Witcher's Atelier

Late at night, with a sense of relief after everything had settled, the young man walked out of Sigi Luwen's "Relax Bathhouse" and ended his conversation with Dijkstra, which meant that he had dealt with all the people who wanted to see him.

Eunuch Habin sent the three of them out, said a few polite words in a gloomy way, and closed the door of the bathhouse.

After confirming that the bard was safe, Bosler also returned to the "Biz District" to report to Hawthorne with the promise that the young man would be happy to participate in the ode tomorrow.

After the song ended, Victor did not rush to leave, but strolled to appreciate the carvings on the outer wall of the bathhouse, the artistic style of ancient elves.

Angouleme did not urge him. Not interrupting the captain when he was pretentious was the self-cultivation of an excellent member of the group.

In the past, I was ignorant and always approached to ask the captain what he was doing? Then I would be forced to receive a lot of daily knowledge in Bell Town.

Facts have proved that the reliability of that knowledge is like the "Sword Against Catriona Plague" on my waist. You can't say it is useless, but those who say it is useful must be lying.

Not long after appreciating the art, "Which way should we take to go home?" Victor asked.

He put his hands behind his back and looked up at the wall carvings, looking like an important person.

"Let's go to the fish market, it's closer!"

"Okay, I want to go there again."

After saying that, he turned around, and Angouleme looked at Victor, took out a black scarf from the herbal bag and covered his mouth, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed.

Because Chapelle extended the condition for ten days, the boy could not show his face in public, so he had to be like a shameful gangster, wearing a mask when he was out, including tomorrow's poetry meeting, he was the "Masked Poet King"-Victor called himself.

Silently taking out a red scarf from her arms, the girl also covered her mouth, transformed into a gangster, and followed Victor through the Hierophant Square.

In fact, Angouleme regretted it a little after she said it. She shouldn't have said "fish market". She was one of the people who witnessed Victor killing the shapeshifter, and she was the only one who really knew the whole picture of the incident.

From the introduction of the race's habits at the beginning, the leader planned how to fish out the shapeshifter, how to drive it away and arrest it, and make it an employee of the brigade.

Then when they actually faced each other, the other party first copied himself, and a battle took place by the moat, and then the other party copied the leader and became the "Butcher of Novigrad".

When Victor and Babu fought the shapeshifter, she, who was a little behind, had already arrived, so she also noticed that the shapeshifter's swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds during the slaughter.

Although she lacked key information and could not come up with the correct answer, at least she was sure that the shapeshifter was not crazy originally, and it was normal when it mimicked herself, so the reason for the madness could only be the mimicry of the leader?

She couldn't ask this question.

…

The two of them were silent all the way, and soon walked to the bridgehead of the fish market. What rushed into their noses was the fishy smell, not the bloody smell.

Victor thought, if it was an orthodox witcher, he would definitely be able to smell the clues now.

It was here during the day, the guy with the strongest swordsmanship he had ever encountered in his life, perhaps only Master Vesemir could match him.

He looks exactly like me, and has the same strength. I used the Moon Dust to turn him back to his original form, and then cut off his head - without hesitation.

Noticing that the boy was immersed in his thoughts, Angouleme said: "The body has been taken away, and there is no blood."

"It should have been burned clean. The cruelest and most vicious criminal in Novigrad's history... Gene." Victor responded instinctively.

"Gene!? Is it the name of the shapeshifter?"

Touching his nose, the boy recalled the address that Chapelle told him, "Maybe, come with me, we are going to another place, not home yet."

"Where are we going? Where are we going?"

"We are going to the Far Corner District, which should not be too far from the 'Tretog Gate'."

...

From the Glorious Alley to the Glorious Gate to the east, it is the route where the shapeshifter cuts with his hands and knives. Along the way, there are faint cries, and there are candles at the door of every house.

The two walked to the Glorious Gate. Usually, there would be a few drunk homeless people lying by the bonfire at this time, but today the place was brightly lit with candles. There were temple guards, gang members, and many ordinary civilians.

Victor took out his purse, bought two candles from the vendor, lit them, and stuck them into the ground, joining the ranks of praying for the dead.

After walking a distance through the Glorious Gate, the Phantom Troupe arrived at the fruit and vegetable market. As the birthplace of the incident, this place was peaceful and serene. There was no other lighting except the glow of the altar of the eternal fire.

When passing through the Tretog Gate, the temple guard at the gate checked the identities of the two. When he saw Victor's face, he trembled slightly, but he did not lose his composure. It seemed that he knew something and was also reminded of something.

…

Stepping into the "Far Corner" again, this is not a place where the temple guards will patrol, nor is it the business scope of the four giants.

The Beggar King is in the Glorious Alley and Port District, the Butcher Cleaver is in the Silverton District, Hawthorne controls the Bizz District and part of Gildov, and Sigi Luwen manages the Hierophant Square.

Although the economic output of the Far Corner District is not high, it does not mean that there is no wealth to be exploited. The Big Four do not intervene in the management, making this place the territory of scattered gangs and a hotbed for many small crimes.

For example, what is happening now not far from the Phantom Troupe is a typical case of burglary and murder.

The door of the house is open, and three elves are surrounding a human sharpening their knives. Their loud conversation can be clearly heard.

The long-eared elf stared at the human and said angrily: "You dirty scum."

"You must pay with blood!" The short-eared elf kicked the chair over.

The middle-aged man who was surrounded knelt on the ground and clasped his hands, "I didn't do anything, everyone, please!"

Noticing the masked man and woman approaching the door, the black-haired elf on guard duty said, "Anyone who has nothing to do with it, stay back and don't interfere!"

Seeing other people appear, the middle-aged man hurriedly called for help: "Please... I have a wife... children... I am very merciful..."

"It's too late, poisonous insect, you are dead today!" The long-eared elf cursed fiercely.

"Can anyone tell me what's going on now?" With a black cloth covering his face, Victor's voice sounded a little dull.

The short-eared elf came forward and said, "This human sold weed powder to young elves, but the goods were mixed with poison, and the people who used it died."

The human kneeling behind: "Lie! They want to kill me and take away my krona! Please save me!"

The long-eared elf reprimanded loudly, "What you sell is poison! Aren't you ashamed of making those young people twitch to death?"

Human beings protested hoarsely: "You, you are talking nonsense..."

Listen elves, you hate humans and want to take revenge on us! But you can blame humans for the degradation of your civilization? Is it my fault? "

"Shut up, you poisoner."

The young man's attitude was indifferent: "I just want to know if he really has weed powder on him."

"We've already seen it, searched him all over, even his boots. There's nothing. He sold out all the goods. That doesn't prove his innocence."

Victor looked at the human being, no one blocked his mouth, he did not deny that he was a weed seller.

"Just selling weed powder is bad enough. Although I don't think he sells harmful products with added ingredients. After all, murdering customers will destroy his financial resources, but you can do whatever you want."

The weed dealer cried loudly: "No! Sir, please don't let them kill me!"

"Thank you, Mr. Masked, thank you for allowing us to seek justice. Goodbye." The black-haired elf said, stroking his chest.

"Justice is not that cheap. I just don't care about his life or death."

…

Not long after leaving the crime scene, Victor found the address given by Chapelle. Victor opened the door and entered "Jean's" wooden house. Like all the houses in the Far Corner area, it was old and dilapidated and could barely keep out the cold.

"Prometheus" was unsheathed, and a ray of fire flashed from the tip of the sword, lighting up the oil lamp on the indoor wall.

Walking around and observing, the boy found a piece of letter paper on the table.

He quickly read the content and handed it to Angouleme. "There is indeed some connection between the shapeshifters. As I said, they are content with poverty. Rather than coexisting with wolves or other beasts in the wild, they prefer to be attached to the world. The civilized environment of human beings, even if it is begging or petty theft.”

The girl remained silent and read the letter by candlelight.

"untitled"

Gene, please don't continue to act like this. You may not know it well when you first come here, but a big cat will leave a deep impression on people.

Why don't you choose a safer form like me? I have been a beggar for three years and no one has even looked at me. And make a lot of money!

You will never have to steal money again in your life.

how? If you change your mind, I will help you talk to the Beggar King.

See you next time

Yours faithfully Louis

PS: Remember to burn the letter after reading it, is that okay?

Additional note: I know I'm too paranoid, but just cooperate with me and burn the letter.

One more note: If I see this letter next time I come to see you, you have to buy me a beer.

…

After reading it and shrugging her shoulders, she walked up to the second floor and found Victor standing in front of a wall in a daze.

Holding the oil lamp and approaching it, Angouleme was also stunned when he saw clearly what was on the wall.

Thank you notes all over the wall.

"Big brother, thank you! Without you, my mother and I would have to starve."

"Thank you for the bread. I've never eaten bread so white."

"Brother, apples are delicious..."

"Big brother, will you come here again this winter?"

Looking at the letter paper all over the wall, Angouleme understood the reason for Victor's silence. She was also speechless. Who would have thought that the reason why the shapeshifter stole things was to help the poor.

The autumn night wind blew in through the cracks in the window, like a low whimpering sound.

"These children will never have a big brother in the future." Victor's voice was very calm. "Angouleme, are we bad people? Have we done something wrong?"

"His death was an accident. You should not blame yourself for this, Wick. If he had been willing to surrender and accept your employment earlier, he could have purchased more food to help the children."

“But from his point of view, we are taking away his freedom, as he said to me, we all are.

Along the way from Kaer Morhen, I have said 'no' to many people, so he should be free to refuse me, and he will not die. "Victor spoke softly.

"He killed nearly a hundred people!" Angoulan raised his voice.

The young man shook his head, "That may not be his intention... He must have lost himself when he did it. You were also vaguely aware of it, weren't you? It was normal when he copied you. His madness was because of me."

"But there's nothing wrong with you, Captain. There's no sign of madness."

"Maybe it's because I've never killed anyone... ever."

The girl rubbed her ears, "Is this why you left me in Novigrad and left alone?"

"Yes, I never did it myself in the past, because whenever I had the chance to kill someone, there would be a voice encouraging me to kill.

The volume is related to the strength of the killing intention, that is, the more I want to kill someone, the clearer and louder the unknown voice will be."

At this point, Victor reached out and touched the letter on the wall.

"From a certain perspective, Dijkstra's joke is the truth. The 'Butcher of Novigrad' is still alive, and the one who died is just a shoddy counterfeit."

"But, you obviously killed 'Jin' and it was okay?"

"I didn't treat him as a human when I killed him..."

"Wick you──" Angouleme wanted to speak to comfort him, but Victor raised his hand to stop him.

"I don't regret it, I just feel sorry."

Thank you for subscribing, and thank you for your monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Thank you for your comments and encouragement.