Bear School Astartes

Finally, Cassandra returned to the Adrestia.

Barnabas, like he was avoiding the pursuit of Hades, quickly urged the crew to set sail, escaping the troubles of Megaliss.

The azure waves of the Aegean Sea surged into white foam beneath the ship’s sides.

The Spartan camp on the shore, which had been slightly joyous from the victory in war, now spread a chaotic clamor.

Barnabas looked at the coastline gradually left behind by the Adrestia, a lingering sense of terror making him gasp for breath.

And he looked at Cassandra beside him.

Father Slayer.

Did Cassandra really kill her father?

Is this tragic character, like one from an Athenian playwright’s drama, right beside him?

”Did you... did you really kill Nikolaos? Your father?”

Even when Cassandra saved him, Barnabas had already resolved to pledge lifelong loyalty to this friend.

But in the face of the grave sin of ’paternal murder,’ a crime shunned by the gods, he couldn’t help but ask.

Phoebe was also at a loss, looking at Cassandra.

Since coming down from the cliff and boarding the Adrestia, she hadn’t spoken a word until now.

”He was not my father.”

”Nikolaos was not my father.”

Cassandra said resolutely.

And at that moment, Barnabas and Phoebe both swallowed hard.

They thought this statement was Cassandra’s self-convincing for patricide.

But after seeing their expressions, Cassandra waved her hand and said.

”I didn’t kill him, and this isn’t my comfort phrase.”

”He was my stepfather. He trained me, raised me, although he once hurt me, but after seeing him aged as he is now, I couldn’t do it... I beat him up, took his Spartan Battle Blade and his helmet. These things are as important as life to a Spartan warrior, enough to make up for it.”

Barnabas and Phoebe let out long breaths one after another.

”Ah, well, that’s great. We haven’t made an enemy of Sparta, and you haven’t committed patricide.”

In any culture, murdering kin is considered one of the vilest crimes.

As friends and family, Barnabas and Phoebe sincerely hoped Cassandra hadn’t acted in anger.

With Cassandra’s explanation, the stifling atmosphere between them instantly vanished.

Cassandra laughed heartily, patting Barnabas on the shoulder and Phoebe on the head.

”Thank you for your concern, it’s so good to have you.”

But upon turning her head, the Hawk Trainer, having sorted out her feelings, noticed someone conspicuous seemed to be missing on deck.

”But... where’s Lann?”

Phoebe and Barnabas’ expressions froze, then under Cassandra’s questioning, they stammeringly recounted Lann’s words while gazing at the battlefield.

”I think you shouldn’t blame him, Cassandra.”

In the end, Barnabas carefully chose his words to ease the relationship between Cassandra and Lann.

”He makes sense. A righteous person would of course hope to stop unjust wars, but since no one can prevent war, and he’s not like you, having ample reasons and goals to participate. So not wanting to join this war where neither side is good isn’t blameworthy... right?”

”I think so too.” Phoebe quietly supported Barnabas from the side.

As Phoebe and Barnabas watched Cassandra cautiously, thinking she might be angry.

The Hawk Trainer’s previously expressionless face suddenly broke into a smile.

”No, I’m not angry.”

Cassandra laughed lightly.

”If Lann didn’t dare to go to the battlefield because of fear, then I would think he’s a coward. But now, he has stayed away from a battlefield he didn’t want to go to because of his own decision and will, I respect that decision.”

”You both made good points, just from what I saw and heard in Megaliss, both the Peloponnesian Alliance and the Delian League are just groups fighting for hegemony regardless of anything.”

Cassandra spread her hands and gave a helpless smile.

”If I weren’t a mercenary living from chaos, if this war hadn’t pulled me into my journey to find family... ah, I think I would also steer clear of this exhausting war with no justice or morals.”

”Woohoo!” Barnabas’ hand clenched into a fist, swinging it hard in the air with a joyous cheer.

”So it seems my two esteemed friends have no differences? That’s certainly good news.”

”Whether it’s good news or not, let’s talk about it later.” Cassandra stood at the command seat on deck, issuing orders to the crew.

”Now, let’s go to Fergus! I have the helmet of the Spartan Blood Wolf, and Erpinuo’s enemy, it’s time for this wealthy ’employer’ to give us some reward!”

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

On the night they sailed out of Megaliss, a thunderstorm broke out over the Aegean Sea.

The sky held neither starlight nor moonlight, dense clouds hung low.

Only occasionally, lightning lashes from higher clouds briefly illuminated the world.

Aboard the Adrestia, the crew began praying, having drifted at sea for a long time. Under Barnabas’ guidance, they’ve come to term the sight as ’Zeus and Hera’s quarrel.’

Under the deck in the cabin, Cassandra squeezed into Lann’s room.

Ships’ cabins in this era weren’t large, with each ship straining to expand cargo space over living quarters.

Thus, even though Lann was nominally one of the ship’s captains, his room isn’t very big.

As Cassandra entered, she saw Lann patching up his seemingly extraordinary armor.

Adding metal reinforcing at some junctions, making the armor larger.

This matched his increasingly growing physique.

Cassandra was a confident person, even her Spartan childhood education left her somewhat arrogant.

But she still couldn’t understand Lann’s body.

He grew at a pace unlike an adult, more like an infant just out of the womb—

Changing every day.

And the Demon Hunter didn’t even turn his head when he heard movement behind him.

”I brought a jug of wine, do you want a cup?”

Lann pointed to the ceramic amphora set aside, finishing up the final details with his hands.

Then when he turned around, he saw Cassandra standing at the door, also holding a ceramic amphora, shrugging at him.

”Looks like we had the same idea.”