Afternoon.
Somewhere in the unknown wilderness of Aedirn. Three people—two men and one woman—rode their horses side by side on a wide road. There were many farmers and merchant caravans coming and going on both sides, making the road lively and bustling.
"Master Vesemir, isn't our destination Ellander?" Mary looked up at the direction of the sun. "Why are we still heading south?"
Ellander was a vassal state of Temeria, naturally located to the west of Aedirn.
When they left the Lomark Mountains where Vergen was located, heading south through the mountain paths made sense.
But now they were on flat plains. Why were they still heading south?
"To get to Ellander faster and more conveniently."
Seeing that Mary had always been with Lady Vera and hadn't traveled much, Vesemir continued explaining: "Unlike you sorcerers who can use portals and other magic..."
"For ordinary people, we can only travel where there are roads."
"You think that just because this is an open plain, you can ride your horse straight to Ellander, don't you?"
"Isn't that the case?" Mary tugged at the reins, her large, bright eyes looking at Vesemir.
"Hahaha, of course not," Vesemir laughed heartily.
"Aedirn is vast. If you wander around without a road sign, how will you know where you are?"
"Even if you figure that out, what about the road conditions? What about bandits and monsters?"
"Although this is no longer the age of rampant monsters, who knows how many demons and creatures are lurking in the remote mountains and forests?"
Hearing this, Mary suddenly felt that the once peaceful and endless grasslands to her right now seemed ominous. It felt like a dragon or a cyclops was hiding behind the hill not far away. Instinctively, she withdrew her gaze, shrank her neck, and changed the topic: "So, where are we going?"
Seeing Mary's timid demeanor, Vesemir smiled slightly and said: "We're heading to Vengerberg, the capital of Aedirn first. Then we'll find a merchant caravan heading to Temeria and travel with them."
"Not only can we earn some money, but the journey will be more comfortable."
In truth, this route was a bit of a detour.
But it was unavoidable.
If Vesemir had known that Radek and Bogdan would leave the group halfway, he wouldn't have chosen the route through Vergen. They could've crossed the Pontar River from Ban Gleann, passed through Hagge's fortress, and arrived at Ellander after passing through Flotsam.
As for Allen's Witcher master armor, they didn't need to come personally.
Before leaving Kaer Morhen, Allen had already been measured for the armor, and the other materials could be delivered by other Witchers along the way. However, since they passed through Vergen and Vesemir had to escort Tomas Moreau and Makarov back, he decided to bring the materials and deposit with him. Of course, after leaving Vergen, they could have headed directly for Ellander.
Although the route was mostly desolate wilderness, it wasn't as dangerous as Vesemir made it sound. Moreover, even if it was dangerous, with just the two of them, they could easily travel safely.
But.
In addition to himself and Allen, they had Mary with them.
Enduring the harsh wilderness without rest was something the two men could tolerate, but they couldn't let a young woman suffer the same. Besides, there was no need to rush.
As long as Allen didn't use a portal, his curse wouldn't be a problem, and it wouldn't affect his daily life. The danger facing the School of the Wolf had also changed after the king's death, so a few extra days wouldn't make a difference.
He didn't want to mess up any potential connections by rushing. That would be a great loss.
Vesemir glanced at the naive, timid Mary and then at his apprentice, who was holding the reins and lost in thought.
"For Allen's future, I've really been worrying too much."
Vesemir smiled slightly.
Sorceresses were great!
Especially childhood friend sorceresses.
Just look at Lady Vera and the Chief.
Though they had their ups and downs, when the School of the Wolf was in trouble, didn't she come right away?
She even took on a Witcher as an alchemy apprentice.
Claiming there was nothing between her and the Chief? Who would believe that?
As for Mary…
So young, yet already a qualified sorceress. Such talent in a sorcerer was comparable to Allen among Witchers. Given time, she would become another "Crimson Fox." And the key thing was, Mary was very obedient and seemed to listen to Allen…
Allen also seemed to have a lot of affection for her…
Vesemir recalled the scene a few days ago when Mary leaned on Allen's shoulder after they exited the portal. Vesemir's eyes narrowed with a smile.
Just as Vesemir was imagining how Allen and Mary might fight and then reconcile once they realized their feelings…
"Neighhh~"
A series of horse whinnies interrupted Vesemir's thoughts.
"What's wrong?"
Mary nervously tightened the reins.
The horse beneath her, which had originally belonged to Bogdan, suddenly became startled for no apparent reason. It began to toss its head, agitated, and its hooves scraped the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Having not ridden much and being unskilled, Mary didn't expect this, and in a moment of distraction, she was thrown from the saddle.
"Ah!"
She let out an instinctive scream, closing her eyes tightly in fear. Just as her heart sank, she suddenly felt someone grab the back of her collar, lifting her as if she were floating.
When she opened her eyes again, all she saw was the broad, reliable back of a young Witcher.
"Didn't Lady Vera teach you?"
"The more dangerous the situation, the more you need to keep your eyes wide open!"
Allen scolded sternly while using his magic to calm the agitated horse with an Axii sign. With Mary's abilities, she had many ways to deal with a runaway horse. But she had chosen the worst option.
Doing nothing!
"I'm sorry!"
Mary felt a bit wronged. Lady Vera really hadn't taught her about these things. In fact, Lady Vera hadn't really taught her much at all…
She mostly let Mary read books on her own. But it was her own fault, and Allen's words came from concern. So she didn't argue and apologized instead. Allen realized his tone might have been too harsh but could only nod and say: "Uh… it's fine, just be careful next time!"
He then focused on calming the surrounding horses.
Amid the noisy confusion of people and horses, Allen grabbed Mary's reins, preventing her horse from being affected by the chaos, and turned to shout: "Master Vesemir, what's happening?"
"There's a monster!" Vesemir had his hand on his silver sword, his eyes scanning the grassy fields on either side of the road with vigilance.
"And it's a big one!"
"Be careful, Allen, make sure to protect Mary!"
"Don't worry."
Allen's blue eyes narrowed as he gripped his sword, Elsa, searching for the source of the danger. A fierce wind suddenly picked up, flattening the tall grass on either side of the road.
---------------
A powerful magical aura of favor descended instantly.
Without needing to sense it carefully, Allen knew that the creature lurking in the shadows was definitely a large magical beast. And it was much stronger than the Drowner King and bog nymph.
But with such a strong aura, the creature's body must be massive. Why hadn't they seen it yet?
Allen grew even more cautious. The magic in his body surged as his left thumb and index finger curled slightly, tracing a triangle in the air before him.
Quen Sign.
A semi-transparent golden sphere of protection instantly enveloped Allen and Mary.
Just then—
"Look at the sky!"
"What's that flying up there?"
"Ah, a monster! A monster!"
-----------------
Merchants, travelers, and farmers on the road began shouting in panic. Hearing the cries, Allen, who was searching for signs of the creature, jerked his head up. In the clear blue sky, a dark cloud, silhouetted by the sun, was quickly approaching from the distance.
No.
Something that "floats" this fast definitely isn't a cloud. Allen squinted into the distance, his blue pupils contracting instantly.
He saw it clearly!
The hooked beak of an eagle, the sharp claws of a lion...
And those massive wings that blotted out the sun...
It was a 'griffin'!
And judging by the sparse feathers and nearly fiery-red flesh...
This was no ordinary griffin!
"Watch out, Allen, it's a 'Royal Griffin'!" Vesemir shouted in warning.
"Screech—"
The creature's savage screech echoed, and except for the three horses calmed by Axii Signs, the other horses and livestock on the road fell into a frenzy of terror.
Screams, cries, and panicked neighs filled the air...
It was as if the entire road had suddenly plunged into an apocalypse.
Fortunately.
The Royal Griffin, with its sky-darkening wings, did not descend to attack. Instead, it soared past overhead, directly over the witchers. The immense pressure it emitted brought with it a gale so powerful it felt suffocating.
Long after it had passed, the Royal Griffin had flown far into the distance, and the overwhelming pressure gradually dissipated. The sky was once again clear as if nothing had ever happened. But the scattered remains of wagons, the debris on the road, and the moaning crowd...
All served as evidence of the passage of a top-tier large magical beast, second only to a dragon, through this place. Such a powerful creature, even just passing through, could cause immense damage to humans.
"Aren't Royal Griffins usually only found deep in the mountains? Why is it here?" Mary asked, her curiosity piqued.
Perhaps it was her constitution as a sorceress, but the pressure of the Royal Griffin's passing had affected her less than the shaking of her horse moments earlier.
As soon as the monster left, she voiced her question. Vesemir's expression was grave as he looked in the direction the Royal Griffin had flown, shaking his head.
Mary was right.
They were very close to Vengerberg now, and they would reach the capital of Aedirn before nightfall. This wasn't decades ago. Even ordinary griffins rarely appeared near human cities these days.
And Royal Griffins? You'd have to go deep into the mountains to find any trace of them. It was almost impossible for one to appear here without a reason.
"I... I'm not sure. Maybe its mate was killed?" Vesemir suggested.
"Griffins have only one mate for life. I've encountered griffins attacking cities and humans before, and it's usually because of this that they leave their mountain homes..."
Vesemir forced a smile at Mary.
The witcher's sense of duty made him want to charge off immediately, but with Allen and Mary at his side, he hesitated about whether to take the risk. Allen wasn't as bound by professional ethics as Vesemir. But he too wanted to chase after it.
It had been half a month since he'd killed any large magical creatures of significant value, and to be honest, his hands were itching for it. And a creature like the Royal Griffin, a large magical beast, was not something you encountered every day, even if you searched high and low.
If he missed this chance, who knew when the next opportunity would arise?
How much would the essence from a Royal Griffin's heart increase his attributes?
What kind of treasures or blueprints would a Royal Griffin's chest yield?
These two questions gnawed at his heart like a small cat scratching.
But...
Allen turned his head to look at Mary.
He had never killed a Royal Griffin before, so he wasn't sure if two master witchers could keep Mary safe. And besides...
Francesca had taught him a hard lesson!
"Why are you two looking at me like that?"
Mary's keen instincts as a sorceress made her feel the gazes of the two witchers.
"Nothing," Vesemir and Allen replied in unison, then looked at each other in silent understanding.
Mary furrowed her brows slightly, sensing something was off. She rarely left Vera's side, but ever since leaving Aretuza, she hadn't stopped trying to understand the minds of humans.
After a moment of thought, she understood.
"Don't worry about me. I'm a qualified sorceress now; I can protect myself!" she declared.
As if to prove her point, Mary's lips moved slightly.
Two seconds later, a blue magical shield formed around her.
Vesemir and Allen sensed that the shield's defense was strong—it could probably take three hits from the Royal Griffin. And this kind of shield shouldn't have been something a sorceress at Mary's level could cast.
Noticing their surprised expressions, Mary pulled out a sapphire necklace from her chest, proudly saying: "I'm Vera's apprentice, after all. Instead of worrying about my safety, you should hurry up and stop that Royal Griffin from harming others..."
"And besides..." Mary's lips moved again, and after the sapphire necklace flashed twice, both Vesemir and Allen found themselves covered in the same magical shield.
But she wasn't done yet.
As mysterious incantations continued to spill from Mary's mouth, the two witchers were enveloped in one magical glow after another.
Strength surged through their muscles, their steps became lighter, their minds sharpened...
Every rustle of grass around them stood out in their heightened senses...
When Mary finally stopped her incantations, her face glowing with energy, Allen felt at least twice as strong. He looked at Mary in amazement. After casting so much magic, her mental power seemed far from depleted.
"And I'm not the kind of sorceress who can't even defend herself and just drags others down!" Mary declared with a smirk.
This... was this the future teacher of Aretuza, one of the founders of the Lodge of Sorceresses, the legendary sorceress Margarita Laux-Antille?
Love it. Love it.
Allen's fighting spirit ignited. Vesemir felt the same. Under Mary's triumphant gaze, they exchanged glances, finding no reason to refuse her joining them.
"Ah!"
Mary suddenly let out a startled yelp as she was effortlessly lifted and placed back on her red mare. Allen urgently pulled on the reins.
"Then let's not waste any more time..."
"Let's hurry over there and slay that beast!"
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
224. The Staff Belongs to Allen.
225. Want to Enter Stage Two? Have You Asked Me First?
226. Vesemir Doesn't Understand, but He's Greatly Shocked.
227. What is a Killer Whale?
228. The Scent of Conspiracy and Love.