Chapter 187: Another One Caught
On the way back, Lynn didn't join Geralt. Instead, he headed to Letho's campsite.
When he arrived, he was surprised to find an extra person in the camp. The man appeared to be in his thirties or forties, with brown hair and an ordinary face. He wore a worn and damaged set of Griffin School armor.
Noticing an outsider entering the camp, the man instinctively tensed.
However, when he saw Lynn's golden vertical pupils, and especially when he recognized the Wolf School medallion hanging on Lynn's chest, his tense body immediately relaxed. "Another fellow witcher, welcome. I have extra food if you don't mind sharing some."
The man wore a Griffin School medallion around his neck, which explained his friendliness. Geralt once told Lynn about a time when he was out in the wilderness, far from any village or inn, hungry and exhausted, and stumbled upon a Bear School witcher's open camp.
The witcher not only refused to share food but threatened him to leave immediately, or else. However, Geralt recounted this without much complaint or hatred, merely stating the facts.
This was a side effect of the Bear School's Trial of the Grasses; their mutagens, while greatly enhancing their physique, also stripped them of normal human emotions, making them cold to the point of being considered inhuman by others.
Therefore, the Bear School was the only one that offered little resistance and fled when their stronghold was attacked. Afterward, they showed no desire to reclaim or rebuild their stronghold, and even contact among school members was rare.
The Bear School was extreme. But if they were at one end of the spectrum, the Griffin School was at the other. The Griffin School had always been noble and selfless, the school that best embodied the founding principles of the Witcher Order.
"Thank you for sharing; I won't be shy then." Lynn sat down beside the man. "I'm Lynn of the Wolf School."
"George of Kaer Gelen, Griffin School."
After introducing himself, George paused, then asked in surprise, "Wait, are you...?"
Letho, who had been silent in the camp, spoke up. "Yes, this is the witcher you wanted to meet, and our employer."
Noticing the hidden meaning in Letho's words, Lynn smiled and asked him, "Letho, won't you introduce us? How did you meet this new friend?"
So, through Letho's account, Lynn learned the general course of events. Apparently, after Lynn had given them the locations of the three lost Grandmaster gear diagrams, the trio split up, each going to one location. Letho's destination was the site of the lost Griffin School Grandmaster gear diagrams – Kaer Gelen.
When Letho was nearing Kaer Gelen, he coincidentally met George, who was also there for the Griffin School's Grandmaster gear diagrams. Their objectives aligned, so they quickly teamed up.
That night, they stealthily infiltrated Kaer Gelen. With little effort, they successfully caused a major disturbance. Due to the surprise attack and the bandits' lack of discipline, they thought the Toussaint Knight-Errants and Ducal Guard had arrived, so they offered little resistance and fled in a panic.
Letho and George's goal wasn't to eliminate the bandits, so they didn't pursue them. Instead, they entered a secret location beneath Kaer Gelen, accessible only by portal. There, they found the remaining Griffin School Grandmaster gear diagrams.
They found them, but a new problem soon arose for the two. George had come to Toussaint to find the Griffin School Grandmaster gear diagrams lost there over a hundred years ago.
Coincidentally, Letho was there for the same reason. And even more coincidentally, there were a total of six diagrams, scattered across two locations. The secret location beneath Kaer Gelen was one. The other location, Ussar Keep, had already been visited by Letho.
This meant that not only were the three diagrams they just found difficult to divide, but the three diagrams Letho had found earlier were also problematic.
If it had been Cat School or Bear School witchers, a full-blown fight would have ensued. Who these diagrams belonged to would depend on who had the stronger fist. But George, being from the Griffin School, preferred to resolve things peacefully.
He had learned from Letho that Letho was hired by an employer, and that this employer was also a witcher. George immediately became curious about Letho's employer and proposed meeting him.
Although their acquaintance was brief, Letho had a good impression of George. He felt that George's character, even by the standards of a Knight-Errant, was exceptionally excellent and noble.
Furthermore, as a witcher himself, he could empathize with George's predicament. He also knew how important a school's Grandmaster gear diagrams were. Honestly, if he were in George's shoes, he might not have been able to negotiate so calmly. So, after some thought, he brought George along.
This led to the current scene. However, when George finally met Letho's employer, Lynn, it completely exceeded George's expectations. George had assumed he would meet an elder, perhaps the age of a Grand Master. He never expected Letho to be taking orders from such a young witcher. One might even say, too young.
After listening to Letho's account, Lynn understood George's intentions. He generously said, "Since these diagrams belong to the Griffin School, they should naturally be returned to their rightful owner."
George was overjoyed. "Thank you for your generosity, sir." He had expected to spend considerable effort persuading or offering some compensation. He never imagined it would be so easy.
"However, I have one condition."
George paused. He knew things wouldn't be that simple. Nevertheless, he said, "As long as it's within my ability and doesn't violate the witcher code or knightly honor, I will do my best."
Lynn smiled and waved his hand. "It's not that serious, sir George, rest assured. I won't ask you to do anything dangerous."
"These Griffin School Grandmaster gear diagrams are also very important to me. Therefore, before returning them to your school, I hope you'll allow me to make a copy."
George hesitated for a moment. "This... alright." He didn't know what the other party intended to do with the diagrams. But truthfully, even if he wanted to object, he couldn't. The other party was willing to return all the original diagrams, which was the greatest sincerity he could show.
If he still declined, it would be ungrateful. The other party's direct agreement was the best outcome possible.
Lynn smiled and said, "Sir George truly understands the situation. However, I can't let you be at a disadvantage. How about this:"
"If you have no urgent matters, I happen to know a Master Blacksmith here who can craft a set of Griffin School Grandmaster gear for you free of charge."
George's eyes lit up. "Are you serious?"
He was currently wearing only a very ordinary set of Griffin School armor. It was already tattered everywhere because he lacked the funds for repairs. As a witcher who traveled the world with his sword, George knew exactly how much it cost to forge a Grandmaster set of armor. For nobles, it was nothing. But for impoverished witchers, it was an astronomical sum.
"Of course, I never joke when discussing serious matters. However... as you might know, crafting a Grandmaster set of armor takes considerable time."
"And that Master Blacksmith intends to leave Toussaint soon, to start anew in Novigrad in the North."
Lynn spread his hands, deliberately feigning a difficult position. "It doesn't matter to us, but sir George..."
"Call me George, no need to be so formal," George waved his hand. "I don't have any urgent business anyway. How about I join you on your trip to Novigrad?"
His purpose for coming to Toussaint was the Griffin School's Grandmaster gear diagrams. Now that the diagrams were in their hands, they were not only willing to return them but also offered a free set of Grandmaster gear... No one would refuse such an unearned benefit.
Lynn feigned surprise. "That would be wonderful!"
Seeing George's delighted expression, completely unaware that he had already stepped onto the "bandit's ship," Letho helplessly covered his face.
....
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