"I can't leave."
Allen smiled gently as he took out the amulet of the goddess Melitele from his chest. The silver amulet had two clear, dark scratches.
"What is this?" Francesca asked in confusion.
"This is the amulet of the goddess Melitele, and it's of the highest grade. Are you really just Vera's alchemy apprentice?"
"And these black marks…"
"You've been attacked by malevolent spirits. When did this happen?" Sadia came over, supporting the old man with a serious expression.
After taking the potion, the old man's complexion looked much better, but his eyes remained tightly shut, as if he had fallen asleep. Seeing this, Allen immediately stepped forward to help hold him up.
"I am indeed Vera's apprentice. As for the attack by the malevolent spirits…"
"That happened back at Kaer Morhen, but it's not a big deal. It just means I can't use the portal."
Sadia nodded in acknowledgment and suddenly remembered something, saying: "The portal... That explains it. No wonder you were unconscious for three days. It turns out the dark spirit attacked you during your teleportation."
"I was puzzled at first. There was no injury to your brain, so why didn't you wake up?"
When Francesca heard this, her sapphire blue eyes flickered, then dimmed almost immediately, her hands unconsciously twisting together tightly.
It's all because of me... she thought.
Sadia noticed her expression and seemed to understand something.
Allen also noticed Francesca's sadness and smiled, patting her gently on the shoulder.
"It's all in the past now, and blessings come from misfortune. If we hadn't startled those rock trolls back then, we might not have been able to leave as smoothly as we are now."
Francesca forced a smile, but Allen's comfort clearly didn't ease her guilt.
After all, outside of the rock trolls, there was still the oncoming army of Kaedwen soldiers.
Could Allen really escape on his own?
"So you all should leave first. I'll find my own way out. Don't you already know my abilities?" The witcher said confidently.
"Witcher's tricks?" Francesca managed a strained smile.
"Yes, witcher's tricks."
Allen nodded.
"Francesca, take good care of them for me. Once you're out, I'll find a way to meet up with you."
Hearing Allen's instructions, Francesca nodded earnestly but then thought of something and asked: "How will you find us?"
"Don't worry, I have my ways. Don't forget, you elves haven't given me my reward for this task yet."
"More witcher's tricks?"
"Exactly... witchers always have plenty of tricks up their sleeves."
As they conversed, Sadia was leading the way ahead. Her eyes smiled warmly as she listened to the two of them calmly comforting each other, as if no one else was around. Before long, they arrived at the castle's fountain.
"Grandma Asha, Grandma Asha…"
At some point, seven children had gathered here.
Huh?
Allen was a little surprised. These children, the oldest no more than twelve or thirteen, and the youngest only seven or eight, were real—they weren't illusions.
Moreover…
Through the Mirage Pearl's vision, the witcher noticed that, except for the oldest girl, the other children's ears were slightly pointed.
Half-elves!
There was only one elf in the castle, Sadia, so…
Sadia and Hode had so many children!
The witcher instinctively glanced at Francesca.
"What's wrong, Allen?" Francesca noticed his gaze. "Is there something else you need to say?"
"Uh… no." Under Sadia's gaze, Allen scratched his head and gave a dry laugh.
Francesca found it odd and was about to ask further when.
"Allen, come over here." After settling the children, Sadia suddenly called out to him.
The witcher, still supporting the old man, walked over.
"What happened to Uncle Hode?" the eldest girl asked as she came over and took the old man from Allen's arms.
Sadia sighed: "I've put him to sleep. We'll wake him up once we get to safety."
The girl glanced at the old man and the other children, her expression complicated. "Sadia, are you sure you want to leave?"
Sadia?
Allen's ears twitched, and he looked at Francesca.
The "Daisy of the Valleys" was deep in thought, staring at the ground, seemingly unaware of the mention of that name. It seemed Sadia had used an illusion to shield that part of the conversation.
"Uncle Hode… maybe…" Sadia shook her head:
"Henselt's henchmen have already tracked us here. We can't stay any longer."
Upon hearing the name of the Kaedwen's king, the girl clenched her fists, unable to suppress her rage.
Sadia patted her shoulder, soothingly: "Don't worry, Lysa. As long as we successfully escape, it will be the best revenge. Besides…"
Sadia glanced at Allen.
"Even the neutral witchers of the School of the Wolf are starting to rebel. Henselt's reign won't last much longer."
"Witcher?" The girl, hearing this, looked at Allen with excitement. "Is this your prophecy, Sadia?"
Sadia gently shook her head.
"I no longer have that power. This is just my deduction... and my hope."
"People must live with hope, right?"
The girl bowed her head, disappointed, not responding to Sadia's last words.
After a few seconds, she finally lifted her head: "I'll find my own way to take revenge, in my own way... Sadia, I'm going to take care of the children."
With that, the girl, her brow furrowed, left.
Watching the girl's retreating figure, Sadia suddenly said: "She is Lysa, the daughter of Viscount Hudson."
"Her father and mother were the kindest and most principled humans I have ever met."
"Sadly, because of Hode and me, Viscount Hudson was killed by a sorcerer sent by Henselt on the night we fled, to buy us time to escape."
"At the time, I was pregnant, and I could only save the Viscountess, Lysa, and Hode."
"A few years later, the Viscountess, heartbroken, passed away in this illusory castle…"
"Lysa, once an innocent and optimistic little princess, has become what she is now."
"Hatred always forces people to grow up, doesn't it?"
Allen was taken aback. Before he could react, Sadia turned around and smiled at him: "I was just lamenting."
"Give Hode to me."
Hearing this, Allen carefully transferred the old man, whom he had been supporting, over to Sadia.
"Hode used to be a powerful knight, able to eat an entire cow in one sitting. Now, after just a few years, there's barely anything left of him."
As she took the old man, Sadia spoke with a sorrowful tone.
Moments earlier, Sadia had been calmly dismissing her daughter's concerns. Now, she resembled a human wife, reminiscing about the past and occasionally grumbling about her husband. It left Allen unsure which was her true self—the aloof elf who had abandoned her family, or the devoted old woman holding onto her memories.
Which one was her true face?
"I've already prepared everything here. You can ask Enid to open the portal now,"
Sadia said.
Allen was just about to turn around to call Francesca over, but suddenly sensed something was off.
Huh?
Asking Enid to open the portal?
An elven mage who could create such a vast illusion and even communicate telepathically with him, yet couldn't open a portal?
The Witcher even began to suspect that Sadia was also an Aen Saevherne. Allen stared blankly at Sadia for a moment.
"Yes, I can no longer use portals."
Sadia seemed to have read the confusion in Allen's mind.
Can't use them?
While asking the equally puzzled Francesca to open the portal, Allen curiously asked, "Is it because of the sorcerers from Ban Ard? Did they seal your magical abilities?"
"Boom~"
An orange portal appeared in front of the fountain.
Without even asking where the portal led, Sadia helped the elderly man towards it.
Just before entering the portal, she turned around, as if she had just heard Allen's question, and smiled with a charming yet meaningful expression:
"No, it wasn't the sorcerers from Ban Ard."
"It was a sorceress. One you also know."
A sorceress I know…
Allen froze for a moment, glancing at the still-bewildered Francesca, and then he realized the sorceress Sadia was referring to was none other than his alchemy and ritual teacher—Vera.
"You…"
Allen was just about to ask further when Sadia winked at him and entered the portal with a few children.
"Should I go over and bring Mother Asha... I mean, Asha, back?"
Francesca asked as she stood before the portal.
Allen thought for a moment, then shook his head. This was Sadia's domain, and if she had truly harbored ill intentions toward him, she would have acted long ago.
"Once we leave here, I'll ask her personally. Thank you, Francesca."
Francesca blushed slightly at his words. She shook her head and said,"No need to thank me. I've been troubling you along the way. If it weren't for—"
She paused.
She saw Allen shake his head firmly at her.
"Through all the trials we've faced, we're friends now, aren't we? There's no trouble between friends."
Shared hardships?
What a strange phrase, Francesca thought.
But hearing Allen's words eased much of the disappointment and sorrow from not finding her mother once again.
"Enid an Gleanna," Francesca said softly, taking a deep breath. "My friends call me by that name..."
Allen was stunned for two seconds, then pretended to be hearing the name for the first time and said seriously,
"Daisy of the Valleys… A very beautiful name."
"I'll remember it, Enid."
Seeing the blush on Francesca's face, Allen hesitated for a moment, then finally added: "Enid, sometimes what we truly seek might just be right beside us."
"What does that mean? A prophecy?" Francesca asked curiously.
Allen smiled and shook his head without explaining.
"So, does this mean witchers can prophecy now too?"
Francesca, thinking Allen was trying to comfort her, felt warmth in her heart and smiled, a rare expression for her. Her bright blue eyes shimmered, as if they held the clearest lake in the world.
Allen found himself momentarily entranced by her gaze.
It wasn't until Francesca handed him two pieces of black cloth that he snapped out of it.
"What's this?" Allen asked curiously.
"Nightshade." Francesca said, her face flushed. "A set of magical items."
"I know you witchers have your little tricks, but an extra invisibility ability never hurts, right?"
"Plus, the mask and headscarf can conceal your appearance. You probably don't want the king's people to recognize you either…"
Taking the items, Allen instinctively cast an appraisal.
[Name: Night]
[Type: Magical Item]
[Function: Put on the mask, activate with a small amount of magic, and you can turn invisible at night or in dim, unlit places.]
[Note: It's only invisibility!]
--------------
[Name: Shade]
[Type: Magical Item]
[Function: Put on the headscarf, activate with a small amount of magic, and it can suppress sounds such as breathing, footsteps, and even your heartbeat.]
[Note: It only silences sound!]
As expected of the elven princess.
Invisibility combined with sound suppression—plain and simple functions, but it would meet the needs of any nighttime assassin.
If a witcher from the Cat School saw this treasure, they would stop at nothing to steal it.
But Allen already had a mirage pearl for invisibility at night.
As for sound suppression, his Cat School dual swordsmanship Lv5 allowed him to walk as silently as a wildcat stalking its prey.
Moreover…
He could still smell the faint scent of chamomile and cedar wood, and looking at the blush on Francesca's face, it was clear that the mask and headscarf were items she had used before.
Wearing someone else's intimate items was… well, a bit creepy.
So after some thought, Allen decided to refuse.
He said, "Eni…"
"And besides, 'Nightshade' consumes very little magic…"
Francesca interrupted him.
Witcher's ears perked up slightly.
"…Even for a witcher, it can be used continuously for at least fifteen minutes…"
What?
Fifteen minutes!!
The simplest mirage pearl only lasted three minutes at most!
Five times the duration! Five times!
The witcher swallowed and discreetly tightened his grip on the cool fabric in his hand.
"Allen, did you just say something?"
"Nothing, I was just thanking you."
Allen, with the most sincere smile, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Francesca. Seeing Allen accept the gift made Francesca very happy, but noticing how tightly the witcher was holding the "Nightshade," her cheeks grew even hotter, almost burning.
It made her look even cuter.
She lowered her head, staring at her toes.
"At this point, if I stayed behind to help you, I'd only be causing more trouble, just like three days ago, rather than being of any help."
"So, this is all I can do for you."
After finishing her sentence, Francesca raised her head and gazed quietly at Allen for two seconds before heading towards the portal.
"Allen, use your witcher tricks to survive. I'll be waiting for you at Mother Asha's."
Just before stepping into the portal, "Daisy of the Valleys" looked back at Allen one last time. Allen nodded firmly.
"Don't worry, Enid."
"I'll find you soon. After all, you elves still owe me a reward."
"We're not elves. We're Aen Seidhe."
Francesca smiled and corrected him, then stepped into the portal.
"Boom~"
The portal vanished.
In the vast illusionary castle, only Allen remained.
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
180. As You Wish.
181. The Unbreakable Shield.
182. Vera is Here.
183. The Strange Male Sorcerer.
184. Kreve or Melitele?