Ciri took off her clothes, the women's bath was empty, and she swam around the pool at ease.
After moving for a while, she quietly leaned against the stone wall at the edge of the pool.
She contemplated her future, thinking about that unknown world.
But just as she was humming a song and washing her arms, a crow flew in from afar, perched on the wooden fence of the pool, and stared at her with its black eyes.
Ciri covered her chest and shrank back into the water.
"Ms. Yennefer!"
She imagined that the woman on the other side of the crow must be laughing again.
............
"Are you sure you want to deal with the Bloodthirsty Beldam for us?"
Geralt handed a bottle of curse oil to Su Ming, watching him take it and apply it to the Giant Sword. This oil can effectively deal with monsters born of curses, like corpse infants.
Time had reached the third day, and Geralt, having meandered through Novigrad, finally discovered the monster's lair.
Just beneath the former church of Eternal Fire, after losing the support of the king, this once mad sect was now deserted.
Their fanatical faith and witch hunts seemed as if they never existed.
Yet, those crosses throughout the city still proved this chapter of history.
"That's right, you just watch from a distance, a living dead can't be my match." Su Ming finished applying the sword oil and directly plunged the Great Sword into the stone ground.
"What are you doing now?"
"Meditating, Demon Hunters all meditate before making a move, don't you think I mimic them well?"
At this moment, Su Ming was kneeling on the floor, hands resting on his thighs, with eyes closed; despite wearing a helmet, his relaxed demeanor was evident.
Geralt sighed.
"If you need to wait for the monster to appear, meditation can make sense. But it's already night, the Bloodthirsty Beldam will appear soon..."
Su Ming just wanted to feel like a Demon Hunter, trying to capture that elusive sensation before slaying a big boss.
Moreover, they were currently blocking the monster's home; the Banshee wouldn't escape by burrowing underground.
Just as he was about to respond, a blood-red figure, naked, dashed out of the crypt and lunged straight at Geralt.
After all, from its perspective, an armored person doesn't seem alive, lacking blood and flesh.
Ciri was just about to try her newly obtained weapon, but Su Ming was quicker. He immediately drew the Giant Sword embedded in the ground, swung it like a door panel swatting flies, and smacked the Banshee into the wall.
The entire chapel trembled, its ruined statues seemed ready to topple any second, and dust filled the air.
"Hmph, quite ordinary, about the level of a Human Bat,"
Su Ming turned to Geralt and commented.
Geralt leaned against the wall, using the Silver Sword as a prop: "What's a Human Bat monster, I've never seen it. But the Banshee isn't dead yet."
Regarding this Banshee, it was caused by a tragedy years ago, and Geralt tried his best not to dwell on it.
He only needed to remember this commission was worth 3,000 Aurum.
If it wasn't for the Banshee's relentless killing spree, terrifying the entire city, the Governor wouldn't have offered so much money.
Su Ming maintained vigilance over the Banshee's movements; he was confident his blow shattered a quarter of the creature's bones, slowing its recovery speed.
The abandoned chapel's underground was dusty, and the only illumination came from the torch Ciri was holding.
"Since we're here, I'll use the Demon Hunter's sword technique, watch my Bear School secret skill."
Su Ming quickly dashed towards the distant wall, as the Banshee was just rising, he directly raised the Great Sword high and hacked towards the creature's shoulder.
"Congratulations! Fortune and peace! Everything goes well! Good health! Surplus year after year! Family happiness!..."
With each uttered phrase, he delivered a strike to the monster, although the first hit severed the creature along the shoulder, heart, and hip in one line, splitting it in two, the Nightfall Greatsword was too sharp.
But he insisted on completing the New Year greetings.
Thus, the two Demon Hunters watched him chop the monster into mincemeat....
"Bear School...is it so fierce?" Ciri scratched behind her ear, unsure about the Bear Faction's style, but it seemed akin to Skellige's Berserkers.
"Don't listen to his nonsense, vertical slash is indeed one of Bear School's opening moves, but continually repeating it cannot be called a sword technique."
Geralt felt utterly dejected.
After quite some time, Su Ming put away his weapon, removed his helmet, drank water, and rested; the New Year phrases were too many, leaving him parched.
"I specifically reserved the head for you, take it for the handover, I didn't bring an Iron Hook with me."
He handed Geralt the creature's head, one hand carrying his helmet.
"You'll lead Ciri astray, that's no sword technique." Geralt fastened the monster's head to his belt, somewhat helplessly joked.
"Wrong, this most simple move fully encapsulates the kind wish to render the enemy lifeless. Heavy Sword is Edgeless, great skill is unrefined; when your realm thoroughly crushes the enemy's, even continuous chopping is infinitely exquisite swordsmanship."
Su Ming immediately countered because Ciri's gaze switched between them, seemingly evaluating who was right.
This time, it was Geralt who couldn't comprehend, the opponent apparently spoke a foreign language he didn't understand. But the explanation afterward made sense and seemed logical enough.
However, it requires complete control over monster dynamics and habits, only a master can attack so daringly without injury.
"Ciri is too early for this, and it's not suitable for her path."
"No, this set of sword techniques is recommended for you, a cut of 999, burst in three seconds, just try it for three minutes, and you will love this sword technique as I do."
Geralt turned and walked away, clearly a joke, right? Hurry to get paid, then back to Ker Morhan.
.............
The money came smoothly, the Governor didn't want the Banshee's head either, Geralt just hung the monster's head on the saddle, planning to overnight at the Vanilla Inn run by his friend Dandelion.
Dandelion now lives in Novigrad with his girlfriend, the two poets refurbished the Vanilla Inn, now renamed Chameleon Inn, located on a not particularly bustling street.
Every day the business is much the same, neither good nor bad; many people inside come for drinking and watching performances, with few actually lodging.
These days, Su Ming and his team have been staying there, while some stories he recounted seemed to ignite the poet's creative enthusiasm again.
He's recently been writing a novel, but criticized by his girlfriend as 'like a dream talk'.
Yet today, upon returning to the inn, Geralt instantly detected a familiar scent as he stepped in.
Even amidst the mix of alcohol and sweat, the aroma of lilac and blackcurrant was unmistakably prominent.