Demon Hunter: School of the Wolf.

Chapter 626 Shura Field?
"Eirin, I've made up my mind, we... um?"

Mary, who was quickly reciting her prepared speech with her head down, suddenly sniffed and caught a strong scent of roses. She froze for a moment, looked up, and screamed as if she had seen a ghost:

"How could it be you?!"

It wasn't Erin who opened the door, but Philipba Ehrhardt.

She was still sleepy-eyed, lazily wearing a fuchsia silk nightgown.

The low neckline of the nightgown revealed a large expanse of bulging, snow-white skin as she opened the door, her whiteness glaringly exposed.

“Why can’t it be me?” Philipba Ehrhardt leaned against the threshold with a charming smile, a hint of amusement in her eyes. “My place in Kaer Morhen is right here. Who would you like to open the door for you?”

“Of course it’s Ai…” Mary blurted out instinctively, but then stopped abruptly, looking at Philippa Ahart with displeasure. “Why should I tell you?”

"Also, this isn't your residence. The school has arranged a private room for you, right next to Ms. Tissaya de Veres. Wait, where's Erin?"

Suddenly remembering something, Mary stared intently at Philippa Ehrhardt's snow-white chest, feeling her heart stop and her pretty face turn deathly pale.

She swayed slightly, pushed aside Philippa Ehrert, and rushed into the room.

Carpets, screens, rubies...

The large, soft bed, covered with a velvet burgundy blanket, was neatly arranged.

The scent of rose essential oil in the air didn't become stronger after I entered the room; in fact, it became much fainter.

Mary's face flushed instantly, her delicate cheeks puffed up with anger, like a goldfish blowing bubbles.

“Philippa Ehrert, such pranks are not funny, quite boring.”

Mary glared angrily at Philippa Ehrert.

“Hahaha,” Philipba Ehrert laughed, “No, Margarita Laux Antillie, it is certainly very funny and quite interesting.”

After speaking, Philippa Ehrhardt's gaze shifted from Mary's flushed face to the small leather handbag.

Before she could see it clearly, Mary cautiously adjusted the strap, hiding the small handbag behind her back.

"Especially when you find out that someone is there to take over my duties, it's more than just funny and interesting..."

"Snapped!"

Philippa Ehrert casually looked away, snapped her fingers, and her silk robe instantly transformed into a sophisticated leather armor.

The languid look and sleepiness on her face, as if she had just woken up, vanished instantly.

Mary remained silent for a long time after hearing this, and the blush on her face gradually faded.

"Did Ms. Tissaya de Veres tell you?"

Philippa Ahart shook her head.

Not Tissaya de Veres… Marie paused, her delicate eyebrows furrowing.

If it's not Tissaya de Veres, then who is it?

“No need to ask any particular person,” Philipba Ahart shook her head, guessing her thoughts, “the whole of Kaer Morhen knows…”

“That’s impossible!” Mary screamed, interrupting.

How could the plan to rescue Henry Gedimidis possibly spread everywhere?!

Philippa Ehrhardt didn't seem to mind being interrupted: "Of course, not many people know about the rescue of Henry Gedimidis, but rumors like 'Mary is going to compete with the new sorceress for Erin' and 'The Dean and Lady Vera have a disagreement' are spreading everywhere..."

"As soon as I returned from Kyle Village, I heard many versions of the story..."

Mary fell silent.

She even wished she could faint right then and there so she wouldn't have to hear those cringe-worthy, embarrassing words.

God!

How did the news of Kaer Morhen spread so widely?
The apprentices are busy training all day long and have no time to talk or chat, nor do they get such "high-level" information.

Vesemir, Dante, and Master Aresto, though they had the time and the means to obtain information, were not such people...

There are hardly any people in the entire Kaer Morhen region, how could this be...?

and many more!

There does seem to be a group of people in the Ancient Sea Fortress, with numerous connections and a rather leisurely lifestyle...

“Clay! Spencer!” Mary gritted her teeth fiercely.

I felt inexplicably guilty in front of Philippa Ehrert.

She was in the wrong, after all, she was trying to poach someone else's commission, but at least she had some reasons, such as Philippa Ehrert's attitude, her own abilities, and Tissaya de Veres's approval.

However, with the person in front of him, he couldn't say anything.

"But it's possible..."

“What?” Mary looked up abruptly.

“I said you could replace me,” Philipba Ehrhardt waved her hand dismissively. “You know I’ve been quite busy lately, and it just so happens to be a crucial time, so I can’t get away.”

"I came back this time to first explain things to Erin, and then ask him to help persuade the dean to let me off the responsibility of rescuing Henry Gedimidis and find a new partner."

"If you can take over, that would be great."

Mary ascended instantly from the depths of hell to the bountiful land of Meriteli.

She opened her mouth, about to say thank you, when she suddenly remembered a question that he seemed to have overlooked.

"To clear things up with Erin, and to ask him again..." Mary murmured, glancing sideways at the clean and tidy luxurious wooden bed, "So you haven't resolved things with Erin yet..."

“To be precise, I haven’t seen Erin yet,” Philipba Ehrhardt shrugged. “I’ve been waiting here for a long time, and I arrived before dawn so I wouldn’t miss her…”

"But as you saw... it seems Erin didn't come back at all last night..."

Do you know where he went?
-
Where Erin will go is indeed a question.

In theory, a witcher who has tamed a giant griffin can go anywhere in the northern continent.

Considering his restless nature, this possibility increases even further.

But in reality, the news that the great griffin had started incubating its eggs and wouldn't return until at least next spring was told to her by Erin herself.

Without the help of the Great Griffin, the mission to rescue Hen Gedimidis could change at any time, so Arryn shouldn't have left Kaer Morhen.

If Arryn didn't leave Kaer Morhen, why did he not return home all night?

More importantly, I haven't mentioned it to her yet?

"How is things going with Rado?" Mary, feeling uneasy, couldn't help but break the silence in the empty, dimly lit corridor, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart.

The whereabouts of the exiled Lord of Cordwin should be an absolute secret.

Distracted, Mary asked casually, and Philippa Ehrhardt answered seriously, for she knew that Vera's apprentice was a rather peculiar sorceress who had no interest in worldly power:
"Through some connections, I won over some nobles in northern Cordwin. Both Temeria and Redania are very interested in the devastated Cordwin and are also very wary of Aden's unstoppable advance. They have made many substantial promises and temporary alliances..."

“Oh…” Mary nodded absentmindedly and responded with a soft sound.

But then she suddenly looked up, staring in astonishment at Philippa Ehrert: "You, you're trying to win over the nobles of Terador and make connections with Temuria and Redania?"

Philippa Ehrhardt knew what she really wanted to ask and nodded readily:

"After a long period of contact, Rado hired me as a temporary advisor. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Cordwin, I will be the Kingdom's court mage and magic advisor."

"So Margarita, I am indeed very busy, and will become increasingly busy in the foreseeable future, leaving no time to rescue Hen Gedimidis."

“But the magical advisors of Cordwin…” Mary hesitated, but finally couldn’t help but remind them, “Cordwin has always been Ben Ade’s private domain; no sorceress has ever served as one…”

“So this is an opportunity, Margarita,” Philippa Ehrert interrupted Mary, “before studying under Ms. Vera, you were also one of Aretusa’s people.”

"You and I both know how hard the children of Aretusa work..."

"The laboratory's magic lamps burned purple all night long. Except for the monthly break, even apprentices who had fully mastered their own chaotic magic were 'imprisoned' on Xenide Island, not to mention the lower-ranking apprentices..."

"In order to gain control of magic more quickly, every apprentice in Aretusa must undergo surgery to have their reproductive abilities sterilized..."

"And there are dangerous practices, endless duels, and mountains of books..."

"Many apprentices use Ben Ade's leniency to complain about Tissaya de Veres's strictness, but does the headmaster really have a solution?"

Philippa Ehrert clenched her fists, becoming increasingly agitated and indignant as she spoke.

This is a Philippa Ehrert that Mary has never seen before.

“It’s clear that Ban Ade’s control and education of its apprentices is far inferior to that of Aretusa. It’s clear that Aretusa always wins in the competition between the two academies. Even the residents of Ban Ade rarely take pride in being students of Ban Ade Academy…”

"But ironically, after graduation, it was always Ban Ade's wizards who won the best positions, while Aretusa could only wait for scraps..."

"There are a total of 137 orthodox supernatural forces in the Northern Continent. The male sorcerers of Ban Ade make up three-quarters of them, while the female sorcerers of Aretusa make up less than one-ninth."

"In this male-dominated era, women are always seen as the epitome of weakness."

"The dean had to make Aretusa's cruelty known to the world by setting even stricter requirements in order to get more work for the apprentices and prevent them from being reduced to bedchambers and becoming tools for worldly people to vent their frustrations and make a living."

"But ultimately, at least one-fifth of the apprentices each year, sooner or later, abandon the path of magic and sell their bodies..."

"Margarita, do you know?"

"In the years I've worked as a patrol warlock, I've seen far too many corrupt female warlocks."

"And the corrupt sorceresses aren't even the most infuriating and distressing thing..."

Do you know what the most common materials used in evil rituals, modifications, and experiments are in those illegal supernatural organizations?

Mary shook her head instinctively, and couldn't help but shiver.

Seeing Mary's timid appearance, Philippa Ehrhardt felt pity for her. She pursed her lips, didn't elaborate, and abruptly changed the subject:

“Work, Margarita, sorceresses need more job opportunities, or at least fair job opportunities.”

"And these job opportunities can only be snatched from Ben Ade, from the hands of the wizards..."

"So yes, I certainly know that Cordwin is the territory of the warlocks, but precisely because of this, only when we, Aretusa, take Cordwin away can the fate of the sorceresses be truly changed..."

"And now, with the collapse of Cordwin, the establishment of warlock kingdoms, and the internal strife in Aden, this is the perfect opportunity!"

"So my sudden change of heart isn't because I don't care about Erin's life, but because opportunities are fleeting, and a more noble cause awaits me..."

Just say it.

Philippa Ehrert closed her eyes, calming herself down from her agitated state.

“I’m sorry, I lost control of my emotions a bit.” Philippa Ehrhardt smiled gently at Mary.

The autumn sunlight streamed through the cold window sills, shining brightly from behind Philippa Ehrert into the dim stone corridor.

Mary shook her head silently.

She truly didn't expect that her casual question would elicit such a response.

After a few seconds of silence, Mary asked, "Does Ms. Tessia de Veres disagree with your idea?"

“Ms. Tissaya de Veres prefers order and stability,” Philippa Ehrhardt said softly. “She’s not wrong, really. The rights of sorceresses have indeed been slowly increasing every year compared to the past.”

"Furthermore, competing with Ban Ade and the wizards for secular rights will inevitably disrupt order and stability, not to mention..."

Philipba Ehrhardt paused, then said in a very soft voice, "This will kill a lot of people..."

"Why then?"

"Because now, and because of the future, those who prostitute themselves in brothels, those who beg on the streets, those targeted by cults, and those who become experimental subjects are also human beings..."

Mary fell silent again.

She opened her mouth with difficulty, looking into Philippa Ahart's bright, yellowish-brown eyes: "Why are you telling me all this?"

“You know why, Margarita…” Philippa Ehrert looked away, “but this is not an easy choice to make, nor should it be made blindly out of momentary impulse or pity.”

"So think it over carefully, Margarita, I'll be waiting for you."

Just say it.

Without waiting for Mary's response, Philippa Ehrert continued down the stone steps, from the golden sunlight into the dim darkness.

Mary paused for a moment, until Philippa Ehrhardt's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, before she followed.

She actually wanted to ask, but in the end, she opened her mouth and didn't know what to say.

"Why don't we ask Erin..."

As she stepped out of the tower and into the glaring sunlight, a brilliant idea suddenly came to her.

Erin is always making choices, and he never seems to be confused; he's always right.

Thinking about it this way, Mary felt much more relaxed.

“Where should we go now?” Philipba Ehrhardt squinted at the sun.

"Let's go..."

Before Mary could finish speaking, both sorceresses suddenly sensed something and looked up at the sky.

(End of this chapter)