Bear School Astartes

Tom Bombadil took off his pointed hat, revealing slightly balding brown hair beneath it.

With a beard that hung down to his chest, tousled and messy, he looked remarkably like the fallen red leaves of autumn.

The table was filled with dishes, none of which were particularly rare or exquisite by reputation.

Yet unexpectedly, these ordinary ingredients emitted an aroma that even made Lann’s stomach rumble as they were placed on the table.

It seemed as nourishing as it was unbelievable.

At first, Rong Buqiu merely extended its tongue politely to lick the milk in its cup, but soon it naturally began using one paw to hold the cup while the other grabbed white bread, eating with both paws.

Lann was in much better shape than Rong Buqiu, still perfectly maintaining his guest demeanor.

But once these foods entered his esophagus, he almost immediately felt a sense of fulfillment.

As if his entire body had been nourished.

The Qilin’s plate was placed on the windowsill, allowing it to stretch its head in to eat, thus also counting as dining at the same table.

Its behavior was even more exaggerated than Rong Buqiu’s, directly burying its head in a milk barrel. As it drank, the Ancient Dragon’s efficient eating made it sound like a pump.

Yet even so, the food on the entire table inexplicably remained abundant, no matter how much was consumed.

”Poetry and music! Shoo~”

Tom and Jin Mei sat on the other side of the table, cheerfully watching their guests eat and drink, he himself taking out a pipe, puffing contentedly and exhaling a smoke ring.

”It’s the most beautiful thing. That old willow isn’t an evil creature; it’s just too xenophobic and wild. It was born with the entire forest, yet feels genuine aversion to those free-moving creatures within the woods.”

”That’s why I stopped you... Of course, there’s also the fact that its singing is indeed quite lovely.”

”But don’t worry about it; with me watching, it can’t harm others, at most give a fright.”

”If you personally watch over it, then I suppose it truly has no chance to harm anyone.”

Lann took a sip of the clear water in his cup, controlling himself not to drink it all at once.

Goodness, even the plain water on this table is so enticing?

To divert his attention from these simply styled yet inexplicably tempting foods, Lann looked at the leisurely elder enjoying his tobacco break, cautiously and politely asking.

”Then sir... who exactly are you?”

”Hmm, what?” Behind the swirling smoke and scent of tobacco, Tom lazily lifted his eyes.

”You don’t conceal your extraordinariness, whether it’s casually controlling the convergence of celestial rifts, teaching that old willow a lesson, or now inviting us here as guests. So I think, you might not mind introducing yourself.”

Rong Buqiu was now fully immersed in the food, tugging at Lann’s arm while pitifully eyeing the cream far across the table.

Its mouth was still stuffed with bread, so it could only make ’mm-hmm’ sounds.

Lann pursed his lips, then stood up under Tom’s amused gaze.

”Excuse me, Miss. Could you pass me that bowl of cream?”

”Certainly!”

”Thank you.”

Placing the bowl of cream next to the little cat, Rong Buqiu released the paw that was on Lann’s arm and plunged into its meal.

”Ah, this lovely little guest.”

Tom leisurely exhaled a puff of smoke before responding to Lann’s question.

”You ask who I am, Lann. But you already know my name, and that is the only answer. I have no other titles.”

”I can only say you are still young, but I am far too old. I am the eldest among all things in the world. Lann, my friend, remember my words—”

”Before rivers and trees appeared, Tom already existed. Tom witnessed the first raindrop fall and saw the growth of the first acorn. Before the big fellows arrived, I was already roving here, and I witnessed the arrival of the little ones.”

”Before the Elves began their westward migration, before the oceans moved, Tom was here. And he lived through the time unafraid under starlit nights before the Dark King came from the Void Realm.”

Listening to Tom’s description and the hazy scent of pipe smoke, Lann inexplicably felt a grand symphony begin to echo by his ears... or perhaps in his mind.

The symphony contained countless rises and waves, both grand and numerous harmonies.

But he was merely dazedly listening, completely unable to comprehend.

Yet despite the lack of understanding, unlike those dangerous enemies or strange forces from before,

this symphony made Lann feel a sense of comfort and tranquility, without the slightest discomfort.

”So... are you the Creator God?”

”Creator God? No, no! I’m not at all!”

Tom hurriedly laughed, denying it.

”I love singing, and I love listening to songs, but composing the grand symphony of world creation? No, I can’t do that.”

He ultimately did not clearly state what kind of existence he truly was.

In Lann’s ears, the sublime and beautiful symphony gradually faded away as Tom finished speaking.

Immersed in that indescribable elegance, almost subconsciously, his eyes grew deep as he activated [Spiritual Vision].

But nothing changed; everything in view remained as normal as if he hadn’t done anything at all.

Old Tom seemed to have sensed the change in his gaze, spreading his arms wide, a cheerful look of ’welcome to see me’.

Only then did Lann suddenly come back to his senses, hurriedly shutting off his vision that was advancing towards the essence of things.

When it comes to seeing certain ’unbearable things,’ Lann is more aware of the consequences than anyone.

After all, the first interdimensional creature he encountered was the Evil God, someone who could drive people mad and mutate just by being seen.

He wasn’t sure how high Old Tom’s status was, but just from the snippets of conversation, this was definitely not something he had the vision to see clearly at this stage.

Or rather, the consequences of seeing clearly... basically unbearable.

”I thought an existence like yours would be more repelled by interdimensional creatures.”

Lann boldly pinched his eyelid as he spoke.

”As long as it’s a kind and beautiful life,” this time it was Jin Mei speaking next to Tom, she smiled elegantly as usual, ”then this world will welcome them.”

”Sounds like... is this praise for me?”

Lann said while pressing his eyes and laughing.

”Why not, Lann?” Tom laughed cheerfully.

”Believe me, from the moment you set foot in this world, I knew more about you than you ever imagined!”

”The young girl who blessed you blade, when she came to play originally, I did nothing either!”

”Speaking of this,” Lann pressed on the hilt of the Lady of the Lake’s Sword at his waist.

”The young girl you mentioned came here to play and made a friend, she asked me to bring greetings.”

”True friendship.”

Jin Mei praised with a smile.

But Tom quickly waved his hand.

”I know what you want to ask, but I don’t know where she is. I don’t know... or rather, shouldn’t know much about what lies beyond this old forest. I prefer to inquire with others.”

”If you want to find her, you’ll have to set out yourself.”

Tom’s words made Lann pull a face, this kind of ancient life and extraordinary existence’s interests and rules are hard for ordinary people to understand.

Tom’s habit of preferring interpersonal communication to gather information rather than using his power, surprisingly is quite understandable.

”Okay, I’ll set out myself.”

Lann shrugged.

”So, after that, I can leave by myself? Good, my earlier bad prediction was that you might detain me, an interdimensional person.”

Old Tom quickly shook his head, causing his red leaf-colored beard to sway.

”That can’t be! I actually pulled you over just to watch the spectacle, I wouldn’t do such a thing. You’re free to come and go!”

”How should I thank you for this hospitality?”

Lann raised the water cup in his hand, also pointing to the bread, cream, honey, and other things that Rong Buqiu and Qilin were indulging in.

”Though I have little experience, I think these things must be precious.”

”That’s not the case, Lann. Not at all.”

Old Tom stuffed some tobacco into his pipe, speaking leisurely.

”These are all ordinary things, just a bit nourishing, to revitalize your bodies. You shouldn’t feel guilty, for when you came here, you already entered the grand symphony. You heard some simple notes earlier, didn’t you?”

The pipe’s mouthpiece circled near Old Tom’s ear, sketching the shape of musical notes.

”A heart-stirring symphony... from the moment you stepped in, the trembling notes began joyful changes. Believe me.”

Old Tom deliberately lowered his voice, with a mischievous smile on his face, leaning towards Lann.

”The writer of this symphony would like it too!”

”So...” Lann scratched his head somewhat vacantly, ”does this mean I have actually completed my mission the moment I set foot in this world?”

”Nonsense!”

Tom decisively waved away the smoke before him: ”Fate doesn’t fulfill itself! Subjective initiative, young man! Subjective initiative! Books shouldn’t be read in vain!”

”Let Old Tom warn you well—nihilism is unacceptable!”

”Ah?... Oh, oh.”

Lann blinked, nodding dazedly.

Seeing this, Old Tom nodded satisfied and cheerfully.

”Good kid!”

”You’ll stay here tonight,” Jin Mei said gently, ”you are a guest of Tom Bombadil, under protection, no evil or anomalies will disturb your rest.”

”Tomorrow!” Tom also said with great vigor. ”I have a premonition tomorrow will be good weather, suitable for traveling! Rest well tonight.”

”Premonition?” Lann asked back.

”Of course, I’m not a weather forecast master,” Tom waved his hand indifferently. ”So I won’t speak too confidently, just a premonition. Go with the flow! Haha!”