I'm not a Witcher anymore.

Chapter 125 Novigrad

The group rode their horses through the night, setting off for Novigrad.

The night was deep, and the moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, with only a few streaks of silver light occasionally shining on the muddy road.

The forests of Velen appeared particularly eerie in the darkness, with dead trees resembling ghostly claws reaching towards the sky, whistling in the wind.

Sieg rode at the head of the group, his hand on Langrisser's sword hilt, remaining vigilant at all times.

It's unclear whether it was because Sieg killed the Fentonian monster that the old witch found it troublesome.

Or perhaps it was because they were rapidly leaving Velen's territory, preventing the old witch from mobilizing more of her minions.

In short, the journey was peaceful. No more monsters appeared, and they didn't even encounter any ordinary wild beasts.

The group moved swiftly through the night, passing through forests and swamps, and traversing muddy paths.

As the first rays of dawn appeared on the eastern horizon, they finally reached the banks of the Pontal River.

Tamara stood on the riverbank, riding her horse, gazing at the opposite bank, her tense nerves finally relaxing considerably.

She turned around, glanced at the gloomy forest behind her, and a complex look flashed in her eyes.

Velen.

The place where she was born and grew up.

She once thought she would spend her whole life there, marry a man her father had chosen, have children, and then grow old.

But now, she's leaving.

They may never come back.

Anna, sitting behind Tamara, was also looking at the opposite bank.

Because Sieg rode Evan's horse when he fought Fent last night, Anna gave her horse to Evan so that she and her daughter could ride together.

Anna's complexion was better than yesterday; although she was still pale, at least it was no longer that bloodless, ashen look.

She subconsciously raised her hand and looked at the dark red mark on the back of her hand.

The mark remains, as if it could never be erased.

But at least—at least she left Wellen alive.

Once it leaves Velen, its claws and fangs can no longer catch up.

At least, that's what Anna hoped for.

The team waded across the river at the shallows.

The river water was icy cold, reaching above the knees, but no one complained.

Although Gant Odim said the old witch had her eye on him, Zieg wasn't too worried.

Because the old witch is not a deity, but a remnant that came into this world through the convergence of celestial spheres.

They have some unorthodox methods, but their actual strength is just so-so.

Otherwise, they wouldn't have followed the lead of "General of the Wild Hunt" Illerith.

However, none of these are problems, because he will not be returning to Velen anytime soon.

After crossing the Pontal River, the atmosphere within the group became noticeably more relaxed.

Zig glanced at the man riding at the very back of the group.

Throughout the journey, Evan's presence was surprisingly minimal.

He took on a lot of odd jobs and always had a smiling expression, treating everyone with courtesy.

But unless someone initiates a conversation with him, he remains silent, shrinking into a corner of the group like a transparent person.

Another day passed, and the team arrived in Novigrad.

From a distance, the city looks like a bright pearl embedded in the northern land.

Towering city walls surround the entire city, and Novigrad's flags fly high on the walls, fluttering in the wind.

Within the city walls, towers and spires pierce the sky, the tallest being the bell tower of the Temple of Eternal Fire, its spire gleaming in the sunlight, visible from almost dozens of kilometers away.

The port was filled with ships from all over the world, their masts like a forest and their sails like clouds.

The dock was bustling with people, with workers loading and unloading goods, vendors hawking their wares, and patrolling guards all mingling together, creating a deafening cacophony.

This is Novigrad.

The largest free city in the north.

It is the center of commerce, the gathering place of wealth, and the place where countless people's dreams begin.

The queue stood at the city gate, waiting to enter the city.

The gate checks at Novigrad were not strict; they simply registered names and origins, collected a small entrance tax, and then let people pass.

After all, this is a commercial city, and the flow of people is the foundation of its prosperity. It cannot be as heavily fortified as a military fortress.

After entering the city gate, Anna suddenly stopped.

Her face wore a complex expression.

"Lord Sieg"

She spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse.

"I—I think we should part ways here."

Zig looked at her without saying a word.

Anna's eyes flickered, as if she was carefully choosing her words.

"We are very grateful that you have taken us all the way to Novigrad. We would like to make our own way from here on out."

She paused, then added.

"Tamara and I will start over here, opening a small shop or something. We—we don't want to cause you any more trouble."

Zieg could tell that Anna's words had a hidden meaning.

She wasn't afraid of causing him trouble.

She was afraid he would take them back to the crow's den.

Although Sieg never showed any such intention, Anna remained uneasy.

The price she paid for her escape was too high: the deal with the Lady of the Woods, the perils along the way, the betrayal of her husband—she couldn't just watch it all go to waste.

So she wanted to get out of Zig's sight as soon as possible, disappear from this big city, and make sure no one could find her.

This idea is illogical.

If Sieg really wanted to take them back, he would have done it on the way; he wouldn't have waited until now.

But people can't stay rational forever.

Especially after what happened that night, Anna's nerves were on edge, and any slight movement would make her suspicious.

Zig did not expose her thoughts.

"Okay, good luck to you."

Anna visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

She bowed slightly to Zieg, then took Tamara's hand with one hand and led the packhorse with the other, and walked quickly into the depths of the city.

Evan led the packhorse carrying the silver chest and money bag, following behind them. Before leaving, he looked back at Zieg with a sense of relief in his eyes.

The three people quickly disappeared into the bustling crowd.

"Are we just going to let them go like that?"

Zoltan scratched his head, his face full of confusion.

"Didn't Philip ask us to help him find a wife and children? We found them, and then we just watched them leave?"

Dandelion shrugged, a hint of wistfulness in his expression.

"Can't you see that this family of three wants to live like this?"

"Anna and Evan are in love. Although Tamara isn't too keen on Evan, at least she didn't oppose her mother's choice on the spot. They now have money, freedom, and each other; their lives are much better than when they were in Crow's Den."

Zoltan's eyes widened.

"But we've already accepted the deposit."

His voice sounded somewhat impatient.

"Philip gave us so many gold coins, and we took the money but didn't do anything. What kind of business is that?"

Sakia stood aside and looked at Zig.

"I also think this is inappropriate. Since they've taken the deposit, they should provide an explanation. Whether it's taking the person back or refunding the money, there has to be a result."

Zig listened to their discussion, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Who said I'm not doing my job?"

His tone was relaxed, as if everything was under control.

"The task Philip entrusted to us was not to do nothing, but to do it slowly, carefully, and in an orderly manner."

Zoltan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Zieg stared in the direction where Anna and her family of three had disappeared.

"Don't worry, after a while, they'll be begging us to send them back."