Chapter 8 Return to the Temple

"God-level Demon Hunter ()"

April 6, 1265.

The warm morning light fell on the northern suburbs of Elland City. A dusty motorcade drove by the main road leading to the temple complex. A dozen temples stood among the jagged boulders, reflecting the hazy sunlight, making people watch. Not clear.

In the very life-like courtyard of the temple, many priestesses in gray dresses are doing their morning work, watering the fields, picking vegetables, feeding chickens, and cleaning.

The priestesses were very young, most of them fifteen or sixteen years old, and there were also children of eight or nine years old, and some of the lively girls turned their heads to look at the huge motorcade—

There is an endless stream of believers in the Temple of Goddess Meritelli, but it is rare to see so many at one time.

Even when dealing with the dozen or so sturdy witchers, the priestess' eyes did not contain any worldly impurities, only pure curiosity and kindness, which made people feel relaxed and warm.

A group of vigorous boys in the team blushed and their ears became hot. They lived in the suburbs for a long time and rarely enjoyed the attention of so many young and beautiful ladies.

And Vicky and other girls in the convoy smiled and nodded at the priestesses.

The bald man jokingly explained, "The Temple of Meritelli has never lacked 'cute' priestesses. Every year, girls from all over the North flock here, and there are students who graduate from the temple school and go to other temples to serve as prophets, Midwives, physicians for children and women..."

The children suddenly realized that they looked at this group of girls with a hint of recognition, they were all poor people who had left home since childhood.

And Roy looked sighed.

When he came to the Temple of Goddess Meritelli for the first time, Leto also said this to him.

It was in this beautiful and fertile temple that he survived the first trial of green grass and transformed into a snake demon hunter.

In a sense, this is where his dream began.

Now the peace and tranquility has not been affected by the war, and it has become a dilapidated ruin in the future.

Let us change its fate and fulfill its promise to the goddess Meritelli.

"Master Letho? Geralt?!"

A slender young female sacrifice with a round face and a few freckles greeted her from the side hall of the shrine. Her lustrous eyes turned towards the faces of a group of big men in thick cloaks leading horses at the front of the convoy.

It landed on the most eye-catching shiny bald head, and finally turned to Geralt's face with fluttering white hair.

The daisy-like weak and innocent eyes filled with mist, and an unbearable past came to mind.

That year, she also kept the quiet oath for the goddess.

That year, she was still a pure priestess.

"Good morning, Ms. Aerola, I haven't seen you for many years, and you still look the same." Geralt bowed to her in a salute, his cheeks trying to remain calm, but the slightly trembling corners of his eyes still revealed his uneasy mood.

And the pair of vertical pupils seemed to smell like a cat smelling fishy, ​​circling back and forth between Geralt and Elora with great interest.

"Master Priest, don't gossip..." Roy looked around at the eagerly awaited children around him, breaking the awkward atmosphere, "Can you let us in first? Mama Nannick should have received the 'message', right? ?"

"Roy, why don't you have a long memory? How many times have you said that, don't call me old mother!" A fat woman with gray hair and a large red-brown dress retorted loudly and walked out of the side hall. She looked five-year-old. At the age of sixty, every wrinkle on his face is reminiscent of a mother who works hard for the family, kind and amiable, and his brown eyes are like holy candles lit, shining with warm light, "When I think of how old I am, If there is such a possibility, I will be furious!"

She snorted coldly, but a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth, her steps were surprisingly vigorous, and her long dress rustled on the floor.

"Okay, Mammy Nenny, with the deepest respect, um—"

"That's right. Welcome, boy!"

Roy took a breath.

The wealthy high priest opened his warm embrace, embraced him heavily, and let go.

like a kind elder,

With a look of relief in his eyes, he pinched the strong muscles on his shoulders.

"The grass trial is very effective. How long has it been since you have changed from a thin and small bamboo pole to a healthy and strong young man."

"Thanks to you..." Roy bowed to her sincerely, "Thanks to your shelter, careful care and guidance."

Nannick raised his brows and asked, "But why do you make Goddess Meritelli so attractive? You sent me an oracle specially to entertain your witcher 'army'?"

"Cough cough..."

"Geralt, do you have a cold, or do you have a sore throat?" Nannick turned his head and glared at the white wolf with a smile.

The white wolf's dark-colored cat's pupil is full of anticipation and gratitude.

Once he was seriously injured and dying, and was taken in by Nannick for treatment, so he was always grateful.

"Have you lived to a dog's age? After so many years, you still haven't grown at all, and you don't know how to take care of yourself, and your body stinks! How could those blind women fall in love with you and never forget you? "

Nannick scolded and disgusted, and hugged him heavily, his loving eyes swept across the faces beside the carriage,

"Tell me, what's going on, bring so many 'masters' here, are you ready to convert to Meritelli?"

"And these kids?"

"Nannick, go in and talk!"

The sorceress walked out of the convoy and held Nannick's arm intimately. One was young and beautiful, the other was old and kind, just like a pair of grandparents.

"Do you remember coming to see me? Could it be that you've been hanging out with witchers for years, so you haven't had time to visit the temple for a few years?"

"more or less."

...

Erola hurriedly took a few witchers to the backyard of the temple to place horses and carriages.

And Nannick led the mighty crowd into the corridor of the side hall.

The children craned their necks and looked around curiously.

In the open wooden doors on the side of the corridor, in the quiet room with white candles lit, sat believers praying to the statue of the goddess, looking at the poor in sackcloth and sackcloth, and the rich in silk sable fur.

Piety has no class.

There are also some people who look ragged, with a much more than ordinary sadness frozen on their thin cheeks, which can be called bitterness and hatred.

"Refugees from Sintra and Verdon?" Roy asked.

"When the war broke out, the temple accepted hundreds of refugees."

Nannick noticed everyone's eyes and explained patiently,

"But now the conflict has subsided, and most of the refugees have long since been naturalized by Vizima... Foltest won a lot of land in this war, but most of them were destroyed by the war, leaving everything to be rebuilt, and Temeria lacks. We don’t refuse refugees.” Nannick paused, “Vegemah’s new church has also contributed a lot in recent years. It is very considerate to arrange work and accommodation for the poor.”

"Virtue Church?" Roy's heart moved, and the pretty faces of Princess Yada and Goddess Vivien appeared in front of him again.

"According to rumors, this church is backed by the legendary Lady of the Lake. In Vizima City, its influence has surpassed that of Eternal Fire in the past two years, and it is almost on a par with Goddess Meritelli." Nan Nick said with a little surprise, "It's just that the power is limited to the Vizima Lake area, and it has never expanded outwards at all."

...

When passing one of the rooms, Roy couldn't help but stop.

The bright candlelight illuminated three figures in the room. A young man wearing a scholar's robe, exuding a thick bookish air, squinted his eyes because of myopia, was referring to a "Universal Encyclopedia of the World" and recited a passage in a clear voice. Literature on "Swift".

The boy with short black hair and the girl with two pigtails were sitting upright on the table and chair he had started, with their ears pricked up, their eyes fixed on the teacher, and nodding from time to time, as if they had heard the master's instructions. puppy.

Wearing a gray coat and skirt in the style of the temple, his appearance is quite outstanding, his skin is fair and delicate, and his facial features are carved and jaded, and at first glance, he looks like two dolls.

And looks cool, obviously a pair of siblings.

see them.

Roy instantly remembered the father who sacrificed himself for his children, Aaron, the head of the Sea Scorpion Acrobatic Troupe.

The tearful wolf face was especially in front of him.

"Yal!"

"Who? It's class time now, I'll talk about it later!" Yale, the librarian of the Temple of the Goddess Meritelli, looked at this sharp-eyed, heroic, and eye-catching witcher. Can't tell who he is.

"Roy, have you forgotten?"

Yael was shocked, looked up at the witcher, opened his mouth wide, and almost dropped his jaw!

"My dear, what kind of elixir have you been taking in the past few years? Have you developed a metamorphosis? How did you grow up to be so tall and handsome!"

"Although you are too old, if you are willing to take a little risk, I can help you transform and pass the trial of green grass. Let you have more muscles, mutate into gray hair, and be more lovable by Ruola? Maybe? "

Roy responded with a smile.

Yael's shoulders trembled, his glasses almost fell to the ground, and he shook his head desperately.

"Haha, I'm not kidding you, these two little guys are Ade and Ali?" Roy squatted in front of the boy and girl, and couldn't help reaching out and holding their soft little hands.

The two brothers and sisters were startled by the stranger, but not a few years ago, they overreacted and cooed wildly, fluttering their wings like a tea falcon, and looking for a wooden pole to hang themselves upside down like an owl.

"Who is brother?" They both asked in unison, their voices as crisp as an oriole, and their black jewel-like eyes looked at the witcher, "Big brother knows us?"

Roy smiled without saying a word, and touched the little heads of the two of them with relief.

After being troubled by the curse for several years, I finally got on the right track, and the two brothers and sisters should not be reminded of the sad past.

"Okay, it's time for me to leave, Yael... Instruct Ali and Ade well, and train them to become talents! By the way... As for your unrequited love, Sister Aerola, you have to be careful recently." Roy suddenly came close to a young The librarian's ear whispered a few words, and the latter suddenly became nervous.

...

After Roy and his acquaintances finished chatting, Nannick led them to a courtyard on the innermost floor of the temple, with more than 30 empty rooms lined up under the delicate eaves.

Two wooden beds in each room, flat yellow blankets, desks and chairs that are still sturdy for a certain age, an oil lamp, and floral curtains over the wooden windows.

Through the window you can see the busy priestess in the courtyard.

"Okay, masters, and the children, you will stay here from today." Nannick let go of his best friend's arm and glanced at everyone around him, "Long as long as you love, but there are two requirements. , obey the rules of the temple. When you should do anything, write it down on the schedule."

"And don't influence other believers, understand?"

"Understood!" the children answered in unison.

"How will the rooms be allocated?" Nannick nodded with satisfaction and glanced at the witcher, "Arrange it yourself."

"Come on, Vicky, you're the first to choose a room," the bald man nodded at the blond girl rather favorably.

Vicky shook her head a little embarrassedly, and glanced at her companions, but only saw faces of affirmation and approval.

Along the way, she has taken a deep dive as the head of the house.

But she picked one at random.

"Renie."

"Ahhh! I'm finally free! I'm going to live with Vicky, I'm going to sleep with her, one day and one night! No, three days and three nights!"

Renee raised the slender hand that held her good sister, screamed wildly, shook the two braids, jumped like a rabbit, and rushed into the room in the center of the corridor!

"Little smart guy! Next, Conrad..."

"Oreo..."

The named children happily rushed into the room they wanted, and spent more than a month sleeping in the wild.

And the witchers stood scattered in the corner of the yard.

Looking at this warm scene, a gratified smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he hoped that he would have the opportunity to continue watching it in the future.

"Carl, Monty, Akka...Final choice!"

"Why!" Arkhamtom jumped up three feet in the spot like an irritated wild cat, trembling with anger, "This is discrimination, women are more important than men!"

"What is this? A badge of honor! You are the oldest and the most senior... You should leave your younger siblings." Serret grabbed the pendant between Akka's neck and added.

The twelve young witchers with swords on their backs suddenly looked at each other, turning their anger into joy.

"Ahem, it makes sense... As the boss," Carl and his eleven friends said in unison, "I have the responsibility and obligation to take care of my younger brother and sister! This time, we will be a little bit wronged!"

"Consciousness is quite high, it's up to you to make the greatest sacrifice!"

The owl knocked hard on the center of his forehead, wrapped his arms around his shoulders and walked directly to the end of the corridor, then thoughtfully chose a room next to the toilet for his disciple, and snickered with a group of little tails behind him.

"Don't laugh, since you've chosen a room, lean over and go to the yard!" The vulture's expression suddenly became solemn, and the solemn tone made everyone's heart skip a beat.

...

"Dude... Are you familiar with Vizima's Virtue Church?" Grim quietly found Roy leaning against the eaves and pillars, his eyes bright, "In Lake Vizima, is there really a goddess in the lake?"

Roy didn't hide it, he pulled out the sword of the lake girl, straightened his right arm, the sword body seemed to be integrated with the arm, pierced into the clear sky, the elbows contracted, the sword and the arm formed a right angle of 90 degrees, the keel material Reflecting the golden morning light, and his unusually calm face. "The lady in the lake, Vivian, gave me this sword as a reward for the trial of the five virtues."

"Grimm, there is no such thing as a banquet in the world. If you wish, I will write you a letter... Take it and go to Vizima to meet the High Priest of Virtue Church, Her Highness Yada."

Roy flicked the smooth blade and returned the sword to its sheath,

"Maybe you will have a chance to see the goddess of the lake with your own eyes, not necessarily Ms. Vivian, but also other goddesses of the lake, accept their five virtue trials, and strive for a lake in addition to the Toussaint champion knights. The honorary title of the goddess knight."

"How, are you interested?"

Grim's eyes turned,

"You chase me away?"

Roy shook his head and smiled,

"You think too much. But we have to deal with a little personal affairs... You can also choose to stay in the temple and help us take care of these children."

...

"It can be seen that these children have a good relationship with each other... they are like family." Nannick stood under the eaves and asked Coral curiously, "But in my impression, witchers have always believed in natural selection. The way the apprentices are treated is horribly brutal! It almost makes them jump into graves and coffins!"

"Old friend, the bad habits of the past have long been eliminated, and the witchers are also evolving with the times... to set new rules!" Coral smiled slightly, and wrapped her fingers around a bunch of red hair, and said, not without flaunting, "Otherwise you think that How come so many apprentices have been born in just a few years?"

"You may not believe it when you say it. The trials of green grass we presided over have never failed! None of them have character defects. Although...even though...they are still infertile."

Nannick was suddenly silent, and the wrinkles on his face stretched after a moment.

In fairness to God, it gave witchers power and robbed them of their fertility.

If they can reproduce normally, inherit superhuman strength.

Then the whole world will be in chaos.

"Okay, how long are you going to stay this time?" Nannick rubbed his temples.

"We're leaving right now."

"you?"

"Except for the group of children, all witchers, including me..." Coral blue eyes swept across the courtyard.

Vesemir, Lambert, Owl, Leto... gathered all the children who had chosen a room in the yard.

Talk with a straight face.

The content of the conversation doesn't seem very interesting.

The originally lively and cheerful atmosphere turned sharply.

Carl stabbed and even blushed with them.

But without exception it was brutally suppressed.

"What's the situation, you are planning to return to the arms of the goddess ahead of time? So entrust the child to me?"

"Not that serious."

Nannick looked at Coral's pretty face with concern, "What do you have to hide from me, let's hear it? An old man like me can help you with your staff!"

"Giggle, stop joking, Nannick, you're not as old as... um..."

Coral carefully glanced at Roy in the distance, and seeing that he was not paying attention, he patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"This is not Tuogu, have you seen the twelve witcher apprentices? Don't underestimate them, they will stay in the temple for a long time in the future, responsible for the personal safety of the priestess and you, which can be regarded as fulfilling someone's promise. Right. Correspondingly, you usually take the time to teach them more life experience."

"You mean the temple is in danger? Who dares to risk the world to attack Meritelli?" Nannick was thoughtful, so this was the reason why Goddess Tomeng let herself entertain the witchers, a group of young witchers guard?

"You will naturally know the answer in the future. As for us, we must go to Maribo to recover a debt..." Blue eyes flashed cold light, "Well, a blood debt."