Chapter 286: Winter Is Coming
After disembarking, Lynn found a local and asked for directions to a tavern.
He soon arrived. Entertainment options were pitifully scarce in the feudal era. Nobles at least had other forms of amusement, but after a day of labor, common folk just wanted to hole up in a tavern. To put it in a more anachronistic way, the tavern was the internet café of this age.
When Lynn arrived at Kaer Trolde Port, it was still daytime, so the tavern was not very crowded and felt quite deserted. The tavern owner glanced at Lynn and, judging by his attire, recognized that he wasn't an islander but a continental. However, the Craite clan had always pursued a policy of friendship and equal diplomacy with outsiders, unlike the other, more insular clans.
So the tavern owner wasn't unwelcoming. "What'll it be?" he asked.
"Give me a cup of your best ale," Lynn said, taking a seat at the bar. He glanced at the few scattered customers in the tavern. "And give everyone here a drink too. Put it on my tab."
This generous gesture immediately drew a cheer from the customers and a much friendlier expression from the tavern owner. After all, who wouldn't be happy to have a big-spending customer at their establishment?
Seeing that he had set the right mood, Lynn asked the question on his mind. "When I came in, I saw a funeral ceremony at the port. Who was it for?"
The tavern owner didn't hide anything. It was common knowledge on the islands anyway. "It was for Princess Pavetta of Cintra and her husband, Duny. On their way back to Cintra from Skellige, they ran into a storm. I heard not even a splinter of their ship was left."
"That's a real tragedy," Lynn said, his face full of regret.
This was a lie. He knew very well that the shipwreck that befell Pavetta and Duny wasn't caused by a storm, but by foul play. As expected, the wheels of history were rolling forward even while he was away.
He sighed. "Winter is coming, indeed."
The tavern owner was taken aback. "What did you say, customer?"
"No, nothing," Lynn said, continuing. "By the way, I'm actually a witcher. I came to the islands to see if there was any work—I mean, work dealing with monsters."
Upon hearing this, the tavern owner gave Lynn another look. "A witcher?" The islands were far from the continent, and even fewer witchers made it here. But islanders generally had no prejudice against witchers. While they were curious about a witcher's cat-like eyes, they didn't have the same aversion as continentals.
"I have a few contracts that some of the jarl's men left here. Perhaps you'd like to take a look."
Lynn thanked him and took the parchment from the tavern owner. He found that the targets were all threats to farmers on the north side of Ard Skellig, in Craite clan territory. The Skellige Isles were separated from the Northern Kingdoms by the sea, so few witchers arrived. As a result, the islands were infested with more monsters. Fortunately, the island's rulers were more reasonable than the nobles of the Northern Kingdoms. If a problem became too severe, they would organize their soldiers to go and deal with it.
Lynn collected all the parchments and ordered some food. After he was full, he left the tavern, mounted Nidhogg, and rode directly toward the locations of the witcher contracts.
The Druid Circle he was looking for was on Ard Skellig. But he wasn't in a hurry to find it. The Druid Circle wasn't going anywhere. It wouldn't be too late to go there after he had finished these witcher contracts.
While he was determined to visit the Druid Circle, it wasn't the sole purpose of his journey to Skellige. Unlike the continental kingdoms, the Skelligers still engaged in piracy. Novigrad would be his one day, and later, he would gain a territory in Kovir from Esterad. This meant that maritime trade was crucial to him. Therefore, another goal of his trip to Skellige was to build good relationships with the various clans and get to know them. This would make things more convenient in the future.
Over the next six months, Lynn's footsteps covered the six main islands. He could be found everywhere: in forests, on mountainsides, by lakes, and in caves.
The islanders, while insular and savage, even a little primal, revered strength and respected warriors. Therefore, every time Lynn performed a heroic deed, he left behind the name of "Lynn of the School of the Wolf," spreading his name across the Skellige Isles.
In addition to witcher contracts, he also tried to integrate with the islanders in other ways. The Skelligers, like continentals, enjoyed horse racing, boxing, and playing Gwent. Lynn's steed was a Kovir horse, a breed carefully selected by Esterad and among the finest on the continent. With his Master-level horsemanship, he knew how to conserve his horse's energy during a race, and his bond with his mount was unbreakable. Thus, he won every race by a long shot.
As for boxing, there was no contest. Skelligers were indeed stronger, braver, and fiercer than continentals. But all that paled in comparison to skill and technique. Against Lynn's current strength, these island warriors' movements were like slow motion. He could easily defeat them without being touched even once.
And when it came to Gwent, the islanders were no match for him either. Countless people lost to him. However, Lynn knew that winning too aggressively would be counterproductive. So, no matter whether it was horse racing, boxing, or Gwent, after winning a hefty sum, he would keep half for himself and return the other half to the losers.
The Skelligers were blunt and hot-tempered, without much guile. They also had a strong sense of individualism and heroism. A man like Lynn—who could ride, fight, and drink, and, most importantly, had a heart as vast as the sea—was exactly the kind of hero from the epic sagas that had been passed down through generations. He was a perfect fit for the islanders' tastes.
Lynn's actions quickly made him famous. Many people knew his name before they even met him. In taverns, people began to spontaneously sing songs about his deeds.
One day, Lynn received another contract and went to a mine in the central part of Ard Skellig. His recent fame had spread widely, and everyone on the island knew about the witcher who had arrived. As a result, people eagerly filled the notice boards with witcher contracts. This particular job was one he had seen on a notice board while resting at a nearby country inn.
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