บท 152: 153. What is a Genius Witcher?
"Master Vesemir, all these Wraiths are carrying lanterns, but their weapons are different from one another."
"Do these differences have something to do with who they were when they were alive? For example, the one with the longsword might have been a knight, while the one with the scythe could have been a farmer?"
Allen gathered the remaining Residue of resentment left behind by the Wraiths into an empty glass bottle and asked curiously.
In the game, Wraiths all used a longsword. But in reality, the Wraiths' weapons were quite varied. Longswords, scythes, whips, axes, and even brushes used for grooming horses. There were also those who had no weapons and attacked with their bare hands.
This was clearly influenced by some factor, and the most likely explanation was their professions when they were alive.
"Yes, your guess is correct."
"The Wraiths' weapons indeed come from the occupations the deceased held during their lives."
"A priest once said that if someone dies suddenly and still has unfinished important business in this world, they may turn into a Wraith."
Vesemir explained casually. He was also nearby, carefully collecting every last bit of the Residue of resentment. Although he had never seen this type of magical material before, the ominous feeling it gave off, as sensed by the Witcher's enhanced senses, indicated that it had some special properties.
The most important thing was not to leave any behind for ordinary people to find, as it could easily cause unknown disasters. Kaedwen was never short of tragedies where ignorant peasants, having picked up some mysterious material left behind by a sorcerer, caused the death of their entire families.
"However, I don't quite believe that statement. My past experiences with Wraiths tell me..."
"They were all poor souls who died in anger and pain. Without such extreme emotions before death, they couldn't have turned into Wraiths..."
Allen noticed that Vesemir's tone was a bit downcast, and his movements in collecting the Residue of resentment slowed slightly.
Is he thinking about a friend's past experience again?
Allen observed this scene, thought for a moment, and carefully asked: "So... these people probably didn't die naturally, right?"
"Could it really be as that nobleman said, that these people all died while summoning evil spirits?"
"We can't be sure yet," Vesemir shook his head. "Once we're done gathering the Wraith remnants, let's search the area for clues. Wraiths generally don't stray far from their bodies."
Allen nodded, gathered up the Residue of resentment at hand, reported to Vesemir, and then walked over to the spot where Vesemir had led three Wraiths into a corner, leaving behind more Residue of resentment.
He opened the Witcher's journal with his thoughts.
[Ding! Your skill: Yrden Sign LV1 has been upgraded to Yrden Sign LV3 (0/2500)]
Judging by Vesemir's demeanor, they would need to search the castle further. They had already encountered six Wraiths just after entering, so there were bound to be more as they went deeper into the castle. Naturally, Allen had to seize the opportunity to improve his skills that were effective against Wraiths.
After the skill upgrade, a large amount of knowledge about using the Yrden Sign flowed into his mind. The magic trap, which originally lasted only thirteen seconds, now had its duration increased to twenty-three seconds after the upgrade.
Additionally, Allen could now cast the Yrden Sign one more time in succession. This greatly improved his margin for error when facing Wraiths. After upgrading his skills, he turned his thoughts to the inventory.
Just like during the Trial of the Grasses and when hunting the small Foglets, he might encounter unknown dangers ahead, so it was best to use whatever he had gained right away. Better to use it now than to regret it later in a dangerous situation.
[Ding! Do you want to use the Wraith's Purification Essence?]
As soon as he clicked with his thoughts, a cool sensation appeared in his mind, then suddenly disappeared.
Hmm?
So quickly?
He checked his attributes, but there was no change.
Allen decided to use the remaining five Purification Essence all at once. Suddenly, he felt as if he had just consumed a large amount of ice cream, with a cold sensation surging into his brainstem, and then it quickly merged into the countless grooves in his brain.
In an instant, His vision became clearer, and the dust in the air and the sounds of insects and birds around him became much sharper.
[Attributes: Strength 32, Agility 31, Constitution 31, Perception 21 (+3), Mystery 41]
Perception?
Wraiths' Purification Essence increase Perception, not Mystery?
Allen scratched his head. He had thought that this spiritual entity would increase Mystery. But Perception was good too; it had always been his weak point.
With improved Perception, not only would his ability to detect danger increase, but the Witcher's various sensory abilities would also be enhanced.
"Allen! Are you done over there?"
"Almost, Master Vesemir. You go ahead and search the area for any bodies left behind by the victims!"
Seeing that Vesemir had already finished his task and only his own work remained, Allen quickly grasped the Melitele amulet hanging from his chest.
"Melitele, bless me! Melitele, bless me!"
After silently praying several times, he shifted his focus.
[Ding! Wraith's Treasure Chest *4 opened]
Three flashes of white light later, a dazzling golden light burst forth.
The goddess finally answered his prayers!
Allen's blood surged with excitement.
It had been many days since he had last opened a golden chest.
After the golden light faded, a drop of blue liquid, shimmering with spiritual energy, fell from the sky and turned into a piece of parchment.
[Acquired: Experience Beads *3, Recipe for "Specter Oil"]
At the moment he saw the name of the golden-quality recipe, Allen was overjoyed. During the fight with the Wraiths earlier, he had been wondering when he would finally get the recipe for this oil specifically designed to counter Specters.
And now, just four treasure chests later, here it was.
He opened the recipe details.
[Name: Specter Oil]
[Type: Sword Oil Recipe]
[Crafting Requirements: Alchemy LV1]
[Ingredients: Bear Fat 1, Arenaria 4]
[Function: When applied to a weapon, it increases damage to Specters]
[Note: One portion of Bear Fat + Four portions of Arenaria = 0.5 Mark Silver = 50 Orens. Is it worth it?]
When his gaze moved to the note, Allen couldn't help but smile. Hunting Wraiths relied on the violent reaction between pure silver and spiritual entities, so naturally, there would be wear and tear.
On the way to the castle ruins, Vesemir had already emphasized this to him. Usually, after killing a Wraith, the pure silver coating on an ordinary silver sword would be noticeably worn, and after three Wraiths, it would need to be re-plated by a qualified blacksmith.
Otherwise, it would not only reduce the Witcher's ability to damage Wraiths, but it could also lead to the silver sword's structure being compromised. If not attended to, it could even break during battle, directly endangering the user's life. Therefore, unless dealing with nobles or wealthy merchants, Witchers generally didn't like to take on these kinds of contracts.
Not only might the payment not cover the costs, but if the information was wrong, it could also be life-threatening.
After all, Wraiths are fast-moving, can blink in and out of sight, and if you're not strong enough, you won't even have a chance to run. But with Specter Oil, it was a different story. Bear Fat might be a bit expensive, but one portion wouldn't cost more than one Oren.
Arenaria was a common herb used to clear heat and improve vision, as well as to detoxify and suppress coughs, and many herbalists in Kaedwen cultivated it. One Oren could probably buy a large bunch.
A single bottle of Specter Oil, if used sparingly, could oil a blade three times. Although Allen hadn't tried it yet, each application should be able to kill at least one Wraith.
As Allen calculated in his mind, he couldn't help but smile.
"The strength of the Wolf School Witchers has improved again!"
Afterward, Allen placed the last few remnants of the Wraiths into a glass bottle and then walked towards Vesemir. The Witcher master was crouched beside a charred ruin, his brows furrowed deeply. Vesemir's unusual demeanor piqued Allen's curiosity, and he asked:
"What's wrong, Master Vesemir? Did you discover something unusual?"
Hearing Allen's voice, Vesemir stood up but didn't immediately answer his question. Instead, he asked: "Have you gathered all the Wraith remnants? These ominous things must not be left behind."
Allen nodded slightly and said: "Rest assured, Master Vesemir, I've collected everything and checked it over again. There won't be any issues."
Vesemir nodded and said: "When we return to Kaer Morhen, take these magical materials you've collected to Lady Vera in the alchemy lab."
"She is the top alchemist in the Northern Kingdoms and will surely recognize these materials."
Allen had his doubts about this, as these were remnants left behind by a bestiary record. However, he didn't voice his skepticism and merely nodded in agreement to gloss over the matter.
After discussing the collection of the strange Wraith materials, Vesemir pointed to the ground. Charred stones and wood were partially hidden by overgrown weeds, with hints of a pale white color faintly visible amidst the black and green.
"Six skulls... the six Wraiths we just encountered should all be here," Vesemir said.
Allen crouched down and parted the knee-high weeds, revealing the pale white human bones scattered chaotically within.
Some of the bones were entwined with brown and white roots from the plants, likely unearthed by Vesemir from the soil moments ago.
As Allen observed the scene, he instinctively felt that something was amiss. However, in his past life, he was just an office worker, and in this life, a newly graduated Witcher. He wasn't particularly knowledgeable about crime scenes or the distribution of human skeletons, so after a few minutes of looking, he couldn't discern anything unusual. So, he raised his head to look at Vesemir, who had his arms crossed.
The Witcher master noticed the confusion in Allen's eyes and didn't keep him guessing.
"These bones were deliberately gathered here."
"The Wraith with the longsword could only have been a knight; it's unlikely they would have died in the same place as the castle's gardener or servant."
"Moreover, there are no black scorch marks on their bones, which means they didn't die in the fire..."
As he spoke, Vesemir also crouched down, pointing at the pale bones on the ground.
"Although they didn't die in the fire, after inspecting these bones, I found no obvious cuts or fractures on them."
"This suggests that these six people likely died without sustaining any injuries."
Vesemir spoke slowly, and Allen knew that Vesemir was passing on his experience to him, so he listened very carefully.
"So, what does this indicate?"
"Did they die from suffocation due to the smoke from the fire? Or was it really due to the summoning of evil spirits?"
After hearing Vesemir's analysis, Allen thought for a moment before asking.
Vesemir shook his head and said: "The cause of death wouldn't be smoke inhalation."
"The passageways from here to the castle gate are all clear."
"Evil spirit summoning is indeed a possibility, but there are many other spells that can also cause death without leaving marks on the bones."
"So, you're suspecting a sorcerer?" Allen asked.
"I'm indeed suspicious of them, at least of the evil spirits. They would only kill humans and wouldn't bother to dump them in a corner."
"The sorcerer who came to investigate afterward wouldn't have a reason to do this either, and they certainly wouldn't go to such trouble."
"Otherwise, this castle would have been cleaned up long ago."
Vesemir nodded slightly, then sighed and said: "The main thing is... I trust Viscount Hudson's character."
"A man as selfless, generous, optimistic, and cheerful as him couldn't have become an evil spirit summoner in just a few years."
Allen was suddenly at a loss for words. He didn't know what kind of person Hudson was. But compared to sorcerers, who already had a terrible reputation, he preferred to believe in the nobleman he had never met. At least Vesemir vouched for him.
"These are all the clues we can gather here."
"Let's explore the castle. We'll return later to take care of these remains and find them a resting place."
Vesemir stood up, dusting off his pants, and was about to lead the way deeper into the castle.
"Wait, Master Vesemir, I suddenly thought of a sword oil recipe that might be very effective against Wraiths."
"Let's go back and prepare a few bottles of sword oil before we proceed."
Allen called out to the Witcher master.
It was one thing not to have drawn the Specter Oil recipe, but since he had it now, and it was clear that they would encounter more Wraiths, it made sense to prepare everything they could.
After all, Vesemir had already accepted his identity as an alchemical genius, and Vesemir was very reliable, so there was no need to hide anything.
"A sword oil recipe? You just thought of it?" Vesemir turned to look at Allen, his face full of shock.
Alchemy recipes weren't usually discovered by chance but rather through experiments in the laboratories of sorcerers and alchemists.
Who comes up with them just by killing a few monsters?
Wait a minute!
"Did you get those previous recipes in the same way?" Vesemir asked in disbelief, raising his voice.
Allen hesitated for a moment, then gave the excuse he had long prepared: "More or less... Master Vesemir, you know that my Witcher's Eyes have some special effects."
"Originally, I could only see the flow of magic inside monsters..."
"But after studying alchemy with Lady Vera, occasionally, when I kill a monster, I get a sudden flash of inspiration..."
"I suddenly know how to use those monster materials, and I suddenly come up with recipes that can target those monsters..."
The logic seemed to hold up.
Combining the ability to see the flow of magic inside monsters with the knowledge of alchemy equals a genius Witcher alchemist who could use monster materials.
But... but... but this defies common sense!
Even as an outsider, Vesemir knew that every alchemical recipe required countless experiments to go from raw concept to maturity.
Who figures them out just by killing a monster?
And the results are that good!
This was truly unbelievable!
"Ah... ah..." Vesemir's mouth opened and closed, his eyes wide with shock, and his golden cat-like pupils shrank into slits.
He felt like Allen was joking with him, but the previous results were right before his eyes.
The glass bottles containing Killer Whale, Cat's Eye, and Necrophage Oil were hanging from Allen's waist, occasionally making a faint clinking sound.
They seemed to be whispering to him...
Genius is just like that, completely unreasonable.
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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154. Sol Henrietta.
155. The Witcher, the King, and the Little Wild Cat.
156. The Unexpected Guest.
157. The First Clash Between Cat and Wolf.
158. The Death of the Cat.
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