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The Divine Hunter CH 28

Author:Roy Category:urban Update time:2023-01-02 13:40:07

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“I know youre a smart boy, and you wanted to help Seville settle his problem,” Letho told Roy after leaving the dwarfs residence.

“But listen to me this time, and stay out of it.

Witchers should always stay neutral in political fights.

This is our principle, and our way of survival.”

Roy thought Letho looked funny as he lectured him in earnest, for he and the Auckes brothers would break that principle in the future by assassinating the kings of the Northern Kingdoms, completing the hardest political power play.

A perfect example of what not to do.

Even though Letho was holding to his principle at the moment, Roy didnt think that was a good thing.

Maybe staying neutral is the reason why witchers go into decline.

Nobody can stay away from trouble when chaos is brewing.

If Roy could pass the Trial of the Grasses, he thought hed try his best to change the school.

Get them to go along with the times.

***

The afternoon sunlight shone onto the land, but none of its warmth reached them.

Letho and Roy went past Plaza of Lebioda on the way to Walls Inn, and a shrill wail made them stop. 

If the pamphlet the caped man had spread last night was true, those who wanted to rebel would be attending the march at the plaza at the moment.

However, Roy didnt see the sea of people hed expected, but instead saw the state of chaos, where rubbish was strewn everywhere, just like how tourist spots in his past life looked every time tourists left.

And there was a wailing woman there.

She was unkempt, in torn clothes, and stared dumbly at the sky, her face streaked with ruined makeup, and she was scarlet from her cries.

She looked pitiful, and yet, inexplicably funny.

The woman was sitting on the ground, mumbling like a madwoman as she patted the shoulder of the man laying on her legs.

The people who saw them gossiped about what had happened.

There were those who pitied the woman and the man, but also those who laughed at them.

“How could the soldiers do that The mans head was smashed in by their shields.

His skull must have been crushed.”

“He was just asking for it when he joined the parade to go against the baron.

Everyone else scurried off quickly, but that oaf just wouldnt run.”

“I didnt expect an honest person like him to be a revolutionist.”

“Can you keep quiet Hed been nice to everyone when hed been alive.

Also, we wouldnt be paying lower taxes if not for the rebels.

Respect the dead, you lot.”

“That poor woman.

She lost her husband, and they have no children.

How is she supposed to survive”

Roy stared at the face of the unmoving man, for he had no courage to look at the woman who was in despair.

“Such a shame.

Hes nothing but the revolutionists cannon fodder.

I wonder wholl take his widow in.”

Letho was as inscrutable as ever.

“Set your pity aside.

Havent you seen enough corpses outside the city Politics have nothing to do with us.

Lets go.

I have something to tell you in the inn.”

After they had left the plaza, a man with a cart came up to the woman and took the corpse away as she wailed.

Once they came back to the inn, Letho placed a satchel of crowns onto the table.

“Couldnt have done it without your help.

As per the witchers rule, you get a share of the reward.

Fifty crowns, and not one less.”

“Youre splitting the reward again” Roy was surprised by the split, since Letho was the heavyweight in the whole request.

Roy was just a minor character.

“You can keep it.

We dont have to be this meticulous.” Letho had been the one paying their expenses ever since Roy had started following him.

The boy didnt pay even a single crown.

After taking the money from the dead rebels and winning thirty crowns from the Gwent matches at the inn, Roy had a hundred and twenty crowns at hand.

That could last him a while.

“I told you that was the rule.

It concerns my principles.” Letho stared at him, unblinking.

“Also, Im officially telling you that youre going to pay for your expenses yourself starting from tomorrow.

Im not going to pay a single crown.”

“You have to be joking.” Roys face stiffened.

No wonder hes splitting the money.

So this is what he has in mind.

But why though “Why are you leaving me to my own devices after taking me to Aldersberg Whats the meaning of this”

Letho wasnt angered by the questioning.

“Well have to prepare the potions and the necessities for the Trial of the Grasses for you.

Thats going to cost a lot.

We still need a few rare ingredients and mutagens too,” he said.

“Can you not feel it Your training is different from what the Viper School teaches.” Letho gesticulated clumsily.

“If we continue with our traditions, youll be well fed and sheltered, but youll also be locked in Gorthur Gvaed and trained for years.

Youll never enjoy anything there.

Auckes, Serrit, and I think that being in this kind of state weakens the trainees will to live.

The 100% failure rate of the Trial of the Grasses over the past twenty years relates to this.

Its time to change if we dont want the Viper School to disappear.

The old witchers usually only start taking requests after they finish school.

But now, its also a part of the test.

Only by supporting yourself can you know how hard it is to make money.

Thats the only way youll treasure it.

And only by forming a deep bond with the material world can you stare death down in the trial,” Letho concluded.

Roy kept quiet.

He thought what Letho had said was sophism, but he had a point.

One of the training methods involved locking the disciple up, while another let them do whatever they wanted.

Letho went for the second one, though Roy had some objections.

“If we spend all our time working, how are we supposed to train”

“Well, you seemed to have well handled it along the way.” Letho patted his shoulder.

“I trust you can find the balance, boy.

Dont forget what you learned.

Itll help you survive.”

“Is this a challenge”

“If you think it is.

Or it can be a test, if you wish.”

Roy relented.

Hed been angered in the beginning, but excitement welled up within him after hed calmed down.

Can I survive in a big city like Aldersberg with my own skills “Are you leaving me” Roy asked.

He noticed the hints in Lethos explanation.

“Dont worry,” Letho answered.

“Just a temporary separation.

I have to get an ingredient for your preparatory potion, and its in a dangerous spot.

Going solo makes it easier for me, so take this chance to explore.

Once I get back, the only time youll be alone is after you pass the trial.”

Roy smiled bitterly.

In other words, Im left behind because Im too weak, and I wouldve been a burden.

“Whats this preparatory potion you talked about”

“Its a potion with a lower toxicity level.

Itll help you adapt to the Decoction of the Grasses.

Youll need it, since it can gradually increase ones resistance to poison.

Cant just take the Decoction of the Grasses right away.

Its too poisonous.

All the trainees would die.”

Roy could understand why Letho wanted to go alone.

“How long will you be gone Will I be learning anything else”

“About a month or two.

Give me a moment.” Letho took out a black leather note from the horses saddlebag.

“You know a lot of herbs now, so its time to start potion-making.

There are more than a dozen recipes here, and the note has some common monster traits written in it.

Should be enough to last you a while.”

“Humans use normal potions, while witchers use potions and decoctions brewed with magic.

This is going to be your basic alchemy training.

Thats all I have to say, boy.

Time is of the essence.” He patted Roys shoulder.

“Youre a disciplined one.

Dont disappoint me.”

“Wait.

Do you still have that Dragons Dream you used against those drowners” Roy had to get something to protect himself after Lethos departure.

PR/N: For those who dont remember, Dragons Dream is a kind of alchemy bomb infused with flammable gas.

Letho thought about it before handing a green, glass canister to him.

“You dont know how to cast Igni, so Dragons Dream wont be of any use.

Dancing Stars a better choice.

Once this canister is smashed, a circle of fire with a ten-feet radius will appear.

Even if its underwater, the effects going to last for a long time.” Letho warned, “Be careful when you use this.

Its the last one in stock.

The materials alone cost a hundred crowns.

Keep this as your trump card, and dont use it unless absolutely necessary.”

“I understand,” Roy answered.

“And how am I supposed to know when youre back”

“I can find you as long as youre still in the city.”

Letho left without another word, and a short while later, he was but a little speck in Roys eyes.

Roy kept Dancing Star in his inventory space, feeling safer with it around.

***

When he opened the old, ancient, leather notebook, the words inside jumbled up and floated around him, giving him a headache.

He realized one big miscalculation.

I probably only know about a hundred words in common speech, and thats including my parents names and the herbs Letho taught me.

How am I supposed to learn this on my own

-

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