Chapter 352: After a Lifetime of Hardship
In the time Lynn had been away, the Eternal Fire had also spread with astonishing speed. When earthly happiness was gone and suffering swept over the people like a tidal wave, they instinctively sought refuge in the arms of faith, hoping for spiritual salvation and a better afterlife. And it was in these moments that people were often exploited, their last vestiges of worth drained.
But under Shapelle's leadership, the Eternal Fire didn't just refrain from exploiting these desperate souls; they provided free bread, clothing, and simple necessities to the impoverished masses who sought refuge with them. Priests and their followers would regularly visit the homes of those who were crippled, disabled, or in need of help, doing whatever they could to assist. The priests also told the other believers that if they ever fell on hard times, the Eternal Fire would care for them in the same way.
These small, seemingly ordinary acts—things that should be common decency—deeply moved the poor of Novigrad. Without any need for official propaganda, word of mouth alone caused the Eternal Fire's standing in people's hearts to skyrocket. To many, the Eternal Fire was now a beacon of hope.
With the situation in Novigrad settled for the time being, Lynn went to the Countess Mignole's estate. In a picturesque garden, Lynn and Vesemir sat opposite each other. Vesemir's hands, resting on his knees, seemed awkward, and he was visibly uneasy. The air was silent, tinged with a faint, awkward tension.
The silence was broken by the faint scent of perfume wafting from a distance. Countess Mignole entered the garden with a few maids and approached them.
"Lord Lynn, I've prepared some specially selected tea and a lavish spread of pastries for you. I hope it makes for a pleasant afternoon tea."
Lynn stood up. "Countess, you are too kind."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Countess Mignole added, "You and your master haven't seen each other in a while. I'm sure you have much to discuss, so I won't disturb you."
As he watched the Countess and the maids leave, Lynn took a pastry and put it in his mouth. The pastry chef was a master. The treat was rich, not overly sweet, and had a fresh, crisp taste.
Lynn wiped his hands and mouth with a handkerchief and asked with a gentle, nonchalant expression, "Master, have you been well these past few months?"
For some reason, Vesemir felt a sense of shame facing his young student. It was true. A few months ago, he had come to Novigrad with Lynn to see Countess Mignole. He had planned to stay for only a few days and then return to Kaer Morhen. But after staying at the Countess's estate for a few days, he found himself not wanting to leave.
It was simply too comfortable here. Not in the wild, carefree, living-day-to-day sort of way he experienced in his youth, but like home. He had a gentle, virtuous lover, hot meals, clean and lavish clothes he'd never even thought of wearing in his entire life, and servants ready to draw him a hot bath at a moment's notice. It was the first time Vesemir had ever experienced such service. The carefree days before he became the Wolf School's Grandmaster felt like a past life.
Vesemir was tired. So tired. Even though he knew such a wonderful life couldn't last forever, and that a witcher's fate was a difficult one—no witcher ever had the luxury of dying peacefully in his own bed—he couldn't help but lose himself in the comfortable, dream-like life.
That's why he felt so ashamed when Lynn came to see him. While his own student was working so hard for the future of the witcher profession, he was indulging in comfort and living in a blissful dream. Vesemir tried to speak several times, but his throat felt like it was stuck. He couldn't get a single word out.
In the end, it was Lynn who broke the silence.
"It's alright, Master. You've raised us all with great difficulty and worked hard your entire life. Can't you enjoy yourself for a little while?"
Lynn meant it. In the original story, the old witcher worried about the Wolf School his entire life. From the moment he became the Grandmaster, he never had another day of comfort. Even without a blood connection, he was like a true father. No matter what trouble his children got into, he faced it with them. Until the very end, Vesemir tried to fulfill his duty as the patriarch, and he succeeded.
So, when Lynn saw how happy Vesemir was with Countess Mignole, he was relieved. In this new world, witchers wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the past. Kaer Morhen would not have to face the Wild Hunt alone. An old man deserved to enjoy his golden years in retirement.
After a few days in Novigrad, Lynn, together with Ged, Mossack, and Eglais, set off for Kaer Morhen. He didn't bring Master Vesemir, as he wanted his master to spend his first New Year's with the Countess. The children he had raised were now adults. It was time for them to live on their own.
He also didn't bring Letho because Novigrad needed a witcher to remain there. Although winter was still a long way off, Lynn was no longer a witcher struggling to make a meager living. He didn't have to wait until the end of the year to return.
The journey was tedious but uneventful. They encountered no dangers and safely returned to Kaer Morhen.
"That's the headquarters of the Wolf School—Kaer Morhen."
Gazing at the magnificent castle in the distance, everyone but Lynn was stunned. This was especially true for Ged. Most Bear School witchers were unusually cold, a side effect of their Trial of the Grasses. When their stronghold, Haen Cadved, was besieged, the Bear School witchers had simply abandoned it rather than fight to protect it.
But Ged was an anomaly. He was a Bear School witcher with the heart of a Griffin and the rich emotions of an ordinary man. To the other Bear School witchers, the loss of Haen Cadved was insignificant.
After all, it was just a pile of stones. But to Ged, it was the place where he was trained and became a witcher, so it held a profound significance. After the fall of Haen Cadved, Ged spent a lifetime wandering, homeless and alone. He endured ridicule and scorn, and he had once thought he could forget he had a home...
But now, seeing the magnificent castle of the Wolf School, the memory of his home came rushing back, filling him with a deep sense of melancholy.
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