Bear School Astartes

”Anything is fine, Master.”

Taler spread his arms as if showing his determination to accept everything.

”Even if it’s about how old you were when you wet the bed as a child, or the type of woman’s lingerie you had in your first solo venture... anything, as long as it’s about you.”

”The unknown is frightening. Given the nature of your work and your experience, you should understand this.”

”I don’t expect to get any crucial information from you. I just hope to understand you a bit more and convey that understanding to the idiots above me, so they can be less fearful and resistant. It’s good for everyone.”

”It sounds like you’re still a patriot?”

Slightly accustomed to the foul-mouthed nature of the person, Lann nodded noncommittally.

”Oh, I sure as hell am a patriot. After all, in a kingdom, not everyone can be so sordid and shallow, right?”

If someone else said this, Lann would probably think they were just spouting nonsense.

But looking at Taler now...

This is a master of intelligence who usually hides behind the curtains, but now, without having met Lann in person and only knowing about him from hearsay, he came to Dark Water himself.

And made the whole village look like it’s been seen through in one glance.

What if Lann were slightly more short-tempered?

What if he came here in a particularly bad mood?

This is the ”Silver-haired Demon”, as the Niflgaard people call him, who can rampage on battlefields teeming with armies.

Yet Taler still sat here and opened up to Lann.

This kind of action, like putting a blade to one’s throat to show sincerity, makes it hard to say whether he values his own life or not.

And people who put their own lives second are rare and often capable of great things.

So, even though every word from this person carries profanity, Lann actually felt... he indeed seems to be a patriot.

”You all want to know my life story, that’s fine. I have nothing to hide, nothing taboo. But...”

Lann said, tilting his head with his chin resting on his hand.

”You also want to know my preferences for the opposite sex... honestly, Margaret will burn you.”

The early summer sun streamed through the tavern windows, with dust dancing like spirits in the beam, and Lann’s silver hair and prettily eerie side profile gleamed in the light.

Taler’s reaction to this breathtaking scene was better than most.

His eyes just often wandered uncontrollably to the side, and his words came out a bit stuttered.

”We, we will choose someone whom the Dean won’t lay a hand on, Master.”

”Trust me, as long as you give me a hint, let a little information slip. The next day, my King will arrange a bunch of courses and invite a bunch of teachers just to make his daughter become the person you described.”

”Naturally, without a trace of awkwardness, without any coordination problem. As if she was born that way.”

Lann looked at Taler with interest.

”You talk about your king like this? I remember Veltrest cares a lot about Princess Yada, right? But in your mouth... you sound like a pimp now.”

”I’m just a rough man, please forgive me. And my king...” Taler waved his hand.

”If he hasn’t learned to forgive me by now, he wouldn’t still be using me, right?”

”Being a pimp isn’t so bad. As I see it, marriages between princesses and princes are arranged by pimps.”

”They haven’t met before marriage, nor slept together. They just agree on terms and have to pledge under a deity, no different than a transaction. And I can assure you, the number of princesses wanting to make such a ’deal’ with you is not small right now.”

After speaking, Taler really promoted like a pimp.

He leaned closer to Lann’s ear and murmured, ”Let me tell you, Princess Yada is really great. Although she used to... the story of the ’Vampiric Bird’, you’ve heard of it, so I won’t elaborate.”

”Her past sounds eerie, but hasn’t the curse been lifted? She’s once again a beautiful and sexy princess. Moreover, because of that experience, she’s quite wild now. If you like that kind, it sure is exhilarating.”

Throughout, Lann looked at him with an expression that spelled disbelief until his voice gradually faded.

”Taler, if you don’t keep your shitty mouth under control, I’ll whip it for you!”

In the tavern, the idlers had unknowingly been escorted out.

Then, following Lann’s gaze, a familiar voice came from the tavern door.

Accompanied by the clinking of armor and clothing.

A man with a serious face and a cloth cap was the first to enter.

Vernon Roche, the king’s loyal guard.

And the only person who could make him lead the way was only one.

The king who had once met Lann in this small tavern appeared here again.

Veltrest, King of Temeria.

This time he was wearing a fitted, light outfit instead of a mixed mail and leather hunting suit.

It seems that Lann’s achievements and legend hadn’t changed the king’s attitude.

He lightly patted Taler on the shoulder and then sat on another stool next to Lann without a pause.

The three of them sat at the bar.

Roche naturally took over the tavern owner’s role as a bartender, pouring Veltrest a Codwin Black Beer.

”You still carry Chaos Magic Power. Did you use teleportation to get here?”

Lann didn’t even look at his necklace, yet could feel it tremble slightly.

”I remember you pulled out the teleportation anchors in this area, didn’t you? And it was Margaret who personally did it.”

”To ensure our agreement, which is, I won’t enter Vizima without permission.”

”The agreement is void.” Veltrest took a sip of the cold, frothy Codwin Black Beer, wiping his foam-covered lips.

”Previously, I worried about those with ulterior motives using your reputation and skills. But now, you’ve proven that your level cannot be measured as an ’individual’.”

”Sir Lann of Sintra, we now essentially regard you as a foreign armed force capable of determining the course of the war.”

”And now, if you have interactions with ordinary people in Vizima, that’s fine, but if someone with ulterior motives approaches you...”

Veltrest smacked his lips, seeming to reminisce about the taste of the black beer.

”Then I can issue an arrest warrant under Temerian law for ’unauthorized contact with foreign armed forces’, and no one can say half a word of protest in my presence.”

After finishing, Veltrest raised his glass to Lann.

”Vizima welcomes you, Sir.”