He looked at Karl, his lips moving several times, a thousand words of gratitude welling up in his heart.
Guilt and ecstasy intertwined, choking his chest, leaving him at a loss for words for a moment.
His expression changed several times, and finally, all complex emotions turned into a simple and sincere sentence.
"Thank you... my child."
This utterance contained so much, and Karl's heart was moved; he felt the heavy emotions Raymond carried.
He gently shook his head, his voice calm but serious: "You should thank the goddess for her grace and Nenneke for her help."
He paused, his eyes meeting Raymond's, his tone kind but with a warning implication.
"Cherish this second life. I don't want... one day, mother to accuse me in my dreams, blaming me for not treating you as a father."
This was the first time Karl had so formally called Raymond "father," and Raymond was stunned.
He stared blankly at Karl, and then an immense wave of happiness washed over his emotions like a flood breaking through a dam.
Tears of excitement immediately welled up in the corners of his eyes, and he could no longer hold back; he opened his arms and embraced Karl tightly.
"Good... good... Karl, my child."
Raymond wept for joy, repeating the words and patting Karl on the back, as if wanting to make up for all the lost time in the past with this embrace.
Karl's body tensed slightly, but he finally relaxed and allowed Raymond to release his excitement.
After Raymond calmed down a bit and let go of Karl, Karl straightened his clothes.
He solemnly bowed to Nenneke: "Nenneke, thank you for everything you have done. Karl will remember this kindness in his heart."
Nenneke smiled kindly and accepted his gratitude.
Just as Karl was about to help Raymond, who had recovered but still needed rest, out of the temple, Nenneke stopped him.
"Wait, Karl."
Karl stopped and turned, a little puzzled.
Nenneke took out a leather document with the seal of the Temple of Melitele from a small wooden box next to the altar and handed it to Karl.
Karl was stunned for a moment, took the document, opened it, and quickly glanced at the contents.
It was an official document issued by the Temple of Melitele, formally recognizing and legitimizing the union between Raymond and Alyssa, as well as Karl's legal status and inheritance rights.
Karl was very surprised, raised his head, and looked at Nenneke with confusion.
He clearly remembered never telling the High Priestess that he needed this legitimization.
Nenneke seemed to see his doubt, smiled gently, and explained: "Don't be surprised, young man."
"Just a few months ago, after deep prayer to the goddess, I began to see fragmentary images of you in my dreams."
Her gaze became somewhat distant, as if recalling those dreams.
"From those blurry images, I learned about your relationship with Alyssa and Raymond, and also knew some of your needs."
"So I wrote this document in advance and waited for your arrival."
Nenneke's tone was full of reverence for divine will: "Perhaps it was the guidance of the Mother of Mercy in the darkness, showing me your specialness."
"Of course, even without any signs, just knowing your life experience and your sincerity in seeking medical treatment for your father..."
"I would also give you this document, to wash away the worldly and imposed injustices upon your parents."
Karl was stunned, but along with that came even deeper surprise and doubt.
Melitele had indeed started paying attention to him several months ago? Why? What about him deserved such divine grace?
Was it because of his otherworldly soul? Or was it because of his potential?
But these questions had no answers for now, and Melitele was unwilling to answer them.
He put away the document and again expressed his sincere gratitude to Nenneke.
Subsequently, he directly handed this precious document to Raymond, who was watching eagerly.
For Karl, the significance of this document was more symbolic:
to fulfill the wishes of his mother Alyssa and father Raymond, to make up for a regret.
His current status and power no longer needed a piece of paper to prove anything.
But Raymond was different. He took the leather document with trembling hands, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.
He carefully traced the articles and handwriting with his fingers, an uncontrollable smile of joy blooming on his face, and he was so excited he could barely close his mouth.
This document not only symbolized that his love for Alyssa had been sacredly recognized,
but also meant that his son Karl would no longer suffer worldly stigma.
......
In the following days, Karl did not leave Ellander immediately.
On one hand, he wanted to ensure that Raymond's body was stable and improving under the temple's observation, to guarantee the lasting effect of the self-healing.
On the other hand, he had a slight concern, thinking about whether Duke Seward and his White Rose Knights would come looking for trouble.
If they did, he would settle it all at once, to avoid future problems, and at the same time, he could catch up with Geralt, whom he hadn't seen for a while.
Geralt's wound healed quickly, thanks to the meticulous care of the priestesses and the Witcher's own super metabolism.
In his spare time, he told Karl more about the history and secrets of the Witchers,
including their original origins, and the fortress of the School of the Wolf—Kaer Morhen in the Kaedwen mountains.
Geralt said in a rare, nostalgic tone: "Although it's a bit dilapidated there... it's quiet, the view is wide, and the scenery is good."
"You are very welcome, Karl, my friend. You can come by when you are free."
Karl felt Geralt's sincerity and readily agreed: "Of course, I will definitely visit when I have the chance. Will you be at Kaer Morhen then?"
Geralt explained slowly: "Most often, only when winter approaches and the mountains are closed off by heavy snow, do we wolf brothers return to Kaer Morhen for the winter."
"The only one who usually takes contracts outside and frequently runs to Kaer Morhen is our mentor, Vesemir."
During this period, several teams of White Rose knights did indeed arrive in the vicinity of the temple.
But they didn't cause the trouble Karl expected, still targeting Geralt to continue carrying out the previous expulsion order.
However, when these knights saw that Karl had not yet left the temple and was staying with Geralt for a long time,
it was as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads; the self-righteousness they had just mustered instantly vanished.
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