Vizima City Hall.
After pondering the scepter on the table for a while, Verrelade took out a thin check from the drawer, and wrote "600" in a "swish".
"Two master witchers," he handed the cheque to the bald man standing with his chest folded, "this is the payment promised earlier. The two of you can take it and go to Zion Vanilli Bank around the world with this card. The cashier's check unconditionally withdraws 600 Oren."
The bald man glanced at the check and handed it to Roy the "Treasurer"...
If you add the money in the ring of the goddess of the lake, their income this time has exceeded two crowns. Of course, this money is still too little for their plans.
"Such a small piece of paper doesn't look very secure, and ready-made gold crowns are more pleasing."
"Even if the two of you don't believe me, you should also believe in Zion Vannelli's reputation. This time-honored bank that has been standing for hundreds of years will never be greedy for your money!"
"Okay, no kidding. I'll take the money. When will Archmage Azar Javid come to open the door for us?"
"When the two of you returned to the city yesterday, I sent someone to inform the Master. He still has an experiment in hand, and he will have time tomorrow... Do you want to think about it again..." the mayor invited, "more than a week later. , is the festival celebration of the summer solstice, and a grand event will be held in the downtown area of Vizima. It is better to stay for a while, and I will do my best to show the friendship of the landlords and take the two masters to appreciate the cultural scenery of Vizima.”
Roy was slightly moved. He also heard about the summer solstice.
The festival takes place from the night of June 21st to the early morning of the 22nd. Marks the beginning of the first summer in the Elvish calendar.
The elves believed that everything under the sun was cyclic. After the winter solstice, the days get shorter and the death begins, until the winter solstice.
On this day people will erect shrines to worship and praise the sun and life, while acknowledging the arrival of death.
Near these shrines, spells cast by magic users by absorbing the energy of the sun are particularly strong, and witches use them to protect crops and summon fire.
Leto and Roy can also meditate in front of the temple to increase the strength of the sigil a little.
However, the Summer Solstice Festival, compared to the May Festival, which has passed, is not so attractive. After all, on the summer solstice, there are not so many single young girls dancing around the bonfire and courting.
"The witcher is only on the summer solstice, not to mention the time is running out. According to the original agreement, we will come back to you at this time tomorrow." The bald man shook his head and refused.
…
After the two left the city hall,
"Lesso..." A trace of nervousness and anticipation flashed across the youthful face of the youth, "How about we stay for another week and join in the fun?"
For the first ten years of his life, Roy had been huddled in a small village where birds don't shit in Lower Adian, and he had never seen the bustling festivals in this world.
Only learn more or less information from other populations.
Summer Solstice, do you want to see it
Leto's footsteps slowed a little.
"Hotness means trouble. My past experience has told me countless times that this kind of ordinary people's festival is definitely not suitable for witchers. If you want to have fun, I recommend you to go to taverns and brothels. It's simple and convenient."
"You are an official witcher, and you must learn to stay away from crowds and get used to loneliness."
"Well, what you said makes sense." Roy said helplessly, "But can it satisfy my curiosity?"
"There's no need for Vizima," said the witcher lightly. "You can have a holiday in Cintra. You can't keep Ox and Serrit waiting too long."
Leto's tone was helpless, as if thinking of some embarrassing past, "Wait, they should all find a woman to marry."
"It's here!"
Not far away, a group of people suddenly came and interrupted the discussion between the two. The head was a heroic, tall and beautiful white-haired woman.
"Good day, Your Highness Yada, it seems that you have had a good two days."
Yada looked at the two witchers, and then smiled heartily, "Long story short, the two of them are the ones who were able to get rid of the monster in Lake Vizima this time."
"His Royal Highness is serious," Roy said neither humbly nor arrogantly. "Without all the villagers who controlled Dagon's bewitching, the action would not have been so smooth."
The eyes of the subordinates behind Yada softened a lot when they heard this.
"Don't be humble... I have only seen your skills in my life," Yada said with deep meaning, "I think if the two of you continue to wander around the small town in the countryside, dealing with water ghosts and evil ghosts all day, it will be overkill..."
"what do you mean?"
"Stay in Vizima! I promise not to treat you badly."
Without waiting for Leto's answer, Roy shook his head and categorically refused, "Your Highness has disappointed you. Unless you are too old to hold a steel sword, the witcher will not settle in one place."
He wasn't going to be someone's loyal son of a bitch.
A sullen flash of anger flashed in Yada's eyes, and she turned to the bald man again, but was once again categorically rejected by the latter.
"Very good, you are very good!" Yada gritted her silver teeth, her pretty face was cloudy and uncertain, and she paced back and forth impatiently. The dozen or so knights behind her also held down their swords with unpleasant expressions - as long as she clicked The two witchers were immediately arrested.
"That's it!" After a long time, Yada sighed, "The two of you have contributed to Vizima and insisted on leaving. Out of justice, I won't force you to stay."
The princess suddenly looked at Roy with bright eyes, "Can you fulfill my little wish before you leave - take me to see the goddess in the lake? You also mentioned before that the goddess will take the initiative to call after Dagon is removed."
"That's why she recruited us."
Roy suddenly realized that this woman who was addicted to the desire for power and even dared to falsely pass on Foltest's will seemed to have turned her interest to the gods.
"That's only possible, it seems that the goddess doesn't want to see you now."
"No, witcher, you must take me!" Yada ordered sharply.
Roy made a bitter face, "You look at me too highly, I am a mortal, and if I want to see the goddess, I can only wait for her to call me."
"Is there really no way, or does the Goddess of the Lake don't exist at all?" Yada said reluctantly, whispering nervously, "Meritaly, Rabieda, the Goddess of the Lake, are they fake... they're all fake, right? "
"Please pay attention to your words, Your Highness."
And Roy said and thought of the Lake Girl's behavior - robbing the faith in the altar of the evil god.
There is no doubt that faith is extremely precious to Vivienne, the goddess of the lake.
As a knight of Lake Vizima, why not help her
"It's not completely impossible. But if you want to meet the goddess, you must show enough respect first."
"what should I do?"
"Altar!" Roy paused, "build an altar for the goddess in the lake, or a small temple on the shore of the lake. Let the villagers who depend on Lake Vizima for their livelihood, brick makers, and fishermen, go to worship the lake. goddess."
With the identity of Princess Yada, this matter is not difficult.
"Wait until the belief in the goddess in the lake gradually expands, and when you realize your sincerity, you will naturally be summoned."
"Doing this, the goddess will show me a miracle?"
"I can't guarantee it," Roy said, "but a true god will not ignore his devout believers. If you do, you will be the number one believer of the goddess."
…
If the goddess of the lake can absorb her beliefs and become powerful, then as the "Knight of the Lake" taught by him, she will definitely gain some benefits.
He also has a little curiosity in his heart - will this accidental behavior have an impact on the world of witchers
This is also a trial, and he has nothing to lose if he fails.
The young witcher gave Yada such a blueprint,
"Imagine developing a brand-new faith and religion with the lakeside of Vizima as the center and radiating to the surroundings, and you are the supreme high priest!"
"And as far as I know, there are only a dozen or so half-murlocs among the followers of the goddess by the lakeside of Vizima, who are as noble as you, and can easily make contributions far exceeding those of half-murlocs."
A trace of confusion flashed in Yada's eyes, and she felt a little confused, "Witcher, you didn't lie to me?"
"Why should I offend a future high priest and Princess Temeria?" Roy's face was full of sincerity, and dark golden eyes stared at her.
"I will consider your suggestion." Yada said solemnly. She was a little flustered, and she had to go back and assess what the witcher had said.
It is a crazy and outrageous act to spread the belief in the goddess of the lake on the shore of Lake Vizima!
Doing this, can you really see the goddess in the lake
She waited anxiously.
"It's nothing, we'll go first—" Before leaving, Roy suddenly turned around and glanced at the soldiers.
"His Royal Highness Yada, about Knight Jarques, Jarques of Alderburgh, his whereabouts..."
"Jacques is still alive..." Yada said with a gratified smile, "The lucky guy, I don't know how to escape the pursuit of the fallen murlocs, and floated along the lake to the mud village. We escorted the villagers to the village, just in time. hit him!"
"However, he is still recovering from his injury. After the injury is healed, he will become a deputy head of my team."
Roy felt that the guy would not die easily, and he would definitely meet again in the future.
"Witcher, you haven't told me the name and image of the goddess. If you want to erect a statue for her, there must be a reference."
Roy briefly described the appearance of the goddess in the lake, "I can't describe her beauty in words. If you want to, set up an altar first. As for the name... you can call her Vivian."
…
After saying goodbye to Yada, Roy returned to the hotel and studied the blood gem for a long time again, but unfortunately found nothing.
Roy had no choice but to put the blood gem into the loot package and put it side by side with another blood of the sun.
Although it is still unclear what its purpose is, the things that the goddess of the lake specially emphasized are absolutely extraordinary.
…
The next day, City Hall.
At this time, in addition to Verelade, there was a strange man with a sullen face.
He was probably in his fifties, wearing a short-sleeved top with a dull tone, an exotic patterned scarf around the neck in the center of the leather shoulder pads, and tight khaki leather pants.
He has a rough beard, a weather-beaten canvas headgear that wraps his hair tightly, and crawling over half of his cheek, as if covering some wound.
He wears countless accessories all over his body, a necklace of amulets on his scarf, a nose ring on his hooked nose, ear studs on his earlobes, which are much larger than ordinary people, and seven of his ten fingers with gems, or Obsidian ring.
Of course, these accessories are not just for looks, they are all radiating magic light, obviously alchemy products that have been blessed by magic.
"Aza Javid, two hundred and fifty years old, Zerekan, wizard, alchemist. The amount of magic is, um, not inferior to coral..."
Roy's eyes turned around the man. He wondered how such a sloppy, ugly-faced alien appeared in a wizard who always prided himself on being elegant
Is it just the nature of witches to love beauty
"This is the Archmage Azar Javid I mentioned to the two, who is currently the royal advisor to Vizima. Today he made time to come here to open the portal for the two of them."
In Velelad's introduction, Azar nodded at the two witchers.
Unlike ordinary people's attitude of awe and disgust towards the witcher, his eyes are full of undisguised desire to explore, like a cold and sharp scalpel, wanting to cut the two of them from head to toe, look at them. See clearly and thoroughly.
"Mad... A research madman." This thought flashed through Roy's mind.
This archmage's eyes are very presumptuous, but his behavior is very measured, no nonsense, no extra little gestures.
"Witcher, I have set up two teleportation points in Sintra, the Firetail Hotel in the north of the city, and a forest near the city gate. Which one do you choose?"
Surprisingly, unlike his sinister appearance, Azar's voice was unusually gentle and steady.
The two witchers exchanged glances and unanimously chose the Fire Tail Inn in the city.
"One more thing," Roy said hesitantly, "Can the portal pass our horses and the two horses together?"
"Well, what did you say?" Azar nodded and shook his head sharply, "Vierelard told me before that the clients were two people. The spell casting plan I prepared was also aimed at the two of you."
"If you have to have two more huge animals, it will undoubtedly seriously affect the stability of the portal. At that time, the other end of the portal may be waiting for two people at a height of thousands of miles in the sky, or a gushing crater. Of course. You may also get lost in other planes."
"Uh..." The boy wiped away a cold sweat.
"Forget it, kid, just keep the horse... and buy it when you need it." Leto said casually.
"No wonder you have been unable to save money..." Roy shook his head, "It's too big of a deal!"
"If the two of you are really reluctant to ride, it's not impossible," Aza's voice changed, ending the quarrel between the witchers, "as long as you agree to one condition."
"Oh?" The witcher looked wary. "Tell me?"
"I need blood from one of you, a vial will suffice."
Leto was about to refuse immediately, but Roy persuaded him.
Want blood
There are many things on him, evil ghosts, water ghosts, and half-fish people. Mix it all together, won't it become the blood of the witcher? Azar is not yet an expert on witchers, nor can he see it.
And there is space, and it is not too convenient to move your hands and feet.
"Deal!" Roy shook hands with Azar Javid.
The transaction went surprisingly smoothly.
Archmage Aza couldn't see through the complex ingredients in the glass tube at a glance, he accepted the blood contentedly, and recited an obscure and tongue-in-cheek incantation. Suddenly, there was a loud bang in the room, and a boxy portal emerged from the air.
The center was shaped like a vortex, and the outer ring shone with faint blue light, and the wind was constantly blowing outward, making the witcher's hair flutter.
"Hurry up, you only have thirty seconds." Azar reminded him with his feet split, his fingers fluctuating like jellyfish in mid-air, maintaining the casting action.
Roy comforted Wilt and glanced inside the door,
"Lesso, I heard that this thing is disgusting?"
"Who told you? In fact, not only is it not disgusting, but it is also very comfortable..." The bald-headed man's muscles were tensed, his expression was like an enemy, "That kind of feeling is like..."
A warm, thick hand gently wrapped around the boy's shoulders.
"like what?"
"It's like... dying once!"
"what-"
"Yu—"
…
snake, wolf, swallow