Bear School Astartes

Dandelion stood up with great vigor, giving an uncompromising retort to those questioning his writing skills.

Yet shortly after, when his mind finally disengaged from the immersive writing experience, he met the gaze of the poetess with slightly smokey eyes.

His previously uncompromising tone suddenly softened.

”Oh, ’face’, right.” He stammered, his gaze dumbfounded and fixed on the poetess’ face. ”It really... indeed rhymes better with the previous line.”

”But you also have to understand, I’m considering the script as a whole, the overall mood, the scenario match...”

Towards the end, Dandelion’s mouth released a series of terms incomprehensible to outsiders to justify himself, trying to stubbornly imply he was right, merely taking in the big picture.

Lann and Geralt exchanged a glance.

To make such a proud poet in his own field act in this ’reluctant arguing’ manner is truly rare.

”Of course, the big picture consideration.”

Priscilla smiled and stepped back.

”If the level isn’t high enough, then indeed you must lower the level of a segment for the overall theatrical performance.”

The poetess’ tone obviously did not contain sarcasm, merely accustomed to speaking from a high professional level directing downward.

But precisely because of this, it made Dandelion’s mouth twitch, his whole being stifled.

If truly stabbed with words, Dandelion is not anxious, for that means that person was already broken through by his words first and is anxious.

Losing composure and calmness is the sign of losing.

But now, this tone...

This is usually his tone!

It’s the language he uses when speaking about those clumsy poets!

Damnit! Is this woman mocking me?

Even with Priscilla’s looks and figure, she couldn’t make Dandelion ignore this strange feeling of similarity.

Two outstanding poets clashing heads, it’s a difficult scenario for ordinary people to interject.

Hence, the crowd behind them scattered around the room.

Triss sat on the room’s bed with great interest, crossing her legs, leaning forward, elbows on her knees. Her waist created an eye-catching side curve in this posture.

Lann and Geralt sat on two chairs, snacking on the plate of dried fruits on the small tea table between the chairs as if eating sunflower seeds.

Dudu shook his head in disappointment, walked to the cupboard, picked up a cup, and drank while leaning against the cupboard.

”...So what’s going on?”

The poet who had been bickering with the poetess seemed to just then realize something, looking surprised at the Half-Elf pouring wine into his cup by the cupboard.

”Dudu, you transformed into me, then went...”

Before Dandelion could finish, he turned his head to look at Priscilla.

The poetess casually shrugged.

”Is that strange? I’m a shapeshifter, but who said shapeshifters can’t yearn for love? Fall for a human woman?”

The shapeshifter, with a Half-Elf appearance, drank sullenly with the cup, his voice muffled by the cup.

”But there’s no help, Dandelion. Though I don’t want to admit it, but... alright, among the people I’ve met, you’re the most likely to showcase charm in front of Priscilla.”

”I also don’t understand how to date, just hope your mind holds a way, unfortunately, you don’t seem that competent either.”

”Though it’s a bit odd.” Dandelion said, rubbing his chin, smiling at Dudu, ”But thank you for your sincerity and praise, Dudu. Besides, my method of romance is unteachable.”

Dudu snickered sullenly in the cup at that.

”So...” Now Priscilla looked at Dudu with an eagerness she hadn’t shown in days before. ”You’re actually a shapeshifter? The species from the legends?”

”Oh~”

Dudu’s voice, muffled in the cup, sounded more pained.

”Had I known you’re this courageous, why did I bother sporting Dandelion’s silly face doing those foolish things?”

”Alright, it’s too late anyway. Tell me, who is this new friend of yours?”

Dudu claimed to pursue love, but it seemed after this commotion, he accepted being ignored by Priscilla and wasn’t too discontent.

Instead, he raised his cup, pointed at Lann sitting with Geralt.

Dandelion spontaneously stood between the Demon Hunter and the shapeshifter, acting as an introducer.

”This is the Chief here to find you, and he’s been bustling around Novigrad looking for you these past few days.”

”Looking for me?” Dudu was puzzled. ”A Bear School Demon Hunter, if I didn’t know you and Geralt, I would’ve thought you hired a monster slayer, planning to kill me then divide my property.”

Out of politeness, Lann also took off his hood.

His silver hair, akin to molten silver, reflected a warm hue under the room’s warm candlelight.

The face lacked some of the cold sternness and unapproachable nobility, and gained much warmth.

”Formally meeting you, hello, Dudu. You can call me Lann.”

”...gulp.”

Dudu brought back the cup in a daze, and took another sip.

”Had I used this face earlier, wouldn’t I have succeeded?”

The shapeshifter murmured, making Dandelion glance at him disapprovingly.

Suddenly, the shapeshifter seemed to react. After mouthing the name Lann twice, his eyes suddenly widened.

”Wait a minute!”

The wine recently poured into his mouth was forced out by his intense words, leaving a red mark on the half-elf’s chest.

”That Lann? The Hunting Marquis?! Duke of Sintra?!”

”Don’t mention the Duke without a domain.”

Lann waved his hand with a smile.

”My goodness...” Dudu barely gathered his shocked mind, but his actions became more restrained in front of Lann.

”But what does someone as important as you want from a shapeshifter like me...?”

”First of all, I’m not cut out for espionage; I don’t even dare to kill!”

Although shapeshifters possess the world’s most unsettling and fearful ability, they are innately of kind character.

Even if they turned into an unforgivable criminal mastering the art of killing, they can’t wield these skills as well as the original one.

Because they can’t quite manage the malice necessary for using such killing techniques.

”No, actually I’m not here for your shapeshifting talent, but rather for something else... your business acumen.”

Lann’s straightforward words stunned Dudu for a moment, but he soon accepted them.

He was proud of his business acumen, which allowed him to live gracefully in the city of Novigrad.

”What’s going on?”

Dudu began to want to understand the ins and outs of the matter.

Before, he actually didn’t dare to get involved in Lann’s affairs.

He’s just a timid shapeshifter who stayed away from danger.

Lann explained his asset situation to him and how these assets had previously been brought to the brink of a broken cash flow.

Emphasizing, he just needed a capable and trustworthy professional manager.

Only concerning capital operation and not involving any non-commercial activities.

”This sounds... quite great.”

Dudu crossed his arms and scratched his chin murmuring.

”The business of the Valerian Steel Merchants Association is now one of the most lucrative trades! For this steel, whether it’s national military or civilian markets, everyone’s going crazy!”

”Yes indeed.” Dandelion chimed in sarcastically from the side. ”If you take this job, you can soon repay the money you lost in your business.”

”The money I lost in my business?”

On this topic, Dudu was unfazed, even glancing sideways at the poet with slight amusement.

”Dandelion, when it comes to poetry and art, you’re outstanding. But when it comes to business, you’re truly a fool.”

”The money I initially used for that venture primarily came in two parts: A loan from Vivaldi Bank, and the material costs I covered myself.”

”The loan from Vivaldi Bank was made out in promissory notes; I hadn’t even cashed them before the deal fell through, so, in reality, I don’t owe Vivaldi Bank a penny.”

”I don’t owe Mud Gang for their goods either; they never delivered them, so why should I pay them?”

”Let them try; if some small-timers can find me, then it’s truly my misfortune.”

Dudu didn’t care about his business setbacks nor did he feel any danger.

After all, to reach his level as a businessman, not having been swindled is impossible.

This was merely a minor incident in his career.

Besides, he was still a shapeshifter.

This is Novigrad, the headquarters of the Eternal Flame, managed for hundreds of years.

Eternal Flame’s priests declare: Under this Holy Flame’s light, filth and evil cannot hide in this city.

Although these words only fool the ignorant civilians, those who have supernatural powers and have seen the flame themselves know... the ’Eternal Flame’ on Novigrad’s Temple Island is just ordinary fire.

There are water ghosts in the city’s sewers, ghouls and demon spirits within the city walls, among other monsters.

But who dares to speak up?

Who dares to challenge Eternal Flame’s teachings?

Shapeshifters, these terrifying creatures in human mythology, nobody would believe appear in Novigrad.

Even if witnessed personally, they wouldn’t dare to announce it.

Because who would come knocking first might just be the Eternal Flame’s Temple Guard.

Those guys would accuse you of ’defaming the Eternal Flame.’

Thus, only a few people know Dudu’s identity as a shapeshifter; the gangs are clueless.

They don’t even know Dudu is a shapeshifter, so how could they find him?

Therefore, Dudu never cared about the Mud Gang.

If he couldn’t fight them, couldn’t he hide away?

”So it doesn’t matter.” The half-elf shaped shapeshifter said casually, ”If you feel the gangs trouble me, I can adopt a different human appearance to manage the funds for you. After all, my brain works the same way.”

”Don’t worry about the gang, I’ve already dealt with them; the Mud Gang no longer exists.”

Lann said, resting his elbow on the armrest of his chair.