As one of the four great kingdoms in the north, the Kingdom of Kaedwen is famous for its vast land and sparse population. Even its king Henselt may not have measured all of Kaedwen's territory, which is why there are so many mysteries in this land.
In the far north of Kaedwen, one of the world's few forgotten corners, part of the vast Blue Mountains, lies Kaer Morhen, home of the Wolf School of the Witcher.
Today, this forgotten corner welcomes visitors again.
The fiery red portal spread in the air, and Lann rode out of it first on Black Wind. Without the onlookers of the Cintra people, this time there was no need for the man and the horse to keep a straight face. At this moment, they all turned pale and dizzy, staggering and almost falling to the ground.
Following Lann came the four-member Snake Faction, whose condition was not much better than Lann's.
The last person to walk out of the portal was Mossak. He looked at the confused demon hunters in front of him with a smile, and stomped the ground with his heavy oak cane, causing the portal behind him to disappear into thin air.
Kaer Morhen was also a place that needed to be kept secret, and no unexplained visitors were accepted. Therefore, Lann only brought a few people with him this time, and even his servants did not come with him, as if he was visiting a friend.
Kolgrim sat down with the help of a stone to relieve the dizziness that rushed straight to his head. With a little effort, he actually broke off a piece of stone. He unconsciously brought the stone to his eyes, and in a trance, he actually saw fossil-like lines on it. Those lines were connected to each other, depicting the shapes of shells and fish.
"I must be too dizzy. The distance of this portal is too long... How can there be fossils of fish and shells on the Blue Mountain..."
Mossak looked at Kolgrim with amusement and said, "No, this is a marine fossil. This mountain range was once a vast ocean, and it became what it is today after the evolution of the earth's crust. 'Kaer Morhen' means 'ancient sea fortress' in ancient language."
The old druid took two steps forward and pointed at the castle in the mountains. "I have been here many times. I could have teleported you directly to the castle hall. But considering that this is your first time here, I think it would be better for you to see the entire fortress."
Following Mossak's finger, the demon hunters (and the demon hunting horses) cast their sights over there, and what they saw was a long mountain river and a winding circular mountain road. Further up, there was a defensive wall that had collapsed to the point where only the footrests were left, the only remaining towers and gates, and the heavy and thick cylindrical main tower.
The castle almost merged with the snowy mountain, and the heavy sense of human history loomed in everyone's heart. The unrepaired walls still retained traces of battles, and just looking at them seemed to remind one of the ever-changing sounds of fighting.
…
The Wolf School is the most peculiar of all the Demon Hunter schools.
Normal schools of demon hunters basically have their own characteristics. They will choose one or several skills to study in depth based on their environment, life, and combat needs.
The Cat Clan is good at swords, especially deft light strikes, and strives to deliver a fatal blow to people; the Griffins studied sigils, and thus began to delve into magic, and the masters in the school even surpassed the warlocks in spell knowledge; the Snake Clan is obsessed with poison and sword oil, they have carried forward these skills, and can often kill people without being seen; the Bear Clan, which has not yet appeared, is said to be good at swords as well, but they like to use great force to create miracles, and have expertise in the defensive [Quen Seal].
As for the Wolf Faction, they know a little bit of everything. A mature Wolf Faction demon hunter can defeat a long-established swordsman head-on with a sword, and can also use sword oil and magic potions to prepare himself fully before hunting demons. After the real hunting begins, he can skillfully use magic signs and bombs to help quickly kill the enemy.
This kind of character who "knows a little bit of everything" is theoretically the most likely to become the protagonist.
The reason why the Wolf Clan learns so much and so diversely is largely due to their history - the Wolf Clan is known as the "orthodox successor of the Demon Hunter Order", and this is indeed the case.
After the founder of the Witcher Cult, Mage Arzu, left the cult, conflicts arose among the Witchers in the cult due to conflicts in ideology, and then a large number of them left the cult and established schools around the world.
The remaining witchers took all the experimental equipment, mutation materials, and experimental notebooks, and joined forces with alchemists and warlocks who were willing to help them to carefully deal with the witcher cult. They then arrived at the Blue Mountains and built the difficult-to-defend castle "Kaer Morhen".
They are the most standard demon hunters, not as extreme as the cat faction, nor as selfless as the griffin. They adhere to neutrality and moderation, do things even if they are unfair, never get involved in politics, and do not train apprentices on a large scale. The most prosperous wolf faction has no more than fifteen demon hunters, and no more than thirty apprentices in training.
But in Lann's eyes, these wolf factions are all people with borderline personality disorder, and perhaps they have a tendency to be self-destructive.
The Wolf School can be said to have the most abundant resources, the most spellcasters, and the most orthodox heritage of all schools, but they have never sought development. Faced with the rumors against the demon hunters in the later period, they never thought about calming them down, but only wanted to prove themselves through time and actions.
In the end, just like the Griffin School, the Wolf School was coveted by warlocks and feared by rulers. The mastermind behind the scenes instigated the mob to attack Kaer Morhen and killed almost all the witchers, warlocks, and alchemists in the castle. Only the last Grand Master Vesemir escaped.
After Vesemir trained a new generation of wolf-faction demon hunters, these demon hunters lacked recognition of their own identity as demon hunters. They hated the demon hunter mutation that took the lives of most of their companions, and kept silent about the pain they had suffered. They were unwilling to train the next generation of demon hunters, and even if there were a few "accidental children" along the way, they were unwilling to bring them back for training.
In the end, even Grand Master Vesemir succumbed, and he destroyed most of the alchemical instruments used by the school for mutation, leaving only a few sealed up as a reminder. In the original history, the Wolf Clan therefore quickly disappeared from the world.
But Lann knew that Vesemir, the old mentor who had experienced the heyday of the Wolf School, still hoped to revive the school in his heart. His attitude was more of disappointment with the times and succumbing to the painful memories of the past.
Lane hoped to reawaken the remaining spark of passion in Vesemir.
Leiso looked at the mottled walls and the ruined castle, feeling deeply moved: "Can all the demon hunters' bases escape the fate of being destroyed?"
Then the current leader of the Snake Sect looked at Lan's back again. The lion-like young man was looking at the towering castle, with a myriad of emotions in his eyes. The sunlight hit his light golden half-long hair, and the reflected light was even more dazzling than the snow on the top of the mountain.
"The future of demon hunters... is this here?"
…
Triss was in Kaer Morhen at the moment. She was an assistant teacher during the day and taught Ciri's magic classes with Yennefer. The red-haired sorceress had already communicated with Mossak about the time of the visit, so the people in the castle knew that there would be visitors today.
Because of this, Ciri was out of shape the whole day, and she almost turned the morning potions class into a lesson on how to mix alchemical bombs.
She was sitting in the classroom, but her heart had already flown into Lan's arms.
The window of the classroom was wide open, and suddenly the sound of horse hooves floated in from outside. Then Yennefer, who was teaching her, saw the girl with mouse-gray hair put on her griffin cloak like a gust of wind and rushed out of the door at a speed that was invisible to the naked eye.
If it were normal, Yennefer would definitely be furious and start yelling, and might even start to mock Geralt. But today, she smiled and began to sip her wine, leaning on the windowsill and looking at the group of people walking into the yard.
The blond knight led a group of warriors with amber snake eyes and walked in from the outside world wrapped in snow. The white-haired old demon hunter walked out of the hall with his arms open, making a gesture of greeting.
The old man in front of him is the mentor of the Wolf School - Vesemir.
Unlike Geralt's creamy white hair, which was caused by his mutation, Vesemir also has white hair. However, it is time and old age that have bleached his hair, and few witchers can live to be as old as him.
The old demon hunter with a story on his face lit up when he saw Mossak. When he saw the golden-haired demon hunter with lion eyes beside Mossak, his eyes lit up even more.
Lan was just about to meet the owner of the castle under Mossak's introduction, but suddenly he felt a mouse-gray wind blowing past his eyes, and then a familiar touch hit his arms, and then a familiar voice sounded in his ears.
"Waaaaaaah! Laneaaaaaaaahhhhh!!"
It can't be said that it's too familiar. At least this body is much heavier than when we first separated. Judging from the touch from my fingertips, there seem to be some curves on the body.
小姑娘开始长大了呀。兰恩脸上的错愕很快转换成了淡笑，很快就反应过来抱住了怀中的少女。而希里的身体和心在此刻也终于融为了一体。
身边的莫斯萨克、站在门口的维瑟米尔、还有靠在窗边的叶奈法，他们见到此情此景都露出了近乎一致的笑容。
兰恩轻轻拍了拍怀中的希里，知道一时之间是没办法把这四肢好像树根一样扎进自己身体里面的少女从身上拔下来了。
他就维持着这么一只手抱着希里的姿势和眼前的城堡主人问好。
“您好，想必您就是维瑟米尔导师了。我是辛特拉的兰恩，兰恩·兰尼斯特·雷安伦，很高兴认识您。”
“你一定从很多渠道、从各个角度听说过我。”老猎魔人，也就是维瑟米尔，他的脸上露出了耐人寻味的笑，“我也从很多人口中听说过你了。”
老猎魔人潇洒地朝着兰恩摆摆手：“不用对我加敬称，什么‘先生’‘导师’之类的，我听不惯。我们的狼崽子都直接喊我的名字。”
确实，和重视礼仪的狮鹫学派不同，狼派对于这种口头的礼节不甚在乎，甚至有点没大没小。但是他们彼此之间的感情联系却是最紧密的。
“那么，很高兴终于见到你了，维瑟米尔。”兰恩很快就入乡随俗，用空出来的右手和维瑟米尔相握。
随后兰恩抱着希里的手微微发力，摇摇晃晃地把小姑娘提了起来走到一边，露出身后的雷索来。
如果说兰恩是作为家属、甚至带着一点政治任务来拜访。那么蛇派的众人就是单纯的猎魔人之间的交流了。
“如果你们是长途跋涉，那么现在肯定累了。如果是经过传送门，那么你们现在就更需要休息了。”维瑟米尔大笑道，“我带你们去各自的房间吧，如果你们愿意也可以参观一下凯尔莫罕。我的小伙子们出去狩猎了，给难得来到这里的蛇派兄弟、德鲁伊、还有希里的家人准备丰盛的晚餐。”
兰恩莞尔道：“我已经开始期待了。”
“我知道你有很多话想要跟我说，我们在晚饭的时候一起谈。”维瑟米尔显然心中早有腹稿，对着兰恩郑重地说道。
随后又他换了一副和煦的表情，好像刚刚的严肃只是幻觉，“希里，兰恩的房间就由你带过去了，我负责其他的客人！”
“好！”希里闷闷的声音从兰恩的怀里传出来，真难为她还能够对外界的吩咐做出反应。
……
在经过了一开始的黏着之后，希里很快就从兰恩身上下来了，不过她的手还是牢牢地抓着兰恩的胳膊。
她不回头，只是闷着走。兰恩原本没有发现什么异样，还想要调笑小姑娘两句，但是很快他又看到了希里的表情。
只见在经过一开始的欣喜若狂之后，希里又变得心事重重起来。
兰恩几次三番尝试着跟希里打招呼，但是小姑娘却一点反应都没有。
怎么回事，闹别扭了？
一直到了为兰恩准备的房间里面，关上门，希里都是用背对着兰恩。
“怎么了，我的公主？”兰恩有些不自然地打量了一下房间，笑道，“还在怪我把你丢在这里一直不过来找你吗？”
兰恩诚恳地说道：“如果是这样的话，我向你道歉。”
面对兰恩的反应，希里在兰恩看不到的地方皱了皱鼻子。
“不是这个。你很忙，我知道的，你做的一切都是为了辛特拉。我能够留在这里也是因为有你在外面为我遮风挡雨，叶奈法和特莉丝给我讲了不少亡国公主的故事，我能有现在都是幸运的了。”希里说道。
“所以我在凯尔莫罕特别努力，也从来没主动要求过离开这里，因为我想快点让自己变得有用起来，尽到一个公主的责任，尽快去帮助你。”
听到希里的话，兰恩脸上的表情都逐渐化开了。
他轻轻走上前，将两个手肘支在希里的肩膀上，左手越过少女的锁骨抱住她的肩膀，右手则轻轻抚摸她头顶柔软的头发：“但是你还是在生气，对吧？我知道，道理懂是一回事，但是生活中真正碰到了事情又是另外一回事。”
“不，我生气的不是这个。”希里的眉头皱得更紧了，嘴唇蠕动了一会，才吐出一个名字来。
“特莉丝！”
兰恩的脸和手同时僵住了。
他现在才想起来，自己大老远地来到凯尔莫罕居然还没有见到过特莉丝。以红发女术士的性格，若是在正常情况下早就该出现了，甚至会抢过莫斯萨克的工作来为兰恩介绍维瑟米尔。
但是她直到现在还没有现身，不知道是不是在躲着什么。
“我是个孩子，没错，但是我可不傻。”希里吸了吸鼻子，好像在感冒，她用闷闷的声音说道，“特莉丝自从跟在诺维格瑞给你帮过忙之后，回来就变了。她跟我拘束了很多，会躲着我；不得已给我上课的时候，又有点刻意让着我、讨好我的感觉。”
“我在布洛奇隆的时候就做好心理准备了，那时候我照顾特莉丝，也让你去照顾特莉丝。”
“有些事情……已经发生了，对吧？”
面对希里的问题兰恩默然，何止是已经发生了。
“有些事情我也懂的，从小外婆和莫斯萨克虽然没刻意教我，但是我懂的。像是政治联姻什么的，从书里和大家的谈话里面我有听到过、学到过，我也知道这是一种必要的方式。”
希里似乎在主动给兰恩找理由，说话的声音也越来越闷：“我只是很不开心，因为我也在努力长大啊。只要再五年……不，四，三……三年，只要三年，我就长大了！”
“你就不能再稍微等等嘛……”
兰恩低下头，许久不见，希里此时的身高已经堪堪到他的胸口。
但是希里啊……如果仅仅是三年的话，在我的前世还是违法的啊。如果写到小说里面，哪怕是历史题材甚至都可能会被封的啊……
兰恩尝试着组织语言，但是希里没有等到他给出反应。在说了这一通话之后小姑娘似乎发泄了一部分情绪，终于转过身来。
她先是狠狠用头撞了兰恩一下，但是紧接着就被坚固的胸甲磕伤了头额头，不由地痛呼出声；等兰恩关切地上前查看的时候，她又灵巧地躲开，用新学到的猎魔人战斗技巧在兰恩的身上狠狠锤了几下。
然后她揉了揉发疼的小手，叉着腰说道：“你只有三年的时间了，兰尼斯特伯爵！知道吗？这三年，我允许你用一切手段去壮大辛特拉，为我们争取一切可以争取的盟友！但是，但是等三年之后，我长大了，你就不能够再胡来了，知道吗？”
小公主把头一仰：“因为到时候，你就是辛特拉的亲王了！或者说你想当国王也可以……总之，你是辛特拉的雄狮，这是你的责任！而且，而且你还是我的骑士，这也是我对你的命令，你明白吗？”
希里努力地把小脸绷紧，但是兰恩能看到她不知道是因为疼痛还是因为其他情绪而导致双手在微微地颤抖。
兰恩叹息一声，上前握住了希里的小手。这双手早就不复从前公主的娇嫩，甚至比同龄的农家孩子还要粗糙，上面密布老茧，还有各种魔法实验造成的灼伤。
或许女术士之后会有办法让这双手用魔法恢复娇嫩，但是此时的它忠实地显示出自己的主人在这段时间里面吃过的苦。
“当然了，我的公主。”兰恩说道，“遵循您的吩咐。”
窗外的寒风在此刻似乎都变得安静了几分。
可惜这场公主和骑士的仪式没有持续太久，门外很快就传来了敲门的声音，打破了房间内的氛围。
“咚咚咚——”
希里不满地皱了皱鼻子：“杰洛特他们都出门了，是你带过来的那些蛇派兄弟吗？”
兰恩摇摇头：“如果是寇格林姆他们，根本就不会敲门。”
“那就是维瑟米尔了，说不定是为了你的那个猎魔人教团。”希里拍拍兰恩的手，“去吧，骑士，去完成你的任务，为了辛特拉！”
兰恩摇头轻笑。
打开门后，出乎两人意料的，门外不是他们料想中的任何一名狼派或者蛇派的成员。
门外是一个身穿棉衣长袍的猎魔人，衣着面容收拾得很整洁，头发一丝不苟地在脑后扎成一个圆发髻。虽然是在室内，但是他依旧带着铁护腕，不知道是什么个人爱好。
在开门的一瞬间，兰恩和对方的视线触及了一下，随后都很有默契地下移，集中到对方的胸前。
两枚狮鹫徽章微微晃动，似乎在遥相呼应。
“柯恩？”在看到对方的第一眼，兰恩就已经认出了对方的身份。出现在狼派大本营的狮鹫猎魔人，除了自己之外再没有第二者。
In other words, the only Griffin Hunter outside of Kael Sirens, besides himself and the founder of the sect, Elan, who might be wandering somewhere unknown, was the one in front of him.
Cohen has a beard and looks very rough, but his temperament is also a bit elegant, which he learned from Kelda, so he looks very calm and trustworthy.
"You must be Lann." Cohen smiled. He reached into his arms and grabbed a corner of a notebook. "Teacher Kelda often mentioned you to me. I knew you were coming to Kaer Morhen today, so I ended the hunt early and came back."
[Griffin School Contact Notes], Geron could dig out two copies from the snowdrifts, so there was no reason why Kelda, who had been protecting the Kel Siren, didn't have any. It was only natural that he should give them to his own disciples.
As he spoke, the Griffin Demon Hunter poked his head into Lann's room and asked, "I think I came at a bad time?"
"No, you're here at the right time." Ciri ran out of the room like a gust of wind. Cohen had been one of Ciri's swordsmanship teachers during this period, and his teasing look made Ciri a little unbearable.
"I have to go back to my potions class. Yennefer can't wait any longer. Please help me introduce Kaer Morhen to Lann~"
The little princess ran very fast, leaving only a string of tail sounds echoing in the corridor. Lan and Cohen couldn't help laughing when they saw this.
"We all like her very much." Keen looked at the direction where Shiri left. "She is very sensible and hardworking."
Although it was Ciri who was being praised, Lann's mood also improved.
The young demon hunter with lion eyes took a step back and made an inviting gesture to the senior outside the door: "Please come in, I think we have a lot to talk about."