Chapter 195: Ben Ade Academy

Ban Ade is indeed very close to Baiguoyuan.

It only took half an hour to ride there, carrying the things given by the villagers.

The tall green city walls and ancient towering spires appeared in Ailin's sight.

of course.

As these scenes got closer, the disgusting and nauseating stench began to attack the witcher's keen sense of smell.

“What an unpleasant city!”

Vesemir sat on his horse, frowning and sighing.

Because they were in no hurry, the witchers did not set out early.

When I rode to Ban Ade, I just avoided the early morning queues to enter the city, when the flow of people was the most crowded.

"Stop!"

Vesemir, who was holding the reins, was stopped by two guards.

"The entrance fee is five coppers..."

Notice the dark golden cat eyes under Vesemir's black wide-brimmed hat.

The guard's tone paused, and he subconsciously took a step back, tightening his grip on the spear.

"What's wrong, Les?"

Another guard asked, frowning.

"Those damn freaks are back!"

Although the voice of the guard named Les was very soft, it obviously could not escape the hearing of the witcher.

Even the young witchers behind Vesemir heard it clearly.

Hughes, Bonte and Fred, who were chatting actively and competing with each other for praise from the villagers just now, suddenly became quiet.

Half an hour ago,

They were warmly seen off by the villagers in Baiguoyuan.

After half an hour,
But he was insulted as a freak by a group of guards he had never met before!

The gap is too big.

Fred, who was a little impatient, would have almost grabbed the sword with his right hand if he hadn't been held down by Bonte.

"Can we go in?"

Vesemir had a stern face and looked unhappy.

However, he still pointed behind him and handed the twenty-five copper coins he had prepared long ago to the guard.

"The five of us are together!"

The guard at the front, who was exposed because of Rice's retreat, subconsciously took the money bag.

When he came back to his senses, he saw Vesemir and several witchers behind him, staring at him with a pair of terrifying eyes like wild cats.

He instinctively leaned against the wall, covering his mouth as if avoiding the plague, and waved his hand, asking them to go in quickly.

"Da~da~da~"

Amid the sound of horse hooves.

The witcher walked into Ben Ader.

The guard's uncomfortable and disgusted gaze kept wandering over the several witchers.

At the same time, there were also evil words that they thought no one knew about.

"God damn it, why are these damn monsters here again?"

"Don't you know? Tomorrow there will be a fighting competition between the Wolf School and the Cat School of Demon Hunters..."

"How do you know? There is also a cat school and a wolf school? How can those monsters who deserve to be punished by the gods also have a school?"

"Ah, didn't you read the notice the lord issued a few days ago?"

"Um... I can't read... Let's not talk about this. Does this mean that these perverts will live in the same city with us in the next few days? Which idiot came up with the idea of ​​letting those monsters compete in Ban Ade? These freaks hated by the gods will bring doom to this city..."

"Hush! You're killing yourself! This is held by the king!"

"what……"

The guards' gossip was gradually blown away by the wind.

Vesemir and the young witcher's mood did not improve.

The air was filled with a strong stench, the ground was covered with human and animal feces, and most importantly...

The hostility coming from the streets was several times stronger than when they first came here.

"Those cat-eyed monsters are here again, don't get so close!"

"Take good care of the children. I heard from the mother of a relative of a distant cousin who works as a cleaner at Ben Ade College that..."

"These freaks can't have children of their own, so they like to steal other people's children."

"Can't have children? Oh my god, these monsters who blaspheme the gods, may the goddess Meliteli bless you..."

Ben Ade...

The city is hostile to them!
Amid the hostility of the entire city, the witcher led his horse forward silently, feeling increasingly heavy and unhappy.

At this moment……

"Aylin!"

"Aylin!"

Who is calling me... Ailin looked in the direction of the voice.

A man in a black robe stood behind the city wall, waving at him excitedly.

"Robin!"

The visitor was Robin, a former apprentice of the Wolf School and the keeper of the library in Kaer Morhen Castle.

"Hahaha, it's me, it's me!"

It can be seen that he was very happy to meet a friend he hadn't seen for a long time, and he ran over in just a few steps.

"Master Vesemir!"

When he got closer and saw Vesemir, Robin greeted him stiffly at first.

Then he smiled and looked at Ailin and said:
"I heard that you came to Ban Ade more than ten days ago. Why did you leave without coming to see me?"

Ailin was stunned when he heard this.

"Forehead……"

"The last time I came to Ban Ade, the hotel was full and I couldn't find a place to stay... um... let's not talk about this..."

"How will you be here?"

"Did you come here specially to pick us up?"

After giving a brief explanation, Ailin changed the subject.

To be honest, if Robin hadn't come over this time.

He really couldn't remember that he actually had a friend in Ben Ade.

Is it because I have always had a bad impression of this city that I subconsciously feel that the place my friend longs for should not be like this?

Or is it that his hostility towards wizards is growing, so he instinctively distances himself from his good friend whose identity has changed?

after all……

The story of the sorceress and her elf friend being torn apart by their stances is truly profound.

Ailin thought.

But now look back.

Given Robin's dull look, it was hard to imagine under what circumstances Arryn would come to blows with him, who was only obsessed with books.

"How come so many hotels in Ben Ade are full?"

Robin scratched his head, muttered something strange, and nodded without thinking any more:
"Yes, Farouk - the wizard who came to Kaer Morhen to pick me up - told me yesterday that you would come to Ban Ader today, so he asked me to take you to familiarize yourself with Ban Ader College..."

Arryn was not surprised that the wizards knew of their movements.

After all, ever since the king sent them the materials for the North Wind Bomb, or even earlier...

Their whereabouts have been exposed.

"Originally I was just going to wait for you at the entrance of the academy, but since you've never been here before, I'll pick you up at the entrance..."

talking.

Robin led the way towards the inner city.

along the way.

Several demon hunters felt the disgust from this city even more deeply.

However, after learning from Robin that those crazy people from the Cat School had chopped up the owner of an inn because he refused to let them stay in, the witchers were not so surprised.

Although they weren't very welcome here the last time they came.

Except that they are more hostile towards demon hunters.

Apparently, half a month is not enough to change the appearance of a city. Urine and feces, garbage and suspicious brown spots are still seen everywhere, openly appearing in dark alleys, corners and even on the streets.

This made several demon hunters very uncomfortable.

“What an unpleasant city!”

This is the consensus of all demon hunters.

After reaching the upper town, the smell became lighter, and for some reason Robin spoke less and less.

"Are you not used to it?" he asked.

Aelin nodded.

"The capital of Kaedwen, Ard Kalai, also has this smell. Someone told me that this is the smell of the city, the smell of prosperity..."

Fred couldn't help but interrupt Robin:
"Who said that? Isn't this the smell of feces?"

Robin adjusted his glasses upon hearing this and said with a smile:
"This is what Farouk, who brought me here, said..."

"But I think the same as you!"

Ailin noticed that something was wrong with Robin:

"what happened?"

"Is your life here bad?"

Robin was silent for a while, which was rare, before he said:
"I was recommended by Ms. Vera, so I have no problems at work or in life."

That means there is a problem in other aspects... Ailin patted Robin on the shoulder:

"We are friends. If you have anything, you can tell me directly. Maybe I can help you?"

Robin turned around, hesitated for a moment, and looked at the demon hunters with a complicated expression:
"It's not me who has the problem...Alin...it's you who are in trouble!"

Several demon hunters looked at each other in surprise when they heard this.

They have been in trouble lately, and quite a lot of it.

I just don't know which one you're talking about?
A king? A wizard? Or a witcher from the school of cats?
Not noticing the strange expression on the demon hunter's face, Robin glanced around furtively, and after finding that there was no one around, he whispered:

"Erin, has the school offended the wizard or the king?"

"The wizards of Ban Ade brewed a batch of Ask's disguise potion and sent it to your opponents a few days ago."

"Esk's disguise potion?" Vesemir frowned.

Robin nodded:
"Yes! It's the kind of potion that can disguise one's age. After taking it, one can look three to five years younger."

"Although the effect of this potion is weak, it also lasts for a very long time and is difficult to detect."

Robin looked at Ailin with a rare serious expression:
"In tomorrow's apprentice fighting competition, your opponents are not demon hunters who have just finished the trial like you. They are all senior demon hunters of the Cat School!"

After Robin finished speaking, he thought Ailin would ask him in surprise.

But he didn't expect that not only Aelin, but all five witchers had no reaction at all.

"I'm serious, why don't you react at all?"

Robin was a little anxious.

"I heard that the swordsmanship of the Wolf School is no match for that of the Cat School. They are a school of demon hunters who specialize in killing people..."

"Alin, why don't you just quit the competition!"

"This is too dangerous..."

"Hmph!" Erin snorted, interrupting Robin.

The former wolf school wizard apprentice only just noticed what he was saying.

He glanced at Vesemir and the other young witchers, chuckled and said:

"Um... the Wolf School is different from the Cat School after all. Your swordsmanship is used for protection and justice..."

"But this competition is too dangerous, you'd better not participate!"

Looking at Robin's anxious expression.

Aelin felt warm all over.

Although he and Robin were friends, they had only known each other for a few days.

For Robin, who has already joined Ben Ade College, leaking secrets is tantamount to betrayal of the wizards.

Once discovered.

as a result of……

Well, in the eyes of the wizards of Ban Ade, Robin should be Ms. Vera's.

Life safety can still be guaranteed.

But this still cannot erase the friendship of Robin who took a huge risk to come and inform him of the news.

As for why the demon hunters were not surprised and worried about the news?
Of course, it’s because they are sure.

Looks five years younger.

In other words, their opponents should be around 20 years old, which means they have just finished their traveling trials as far as the Wolf School is concerned.

What is there to worry about?
Based on the memories of two cat school witchers that Ailin had experienced.

Even if it was a genius of the Cat School, it would take five years for the Cat School two-handed sword to reach level 2.

Let alone the French seal.

So not only did Aelin, Zeus, Bont, and Fred feel no pressure, even Vesemir, who was usually worried, was not worried at all.

"How did you know this news?" Vesemir asked, changing the subject.

Robin raised his head again and carefully glanced around before saying:

"After coming to the academy, I was familiar with the knowledge of potion mutation because I was born into a witcher school of wizards."

"Farouk assigned me to the potion warehouse to manage magic materials."

"but……"

“Maybe other people don’t know where I come from.”

"A few days ago, several wizard apprentices came to me to get materials for registration."

"During their conversation, they complained that their instructor asked them to go to the stinking downtown area to deliver the prepared Esk's disguised potion to those lunatics of the Cat School..."

The secrets related to the king and the wizard were leaked out in casual conversation.

really……

No matter in which world, seemingly high-end organizations are made up of a group of makeshift teams.

Full of errors and omissions.

Ailin thought.

But it may also be that those wizards have never looked down upon witchers.

After all, in the minds of most wizards, whether it is the Cat School or the Wolf School.

As long as they are demon hunters, they are just creations of wizards.

Why would a wizard who considers himself the creator keep his creations secret?

Ailin vaguely felt that perhaps the latter was the truth.

"Do not worry!"

He patted Robin, who was so anxious that he almost jumped up:

"Now that we know, we'll be fine."

"Thank you for telling us this news!"

Robin was a little worried when he saw this, but since Ailin said so, he didn't try to persuade him anymore.

"After all, I was born and raised in Kaer Morhen..."

"If I hadn't had a much higher talent for magic than you all, and if I hadn't had much better luck than you all, and hadn't been noticed by the wizards of the school, I might as well be a demon hunter of the Wolf School now!"

"That's not certain," Ailin jokingly countered, "He might die in a trial..."

Robin shrugged, but he wasn't angry:

"This possibility is indeed greater, but who knows?"

"Let's keep walking."

Back on the main road in Upper Town, Robin no longer mentioned the Apprentice Competition.

Instead, he talked to Ailin and the others about some things to pay attention to in the academy.

that's it.

The group soon arrived at a place with tall towers, the only wizard academy in the northern continent.

Ben Ade College.

"correct!"

At the entrance of the academy, Robin suddenly stopped and turned to look at the demon hunters:
"Beware of the wizards of Ben Ader..."

"Whether it's a wizard or an apprentice..."

"They might not be very friendly to the witchers!"

(End of this chapter)