Bear School Astartes

As a middleman and Messenger, Lann brought friendly news between the two noble and powerful ladies, then took his own Long Blade back from Lady Galadriel’s hand.

The Elf Queen, having heard news of her childhood friend, was in an excellent mood; her steps, already graceful, became even lighter and more cheerful in Rivendell’s garden.

Even the lovely things in the garden—creatures like Butterflies, birds, squirrels, and even flowers and budding branches—couldn’t help but respond to Galadriel’s footsteps as if they possessed intelligence, dancing about in lively harmony.

In another world, the Elf Queen before his eyes would doubtless be classed as one of the Divine Beings.

The Elves of this world don’t make a show of their power on the surface, but in truth they’re terrifyingly strong.

Even Lann had two sparrows perched on his shoulders, chirping away.

The Demon Hunter continued walking at Lady Galadriel’s side.

”Lord Elrond once told me... that I lack a power that can truly reach into certain things.”

Lann patted the scabbard at his waist.

”When this sword faced that evil spirit that could slip into the Netherworld, it really was like I swung with full force, but only a tenth landed on it... Is that all because the weapon’s form was changed?”

Galadriel nodded calmly.

”That is why I said it’s thanks to your own skill. Otherwise, a weapon that has trouble touching the deep-layer power will often be hard to bring into play.”

Honestly, its performance is already pretty great; I think the main problem is that in this world, the enemies that can tie themselves to deep-layer power are just ridiculous.

Lann scratched his chin, awkwardly licking his lips.

Because there are so many such enemies, according to Elrond, basically all the weapons of the High Elves of the West in days past had to reach this standard to be considered qualified.

But in other worlds, when Lann normally used Aron Dite, the power of ”Bane of Evil” was already more than sufficient.

”I can help you readjust this weapon, Yadanisil.”

The Elf Queen suddenly said with a smile.

Her hair, more radiant than sun and moon, was bound by an exquisite circlet, and even as she turned, it maintained a pose of unshaken elegance.

”Let the form Nimmo messed up be brought back into line with its essence. That way, this weapon will still deserve to be called ’designed by Auri.’”

In her youth, Galadriel had studied knowledge and crafts in the Western Blessed Land, learning from all the Villas and Vilya.

As Lann understood it... she was taught hand-in-hand by the fourteen Main Gods.

The Villa and Vilya are not aloof and unapproachable; their relationship with the Western Elves is like that of neighbors living side by side on good terms.

Not only forging, but also herbs, arts, medicine... practically all of Galadriel’s abilities came from the teachings of many Main Gods.

And from the sound of it, even this Aron Dite of the Lady of the Lake was first designed by Auri, the God of Craftsmanship, and later passed on to Galadriel as a piece of knowledge.

Then, because of the close friendship between the two ladies, Galadriel taught the forging method and design of this sword to the Lady of the Lake.

...The Lady of the Lake really is operating at the level of a second-hand dealer.

Lady Galadriel may look slender and graceful, not the type you’d imagine has the strength for rough work like forging, but Lann was convinced that if this Elf Queen actually picked up a Longsword, she’d probably be a terrifyingly fierce fighter beyond imagination.

Mm... she could definitely chop me to death, for sure.

So Lann had no doubts about what the Elf Queen said.

Although this sword is called the Lady of the Lake’s Sword, in terms of understanding, the Lady of the Lake probably doesn’t grasp it as deeply as Galadriel.

”And after that, the sword’s power will go even ’deeper’?”

”Of course, Yadanisil.” The Elf Queen smiled. ”Nimmo messed this sword up. Her understanding of forging and design is not yet deep enough. It’s possible that when she changed its form, she didn’t even realize she’d ruined it.”

”But I won’t.”

In Lady Galadriel’s smile, besides gentleness, there was now also a hint of perfectly natural pride.

Thinking back on the Elf Queen’s earlier evaluation of the Lady of the Lake’s craftsmanship, laced with jabs between the lines... Lann vaguely began to guess how it must have been in Valinor of the Blessed Land in Ardan back in the day.

How these two noble ladies used to get along in their childhood.

...Could it be that the Lady of the Lake, exalted as a conceptual Divine Being, had always been quietly simmering under Lady Galadriel’s thumb?

The Demon Hunter quickly shoved this somewhat disrespectful notion down in his mind, secretly amused by his own imaginings.

In his hands, he held out Aron Dite, scabbard and all, offering it up to Lady Galadriel.

The Elf Queen did not reach for it; instead, a white stag appeared from who-knows-where in Rivendell’s garden and trotted up to Lann, nudging its back toward the Demon Hunter.

Lann tentatively laid the Lady of the Lake’s Sword across its back—and somehow, it rested there perfectly steady. When the stag bounded away, the unfixed Long Blade did not sway in the slightest.

”Is there anything I can do to be of service, my lady?”

After the inexplicably appearing white stag had left, Lann turned his head and spoke to the Elf Queen.

”No, don’t trouble yourself over this, Yadanisil. I’m merely cleaning up the mess Nimmo made of her own work; we used to do this sort of thing all the time.”

Galadriel smiled, her face touched with the sweetness of memory.

She hadn’t forged anything with her own hands in a long time; a large part of why she chose to adjust Aron Dite herself this time was because she wanted to recall the days of her childhood.

”That may be how you see it, my lady, but it doesn’t mean I can accept it that way.”

Lann spoke softly.

”Back at the meeting, even though I didn’t know much, I could still feel that a storm is brewing.”

”If there’s anywhere you need an extra pair of hands...”

Lann lowered his head, looking earnestly into Lady Galadriel’s eyes, which held the radiance of the Two Holy Trees.

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the meaning was obvious.

Galadriel’s face curved into a smile full of interest.

”You may not know much, but at least you understand what we might be facing, Yadanisil.”

”Even so, when I ask nothing in return... you still want to help?”

”There is no need for that, young child.”

But Lann simply looked at her calmly.

After a long while, even the small animals drawn by Galadriel’s light and cheerful mood drifted away...

”Heh, I see. There is a reason Nimmo chose you.”

The Elf Queen raised her hand and gently brushed aside a loose strand of silver hair that had fallen before the eyes of the Demon Hunter looking down at her.

She spoke softly.

”Go and rest, Yadanisil.”

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

After that meeting, Lann stayed for another two days in the gentle atmosphere of Rivendell.

Two days later, Aron Dite was returned to his hand.

But the one who brought it back was not the Elf Queen, it was Elrond.

He knocked on Lann’s door; when the Demon Hunter opened it, he saw the Elf Lord looking at the sheathed Long Blade in his hand with a gaze that was both puzzled and familiar.

Judging by the look of it, all the way here, as he carried the Lady of the Lake’s Sword, he had been looking at this Long Blade like that.

But not long after Lann opened the door, he shook his head, as if trying to shake that familiar yet puzzling feeling out of his mind.

Lann didn’t understand, but he didn’t probe further.

After Elrond entered, he handed the Long Blade back to its original owner.

”Take a look, Yadanisil. This forging is nothing short of a rebirth.”

Once Aron Dite returned to Lann’s hand, it automatically adapted to his build.

An appreciation for weapons is a habit a Demon Hunter inevitably develops over a career.

Lann needed no prompting from Elrond; he immediately raised the Long Blade before him and gently drew the blade from the scabbard.

”Vmm~”

Just that short draw from the scabbard was enough for the metal to release a clear, melodious, lingering tone.

A streak of silver light reflected into Lann’s eyes from the portion of blade drawn out from the scabbard.

The overall blade shape had not changed; it was still that smooth and graceful curve.

The prototype of Aron Dite had been created when the Lady of the Lake, at Lann’s request, transformed a sword into a blade, taking the Elf Race of the Magic Middle Ages as reference.

That is, the weapons of the Ain Sidi Race.

Unlike humans, who mostly use One-Handed Swords and Hand-and-a-Half Swords, the Ain Sidi Race largely favor Long Blades.

And the Elves of this world, though surpassing the Ain Sidi Race in aesthetics, still favor Long Blades among their customary weapons.

Their lithe figures and speed, with every individual comparable to a Ninja, allow a curved weapon like this to realize its full potential.

Even the long spears of the Elf Race do not end in straight spearheads, but rather in blades with a straight spine and a curved edge.

So in general form, Aron Dite had not changed much.

But on the blade’s surface, after Lady Galadriel’s adjustments, the original patterns had been enriched with more curved lines, carrying a flowing beauty.

And this weapon...

The Demon Hunter instinctively spun the blade in a flourish; even without activating [Spiritual Vision], he could feel that the power within this blade... was much deeper than before.

”Lady Galadriel’s forging craft was learned from the great Auri.”

Elrond had already taken a seat gracefully in a chair in Lann’s room, speaking in a low voice.

”Now this sword is worthy of any Elf King among the High Elves of the West. It is a peerless treasure blade.”

”In all history, such blades are exceedingly rare. And furthermore...”

”Furthermore?”

Elrond’s unfinished words stirred Lann’s curiosity, but when he asked, the Elf Lord of Rivendell merely pressed his lips together and showed no intention of continuing.

”I... am not entirely sure, so it is better left unsaid.”

The Demon Hunter shrugged, indicating he did not mind.

”Since the sword has already been adjusted, is there anything you need me for?”

”Lady Galadriel did indeed entrust me with something.”

Elrond spoke unhurriedly, as was his usual manner.

”What we discussed at the last Holy White Council is of great import and must be confirmed with utmost caution. Thus, we need someone to go to the Rudolph Plateau.”

Lann’s thoughts shifted slightly, and Mentos immediately began to allocate processing power.

”The Rudolph Plateau... the place where the Angmar Witch King was buried with Magic?”

”Yes. We have to see whether that Blade of Mogul is merely a cleverly crafted imitation, or whether... those things have truly returned to the world of the living.”