The Divine Hunter

Geralt stared at the fading sky, the purple streaks of dawn on the horizon.

The collector's luxury villa stands tall and straight in the sky not far away.

He remembered what he saw last night,

"Roy, thank you for everything you've done for Yaskell (Dandrian) during this time."

"Have you seen him?"

"Last night, Oaks took us to visit the pharmacy, and stopped by the dance hall to enjoy a wonderful performance." Geralt had a smile on his face, and was sincerely happy for his old friend.

"Askell is still a prostitute in his thirties. He doesn't do his job all day, and he spends his days chasing flowers everywhere, from the daughters of nobles to the washerwomen, and woos almost every young woman he encounters."

"His tastes are as good as Lambert's, and for a long time I feared that he would fall off a balcony and die one day while he was running away."

"Now I finally have a business that perfectly fits my heart... Thanks to your financial support, the dance hall can open up."

"You underestimate Master Dan," Roy said with a smile. "Even if he can't get along in Nuocheng, he can always return to Orsenfurt to be a decent professor with his true talents. And it's not for nothing, singing and dancing. The hall is already profitable, and the bulk of the profits belong to us.”

"Most importantly, Master Dan and his bard friends can improve the witcher's reputation in Noah and help us with our orphanage operations."

The three of the wolf faction exchanged glances.

In my heart, I have a little more recognition for this brotherhood leader and chief "prophet" who was just selected last night.

...

Outside the big iron gate of the villa, a fat man in a green cloak, the fat man guarding the gate glanced at the owls in the crowd, then bowed respectfully to greet them, opened the door and let them go.

"Master Olof is waiting for the masters, please come here."

The villa's servants led the nine people across a garden with a central fountain pool and towering greenery on both sides, into a villa with a gabled roof and painted facades.

"Are they the collector's subordinates, or are they your subordinates?" Lambert glanced at the vulture in surprise. The dozen or so guards in the manor lowered their heads when they saw the witcher as if they saw a cat and a mouse.

"In the past two months, I have often come to guide this group of elm heads.

The owl showed pale teeth, and the gray-green pupils flashed cold light, "They know what will happen if they offend me!" "

The interior of the villa is gorgeously decorated, with first-class Oufeier carpets from across the ocean, and luxury decorations such as antique oil paintings and porcelain can be seen everywhere, which is a feast for the eyes.

However, there are not many servants in the house, and it is obvious that collectors prefer a quiet environment.

When everyone came to the second floor, a handsome man with purple hair, pale face, and a well-groomed beard was sitting at the desk, scowling through a pile of bills and documents.

The silk robe wears a star-shaped amulet on the chest, and seven or eight rings containing magic power can be seen on the fingers.

Compared with a month ago, his appearance was obviously haggard, and there were two dark circles under his lower eyelids.

Feeling the strange attention, as soon as the collector raised his head, he frowned, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

Waving away the waiter.

"Good friends, Master Demon Hunter, I haven't seen you for a month, and your demeanor is still the same!"

He stepped forward enthusiastically, shaking hands with the witchers one by one.

The posture is very low, and the expression is sincere, not like the high-ranking giant of Nuocheng.

"Who are these three?" The collector turned his gaze to his old friend, followed by a few completely unfamiliar faces.

"Geralt, the masters of the wolf school... Escal, Lambert... just came to Nuocheng." Vulture explained, "I forgot to tell you, from now on, they are their own!"

"Three more members of the witcher and shapeshifter alliance!"

"This is the most exciting news recently. The alliance has deepened, and we will stand firmer. If something happens in the future, Eternal Fire will have to weigh it!" The collector made no secret of the excitement on his face, staring at the three scars The big-faced man kept looking around, his expression like a cat smelling fishy.

The three looked uncomfortable.

Is this guy really a shapeshifter?

The collector noticed the awkward expressions of several people, and immediately rubbed his temples in annoyance.

"Sorry, the guy I copied is a psychopathic warlock, and because of this, I inherited some bad traits, seeing something new or a stranger, and some disgusting thoughts poured out of my mind uncontrollably."

"Don't mind, Your Excellency, we have heard a little about the ability of shapeshifters, which is understandable." Lambert shrugged.

"Everyone present is my own. Call me by my real name in private, either Gawain or Samsa." Gawain waved his hand indifferently.

"Gawain, you don't seem to be in good shape," Roy asked while sitting on the sofa, "What bad things have happened this month?"

"Thank you for your concern, it's not a big problem. I live in a villa and eat delicious food every day. I don't know where it is better than the days when I was hiding." "But when I replaced this guy, I realized that life in high society is not easy."

"Dozens of properties and endless reports need to be checked at any time."

"Every day, there are countless invitations and entertainments from all walks of life. Artisan associations, merchants associations, city councils, gangs... There are no duplicates from the beginning to the end of the month. If you are two hours late, I should go out again. ."

"Can't you push some away? Or find a right-hand man to help you handle it?" Roy asked.

"I've already pushed those who can push it down, but avoiding it all the time will easily arouse suspicion from others. Looking for someone? I only trust a few masters! For others, I'm afraid that they will be reported to Eternal Fire."

The collector put his hands behind his waist, shook his head and sighed, and in his tone, he was full of fear for the church that had hunted him down for most of his life.

"I can only grit my teeth and persevere."

"Happy troubles," Oakes commented with the same sigh.

"Then, Your Excellency Gawain, now that everyone has arrived, let's not talk nonsense." Leto said, "Regarding the orphanage, I heard that you have found three venues."

Gawain spread out a map on the desk in the office.

The topographical structure of Nuocheng and its surrounding suburbs is described in detail, and houses of different heights are clearly visible.

And three of them are highlighted.

The two are within the city of Nuo, and they are located in the civilian area and the commercial area.

The last house is located outside of North City, a suburb half an hour away from North City.

...

"To be honest, I happen to have a vacant site in the business district. As long as you all agree, I can contribute it at any time." Gao Wen glanced at everyone, "It's a few steps away from the market, if the orphanage is built here It is very convenient to travel and purchase.”

"Even if this land isn't the most expensive central area, it's still worth a lot of money," Geralt shook his head. "You're willing, but I don't think it's appropriate. This kind of downtown area can easily attract the attention of outsiders."

"And its yard is not big enough to raise chickens, ducks and small animals." Serrit looked at the map, and gestured with his thumb and forefinger open at a right angle. "But it's not enough for children, so there's no activity."

To train an apprentice, the witcher must find a place that is spacious enough to set up a plum stake, a pendulum, and the like.

Gao Wen nodded,

"So what about the civilian area, with a courtyard big enough to open the competition. There are ample rooms in the three buildings, which can accommodate more than a hundred children."

"If you lease it, the monthly rent is less than 100 crowns. The total price of a one-time purchase is only 20,000 crowns."

"Furthermore, as agreed, I will provide most of the funding."

An exciting proposal.

The witchers discussed for a moment.

"The civilian area is full of the eyes and ears of the Beggar King. If an orphanage is established here, all our actions will be invisible." Roy shook his head. "The Beggar King will soon be able to guess the witcher's plan."

"If it is leaked to Eternal Fire - the witchers are training apprentices in Novigrad city? They or the city council will probably come to visit in full armor."

Most human perceptions have not been reversed.

They only see the witcher's apprenticeship as child abduction and a wicked ritual.

"That's right, at this stage, we try our best to avoid confrontation with the overlord of Nuocheng, at least until the orphanage is stable." Serrit thought, "low-key development is the best!"

"It really doesn't work, let's wait and see."

...

Gawain nodded, and the witcher's reaction matched his expectations, "So how many of you are interested in this house in the suburbs? It's a good choice. The price is almost negligible, and—I already bought it."

"As soon as you go out, you will find the wilderness, river ditches and woods. There are enough places for children to run freely, and they are hidden and not easy to attract attention."

When the collector said so, everyone nodded.

"Your Excellency Gawain, I have a concern... Shouldn't the Church of Eternal Fire set up a special orphanage long ago?" Escal asked.

"Let's build another orphanage, is it considered a business with them?"

"I have done a detailed preliminary investigation, and as a member of the city council, that Olof also knows some inside information." The shapeshifter sighed, "Eternal Fire has been adopting orphans, but the number of places is extremely limited, no more than one year. A dozen or so, most of the time it is for relief and porridge... The purpose is just to pretend to be seen by the people of Nuocheng, to win over people's hearts... Compared with helpless children, Eternal Fire prefers those who can donate and pay taxes. Adult believers!"

"And because of accidents, diseases, or other reasons, at least fifty orphans are born in this huge city every year, and this does not include the scattered villages outside the city."

"After these orphans were rejected by the eternal fire, they were able to stay in the local area. Less than one tenth of them survived independently. The rest were either chosen by the beggar king to beg along the streets for the rest of their lives, or they left their hometowns and went to other cities, or It's the life of the Goddess Meritelli. Or..." The shapeshifter's eyes became sharp like a bird of prey, "The whereabouts are unknown."

"Nuocheng lacks everything, but not people."

"It's a great thing for us to build an orphanage to raise those hard-working children. Eternal Fire and the City Council would like someone to share the pressure for them and maintain the stability of Nuocheng."

"That's it, everyone, how about going to the house in the suburbs? If there is no accident, the orphanage will officially open tomorrow!"

"Let's talk on the way."

Roy's eyes slowly converged on His Excellency the Shapeshifter, softening with a hint of admiration.

The so-called shapeshifters are not even an ancient race, and they are hated and hated by humans because of their ability to change shape at will.

But instead of taking revenge on the society, he has such a compassionate heart.

"This is the so-called Virgin Mary."

...

The shapeshifter took off the purple cloak from the hanger and draped it behind him. He led the witchers out of the villa and got into a black carriage.

"About the orphanage, I also have a few requests. I hope my friends can understand and be considerate."

"Just say it."

"I have heard of the witcher's process of training apprentices, not to mention immature children, and it is an extremely cruel and painful torture for strong and determined adults."

Gawain glanced at everyone, "How do you plan that all children who join the orphanage must be trained by witchers?"

"You're worried we're forcing the child?" Kayan shook his head. "It's not necessary. It's all voluntary, never coercion."

"The way we teach children to exercise is limited to the basics. Not only does it not damage health, but it also strengthens the body. If they are interested, they can ask for further training."

The wolf pie nodded straight to the side.

Orphans wouldn't join the Brotherhood if they were forced into the way of the witcher.

"Your Excellency Gawain, when the orphanage opens, you can come to inspect it at any time, or send someone to stay there."

The shapeshifter nodded, pulled up the curtains of the carriage, and the green grass spread in his sight. The carriage had already left the city gate, carrying everyone along the road to the wilderness.

"Can you be specific about what items are included in the witcher's training?"

"Swordsmanship, use a wooden training sword without worrying about getting hurt," Serret patiently introduced the items that the fraternity had discussed long ago, "Movement, dodging spinning dummies, jumping and turning on wooden comb posts, you will suffer a little bit. But please believe in the ability of professionals. Under our care, the child will never be missing an arm or a broken leg, nor will his life be in danger."

"Training can be terminated at any time."

Geralt interjected.

Gawain finally did not object.

"Then there is herbal knowledge. Even if the children are not witch hunters in the future, they can become a doctor in the countryside, or an alchemist assistant... support themselves."

"But the orphans are illiterate," Gao Wen pondered, "I have to hire a good teacher to make up for their cultural lessons!"

"No need." Roy said, "Apart from me, Leto... Geralt, Phryus, no matter who they are, they are all grandfathers in age, and they have mastered the northern common language, Nilfgaardian and even the ancient language. Qualifications, and experience as a cultural teacher."

"The witcher is also in charge of reading and literacy!"

Getting along day and night can cultivate tacit understanding.

Lambert's cheeks twitched, and he felt a little dissatisfied. He was only in his fifties, and there was no generation gap with Roy.

What kind of grandparents are there?

The Shapeshifter nodded again.

"Then there is the knowledge of "Biology", including all kinds of dangerous animals and monsters." Serrit continued, "This is of great benefit to wild survival. These three courses add up to almost the basic advanced courses. "

"Several masters, I hope to have some general education, which will help them in their future lives." The shapeshifter suggested, "such as farming, poultry and livestock raising."

"What do you think of this arrangement? A few pieces of wasteland are reclaimed around the orphanage, and students are required to spend a certain amount of time every day cultivating and working in the fields."

Roy said,

"And since joining the hospital, each student is given a chick to feed the children from childhood to adulthood."

The shapeshifter froze for a moment.

Let the orphans exercise, learn cultural knowledge, and raise chickens and vegetables.

It sounded perfect, but he always felt weird.

"Then there is still the most critical question... The witcher's mutation is full of uncertainty and extremely dangerous. How can you guarantee that those children who voluntarily participate in the mutation will survive?" Gawain said earnestly,

"My friends, the orphanage must not be reduced to the grave of those poor children!"

"Until we have sufficient confidence, we will not rashly introduce the apprentice into the last step and conduct the grass trial." Lesso explained according to the words discussed by everyone.

"We assure you that we train witchers, not kill people."

The good shapeshifter finally no longer questioned.

The carriage stopped in front of a forest, and the group walked along the forest path, crossing the road from time to time, and finally got into the alder bushes.

Come to four old, simple, but spacious wooden houses.

The roof and walls are made of whole logs.

Very original.

Surrounded by woods, on the other side, the sound of babbling water could be heard faintly.

It is also a place with beautiful scenery.

…

Several people circled around the house.

The space inside the house is very large, and the Chase shop has been done, and the four buildings can accommodate at least hundreds of people together.

Wooden beds, quilts, household and daily necessities are readily available...and should have been cleaned not long ago, the environment is neat and almost spotless.

"This place is not bad, but the pendulum and plum blossom piles are missing. Your Excellency Gawain must have put a lot of thought into it."

"As long as friends are satisfied."

"So where did the child come from?" Geralt asked curiously.

"I will give instructions to send someone to pay attention to the children under the age of ten wandering around Nuocheng." The shapeshifter said firmly, "At the same time, we will release news to the outside world."

"Count us," Leto said. "Let's find those poor kids together."

The shapeshifter nodded,

"By the way, tomorrow I will send a cook and a contact person. If you need anything in the future, feel free to tell the contact person!"

"There is another key question, what should the orphanage be called?" Lesuo asked, Amber's pupils slowly swept across the crowd.

"Or Kyle Morhan?" Lambert said.

"This is an orphanage for all witchers, not a school!" Oakes sneered and shook his head.

"It can't be called the witcher's house, and it can attract the enemy," Eskar said.

"How about it's called Gawain's House?" Roy looked at everyone.

"We don't run the orphanage out of kindness, but Your Excellency Gawain gave selflessly without asking for anything in return. This kindness should be remembered!"

And as long as the teachers who teach the students are witchers, the orphanage is under their control, and the name doesn't matter too much.

…