Bear School Astartes

Because Sir Fist’s curse is entangled with too much romance, whenever the villagers talk about him, they often speak in quite indecent tones.

The vulgar jokes of rural farmers and their wives are far more explicit and spicy than those in the city.

At least, the young ones who have just started dating can find it a bit overwhelming.

”No, ma’am... You don’t need to tell me about the nobleman running out of the bushes clutching his clothes to cover himself, I know he’s very strong.”

”Haha!” The farmwives seemed to greatly enjoy seeing Lann, this handsome man, show an embarrassed expression as they laughed heartily.

”But that’s what you asked about! I also remember the words they shouted in the bushes that made the village dogs tremble and the nobleman’s roars got the old ox excited — want to hear it?”

Lann glanced wordlessly at the cormorant perched as if disinterested on the roof, twitching the corners of his mouth.

”...Alright, do tell.”

He couldn’t not listen; the words spoken at the height of passion are crucial for a Demon Hunter to gauge the couple’s emotional status.

Lann separated the farmwives crowding around him, gathering intel.

This was his experience after hearing a rumor born straight from a tavern.

In such a loose environment, originally clear memories could easily be distorted by others’ embellishments.

After completing the inquiries, Lann felt like he was taking down serious case notes, yet what was recorded seemed more like an uncensored yellow book.

In the end, he extracted and compiled entries that appeared with roughly 80% frequency in this ’book,’ which were generally credible.

After the questioning was completed, the two Demon Hunters reconvened, comparing information.

Geralt had gradually come to accept Lann’s help; after all, who wouldn’t appreciate an increase in efficiency?

”It seems like their relationship, at least in its heated stage, doesn’t involve much of a tangled mess of interests.”

The Old Demon Hunter, face unchanged, glanced at Lann’s yellow book, occasionally nodding in deep satisfaction.

Lann raised an eyebrow: ”You can determine that from just these few words?”

”Heh.” Geralt chuckled casually, ”If you had spent decades with women who came to your room solely for money, you’d know what their reactions would be at that moment.”

”Of course, to you, such experience might still seem ’a little’ distant, so don’t mind it.”

Saying such anger-inducing words with an expressionless face seemed to be a habit of Geralt’s.

This guy always could hit people right in the gut, with his experience and insight.

So now, Lann replied with a deadpan face: ”Your mouth... you’re ending up old and alone. I really can’t imagine any woman putting up with it.”

Geralt paused his casual flipping through the notes, inadvertently gripping the pages tighter, his expression freezing. He seemed to have thought of someone.

The smile shifted to Lann’s face now.

Kicking someone in the gut, let’s do it together!

After a good while, Geralt exhaled deeply.

”You know, your mouth reminds me of a friend of mine, Dandelion, have you heard of him?”

”Pardon my ignorance.”

Lann smiled very politely.

”He’s a famous minstrel known across nations... You both make me feel like I’m choking on dry bread during travels.”

”Well, I hope someday you’ll introduce us. Poetry and art do sound appealing.”

”Maybe.”

Geralt rolled his eyes at Lann’s smile.

”Alright, back to serious matters.”

As Geralt said this, the cormorant on the roof flapped down, gathering closer.

”This is more or less the pattern for preliminary investigations, I trust you get the gist.”

Lann nodded as Geralt continued.

”Now we’ll head separately to the locations where Fist Knight and the woman met in secret, and start digging around. We primarily want to recreate their emotional status back then and find items related to Fist Knight that the woman left behind. Those items need to be heavily imbued with emotions, essential for the curse lifting ritual, the more, the better.”

Geralt’s division of labor made sense; with a numbers advantage, not using it would be a waste.

However, as Lann nodded affirmatively, he raised an eyebrow at the Old Demon Hunter who was ready to turn around.

”You’re not keeping an eye on me? Watching over a suspected ’cold-blooded killer’ from the Bear School?”

Geralt agreed to let him observe the curse-lifting exercise firsthand, at least half wanting to ensure he wouldn’t slaughter civilians.

Lann could sense the guy’s cool exterior yet warm heart; if he truly were a killer... this man would wrestle for life with him even if without gain.

Geralt didn’t turn his head, merely waved his leather-gloved hand.

”I can’t see why you killed so many that night, but you’re a person who can adhere to societal norms, I’m certain of at least that.”

”In curse-lifting work, intel and information trump brute force, even intellect. That’s the practical lesson I can offer, with info, you can just follow the guidebooks from there.”

Riding the horse standing at the village’s edge, watching the cormorant and the white-haired Demon Hunter go further away.

Lann bent over, patting Bopai’s neck.

”Let’s get moving too, buddy. There’s a bit of excitement over the first curse lifting.”

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

Lann’s hands held a map pointed out by Sir Fist’s bird beak of four villages, places he and his lover had fond memories.

These villages were getting closer to the Brokilon Great Forest, while Geralt went the opposite direction.

Lann felt the need to emphasize... Baron Ham had been quite the player.

Lann even muttered a bit; couldn’t they have done everything on that big bed in their estate? Must add spice!

The first three villages were uneventful as Lann followed Geralt’s style, first finding the places where the couple had relations.

Then he hunted around nearby for lost items and traces, and finally ran to the village to ask witnesses, piecing testimony together to analyze their emotional bond.

There wasn’t much to be found, just a few scattered feminine accessories with indeterminably strong emotions attached.

Overall, screening the first three targets wasn’t ideal, but getting nothing is often standard in a cumbersome job.

Investigating the three villages almost consumed the entire day.

Lann thought to rush to the fourth village to avoid sleeping rough.

But when he reached the outskirts of that village, he knew he got to the right place.