The sun was setting, painting the skies with a beautiful hue of crimson and gold before night took over.
Lytta had gotten herself a luxurious room in Gildorf. Her sheets and blanket were made of swan feathers, and the veil around was made of dreamy purple silk. An oversized closet stood in the corner, and bottle after bottle of makeup products lined the dressing table.
Lytta was in a white robe. Carefully, she applied mascara on her eyelashes. And then she painted her nails with purple nail polish. She pulled her hair together and smoothened the flyaways before she finally stood up and touched the crystal on the steel rack.
Bright light filled the dark room, and beautiful motes of magical energy danced over the crystal, forming a screen of light. A vague silhouette appeared on the screen, and it was glinting. The projection was still unstable, but it did not take too long for the screen to focus.
A lady with the face of a teen appeared on the screen. She was tall, blond, and wearing a low-cut green dress. Her face was as beautiful and smooth as white jade. Only a perfect sculpture of a goddess or nymph could hope to compete with this level of beauty.
"Hello, Coral." Margarita Laux-Antille smiled at Lytta. "To what do I owe the pleasure? It's been a year since I last saw you. It's unbelievable that you have time for me," she jokingly grumbled. "Did Kerack's new king fall for you already?"
Lytta shook her head. She was happy to see her friend again. "Margarita, you know I'm no longer Kerack's royal consultant. I will not stay in that minuscule kingdom. Its king does not know how to treat me. He can live out his fairy-tale life with his jealous queen. This lady found a new job months ago."
"Is that so?" Margarita rested her chin on the back of her hand. With a silvery voice of delight, she said, "It must be a really great job if you gave up on your position as a consultant for it. Let me guess. You would like to further your ambition and serve Foltest alongside Merigold and Keira." A momentary pause followed, and the glint of anticipation gleamed in Margarita's eyes. "Oh, wait. Are you coming back to Aretuza to teach?”
Lytta shot up and showed her friend the ankh that was hanging fron her neck. A smile curled her lips. "No. I'm a free mage now. I work for myself."
"I'm sorry? Did I hear that right?" A hint of shock flashed within Margarita's eyes. "You're taking all the risks of running a business? Did you check your purse? Do you have enough money to sustain yourself? Won't it worry you if your reserves start to run dry? What if you don't have enough coins to get the latest dress or accessory? What if you can't even afford the new makeup?"
Margarita suggested, "If you ask me, you should come back and work with me. We'll raise more generations of mages."
"I have five years worth of reserves." Lytta raised her head confidently. "It's enough for two years of research. And that's why I'm calling you. I shall be conducting a secret experiment in isolation for the next two years. And I will cut off all contact in the meantime, including but not limited to the telescope and holograms. I shall not be attending the summit until 1264 at the very least. Don't complain. Two years is nothing for us."
Disappointment filled Margarita's eyes, and she stretched her arms. "You're still researching witcher mutation? My dear, you should really reconsider your choice. This is a futile attempt. Witchers will be snuffed out of existence in the near future. This product has no market. Your efforts will be for nothing. It's a waste of time and money."
"Profit isn't the only reason we do research. And it shouldn't be. This is a passion project, so to speak." Lytta stared outside the window, a sweet smile curling her lips.
"Oh, I know that look." Margarita let out a laugh. A hearty, beautiful laugh. Her foundation almost creased, and she scrunched her nose. "Love is in the air. I can smell it on you, Lytta. I see you're dating a witcher. I take it you're doing this research for him?"
Margarita huddled closer to the telescope. "Tell me everything. No, let me guess. He's head over heels for you. Fallen for your charms, has he?"
Lytta said nothing, but a hue of crimson painted her cheeks.
"Aw, don't be shy, Lytta. It's not wrong to seek pleasure." Margarita winked at her friend. "Your choice of partner is unorthodox, but as long as they can pleasure us, it doesn't matter if they're a witcher."
Coral finally nodded. Gently, she said, "By day, we work on the research like a pair of professionals, but by night, he falls for my charms and tells me everything."
***
"You still don't believe me, Roy? Why did your body sparkle during the Trial? And don't tell me that's magic, because I know what magic looks like."
"My dear Coral, this is a blessing. Just think of it that way."
"Can't you be more specific? What kind of blessing? Divine or bloodline?"
"Um, it's hard to explain. I'm not knowledgeable enough to describe it to you. But I will contact you once the time is ripe. Or you can just read my mind if you're so eager to know."
"But I can't read your mind. That's the problem."
***
Lytta pouted and broke that train of thought off. She continued. "He loves me, but I'm a little scared by how much vigor he possesses. Yes, young men should have more vigor, but he can be a bit too lively. Like a lion that never tires, he keeps asking for more. During the rare times he falls asleep, he cuddles me like I'm the embodiment of love for him. He has completely fallen for me. And he does everything I ask him to. Yeah, that's right."
***
"Get back here, Roy! It's not even dawn yet!"
"Sorry, but we have plans. I need to travel to Poviss and look for Kaer Seren."
"I don't want you to leave. The Trial just ended. You have to make up for lost time."
"But I made a promise. I can't go back on my word."
"You'd rather go all the way to a freezing land and convince a three-hundred-year-old man into joining your brotherhood than give some time to your poor, lonely girlfriend? Get back here, right now! Don't tell me you've found a new girl."
"I love you, Coral. I do. I'll make breakfast for you. Oysters, eggs, and freshly-caught crabs. How does that sound?"
"Piss off to Poviss!"
***
"I envy you." The love in Coral's eyes did not escape Margarita. She felt a little jealous, but she was also happy for her friend. "Fine. You can leave the brotherhood and Aretuza to work for someone else. Enjoy your time with the witcher." Margarita nodded. "I'll tell Tissaia and the brotherhood about your leave."
"Thank you." Lytta heaved a sigh of relief. Good. I can stay away from the battle now.
"So where's your lab?"
"That's a secret."
"Ah, I see you've built your love nest," Margarita said. "What's next? A wedding?"
"Mm hmm."
"Should I prepare any presents?"
"Where there's a present, there's a return favor." Lytta said, "Stay in the academy for the next couple of years. A friend of mine told me it's dangerous to be out and about, and I trust his judgment."
"I won't be stepping out of this place for the next decade anyway. Won't change a thing." Margarita held the obsidian talisman hanging on her neck. "Oh, I almost forgot. The girl has been pestering me lately. She wants to see you. Sends in a request once every two weeks. It's been about a dozen times now."
"You mean Casiga?"
"Yes. The girl from Aldersberg. The one you sponsored. Do you want to see her?" Margarita smiled. "It's the day off. I can summon her here right away. You'll have ample time to talk."
The smile was wiped off Lytta's face, and her eyes glinted. A moment later, Lytta nodded nervously.
***
The telescope shone once more, but this time, it revealed a round, petite face behind it. The girl looked like she was in her mid-teens. Her skin was fair, and her looks were beautiful. Her brown hair was tied in a ponytail, her eyes brimming with innocence. Her nose and lips were dainty, and her cheeks were chubby. She looked adorable.
The girl was delicate, a big red robe covering her body, not showing even an inch of skin. She was wearing a pair of pink shoes, and she looked like the Little Red Riding Hood.
When she saw who was on the other side of the mirror, she clasped her hands before her chest, her eyes filled with surprise. "Coral!" Her voice was as silvery as the chirp of a bird. Dimples formed on her cheeks as she smiled, and happiness filled her eyes. "You're finally here."
"Sorry, Casiga. It's been a busy period for me." Coral looked at the girl's neck and shoulders. With concern, she asked, "How is your recovery? Do the wounds still hurt?"
"Not at all. Didn't even leave a scar. My skin is as smooth as silk. Even the calluses are gone." Casiga stood straighter, her robe clinging closely to her chest. She spread her arms and spun around. There was a spring in her step.
With tears of gratitude in her eyes, she said, "This is all thanks to Aretuza and you, Coral."
"Good to hear. How's school? Does anyone bully you?"
"No. Everyone's been nice to me." Casiga shook her head, a genuine smile curling her lips. She was not the only one who used to be disfigured. The same tragedy found its way into the early lives of many of her friends. They could understand each other.
Still, that didn't mean conflicts didn't happen. Class discrimination existed everywhere, but compared to her old life, this was heaven. "I made three friends. Alice, Rose, and Missi. They're my roommates."
"I see you're adapting to your new life. Your next step should be a change of attire. Get something fashionable. Also get some earrings, rings, and hats." Lytta rested her chin on her hand. She stared at Casiga from head to toe. The young lady felt anxiety welling within her. She held the hem of her robe, her cheeks reddening.
"See Margarita. She will dress you up. It's a gift from me. Sorry I missed your birthday."
Surprised, Casiga shook her head. "No. You've spent a lot on me. You bought me a contract of free education and paid for my tuition and necessities. I owe you too much. I can't begin to fathom how I should repay my debt. And this robe is beautiful. It's clean. I like it."
"This is compensation. I do not take no for an answer," Coral answered sternly. She made a patting gesture, and Casiga bowed. At the same time, she tilted her head.
Innocently, she asked, "Why did you say it's compensation? You don't owe me anything."
"No. I said it was a gift. That's it. Speaking of which, how is your progress with magic?"
Casiga counted her fingers and seriously answered, "I've passed the tests for Meditation, Magic Maneuver, and Magic Shield."
She gained a nod of approval from Coral. "Keep it up, Casiga. Perhaps you can be my assistant someday. When you've mastered enough spells."
Casiga nodded seriously.
Coral asked Casiga to talk about her daily life before telling her she would cut off contact for two years. Casiga was reluctant to see her go, but Coral wanted to cut the contact off right away.
However, the girl stammered, "Coral, um, do you have news about him?"
She stared at Lytta's lips. There was anxiety and anticipation in her eyes. Her only worry was that Coral might say no.
The smile on Lytta's face froze. She pursed her lips and played dumb. "Who are you talking about, Casiga?"
"Um… the apprentice witcher." Casiga gritted her teeth and raised her voice. "The brave knight who rescued me from my predicament—Roy of the Viper School."
***
A long silence ensued. Lytta turned her back to the screen. Her teeth were clenched, and her eyes were filled with the flames of fury. But when she turned back to face Casiga, she was wearing a beautiful smile again. "Oh, him? He's fine. Real fine," she answered curtly.
Casiga patted her chest and heaved a sigh of relief. She held her fists up, cheering herself up. "Did he pass the Trial? Do you know where he is right now?"
"Ah, he's a real witcher now." Lytta tried her best to sound calm. "He's adventuring in lands afar. Killing monsters. Casiga, the Trial's modification is on par with the ones we experienced," she said mysteriously. "He looks different from what he used to be. Taller and stronger than most humans, I'd say."
And then she started exaggerating things. "He even lost his hair from the mutation. I have a picture of it if you want to see."
Lytta waved her hand, lights of magic dancing across her fingers. And then the image of a handsome, heterochromatic, bald man with a resigned look on his face appeared before the telescope.
"Huh?" Casiga's eyes went wide with confusion and shock. Her jaw dropped far enough to stick an egg in her mouth.
She couldn't imagine Roy had changed this much in two years. He used to be gaunt and handsome. He was the one who gave her the precious Gwent card and showed her respect for the first time in her life. She couldn't imagine the boy who danced with her in the house of the wine seller would turn into a bald young man. And the almost aggressive passion in his eyes was almost palpable.
Casiga curled up a little and patted her chest. No matter what he looks like, he's still Roy. But why does he look so miffed?
"He's ugly, isn't he?" Casiga's response was just what Coral wanted. That nervous look in her eyes, especially. Good thing I caught this picture.
"Not exactly," Casiga answered seriously. The initial shock had left her. "He might be bald, but he's still better-looking than most people. Still, he grows fast. He has muscles all over him now. And he's at least one head taller than I am."
A frustrated Casiga kicked the floorboard. "Why didn't he come to Gors Velen? It's been two years since he promised to see me."
Casiga twiddled her fingers and stared at Coral. She bowed and pleaded, "Coral, can you ask him why he won't come to see me? He made that promise way back in Aldersberg. Oh, and I have a letter. Can you hand it to him?"
***
"He made a promise to you?" Cold fury glinted in Lytta's eyes, and her chest heaved. A long while later, she sighed. "Fine. I'll give him the letter, but don't hold out for him." She shook her head. "Roy's an unpredictable lad. He has a lot of plans. I can't guarantee him going to Aretuza, nor can I be certain that he will write a return letter. But at the very least, I'll send him your regards."
***
***
