Bear School Astartes

Early the next morning, Lann woke up from the haystack covered with linen sheets. This was the inn’s bed.

And judging by Phoebe’s situation, this kind of bed was indeed the standard treatment at the inn.

”Ugh, good morning, Lann.”

Phoebe groggily rubbed her eyes, accidentally overturning last night’s dinner plate in the process.

Fortunately, she had eaten all the food cleanly the night before.

”Good morning,” Lann responded to Phoebe, ”By the way, we’re starting work today.”

”Work?”

The little girl, still not fully awake from her sleepiness, froze for a moment, then showed a face of sudden realization.

But she quickly became puzzled again.

”But Cassandra hasn’t come to find us yet? We don’t even know what the Spartans want her to do.”

”Tsk tsk tsk, you’re really hopeless like this, Phoebe.”

The Demon Hunter smacked his lips while showing a profound expression.

After spending a long time with Phoebe, the youthful side of him revealed itself in front of familiar faces.

”At this stage, we’re mercenaries providing services for the Spartans. Let me tell you some thoughts beyond the era, Phoebe...”

The little girl was drawn into the mood by him, looking at Lann eagerly, waiting for an answer.

”The success of the service industry depends on the understanding and knowledge of the clients!”

Like Pythagoras announcing the discovery of the Pythagorean theorem, Lann proclaimed to Phoebe the ’discovered’ rule of the service industry.

”Urgently care for what the client cares about and think about what the client thinks, in the service industry, these are always effective!”

”Oh!!!”

Phoebe showed a look of incomprehension but was amazed in cooperation.

”The food shortage in Mogala seems unnatural. This small city-state couldn’t sustain many people, and the army rations both from Athens and Spartans are mostly transported from other places; the local plunder is merely supplementary. But now, the food prices within Mogala City have soared to such an extent...”

After starting to analyze the issue from mutual jokes among acquaintances, Lann’s expression gradually became serious.

”Since the commercial activities in Mogala almost stopped due to the war, we can exclude any manipulation because of commercial activities. Local hoarding is also impossible, as both the Spartans and the Athenian Governor hold military power and won’t hesitate to take action.”

”Under these circumstances, food would only flow into the military, whether the Athenian Army or Spartan Army; anyway, it’s the army. And allowing Mogala’s food, originally just supplementary, to be squeezed this hard, there aren’t many possibilities left...”

By now, Phoebe’s eyes had lost focus.

After all, she was just an Athenian orphan grown up in Cephalonia. With her earth-shattering education level, Lann’s words were a bit beyond her understanding.

However, Lann, who had begun his analytical rhythm, rubbed his chin, further spreading his thoughts.

”The ones plundering food in Mogala are mainly the Spartans... Athenians are disrupting Spartan food transportation, or they are simply destroying the local food reserve!”

”Look, Phoebe. We’ve already inferred the client’s needs.”

Lann sat cross-legged on the ground, spreading his hands to indicate ’how simple’.

Phoebe listened with a blank face: ”Alright, I know you’re impressive, but can you say something I can understand? Like, where should we go? What should we do?”

”Play to your strengths, Phoebe. You’re someone who grew out of the tough rural areas under the brutal rule of the One-eyed People in Cephalonia, mate.”

Lann lightly rose from the ground, tightening the various buckles of his armor.

”Help me turn around in this city, see what seems off. Just gathering intelligence is enough.”

”If, I mean if, someone wants to cause you trouble because of this, then use this.”

The Demon Hunter took a palm-sized sphere out from the Alchemy Pouch at his back and handed it to Phoebe.

”Dancing Star, ignite the fuse on top and throw it towards the enemy. After you throw it, don’t look in that direction anymore, cover your ears, open your mouth, and run away. Got it?”

Lann explained to Phoebe about how to avoid the shock damage from the alchemy bomb he tossed.

”Wow!” The little girl exclaimed in surprise after cupping the alchemy bomb in her hands, ”Was this made using your Divine Power? Is it?!”

”Phoebe~” Lann drawled, looking down at the girl with his arms akimbo.

Phoebe obediently shrugged her shoulders, showing a face of admission.

”Alright, you’re neither a god, nor is Cassandra, whatever you say is what it is.”

”Now repeat back to me the usage instructions I just told you.”

”Ignite, don’t look directly, cover ears, open mouth... Is this a ritual of offering to you or your father?”

This time, the Demon Hunter gave her a quick flick to make the little girl stop her wild imagination.

”Alright, wash your face and start working. I’m going to check outside the city, these Drachmas are for you to use.”

When Phoebe took the ten Drachmas from Lann’s hand, even her hand trembled.

”You really trust me, Lann?”

The little girl fell silent for a moment, then looked up, tightly focused on Lann’s cat-like eyes.

”I’ll definitely handle this matter well!”

”Of course.” Lann nodded at Phoebe, showing a dazzling smile.

”You’re someone who even when two ruffians had swords at your throat, still managed to bite them, Phoebe. Have some confidence; those people in this city who only bow their heads and pray to gods are like little lambs compared to your experiences.”

”Also: Safety first. Got it?”

Phoebe nodded heavily.

Then, Lann turned and opened the wooden window, leaping out like an agile leopard.

Phoebe quickly leaned against the window to look out, but by the time she walked the mere few steps to the window, she could only see Lann’s back running far away on the continuous red tiles of the rooftops.

”Wow...”

”Running so fast on the rooftops while wearing such heavy armor, just like Cassandra!”

”I have to get him to teach me. Lann should be easier to talk to than Cassandra... Right?”

The little girl murmured and pondered, then jogged downstairs, out of the alley where the inn was located, and entered the crowd of Mogala, nimble like a swimming fish.

She would leverage the survival and communication skills honed in Cephalonia under the negotiation with One-eyed People’s subordinates to make efforts for her task.

Meanwhile, on Lann’s side.

The Demon Hunter moved across the rooftops in batches, avoiding the gazes from the streets.

With a running start and a leverage boost, he reached the edge of a three-story high city-state wall with a leap.

Then, with his fingers taut and his arms exerted, the nearly three-hundred-kilogram body flipped straight over.

In this wall section long scouted with Demon Hunter’s senses, Lann didn’t stop, immediately flipping over and jumping down.

Thanks to the breathing of Light Body Skill, he landed safely despite the massive weight, with the enhanced skeleton causing not even numbness, only muscle soreness.

Phoebe was tasked with seeking anomalies inside Mogala’s walls, while he prepared to directly find the Spartan’s supply line, then checking the situation from this firsthand scene.