Witcher's Atelier

The "Floating Port" is located in a valley, built along the upper reaches of the Pontar River, and surrounded by impenetrable shrubs and forests. It is difficult to cross not because of the rugged terrain, but because of the notorious "Spirit of Vengeance" of the Scoia'tael. "Iorveth is active here.

Just like tonight's floating harbor forest, there are two more humans surrounded by elves. At least judging from the shape of their ears, this result can be concluded.

The two men surrounded both wore Scoia'tael fur hats. They are a calm, well-proportioned witcher, and a young and reckless woman with impressive eyebrows.

"Victor Corleone? You have changed so much. If Angouleme hadn't been next to you, I would hardly have recognized you!" The disfiguring scar cut straight from the cheek to the lip, and the speaking elf stood On the fallen tree trunk, there were more than thirty elves with bows and arrows around.

The witcher spread his hands and said, "Long time no see, Iorveth, I thought you would ask your men to put down their bows and arrows before saying hello?"

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be like this, but at this sensitive moment, I want to confirm your purpose first. We just had a conflict with a witcher a few days ago. For this, I lost seven men forever. He and the Blue Iron Guard Commander Vernon Roche is with us and requires us to hand over a guest!"

"I think I know the witchers you met. Like them, I come from La Valedi Castle, but you don't need to make friends. I just came to see the King Slayer. Please tell Leso, Victor Need to talk to him, I’m sure he’ll be willing to see me!”

Hearing him accurately pronounce the king-slayer's name, Iorveth crossed his arms and said, "Ah! The starting point is the same, but the position is different? It seems that you are very sure... So you are a guest, a guest of the Scoia'tael Party?"

"We haven't seen each other for several years. Your eyesight has become worse. It's obvious that you are both." Victor unsheathed the steel sword from his back and held it in his hand. Angoulaine stared at Iorveth's face for a few seconds. , untie the golden eagle to follow suit.

Sensing the sincerity of the guests, he waved to his subordinates to let go of their bows and arrows. The Elf Commander jumped down from the tree trunk, "Long time no see, Wick and Angouleme, keep your weapons and come with me!"

…

Walking side by side with Iorveth in the jungle, two years was enough for everything to become new again, and Victor said nothing.

"Actually staying silent? I thought you would at least ask me why I wanted to murder the king? Or rebuke how shameful this behavior is?" the elf said in a relaxed tone.

The witcher's voice was calm, "The ancient hatred between humans and elves has lasted for more than four hundred years. Maybe someone can judge so many grievances fairly, but it won't be me. If it didn't happen in front of you, just pretend it didn't happen! If it has nothing to do with me, just pretend it didn't happen. !”

"Hahaha, as expected, just like Toluvel said, you are a person with unique ideas. When I hear what you did in Vizima, I have to say that it is both difficult and thankless! Humans will not really appreciate you. , you will always be an alien in their eyes!”

"Toruvel! Is she also in the Floating Harbor Forest?" Victor asked with raised eyebrows.

The female elf with the beautiful tattooed eyebrows and the heroic old driver. Discussing riding skills with her is a timeless and wonderful experience.

Iorveth shrugged his shoulders, "No, she took her men back to the Valley of Flowers, saying she wanted to seek the Queen's wisdom and study the answer to coexisting with humans. This innocent and stupid idea...did you bring her to it?"

Victor touched his nose, "Maybe! I just hope to avoid extremes, like killing the king. If I were there at the time, I would try my best to protect Foltest.

But since it's irreversible, I just want to talk to Leisuo to find out what happened and his next plan.

Or would you like to first tell me what role the Scoia'tael played in this matter, and who instigated you? "

Iorveth chuckled, "After you prove yourself trustworthy, I am willing. I will tell you everything, but obviously not now."

The strangeness gradually disappeared, and the elf and the witcher talked and laughed, regaining the rhythm of their past conversations.

"Then let's talk about you and Vernon Roche. People like him shouldn't die so easily!" Victor asked casually.

"The relationship between me and that bastard is so pure that there is nothing to talk about. The Blue Guards and the Commandos are old rivals, and we have in-depth exchanges on countless bloody occasions.

It was really a pity a few days ago that I had a rare opportunity to shoot him. Unfortunately, the red-haired sorceress opened the protective shield, and then the witcher went on a killing spree, causing me to lose several of my men.

If you want to ask where they are, they are currently hiding in the floating port and operating in the land of Rowedo. "

ah! Another familiar name, the floating port garrison commander. Benard Loredo, Victor had heard the elves mention him countless times a few years ago. They all said that he was a hypocritical, vicious, and racist bastard!

During the chat, they walked to the Scoia'tael camp, and Iorveth brought Victor and Angoulein into the tent, "You guys rest here for a while, and I'll go ask Retho himself for his opinion and see if he wants to see you.

But I must first remind you that he is a very strange guy who does not want to live in our camp. It is difficult to understand his thoughts. Although he looks expressionless and slow, he is never as simple as he appears. If you think he is your friend based on your simple and honest understanding, then you'd better be alert! "

Iorveth's advice was quite sincere, so Victor responded seriously, "No! My friendship with Letho is based on mutual respect and understanding, just like you and me!"

The elf commander laughed and said, "Very good, then I will temporarily retire for a while. As long as you don't leave the camp, you will be as free as the air here.".

The witcher raised his hand in a please gesture.

…

Iorveth was gone longer than expected, so the Phantom Troupe had to have dinner at the Scoia'tael camp and enjoy a rough meal.

Fortunately, there was no need to spend the night on a dry bed, and the elf returned to the camp. Victor did not ask the reason for being late, and Iorveth had no intention of explaining.

He announced the reply with a face full of joking, "Unfortunately, Leisuo doesn't want to see you. Let me give you three words, get away! Do you still think you are his friend now?"

The witcher rubbed his chin, "Have you told him that I'm not here to hunt, I just want to talk to him?"

"Of course, he categorically said he had nothing to talk about with you. Are you really friends?"

"..., at least I thought so before."

Picking up the Lafite bottle on the table and filling it for Victor and himself, Iorveth raised his glass and said, "A masterpiece with a rich taste. I haven't had such a good drink in a long time. Here's to the wonderful cognitive bias! Then What are your plans now?"

"I plan to respect my friend's opinion and stay away! To be honest, your food is still so bad, and the beds must not have improved. Now I want to go to Fugang to have a good meal and sleep on a soft bed. Will you stop me? ?”

"No, you are as free as the wind."

"Then help me pack a jug of goat milk and take it away. This is the only thing worth remembering. Is there anything you need me to do for you?"

Iorveth nodded in agreement with a smile, remembering that when he lived here, because there was no milk supply, Victor complained about the smell of goat milk every day.

"Living in the jungle does not mean that you have limited information. I heard that you have composed many wonderful new songs?"

"I promise to bring the lute with me next time I come over."

"Remember to have a few bottles of good wine!"

…

After leaving the Scoia'tael camp, the Phantom Troupe headed for the floating port. Unfortunately, the two of them failed to enter the city in the end because the stone bridge on the way they had to pass was broken, so they had to go down to the river bed and climb up again.

It was too late and the checkpoint was closed, so the tour group could only stay in Robindam, a small town outside the floating port. However, even the outer town was much more comfortable than the Scoia'tael camp.

Moreover, when Victor entered the village, he learned that many of Angouleme's friends lived here. Although both of them were restricted in their activities at that time, they could not leave the Scoia'tael's sphere of influence. However, the treatment that the key figure Victor received was limited to the camp area, while Angoulaine was able to wander around Robin Dan, which was less than 500 meters away from the town.

I really don’t know how Angouleme did it. Is it because of her black eyebrows? If we use anime characters as an analogy, that is Rock Lee or Crayon Shin-chan, do these eyebrows have a friendship bonus? Victor is very curious!

In short, she knows many people here, and the most important person among them is none other than the spiritual leader of the local non-human tribe, "Sedric". This old and wise elf can be said to be a dove compared to the hawk Iorveth.

He is also the breeder of the falcon group. It was when Angoulin came here to play that he met Catherine's eyes.

In short, she thought that she had returned home with honors and fine clothes. She wanted all the friends she had met back then to see her shining knight's badge. Victor also wanted to meet the leader of the dove faction, so he met him. Angoulin came together to find him.

After asking along the way, I learned that the place where Sedik was located was an observation platform built by climbing several giant trees. The platforms were connected to each other to form an aerial trestle. You need to climb a very dangerous wooden ladder and go up several floors to see him, and the platform is designed to fully comply with standard medieval safety regulations, that is, there are no railings.

Zigui cried at night, and while climbing up Victor, she heard the sound of someone talking above. Apparently Angu also heard it, so she quickened her hands and feet and quickly climbed up like an ape to listen closely.

In early spring, the bonfire on the high platform is warm, and the howling of wolves can be heard in the jungle.

"It's been almost a year since what happened in March."

"Seherin, Moriel will not be happy to see you like this. Enjoy the memories of her, but don't wallow in longing for her."

"I'm trying to do that, but late at night, I'm still in unbearable pain. I can't believe she's missing like this!"

"Don't let the gossip of other elves poison your beautiful memories of her. Hatred is just a helpless vent."

"Thank you, Sedric, for your enlightenment. Goodbye!"

"goodbye!"

Climbing up to the high platform, there were three people on it. There was a person sitting alone on the far side of the trestle. The two elves talking on the nearby platform, Victor recognized at a glance who it was Servik. He was wearing a cloth robe and a long bow. His age was indistinguishable. His appearance exudes a calm sense of alienation, and the aura of suppressed intelligence hits his face.

This is a spirit who has ideas and is not shy about sharing them with others. In addition, his extraordinary sense of smell can smell the faint smell of Datura wine on his body, which is a famous hallucinogenic medicinal wine.

Angoulin approached with a smile and shook hands with the other party, and was about to introduce Victor when the young elf said, "No introduction is needed. I know who he is. I saw him in a spiritual vision two years ago." , a foreigner from the east of Serikania, a young witcher apprentice, Victor Corleone.”

Victor smiled, stretched out his hand to shake hands with the other person, "First time meeting, Mr. Sedek, nice to meet you. As you can see, I am now a witcher. Today it is too late to enter the floating port, I came to Robin Dan to disturb you. I heard Angoulan mention your affairs and found out that he was a wise elf, so he took the liberty to come to visit."

Angoulin blinked her eyes and felt an atmosphere of mutual business promotion. The two of them were a group leader and a village chief. They were experts at speaking exaggerated words. She was not interested in these conversations. She nodded to the two of them and continued. The stairs called Seherin to the side to talk.

Sehelin is an elf with one eye and an eyepatch. He wears the same style of cloth robe and long bow as Selvek. It can be seen that their living conditions are better than those of the Scoia'tael, but the good things are also limited.

Sedric smiled at Victor and beckoned him to come closer to talk. Standing on a high place and staring at the dark forest, Victor suddenly thought of the law of the same name.

"If a person lives long enough, he can naturally accumulate knowledge, and he can be called wise!" The elf's voice is very mellow, and his words are as crisp as broken ice. "Of course I am also very interested in you. In the elf According to the legend, the person who can make the young eagle recognize its master must play an important role in its destiny, so I was actually quite surprised when I heard that she was your follower!"

The witcher shook his head, "Strictly speaking, she is not my follower, but my partner. We are fellow travelers. Follower is the position she is accustomed to using. In fact, I regard her as my sister. In short... you see now How do you feel about me?"

"Face to face it seems nothing special, a very ordinary young man. But this is not a forest. News can be transmitted faster than the wind. Victor the Dragon Slayer, a person who can be given this title, even if he is just an ordinary standing person. They all look domineering."

"I didn't slay the dragon, it was just a false name!" Bend down to pick up the dropped dagger, the witcher continued, "But thank you for the compliment. Can I know what you are doing here?"

Sedric spread his hands and said, "Patrol and watch. The villagers paid us to drive away the wild beasts, and I set up traps and snares... to try to keep the evil spirits away from Robin Dan and prevent the monsters from crawling into their homes late at night and removing them from their homes." Drag it off the bed!”

"I heard from Angoulin that you are an experienced hunter, especially good at piercing traps. Are you willing to share your valuable experience with me?"

"It's a long night, I'm so happy! But don't listen to her nonsense, what I'm really good at is setting baits."

Regarding the use of traps, the elves are experienced and the witchers are also quite experienced. The communication between them was very pleasant. If it was not interrupted, this should have been a peaceful learning night.

But maybe she laughed too loudly and alerted the third person on the platform. The moment she turned back, the bonfire was clearly reflected, and Victor couldn't help but be slightly startled.

It turned out to be the sorceress Triss. Merigold, she was wearing simple traveling clothes and a gray cloak covering her hair. Neither Angoulaine nor Victor could recognize the sorceress from her back.

She was also surprised to see Victor. She nodded to Selecek and waved to the witcher to come over and talk.

──I said to this sister, you stayed up in the middle of the night and came here in the dark, blowing the cold wind and listening to the howling of wolves. What are you doing?

Walking on the suspended high platform trestle gave people an unreal feeling. There was no reason to refuse the call. Victor stopped and sat down next to her. The distance was just like when he was in the palace two years ago.

Thanks to book friend Prof_S_Snape for the tip and encouragement.