The Divine Hunter Chapter 12: Prison

For Brugg and Soden, Mayena is a transit point on the way to Maribor, the second largest city in Temeria.

But it is smaller than most of the cities the witcher has seen, including Vizima, Elland, and Cintra.

There is only one broad and flat main road in the city, and narrow alleys on both sides of the street lead to residential areas.

Further back and closer to the periphery, the city walls are towering and there are many sentries.

Thanks to its unique geographical location, Mayena's business is relatively developed. There are shops along the street, with a dazzling array of products on the shelves... flowers, perfumes, daily necessities, and vendors enthusiastically waving their hands to solicit business.

Roy wandered around and failed to find the wolf faction mark left by Geralt, so he went to the tavern with the best information.

Taverns are usually deserted early in the morning.

The largest Slug Tavern in the center of the city is already brightly lit and bustling with people.

The dim magic lamp swayed, the strong smell of wine and the cheerful lute rushed towards me.

Roy sat at the bar and observed and listened for a while.

A group of drunken drinkers twisted their bodies wildly in the center of the dance floor, swaying their nine-month-old beer bellies and performing funny dances.

Some men put their arms around the slender waist of the tavern maid, hiding in the shadows of the corner and telling jokes. The woman laughed and slapped his chest and back of hands, which were covered with black hair.

There were also several men lying shoulder to shoulder by the window, like prisoners on death row being put on the guillotine, snoring and drooling on the street outside the tavern.

The round tables in the hall were filled with guests.

The man with dark skin and gloomy face spoke in a Maribo accent with a bit of a tongue. He complained that local prices had risen three times in a month and that he could not cook at home. He blamed all this on the white people outside the city. Freeloading refugees!

Another fat man with a Sintra accent and a big belly, drunkenly showed off his past glory to his companions, including traveling in a carriage, a beautiful wife, and a fat boy.

However, after a war, the most valuable real estate was taken away by Nilfgaard.

He is now alone, and all the money he brought will be "robbed" by Mayena's inn and tavern.

When he runs out of money, he will be driven out of the city as a beggar by the soldiers and becomes a member of the refugee camp, living on free soup and water and teeth-hard black bread.

Finally, a burly Soden man drank a glass of Mahakam liquor, his face turned red, his eyes looked fierce, and he wanted to kill someone with a knife right away.

He loudly cursed the Black Armored Army of Nilfgaard, claiming that if he had participated in the Battle of Sodden Mountain, he would have been able to drive the Black Armored Army back to the Golden Tower City in just a few days and recapture Sint in just one day. La, marry the missing princess!

Unfortunately, he slept in on the day the war broke out.

After a good sleep, Soden has been mostly destroyed.

Now that King Eckhard of Soden has died in battle, his nephew, King Foltest of Temeria, will naturally add Soden to his own territory.

He also used this to complain that Foltest's response was too slow. Why hasn't he sent soldiers to fight against Soden and regroup?

……

No matter which northern country the tavern guests come from, they are just a group of frustrated and drunken people affected by the war.

All the depression and dissatisfaction after the war were vented in the Slug Tavern!

Near the entrance of the tavern, three fat bodyguards and thugs looked at all the guests like fat sheep from time to time. No one dared to act or cause trouble!

……

The fat bartender looked at the guests in front of the bar. He was wearing a thin leather armor, a slender figure, and a pair of sunglasses. He was calm and handsome, no less handsome than the pretty boys kept by ladies.

He was expressionless at the moment.

The bartender noticed the slender but explosive muscles on his forearms with exposed sleeves. Judging from the momentum and figure of this guy, he was definitely not an ordinary person.

"What do you want?" he asked a second time.

"A glass of cherry wine." The young voice was magnetic and pleasant to the ear.

The bartender wiped the handle on his dark apron, filled an open mug with a large glass of light red cherry wine, and placed it in front of him, as if waiting for something.

"Boss, has anything big happened in the city recently?"

"Are you a mercenary, looking for a job?" The bartender wiped the bottles on the wine cabinet, "You have a good eye! Soden is busy rebuilding after the war, and many businessmen coming from north to south are unlucky here. Supplies, this also means a lot of bodyguard work. If you are willing, can I introduce you to one?"

Roy stared at him silently.

"Okay, blame me for talking too much."

"There are countless major events happening in this world every day, especially Mayena, which is close to Soden - the center of all turmoil now! I heard that the monarchs of several big countries in the north, Foltest, Demavi, Henselt...will meet with the envoys from the south at the fortress soon to decide the direction of the war!" The bartender cleared his throat and filled another half glass of cherry wine for him.

"The refugee camp outside the city has expanded again! Our Lord has been overwhelmed and has repeatedly applied for financial assistance from His Majesty the King."

"Two days ago, another female corpse was found at the entrance of the alley. She was the daughter of a local businessman. She was suspected of being assassinated by Soden immigrants. The businessmen's associations in the city planned to unite to put pressure on the Sheriff and demand that the murderer be caught and hanged as soon as possible. !"

The bartender's words stopped abruptly, and his eyes stared at the witcher, with the golden light of Krona shining in them.

"Another glass of cherry wine." Roy took three crowns and ten coppers.

The bartender put three of the crowns into the pocket of his apron with a smile on his face, and gave him another drink,

“A week ago, a businessman from Outer Rivia kidnapped the city’s honorary ambassador Ainz, and even dared to return to the city openly. As a result, he was caught by the guards and imprisoned in the dungeon... Tortured!"

Trans-Livia is the area bordering the kingdoms of Leiria and Livia and the eastern border of Soden.

"What's strange is that this Livia businessman brought a strong mercenary, a white-haired mutant... who was also imprisoned."

"A mutant with white hair?" Roy's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't remember any other demon hunter with white hair like snow besides Geralt. He asked, "About 6 feet 2 tall, with a well-proportioned body and a back Holding two swords?"

The bartender smiled but said nothing,

"One more drink!"

The bartender shook his head in silence and stretched out five fingers at him.

Roy suddenly pushed away the high stool and stood up, his back blocking the bodyguards' sight.

The five fingers of his left hand flashed in front of him like lightning.

After the light cyan light.

The bartender’s eyes immediately became dull and he answered the question obediently.

"That guy was called Geralt of Rivia. You can tell by his name that he came from the same place as the merchant. The merchant of Rivia hired him to kidnap the honorary ambassador Ainz... Neither of them had any evidence to prove their identity. He was innocent, but he made up a ridiculous and absurd reason, why Ainz was melted for no reason."

"The crime of kidnapping, some even claimed that they came from occupied Cintra and were spies for Nilfgaard. No matter how you look at it, this is a big crime! Ainz serves as Mayena's food One of the suppliers fed some of the refugees outside the city. He disappeared. Prices in the city will inevitably rise, making people's lives even more difficult! The sheriff was furious and put the two in the dungeon."

"Just on the north side of the city, under the tallest tower."

"Geralt, Geralt, you are causing trouble for yourself at this time, why can't you find Ciri?" Roy took a sip of the slightly sweet wine and complained in his heart, "A demon hunter like this. , why did you stupidly let the soldiers arrest you...don’t you know how to resist, and treat the Yaksi Seal as a decoration?"

He looked at the bartender, "What should I do to enter the dungeon and see them?"

The bartender paused, and his eyes began to brighten,

"As the old saying goes, money opens every door."

……

A torch with a burning smell was inserted into an iron bracket on the rugged rock wall.

Two shadows were cast by the light of the torch onto the dirty floor.

The white-haired demon hunter's eyelids moved. He woke up from the long meditation, and the physical pain was slightly relieved. He wiped his wet cheeks and looked around.

On the opposite side of the iron grille lay two unkempt prisoners, snoring rhythmically.

Beside Geralt, sleeping was a meatball-like thing covered in bloodstains, whip marks, and tattered silk robes. In fact, it was a once wealthy businessman with a kind smile on his face. Unfortunately, he had been in prison for only a week. I have been tortured to the point of collapse

"Yurga, are you okay?" A tough and warm hand patted the businessman's back, and the businessman woke up after saying "um".

"Hiss! My back hurts... Geralt, are we still in the dungeon?" He wiped his eyes with his muddy hands, as if he thought the darkness, coldness, and dampness in front of him were just illusions.

"If no one comes to rescue us, we will probably be imprisoned until we turn into bones, or we will be tied to the gallows before then." The witcher's voice was still calm.

"Damn it!" Yurga propped up her body and leaned her back against the cold wall. Her wet fat face showed a trace of annoyance in her small round eyes, "I'm sorry! Geralt, I hurt you. You. You saved my life. Instead of giving you the reward you asked for, I implicated you and dragged you into this muddy water!"

"We can't hand over Ainz at all! We will never be able to leave this prison in our lifetimes!" He sobbed while covering his swollen and pale cheeks, holding his head like a grunting wild boar. "I will never see Cristide again..."

"She is young and beautiful, but before she is twenty-five, she will be a widow! No, maybe she will take my property and remarry."

"Oh my God! My two children, Nedber and Sulik are still young. What if there is an abusive stepfather?"

Geralt shook his head. I really don’t know what secret this businessman has to keep his emotions in a lively and energetic state, sighing and sighing every day.

"Yurga, I advise you to save your strength." The white wolf spat on the ground, with a smell of rust coming from his mouth. It hurts more!"

"Click!"

The iron gate at the entrance to the dungeon opened a gap.

Xiwei's white light came in.

The sound of opening the door was like a devil's sneer, making Yurga tremble all over.

"They are here again, the goddess Freya, the goddess Meriteri, the prophet Lebioda, the father of the sky Owen, the eternal fire, gods, protect me, invulnerable, just this time!"

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!" A light footsteps approached from far away.

Both of them could not help but hold their breath.

However, the expected scolding and the sound of the iron door opening were not there, replaced by a laugh full of ridicule.

The light of the torch illuminated a familiar figure outside the iron grille.

"Roy?!"

Geralt stared at the slit-shaped heterochromatic pupils, his heart dropped, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

"How did you get in?"

"The prophet has his own tricks! But I can't stay long, only a quarter of an hour."

"I knew it!" Bai Lang held his hands on the iron railing, his tone fluctuating slightly, "You had a premonition that I would get into trouble, so you came here to save me, right?"

"You can think so." Roy looked at the demon hunter who had a dirty face, a stench all over his body that showed dense blood scabs and scars, and even his white hair had lost its former luster, and said harshly, "But I really didn’t expect that such a dignified demon hunter would be arrested and imprisoned without any resistance? Where is your Axi Sigil?"

"Master Geralt knows this Excellency?" Yurga immediately pressed his fat face against the railing, squeezing it out of shape. His sparse eyebrows were divided into a figure-eight shape, and he grinned at Roy ingratiatingly, "Can you let me He got us out!"

"Be patient, man, this is my brother Roy." Geralt stared at his companion with a cat-like expression and explained seriously, "You should understand, Roy, I have been deceived by fate countless times. Teasing. I already have a lot of experience, and the current encounter is obviously a test. I have to solve this test in order to successfully find Ciri, cheat, or give up... Then all I get in the end is punishment."

Roy shook his head in disdain, but when his eyes shifted to Yurga, a businessman in Transrivia, he could not utter any retort.

The identity of this fat and unattractive businessman is not simple.

He once appeared in Roy's memory, and he played a crucial role in Geralt's first search for a girl.

Originally, Roy thought that the First Northern War had been advanced by half a year, with butterfly wings flapping like hurricanes, and it was impossible for Geralt to have any intersection with this guy again.

However, the encounter played out in another way.

It can be seen from this that Geralt’s words are not unreasonable. Fate and the law of accidents have been quietly showing their mysterious power!

"Listen, I'm going to get you out! But I have to understand the whole story. What happened?"

……

"Let me explain, Mr. Roy!" The fat man straightened his tattered collar, "I was fully involved in the whole accident!"

"Yurga, hurry up and make a long story short!"

"A week ago, Ainz, the grain merchant and honorary ambassador of Mayena, and I met to discuss business in a forest in the north of the city! He helped me purchase supplies that were in short supply in Levia and Soden, and I used my knowledge in Levia to Help him purchase a batch of grain through Asia's channels."

Discussing business in the woods?

Roy was a little surprised, but didn't interrupt.

“Our negotiation just reached the first step when it collapsed... What he wanted to purchase was almost moldy old grain and worm-infested flour. You know, if it is used to make bread, it will definitely cause great damage. The health of those who eat it. Even if I think with my feet, I can guess the recipients of the poisonous bread."

"They are already a group of poor homeless people, why do they still suffer such abuse?"

Roy suddenly realized that it was relief food for refugees!

"Although I could make a huge profit in the past few years by taking this deal, I rejected him. That has no bottom line as a human being!"

Yurga had a serious face, and every piece of jiggling fat looked upright.

Roy glanced at Geralt, who nodded at him.

Obviously, Bai Lang personally confirmed it with Axi.

This fat man seems to have some sense of justice.

But a little doubt arose in Roy's mind. Would the dignified honorary ambassador of Mayena, with such a noble status, do such a heartbreaking thing?

"The bad thing is in the second half of the journey. On our way back to the city, we passed through a forest and suddenly saw a strong red light. It was unbelievable, as if thousands of red candles were lit, and the light covered the A small forest!" When talking about this, the fat man's eyes became very strange, with a little fear and a little yearning?

"No, that's a little red sun, shining brightly!"

Roy's face turned strange.

"Out of curiosity, I took my servant Profy, and Ainz led his servant Mato into the woods shrouded in red light. We spent about five minutes exploring, but found nothing. The light source seemed to Appearing out of thin air."

"We are planning to leave the woods shrouded in red light. We are preparing to leave..." Yurga paused and looked at the corridor between the prisons. He was dazed for a while, and his round pupils bloomed. With a strange look on his face, he raised his voice, and the two prisoners who were sleeping soundly in the prison opposite couldn't help but smack their mouths, "Ainz suddenly disappeared!"

"Disappear?"

"Like a melted candle! His body, from the inside out, was ignited and burned by a red flame!"

Roy thought he was listening to an embellished horror story and looked at Geralt again.

The latter nodded firmly at him.

"The red flames came from nowhere. They burned fiercely without producing any smoke. For five seconds at most, Ainz only had time to roar twice before he was burned to pieces and dissipated in the air. All the clothes he wore turned into ashes and dust. In the end, nothing was left!"

Roy's face was so gloomy that it could drip.

He thought it was just an ordinary missing person case, but he could easily solve it with the help of his witcher senses!

But now - there is no doubt that he is in trouble!

He has never heard of such a bizarre incident - a forest glowing with red light, a living person being burned to ashes in the blink of an eye.

This requires such a high temperature that even the flame breath of the Skyrim dragon cannot do it. He believes that most warlocks in the world also do not have this ability.

Roy searched through the knowledge in his mind and couldn't think of a reason. It was even more outrageous than the dragonborn absorbing the dragon soul!

"Is it possible that Yurga drank too much at that time, or took some drugs that the upper class nobles were obsessed with, and had hallucinations?" Roy did not look at the fat man, but asked Geralt instead.

"I checked and there's nothing to prove your point."

"So you think he's telling the truth?"

"Yes, although I can't guess the reason." Geralt said bluntly.

"Hey, Mr. Roy, you can call me ugly and pedantic, but you can't doubt my integrity. Integrity is the foundation of doing business!"

"Nonsense! Keep going!"

"Profi, me, and Ainz's servant Mato were all frightened at the time! We were worried that we would be implicated and burned to ashes, so we tried our best to escape from that weird forest. I was too fat, so These two brats left me and ran away!"

"I was tired and scared, and my body was weak. When I was passing a single-plank bridge, which was the only road I had to pass, I lost my footing and half of my body slipped out." The unbearable memory appeared on Yurga's face. With a look of pain, "Can you understand, a fat man over two hundred pounds, half of his body hanging on a single-plank bridge, below is the Grand Canyon, an abyss! I am like a beached whale on the beach, almost suffocating every second It’s all inhumane torture!”

"So Geralt happened to be passing by and rescued you!" Roy guessed.

"Yes, I was almost dead at the time. I promised to agree to any conditions. Master Geralt extended a helping hand." Yurga smiled gratefully at the white wolf and added another digression,

"Actually, I know what the demon hunter wants. I wish I could give one of my two sons to the guidance of Master White Wolf. In this messy world with frequent wars, being a demon hunter may lead to a better life than ordinary people. Longer, more nourishing life!"

"Knowledgeable!" Roy praised. This was the first time he saw someone taking the initiative to give a son to a demon hunter.

"It's a pity that Master White Wolf thinks this is not in compliance with the law of accidents! By the way, when he rescued me from the wooden bridge, he proposed the law of accidents as a reward... There is no way that a third child that I don't know about will appear in my family. When we returned home, there was no movement in Kristel's stomach, and she didn't dare to steal someone behind my back!" The fat man looked determined.

Roy smiled and said, "Let's get down to business..."

"I rescued him and revealed my identity as a witcher." White Wolf added, "I went back to the woods shrouded in red light with him for a walk. Unfortunately, when we got there, The vision has completely disappeared."

"But my pendant is vibrating." Geralt's dark cat eyes flashed, "There is special energy left in that place!"

"Tell me the location of that forest in detail!"

Soon, Roy was satisfied and obtained the address information.

"After being rescued, I was at a loss..." the fat man continued, "I went back to the city with the master, planning to discuss a response plan. After all, the honorary ambassador has a very noble status, and his end was too bizarre. Who could have imagined, As soon as we arrived at the city gate, we were surrounded by a group of guards!"

“The cunning Ainz somehow told his servants that he would make things worse if he didn’t return to the city for a long time.”

"When he left the city, many people saw me walking with him."

Yurga sighed, with a bitter look on his face, "Mayena's honorary ambassador disappeared for no reason. This is big news. Someone must be found to be responsible for this. After hearing our excuse, the Sheriff thought that we kidnapped Ainz. , we became the scapegoat!"

"Actually, there is nothing wrong with what the Sheriff did," Roy said from the opposite side, "The red light and flames can burn people to ashes instantly. It is simply unheard of, not to mention that the red light has long since disappeared. You basically There is no evidence, but any normal person would regard you as kidnappers!"

"And he is a kidnapper who has already broken up his vote and destroyed his body and traces!"

Ainz was burned to ashes and will never be found.

"But we also need a breakthrough." Roy said solemnly, "Your escaped servant Profy can prove that the energy field did exist and prove what happened to Ainz!"

"That guy ran away and hid somewhere, but the soldiers couldn't catch him." Yurga looked unhappy, but also a little relieved, "Besides, he is my person, even if he shows up, He will only be regarded as an accomplice in kidnapping!"

"What about Ainz's servant Mato?"

"Mato disappeared and his whereabouts are unknown. He was acting strangely at the time. He seemed to have a mental breakdown and ran away yelling." The businessman recalled.

"Let's talk about their physical characteristics. I'll be responsible for finding someone!" Roy said solemnly, "Ainz's servant's words should be somewhat credible, right?"

……

"Finding Mato cannot reverse the result!" Geralt shook his head, "Don't you understand? The Sheriff needs to give an explanation to the people, especially the refugees outside the city. With just a few humble servants and businessmen, , it looks like completely fabricated testimony, not convincing at all, and cannot be trusted by others."

"You two have given me a big problem!" Roy thought for a moment,

"So besides Mato, you have to find someone with deep credibility to endorse you! Prove that the red light that burned Honorary Ambassador Ainz to ashes did indeed exist."

Wild woods, profound influence.

A Mayena organization suddenly appeared in Roy's mind.

……

Geralt and Ainz only saw each other mutter something strange and fell into deep thought.

"Hey, boy over there, it's time!"

A shout came from the stairs of the iron gate.

"Wait a moment!" Roy replied, and then said to the two of them, "I almost have an idea, I will try my best to rescue you! You just need to wait peacefully!"

"But before I leave, I still have a question. Ainz was burned to ashes five minutes after being exposed to the red light. Why were you, your servant Profi, and Ainz's servant Mato unscathed?"

"I don't know." Yurga shook his head in confusion, "But it's not completely unchanged. I feel there is a little change in my body."

"What change?" Roy raised his eyebrows. From his observation, there was nothing unusual except for minor injuries.

"It's hard to describe, do you understand, but my body is much lighter than before, like I have let go of some kind of psychological burden..."

"Okay, the weird red light in the woods, the honorary ambassador who was burned to ashes~IndoMTL.com~the two servants who escaped, I almost remember it clearly." Roy stretched out his hand and waved Gu Weisier Throw it into the iron grate.

"Hide it well, Geralt. During my investigation, if you two encounter a danger that you cannot handle, tap the sword's spine three times. I will sense it and take you away."

"Saving your life is important. When the time comes, you won't care about the law!"

He threw two bottles of small life potion to Yurga.

The fat businessman's back was covered with blood scabs, his face was exhausted, and he had obviously suffered a lot.

Roy can't let him die like this.

"If you really can't bear the pain, drink a bottle!"

The businessman immediately carefully hid it in his arms. He had always been interested in the witcher's potion.

"Okay, you two, take care of yourself! I have a feeling there will be good news soon!"

Roy smiled meaningfully at Geralt, "Maybe I can give you a surprise."

……