"…Flat like a plate, rust-colored, rough, covered in a spiky gray carapace, three pairs of spider-like jointed limbs, taller than me…"
"You encountered a Koshchey in the Amell Mountains?"
"Yes, a Koshchey. Visenna used the same name… Oh, we're here…"
Chatting casually, Korin led the group beneath the shade of the oak tree.
Once his eyes adjusted to the sudden shift between blinding sunlight and shadow, he immediately noticed something wrong in Visenna's expression.
But after looking at the Crimson Fox again—the sorceress who had once turned a human into a leech—the gratitude and flattery on her face were obvious to the naked eye.
What happened?
Korin quietly moved closer and exchanged a glance with Visenna, only to find that her eyes were so complicated he couldn't understand them at all.
"What happened?" Korin whispered into Visenna's ear.
Visenna gently shook her head.
Korin wanted to ask further, but Visenna's gaze had already shifted, falling onto Francesca Findabair.
The crude disguise meant to fool humans on Francesca Findabair was naturally impossible to hide from the mistress of the Mayena Druid Circle.
After two glances, she recognized Francesca Findabair's elven identity—and with such extreme beauty, paired with blonde hair and blue eyes—Visenna already had a suspicion. And when her gaze fell upon the last sorceress who approached, her suspicion was confirmed.
"Sage Emean, why are you here as well?" Visenna said in surprise.
Druids were students of the forest and nature. They communicated with flowers, grass, and trees to understand the natural world, harnessing powerful natural forces to maintain ecological balance.
Humans, elves, dwarves—every sentient being was part of nature. Naturally, most druid circles did not share the humans' hatred or prejudice toward non-humans.
On the contrary—
Most druid circles, unlike many sorcerers, upheld the view that humans should not exterminate elves.
First, because they believed in the doctrine of nature: any living creature that had existed long-term in the natural world possessed the role given by Mother Nature. Under Mother Nature, all life was equal—humans were no nobler than a dung beetle.
Though different druid circles, factions within circles, and individuals within the same faction had their own interpretations of doctrine—
Complete extinction of any species violated the core teachings of all druid doctrines.
Destroying any life form disrupted nature's cycle—whether it was ghouls or wraiths, let alone elves.
Secondly, druid teachings originated from elves in the first place—they were an inheritance of elven druidic tradition.
It was not a betrayal of humanity.
Tracing back in history, the first elves who welcomed the "First Landing" of humans to the Northern Continent may be unknown, but humanity could never have reached the present without the help of the elven druids who believed in the equality of all living things.
Thus, most druid circles did not discriminate against elves; many circles (particularly those far from countries like Redania and Kaedwen that violently rejected elves) even had numerous elven members.
As for why Visenna recognized Ida Emean?
Why do you think the Aen Saevherne were also called "elven sages"…
Ida Emean swept a sidelong glance at Francesca Findabair. "To repay a favor."
Francesca Findabair, who had been glaring at Mary, trembled all over, as if she had heard something unbelievable. She whipped around in shock, looked at Ida Emean, and after meeting her gaze, hurriedly lowered her head, tracing the shapes of the weeds in the shadowed ground beneath her feet, her heart trembling.
Impossible! Impossible!
I told no one—and even warned Kariya not to say anything. How could Ida know that the one who caused the Conjunction of the Spheres and saved the free elves was Allen?!!
It must be because Allen saved my mother, and Ida always remembered that favor.
Yes, that must be it!
Francesca Findabair snuck another glance at Ida Emean and saw the sage's half-smiling expression. She quickly lowered her head again, not daring to speak.
Repay a favor… Hearing this unexpected answer, Visenna was stunned. She could not imagine why a Aen Saevherne, a high-level member of the free elves, would owe a witcher a favor.
Was it because of this young elf?
Visenna glanced at Francesca Findabair—whose every movement, every strand of hair, every expression screamed "I like Allen"—and a few guesses formed in her mind.
At this moment—
Korin saw that the strange interaction between Francesca Findabair and Ida Emean had ended, and quickly spoke up to introduce Visenna.
"Visenna, this is Master Vesemir of the Wolf School, Master Danthe of the Wolf School, Master Jerome Moreau of the Griffin School, and Vilgefortz…"
After a brief introduction, Vera continued: "Allen is badly injured, but after Lady Visenna's treatment, his condition has stabilized. He just needs some time to recover afterward."
Hearing this, the witchers of the Wolf School all let out a sigh of relief and expressed their thanks to Visenna.
After some polite exchanges and assurances, Vesemir glanced at the motionless Allen lying on the stretcher and asked: "It's good that his condition has stabilized. What's the plan now—should we return directly to Kaer Morhen to rest? Or head to the Temple of Melitele in Ellander and seek Arch Priestess Ianna?"
After the question, an odd silence fell beneath the oak's shade.
Vera, who should have made the decision, did not speak.
For a moment, only the early autumn wind swept across the open plains, rustling as it passed through the treetop branches of the oak.
Only then did Visenna suddenly recall Allen and Vera's conversation from earlier.
'First, there's the matter of Visenna and Korin. Take them to the Druids' Circle at Mayena. If they invite us to stay, then we don't need to hurry back to Kaer Morhen.' Allen seems to really want to follow us back to the Druids' Circle at Mayena…
She glanced at the witcher lying still on the ground, thoughtful.
Honestly, if the one who came wasn't Vera but Vesemir and the other witchers—or even a few sorceresses—she would definitely have persuaded them to come with her to the Druids' Circle at Mayena for treatment.
But now, present here were not only Vera—one of the Northern Continent's sorceresses most proficient in alchemy—but also Ida Emean, a Aen Saevherne, even more skilled at treating all manner of wounds.
When compared to them, Visenna's own achievements in herbalism and alchemy could only be considered that of an apprentice.
Not to mention the Temple of Melitele…
It was the place in all the Northern Continent that excelled most in treating every kind of illness and wound…
"This matter… isn't urgent," Vera said after a brief silence, her tone subtly stiff. "Allen already told me. He promised you that he would escort you back to the Druids' Circle at Mayena."
"And I happen to have Mayena's spatial coordinates as well. I'll send you back now…"
As she spoke, not giving Visenna a chance to refuse, Vera snapped her fingers.
Boom—
A swirling orange-red portal immediately appeared beneath the oak's shadow.
"Vesemir, Danthe," Vera said once the portal opened, turning to the two Wolf School masters. "The spatial coordinates aren't inside the Druids' Circle at Mayena, but in the wilderness outside Mayena City. It might be dangerous. You two go in first and scout."
"Us?" Vesemir and Danthe, suddenly called by name, froze. They stiffly stared at the spinning portal that looked like it could pull out their very souls, and pointed at themselves.
Not every witcher was like Allen, who had somehow become completely unafraid of portals.
Of course—
This "portal syndrome" itself came from the witchers' unique sensory organs. Just like how ordinary people get dizzy if they stare too long at a spinning object, it wasn't actually harmful.
Vera nodded. "Yes, you two."
Vesemir and Danthe exchanged a look. They opened their mouths to speak, but with Vera's cold expression—and Visenna and Korin watching from the side—
The two Wolf School masters stiffly nodded and walked toward the portal.
"Um…" Visenna suddenly spoke up then, her tone also subtly stiff. "Allen's injuries are very severe. Some of the herbs needed for treatment can't be found at Kaer Morhen. For convenience in treating and recovery, it would be better to return to the Druids' Circle at Mayena with us."
"Then I'll trouble you," Vera replied immediately, as if she had been waiting for this sentence. She agreed without a moment of hesitation.
"Being able to invite Lady Vera is an honor for the Mayena Druid Circle." Visenna inclined her body in a bow, quietly sighing in her heart.
No matter what Allen's reason was for longing for the Mayena Druid Circle, a gravely injured Wolf School witcher who had been rescued would never harbor ill intent.
Vera secretly let out a breath of relief.
Ever since receiving the title of Master Alchemist in the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, it had been a very long time since she had made such a roundabout and indirect "request" to be a guest.
Although Allen had only said "if" they extended the invitation, how could she possibly allow Allen to be disappointed—especially after he had called her "mother"...
At that moment—
Vera suddenly felt someone's gaze on her. Without showing it, she turned her head.
It was Ida Emean, looking at her with a deep and meaningful expression.
Vera's face reddened slightly. She discreetly glanced at Francesca Findabair: "What about you two? The Free Elves should need you the most right now, shouldn't they?"
"We…"
"We're going too!"
Ida Emean had only spoken two words before being interrupted by the flushed Francesca Findabair: "Allen got hurt because of us…"
Realizing some things could not be said in this setting, Francesca Findabair stopped abruptly and looked toward Vera and Visenna: "Ida is proficient in treating all kinds of wounds, and the Free Elves can also provide rare herbs, alchemical tools, and potion formulas…"
The interrupted Ida Emean lowered her head helplessly.
Francesca Findabair's gaze avoided hers for a moment, then she gathered her courage, as though resigning herself, and stared directly at Ida Emean, countering: "After going back to the camp, how are we supposed to repay this debt?"
Ida Emean was silent for a few seconds, then sighed and looked to Visenna: "I will also visit the Mayena Druid Circle. Is that alright?"
"Of course," Visenna answered without hesitation, "the Grand Master will certainly be very happy to see you."
With that—
Vilgefortz and Jerome Moreau also requested to visit. Out of trust in Vera and Ida Emean, Visenna agreed to them as well.
The portal spun quietly beneath the oak tree's shade.
Vesemir and Danthe stepped in first. Both Mary and Francesca Findabair wanted to compete to carry the stretcher, but Vera refused decisively.
Finally, Jerome Moreau and Vilgefortz took over that task, and both Francesca Findabair and Mary were pushed into the portal by Vera.
After that, the space beneath the early-autumn breeze and the oak's shadow suddenly became quiet.
In that silence, Visenna stared in a daze as Jerome Moreau and Vilgefortz carefully lifted the stretcher, avoiding the uneven ground bit by bit, walking toward the portal.
Visenna had never seen such a "popular" witcher. It completely shattered her previous impression of witchers as "solitary" and "lonely."
But no matter how welcomed he was, a witcher was still a witcher…
Only fourteen years old—at the age when ordinary children thought about lifting girls' skirts—he had already stepped into the songs of bards.
It was nothing to envy.
At least, not to Visenna. Perhaps because she was also a sorceress like Vera, Visenna even felt a bit of pity…
Because those legends were all paid for with one's life. No one felt that more clearly than she did.
These past few days, more than once, she believed that young witcher would not make it.
That Allen survived at all—Visenna and Korin both considered it a miracle, through and through.
And this path… was one Vera had personally sent her child onto…
"A sorceress and a witcher's child…"
"A sorceress' child…"
Visenna murmured in her heart. She looked at Vera, then looked at Korin beside her, who was staring eagerly at the portal he was seeing for the first time, and she involuntarily touched her flat abdomen.
A child…
If I also had a child…
"Visenna… Visenna…"
Korin's call rang beside her ear, pulling her abruptly back to reality.
Allen and the other witchers had already disappeared. Only Korin and Vera remained before her, looking at her.
"What is it, Nana?" Korin asked with concern.
"It's nothing," Visenna quietly avoided Vera's gaze and lowered the hand resting on her abdomen. "I was just distracted… Let's go now…"
Visenna gave Vera a small nod, took Korin's hand, and walked straight into the portal.
Within the portal's swirling light, Korin yelped in amazement.
Visenna, however, remained silent, her mind echoing with a single thought—
If I also had a child…
...
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