Demon Hunter: I have a red gourd

Chapter 30 Persuading to Retreat
"Dudu, I think you should be more cautious. You know your identity well. It's really too risky to travel across multiple countries like this."

"I understand." Dudu smiled bitterly and touched his red nose. "It's just that some business opportunities, once missed, will never appear again. I really can't help it."

"Once the news of King Henselt buying acacia bark spreads, the price of the bark will inevitably drop significantly."

"This is a rare opportunity. It's a great chance to make a fortune. I'll regret it for a long time if I miss it."

"Since you said information is the most important thing for a merchant, then I think you should also be aware of one thing." Ivan shrugged. "That is, King Henselt is quite unfriendly towards non-human races."

"He has organized numerous massacres of dwarves and elves within his territory. Even if you possess something he desperately needs, you will likely struggle to receive the proper compensation. You might even be killed."

The instructors’ courses also include basic information about the kings of the northern countries.

For demon hunters who frequently traveled across the continent, gathering this information wasn't difficult. When they encountered demon hunters from other schools, they would share their knowledge over drinks, compiling and summarizing it before passing it on to the young apprentices.

Although this knowledge is limited and may be outdated, it can still provide some help for apprentices in their future journey.

For example, Ivan had heard from Coen that King Foltest of Temeria was a wise, intelligent, and ambitious monarch. However, his private life was controversial—he was in love with his sister, with whom he had a daughter. After his sister's death, Foltest refused to marry a new wife.

The de facto ruler of Cintra is Calanthe, known as the "Lioness of Cintra." However, according to Cintra's traditions and laws, there is only a king, not a queen. While the nobles outwardly respect her authority, they secretly resist her rule.

To secure her position, Calanthe was forced to marry Ester Tursek, the elder brother of the King of Skellige, and have him serve as the nominal King of Cintra. However, Calanthe was now too old to bear children, and her only offspring was a granddaughter—a fact that also failed to satisfy the nobles' need for a male heir, which worried her deeply.

As for Dudu's destination, Kaedwen, its King Henselt was an even more powerful figure. He ruled over a vast territory, yet lacked the dignity and demeanor of a king. He was known for his extreme greed and irritability, often causing conflict with neighboring nations over titles and territories.

At the same time, his hatred for non-human races is also well known. Since he personally planned and carried out many massacres against non-human races, he has forced the non-human races in Kaedwen to unite and form a secret organization with the intention of overthrowing his rule.

"Perhaps I can transform into a human when I go to see Henselt," Dudu said after a moment's silence. "Once the deal is done, I will leave Kaedwen immediately and won't stay any longer."

"What if the court sorcerer there recognizes you? Not to mention the silver objects everywhere in the palace." Ivan pulled up his witcher badge. "If you accidentally touch them, your true identity will be immediately exposed. Then..."

Ivan didn't say much, probably because the shapeshifter on the opposite side also understood what he meant.

Dudu lowered his head, thought for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh.

"You're right, Ivan. I really took too much of a risk." He raised his head, a complicated expression on his face. "Perhaps this deal isn't as worthwhile as I thought. After all, no amount of gold can buy my life."

"This journey will end in Vizima. Afterward, I will immediately return to Novigrad. Ivan, thank you for your advice." "A wise decision." Ivan stood up and patted Dudu on the shoulder. "A wise businessman always weighs the pros and cons and knows when to give up. With your intelligence, I believe you understand these principles better than I do."

"Indeed." A smile gradually appeared on Dudu's face. "Although I gave up some things on this journey, it was not without gain. At least, I got to know you, Ivan, a trustworthy friend."

After seeing Dudu off, Ivan returned to his room with a pure gold business card and a large piece of acacia bark.

The name of the card was engraved with Dudu's disguised identity: Trico Biberwit. As expected of a gifted businessman, even a card like this was made of pure gold.

If you ever encounter trouble in Novigrad, you can use this business card to seek help from the Biberwit Chamber of Commerce. If Dudu isn't around, you can also take the business card to the Temple of the Church of the Eternal Flame and speak to Commander Chapelle of the Temple Guard.

Dudu's hint made Ivan vaguely understand that the commander was probably also a shapeshifter and his companion.

How could a shapeshifter have infiltrated the Church of the Eternal Flame, a group dedicated to hunting them? This is truly intriguing. According to Cohen, Novigrad has become increasingly tolerant of non-human races in recent years, gradually becoming the most tolerant city in the North, known as the "Free City."

The commander of the temple guards is not only responsible for protecting the safety of the entire city, but is also the most powerful figure in Novigrad after the Lord of Eternal Fire.

It must be Chapelle's credit that Novigrad has been transformed from its original isolation into what it is today.

As for the piece of acacia bark, Dudu insisted on giving it to him, saying that he might need it in the future.

At his earnest request, Ivan gave Dudu another small bottle of Lamb Wine, but repeatedly reminded him to taste it in an absolutely safe environment to avoid revealing his identity by losing control of his body after drinking again.

It was certain that Ivan was envious of the shapeshifter's mimicry abilities, but he couldn't possibly kill Dudu and seize his spirit.

Not to mention that most shapeshifters are kind-hearted and not bad by nature. Even if Ivan was determined to hunt shapeshifters and collect their spirits, there might not be a hundred shapeshifters in the world for him to find.

If you can't unlock the avatar, it's meaningless to create killings.

So, it’s better to make friends with someone who is definitely a good person.

After packing his luggage, Ivan knelt on the bed, closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Tomorrow is the day to hunt the Scissortail Dragon. As a demon hunter, no matter what kind of demon you face, you must be fully prepared in advance.

(End of this chapter)