Demon Hunter: School of the Wolf.

Chapter 598 Re-entering Class Ade

Wigfordtz!
Since Wigfordtz didn't come with Sunny and Ottolan, he must still be in Ban Ade.

He would certainly not let go of this good opportunity to search for Henry Gedimidis's location.

Even without the opportunity in the original story, he was able to create his own, skillfully maneuvering between the Nilfgaardian Empire and the northern kingdoms, stirring up storms on the northern continent, and seizing immense power. How much more so now?

Ban Ad is practically an empty nest.

Erin suddenly had a strong premonition.

Wigford will definitely find the cage where Henry Gedimidis is imprisoned tonight.

"But... is that enough?"

The Witcher's azure cat eyes gleamed in the darkness, flashing with an exceptionally excited light.
-
The night was already very deep, and the moon was high in the sky.

Dust particles drifted haphazardly in the air.

On the other side of the Lexira River, the lights of Ban Ade flickered in the darkness.

Standing in the howling mountain winds of the wilderness, the once nearly extinct city of male witches is now bursting with an indescribable vitality.

In just a few months, from a distance, it's hard to find any trace of the original ruins.

Erin, slightly out of breath, looked back and saw a jagged wall of trees pointing straight to the sky behind him, and he could faintly hear violent explosions and thunder.

"I wonder when the war between the Wild Hunt and the warlocks will be decided. We need to hurry..."

Yes.

He was heading towards Ban Ade, the wizard's lair.

Sunny, Otoland, and most of the Ban Ade and Risberg civil co-op wizards, and even the most unpredictable element—the Wild Hunt—are out there confronting, fighting, and killing each other.

He had no reason not to take the risk.

After all, the biggest risk in rescuing Henry Gedimidis was not where he was imprisoned, but the layers of guards and traps.

Instead, if things go wrong or something unexpected happens, alerting Sunny and Ottolan, it could lead to a desperate siege.

Wigford's mission is not just to find out where Sunny hid Henry Gedmiddis.
That's certainly important.

But more importantly, we need to figure out the travel patterns of high-ranking and legendary mages like Sunny and Altolan to avoid running into those big troubles as much as possible.

No matter how well Erin and Philippa Ehrert cooperate, it's not as good as when Sunny and Ottoland are out on business.

Now is the best time.

To save time, he didn't even plan to return to Kaer Morhen, and instead called Philipba Ehhat.

The ambitious sorceress was now engrossed in political speculation about rescuing the prince in distress, and was no longer suitable to be his teammate.

Moreover, Philippa Ehrhardt was not actually needed to rescue Henry Gedimidis.

Her role was merely to disguise herself with exquisite illusions and polymorphs, and to act as a sorcerer and as a protégé of Tissaya de Veres, serving as a liaison and informant.

But the disguise...

Erin, who possesses the Mirage Pearl, is no weaker than Philippa Ehrert.

When it comes to relationships with informants, in some ways, Tessa de Veres's relationship is not even as significant as his, let alone Philippa Ehrert's.

Now is the best opportunity to rescue Henry Gedimidis.

The only risk is that the battle between the Wild Hunt and the Warlock ends too soon.

However, considering the offensive and defensive situations that the two sides exchanged before leaving.

Even if it's just a test, the Wild Hunt is roughly equal in strength to the warlocks led by Ottolan, so it shouldn't end anytime soon.

If Ottoran and Sunny win, the battlefield will be cleaned up, the free elves will escape, and the remaining undead will be dealt with...

Theoretically, it should take quite a bit of time.

If the Wild Hunt wins, then it goes without saying.

There should be plenty of time.

Of course, accidents can always happen.

Just in case, he had to be faster, even faster.

Erin took a couple of deep breaths, looking at Ban Ad across the river, and once again missed the "good girl" who was on maternity leave.
-
"诱辱辱辘~"

The bright lanterns dispelled the darkness ahead, and the studded wheels chugged along the rocky road.

The carriage was loaded with food and heavy, shredded timber, two things that shouldn't be placed together, but at that moment they completely occupied all the space in the carriage.

Especially at night.

Such carriages were not uncommon on this unnamed road leading to Ban Ade.

"Weird?"

A horse trader who had stopped by the roadside noticed the gaze of the young mercenary who was choosing horses next to him and interjected.

He wasn't usually one to enjoy socializing, but perhaps it was a long night and he needed someone to chat with to perk him up.

Or perhaps it's simply that the young mercenary's blue eyes were as clear as the pristine lake water of his hometown.

He couldn't help but ask the question.

The young mercenary paused, then carefully examined the parchment contract handed to him by the horse trader before nodding.
"Unless there is a war, I have never seen anyone still transporting timber and food into the city in the middle of the night."

"I've never seen anyone selling horses by the roadside in the middle of the night."

“Hahaha,” the horse trader laughed, “because this is Ban Ade, the new Ban Ade. The previous ‘Eye of the Devil’ turned this city into ruins.”

"The farmers in the surrounding villages all fled in fear, and no one was farming."

“Now…” he pointed to the faint magical glow of Ban Ad in the distance, “the most valuable things there are not herbs, jewelry, ornaments, or perfumes, but potatoes, cabbages, and the most ordinary wood.”

"You have no idea how much power it takes to transport these things all night..."

“No, I know,” the young mercenary smiled, signed his name on the parchment contract, and handed it to the horse trader. “I can tell just by looking at your clothes and your build.”

The mercenary who bought the horse was Erin.

He thought he would have to rely on his own two legs to reach Ban Ade, but he didn't expect that after coming from the Pasolon Forest to the main road leading to Ban Ade, it would be even more lively than when he passed by this road during the day last time.

It was the first time I had ever seen a horse dealer selling horses by the roadside.

Having brought some money with him, he immediately spent forty-three orens to buy a nag.

To be honest, this price is definitely too expensive, at least half again as much.

But for him, it's not just time that matters more than money.

There are so many merchants transporting goods so far from Ban Ade, and he has been running there on his own two legs. He has enough stamina, which may arouse Ban Ade's suspicion.

Not worth the candle.

The horse trader subconsciously glanced down at the silk he had just bought and at his belly, which stretched so far he couldn't see his toes. He paused, exchanged a look with a guard beside him, and then burst into laughter.
"Potter, I like this interesting young man!"

The guard, known as Potter, shrugged, handed the reins of a black horse to Erin, and said sarcastically, "Who doesn't like big clients who are willing to spend money?"

“Time is more precious to me.” Erin shrugged, stepped into the stirrups, and mounted his black horse.

"Hercules~"

After the black horse stamped its feet haphazardly, it quickly calmed down under Erin's stroking.

Just as he was about to lightly kick the horse's flank to accelerate, the horse trader's voice suddenly came from behind him. "Young man, old Hans isn't going to take your money for nothing. Here's a piece of advice worth a life."

"Ban Ade is no good place. Once you've finished what's important, leave as soon as possible, otherwise..."

The horse trader's voice suddenly lowered.

"Be careful, or this city will skin you alive and tear you to pieces!"

Erin paused for a moment, nodded, and then left without looking back.

After the young mercenary's figure disappeared into the darkness in the distance, the horse trader gently shook his head:

"Another poor soul blinded by the lure of bounty hunters. Do you think the wizard's money is so easy to take?"
-
"Tap~tap~tap~"

The rapid sound of horses' hooves echoed on the wide road.

More and more horse-drawn carriages were appearing on the roads, and almost all of them were transporting food and building materials.

Erin looked thoughtfully at the scene, which was extremely rare in the Middle Ages, with cars flowing by even in the middle of the night.

Looking at the bustling city from afar, it seemed not only to have recovered from the devastation brought by the Wild Hunt, but also to have become even better than before with the support of the Risberg Civil Cooperative.

Building materials are needed as quickly as possible because the entire city has been destroyed and a kingdom belonging solely to sorcerers is about to be established.

But the most important food supplies were transported over long distances day and night.

This indicates that the villages surrounding Ban Ade, who fled during the devastation of the Wild Hunt, have not recovered.

These villages are the foundation of a great city.

Ban Ade is in danger now.

Of course, even if Ban Ad were to be destroyed again, it would have nothing to do with him.

He was simply thinking about how he could use this intelligence.
-
"Tap~tap~tap~"

The sound of hooves gradually slowed down, and he arrived at the city gate of the new city of Ban Ade.

The bustling city, though visible from afar, reveals its true nature at this moment.

Outside the city gates, there were deep and shallow craters everywhere, blasted out by powerful magic. Only the important city gates and thoroughfares were roughly filled and repaired with mud, wood, and stones, making the road surface uneven and very bumpy.

Layer upon layer of wooden scaffolding, stretching from north to south, covered every part of the city wall, as if the entire Ban Ade were locked inside a giant cage.

Countless craftsmen and slave laborers were piling bricks on the scaffolding, while a wizard in a green robe stood by, shouting and supervising.

Blackened marks were everywhere, and a faint stench of decay mingled with the odor of human habitation in the air.

Only the light spells illuminating the city walls from mid-air gave it a hint of being a city of sorcerers.

Let's get a little closer.

As he had guessed, there was no curfew at the city gates.

The crowds queuing to enter the city were not as noisy and chaotic as when Erin first came to Ban Ade half a year ago.

Caravans, mercenaries, and civilians lined up in three neat columns as they entered the city.

The most conspicuous column is that of ordinary people.

They were called civilians, but in reality they were all ragged refugees.

Under normal circumstances, refugees are not allowed to enter most cities.

Moreover, there's no need for deliberate exclusion; simply charging an entry fee is enough to openly and legitimately expel all those poor souls.

But strangely, there was no Ban Ade, and quite a lot of the refugees in line had their families with them.

Perhaps because it was night, Erin didn't see any refugees leaving.

"What brings you here?"

A lazy male voice interrupted Erin's thoughts.

A middle-aged man dressed as a wizard, wearing a green robe, sat behind a table, leaning lazily against the back of his chair.

Erin hadn't even had a chance to say the words he had prepared beforehand.

The middle-aged wizard glanced at him without looking up, then waved his hand dismissively: "Individual mercenaries, go straight into the city and you'll see a bearded officer at the end..."

After a rapid string of words, seemingly repeated countless times and more like a soliloquy, the middle-aged wizard waved his hand, allowing him to enter.

Erin, holding the reins, was standing on the land of the new city of Ban Ade before he could even react.

"I knew the entry requirements would be lax, but I didn't expect it to be this easy..."

He couldn't help but smack his lips, then looked around at Ban Ad's new town.

Besides the streets being littered with human and animal excrement, the entrance to the new town of Ban Ade no longer resembles the image he had envisioned.

In the dim firelight, scaffolding stretched from the city gate all the way to the end of the street.

The streets were lined with refugees.

There were people leaning against the wall, wrapped in dirty burlap sacks, and even some lying directly on the ground in the murky sewage...

"Cough cough~"

Erin frowned and coughed several times before he could suppress his instinctive nausea and vomiting.

Then he led his horse toward the inner city along the cleaner road in the middle.

Countless pitiful, malicious, neutral, and numb gazes came from both sides of the street, spying on him, scrutinizing him, and then, naturally, a few beggars came along.

However, Erin ignored him and walked straight ahead.

He had nothing to give away; the least valuable thing he owned was Oren.

But if one Oren were to give away charity, it would not only cost these children their lives, but might also cause chaos and bloodshed in half the street.

So he remained silent, leaving without taking a single step, almost fleeing in panic.

The environment improved slightly once we entered the inner city.

There were some shops on both sides of the road, but most of them were closed because it was nighttime.

He passed several hotels that were open, but did not stop at any of them.

It wasn't because last time, when he participated in the apprentice duel between the Wolf School and the Cat School, he was discriminated against by the owner of the Ben Ade Inn because of his identity as a Witcher.

He wasn't that vengeful, and besides, the people from those hotels back then were definitely not the same group as now.

He simply doesn't need it.

Before leaving Kaer Morhen, Wigaffetz gave him an address, saying that he could be contacted there.

Otherwise, what's the use of such a rare opportunity if we can't get in touch with Wigford?

“However…” Erin frowned slightly, “What if Vigfortz has already gone to investigate Henry Gedmiddis’s whereabouts?”

As he pondered this, he followed the address in his mind and arrived at an art gallery called "Saira's Courtyard".

When he gently knocked on the yew wood door, carved with roses, tulips, and daffodils, he was immediately stunned:

"Lydia van Bradwater..."

The female sorceress, dressed in a long, pearl-white dress, bowed slightly and said softly:

“Master Erin, Vigor has asked me to wait for you here for a long time…”

(End of this chapter)