Bear School Astartes

After speaking, Belengar clapped his hands and left. He still needed to quickly fix the armor that had been roasted to pieces by Smaug.

Meanwhile, Lann continued to frown as he looked at the letter of request for assistance sent by Veltrest.

"Such a big event happened without any warning."

Tishaya appeared unruffled as she sat with composed dignity, asking softly without turning her head.

"Are you sure you want to go?"

"If Veltrest had another way, he wouldn’t have come to me. This is a sensitive move."

Lann did not lift his head, repeatedly going over the sheets of paper, occasionally sipping fruit juice from his cup.

"Moreover, if the scope of this anomaly truly expands to the Ponta River Valley... what the hell! I just bought shares in a shipping company on the Ponta River!"

The Demon Hunter grumbled while flicking the high-quality paper with his finger.

And if something indeed goes wrong in the Ponta River Valley, it’s not just an issue for the inland shipping company.

The Ponta River spans the Four Northern Countries, and the major water transportation arteries of all four countries run along this river.

If there’s trouble in the Ponta River Valley, business dealings involving Valyrian Steel can be forgotten.

Without water transport, relying solely on land transport slashes efficiency by eighty percent, turning profitable ventures into losses.

Both publicly and privately, this matter’s impact is profound, and Lann was ready to accept Veltrest’s invitation to understand the situation.

"To be honest, the thing I truly want to do right now has no manpower or time..."

Lann’s eyes did not move away from the paper, yet his gaze’s focus was no longer on the paper.

"Doing something different is also good."

Looking at Lann’s profile, the words Marguerite wanted to say were swallowed back.

-----------------

In the subsequent period, Lann did not immediately set off.

The anomaly near Elrand had persisted for over a month, and a few days earlier or later would make little difference. Besides, he still needed to make some preparations.

Firstly, the repair of the Grandmaster Bear School Armor wasn’t going to be quick. The leather and cords scorched by Smaug’s Dragon Flame were premium goods that matched the Grandmaster armor.

All the merchants in the town of Gos Velen couldn’t gather the readily available stock.

These premium leathers not only needed a good base material but also required magical and alchemical treatment, resulting in high costs and low demand. Consequently, few merchants would stock up large quantities.

Belengar had to contact Sir Viserad’s blacksmith at Raven’s Nest, and they searched through half of Velen’s merchants before gathering what they needed.

But even this was faster than making Belengar process the leather on the spot.

The repair of this Grandmaster Armor took two days, and on the day it was put back on Lann, the transformation of his blood was also completed.

Under the effect of the [Blood Reconstitution Organ], all the blood in his body turned into a high-energy state capable of carrying more oxygen and nutrients.

By using breathing techniques and consuming food, once the blood transformation concluded, he filled this blood with nutrients simultaneously.

Inside his body, the enhancement organs started operating and carrying out physiological activities in a more efficient state.

However, whether it was due to Lann’s subconscious resistance or some suppression effect from [Spiritual Vision] or some other power on the growth hormones secreted by the [Holy Chant Gland],

he recalled that the growth spurt to over three meters in the Primaris Space Marine didn’t happen again.

Instead, his height remained steady at two meters fifty during this period, and even subsequent implantation of other enhancement organs didn’t result in any physical change.

His strength, on the other hand, increased steadily.

On the other hand, a space expansion pack produced by Airetusa had also been equipped on Rong Buqiu.

The academy’s orders for space expansion packs were lined up for a long time, but considering that the problem Lann was venturing out to solve sounded bizarre and dangerous,

Tishaya and Marguerite simply handed over the space expansion packs that had been finished but not yet delivered to him.

Not only does Rong Buqiu now have a small satchel made of demon hide strapped on his back.

The luxurious and beautiful magic horse harness on the Qilin also received a pair of common saddle bags.

A package made of petrifying chicken snake skin and one made of gliding lizard skin were tied together and hung over the Qilin’s rump.

This greatly improved the carrying capacity of Lann and his group.

"The smooth operation of the Ponta River Valley is a matter of utmost importance."

Finally, as Lann was leaving the city, Marguerite whispered to him.

"Veltrest will certainly exert significant efforts to resolve this issue, with magic support being essential... Who will have this honor, dearest?"

The bewitching female warlock cast him a meaningful, ambiguous smile as her eyes twinkled.

"Triss." Following Marguerite’s cue, Lann mentioned the name.

Though Temeria had multiple experienced royal advisors, the one to be sent would only be Triss.

...because Lann will be going too.

"So enjoy it, my dear." Margaret encouraged him by adjusting the bear fur collar on the armor that the demon hunter had repaired.

"When you need magical support, don’t hesitate. Though Triss is young and her mana is just so-so, her talent is quite impressive."

A mage who competes for the royal advisor position in one of the Northern Four Kingdoms, Temeria, being described as having ’so-so mana’.

Anyone would think it was drunken nonsense.

But when the person saying it is Marguerite Lox Andelie, expressing Triss’s level with her own standards, it seems quite normal.

Philippa Eilhart is the most powerful mage among those serving the Northern Four Countries, but even she speaks cautiously about magic-related topics in front of Margaret, fearing to make a fool of herself.

Since starting to research the Elf Beacon that Lann brought back, within a few months, Margaret and Tishaya developed the ability to perceive the Celestial Sphere Convergence Rift and estimate the opening time.

Their talent and magical abilities are undoubtedly top-notch.

"I hope you and Tishaya can also research in the academy to figure out what’s going on in that place, leading to such a large area devoid of living creatures."

Lann scratched his cheek while speaking.

"If it’s really some warlock’s large-scale magic gone awry, or a curse, I might truly have no solution."

"Don’t worry, we’ll certainly assist you," Margaret said, cupping her hands beneath her chest to support its weight.

"But we need the news and samples from that land to be sent over. The courier said that no one who went in was able to come out..."

"So if that’s the case, my top priority will be land samples and information."

Lann said, while flipping onto the back of the Qilin, and the Rong Buqiu, who had been catching grasshoppers on the ground, quickly snapped out of it and leaped up too with a ’meow’.

"We are heading out, meow!"

The Rong Buqiu, carrying a new package, joyfully waved at Margaret, and the female warlock smiled and raised her hand to respond to the cat.

The weather is nice today; there is still quite a bit of wind in Velen, but the clouds aren’t overcast, so it doesn’t look like rain.

The salty sea breeze from the ocean made Lann’s cloak flutter noisily.

The plants in Velen have long adapted to the breath of the sea wind, and on either side of the rural muddy road, slender grass stalks and tiny yellow and white wildflowers are blown to and fro, yet they grow steadily.

The salty sea breeze at least dispersed the lingering swamp odor on the Velen land.

The Qilin, guided by Lann, walked leisurely on the rural dirt road, its hooves making dull ’thump thump’ sounds.

"Meow?"

However, the Rong Buqiu, who became lively due to the impending adventure, sat on the Qilin’s head, clutching its half-grown broken horn, looking around, its tri-colored tail swishing back and forth.

"Boss, aren’t we supposed to be heading northeast, meow?"

The cat scratched the triangular ear on its head, turning to ask.

Elrand is a duchy city located at the northeastern corner of Temeria, in the grid-like distribution of the Northern Four Kingdoms, it’s also a city close to the Ponta River Valley.

At first, Rong Buqiu thought it was because Lann was not too pressed for time and thus let the Qilin navigate through Velen’s maze-like rural paths.

These kinds of paths were created by people walking naturally, avoiding swamps and inconvenient dips, small hills, etc.

So a path that was supposed to head northeast initially veering southward could be understood.

But after traveling for so long and still heading southeast, something feels off.

"Before going to Elrand, I plan to replenish the funds diverted from the Knight Order."

Lann patted the bags hanging behind the Qilin’s rump, making the ancient dragon rear its hooves uncomfortably.

It made a snorting sound as well.

As they progressed further into the southeastern hinterlands of Velen, the population density decreased, while the sounds from the surrounding high mountains and dense forests increased.

On the nearby Bolder Mountain, an ancient and massive oak tree still flourished with plenty of leaves.

The road leading to High Hill Castle, where the Embers Knight Order is stationed, is quite remote, yet the Knight Order has gradually improved it.

The Qilin’s hooves hit the wooden bridge crossing the small stream, and neither the weight of the ancient dragon nor the demon hunter threatened the bridge’s stability.

"Tsk..." Lann tilted his head to look down, raising an eyebrow, "Are you guys really building the road to military grade?"

But thinking about the habits instilled by him into his knights... it seems not impossible.

"Indeed, my lord."

Following Lann’s remarks, on the road before him, a small troop of knights with bright and disciplined armor trotted over from a bend.

The leading knight among the five or six lifted his visor, first stopping in front of Lann, and only after dismounting did he approach the Qilin.

He bowed in greeting to the demon hunter seated atop the ancient dragon, smooth and proper.

"It is my pleasure to personally welcome your return, my lord."