I stood by a narrow window, the wind brushing what little snow remained across the cracked frame. My wolf school medallion rested against my chest.
My body had changed since the Void quests. After I dumped my stats and awakened my Elder Blood, things were different. I was taller, like 6 feet even. My lean frame gained more muscle than I had originally. My muscles were not only bigger but also more defined, and my shoulders were broader.
Everyone at Kaer Morhen noticed my changes, but didn't know if it was my body going through another form of puberty. Or if the trials affected me, Vesemir just took some of my blood and said he would study it.
I decided not to question him, and I trusted Vesemir.
A few days have passed since the Trial of the Mountains. And Callum spent our time recovering and training. The daily quest had come to a sudden stop. I guessed it was cause I finished all the quests connected to becoming a Witcher.
I decided I needed to go out into the world and get stronger. I asked Vesemir to take me to a nearby village to sell some game and other items. He was on board with my ask. After a day's worth of travel, we arrived at a village where we have done trade in over the years.
The locals were used to us, and over time, became slowly accepting of the Witchers and maybe even me being a half-elf. Luckily, we came when traveling merchants from different lands came through. There was even a group of sorceresses with them.
"Well, hello there." A woman said. She was a sorceress from what I could tell. "I didn't know that Witchers actually had Elves in their ranks. I heard rumors, but seeing you makes it true, plus I've never seen one like you before."
I turned to the woman who was a few feet away from me. It was a woman with long blonde hair and light brown eyes. She looked young and beautiful, but considering she was a sorceress, she could be fifty to hundreds of years old. She wore a brown cloak hood that covered up most of her figure. Her face said she was interested in me, like I was a new plaything.
I stared at her with a stoic expression, not saying a word, but closely observing her.
"What monster got you tonged, Witcher?"
"My name isn't Witcher, and it's rude to talk to me like a pet or a thing," I said coldly.
That made to woman's eyes open wide with a slight surprise, while the other girls around and behind her giggle.
The woman then smirked. "You are correct, my dear Witcher. It was rude of me to speak to you like that. I'm a Korta, a sorceress from the Brotherhood of Sorcerers. And who might I have the pleasure of gracing with my presence?"
This lady is arrogant, but she is attractive enough to pull it off, though. I need to be careful of her. She is the first sorcerer I have met since coming to this world. Even if she isn't useful, any info I can get about the Brotherhood and the political situation will be helpful.
I take her hand and gently kiss it. " I am Cain, a new Witcher of the School of the Wolf."
"Oh my a Witcher with manners and charm."
The others around them looked surprised and intrigued. Good, maybe my charisma stat can help me with this. Speaking of which, I don't know if I am actually attractive. I've been surrounded by a bunch of guys for years. The only woman I saw was when I was with Vesemir or Geralt. The looks they gave me always felt like they didn't know whether to be amazed or curious about me. Plus, it doesn't help when you have Callum by. I swear this kid is naturally handsome, especially considering the standards of this time period. Well, if you don't count how Geralt and Vesemir look in this world compared to their book, game, and TV counterparts.
I focused on the ladies in front of me.
"I have never seen an elf like you before. Brown skin, snow white, almost silver hair, and those golden eyes, or is that because of the Witcher mutations?
I shook my head. "No. My skin, eyes, and hair were like this before my mutations. I wish I could tell you more, but I lost my memory, so I don't remember anything besides my name."
That made Korta look at me with more intrigue.
"A Witcher without a past, and a half-elf at that. Brown skin, golden yellow eyes, and snow white hair. You should join this Caravan with us, it will give us plenty of time to get acquainted, and I could even look through your mind to help find your hidden memories."
Then the system notification ping.
Quest Received:[Sorceress and The Witcher] Objective: Accompany the Sorceresses in protecting the Merchant Caravan to Thanedd Island
Rewards: +4 Stat point to Intelligence. 1 Rare Equipment Chest.
Failure: No rewards, the loss of connecting quest chains
[Accept/Decline]
Now this is interesting. If I go with Korta and these Sorceresses, I can probably learn about magic quicker than I expected. But there are a few problems with this. One why was a bunch of girls with some guards protecting a merchant Caravan? Secondly, is it a wise idea to go with them, considering I'm a half-elf that looks exotic? They would probably want to experiment on me, and if they find out about my elder blood, I should just consider this a dead end. If I weren't already a Witcher, they would probably turn me into a breeding stud.
That sent a shiver up my spine. Not to mention if Korta goes through my mind, she could see my otherworld memories. There is no way I can take this quest, with all these huge risks that could occur.
Thanedd Island is also where Aretuza is. That's an academy for female mages or Sorceresses. It's a significant place. Especially after the Sorcerers' school, Ban Ard in Mirthe was razed during the Falka's rebellion. That will be another mess in itself.
I mentally clicked [Decline].
I need to stay far away from the Brotherhood and their experiment and morally questionable sorcerers and sorceresses.
"Sorry, Korta, I will have to decline your beautiful offer, but I offer to be of some company while I am in town for business."
Korta kept her confident smirk. "Well, that is a shame, we ladies would have appreciated a well-trained man handling our dirty work, better than the men they sent us with. So what business are the Witchers looking for in town? Monster contracts?
I shook my head. "No, we are here to sell our game meat and other items."
The girls then looked at Vesemir and Callum setting up a stall with the game meat. From seasoned meats, jerky, and freshly cut and skinned.
"So, is this what the Witcher does when not hunting monsters? Hunting game and selling it to the locals?"
I nodded. " Yes and no. I also cook some of the meat into stews and more."
"You cook?" Korta asked with a somewhat surprised expression.
"Yes, I can do more than stew, but if you want something specific, you will have to pay more and provide the ingredients."
This might be the perfect time to sell some of the gems I've had in my inventory for the last few years.
"By the way, do you know which Merchant I can trade these gems to?" I present a bag filled with gems of different varieties and sizes.
"Oh my! How do you have so many gems? Did you rob a grave or something?
I shook my head. "No, I didn't. I earned or found each one. So, can you ladies help or not?"
Korta nodded. Of course, we can as long as you promise to entertain us with your company and let us see your so-called cooking Talents, Cain the Witcher."
I nodded.
Then the System Notification pinged.
Quest Received: [Witcher of Surprises] Objective: Entertain Sorceress Korta
Rewards: +2 Stat point to Intelligence. 1 Rare Equipment Chest.
Failure: No rewards, the loss of connecting quest chains
[Accept/Decline]
I smirked and mentally clicked [Accept].
Over the next few hours, Korta introduced me to the Merchants and their inventory. I spent time selling and bartering with the traders. I managed to sell all of my gems. Some to the sorceress and others to Merchants who specialized in crafting jewelry.
I made a good amount of money, although not a lot in crowns, but I can convert it at a bank later on. My current total Coins: 470 crowns, 360 orens, 200 florens.
I then saw Callum talking to one sorceress from the group over by our stall. She was wearing her cloak's hood, so I couldn't really see her face or features. She had a weird scent to her, unlike the other sorceress, who smelled like roses and other scents. She smelled like mint and cinnamon.
Callum, who always had a positive disposition, looked surprised for one. Then the two hugged each other after a few minutes.
I wonder what was going on?
I chose to ignore them. I had to focus on cooking. Besides a hearty stew using the local game and herbs. I added spices. I received one of the merchants. It cost me almost 50 crowns if I didn't haggle the price down. I managed to get a lot of different ingredients, so I decided to go all out.
I made Chicken-fried deer steak: Southern-style cubed venison steaks are soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned flour, and pan-fried until golden. Along with Venison burgers: Juicy burgers, ground venison is often mixed with a bit of pork or shredded frozen butter for added fat and flavor.
The locals, along with the Merchants and Sorceress, were eating it up. With all the money we're making, I barely noticed my cooking skill notification.
System Notification: [Cooking Level 4 → Level 5]: Cooking has reached intermediate rank.
Effect: Passively, all meals will fully restore vitality, stamina, and mana when consumed
Bonus: Permanent buffs can be applied to certain meals. New recipes will always have a first-time permanent buff, and this meal's buff can be applied to a person once. Every meal afterwards will apply a 24-hour buff (Cannot be stacked with other food buffs).
Chicken-fried deer steak: +1 Strength, +1 Constitution
Venisonburgers: + 1 Strength, +1 Constitution.
Okay, now this is a good skill I need to use more and more. I then made sure to eat a small portion of each meal. Then the system pings.
[Stat Update – Physical Growth Detected]: +2 Strength. +2 Constitution.
Okay, so I can stack permanent buffs, which is good, but I probably can't stack 24-hour buffs. Meaning, depending on what buffs I get from either meal, it means. I might be stuck with that buff, or I can only get different buffs that certain meals didn't already give me.
I wonder if I should get into wine brewing. It would be nice if I could make Tequila in this world.
That's when Korta came by me, she smelled of wine.
"You look like you're having fun."
She smiled.
"This is the most fun I've had in weeks. We've been traveling with these Merchants for so long, it has not been fun at all ."
"Why are a bunch of sorceresses traveling with a merchant caravan?"
Korta took a few sips from her wine cup. Her cheeks were slightly red, and I could tell it wasn't from the cold.
"This is a training assignment for future Sorceresses to learn how to watch and observe nobility. We use our magic to help defend, while using our eyes and ears to watch, listen, and predict how others will move."
That actually is a smart training, considering you can tell a kingdom's condition based on its Merchants. From their trade wares and their inventory. Letting these sorceresses watch the merchant for a week's they will pick up on a lot of things. Not to mention, Merchants are one of the few common people who meet nobility on the regular.
"I take it you don't like being on the move almost every day?"
That's when Korta chucked the rest of her wine.
"Gods no! I hate it, put me in a library or an archeological site. Those I can handle, not around these dirty stinking men, who think we don't notice them catching peaks of us, especially when we try to sleep or bathe. After a few hexes and curses, they learned their place."
Makes sense, not everyone is built for the hard life on the road.
That's when Korta got close to me. "There's an inn down the road, come join?"
She was hammered, but I didn't want to part ways until the quest was complete. I don't want to sleep with her at least like this. Not to mention it would be my first time in my new life, which wouldn't be tasteful. Plus, she's a sorceress, I doubt she wants to sleep with a 15-year-old, half-elf Witcher. She would probably use a spell or something on me.
I walked with Korta on my arm to the inn, and I paid for the stay. After I took her to the room, she proceeded to take off her clothes.
"It's so hot in her, don't you think, Witcher Cain?" She said with a giggling tone.
I nodded, just waiting for the notification to appear.
"I like it hot over cold. So tell me, Korta. Do you find me entertaining?"
Korta kept giggling as she got closer to me while being naked. " Yes, my dear Witcher, you have been entertaining and more. I didn't know a Witcher was good at negotiating and cooking like you are. And you're a half-elf, too. I dare say I want to see what else you can do."
Korta got close to me, and she started to undo my pants knot. Then I received a system notification.
System Notification:
Quest Complete [Witcher of Surprises] Objective: Entertain the Sorceress Korta
Rewards: +2 Stat point to Intelligence. 1 Rare Equipment Chest.
Thank god this came when it did.
While Korta was drunk and distracted, still trying to undo my pants, I cast Axii on her. I said, quickly whispering in her ear to go to sleep. She dropped down, and I caught her in my arms. managed to place her in bed and left a jug of water by her side, and I left.
When I made it back to the Stall, I saw Vesemire had finished cleaning up.
"How was the hall today, Master Vesemir?"
"Oh, Cain. I wonder where you went off to with that Sorceress. You're back a lot quicker than expected."
I shook my head, "Don't worry about it, Master. The sorceress was just too drunk, so I put her in an inn close by and came back, that's all."
Vesemir nodded. "Good Job, a proper Witcher and a gentleman. Don't go around treating all the ladies like that. Not all are nice and sweet. Some are cunning and vindictive; that's how you get chased by a whole village of folks, and killed in gruesome ways.
I nodded. He's right, my old world's history has too many examples of it.
Next thing I know, Callum comes out of a tavern with the same girl from earlier. This time, I can make out more of her features. In the light of the moon, I saw her emerald green eyes, which glowed in the dim light. She had soft facial features compared to the women of this time period and world. She would stand out anywhere in the countryside. Her hair was a short cut to the bottom of her neck, and it was a red just like Callum's.
I was starting to put two and two together. So this is his twin sister that he was talking about. Callum was gesturing me to come over. "Come over here Cain, there someone I want to introduce you to."
Vesemir gestured for me to go join the two at the tavern. "Go join them Cain, I will finish things up here. I still need to count our profits for today. When I'm done I will come and join you all."
I nodded and gave a slight bowe. "Thank you master Vesemir. I appreciate it"
Veseimir shook his head. "No thank you Cain. Because your idea's we are able to bring in more money to our school and help with the up keep."
I simply nodded and headed to the tavern. It was a average looking one for these parts. The Fed Pup, was the name. As I walked in I noticed some of my customers from earlier, along with the sorceress and caravan merchants from earlier. Some people were still eating the food I made earlier. The chef of the tavern asked me to sell him a big enough portion, and he paid a good amount of money for it.
It was lively even after I stepped in. Some people still stared at me but compared to when me and the others from Kaer Morhen came a few months ago, their disposition to me has change quite a bit.
I found Callum and his sister not to long after coming in. Callum gestured me down next to him. His sister sat across the table sipping from a cup. It smelled like honey wine, and it didn't smell good by my standards for alcohol.
Callum with his mouth half full of food spoke. "Come on Cain sit down. I have someone I like to introduce you to." He said gesturing to the girl. "This is my twin sister Calanthe."
She waved and gestured with her hand forward.
I nodded. "It's good to meet such a lovely sorceress." I then took her hand and kissed it gently.
Calanthe smiled. "Oh my didn't know Witcher's were so smart and gentlemanly."
Callum smirked. "No that's just Cain. He may not be as good as me with a sword, but he smart, and a excellent cook."
"I've noticed. So tell me Cain how was Korta?"
My face walk stoic and expressionless. "Well if your asking if we did anything, then no. She was drunk and I got her a room for her to sleep it off."
"A gentlemen and chivalrous? I must admit Cain I did not expect my brother to keep such good company."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Callum said with a mouth full of food.
"Dear brother don't speak with your mouth full, I know mother taught us both better. This is what I mean Cain, the boy is good looking, talented, and a charmer. But is a complete pig sometimes."
I smirked while Callum ignored the comment and kept eating. "Nothings wrong with that, it's his personality trait. Along with having a almost scary like positive disposition towards everything. I think it suits him well."
Calanthe nodded. "Your right about that. I'm also glad to see someone else notices his almost always positive attitude. Has it really not changed over the years?"
I shook my head. "No. Not even after the Witcher mutation and trials. His attitude didn't change, if anything he just got hungrier."
Both of us looked at Callum briefly. He was just stuffing his face with food, then he noticed us look at him. He swallowed his food in one big gulp!
"What?"
We chose to ignore him.
"Anyway I have a question Calanthe. Why are a bunch of sorceress protecting a merchant caravan? Especially when they already have a protection detail?"
"That's because the brotherhood and the merchants are good business partners. Over the years the brotherhood makes soon to graduate students go along with different Caravans for a few weeks, if not months. We are to protect the merchants and watch how they conduct business. This type of lessons are reserved for sorcerers and sorceress who will be advising nobility and rulers."
I nodded. "So your gonna be a future sorceress advisor?"
Calanthe shook her head. "God's no. I hate nobles, I believe Callum would have told you why?"
"Yeah your father and what happened."
"Yes that. And I am only here because I owe a favor headmistress Tissaia. She helped me out with something a while ago so I 'am repaying the favor. Wish she just asked me to do inventory or something. I hate babysitting, I did it enough with Callum growing up."
Headmistress Tissaia? She must mean Tissaia de Vries. She taught and was the mother figure so a lot of sorceress in the Witcher series.
"Why would she ask you to help guarding the Caravan?"
Calanthe chugging her wine before responding. "Because of Kotra. The woman is supposed to be in charge of teaching this group. But look at her She's already knocked out drunk, and the night has barley begun. She's been doing nothing but complain the entire time. I had to babysit and teach as well. I seriously wish that bitch got her shit together."
I can see why now. I would be upset to if I was put in her shoes.
"Well it doesn't matter anymore." Calanthe said while drinking another cup of wine.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"Because I sent a message to the headmistress back at Aretuza. She will send two senior senior sorceresses to replace me and Korta. That way I will be free as a bird to pursue my studies and passions."
That's actually really good. She will have free time and availability to go where she pleases. I wounder if she could be a possible good mentor to me until I meet Francesca.
"Callum told me you both just became official Witcher's not to long ago. How about you both come with me back to our village. I wanted to visit our mother Callum. What do you both say you two can meet me there."
I looked at Callum before speaking.
"I like that idea it will be nice to see mom after so long." He said with a small grin on his face.
"How about you Cain?"
That's when I received a ping from the system notification.
System Notification: Quest Received:[Autumn Twins] Objective: Accompany Cain & Calanthe to thier home village
Rewards: +4 stat points to Wisdom. 1 Rare Equipment Chest.
Failure: No rewards, the loss of connecting quest chains
[Accept/Decline]
I clicked [Accept] immediately. This will be a good excuse to visit Dol Blathanna, later on. That way I can meet Francesca. Maybe the system is trying to point down the path I want or maybe it has it's own plans for me. I need to make sure not to get caught up in the systems rewards and quests.
I then nodded. "Yeah I will go with Callum and meet you there. I wanted to go to Dol Blathanna anyway."
"Our village is at the very border of it so we wont be near the capital."
"That's fine I wanted to head to the mountains first to find some elves."
"Oh. I understand then, just don't have high hopes. The elves are not in the best condition over there. So if your looking for family you might not like what you see."
She's right, but I need to find any clues I can about who this body belonged to before I woke up in it.
"I will keep that in mind, thank you."
After that we ate and drank until me and Callum had to leave to head back with Vesemir. The three of us decided to meet back at the Village in a months time. It should only take us about a week to get there but Calanthe, said she needed to head back to Aretuza to settle some things.
I didn't mind, I would use this time to polish my skills and abilities. I wanted to see if I can finaly beat Callum and how I fared against Geralt and the other Witcher's.