Bear School Astartes

Chapter 465: 465. Return to Velen

”What a pity.”

Ged and Lann retrieved their fostered horses at the foot of the Amel Mountains. He was muttering while sitting on his horse.

”We should go have some fun in Toussaint. It’s spring now, and there’s plenty of fun to be had there!”

”I have to hurry somewhere, but you can go with Regis for some fun.”

Lann tilted his head mischievously towards Ged from atop Bopai.

”As long as you’re not coveting my high-end armor, keep saving up and make your own. You have blueprints for the whole gear route from initial to Grandmaster, don’t you?”

”Anyway, don’t think I’ll strip off this old armor for you now. I wouldn’t dare wander outside without armor. In today’s world, without a sense of security, it’s no different than being naked.”

Sure enough, as soon as the armor was mentioned, Ged’s desire to go to Toussaint vanished instantly.

So his mouth was continually saying ’Toussaint is just like that’, ’The wine is like juice’...

Following Lann’s footsteps, they resumed heading north of the continent.

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The further north they traveled, the more elusive the bright sunshine became.

Lann felt that the climate of the Northern Countries was much like his homeland’s Northern Europe.

Cold, damp, cloudy, and rainy.

Although the scenery had a kind of somber magnificence, the lack of sunshine was a big problem.

In his homeland, the Northern Europe’s economy was very high, and the pace of life was comfortable, but the incidence of psychological diseases was also high. This was largely because the climate factors resulted in the residents lacking sunlight, which physiologically affected their psychology.

The dampness would drag on for months, during which clothes seemed to become much heavier out of thin air and clung clammy to the skin, causing people annoyance.

Long-term, how could psychological health not be affected?

It was unknown whether the Empire to the south had a climate like the sunny Southern Europe of his homeland.

Lann and Ged advanced along the coastline toward Gos Velen.

In these few days, continuous rain shrouded this long, narrow stretch of coastline.

A massive rain cloud spanned both Temeria and Hidaris, covering the coastal parts of these two countries.

The two demon hunters continued on horseback, with raindrops sporadically sprinkling down, dampening their desire even to stop and rest over time.

The sun’s light was blocked by dark clouds; in the distant view, the trees on the horizon wavered like ghostly shadows, emitting a ’woo woo’ wind sound.

”This damn wind.”

Ged was too worn out by occasional rain to even bother cursing.

But Lann’s expression remained unfazed.

Because this was Velen’s typical appearance.

Heavy rain, light rain, overcast skies with rain, ghostly ancient trees, occasional wild beast howls by the roadside... he had unknowingly grown accustomed to it.

”Stop complaining, Ged, we’re here.”

Mud splashed by the horses’ hooves became spots of mud on their cloaks, and in the dim light, a city’s silhouette appeared on the horizon.

”You go ahead into town by yourself. I recommend the Silver Swan Tavern; their clam chowder is very generous with ingredients.”

Lann pulled on Bopai’s reins, causing the obedient warhorse to halt and start pawing at the ground.

Ged confusedly wiped away water droplets from his eyelids, looking at the young man.

”You’re not coming with me? And I bet the tavern you recommend isn’t cheap.”

”It’s a bit expensive, but worth the money. They even have hot springs downstairs.”

Lann first responded to the topic of the inn, then continued.

”I have my own way into town, you know? With a bit of fame comes a need for discretion.”

”Alright then, Mr. Big-shot.” Ged shrugged, ”I’ll head in first, but don’t expect me to stay at the tavern you mentioned. At most, I’ll eat and drink there during the day, otherwise I’ll feel heartbroken.”

The two reached an agreement, and Ged kicked his heels into his horse’s side, speeding away on the muddy road.

Lann, on the other hand, returned to the fisherman’s house where he had stopped his boat when he came out of Airetusa.

He tied Bopai in the stable and then casually pushed the magic-bound boat into the sea.

The magic held the boat on course, and the demon hunter only needed to row energetically to complete the journey.

In the ocean beyond, Airetusa stood silhouetted in the rain.

The dim light made it lose its usual splendor, appearing instead like a gloomy castle out of a fairy tale.

The magic boat perfectly performed its duty, delivering Lann to the rocky base of the academy’s castle.

The little base personally set up by Margaret was now lit by a flickering candlelight.

Lann stepped off the boat, damp, and ascended the stairs.

As Margaret described, although it was not an enclosed ocean-view room, it was entirely moisture-free thanks to magic.

Lann sat down at the small secret base’s table, and on the chair opposite him was the doll he brought back from Yan’an.

She was positioned the same way since Lann had placed her, leaning to one side against the chair back.

Lann considered whether he should get a few glass display cases here, for storing exotic items from other worlds.

”Alright, Miss Doll.”

Lann stood up, crossed the table, and repositioned the doll’s body.

The doll was made so realistically that it often made people unintentionally regard her as real.

”Excuse me for a while longer, I need to figure out how to properly place an item like you.”

The doll’s inorganic eyes quietly watched Lann, which over time could make a person uneasy.

Lann rubbed his eyes and even activated his[”spiritual vision”], but among all his observations, the doll remained simply a finely crafted inanimate object.

”Am I being affected by the weather too? Awwooo.”

As Lann took off his dampened, increasingly heavy composite armor, he also took out a piece of special ration and popped it into his mouth.

When leaving Airetusa, his Alchemy Pouch was filled with at least five hundred pieces of special rations.

But throughout the journey, he munched on them as snacks and was close to finishing them.

The unique [”second heart”] that set him apart from ordinary interstellar warriors granted him immense vitality and metabolic speed.

Now his teeth had kept pace with his enhancements, turning what was once hard enough to crack teeth into something akin to crunchy cartilage.

”Is the weather affecting your mood?”

Once Lann had shed his armor, a pair of well-proportioned, delicate hands embraced the young man’s neck from behind.

A suggestive warmth blew across Lann’s nape from behind.

”Do you need me to help adjust you?”

Only two people knew about this little secret base, and presently, only one person was at the academy.

”Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?” The young man coyly said, while he discreetly turned the chair on which the doll was sitting.

A light chuckle came from behind Lann.

Then the chair that Lann had subtly turned, without any physical push, turned back again.

”Are you feeling shy?”

”Hehe.”

”Then I just have to do it in front of her...”

The young man’s mouth twitched.