head and turned to leave, thinking about whether he would kill him early if he contacted Shakeslak now.

"Where are you going?" panted Montes, following the swift witcher,

"Novigry, talk about it when you have a chance."