Bear School Astartes

Chapter 144: 144. A sieve-like Red Castle

A foul stench wafted from the walls of King’s Landing.

It’s the odor of half a million people piled up without a sewage system.

Calling it a biochemical weapon is unnecessary; Lann could sharply sense these smells, but whether it’s a Demon Hunter or an Interstellar Warrior, they are human-enhanced units specialized for combat.

Demon Hunters often face creatures living in trash or excrement, and Interstellar Warriors can even breathe most gases in the universe directly with their bodies.

The smell could affect their mood, but to say it affects their physiological reactions... that’s truly impossible.

”King’s Landing has been like this since shortly after it was built, but don’t worry. We’ll be staying in the Red Castle, which is on a hill, so the stink can’t reach such heights. In King’s Landing, if you want to live well, you must buy property at higher elevations.”

Lann was now riding alongside Edd, with the Duke of the North explaining the capital to the young man.

This seemingly stern man was actually quite approachable.

”Thank you for your kindness.”

Taking a brief moment away from his book, Lann nodded slightly at Edd Stark.

The Duke of the North slightly parted his lips, staring at the luxurious silver hair cascading like a waterfall from the young man’s exquisite profile.

The ritualistic aura inherently possessed by the Son of the Emperor made even Lann’s simple nod appear graceful.

Is this guy really not a Targaryen?

Edd even began to question his own judgment.

But soon, Lann resumed his reading, and Edd snapped back to focus.

The Duke of the North shook his head.

The Targaryen Clan is finished, with any descendants mere children across the Narrow Sea. They aren’t even capable of receiving the education a Royal Family should have.

How could they cultivate such a character?

The convoy entered King’s Landing, heading towards the palace cluster at the city’s highest point.

That was the Red Castle, so named for its white stone walls with large red rooftops.

Most people in the convoy began to adopt a relaxed, joyous atmosphere upon their return to King’s Landing.

Alia and her sister were happy about being in a new place.

Meanwhile, the guards from the North were nervous due to the city’s immense population.

The guards’ greatest fear was a crowded populace.

Lann agilely shifted his position from the convoy’s edge to the middle.

He had just seen someone pour a chamber pot out of a second-floor window onto the street.

A vile mix of yellow and green liquids and solids smacked the ground, splattering on passing horse legs and a knight’s cloak.

”Knock knock, Alia.”

Lann rapped on the carriage window where the little girl and her sister were.

The wooden window clattered open, revealing two flushed little faces.

Alia was excited, and the lovely girl with the red hair coiled up beside her, Sansa Stark, was intrigued by Lann’s face.

”Keep an eye on Nymelia and Lady; you surely wouldn’t want them romping around the street and then jumping on you.”

”If they jump on you, I won’t let you come within two meters of me all day.”

Lann seriously instructed Alia.

The little girl rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

”I know!”

~~~~~~

In front of the Prime Minister’s Tower in the Red Castle, the Duke of the North began preparing to unload and move in.

Lann didn’t bring a huge amount of Oren Coins with him; here, he only carried a dozen or so on him.

Though they are Gold Coins, their shape and gold content are different from local Golden Dragon Coins, making them hard to spend and at a loss.

Edd had already promised Alia to gather exotic plant and animal materials for Lann.

Upon hearing he had nothing to do, Edd simply hired Lann as part of the guard.

A capable and friendly solo mercenary is hard to find.

Lann wasn’t too worried about missing the stable period of astral convergence rifts.

Not to mention the help from the Lady of the Lake, just relying on Belengar’s experience.

A powerful flying predatory creature’s roaming area likely measured in square kilometers.

Yet it could still be returned to its world, showing the ’repatriation’ strength of the astral convergence rifts is substantial.

He just needed to check the original landing point in a few months.

”Lann! Come give us a hand!”

Guard Captain Jorri Kaiso called out to Lann, who had just dismounted nearby.

Lann was agreeable, knowing that working came with being hired as a guard.

He bent over and grabbed a securing rope, lifting two heavy wooden boxes, one in each hand, and walked towards the Prime Minister’s Tower.

Jorri Kaiso, meanwhile, carried a large sack over his shoulder, walking alongside Lann.

”Is it my imagination, or do you enjoy asking me for little favors, like handing you a cup or something?”

Carrying two heavy boxes up the stairs, Lann asked the guard captain behind him with steady breath.

Jorri Kaiso laughed heartily, almost losing his breath while carrying the load upstairs.

”Haha- huff, cough, of course not.”

”Then why?”

”You resemble a nobleman more than many nobles I’ve met, Lann. So, honestly, it’s quite satisfying when you lend a hand.”

Lann clicked his tongue and chuckled lightly.

”Alright then.”

This man wasn’t annoying; he consistently had a satisfied expression after a small favor from Lann, and his forthright and magnanimous nature was intriguing.

Moving into the Prime Minister’s Tower wasn’t complicated.

Edd hadn’t brought much furniture, and the tower was already well-equipped.

So after Lann placed the boxes upstairs, he already saw Alia with Nymelia starting to play in the tower.

”By the way, where did the Prime Minister go?”

Lann tilted his head, asking Jorri.

”The kingdom’s affairs are numerous, and the previous Prime Minister’s death was sudden; the lord went to the Imperial Council as soon as he arrived. I heard His Majesty the King is planning an extraordinarily grand tournament to celebrate the lord’s assumption of office as Prime Minister.”

At this point, Jorri lowered his voice and leaned closer to Lann, exuding an air of being well-informed.

”I heard the prize for the winner is tens of thousands of Golden Dragon Coins! Enough to arm a small Knight Order!”

Lann furrowed his brow slightly. The first thing that seemed odd wasn’t the prize amount but the spread of this information.

”We just entered King’s Landing, and it’s been less than three hours since we even entered the Red Castle... where did you get the news?”

Jorri was suddenly stumped by his inquiry. Upon reflection, he couldn’t even recall exactly where he’d heard it.

He just remembered many people discussing the matter along the way.

Lann could tell what was happening just by looking at his expression.

The Imperial Council was still in session, but a decision with beginning and end had already spread... was the Red Castle as leaky as a sieve?

It couldn’t be a direct announcement from the King bypassing the Imperial Council. If it were, Robert’s character would have him openly proclaim it throughout the city.

”Tsk tsk tsk...”

Lann shook his head slightly.

”I’m beginning to doubt whether someone as honest as Edd can handle the people of this city.”