Within a tent in the marketplace, a small beast with the head and claws of a vulture and the body and tail of a lion was lying quietly in a big black steel cage. It was staring at the witcher outside its cage, and unrest was written in its eyes.
Roy came closer to the beast and smiled at it gently. He held a rabbit in his left hand and beckoned the beast with his right. “Do you want this, griffin? I just caught this last night. It’s still fresh.” Roy swung the rabbit before the baby griffin and allowed the stench of blood to permeate the air.
However, his plan backfired. The young griffin was offended, and it let out a weird scream. The beast’s mane bristled, as if it were facing a great enemy. It stood up on its hind legs and flapped its wings, crashing against the steel bars.
“Relax. I just want to be your friend.” Roy took a step back and crouched down. “As a token of my friendship, I have buried your parents’ remains. They will not be defiled by any beast. Can’t you show me some trust?”
He tossed the rabbit to the griffin, but it didn’t take it. Instead, the beast smacked the rabbit back to Roy and craned its neck haughtily as it flapped its wings.
“Galar was right when he said you were a stubborn, resentful girl. I spent an hour every day for five days, but you still think I’m a villain.” Roy shook his head. “Fine, if you don’t want the easy way, guess I’ll go with the hard way.”
A crimson light flashed in Roy’s eyes, and the griffin’s screams were cut short. Its legs buckled, and it kneeled in fear once more.
“Fear is always useful.” The griffin would calm down for half an hour after it was feared, but it would start to get haughty again after that. That was what Roy observed.
He tossed the rabbit back to the griffin, and this time, it didn’t refuse it. Instead, it started to eat the animal. It held the rabbit with its claws and tore a strip of flesh down easily with its beak, then it swallowed it down.
Roy put his hands on the beast’s neck and caressed its back all the way to the tip of its tail. The beast didn’t move around and allowed Roy to touch it, and it didn’t show any violent tendency either. “Well, this feels like touching a cat.”
But the feeling of satisfaction is so much higher. Griffins were much more dangerous than cats could ever be. It was the apex predator, and seeing them so tame felt exhilarating for Roy. He petted the beast for fifteen minutes, and it fell asleep halfway through. Then he picked out a dozen ticks before he stopped touching the beast.
Roy’s goal was to get the griffin to warm up to him so he could tame it down the road. Luckily she’s still young. That’s why the carrot and stick routine works. If she’d been a fully matured griffin, she would never have bowed down to me. “Right, stick to the plan. I’ll do this every day. Someday, she’ll bow down to me.” Even if she won’t, I should have fulfilled the condition to cast forcible Taming on her. Then I’ll be the first witcher who can fly through the clouds. Hm, I wonder if I can take over the Griffin School. If they object, I can always tell them I have a pet griffin.
He led the griffin back to its cage before he left the tent, and Galar waved goodbye at him. Halfway back to the house, Roy bumped into Auckes, who looked like he was in a hurry.
“Roy, stop thinking about taming that griffin. They will never bow to anyone. Time for business!” Auckes, for the first time, looked concerned. “After days of investigation, I finally found someone who might be the fated person. “There’s a family in Tung Tree Street located in southern Cintra. House number one hundred and eighty. They have a wretched daughter called Thelma, and her parents lock her up in the house all the time.”
Roy was surprised. Hey, Ciri’s still in the castle, and she’s the real quarry of the Wild Hunt. Where did this come from? Is that girl a potential witch?
***
The sun was shining on Cintra, but there were a few alleyways that were always shrouded in darkness. A young, frail girl was leaning against the wall in one such alleyway, and she was trying to catch her breath. Her misshapen, dirty face was filled with bruises, and her eyes were filled with terror.
A moment later, a group of boys her age backed her into a corner, their faces filled with cruelty far beyond their age. “You can’t run anymore, monster.”
“My name is Thelma!” The girl’s eyes were filled with tears. “I am no monster. I’m a human, just like all of you.”
“What’s that, ugly? It’s only been two months since we taught you a lesson, and now you’ve gotten brave, haven’t you?” The boys’ fat leader held the girl up by her hair and gave her a slap. “Look at yourself, you monster. Your face looks like it got trampled by a horse! You should have stayed where the sun didn’t shine, ugly!” The disgusting fat boy spat at her.
“You’re nothing but a bastard! We know what your parents are! Now tell everyone about their job!” The fat boy turned to his companions. The girl was covering her face, refusing to answer.
However, a boy answered for her. “Thelma’s mother is a whore! Her father is a shit-taker!”
The group of boys broke out into cruel laughter, and the girl could do nothing but clench her fists and grit her teeth. Eventually, she loosened her grip in despair.
“Tell us the truth, Thelma. Did your father pick you up from a shithole? Is that why you’re so ugly?”
“No!” The girl finally let out a scream, and she glared at her tormentors with a deep hatred.
The fat boy sneered. “Let’s kill her, boys!”
Before the boy could do anything, he and his companions were already flying through the air, and they crashed into the walls around them before blacking out entirely. There were bumps on their heads and faces, proof that someone had hit them.
The moans and groans piqued Thelma’s curiosity. She was curled up and prepared to be abused, but eventually, she slowly looked up and saw the kids strewn across the floors, then two men with swords on their backs showed up before her. They had eyes of a beast, and they were wearing leather armor.
“Wh-Who are you?” she asked.
“We’re here to help.” Roy looked at the lump of flesh on the girl’s face and pulled her up, then he patted the dust on her clothes away.
The girl was curious, but she was also nervous, though she kept quiet. A moment ago, she was about to be abused, but now, two strangers were extending their kindness to her. “Ar-Are they dead?”
“Don’t worry. They’re out of commission, but they’ll have to stay in bed for two weeks before they can even walk.”
The girl heaved a sigh of relief, and satisfaction coursed through her eyes. “Um…” Thelma pulled her hand back and curled up a little. She looked around, but she was still confused about the whole situation. She said, “Thank you. Can I go home now?”
“Sorry. I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Auckes said gently, then he made a sign in front of the girl. She fainted right after and fell into the witcher’s arms.
“This feels like kidnapping, Auckes.” Roy picked the future witch up and sneaked out of the alleyway.
“Better us than the Wild Hunt!” Auckes answered curtly.
“Hey, do all witches have tragic childhoods?” This is the second time now, and it’s the same case as Casiga. At the same time, he was impressed that Auckes managed to find a potential witch among the tens of thousands of people in Cintra.
“Not all of them,” Auckes answered. “Some witches are born with their magical powers out of balance, and that causes them to grow up with misshapen body parts. But some are born lucky, and their magical powers are in balance. Their bodies aren’t harmed by their mana, so they can live life normally.
“Most witches do have tragic childhoods, though. They have no choice. The only way to escape the fate of discrimination and destruction is through becoming a witch. But most parents won’t give them over to magical academies, since they have nothing to gain from that transaction.”
“I see. Most witches are ugly ducklings, huh? Most of them never have the chance to grow into swans,” Roy lamented.
“Her looks don’t matter.” Auckes patted his shoulder consolately. “As long as she survives, that’s all that matters.”
Why does he say that?
“You’ll know what I mean once you have a witch as your lover.”
“Wait, you’re saying you hooked up with a witch before?”
“Hook up? If by that you mean sleep with them, then yes. They’re so much more different than those nobles.” Reminiscence appeared in Auckes’ eyes. “That was ten years ago in Nilfgaard…”
***
When they came back to the house with the girl in their arms, they placed her on the sofa and stared at her.
“So, how should we handle this?”
“Before that, let’s talk about something else.” Letho tensed and crossed his arms solemnly. “Kid, I need you to explain yourself. When and how did you get entangled with Cintra royalty? I just got news that they’re looking for a witcher around the age of fifteen to sixteen, and he has dark gold eyes. You’re the only one here who fits that bill.”
“What? What the heck is going on? The royals are out for me?” Roy was surprised, and he couldn’t imagine why they wanted to see him. “I was with the griffin whenever I wasn’t training. I wouldn’t have had any time to even contact the royals. Auckes can prove it!”
“Yes. I’ve been keeping an eye on him.” Auckes was grinning, as if the matter wasn’t even serious to him.
“Fine. No matter the reason, since they’re summoning you, you have to accept that summon. Maybe you’ll make some crowns on the way. Tell us about everything you gathered once you return,” Letho said.
***
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