The Divine Hunter
chapter-626

The conference on the island was bigger than Roy had anticipated. And a lot more etiquette rules involved too. On the day after they passed through the bridge leading from Gors Velen to Thanedd, they made their preparations and spent the rest of the day in Loxia, the building set in the bottommost southeast section of the island.

Representatives of the North were gathered here, and not just sorcerers too. Some were the aristocrats and royalty. Temeria's nobility, Redania's ministers, and followers of the sorcerers. Roy saw a few familiar faces. Linus Pitt from Oxenfurt and the knights of the Order of the White Rose. However, before he could say hello, he, Geralt, and Coen were dragged away by the sorceresses to pick their clothes, clean themselves up, and get to know the banquet's etiquette.

Even though they knew this conference would end with a big showdown, the ladies refused to allow the witchers to embarrass them at any moment. They demanded the witchers show enough pizzazz before the conference. It was something ingrained in their souls throughout their lives.

The witchers were tormented for nearly a whole day. It wasn't until dusk was setting in did they manage to escape Loxia. They went up a flight of stairs with a group of beautifully-dressed guests to Aretuza. The palace's central hall was structured like an open fan, easily housing more than three hundred guests. And it was a remarkably elegant place. The gigantic candelabra, decked out with illuminating spells, shone on every corner of the hall.

The lights even made the women shine. Literally. Their faces, earrings, jewelry, and even their skin were shining like stars. It was as if they were holding a beauty pageant instead of a banquet. Roy took a look and noticed a few unfamiliar ladies wearing… well, barely anything. It was as if covering their bodies with fabric was an insult to their beauty.

Most men would start to feel hot and heavy once they had a look of this, but Roy was not like most men. He stayed calm and held Coral's hand as they went around the outer ring of the hall.

They stopped beside a table, and Roy kept Observing the people around him, but to his disappointment, not even one out of a hundred sorcerers in the hall had power that rivaled Vilgefortz. The witcher tried to lay low, but his well-defined body, crisp haircut, outstanding looks, and the air of mystery, experience, and youth swirling around him made him stand out like a beacon among the gentlemen.

One portly guest, feeling jealous, was talking bad about him. Many sorceresses looked at him, though most looked away after a glance. Some of the bolder ones would get flushed and give him seductive looks. Some would try to read his heart. If Lytta weren't a fiery woman, they'd have asked Roy to spend the night with them.

Roy admired the view.

Jealous, Coral said, "Someone's having the time of their lives. Gorgeous, aren't they?" She gazed at Roy and dug her nails into his arm.

"So what if they're gorgeous? It's none of my business." Calmly, Roy pulled the collar around him. It almost suffocated him. This shirt was the latest fashion item, and Roy thought the shirt would crush his bones. He stared at Coral, gazing at her soft, luscious lips. "The most beautiful and elegant woman is right by my side. I would look at no one but you."

He learned how to cheer the ladies up from Dandelion. Roy then gently touched Coral's fiery hair. The sorceress' mood turned around. She then scooped up a spoonful of caviar bathed in lemon juice and fed it to him.

Through Yennefer, she knew that Geralt was an unromantic person, and he would overthink a lot of things. Compared to him, Roy was young, strong, and eager to learn. And he was a caring man too. He's perfect.

"Oysters, crabs, lobsters… The orphanage has better food than this. And there's not even a chair for us to sit on." Roy felt the taste of salt spreading through his mouth. He looked at the tall, slender stained glass window around them. There were depictions of many characters, and the windows stretched up to the elliptical dome overhead.

The windows were open, allowing the chilly night breeze to gallop across the halls. The tapestry, garlands, and flags hanging on the wall swayed with the winds. "The winds are blowing everywhere. Won't they feel chilly wearing almost nothing?"

"The point of this banquet is to socialize. They don't have chairs because they want you to go around and talk to people. You walk, and you won't feel the chill. We're already here anyway, my love. Relax and come with me. We'll have some fun. Francesca is now with the sorcerer brotherhood's top dogs. We won't see her for now."

***

Roy and Coral walked around the outer ring of the hall, chatting as they tried to meet up with familiar friends. Triss was nearby, holding hands with Sheala and Margarita. The ladies were engaged in a quiet conversation. To everyone's surprise, Yennefer dragged Geralt to the center of the hall. She puffed her chest out and looked around her confidently.

The White Wolf felt uneasy getting so much attention. He looked so awkward, he might freeze up on the spot. If he wasn't born with a face like a dead man's, he'd be blushing right now. "Does Yennefer have to go that far?"

"She's trying to show everyone Geralt is hers." Coral smiled. "He's not bad looking. Spruce him up, and he's an older man with history behind him. Some of my colleagues dig that type of man. Some would want to be Yennefer's partner. They might try to steal her just for the thrill. Yen's a proud but short-tempered woman. She has made a lot of enemies in the brotherhood. And those men can't keep it in their pants either."

Roy kept quiet. He noticed a curvaceous sorceress in a black silk shirt and deep-red dress that had a slit up to her hips walking toward Yennefer, smiling brightly. She gave Yennefer a big hug and kissed the air beside her cheek. They were smiling like good friends, but the air around them was filled with enmity.

"And there's your first challenger." Coral scoffed. "Sabrina of Kaedwen. A harlot with no shame whatsoever."

Sabrina was talking to Yennefer, but she kept showing off her body to Geralt, flirting with him right in front of Yennefer. She was red as an apple, as if she could do it right away if she had a table to lean on.

Coral and Roy watched the drama unfold. To make it easier to listen, Coral even cast a spell to get rid of the noise. What happened after them struck them with disbelief.

"Geralt performed perfectly."

Aside from kissing Sabrina's hand at the start, Geralt only had eyes for Yennefer after that. Ignored, Sabrina eventually left. Some of the sorcerers who were watching the show even clapped.

"I am sure Yen has trained Geralt well. I bet if any shameless mind reader tries to read Geralt's mind, they would see nothing but love for Yennefer," said Coral knowingly. She grabbed a lock of her hair and smacked Roy's cheek.

Roy's heart skipped a beat. Don't even try that kind of training with me.

And then, someone greeted Roy, breaking his train of thought. "It has been a while, Roy. How are you doing lately?" Linus came from another table, holding a glass of vodka. He was still in a black jacket with a circular brooch pinned to his chest. Linus adjusted his glasses with the other hand, a genuine smile curling his lips.

"Never better." Roy shook his old friend's hand. "Oh, Linus, this is Lytta Neyd, my girlfriend and a sorceress."

Linus smiled at Coral. His severe myopia and obsession with academia made him ignore the beauty before him.

Roy said, "I've always wanted to thank you for helping the children. Without you, a bunch of orphans couldn't have gotten into Oxenfurt."

"All because of their diligence. What I did was just a little push." Linus shook his head humbly. "Eura and Orpheil, especially, have talent. So I hired them to work at my zoo. Do you mind if I use their days off for that?"

"I certainly don't. This is their opportunity," Roy said gladly. He asked, "This is supposed to be a summit for Northern sorcerers, though. Why'd you come here? Thought you were an Oxenfurt academician."

Linust turned to look at a sorcerer a distance away. He was a gentleman wearing a tight purple shirt. "I came with Dorregaray." Linus narrowed his eyes and cleared his throat. "This is the grandest sorcerer summit in the North over the last few years. Of course protectors of endangered animals will be here."

Linus' eyes shone with fighting spirit, and he extended all his fingers. "Tomorrow, before all the sorcerers, we will suggest five animal protection ideas. I trust that controllers of chaos energy are all educated people. They will understand why we're doing this."

Roy was stunned, and Lytta chuckled, almost a bit toothily too. "Linus, I admire your spirit and the contributions you make for the balance of nature, but your ideas are fundamentally wrong. I am sure most sorcerers are not interested in animal protection." She raised her head proudly and pointed at Sabrina and a red-haired sorceress in a white dress. They were stealing glances at Roy. "Do you see those harlots and the heels they wear? One pair's made out of iguana skin, while the other is made out of pearl dace skin. To them, endangered animals are nothing but resources to make them look better."

Linus glared at the despicable women, but when he looked down and saw Coral wearing heels made of horned dragon hide, he shivered, unable to talk.

The sorceresses noticed what was going on here, and they whispered among themselves.

"Look, that hag's talking smack about us again." Sabrina licked her lips. "And right in front of her lover too. He's so young, handsome, and healthy. Much more charming than Geralt, and he's dating Lytta. Marti, I've never felt my heart flutter this much before."

"That hag has no shame. He's so much younger than she is," the red-haired sorceress said. "She must've put him under a spell to make him fall for her. Look at how submissive he is to her."

"Witchers do not fall for magic like that." Sabrina shook her head.

"Perhaps he has a thing for sorceresses?" Marti puffed her voluptuous chest out. She whispered, "Do you think we have a chance?"

"Oh, someone's bold. You're trying to steal Lytta's lover? She'll turn you into a block of ice."

"What if he comes to us instead?" Marti gave Roy a seductive look furtively.

"I'd say yes right away." Sabrina's eyes twinkled. She was like a starving lioness hungry for something. "I'd do it even if it were in the woods."

Marti had passion in her eyes. Longingly, she said, "If it were me, I'd do it in a burning pyre if that's what it takes."

***

Are all the sorceresses in the brotherhood this open? Roy wiped the sweat off his forehead and turned his attention back to Linus. By force. "As you can see, Linus, the ladies are not interested in animal protection. You and Dorregaray will fail."

"You never know if you don't try." Linus was undaunted.

"Very well." Roy held Linus' arm and whispered cryptically, "Don't run around, Linus. Be careful." This conference would end up being a dangerous event. Roy didn't want a good guy like Linus to run into any danger.

***

On the other side of the venue, an elegant, white-haired woman saw someone she knew. Her eyes lit up, and she quickly came closer.

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