The Divine Hunter

On a midsummer morning, the five buildings of Gawain's House were bathed in a pale golden light, the alder forest shuddered, and a scorching warm wind blew.

At the training ground in the corner of the yard, five boys headed by Carl sat on five wooden stakes two meters above the ground, swaying their feet in the air, and started a meeting belonging to the reserve witcher apprentices.

"Boss Carl, you have passed the green grass trial, your eyes have turned amber, and you can easily defeat the team of the four of us," Monty tore the clothes in front of his stomach, letting the wind blow his belly to cool down better.

The cornflower-colored eyes moved from the little friend with a little respect to the conference room next to the fence, not far away, "Why don't the teachers let you join the meeting."

"The boss's achievements don't stop there..." Arkhamtom flattered loudly, but there was a hint of schadenfreude in his tone, "The boss has successfully hunted down a water ghost and a wicked ghost, and insisted on it under Mr. Vulture. Five seconds... fully qualified for a witcher's meeting..."

"But the nasty teachers don't even bother to introduce you to those two new companions."

"Mr. Roy didn't give an explanation, why is his head bald again?"

"They still treat you like a child!"

"Elder Carl is less than ten years old, he can only be regarded as a young man at most." Lloyd patted his chest and said in a loud voice, "The teachers have their jobs, and we have our tasks!"

"As I said, it's better to train honestly, otherwise you will be punished again later."

"Hmph, it's too much to deceive people!" Chanem shook his head with a dark face. "As witcher apprentices, we will be witchers sooner or later. We are one of them, we should fight for our rights, and we too Join the meeting!"

"We also have to ask why we can't take pro-drugs after training for half a year!"

"What year and month can the grass trial be conducted? I can't wait."

"Boss Carl, you have to support everyone and ask us a question?"

Carl's mouth twitched.

Rubbing his wrists, he took his eyes away from Goerfin, who was circling over the alder forest, and pressed his hands under his buttocks, landing lightly on the ground.

Then sneaking cat on tiptoe towards the conference room.

Four small valet followed closely,

Hiding secretly under the windowsill, pricked up his ears.

"So, Kyle Siren is the only one left with the Coen brothers?" A deep voice rang out, and Karl guessed that this was Mr. Lesso, who taught gold.

"For now, that's right." An unfamiliar voice, obviously very young, had a gloomy twilight.

There was a long silence in the hall.

"Korn, don't be too sad." A magnetic, slightly hoarse male voice, "Kelda rescued his companion, he died as a hero."

"It's one of the best places for a witcher."

"Um."

"What's your plan next?" The voice of reason rang out, "How about staying at Gawain's house first? Everyone lives closer, and it is convenient for daily communication. I have always admired the Fayin of the Griffin Sect for a long time."

"Thank you for your kindness, but I want to rent a room in the city, and Igerina has to find a job too."

"It's easy to do, kid, you'll take the two of you to the mall later... I remember Dandelion said not long ago that there's been a shortage of people recently?"

"Boy, your woman is also there, but she doesn't seem to be in a good mood... As a person who has come here, I would like to remind her not to wait too long. Be honest with everything that should be explained, and prepare a bottle of swallows in advance."

"Someone who came here? Someone who came over from the cow?"

"Enough, Aiden, I warn you one last time, don't smear my reputation again, or don't blame my good brother for being rude and shaking off the embarrassing thing you did in the spear cave last time."

"Don't be embarrassed here, idiot!" A male voice was dull as gravel, "Let the two of you laugh. If the dance hall is not good, Lord Gawain has a street over there, and it is not difficult to arrange an ordinary job."

"Singing and dancing hall?" A crisp and lively female voice, "singing and dancing, and performing dramas? I like... But, I'm just a stupid country girl who can't read big characters. Can I do it?"

"Don't worry, ma'am, there are many types of jobs, and you're young enough to learn."

...

"Ahem, Your Excellency Cohen, about that magical "Book of Shadows", the root of all tragedies, I wonder if we have the honor to see it?" A lively voice was full of curiosity and anticipation. "Let's fight for you together!"

The five boys outside the window couldn't help but lift their hearts.

"Shut up, Pig Brain, that's the secret of the Griffin faction, I'll show it to you casually, do you think you're the beloved Krone?" The Voice of Reason lost its mind, and apologized again, "Sorry , Brother Coen, this guy was bitten on the head by Qiqimo, and was caught in a bear trap, his nerves were injured, and his IQ was low, he didn't mean to offend."

"Two friends, let's do this first, and let you know when Vesemir returns to Noah City."

...

The noise and discussion in the conference room ceased and the door opened.

The witchers rushed out and quickly returned to their posts.

Blacksmithing, alchemy, classrooms, farmland.

The five reserve witcher apprentices ran back to the training ground at some point, and started 2v2 wooden sword duels.

Wipe the sweat from time to time as if it had been going on for a long time.

Karl, who had completed the mutation, held his left hand behind his back like a teacher, pointing with his handsome face.

However, he still couldn't escape the sharp hawk-like gaze of the witcher's mentor.

"It's very comfortable to squat under the windowsill just now to eavesdrop, isn't it? You guys like to squat?" Geralt walked over and gave them a stiff smile, "Now I'll help you, all of them, climb the stakes, three hundred per person Squat down! Carl a thousand."

"Forgive me, Geralt..."

...

Cohen in the yard looked envious when he saw this warm and funny scene,

Roy next to him smiled and said, "These children are very obedient most of the time, but they are too energetic and occasionally naughty."

Cohen turned his head and glanced at the busy witchers and innocent faces in the blacksmith shop, the alchemy room, the vegetable garden, and the classroom.

"So many apprentices, it's really amazing."

"Only those five naughty guys are the real apprentices, the others are just ordinary students... Just learn some common words and skills to make a living in society," Roy deliberately invited, "If you are interested, how about a part-time teacher occasionally? Give them a lesson or two?"

A flash of thought flashed on Keen's plank cheeks. He thought of his teacher's dying instructions that the next successor of the Griffin might be sent to Gawain's house.

But then, a deeper sadness surged up in my heart, "Let's talk about it later, Roy, let's go to the dance hall first?"

"When Igosena settles down... I should also fulfill Teacher Kelda's promise and lend you the Book of Shadows to browse."

"I can't ask for it." Roy suppressed the excitement in his heart. He fought a bloody battle for old Kelda. In the final analysis, the secret method of the Griffin sect was also one of the main reasons.

"But I hope you don't spread it out after you learn that knowledge." Cohen looked at him with a pleading look on his face.

Roy hesitated and nodded.

With the old friendship of Vesemir and Kelda, he failed to learn the secret art of Griffin.

It only took a few days for me to get such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so I shouldn't expect more.

But he made up his mind, and slowly let Cohen change his mind in the future, and was willing to contribute the secret art of Griffin.

Most of the fraternity members are not illegal and can only learn the double seal, probably only Geralt can master the "roar".

But at least the brothers should broaden their horizons.

...

The three quickly left Gawain's house.

Through alder bushes and manicured cobblestone country roads.

Enter the city from the South Gate of Novigrad.

Under bright sunshine.

The long queues flowed endlessly, and the huge city gate seemed to be the mouth of a giant beast that kept swallowing its prey.

Cohen saw a series of extraordinary phenomena.

In other cities, whenever the guards saw a witcher with two swords on their backs, they would come up to interrogate him, and there was no good face.

However, he was surprised to find that the guards of the Eternal Fire of Nuocheng were respectful to Roy beside him.

As if he was a big man, even the companion who had a few acne scars on his chin and was a complete stranger was polite.

Release directly.

...

On the spacious and clean marble pavement, the endless crowd occasionally cast a glance at the two tall witchers, but it was not full of contempt and contempt like other cities.

Of course, there are also people who look bad.

But most maintain intellectual restraint, or benevolent curiosity.

What puzzled Cohen was.

Some residents fixed their eyes on the witcher, muttering inexplicable words such as "sewers butcher", "guardian of black and white", "trafficker killer" and so on.

As if they were some famous person.

Roy also noticed Cohen's surprised look, but he didn't explain it.

The Witcher still has a long way to go.

When one day, the people of Nuocheng regard imitating the witcher as a fashion, then it will be called the real success.

...

Nuocheng Dance Hall.

Although it was still in the morning, one third of the guests were already seated in the brightly lit lobby.

Roy's eyes swept across the hall on the first floor, and then to the VIP seat on the second floor, suddenly condensed.

A sorceress in a long purple lace dress and dressed up, is propping her chin with one hand, and with a perfect smile, she is looking at them with a perfect smile.

However, Roy was keenly aware of a deeply hidden resentment from her smile.

His heart skipped a beat, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

Rita Nieder hooked his finger at him...

"Coral, it's no wonder that I didn't see you at school. Why did you come to the dance hall to watch the play today?" Roy sat down on the stool beside her and sprinkled a little salt on the tender trout meat.

He grabbed her soft waist with one hand.

He sniffed the rich rose scent in her hair.

Introduced two companions.

And Cohen and Iggena sat opposite them, swept their eyes to the two of them, smiled tacitly at each other, and began to enjoy a hearty lunch.

By the way, I watched the performance on the stage sideways - it happened to be a play about the witcher, the witcher took over the commission of the eternal fire and began to eradicate the traffickers in Nuocheng.

"What do you think is the reason?" Rita Nieder took an oyster from the table, her slender index and middle fingers picked up a slice of lemon, squeezed some lemon juice on the oyster, and put it to his mouth thoughtfully, smiling like a flower ,"what-"

"Um... slow down...uh..."

"Okay!" There was a sudden burst of cheers and applause in the hall, and even Cohen and Igsena were all excited - the stage was staged as a handsome and tall witcher, using beauty like dancing, or in other words, dancing Swordsmanship, defeat the sinister, wretched, and despised human traffickers!

"Slow down, my coral... I'll do it myself, I have hands and feet! Hiss... you come, you come!"

"It's like this, little bald head." After forcibly stuffing the witcher with five oysters and three hard-boiled eggs, the sorceress wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin and gently pressed Roy's bald head with his right hand. , making him turn to face him, "I recently met a little sister from Arethusa..."

"I heard from her that someone not only rescued her from the clutches of the vicious mill couple, but also made a pact with her. To visit her."

"Someone seems to have ulterior motives."

Rita Ned's eyes swept across his face, and the word "honestly" was written in the dimples on both cheeks and the crescent-shaped crevices of the eyes.

"Coral, don't call me a little bald head again... I promise that my hair will grow back in at most half a month!" Roy bared his teeth, picked up a bowl of potato and beef soup, and made two big mouthfuls. Calm down.

"And when you said she, did you mean Toya of Edsburgh? Just do me a favor, no one with a sense of justice will sit idly by. But I forgot about it long ago. "

The sorceress was not satisfied after hearing this, her purple nails slid lightly over the witcher's arm, her two fingers kept gesturing on his muscular forearm, pinching and loosening, a cold light flashing from her pupils, "She said. Now it's Casca... Two years later, you still remember her original name, and you still remember where her home was. You always have her in your heart."

The more he spoke, the more sour his voice became.

"She's still a little girl, you wicked—"

"Ahem...Beautiful Ms. Rita, esteemed Master Roy...and these two new friends, welcome to the Nuocheng Dance Hall, my lord Dandelion, who is in charge of the dance hall." A moving voice full of magnetism When he got up, Danderia stepped on an elegant dance step to the VIP seat in this corner, and bowed to a few people while rubbing his chest.

The bright magic lights on the second floor illuminated his coquettish lilac lace bolero, and the amazing heron feathers on his hat.

"These two are Cohen from the Griffon School and Igsena from Bovis." Roy breathed a sigh of relief and pulled his hand out of the sorceress's arms, gratefully and enthusiastically and powerfully with Dandelion Grip.

Hit the shoulder.

The latter blinked his left eye at him covertly.

"Good afternoon, two new friends, how do you feel about this performance?"

"Fantastic!" Cohen said sincerely, with a trace of lingering sadness on his face, and he made a subconscious evaluation, "Although it is a bit too beautifying for our group, and the actor's swordsmanship is also a bit inferior, then The eyes are wearing contact lenses, it's not real enough, the action--"

"Uh...uh..." Igsena covered Cohen's mouth, a shy smile appeared on her delicate little face, "He meant perfection."

"We've never seen such an innovative play. It's very rare for most urban theatrical and poetic performances not to slander the witcher, let alone..."

"Ahem, it is precisely because few people have taken this difficult path," Dandelion said proudly with his head held high, "I, as a poet with a conscience, will justify the witcher's name!"

"By the way, Dandelion, look at Igsena, she just came to Novigrad and needs a stable job and a place to live." Roy tried his best not to look at the frosty pretty face beside him.

"I don't think it's a problem. Now the business of the dance hall is booming. There are more than a dozen shows every day. Many actors are so tired that they fall asleep when they return to the dormitory." Madam Na, you have a good talent... very recognizable, with a little training, you can perform on stage!"

"Ah, you, are you sure?" The girl was flattered, and finally let go of her hand. The relieved Coen took a few breaths, staring at the excited girlfriend with extremely complicated eyes. "I can't read, I can't even read my lines."

"The most famous performer in Redania, His Excellency Tarendino, is a peasant."

"This profession does not distinguish between high and low, as long as there is talent and hard work."

"I'll take the two of you to the office downstairs in a moment to find that blond beauty, my Priscilla..." Dandelion said sternly, "She'll arrange a job, and a place to live. But the income won't start out. The average level of Nuocheng, the residence is simple, in a slum, I hope you two can understand!"

"Thank you!" Igsena clasped her hands tightly in front of her belly and curtsied at him ecstatically.

Then he turned around and saluted Roy again,

"Okay..." Dandelion nodded, "Master Roy, I have something to tell you in advance."

The great poet touched the delicate moustache shaped with wax, his eyes were shining, his face was bright,

"Duchess of Toussaint, enlightened lady, from Anna Henrietta's letter of invitation to come to her country at the Harvest to give a performance."

"This is a great honor," Dandelion said with pride, "no poet can refuse such an invitation... There is still half a month before the harvest festival on August 1... I plan to leave in these two days! "

"In the dance hall, I have to be absent for at least a month. In addition, I also hope that Master Oaks, who also loves poetry, can go with him and take care of each other on the road."

Roy was startled for a moment. He remembered that there was such a thing. Dandelion went to perform in Toussaint, just as Duchess Henrietta's husband went to Sintra for a meeting.

Then... the great poet, with a small white face and the ability of "a lotus with a bright tongue", put a shiny green hat on the Duke Tangtang.

"Just ask Oaks."

"He asked me to ask you, as if he was worried about your arrangements."

"That's it, it's only a month, um, Oaks will set off with you." Roy said slightly moved, then carefully looked at the poet's handsome face, and patted him on the shoulder in the other party's inexplicable eyes, "Master Dan , I remember you said before that you are not suitable for monogamy, but it should be changed now, right? You have to remember that Priscilla is still waiting for you in Noah."

"Better not to be sorry for her."

"I've changed my mind a long time ago!" Dandelion's eyes flickered, and he glanced under the fence, "Now my love is all written in love poems and given to Priscilla! She has all my love, and there is no excess. .Yes, it is like that."

"Humph!"

The sorceress beside Roy hummed with disdain and doubt.

"I'm here for your safety, Dandelion, remember your promise."

...

After enjoying lunch, the great poet led Cohen and Igersena downstairs.

Rita Ned tried both hard and soft to test Roy's attitude, whether she was obsessed with that little sister.

After a while, he gave him an angry look, stretched out his hand reluctantly, and took out a letter from the void.

"This is a love letter from your little girlfriend Casca, enjoy it slowly..."

Then he turned around, his smooth back pointed at the witcher, and pretended to use his fork at the salmon on the table.

Roy held the letter in silence for a while, but did not rush to open it.

"How is Casca now? Is she feeling better?"

"She has been magically transformed, her deformity has been cured, and there is no doubt that she is a little beauty."

"She's doing fine in Arethusa, is she happy?"

"She's made three friends, and she's happier than before... Except for missing you all the time. You didn't care about her, it hurt a little beauty's heart, understand?" The sorceress's tone was full of sourness,

Roy nodded, handed the letter back to her decisively, and in Rita Ned's surprised eyes, he said softly and calmly, "My coral, I only treat her as an ordinary little sister, nothing else. Meaning, since you know that she is all right, there is no need to read the letter."

Rita Ned was stunned for a second, then turned her anger into joy, her azure eyes stared at his dark gold and silver-grey pupils, pear eddies appeared on her cheeks, and she smiled extremely warmly.

"I'm not that stingy, in that case, let's watch together." The sorceress put her chin on his left shoulder, pressed against his cheek, breathed hot air in his ear, and draped softly on his right shoulder.

The witcher opened the letter.

...

My best friend Roy,

It's been two years since Edsberg parted, looking out to the sea through the iris windows of Arethusa Tower, I often think of your soft words...

...

Reading the letter, Roy was out of state the whole time.

"How long will you stay this time?" Rita Ned's slender fingers drew a circle around his palm like a tick, making it slightly itchy.

"At least for a month, I have to learn the secrets of the Griffin from the "Book of Shadows"... The book records a lot of precious magical knowledge, which is also useful to you... But I have promised Cohen that it will not be leaked to anyone. Man. But don't worry, I'll try my best to convince him..."

...

Whenever I am confused and troubled on the road of magic, your comfort and smile are my guiding lights.

Sister Rita showed me what you look like now, and the changes are so big that I can barely recognize them... But my heart tells me that Roy is still Roy, and these changes are nothing but growth.

I will try my best to keep up with your pace and accompany you to grow and change.

And, I have changed, are you willing to witness for me?

...

"Study during the day, then it's night." The sorceress's voice was soft and dreamy.

The witcher felt a damp softness on his cheeks.

At the same time, there seemed to be two poisonous snakes rubbing against his feet under the table.

...

My friend, could you give me a little encouragement to come to Goth Velen.

I found a pond on the island, with lotus leaves and mayflies floating in the pond, a few black fish swimming in the pond, and a big elm tree standing by the pond.

Let's sit on the moon boat together, this time, it's my turn to perform magic for you.

I will always wait for you.

Toya or Casca (as you like),

July 13, 1262, written in Arethusa.

...

"I'll be with you tonight."

Roy sighed in his heart and closed the letter.

He only remembered the beginning and the end, and he didn't read a lot of content in the middle, so he couldn't remember what was written.

Confused, he returned home with the sorceress.

A ridiculous afternoon, an evening, and a morning.

It wasn't until noon the next day that he found Cohen's new residence in a good mood.