Bear School Astartes

"Your hiring?"

Belengar swallowed the last sip of from the potion bottle and looked at Lann strangely.

"I don't doubt that you're rich now, but... hadn't you already refused once to fight alongside me?"

As he said this, Belengar's tone was not intense.

He admitted to himself that he was a Demon Hunter who wanted to escape battle.

He accepted this about himself and naturally could accept others' similar evaluation of him.

"My mind hasn't changed; I won't fight with you. But my hiring isn't for battle."

Lann's words piqued Belengar's interest.

"How so?"

"Teach me how to be a Demon Hunter, Belengar."

"Cough... cough!"

Belengar, hearing this, choked on the liquid that hadn't been fully swallowed, sending it down the wrong pipe.

You want me to teach you?

Teach you what? How to prepare for injuries when targeted by a few crossbow arrows?

"Well... uh... is there anything left to learn for a Demon Hunter?"

Belengar tried to speak as tactfully as possible.

But Lann seemed quite straightforward.

"More potion recipes, rare alchemy bomb formulas, knowledge of curses and magic, knowledge of monsters... Belengar, isn't the Wolf School known for preserving the most comprehensive knowledge?"

Hearing what Lann wanted to learn, Belengar finally nodded as if suddenly realizing.

In his eyes, Lann was probably someone specialized in combat subjects during his training with the school.

That's why he could possess such combat skills at a relatively young age, not more than forty.

"Has the knowledge reserve of the Bear School deteriorated to such an extent?"

Curiously, Belengar inquired, and Lann shared some information hinted at by Bordeaux.

"There was essentially no knowledge reserve. After splitting from the Demon Hunter Order, the Bear School never established a knowledge and experience transfer system. They each fought for themselves, earning money individually. Gathering at Heinkawei Castle and taking in apprentices were merely habits of living."

"In fact, it was only when armed mobs stormed the castle that they realized, given their way of life, they didn't actually need a castle at all."

"...Alright. Learned something new."

Belengar listened with a twitching mouth.

In his active years, traces of monsters filled the wilderness.

Gliding lizards and petrifying chicken snakes soared in the sky, griffins nested in the high mountains, and water ghosts and ghasts were as numerous as fish in the river and rats in the ground.

Many died, so demon spirits and curses appeared in abundance.

Back then, a castle wasn't a "status symbol"; it was a life necessity!

He couldn't imagine how a group of Demon Hunters could abandon their castle.

But since Lann said so, the Bear School was likely as it appeared.

This bear cub might be the last exploration result of those iron-hearted individuals for the way of the Demon Hunter.

"Since you're a Demon Hunter, there's no reason not to share this knowledge. The Wolf School is the direct descendant of the Demon Hunter Order, so I will pass my knowledge on to you."

With a shrug, Belengar said in a nonchalant manner.

"But there's a question... how about the fee?"

"Teach me until I'm proficient, and I'll give you five hundred Orens."

The moment that number emerged, the old Demon Hunter agreed without hesitation.

"Deal!"

...Damn it!

I knew this kid hit the jackpot!

The small house in the Temple District isn't worth more than seventy Orens!

~~~~~~

The villagers in Dark Water Village seemed unaware that His Majesty the King had once visited them.

From the village chief's daughter, Selena, Lann heard it was because a city tax officer came to check and measure something, pushing them outside the village for a while.

This was Veltrest's consideration to ensure Lann didn't stand out too much.

Even from a modern perspective, such thoughtfulness is considered meticulous.

It made one feel like a spring breeze.

Now Lann promised not to enter Vizima again, but meanwhile, he still hadn't fulfilled his agreement with the Lady of the Lake.

So, as he didn't want to break his promise, he couldn't return to Velen.

"You made a pact with the Lady of the Lake? Wait a minute..."

From the voice, one could sense a seductive charm that made one's bones tingle.

Holding a conical crystal in his hand, Lann was conversing with Margaret.

He could even imagine her searching for answers amidst the book piles of Airetusa.

"...There isn't much or clear elucidation about this god. The early records are in Serravie Lake of Toussaint. It's said the Lady of the Lake imparted the five virtues of a knight."

Lann nodded quietly.

"Land of Knights, that fits."

"So they say..."

On the other end of the crystal, Margaret's voice still bore her disbelief.

"But are you sure it was not just a formidable Nymph? I've encountered many rural legends claiming to be gods, but in the end, they mostly turn out to be smooth-talking, deceitful monsters."

"And with 'the evil god's force penetrating through celestial conjunctions'... we haven't detected fluctuations from celestial conjunctions in nearly a century. The force linking two worlds can't go unnoticed by us."

"Perhaps this 'celestial conjunction' is somewhat unique this time?"

Lann shared his speculation.

"Rita, I faced the lingering force from the weakened evil god, which indeed seemed unlikely to be a native force of this world. Even twisted spirits like demon spirits didn't have the nauseating scene I witnessed."

The seductive voice on the other side of the crystal fell silent for a moment.

After a while, a slightly dry voice reemerged.

"Sorry, Lann... you've gone through so much in just a few days, yet all I did was give you a task, provided some support, and couldn't even be by your side." My Virtual Library Empire (M V L E M P Y R) appreciates your readership at the source.

The young Demon Hunter shook his head nonchalantly.

"According to the Lady, only those who can face the evil god possess the right to expel it. Otherwise, it's just creating more chaos. Even if you were by my side, your magic couldn't help me. So don't mind it."

"If you truly want to help, why not tell me about Auridon? How's everyone in the village there?"

"...Ha!"

A soft laugh came from the other side of the crystal.

Margaret couldn't understand why someone, who had just executed a noble beneath only one person and above all others, and was immediately involved in the crucial resistance against a possible deity, would request help in the form of... checking on the situation of a poor fishing village.

It was truly absurd and out of place.

Yet inexplicably, if Lann asked, Margaret found it entirely reasonable.

This guy is just that kind of person.

"They're doing well. Before leaving, you essentially completed 80% of the work you promised. They'll live comfortably in the coming years. But to be honest... this is the first time Airetusa's door has been knocked on by a fisherman."

"You mean Bernie? He's recovered enough to move? Hey, lucky guy."

"Yes, that fisherman named Bernie timidly arrived at Gos Velen and timidly knocked on Airetusa's door to inquire about your whereabouts. He was so nervous he couldn't form sentences, yet insisted that even if it meant knocking on the lord's door at Crows' Nest, he would do everything to find out if you were safe."

"An inexperienced fellow..." Lann chuckled, "He probably thinks the Crows' Nest is even more dignified than Airetusa, doesn't he?"

"But such an inexperienced fisherman..." Margaret earnestly said.

"They are grateful for everything you've done for them, Lann."