Bear School Astartes

This cave dug into the mountain is quite unusual compared to ordinary caves.

The further you go in, the hotter it gets, with no hint of the coolness one might expect.

By the time you are fully inside, the temperature can be described as scorching. It’s both hot and humid.

Moss-covered rocks and the dark, dreary cave walls are adorned with plump droplets of water.

Plants are scattered all around, sprawling out from cupboards, flower pots, and water troughs, scrambling for territory, leading to leaves and stamens stained with soil.

At first glance, Lann recognized many rare herbs, even those declared extinct in Airetusa’s library.

An elderly woman, dressed similarly to Nanny Aiora but more corpulent, was rolling up her sleeves and working with scissors and a bone stick amidst the lush plants.

The cave’s lighting was surprisingly good. When Lann looked up, he realized that several large holes had been dug above, sealed with crystal.

"Aiora, you don’t have to come down today; it’s very hot here."

The chubby elderly woman skillfully and adeptly trimmed the plants. Although she claimed it was ’very hot,’ surprisingly, she was as dry as if she were in autumn.

After holding up the bone stick that had turned the soil earlier, Nanik turned her head to look at the cave entrance, raising an eyebrow.

"Aha..." The rotund old woman flicked the mud-stained bone stick, "So, we have a visitor?"

Aiora gestured towards the cave’s greenhouse, then looked back at Lann. The gesture meant: it’s time for the two of you to talk.

"If I’m not mistaken." Lann first nodded to Nanny Aiora, then walked down the last step, entering the greenhouse.

"Is that the five-star leaf elixir? And carnivorous flowers, the unfathomable grass?"

Lann removed the hood from his head, showing keen interest as he observed the rare plants filling the cave, addressing Nanik.

"At least half the species here are already extinct outside."

"Hahaha." The corpulent old woman let out a light chuckle, "It’s my first time knowing that the renowned [Hunting Marquis] possesses such profound knowledge in herbology?"

Lann’s face, now unveiled, crossed the boundary between the sunlight refracted by the crystal above and the shadows below.

The light’s changes made his brilliant silver hair glow momentarily, then dim, while his eyes shimmering briefly, returning to normal.

Also, the Roaring Bear Head Pendant slipped down from the cloak’s collar, vibrating slightly.

It’s a Demon Hunter from the Bear School, tall and handsome.

Who else could it be?

Nanik hardly needed to exert her brain to match the figure with the name.

"No, my main interest lies in Alchemy."

Lann approached the rotund old woman and greeted her with respect.

"Good day, Nanik."

The elderly woman nodded casually, "Good day to you too, Duke."

This casualness was not out of disrespect. Instead, it felt like someone who had lived long enough no longer cared about titles. Perhaps it was also due to a transcendent attitude toward worldly matters after dedicating herself to the Divine Beings.

And Lann didn’t mind, for in terms of age, this kind and plump old woman would view Geralt as a child, let alone a young man like himself.

"It seems the ’whirlwind’ in the Ponta River Valley blew you over? Also, aside from there, this area can be described as calm now."

Like Nanny Aiora, Nanik immediately understood why Lann appeared in the Elrand Duchy.

"But you should be looking for Seward; he’s the Duke of Erland."

Nanik briefly wiped her dirt-covered hands on the apron in front of her as she spoke.

However, Lann simply smiled and shook his head before pointing at his eyes with his fingers.

"Seward’s reputation with me isn’t very good, Nanik... you should remember what kind of care White Wolf received here while recovering, a few years ago?"

The plump old woman’s brows immediately relaxed.

"Oh, you came through Geralt’s introduction?"

Her tone revealed tranquility, seemingly accepting as a matter of course that someone introduced by Geralt could be trusted.

"Then I can understand... Seward, that fool, all his knights are brainless idiots."

"I should’ve stopped supplying him with potency potions back then. Let’s see how a man who can’t even stand, can have any gravitas in his words."

The plump, kind old woman spoke disdainfully about the duke of the duchy in her evaluation.

Lann just gave a polite smile, not commenting on her words.

Nanik took off the apron from the front, placing it within the greenhouse, on a bench amidst the rays of sunlight, and led the way out.

"So, the stories were true? You, Geralt, Dandelion, and someone named Ged, supporting each other on the last battlefield?"

Nanik’s face was full of disbelief.

"It’s not that I don’t believe in ballads and tales... well, I don’t. Especially knowing Dandelion. That rascal will spin any yarn to save face and crawl into bed with noblewomen, messing around."

"Uh, Nanik..." Lann’s face also showed a bit of awkwardness, "Although I partially agree with your opinion, Dandelion is also my friend."

The old woman laughed and turned her head while walking up, once again sizing up Lann.

"Alright, it seems you are indeed the kind of person that suits both of them."

As they walked out of the greenhouse, the temperature changed dramatically. However, Nanik seemed to feel nothing from start to finish, and the Roaring Bear Head Pendant on Lann’s neck also remained still after leaving the magic-filled greenhouse.

This phenomenon made the Demon Hunter look thoughtfully at the old woman.

"How many people did you bring?" Nanik asked as she walked, "I mean, how many people’s meals and accommodations do I need to prepare?"

"Ten people, please don’t worry. We won’t stay long and I will pay."

"These are minor matters." Nanik continued to walk, while beckoning into the distance.

Then a plainly dressed girl came running over, by which time Lann had already put his hood back on, so the girl didn’t waste much time staring at him in a daze.

Nanik skillfully instructed the girl on various tasks, concisely arranging meals and accommodations for ten people, along with the storage and care of warhorses.

She had served the Goddess in the Meretelli Temple all her life, no one knew and commanded this temple better than she did.

They walked past the main entrance, and Lann raised his hand to greet the Ember Knights and Qilin, Rong Buqiu, who then quietly and orderly accepted the arrangements made by the Female Priestess Apprentices.

"How is Geralt?" Nanik finally asked this question, which surprised Lann a bit.

"Physically and mentally, he’s doing very well."

The Demon Hunter was quite optimistic about the situation of his Old Friend.

"Then..." But Nanik’s tone contained hesitation, "What about his ’destiny’?"

"Are you talking about his famous Child of Destiny?" Lann pondered over his words, "The official statement is sadly that Princess Xiliya is already deceased, or at best, still wandering somewhere."

There was no doubt Nanik, being partly informed, heard the undercurrents in those careful words.

A slightly relieved smile appeared on her face.

"You seem very concerned about Geralt’s destiny?" Lann, feeling a bit intrigued, spoke keenly.

Nanik was silent for a moment, but then spoke straightforwardly.

"That’s because... my previous prophecy about him wasn’t very optimistic. That prophecy was filled with imagery of sadness and death."

As she spoke, Nanik led Lann to the back garden of the temple.

Here the flowers flourished, neatly trimmed, serene and tasteful... most importantly, devoid of other people, seemingly a good place for conversation.

The temple could indeed be considered Nanik’s domain, but the teachings of Meretelli were inclusive and merciful, with many believers and wanderers from the outside seeking healing and help.

You could say it was quite a bustling place.

This is also why arranging meals and accommodations for ten people required Nanik’s instructions, because there were always many people at this Meretelli Temple.

Poor arrangements could really lead to chaos.

"Geralt never told me you could prophesy."

Lann tilted his head and asked, which earned a roll of the eyes from the old woman.

"It wasn’t my prophecy, to be precise it was a ’psychic connection’. Aiora did it. They got into bed together, had physical and mental contact, which made the psychic connection convenient."

"...Huh?!"

The young man was initially stunned, then gradually became dumbfounded, followed by Nanik seemingly realizing, quickly explaining.

"No! Not Nanny Aiora! It’s little Aiora!"

"Oh~"

With that, Lann showed an expression of understanding.

"Did you let Princess Apprentice go to bed with Geralt to facilitate the psychic connection?"

Nanik lightly gave Lann a pat on the arm, expressing her displeasure.

"Don’t make it sound like I’m the madam of a brothel, young man. This temple is full of lively young female apprentices who have barely seen men. When workers come to fix things, exposing their arms is enough to make them happily stare for a long time."

"Natural sexual desire is natural and beautiful, child. Geralt was strong and single at the time, little Aiora was very interested in him, and since she had psychic talent, I didn’t intervene."

The young man shrugged, having become accustomed to the openness towards gender relations in this world. Moreover, Meretelli was not a faith associated with the concept of a virgin goddess. With the images of a pregnant woman and an old woman among the three forms, they carried maternal qualities.

As such, the priestesses and believers had no reasons for celibacy.

The last psychic connection seemed to reveal bad omens regarding Geralt and Ciri.

Ciri, not only unexpectedly Geralt’s daughter, also concerned Lann.

But thinking about their current lives in Ker Morhan, there seemed to be nothing to worry about.

Although Lann hadn’t had much interaction with Yennefer, just hearing about her was enough to know she was a very strong-willed female warlock.

She’s likely able to keep both Geralt and Ciri in check, making them behave obediently.