บท 188: 189. Witcher Master Allen.
Ard Gaeth's Gate?
Allen frowned. He seemed to have heard that name somewhere before.
"This is the reward for the commission."
"Witcher, are you satisfied?"
Ida Emean interrupted Allen's thoughts.
"I'm very satisfied." Allen nodded.
Since it could trigger the Witcher's Memoir, it was naturally useful to him. Besides, The goal of allying with the elves was also accomplished. This fragment of Ard Gaeth's Gate could even be considered an unexpected gain.
"Oh, right!"
"Honorable Aen Saevherne, do you know about Ard Gaeth's Gate?"
If you don't understand something, just ask!
With a knowledgeable elven sage right in front of him, Allen naturally wouldn't waste time trying to recall things on his own. Ida Emean was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. After a brief pause, she responded with a question: "Why are you asking this question?"
"Where did you hear the name Ard Gaeth' Gate?"
-----------
Seeing Ida Emean's gentle smile fade, her tone turning cautious, and her answering his question with another question, Allen realized something was off. She didn't know that this gem was a fragment of Ard Gaeth' Gate!
"What's wrong? Is there an issue with Ard Gaeth' Gate?"
He quietly clenched the gem in his hand, clearing his mind. Ida Emean, noticing Allen's reluctance to answer, looked at him deeply before lowering her head in thought. She seemed to be weighing whether or not to tell him the answer.
Just when Allen thought Ida Emean wasn't going to answer and was preparing to change the topic to avoid any awkwardness, he suddenly heard: "Ard Gaeth' Gate... the Grand Gate..."
Francesca's melodious voice, like a clear spring in a secluded valley, drew everyone's attention.
"It's said that when Aen Seidhe hadn't yet parted ways with his brother and was still known as Aen Undod, we once possessed this gate..."
"Through this gate, the once-great Aen Undod clan traveled across time and space, spreading across various realms..."
"So, Ard Gaeth' Gate was also called the Gate of Worlds."
"Though, I don't understand why a fixed and immovable gate could be lost..."
"However, Ard Gaeth' Gate did indeed vanish later."
"At the same time, the Aen Undod clan gradually lost their ability to traverse time and space..."
At this moment, Allen also recalled.
In the original story, Ard Gaeth' Gate was indeed mentioned several times. No wonder it seemed familiar to him.
In fact, to some extent, The Elder Blood was created by the elves in their attempt to find Ard Gaeth' Gate or to make up for its loss.
"And then Aen Undod was forced to split, forming the Aen Elle and Aen Sidhe..."
"Of course, I've always thought that the gate was just a myth, though..."
Francesca winked her bright blue eyes at Allen: "It's recorded in the history books of the elven race."
"Enid, it's not a myth. This is the true history of the Aen Undod clan." Ida Emean's resigned voice sounded.
"But even the oldest in our clan have never seen the white ships of the Aen Undod crossing time and space to arrive in this world, let alone that mysterious gate." Francesca countered.
Ida Emean shook her head, no longer debating with Francesca.
"Although it's somewhat flawed, Enid's explanation is mostly accurate."
"The history of Ard Gaeth' Gate is indeed like that."
"But..."
Ida Emean turned to the Witcher:"Ard Gaeth' Gate is supposed to be a secret to outsiders."
"No one outside the Aen Elle should know about it," Ida Emean cast a sidelong glance at Francesca, "nor should any Aen Elle speak of it."
Francesca playfully stuck out her tongue. Meanwhile, Allen, under Ida Emean's steady gaze, fell silent. There was no way he could reveal that the fragment of Ard Gaeth' Gate had just been handed to him as a reward by an Aen Saevherne.
In front of a sorceress capable of reading minds, making excuses was pointless; it was better to simply refuse to answer.
"Forget it."
Ida Emean sighed.
"Given the current state of the Aen Elle, it's just a piece of history. There's no point in clinging to it."
"Boom~"
An orange portal appeared in front of the small cabin.
"Asha, do you have anything else to say to the Witcher?"
Ida Emean looked at Sadia. Sadia nodded slightly and glanced back at the wooden cabin.
At this moment, Allen finally noticed that the half-elven children, for some reason, had stayed inside the cabin and hadn't come out.
"They're all asleep," Sadia's gaze lingered on the dark window. "I've already told Lysa everything, so you need not worry."
Sadia withdrew her gaze and looked at Allen: "Allen, I won't forget my promise, so..."
"I hope you can take good care of them for me."
Allen nodded solemnly: "Rest assured, Lady Vera is near Ban Ard. Tomorrow, I'll ask her to... take all the children back to Kaer Morhen."
Sadia nodded. She took one last look at the cabin and at Hod's grave before walking towards the portal. As she passed Francesca, she paused for a moment and politely bid farewell with Asha's face and tone. Then, without hesitation, she stepped into the portal.
"Enid, are you coming back with us?"
"Your father is very worried about you."
Ida Emean looked at Francesca.
"No," Francesca shook her head, "I plan to settle things with that lying prophet first, then continue searching for my mother."
Upon hearing this, both Ida Emean and Allen instinctively looked at the portal.
"What's wrong?" Francesca, ever-sensitive, noticed their odd behavior.
"Nothing."
Allen instinctively replied. Ida Emean, on the other hand, affectionately patted Francesca's head, diverting her attention: "Then I'll leave first. Be careful in the human world!"
"And when you find that 'liar,' come back and visit. Perhaps Sadia will have returned by then."
"Is that your prophecy?" Francesca asked.
Ida Emean smiled and nodded. Without further explanation, she walked into the portal.
"Boom~"
The portal disappeared. Only Allen and Francesca remained in front of the small cabin. After a few seconds of inexplicable silence, Francesca suddenly spoke: "Now that things are settled here, I'll be leaving as well."
Thinking about how Francesca had just narrowly missed her mother and was now going to continue her search in the dangerous human world, Allen couldn't help but hint again: "Um... You could go back and check. Didn't Ida Emean say your mother..."
"Grandma Asha is Sadia, isn't she?" Francesca suddenly said.
"Huh?" The Witcher opened his mouth in surprise: "You figured it out?"
"Sometimes, what we're truly looking for might just be right beside us."
"Allen, isn't that what you told me?"
"Although I did many foolish things in the underground cave, I'm not so foolish that I couldn't understand such a simple hint."
Francesca sighed wistfully, her gaze falling on the cabin. Inside slept six half-elf children, her half-siblings from the same mother.
"Then why didn't you...?"
Allen instinctively asked the question gnawing at his mind, but cut himself off, realizing it was inappropriate.
"I don't know either."
Francesca clearly understood what he meant. Her azure eyes reflected deep confusion.
"I don't know why I didn't just reveal myself to her..."
"Maybe because I didn't know how to face a mother who fell in love with a human and bore his child..."
"Or perhaps I'm just afraid... afraid that after we acknowledge each other, she'll abandon me again?"
Allen fell silent. Having grown up without parents, he had never experienced anything like this. He didn't know what to say to comfort Francesca in that moment. So, instead of comforting her, he awkwardly changed the subject: "What do you plan to do next?"
"Go home," Francesca said, regaining her composure. "I'll just make sure to return a little later than Ida and the others."
After speaking, Francesca cast one more glance at the cabin, then quietly began chanting a spell.
Voom~
An orange portal appeared.
"Goodbye, Allen!"
After saying her farewell, Francesca started walking towards the portal.
"Enid, wait!"
Allen suddenly called out to her.
"What is it?"
Francesca turned around. Allen pulled out Nightshade from his leather armor and handed it to her: "Thanks for these tools. They were really useful and helped me a lot!"
Francesca's cheeks flushed slightly. But she didn't take back Nightshade.
"They're yours now. Consider them as compensation for the amulet I broke because of my recklessness."
"Besides, I'm going home and won't need them anymore."
Seeing that Francesca was serious, Allen didn't insist. The set of magical tools was indeed quite helpful to him.
"Alright then, I'll be off."
Seeing Allen accept Nightshade, Francesca smiled, revealing adorable dimples.
"It was nice meeting you, Allen!"
Allen held the soft Nightshade in his hand, feeling a faint sense of reluctance.
"The pleasure was mine, Enid!"
With a smile, Francesca turned around.
Voom~
The portal disappeared. Now, only Allen stood in front of the cabin.
--------------
At Hudson's Abandoned Mine.
Inside a tent.
"Sol didn't die!"
"And the elf is missing!"
Henselt coldly glanced around. Jenks, the deputy head of Ban Ard, looked grim but didn't respond to Henselt's accusations. However, with the fate stone meant for the headmaster missing, he had no energy to argue back.
Treyse, as usual, maintained his emotionless expression. But clearly, the leader of the Cat School, seeking the king's favor to preserve his school, didn't have the same disregard for authority as Jenks did.
After Henselt finished speaking, Treyse hesitated for two seconds before explaining: "There was no rock troll, and the sorceress was near Sol. We couldn't find..."
"I don't want to hear excuses," Henselt interrupted. "I only care that you didn't deliver on what you promised."
"Twice now!"
He raised two thick fingers: "Treyse! Your Cat School has failed twice already."
The leader of the Cat School remained silent. As someone who knew what had happened that day, Henselt understood that it wasn't really Treyse' fault. Still, It didn't stop him from using the failure to pressure Treyse.
It takes time to tame a wild cat and make it bow down willingly, doesn't it?
"And you, Jenks!"
Henselt's gaze fixed on the sorcerer in the ridiculous pointed hat.
"Your Ban Ard also failed to fulfill its promise. Is this how your headmaster, Hen Gedimmiddes, taught you to handle things?"
Hearing the name of Ban Ard's headmaster, Jenks' expression turned even darker. But he knew exactly what kind of man Henselt was. With a faint snort, he cast a sideways glance at the King of Kaedwen: "Just say it, Henselt. What do you want?"
The Kaedwen king didn't mind his tone: "Ten days from now is the apprentice tournament between the Wolf School and the Cat School."
"I've already invited Sol to watch..."
Jenks immediately interrupted: "Ban Ard will not risk its reputation by killing a grandmaster of the Wolf School…"
Jenks glanced disdainfully at Treyse, then continued: "After all, even if they're all mutated freaks…"
"The Wolf School is not like the notorious Cat School."
Treyse acted as though he hadn't heard Jenks' insults, continuing to stare blankly at the tent's ceiling.
"You don't need to take direct action," Henselt shook his head, glancing at Treyse. "All you need to do is cast a spell at the right moment to interfere with Sol."
Jenks followed Henselt's gaze and glanced at Treyse. Then he lowered his head, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
"Jenks, destroying the Wolf School isn't just for my benefit."
Henselt's tone turned cold. Hearing this, something seemed to click for Jenks, and despite his reluctance, he nodded. Seeing the typically arrogant sorcerer relent, Henselt smirked and turned to Treyse.
"You heard what I just said, right?"
"Treyse, do you have the confidence to kill Sol?"
Treyse knew that after two failures, he had no choice. But, The Wolf School didn't yet know the king's true intention behind the tournament was to assassinate their grandmaster. With such an advantage, it shouldn't be a problem. Thinking this, Treyse nodded, accepting the task of assassinating the grandmaster of the Wolf School.
From there, the three of them began discussing the details of the plot for the tournament day.
"Oh, by the way!"
"This time, the Wolf School's team includes more than just one Witcher Master."
Treyse suddenly recalled the name that the bounty hunter Guxart mentioned after failing to kill the Wolf School apprentice.
"Allen!"
"This time, in addition to Vesemir, another Witcher Master named Allen has come."
Henselt and Jenks frowned as the conspiracy was interrupted.
"Allen?"
"Are you sure that's the name?"
Hearing the king's question, Treyse hesitated for a moment: "It should be the right name."
Henselt furrowed his brow: "But among the grandmasters of the Wolf School…"
"There's no one named Allen."
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
For advance chapters: p@treon.com/Uchiha_Itachi007 (replace @ with a)
190. Spatial Skills.
191. Still Want to Participate in the Apprentice Duel Tournament?
192. Northern Wind! Northern Wind!
193. The Apprentice Tournament is Here!
194. Ban Ard Academy.
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