The Witcher: Wolf School's Hunting Notes

Thud, thud—

Footsteps stopped at the entrance to the sanctuary. After a moment, only one set continued into the statue chamber.

"Huh?"

Allen raised an eyebrow, surprised.

It wasn't the fact that the Duke and the sorceress had been stopped at the door—that was expected.

The sanctuary was the holiest part of the temple, the closest place to the goddess herself, not somewhere outsiders could enter on a whim.

What surprised Allen was the identity of the one who entered.

His witcher-enhanced senses—keen to recognize both pace and sound—told him it was Ianna. Logically, she was the one most likely to investigate the site of a miracle first.

But the force of the person's steps puzzled him. It didn't align with what one would expect from someone in their seventies or eighties.

"Could this be a divine spell?" Allen considered the possibility.

Thud, thud—

The footsteps stopped at the entrance to the statue chamber.

"Come out, Allen," Ianna's voice called.

Allen remained still, hidden in the shadow of the statue of Melitele.

"Still not coming out?" Ianna's tone turned playful. "In that case, I'll just have Vesemir confiscate all the talismans Lysa secretly handed out to you."

Allen's face darkened.

How does Ianna even know about the talismans Lysa smuggled to them?

Vesemir really couldn't be trusted with secrets.

Resigned, Allen deactivated the invisibility and sound-dampening effects of the Nightshade and stepped out of the shadows of Melitele's statue.

"How did you find me, Ianna..." Allen began, trying to change the subject with an awkward smile, only to freeze as he caught sight of her.

A young woman with golden hair and alabaster skin.

This was Archpriestess Ianna?

"Well?" Ianna asked with a mischievous wink. "Not too shabby, right? When I was younger, I wasn't any less attractive than Lysa or Mary."

Allen's face darkened further.

"Is this divine magic?" he asked, steering the conversation away from her appearance.

"So, you figured it out."

Ianna glanced briefly at the door before stepping closer to Allen. She murmured a prayer under her breath while sprinkling salt on the ground.

A glowing silver sphere, about two meters in radius, materialized around them, shielding their conversation from the outside world.

Allen stepped closer to her, understanding the need for secrecy.

"Time is short, so let's drop the jokes," Ianna said, her expression turning serious. "You communicated with the goddess?"

"Yes," Allen admitted.

"How?"

"Through a ritual."

"A ritual?" Ianna's brow furrowed. "What kind of ritual? I don't recall teaching you anything like that."

In truth, Ianna didn't even know rituals beyond daily prayers or dream-visions could yield divine communication. And for Melitele to bestow such powerful divine magic directly—this was unprecedented.

"After cleansing the temple of the cursed god's corruption, I saw the Goddess Melitele," Allen explained, gesturing to the traces of the ritual on the ground.

"The goddess gave it to me."

Ianna stood frozen for several seconds.

"Wait a moment... Melitele above, you met the Goddess Melitele?!"

Always composed, Ianna let out a sharp, uncharacteristic shriek.

Fortunately, her soundproof barrier prevented the sorceress and the Duke outside from hearing.

"Yes, I met her," Allen said, nodding cautiously and stepping back instinctively.

Not only had he met the goddess, but he had also stepped into the eternal golden fields of bountiful harvest, guarded by the maidens of Melitele's divine realm—a place every devout follower longed for as their final destination.

But seeing Ianna flushed with excitement, her emotions running high, Allen decided against sharing that detail to avoid overwhelming her further.

Ianna, despite her youthful appearance, was still an elder in truth.

"For someone as old as I am, with one foot already in Melitele's divine realm, to feel jealousy..." Ianna sighed, taking a deep breath to steady herself before scrutinizing Allen with a mixture of awe and envy.

"What unparalleled divine favor! Truly extraordinary!"

She herself had only encountered the goddess a handful of times in her life—none within the last twenty years.

But Allen...

Not only had he met Melitele, but he had also been cured of the cursed god's corruption and given a ritual to maintain direct contact with the goddess.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? It's been nearly two months!" Ianna suddenly exclaimed, hands on her hips as she glared at him.

Allen faltered.

After notifying Melitele, he had returned to Kaer Morhen the next day. The experience of "breaking into" Melitele's divine realm had been so overwhelming that, coupled with the immediate concerns of the Path of the Beast, the matter had simply slipped his mind.

Still, he had to admit he was in the wrong.

Before he could figure out how to respond, Ianna waved it off.

"Never mind. We have more pressing matters to address."

She gave him another stern look.

"Once we've driven out the cursed god, we'll settle this properly."

Turning serious again, she continued, "The goddess has bestowed me with immense divine power and the knowledge of certain spells, but nothing else... Did she mention anything about the cursed god?"

"No," Allen replied, shaking his head. "Exorcising the cursed god is up to us. Her power cannot extend beyond Melitele's temple."

"I see..." Ianna's expression grew somber. "Still, this is enough. At least we have hope now."

"How strong is the divine magic she gave you?" Allen asked cautiously.

"It's not overwhelmingly powerful," Ianna admitted. "For destructive magic, Tissaia is more than sufficient. What she gave me is balanced—it can enhance Mason's soldiers to three or four times their usual strength."

Allen nodded thoughtfully before asking, "And the talismans?"

"The goddess herself has spoken. As her servant, what else can I do?" Ianna said with a resigned shrug. "I won't question your plans. Just don't cause me unnecessary headaches."

"The arrangements for banishing the dark god, Vesemir already knows," Ianna said.

"If there's anything that needs to change, just let me know beforehand, and I'll cooperate with you."

Allen felt a surge of joy in his heart. Acting openly and aboveboard was certainly better than sneaking around. But to so casually agree to cooperate...

"Any kind of changes?" he asked curiously. "Even ones involving Aretuza?"

"Of course!" Ianna's youthful face displayed a gaze of supreme confidence. "As long as it's for banishing the dark god, whether it's the temple, the army, or Aretuza, whatever you want to adjust, I'll cooperate with you."

Oh-ho!

It seemed Ianna had truly gained much from the goddess's descent and blessings.

"Additionally," Ianna continued, "Vesemir only mentioned you were in the sanctum. Mason and Tissaia now believe you're staying behind to brew necrophage oil, so don't let them catch on."

"But that's fine. Witchers aren't suited to join ordinary groups anyway. When the time comes, you can adapt to the situation as needed."

Allen nodded but then realized something seemed off. "It wasn't Vesemir who told you. How do you know about the amulet?"

Ianna smiled mysteriously and gestured with her hand.

Allen followed her direction.

The three holy statues of the goddess bathed in serene moonlight appeared sacred and benevolent.

"Come on," she said, not giving Allen time to ponder further, "I'll take you to meet the others. They've probably been waiting anxiously. Tissaia de Vries has an excellent relationship with Vera, but..."

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" He stepped back, interrupting her.

"Trust me..." Ianna met his piercing feline blue eyes. "This will benefit you, Ellander, and the temple."

"And you?"

"Me?" Ianna smiled. "I 'am' the temple of Melitele."

With that, she grabbed Allen's hand and led him out of the sanctum.

Allen thought for a moment but didn't resist.

Just as Ianna's left foot stepped beyond the sacred soundproof barrier, she suddenly stopped.

Allen thought she might have changed her mind.

But Ianna only hesitated briefly before turning back to ask softly, "Is Her condition truly that dire?"

Allen remained silent for a second, staring into her face, young yet old beyond its years, and nodded firmly.

"I see..." Ianna sighed lightly.

......

In the end, Ianna revealed to the female sorceresses and the old duke that Allen had prayed to the goddess Melitele for help and received her response.

The temple priests and apprentices, who had long gathered around the sanctum, watched him with bright, eager eyes.

The old duke merely gave Allen a surprised glance, leaning on his cane and nodding slightly in acknowledgment.

The sorceresses, on the other hand, looked utterly astonished.

These women, whose ages were hard to discern but all possessed exquisite and enchanting features, cast a daring glance at Ianna before brazenly scrutinizing every inch of Allen's body, making him extremely uncomfortable.

They whispered among themselves, inquiring about Allen's identity and deeds, while expressing surprise that such a young Witcher was favored by a female guardian deity.

Tissaia de Vries, however, was much more polite than the first time they had met.

Not only did she no longer stare at Allen with her soul-piercing gaze, but after learning of his relationship with Vera and his achievements in alchemy—especially with regards to sword oil—she looked at him with a satisfied nod, as if regarding a nephew, and then used the name of the blood-red fox to silence the increasingly intrusive gossip of the sorceresses.

Allen didn't disagree with Ianna's decision.

By revealing this matter to the crowd, the old duke would undoubtedly spread the news of the knight of Ellander receiving further divine guidance from the goddess, and his favor would be shared once again with the soldiers preparing for battle.

His name was already well known in Ellander, and the army's morale would surely rise.

The temple's prestige would also be revived, for the news of Melitele's renewed attention to the mortal world would undo the diminishing reputation the goddess's temple had suffered in the northern continent.

As for Allen himself, it was even more beneficial.

Not only would he earn another wave of renown from Ellander, but he would also be recognized by a sorceress group that had previously only heard whispers about him, thanks to the slow communication in the Witcher world, and gain their considerable favor.

Especially the latter.

Allen had always had a connection with the sorceresses due to Vera, but now, with the added favor of Melitele, his favorability could easily skyrocket from 70 to even higher right off the bat.

This was a significant boon for the Wolf School, which had long been at odds with the Ban Ard faction.

Moreover, the sorceresses held many commissions—some of them quite generous.

But what was the cost?

Allen glanced at Ianna, who was dealing with the final matters of banishing the dark god.

Once this event was over, would people begin to wonder, to ask...

Once would be fine...

But why had the goddess Melitele granted such revelations and favor to a Witcher multiple times? Why was it not Ianna, who was considered the earthly representative of the goddess?

Was Ianna not as devoted as a Witcher?

Even beyond Ellander and the other northern countries, would the priests and apprentices in the temple begin to question this?

This was the reason Allen hid behind the statue and refused to come out.

He hadn't even realized that Ianna hadn't bothered to hide it at all before stepping out of the sanctum.

"Don't feel disheartened," Tissaia de Vries suddenly spoke, interrupting Allen's thoughts. "Witchers aren't suited for large-scale battles. Contributing by creating sword oil in the rear is still a valuable contribution."

Was she comforting me because she thought I was upset about not participating in the battle?

Allen glanced at Tissaia, confused.

"Besides, you've already done enough," she continued. "To be honest, I didn't have much faith in this war. The arrival of the dark god is no small matter, especially when Ban Ard has its own troubles and Hen Gedymdeith can't come. Relying solely on the three of us..."

Tissaia paused and shook her head slightly. "It's very difficult."

"Then why did you come?"

"Why did we come?" She smiled faintly.

Allen nodded.

Tissaia didn't immediately answer. She lifted her gaze, her eyes sweeping over the bustling crowd before focusing on the sky in the northeast.

There was nothing but the night sky, dotted with stars.

For a long time.

"The world is becoming increasingly dangerous," she suddenly said. "Four or five months ago, Ban Ard's Conjunction of the Spheres, like dwarves mining underground, unintentionally blew up an underground river."

"Even though the Conjunction of the Spheres was closed off that very day, the wraith tides spread from the far east of Kaedwen all the way to the far west of Cidaris."

"For the past two months, the senior apprentices of Aretuza have been spending most of their extracurricular practice in the sewers of Gors Vilen and Cidaris, hunting wraiths to use as dissection material for lower-year anatomy classes. The academy stinks of wraiths."

"And then the Wild Hunt appeared, attacking Flotsam Port and Temeria, and recently severely injuring Hen Gedymdeith, destroying Ban Ard..."

Allen's gaze shifted uncomfortably, a cold sweat creeping up his back.

But Tissaia, her eyes still lost in the northeastern sky, didn't seem to notice his unease.

"Do you know, Allen?" she suddenly turned her gaze back, startling him with a jolt in his heart.

"What?"

Tissaia looked somewhat absent-minded. "Sunny, the current temporary headmaster of Ban Ard, just sent me a message yesterday."

Sunny...

Hearing the key name, Allen immediately became alert, calmly asking, "What did he say?"

.....

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