Bear School Astartes

Margaret completed a series of fluid magic spells, instantly refreshing her entire being. Female Warlocks use magic to manage everything from cleaning to changing clothes. Half the time they soak in a bathtub, it’s for enjoyment, the other half for pleasure.

”Pardon my frankness,” Tishaya calmly observed from the side, ”It seems that being the head of Airetusa adds little in the competition for a prime male.”

”...I just said that to boost my aura. Anyway, don’t worry, I’ll definitely make Merigold understand what she’s up against!”

Tishaya watched Margaret, who seemed about to ignite, and shook her head. She had visited Triss, who had just undergone surgery, these past few days...and the fire in the other’s eyes was even stronger than Margaret’s.

Alright, a fierce battle.

Tishaya thought internally.

Female Warlock quarrels are something she’s seen plenty of in her life experience. As long as it doesn’t end up with mutual spell casting, it’s not a big issue.

”What about that rumored Elite Knight Order? Under what guise did you bring them into Temeria’s lands?”

”Veltrest was very agreeable this time, just like those investors eager to burst your projects. Can you imagine? I didn’t even need to think much; Temeria’s court handled all the procedures for us.”

Margaret tidied her lush and beautiful golden long hair as she walked and talked.

”They are all survivors from Sintra City, so Veltrest’s court gave them the name ’Sintra Expeditionary Order.’ However, the treatment from the kingdom... Veltrest granted them a castle as their base, approving it faster than the currently renowned White Rose Knight Order.”

”It’s just that these people don’t care about the castle base that many Knight Orders would covet for a lifetime; they only want to follow their lord, so now I’ve settled them near the outskirts of Gos Velen.”

”An Elite Knight Order with a lord, and closely tied to the academy – Veltrest didn’t say much?”

Though Lann labeled Tishaya as ’naive’ politically, she was still much more seasoned than Margaret.

Yet, Margaret only helplessly shook her head.

”You haven’t been to the battlefield, Tishaya. If you had gone and seen Lann’s performance, you wouldn’t have these concerns now... I suspect if Lann hadn’t been teleported away then, even claiming territory and crowning himself king on-site wouldn’t have been far-fetched.”

”No... at least on the battlefield, Northern soldiers would immediately kneel, cheering, and even crying for this hero from myths wanting to be their king.”

”His inspiration and influence on the battlefield are unparalleled! If not for the Embers Knight Order asserting their stance of not expanding without their lord’s approval, maybe I’d have brought back more than sixty people this time.”

”Soldiers who once shared a battlefield with Lann, a significant portion idolizes him even more than their own lords and king.”

”Veltrest wouldn’t dare to risk bad luck at this time.”

”What about later?” Tishaya calmly asked.

”Later?” Margaret raised an eyebrow, ”Let that little rascal handle things himself; I’ve already been exhausted this time!”

Before heading to Triss and Yennefer’s convalescence rooms, the two former heads first passed through the main hall of Luoxia Palace, where servants were moving Margaret’s luggage.

Even heading to the front lines, Warlocks do not let themselves be inconvenienced.

However, as Tishaya passed some miscellaneous items, she suddenly stopped, her expression stiffening as she looked at a tower shield.

Inside the shield was a sketch drawn with charcoal. Despite its simplicity, the skillful craftsmanship captured significant character traits.

Victory approaching in war, lovers’ joyous reunion, their affection and passionate kiss.

Undoubtedly, it depicted deeply affectionate lovers sharing a victory kiss on the battlefield. Sweet, intense, yet subtly conveying situational information.

Normally, Tishaya might consider it collection-worthy... if the female lead didn’t have her own face.

Tishaya felt speechless and a bit annoyed.

But looking at her and Lann’s entwined faces in the sketch on the shield, Tishaya inexplicably felt her heartbeat quicken.

”Would you care to explain what’s going on here?”

Tishaya glanced sideways at Margaret but surprisingly didn’t find her student showing the usual ’sorry for causing trouble’ expression.

Instead, Margaret’s eyes were serious and burdened.

”This was drawn by a soldier responsible for protecting me on the battlefield, his family owns a bookstore and his father sought oil painting master training for him. He originally planned to refine, color, and exhibit this sketch after the war... ”

”I thought I’d wait till he finished, then buy both the finished piece and the sketch without public exhibition, just for personal collection. But... this soldier was struck through the ribs by a witchcraft arrow only minutes before war ended, the fragments pierced his lung.”

”There’s no finished piece,” Margaret sighed deeply.

Tishaya knows she’s not lamenting the absence of the finished oil painting.

”...Then let’s put the sketch in Airetusa’s gallery.”

Tishaya said expressionlessly, causing Margaret to turn sharply, looking at her teacher.

”If you agree? Don’t look at me like that, just that face... if spread, it’s not me losing face.”

”...Thank you, Tishaya,” Margaret said with a hint of relief.

”It’s okay, let’s go. We’ll visit Triss and Yennefer.”

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

And two days ago, Lann was already at Black Seagull Island of Vizima Lake.

”So the usage of this thing is to place it before the celestial sphere cracks and wait for the scene inside the rift to stabilize?”

Lann fiddled with the Elf Beacon in his hand, while bantering.

”Pretty straightforward...”

A segment of tender green arm encircled Lann’s neck from behind.

A stream with a fresh lakeside scent passed by, as the Lady of the Lake spoke from behind Lann.

”Yet, this beacon cannot replace the unknown journey, Lann. Because Chaos Magic Power’s tides surge in waves. Connecting with unknown worlds appears like a peak, fierce and strong; the beacon can’t transform the world’s interface under such immense power. It’s merely a marking.”

”To use the beacon to return to a known otherworld, one can only do so between two journeys, amidst the calm trough of the tide. You must spend your original rest time, entering the otherworld through the rift.”

”Alright, you’re really skilled with water analogies.” Lann tossed the Elf Beacon in his hand before returning it to his Alchemy Pouch.

”However, the worlds I’ve marked should have nice scenery, consider it a holiday for adventure. Goodbye, Lady.”

”Goodbye, Lann.”

The Lady of the Lake, on her wave-throne, lightly waved to the Demon Hunter, as always elegant and beautiful, without wearing anything.

The Demon Hunter took a deep breath before stepping into the celestial sphere crack.

Moments later, the damp chill of Vizima Lake in winter faded, replaced by heat.

High-temperature dark red viscous fluid, black hard rocks, black smoke erupting towards the sky, rumbling sounds like endless explosives continuing underfoot with no sign of stopping.

”Is this... a volcanic eruption in the sea?!”