245. The Girl I Once Met.
Riding out from Bayer Most.
Before noon, the towering, verdant mountains appeared before the group. It was the foothills of the Mahakam Mountains, the part most suitable for human habitation.
Ellander was built at the foot of the mountains. It was a city that rivaled Ban Ard and Vengerberg.
No.
Although the city size and population seemed inferior to the previous two cities, Ellander surpassed other human cities in almost every other aspect. For instance, the smell.
Even though the group had just entered the city, still in what was typically considered the slums, the lower district. The air was not filled with a foul stench. Instead, it carried a faint fragrance of flowers and herbs.
On both sides of the street.
Whether it was a shop or a residence, regardless of wealth. Flowers of all colors were planted in front of doors and on windowsills. The wealthier families had more expensive flowers, mostly pale pink carnations.
While the poorer ones mostly had wildflowers, with the occasional peach-pink carnation mixed in. But regardless of the type of flowers, one could see the care taken by the owners.
Walking through the city gates, the countless blossoms decorated Ellander, making the whole city appear like a splendid floral wonderland.
"I like this place."
Walking her horse along the clean and tidy street, Mary took a deep breath and smiled, clearly in a good mood.
"Everyone loves Ellander!"
Vesemir, also in high spirits, tugged at his reins and responded to Mary before turning to the equally contented young witcher. "Don't you agree, Master Allen?"
Without the need to constantly avoid filth on the streets, Allen had no complaints.
Moreover.
It wasn't just the scent or the clean, beautiful streets. Even the demeanor of the poor in Ellander was different from other cities. From children to elders, nearly every woman wore a flower in her hair. Though they wore cheap gray linen clothes, they were clean and neat.
Vibrant, gentle, confident...
They were a stark contrast to their counterparts in other cities, who were often dirty, chaotic, and numb.
Additionally.
Allen noticed something else. The commoners of Ellander, upon seeing them, showed no signs of disgust or disdain. Quite the opposite—many elderly folks would pause their tasks, place a hand over their chest, and guide their children to greet them as they passed. Of course, they did not approach or disturb them.
They simply smiled, with grateful eyes, especially toward Vesemir, who led the group.
"I like this city too!" Allen smiled and nodded.
"Hahaha!" Vesemir let out a hearty laugh. "Ellander is certainly worth liking."
"And your timing is fortunate; we've arrived at just the right time."
"April is when the carnations, the favorite flower of the goddess Melitele, are in full bloom, and it's also the most beautiful month in Ellander..."
"And..."
"In a few days, it will be May Day..."
"May Day!" Mary's eyes lit up immediately.
Excited, she tugged on Allen's sleeve, her words coming quickly:
"Wow!"
"Allen! Allen!"
"It's May Day, Ellander's May Day!"
"The May Day here is the most famous in the North, and they say that the goddess Melitele will even appear to bestow blessings..."
"I've wanted to come for so long, but Lady Vera never allowed me to go out alone..."
Catching the faint scent of oranges in the air and feeling Mary tugging at his sleeve, Allen couldn't help but chuckle.
"I know... I know... We'll stay and celebrate May Day before we leave."
"Mm-hmm!" Mary nodded vigorously, her large, bright eyes practically speaking for themselves. But then she suddenly seemed to remember something. Her cheeks flushed, and she immediately let go of the young witcher's sleeve.
Allen, puzzled by Mary's sudden movement, then noticed Vesemir's teasing grin and suddenly remembered...
May Day was also called Walpurgis Night, or the Night of May...
The entire festival took place from the night of April 30th to the morning of May 1st.
People burned fir tree trunks in bonfires, dancing around the flames in sacrificial rituals, praying to the gods for bountiful harvests and fertility.
Of course.
Praying for bountiful harvests was the concern of the middle-aged and the elderly. As for fertility, that naturally fell to the younger ones.
On this day, in the presence of fire and divine witnesses, they would express their love for the ones they admired and seek happiness...
In a rather passionate way...
Recalling the description of May Day in the original story, Allen's body stiffened imperceptibly. He shot an annoyed look at the mischievous Vesemir, while casually continuing his chat with Mary as they walked on.
Mary clearly remembered the May Day festivities. Her fair cheeks flushed crimson, and she responded to Allen's words in a soft voice. Had Allen not been a witcher, he might not have been able to hear Mary's voice at all.
The witcher master, unfazed by Allen's irritated glance, seemed thoroughly amused. He watched with great interest as the two young people exchanged awkward banter, the curve of his smile growing wider.
The warm breeze carried the fragrance of flowers, and children played on the streets.
Vesemir took in the intoxicating scent with a deep breath and sighed softly: "Ah, to be young!"
-----------------------
The worship of the goddess Melitele is one of the oldest forms of faith, and at that time, it was one of the most widespread. Its origins can be traced back to prehistoric times, long before human civilization.
Almost every race that existed before humans, as well as primitive nomadic human tribes, would worship such a goddess. This belief stemmed from humanity's primal reverence for fertility, love, farming, the hearth, and pregnant women, which manifested in various female deities.
These goddesses presided over birth and reproduction, cared for farmers and gardeners, and blessed lovers and married couples.
Over time, these different beliefs merged and intertwined, until these deities all became one, the mother of all: Melitele.
Therefore, to the people of the North, as long as there were still girls, wives, and mothers in the world, the goddess Melitele would never lose her followers.
Thus.
Even though Ellander was a city built on the mountains, with naturally sloping roads. And even though the Temple of Melitele was far from the city center, located in the secluded mountains behind the city, people still came and went frequently.
Young girls came to pray for love, women prayed for fertility, and elderly women prayed for health...
Allen even saw a heavily pregnant woman, at least six or seven months along, arriving in a cart without a roof, lined with dry straw.
Her piety was so extreme that it struck Allen as somewhat absurd.
"Aren't they afraid..."
Pulling his reins to ride alongside Vesemir, Allen couldn't help but point to the woman's belly and ask curiously.
"Watch your words!" The witcher master, noticing Allen's gesture, quickly signaled with his eyes for him to lower his hand.
After cautiously glancing at the sky, he whispered: "They say this road is blessed by the goddess…"
Upon hearing this, Allen lowered his head and carefully examined the unremarkable mountain path, then switched to the Wolf School medallion's perspective. He noticed that, aside from a slight increase in blue water element points in his vision, there wasn't anything particularly special.
"Are you sure?" Allen asked softly again.
Vesemir, knowing that Witchers' eyes could sometimes see chaotic magic, saw Allen's behavior and realized that he had indeed used his ability to check. But even so, Vesemir still nodded seriously with a stern face.
"I'm very sure!"
"Why?" Allen was surprised.
Vesemir glanced at the ancient and majestic buildings ahead, hidden among the trees, and said: "The temple of the goddess Melitele has stood here for hundreds of years, and there has never been any mention of a pregnant woman having complications on this road."
The Witcher master gazed at him with his blue eyes, emphasizing: "Not a single one!"
Allen's expression immediately became serious.
At that moment.
Several more heavily pregnant women passed by him. The young Witcher thought for a moment, then looked again at the gravel-paved ground, which seemed unremarkable.
A sense of reverence arose in his heart.
After exchanging a glance with Vesemir, Allen said nothing further and rode straight towards the temple.
--------------------
As they approached the temple entrance, everyone riding horses or sitting in carriages got off one after another.
Allen, Vesemir, Mary, and the two children followed the local customs and dismounted as well.
However, in the next moment, they noticed that after the young women, pregnant women, and elderly women entered the temple, the husbands, drivers, and sword-bearing attendants either waited at the entrance or turned back to leave, which made them feel a bit awkward.
"Master Vesemir, are you sure we can just go in without being kicked out?"
Allen turned his head to look at Vesemir.
This temple of the goddess Melitele gave him the same feeling as a women's bathhouse or dressing room from his previous life.
The door was right there, with no one stopping them. But if they went in, it would be socially awkward, and they might even be mistaken for perverts and arrested.
Even though he knew that Geralt had healed his wounds here in the original story, who knew if that was allowed a hundred years ago?
Or maybe they needed to find someone familiar before going in?
Vesemir looked at the unguarded entrance to the temple and scratched his head.
"This... I don't know either..."
Sensing Allen's surprised gaze, Vesemir uncomfortably adjusted his wide-brimmed black hat and explained: "I do come to Ellander often, but the goddess Melitele is the goddess of all women, and the temple is so far from the city of Ellander..."
"I wouldn't have any reason to come here!"
"Has Master Vesemir never taken on a commission from the priestesses?" Mary asked curiously from the side.
"I have..." Vesemir nodded. "But it was always in Ellander or the surrounding villages. No monsters would dare come near the temple."
Just as Vesemir and Allen were discussing whether they should find someone to ask about the temple's rules...
"Allen... here..."
A cold female voice suddenly echoed in the young Witcher's mind.
Instinctively, he looked to his left.
A woman stood at the temple entrance, next to the marble statues of the "Maiden," "Mother," and "Crone" aspects of the goddess Melitele, smiling at him. She wore a simple gray dress, with her hair wrapped in gray linen, but her beauty remained undiminished. In fact, it gave her an added touch of sanctity, like a temple priestess.
Vera stood beside two other women, both dressed similarly to her.
"Lady Vera!"
"Mentor!"
Following Allen's gaze, Vesemir and Mary called out in surprise. After nodding at Vesemir and Mary, Vera turned to Allen and asked curiously: "Since you're here, why aren't you coming in?"
Vesemir and Allen looked at each other, then instinctively glanced at the coachmen and attendants waiting at the entrance. The older woman standing beside Vera noticed this and smiled kindly: "Lady Melitele is the Mother of All, not just the mother and goddess of women..."
"Don't wait outside, come in, children!"
The woman didn't look much older than in her twenties. But when she said "children," it carried such warmth and authority that it felt perfectly natural, without any sense of incongruity.
Vesemir and Allen exchanged glances, then silently led their horses into the temple.
After passing by the statues of the goddess, Vera naturally walked up to Allen. She carefully examined him, as if observing his changes.
"You've grown taller..." she said softly.
Vera's voice was very quiet.
If Allen hadn't been so close, and if his perception hadn't reached 47, he definitely wouldn't have heard her. What puzzled him, though, was that there seemed to be both satisfaction and sadness in the sorceress's tone.
Before Allen could ask, Vera took the initiative to introduce the woman leading the way.
"This is Lady Nenneke, a priestess of the goddess Melitele. She will take care of everything you need in the temple..."
"In the coming days, if you encounter any difficulties here, you can consult her."
The woman who had spoken earlier turned back and smiled at Allen.
"Thank you for your help, Lady Nenneke..." Allen nodded politely, but internally, he was taken aback.
Nenneke...
In the original story, this young woman would become the future High Priestess of the goddess Melitele, the head of the temple with influence and power far exceeding that of the Prince of Ellander.
No...
Not only that.
In the Northern Continent, the future Nenneke would hold a status and influence in certain aspects greater than the ruler of this land—King Foltest of Temeria.
It's worth mentioning that.
In the original story, Geralt had come here several times to heal his wounds. Nenneke also said that she watched Geralt grow up.
Maybe in the not-too-distant future, Allen might gain an SSR from her?
"As for the other person, Allen, you already know her..."
The cold voice interrupted Allen's wandering thoughts.
"I know her?"
Allen curiously glanced at the woman standing beside Nenneke... or rather, the girl...
"Lysa!"
After carefully observing her, and seeing the girl smile back at him, Allen exclaimed in surprise.
"Who's Lysa?" Mary's voice, tinged with caution, came from the side.
"Huh?" Allen looked at Mary in confusion. "You don't know? She's..."
The young Witcher was about to reveal the girl's identity. But then he remembered that Lyssa's identity was somewhat sensitive, and there were others present, so he quickly made something up: "She... she's the girl we once saved on the road..."
Feeling Mary's increasingly heated gaze on him. Allen quickly glanced at Vesemir, who seemed to be enjoying the show, and blurted out: "Isn't that right, Master Vesemir?"
Vesemir: "Uh-huh!"
....…
📢20 advanced chapters on p@treaon📢
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246. Are You Really Not Planning to Tell Him About His Origins?
247. The Temptation of Immortality.
248. Yennefer's Talent.
249. The Light of the Little Monster.
250. The Little Priestess's Gift.