Demon Hunter: School of the Wolf.

Chapter 625 If Philippa can do it, so can I, Mary!

Kaer Morhen remained as peaceful and serene as ever.

Larks sang in the woods surrounding the castle, the warm sun casting golden rays, and carried by the crisp mountain breeze that crossed the mountains and rivers, quietly entered a half-open window of the castle built of gray and white stone.

The room was clean, and someone was singing.

“...Say—Sarah—Moiras—”

Her ethereal and melodious voice sang a melody that seemed otherworldly.

The clear sunlight flickered gently with the rhythm, its emerald glow like the clear waters of Killer Lake, rippling in circles across the void.

Where the ripples passed, the climbing vines clinging to the castle walls grew at a visible speed, reaching into the wooden window frames and blooming with tender yellow flowers.

The plants and herbs that were already in the room grew even more luxuriantly, their vibrant life force almost tangible.

After an unknown amount of time, the melodious singing gradually faded away.

"All right……"

The singer took a deep breath, exhaled a long, stale air, then opened his blue eyes, which were half-hidden in his blond hair, and smiled, revealing a set of small, white teeth:

"Yennefer, how are you feeling this time?"

It seemed that a second person had suddenly appeared in the room at that moment.

In a dark corner away from the window, where the sunlight couldn't reach, crouched a figure draped in black silk.

"It feels so good," the small figure said in a soft, almost gentle voice. Perhaps feeling that her words were too brief and lacked sincerity, she pointed to her back, running her fingers down from her neck to her waist, and added, "The back... the areas that Ms. Mary mentioned, the cervical flexion and lumbar flexion, are all tingly, like a cool breeze gently blowing through my bones..."

"It's much easier than before, and I feel like I can straighten my upper body completely...Ms. Mary!"

“Let me see…” Mary’s sudden approach caused Yennefer to instinctively shrink back, but there was a corner behind her, so Mary caught her right in the act.

The black silk cloth was lifted, revealing the little monster that had been extremely ugly, with a hunched back, bald patches, and covered in bone growths and tumors. The tumors and bald patches had completely disappeared, and although its back was still somewhat hunched, it had straightened up considerably.

Although the bone spurs still held up the clothes around her shoulder blades, Mary could tell that she was much better than when Erin had just bought Yennefer in the village of Wengeburg.

And all these changes were accomplished in just a few days.

Even though she checks this every day, Mary still can't help but feel surprised and confused.

Although due to her background, as soon as her magical talent was discovered, her family sent her to Aretusa to receive the best magical enlightenment, she did not suffer from the painful deformities caused by the accumulation of chaotic magic in her body, which led to the overgrowth of bones and flesh.

But she had seen many similar cases to Yennefer in Aretusa...

Do not!
There must be a lot!

Even in Temuria, which boasts the only female sorcerer academy on the northern continent, the ignorant populace still harbors considerable misunderstandings about magic.

Most of the talented sisters were found by a sorceress traveling across the northern continent after enduring considerable torment from the chaotic magic. She would buy them, take them in, or rescue them—depending on whether it was a city, a village, or a ruin—and then send them to Aretusa…

Of course, the majority of those who are unlucky enough to have their lives completely devoured by the chaotic magic, starving to death, beaten to death, or even burned to death as demons, are the ones who are truly unlucky.

After leaving Aretusa with Ms. Vera, Mary witnessed many, many, many tragic examples...

However, even those who are lucky need several years, a very painful and long time, to sort out the chaotic magic power in their bodies.

It would be impossible to sort things out to the extent that of Yennefer in less than three or four years.

How could such a strange song possibly work...? Even Mary, who had learned the Song of Spiritual Breath, was completely unable to analyze it using her existing knowledge.

"What a lucky child..." Mary murmured to herself, looking at Yennefer's face, which had become much smoother and fairer.

"Mrs. Mary?" The young sorceress's gaze made Yennefer instinctively uncomfortable, and she clenched her small fists, which were covered with faint black spots, into a black cloth.

Mary snapped out of her daze, gently pulled up the black silk cloth, and covered Yennefer's face again:
"You've recovered very well. Most of the stagnant chaotic magic has returned to normal magic circuits. In another half month, it should be fully restored."

"Really?!" Yennefer looked up, her violet eyes lighting up instantly.

“It couldn’t be more true,” Mary said with a smile, ruffling Yennefer’s thickening hair. Seeing Yennefer improve day by day with her help made her even happier than when Ms. Vera praised her. “And…”

"Once the chaotic magic is sorted out, your learning speed in magic will also increase, and considering your talent..."

“Tsk tsk…” Mary clicked her tongue in admiration.

"I have a feeling that you'll soon catch up with me, surpass me, and maybe even eventually surpass Ms. Vera..."

Upon hearing this, Yenif lowered her head shyly, a hint of expectation flashing in her clear, bright eyes.

Then, realizing that all these changes in her life were thanks to the sorceress before her, she shyly whispered her thanks:
"Thank you, Ms. Mary."

The singer, referred to as Ms. Mary, smiled even more broadly, her large blue eyes curving into crescent moons.

"No need to thank me. The Song of Spirit Breath was taught to me by Erin. I just sing two songs every day..."

"If you really want to thank someone, you should thank him more."

Yennefer remained silent.

People need to be thanked for their talents, but once Erin bought her from "him," she became his...

When her mother was still alive, Yenev's family had a small dog.

The puppy wasn't thanked by its mother and "him" for guarding the house and scaring away thieves a few times, nor did it say a single "thank you" for the leftover food the family fed it every day.

My mother said that family members don't need to say thank you, so naturally she wouldn't thank Erin either.

After learning the magical powers, she would also act like a puppy, guarding his house and property.

Yennefer has her own stubborn and somewhat strange worldview on how to deal with her relationships with herself, others, and the world.

“Oh, by the way,” Mary said, a hint of pity flashing across her face, having long been accustomed to Yennefer’s occasional silences. “Speaking of Erin, he and Vesemir have been wanting to come see you, but you’ve always managed to avoid it…”

“I’m not forcing you to show your face, but you should see them after the chaotic magic is sorted out, so they won’t worry.”

Yennefer remained silent for a few more seconds before nodding her head.

Mary smiled gently, ruffled Yennefer's hair, and stood up: "That's all for today. I've already put the parchment book and notes on 'Conversations on the Nature of Magic' on the table, and the etchings on magic and elemental perception are there too..."

"Study hard yourself. Ms. Vera will be checking on you the day after tomorrow. Also..."

"While the Song of Spiritual Breath is very effective, sorting through chaotic magic is also a good opportunity to understand the nature of magic and elements. Don't miss this opportunity..."

“I understand, Ms. Mary,” Yennefer nodded earnestly.

Mary rose from the small table where the books were laid out. Yennefer naturally stood up from the corner, walked over, sat down, and held up the parchment book, which seemed to be larger than her whole body, and began to read silently. Seeing this, Mary sighed again.

They weren't huddled in the corner because there was some ritual array there to help organize the chaotic magic, nor because their relationship was too unfamiliar. In fact, the huddled posture wasn't conducive to organizing the accumulated chaotic magic.

only……

"I'm used to being here... I feel safer here... Is that so wrong?"

These are Yennefer's original words.

Why do people habitually stay in the corner?

And why do people feel safer in the corner?

Mary couldn't help but think back to that ordinary courtyard, to the ragged, drunken fisherman, and to Yennefer being punched and kicked.

How could she bear to refuse...?

"Oh well, I'm used to being in the corner, so I'll just stay in the corner..." Mary thought to herself. "Anyway, the effect of the Spirit Song is strong enough, it'll only take a day or two longer, as for the rest..."

She looked past the black cloth wrapped around Yennefer's head and towards the windowsill behind the stack of books.

The climbing vines, adorned with delicate yellow flowers, trembled precariously in the clear mountain breeze.

"Time always heals all wounds..."
-
"Crack~"

The door was quietly closed, and Mary went out of the inner room.

Although Yennefer remained silent while holding the heavy parchment book, much like a female sorceress apprentice at Aretusa Academy who ostensibly studied but actually used the large book as a cover to catch up on sleep, Yennefer was actually frighteningly self-disciplined and didn't need anyone to supervise her at all.

A natural-born sorcerer—that was Vera's assessment after several tests.

Mary herself had never been praised like that by Vera. Well, it seems Vera never praised her at all.

However, Mary was not jealous of Yennefer.

Agnes of Granville—the only female founder of the Society of Talents and Skills—once said that some people’s talents come from the favor of fate, while others’ talents are snatched from the hands of death, and the latter’s talents are often more worthy of awe.

Self-discipline and diligence are also a kind of talent, no less than the talent of the Demon Source, but the origin of this talent is often not something to be envied.

Mary, who had a smooth and successful journey on the path of magic, was not envious.

Stepping out of the inner room leads to the alchemy room, where the warm autumn sun casts golden rays through the gaps in the blinds, illuminating the interior.

The alchemy room was empty, with only dust dancing in the clean, light-filled path.

Mary didn't do alchemy, read books, or organize magical materials. She sneaked into the alchemy room, her ear pressed against the bronze door.

"Good, nothing's happening."

With a slight sigh of relief, Mary walked to the second alchemy table on the west side near the door, squatted down, pulled out two baskets filled with dried dandelions and aconite from under the table, and then dragged out a small, exquisitely crafted bag filled with bulging flesh.

As soon as the small bag was pulled out from under the table, Mary listened intently for a while, then took it out completely, slung it over her shoulder, and let out a long sigh, as if she had completed some huge and difficult project.

It's obvious she's hiding from someone.

She was avoiding Vera.

After Mary put on her small bag, she quickly opened the door to the alchemy room, peeked her head out into the dimly lit, empty corridor, glanced around a few times, came out, and carefully closed the door, as if afraid of making any noise.

Then, with practiced steps, I walked towards the third floor.

“I’m so clever,” Mary said smugly as she stepped onto the first flight of stairs. “I acted first and asked questions later. What can my mentor do if he disagrees, as long as I get Henry Gedimidis out?”

"She likes Erin the most. If Erin puts in a good word for her, nothing will happen."

"According to what Erin often says, that's called..."

"Yes! The plan works!"

"Hehehe! I'm such a genius!"

Although Vera is still terrifying, Ms. Mary has found a way to subdue her.

Just like how ghoul oil is used against water ghosts, ghost oil against demons, and mixed beast oil against griffins... Erin is Vera's nemesis!

“But the tutor is really something,” Mary complained to herself. “I’m all grown up now, and she’s still so strict with me.”

"With just this newly learned air magic spell, I'm good enough to secure a seat on the intermediate council. With a little more effort, I might even be promoted to the advanced council in a few years..."

"And who is Philippa Ehrert?"

"Ms. Vera actually trusted her to go with Erin on such a dangerous mission as rescuing Henry Gedmiddis..."

Vera seemed somewhat resentful when Philippa Ehrert was mentioned.

She didn't think Philippa Ehrert's strength was lacking; the Warlock Brotherhood's patrol warlocks were undoubtedly strong enough.

But Philippa Ehrert's attitude is seriously problematic!
"A sorceress who neglects her mission preparations for the sake of a fallen king, argues with Dean Tessaya, and is always nowhere to be seen in Kael's Village..."

"How can we let her go with Erin to complete such an important mission as rescuing Henry Gedimidis?!"

Yes, Vera doesn't like Philippa Ehrert.

of course.

This dislike was definitely not because when Erin returned, she turned into an owl and habitually perched on Erin's shoulder, nor because Philippa Ehrhardt actually stayed with Erin every night, and it certainly couldn't be because some minor priestess of the Temple of Meriteli had made their relationship too crowded to accommodate a fourth person...

It's simply Philipba Ehrhardt's irresponsible attitude, as mentioned above.

Margarita Laux Antillie was not comfortable entrusting her leadership to a sorceress like Philippa Ehrert.

What Philippa Ehrert can do, Margarita Laux Antillie can certainly do as well, and do it even better!
With that thought in mind, Mary walked to the door of the room on the third floor.

She stood at the door, pondered for a while, and then gently knocked on the wooden door, rehearsing her words of persuasion that she had prepared for several days.

After a while.

"Squeak~"

The beautifully decorated wooden door groaned as it opened.

(End of this chapter)