Bear School Astartes

Chapter 102: 102. Village by the Lake

To become a royal advisor is already a high recognition of a warlock’s abilities.

This group of power-obsessed casters engages in fierce internal struggles, both overt and covert. Without outstanding mana, such a crucial position would never fall to Terry.

Though Terry’s mana certainly doesn’t match Margaret’s, it’s not difficult to teleport two people and a corpse.

Magic Power distorted space, twisting a colorful hole in midair.

Alia swallowed hard; Lann performed a bit better than her, managing to hold himself together.

This wasn’t their first time seeing a portal, but it was indeed their first time stepping into one.

In the Demon Hunter’s ears, the footsteps of armored patrols on the street were becoming increasingly distinct.

So, taking a deep breath, he grabbed Alia and the corpse, and charged headfirst into the portal.

It was a strange experience; though spatially, it was just a step forward.

Yet the brain and entrails felt as if they had been rocking in a chair for half an hour.

The sense of dislocation and dizziness made Lann rarely feel like vomiting.

Terry’s imprecise portal placed the exit a meter above the ground.

Though his body felt nauseous, this height posed no threat to Lann.

Ubank’s corpse was the first to hit the ground, followed by Lann with Alia, weighing over two hundred kilograms in total.

With a ”thud,” the boots with plated armor embedded into the moist riverside soil.

Lann put Alia down and patted her back.

”If you want to puke, just do it.”

The girl with cheeks bulging like a hamster tried to put on a brave face and wave it off, but before she finished waving, she turned and vomited loudly.

Lann uneasily looked at the fading traces of the portal, thinking that Bopai really was a fine steed.

The Demon Hunter, while sword-dancing, can spin dozens of times to enhance rotational force, then slice a gold coin into equal halves without trembling.

Yet passing through the portal, this dizziness was far worse than sword dancing.

Just as Lann painstakingly pulled his boots out of the riverside soil, a black-haired girl not far away turned and motioned for them to be quiet.

It was only then that Lann noticed this wasn’t an uninhabited lakeside wilderness.

Scattered individuals gathered by the water’s edge, collectively gazing out over the lake.

The haze over the lake was dreamy, under the glow of the full moon, a faintly visible architectural complex seemed built upon the water.

Like a distant mirage.

This kind of scene was likely why a crowd had gathered by the lakeside at night.

”Is it a mirage?”

Lann observed the onion-shaped dome among the buildings and speculated.

But then he shook his head.

This isn’t an unrestricted desert or sea, with cities and dense forests surrounding Vizima Lake; under these conditions, there’s no room for long-distance imaging.

It can only be magical distortion.

Lann shook his head, not intending to investigate further.

This world is vast, filled with countless unexplained phenomena.

Just like the place Bordeaux died, the cause of that cluster of Magic Fog was utterly unclear.

Maybe the warlocks could figure it out, but which one would spend their energy on such things?

After Alia finished vomiting once, she bent over, gasping for breath, seemingly about to puke again.

Lann simply walked to the lake’s edge with his muddy boots, using the clear lake water to rinse them.

The mud wasn’t dry; a quick rinse made it fall off quickly.

The black-haired girl who had silenced them earlier approached Lann, eyes filled with curiosity.

She looked to be in her teens, her face already showing signs of charm.

”I saw you fall from the sky, was it a portal?”

”You’re quite smart, little girl.”

Ordinary people in the Magical World, with a bit of insight, are quite receptive.

At least they wouldn’t mistake portals for supernatural things.

”Are you from the big city?” The black-haired girl eyed Lann’s armor. ”Is it fun there? Are there many interesting things?”

Lann chuckled softly.

Alia once gazed at his armor with such eyes, the high-grade Bear School Armor, whether in appearance, craftsmanship, or practicality, embodied high-end human technology.

But Alia’s gaze was because she wanted to become a proficient warrior. This little girl, however, lingered more on the armor’s pretty buckles and leather patterns.

What she longed for was grandeur and beauty.

”What’s your name, little girl?”

”Selena, I’m the village chief’s daughter.”

Lann shook his hand dry and nodded.

”We came from Vizima because we drunkenly provoked a warlock, who then tossed us here. Look, my friend is still unconscious.”

The Demon Hunter gestured with his chin towards where Ubank lay.

”By the way, do you know how far this place is from Vizima?”

At the mention of the big city, excitement flashed in the girl’s eyes.

”We’re separated from Vizima by the entire Vizima Lake! That warlock is truly amazing!”

Speak of the warlock, the warlock appears.

Lann felt his necklace vibrating.

He reached into the Alchemy Pouch at the back of his waist and grasped the conical crystal.

”Terry, how are things on your end?”

After Terry teleported them away, she couldn’t linger at the inn and had to teleport back to the palace quickly.

Lann was a bit worried whether frequent use of portals would be too taxing for Terry.

After all, manipulating space with Magic Power hardly seemed easy.

Yet the Language of the Heart from the crystal wasn’t the person he expected.

”Whoa... you guys have already jazzed up the communication crystal only days after arriving in Vizima?”

The voice from the crystal wasn’t the clear, girlish sound of Terry but rather a slightly husky, mature female voice.

It was Lady Margarita.

For some reason, Lann felt like he’d just said something wrong.

But soon, a sudden inspiration struck the Demon Hunter.

”Rita, why are you suddenly contacting me? Terry just teleported us from a dangerous place. Do you think with her mana, using portals three times in quick succession could be problematic?”

Employing an Outmaneuver!

Something must have triggered Mentos, as it began shouting in his mind.

”Brilliant, sir! First, interrupt the opponent’s approach with a rhetorical question, then express your perilous and embarrassing situation, not only arousing sympathy but contrasting it with Terry’s efforts, inciting the opponent’s shame! Next, Lady Margarita certainly won’t entangle herself in matters with you and Terry!”

What do you mean I have matters with Terry? Explain yourself!

Mr. Lan, unafraid of false shadows, responded fiercely to his brain’s speculation.

But to give the devil his due, Lady Margarita’s subsequent response did match the prediction.

Her tone over the communication became earnest and serious.

”It seems your situation isn’t promising... Terry’s mana isn’t that inadequate; three portals aren’t an issue.”

”The main reason I’m communicating with you now is your portal got tampered with.”

As Margarita spoke, Lann’s eyes, which had been much more relaxed since leaving the inn, sharpened instantly.

”Tampered with? What do you mean?”

”Terry’s mana isn’t strong enough, she’s still immature, maybe incapable of sensing it. On my end, when the communication crystal passes through the portal, I can subtly detect the irregularity in its structure. The spatial distortion involves not only Terry’s magic but also some additional force. Lann...”

Saying this, Margarita’s tone was tinged with concern.

”No matter your current location, stay alert!”

”...Understood, we’ll talk later.”

Behind Lann, his hand resting silently on his waist, Selena curiously watched this man from the city.

Now, she saw this urbanite focusing his gaze back on her.

”Selena, have there been any traders selling mirrors or glass recently?”

”Mirrors, glass? No, do you need a mirror? I have some unused ones at home.”

”No, thanks. Then in this village, are there any peculiar places nearby? You know, having just come from Vizima, I want to learn about interesting things out here.”

Selena tilted her head, noncommittally nodding.

”To say interesting... we’ve always been friendly with the Half-Fishmen here! Sometimes we even visit their shrine for fun!”

”Is what’s worshiped in the shrine the Half-Fishman deity?”

”No.” Selena wagged her finger, smiling as she explained.

”That’s a lady.”

”The Lady of the Lake.”