Lady Vera was never the type to be easily broken.
Allen had only just said a few words of comfort, trying to think what to say next, when—
The wolf medallion gave a soft chime.
He looked down.
The slender hand covering her face had disappeared, and along with it, any trace of tears. What remained was a face with impeccable makeup.
If not for the slight redness around her eyes and the dusty floor pearls of tears still rolling about, one wouldn't have guessed this woman had just been crying.
Allen couldn't help but admire her silently. He said nothing more, choosing to act as if he'd seen nothing, nodding slightly, then took the lead toward the end of the corridor.
But Vera's moment of vulnerability had still happened, and the atmosphere that followed was clearly subdued.
Allen originally wanted to ask about druids, their practices, and their meditation methods. But seeing the sorceress dazed and lost in thought, he had no choice but to put aside his curiosity.
Creak~
The wooden door was pushed open. The two of them stepped silently from the corridor into the main hall of the castle.
The moment Allen's right foot landed on the dark red carpet, his body froze slightly, and he twitched his nose.
He smelled the rich scent of freshly baked bread and hearty stew.
"Do they usually eat this early at the school?" Allen couldn't help but swallow and glance out the window.
The sun was blazing, and it was still at least an hour before lunchtime.
This wasn't winter anymore. Meals at Kaer Morhen were simple—just bread and stew. With so few people here, even cooking only took half an hour.
At this time, neither the witchers nor the apprentices would be eating, let alone the kitchen staff preparing anything.
"It is a bit early," Vera also found it strange.
Curious, the two made their way to the dining hall. Inside, the fireplace was lit, and a large pot simmered over the fire, releasing the aroma of rich broth.
From the scent, Allen could tell it was beef stew, with pepper, cinnamon, and cloves—luxury spices that were worth their weight in gold.
On the long table was a basket of steaming bread, clearly fresh from the oven.
Has Kaer Morhen's food gotten this good?
Allen was genuinely surprised and looked to Vera.
She was just as confused. She'd only returned a few days earlier and had been too busy with Sol's affairs to care about things like food.
At that moment, someone inside the kitchen seemed to hear the noise outside—rushed footsteps echoed from within.
Both Allen and Vera recognized the owner of those footsteps.
"This is for you," the sorceress said with a rare smile. "Quite the feast, looks like they've been preparing for a while."
Before Allen could even reply—
Out burst Margarita Laux-Antille, the former headmistress of Aretuza in another world, now the future chief sorceress of the School of the Wolf, wielding a ladle.
She wore a light green dress and an apron over her chest, her golden hair tied up with a cord—altogether looking like a competent little cook.
"Allen! Mentor! You're here!" the cheerful little chef greeted them, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Allen pointed to the fragrant spread in the hall, stunned. "Ma… Mary, did you make all this?"
"Who else?" Mary raised a proud brow, clearly fishing for praise. "Who else is even here?"
But when she saw Vera frown slightly, she quickly added, "Lady Ida Emean finished with the alchemy lab, so I came over after that…"
"It's not about you."
Vera waved her hand dismissively, her frown deepening as she looked toward a shadowy corner untouched by candlelight.
As her gaze landed there, the darkness seemed to tremble. A moment later, a feathered owl with grey-brown plumage and amber-gold eyes stepped out.
"Ah! An owl!" Mary covered her mouth in surprise. "Allen, did you bring this one back—?"
Before she could finish—
The owl flapped its wings and landed on Allen's shoulder.
Its talons dug sharply into his flesh, making him wince instinctively.
But Allen knew—it was Philippa Eilhart, expressing her irritation at being left behind.
He had asked her to stay hidden when he'd discussed the Chief's matter with Vesemir, Danthe, and Aristo, fearing her presence might cause trouble.
Who could have guessed that Lady Vera and Ida Emean would teleport in right after, heading straight to visit Chief Sol?
Before he could explain, Mary stepped closer and admired the owl: "This owl is adorable—and so tame! Where did you find it?"
One had to admit—Philippa Eilhart, in owl form, was indeed very cute.
Small, round, and fluffy. Even someone like Allen, had he not known her identity, might've been tempted to keep her as a pet.
Vera said nothing. She simply glanced at the timid, shrinking owl, then at Allen again.
Her eyes practically screamed the words: "Scoundrel."
Allen knew that Vera must have seen through Philippa Eilhart's identity.
He was silent for a few seconds.
In the world of witchers, being seen naked didn't mean you had to marry someone and take responsibility like some moral obligation.
Philippa Eilhart had no special relationship with him, so he could've just come out and said it. Besides, Mary and Vera were close. There was no need to hide Philippa Eilhart's identity from them.
But…
He glanced at the stew on the hearth, the bread on the table, the stains on Mary's apron, and the sweat glistening on her forehead.
Even a fool could tell this meal was specially prepared for him. Having Philippa Eilhart show up now… wouldn't that be a little inconsiderate?
Allen suddenly had a headache.
Just his luck!
If it had been a bit earlier or a bit later—say, after lunch—it wouldn't have been so awkward. But it just had to be now.
Still, after thinking it over, Allen decided to speak the truth.
"Mary, Lady Vera," Allen said solemnly, "this isn't just an ordinary owl. She is Philippa Eilhart, a sorceress well-versed in polymorphy and illusion magic, the most prized student of Tissaia de Vries."
"She's come with me because there's a future contract we'll be working on together…"
"She's not an owl, she's a sorc… huh… what?" Mary's pretty face froze in mid-smile.
Allen pointed to the small storeroom beside the kitchen. "Miss Eilhart, would you please get ready…"
"My apologies," Philippa Eilhart's clear and elegant voice echoed in the ears of the three.
The owl nodded toward Vera and Mary, then flapped its wings and flew toward the storeroom.
But Philippa's departure didn't ease the awkward atmosphere in the dining room.
Vera glanced at Mary, who had lowered her head, hiding her expression in the shadows. She sighed inwardly and looked at Allen reproachfully.
"Tissaia de Vries gave you a contract that involves bringing a sorceress to Kaer Morhen?" she asked aloud.
Allen scratched his head awkwardly and replied, "Not right now. The mission is to be carried out at Kaer Morhen, and it requires coordination between us. We need to train for a while."
"What's the mission then?" Vera pressed.
Allen felt Mary's gaze subtly shift toward him. He hesitated for a second, then spoke honestly: "Hen Gedymdeith has been imprisoned by Sunny, the current ruler of Ban Ard. Tissaia de Vries, on behalf of the Brotherhood of Sorcerers, has commissioned us to rescue Hen Gedymdeith…"
Before he could finish, Mary suddenly lifted her tear-filled face and cried out in shock, "What?!"
Vera's face turned dark instantly. "Tissaia de Vries has lost her mind?!!"
"She doesn't even know you're my… my…"
Her fury made her pause. Then she realized: Tissaia indeed didn't know. After all, her long-held belief was that sorceresses must never bear children.
While the chances of a sorceress getting pregnant were extremely low—since their magical cores are centered in their abdomens—it wasn't impossible.
Tissaia de Vries, however, was so extreme that she believed every sorceress should be sterilized.
No matter how close they were, Vera could never reveal that she had borne a child with Sol to Tissaia.
"She knows, so it's fine. Lady Vera, Mary," Allen said softly, trying to soothe them. "Tissaia de Vries knows I'm your alchemy apprentice, and she still sent her prized disciple, Philippa Eilhart."
"If she entrusted us with rescuing Hen Gedymdeith, it must mean there's some level of certainty and relative safety…"
Vera wasn't convinced. Her expression darkened and shifted for a few seconds.
"No! I'm going to see her right now! She's a madwoman—sending a witcher to Ban Ard to rescue someone like Hen Gedymdeith."
"No one even knows if Hen Gedymdeith is still alive."
With that, Vera snapped her fingers decisively.
Whoosh~
An orange-yellow portal opened instantly. The spatial ripples caused the flames in the fireplace to sway violently.
"Lady Vera!" Allen's heart warmed, but he quickly stopped her. "This is something I agreed upon with Tissaia de Vries, and she has already paid the price."
"No payment is acceptable!" the sorceress replied coldly, decisively stepping toward the portal.
Allen quickly grabbed her hand and explained in a rush, "This isn't just a commission from Tissaia de Vries or the Brotherhood of Sorcerers—rescuing Hen Gedymdeith is also a need of the School of the Wolf, and of ours."
"Lady Vera, perhaps you don't yet know—Sunny, who now holds power at Ban Ard, is working together with people from the Rissberg Civil Cooperative Organization to establish a kingdom of sorcerers."
The shocking news froze Lady Vera in her tracks.
Even Mary's mouth fell open in disbelief.
A few tears welled up in her bright eyes and spilled out, smudging her black eyeliner. It looked a bit terrifying, but more than anything, it was funny.
"You're not joking?" Vera asked seriously.
Allen shook his head and explained the efforts Tissaia de Vries had made within the Brotherhood of Sorcerers on behalf of the School of the Wolf.
"That still doesn't mean it has to be you, Allen," Mary said anxiously, seeing that Vera had gone silent. "If witchers are needed, Kaer Morhen has plenty of experienced masters—Master Vesemir, Master Aristo, Master Danthe, Master White…"
"You only passed the Trial of the Mountains six months ago. Why—"
"Precisely because, in the eyes of Lady Tissaia de Vries, I'm the only one who can do this. I'm the most suitable," Allen interrupted. "And this matter of Ban Ard and the Rissberg Civil Cooperative establishing a sorcerer kingdom… compared to the Brotherhood, it has an even greater impact on our school."
"Kaer Morhen is located in Kaedwen, not far from Ban Ard."
"Sunny, who now controls the Ban Ard Academy, has always hated witchers. If they succeed, Kaer Morhen will be in grave danger."
Mary fell silent. She could never out-argue Allen, so she just looked toward Vera, her eyes full of pleading.
Vera opened her mouth, but before she could speak—
Creaaak~
The door to the small storeroom beside the kitchen opened.
Philippa Eilhart didn't choose a glamorous outfit that would match her personality. Instead, she wore a proper black mage robe. Her only accessory was a black onyx necklace at her chest, looking every bit the obedient student.
Mary's eyes lingered on Philippa's dazzlingly beautiful and mature face for a moment, then slowly moved downward to the onyx at her chest, then looked down at herself. Then, as if suddenly remembering her tear-streaked face, she hurriedly turned away.
When her gaze met Allen's, she panicked even more and quickly turned toward the side wall's fireplace. Facing the flames, she awkwardly wiped away her tears.
The black eyeliner smudged across her face, making it look both pitiful and messy.
Vera saw all of this, sighed softly, snapped her fingers, and restored Mary's makeup with a spell. Then she turned to Philippa Eilhart and gently said: "I've heard your name from Tissaia de Vries. You were the most outstanding apprentice at Aretuza before Mary."
"Your transmutation magic is indeed impressive."
Philippa Eilhart, usually arrogant beyond reason in front of Allen, now acted like a well-behaved child, bowing respectfully.
"To be praised by you is an honor," she said solemnly.
Then, with a slight smile, she looked curiously at Mary and greeted her warmly, "I often hear stories about Lady Margarita from my colleagues. I'm very glad to finally meet you."
"I… I'm very glad to meet you too," Mary replied in a quiet voice, forcing a smile that clearly wasn't genuine.
What followed was a string of empty small talk between the sorceresses.
No one mentioned the reason for Philippa Eilhart's visit, and she didn't bring it up either—though the wooden door of the small storeroom was clearly no barrier to a sorcerer's perception. Then, for some reason, the three sorceresses suddenly fell into silence at the same time.
In the air, only the crackling of flames licking firewood and the bubbling of the meat stew could be heard.
Allen thought for a moment and broke the silence: "Shall we eat fir—"
"How did Lady Tissaia de Vries assign you?"
Allen was interrupted, but it wasn't Vera who spoke—it was Mary, eyes full of defiance.
....
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