Bear School Astartes

”We can buy one too! Look, there’s already someone wearing it here!”

The theater had ended, but the waves of publicity were just beginning to spread.

A couple passing by Lann was discussing enthusiastically.

As they passed him, the man cheerfully patted Lann on the shoulder.

The Demon Hunter nodded at them.

”See! I told you this cloak looks real! When I put one on, who’d dare cause me trouble on the street?”

The man gestured a large outline to the woman beside him as he continued to walk away.

”Two and a half meters! So robust! Just wait, when I pass under Hawthorn’s Ghost-faced Gang, they’ll think twice!”

”But that’s just an illusion.” The woman spoke with a mix of anticipation and worry. ”Don’t let that illusion cloud your head. It’s best if it scares them off, but if not, just accept it. This cloak won’t make you a killer!”

”Do you really think I’m that foolish? I’ve never even killed a pig, where would I get the courage to act recklessly?”

The man and woman walked further away, their voices drowned in the crowd leaving the event.

People were all talking about the wonderful play, and more so about the remarkable yet affordable Alchemy Cloak.

”It seems...” Shapeler rose from the bench, extending a hand to Lann, with an unexpected sense of admiration on his face, ”your plan succeeded smoothly.”

”Soon, whenever people see a tall figure in a cloak on the street, the cloak is all they’ll think of.”

”Something like that.”

Lann smiled, not standing up, but extended his hand to shake with the Shapeshifter.

Shapeler then departed, although he still wanted to accomplish something within the Temple Guard, he also had to start planning for his own future.

The crowd leaned towards the outside of the slaughterhouse, while on stage and backstage, the theater troupe members started to cheer and celebrate.

They were veteran actors who traveled extensively. They could usually gauge how a play was received by the feedback after the performance.

This play was undoubtedly a big surprise!

”We’re going to be famous! Our reputation will spread throughout the North!”

”Woohoo!”

The actors on stage cheered, while Dandelion broke away from Lady Irena’s deliberate or inadvertent entanglement, bringing Priscilla, who ran out from backstage, towards the Demon Hunter.

”How’s the feeling?”

As he walked, he spread his arms proudly and smugly, as if showing off all of this.

”Of course, it’s great.”

Geralt, in a deep husky voice, humored his friend.

”Truly spectacular!”

A stranger’s voice came from behind them, but when they turned around, there was only a Half-Elf, along with a familiar voice that had returned.

Dudu was excited, even a bit choked up, with reddened eyes.

”For the sake of the plague, damn Dandelion, we’ve been friends for so long, why didn’t you take me to see a play earlier?”

”This is what art is, amazing! I’ll come watch every day from now on.”

”I didn’t know you liked watching plays before.”

Dandelion shrugged.

”But no worries, I’m delighted to cultivate a friend’s artistic taste, and there’s plenty of theater to watch in Novigrad.”

”The effect this time was great.” Lann also stood up from the bench.

Though people still looked at his towering figure, they were more amazed by the cloak this time.

”How are the subsequent performances arranged?”

”Priscilla and I already sold the script to the troupe, and they’ll continue performing the play as long as they’re still in Novigrad.”

Dandelion was quite confident about the script, and so was Priscilla beside him.

”A new classic comedy that will be famous for generations! Rest assured, Lann, most traveling troupes now cling to plays that have been done hundreds of times, and both the audience and troupe members are long bored.”

”The new script’s response is good, they’ll definitely perform it for a long time.”

”Instead of worrying about this, you’d better think about whether that shop’s production capacity can handle it. The orders it will receive will come from all over the world in the future!”

”We sold the script to the troupe, but you know, once a good story is released, followers will flock, which is the basis of its spread. I estimate soon, keen-eyed troupes will also make moves.”

”By then, the sales of Alchemy Cloaks will increase even more.”

”I’ll discuss this with Dudu, he’ll basically manage this matter in the future.”

Lann spoke nonchalantly.

Although this business looked profitable and promising, he didn’t care about how much money could be made; the main purpose was to hide himself through these cloaks.

At the end of the night, he shook hands with Dandelion: ”Well done.”

”Didn’t feel like it at all, just remember to settle the bill,”

Dandelion was as carefree and cheerful as ever.

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

Right after ”Smashing the Sun” was performed, Lann prepared to leave Novigrad the very next day.

With Dudu there, he no longer needed to worry about the remaining issues.

This shapeshifter, who possessed quite the business acumen, not only began managing Lann’s assets within just a few days but also managed them quite well.

He was a seasoned veteran in Novigrad, unlike Shilton Giancardi, who either holed up in Gos Velen or traveled from country to country.

Novigrad was truly the financial hub of the Northern Continent, and here, Dudu thrived.

Including the newly started Alchemy Cloak workshop and the Dark Alley Gang, which Francis Bealan was still in the process of restructuring, Dudu had also completed the handover from Lann for these new ”businesses.”

”You must keep a close eye on the Dark Alley Gang’s funding sources.”

Standing on the stone bridge connected to the city gate, outside the Divine Hall of Novigrad, Lann sternly emphasized to Dudu.

”Don’t treat them like an ordinary gang. Their level of organization is already beyond that. I estimate that within a year, the Dark Alley Gang will become one of the notorious gangs in Novigrad. That’s why I value them, and you should always pay attention to them for the same reason.”

”I understand.” Dudu nodded seriously.

”They’re not the same as the old Mud Gang... Since you told me about their restructured operations and ways, I’ve felt the danger. I’ll keep an eye on them.”

Lann nodded.

”They are dangerous, but that’s what makes them valuable. To use their intelligence effectively, we must be prepared with risk countermeasures in advance.”

Novigrad remained as bustling as ever, with a continuous stream of people at each gate and a massive flow of goods and personnel at the port.

Lann stood boldly on the street, where most passersby still marveled at his stature, but occasionally a few looked at him with envy.

They assumed he had bought the goods after seeing the play. So they envied Lann for having the cloak, but they didn’t really think the person under the cloak was that tall.

After the play ended last night, someone could recognize the cloak at the city gate this morning. Lann was satisfied with the spread of its influence.

The horse’s hooves cluttered on the stone bridge behind him; that was Geralt’s Roach.

He was originally heading north to Codwin, and his stay in Novigrad was only to help Lann.

Now that Lann’s business was done, he also needed to leave.

”Dandelion, are you still staying in Novigrad?”

Geralt sat in the saddle, curiously inquired of the poet who also came to bid farewell.

Normally, the poet, who loved to travel, would leave with him for several months at a time. Geralt was busy with tasks, while the poet gathered inspirations, joked, and found muses from the process.

Their friendship was built in this way.

Although Geralt was speaking to Dandelion, his eyes glanced mischievously at him and Priscilla.

”Ahem.” The poet gently coughed first.

”You’re going back to Ker Morhan to care for that sensitive little girl. I can’t go with you, Geralt. Both you and I know: I’m not someone with the willpower to face blades fearlessly, so I better not know crucial secrets. This way, even if someone puts a knife to my neck, there’s nothing vital I can reveal.”

”That’s for the best, isn’t it? Plus, there are several performances left to oversee in Novigrad. The script still needs some tweaking.”

Geralt tucked away his playful manner and grew gradually more somber. After a moment’s silence, his deep, husky voice softly uttered.

”...Perhaps you’re right.”

”Meow?”

Rong Buqiu, standing by Lann’s feet, looked up at Geralt with a puzzled expression. The kitten couldn’t quite grasp the complexities of human affairs.

Triss crouched down and petted the confused kitten.

”You don’t have to understand so much.”

On the stone bridge in front of the Divine Hall, the two poets and a Half-Elf waved farewell to those departing.

As they walked further from the bridge, Lann passed by the village house rented by Karkstan and Shanni.

This Alchemy Master was supposed to have settled his debts when Dudu appeared and returned to his laboratory in Vizima to start his research again.

However, later on, under Lann’s persuasion, he stayed to complete the alchemy recipe for the cloak.

Now that the formula was complete and the product was fine, he was also ready to leave. Shanni, similarly, had concluded her educational travels to start her studies at Osenford University.

”Alright, as folks are leaving one after another, it’s time for us to say goodbye, White Wolf.”

Lann said casually, and Geralt chuckled.

”You’re not one for sentimentality, Lann. Don’t make me laugh.”

Lann shrugged: ”Indeed, I’m not. After all, there’s a long future ahead. I just wanted to remind you to remember to give my gift to Ciri... She should be able to handle a blade now, right?”

”Come on, are you worried I’d take Ciri’s treasure?”

Geralt patted the sheathed dagger tucked in the leather pouch at his waist and eventually nodded towards Triss and Lann.

Then, without any hesitation, he turned his horse around and galloped towards the vast wilderness beyond the city.

Lann also lightly rubbed the Magic Ring on his hand, transmitting a message to the companion Magic Leg Ring on the Qilin.

Triss began channeling Chaos Magic Power.

The Roaring Bear Head Pendant on Lann’s neck bounced wildly.

Triss, while maintaining her casting, teased.

”Lucky that you’re different from Geralt, dear. Yennefer has complained to me several times. Every time he could use the portal, Geralt would rather ride his horse.”