Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 994 976. Gaoqiu Castle

"Bury a box of Oren coins in the ruins of the castle? I'm not telling you that, Geralt. Your colorful and thrilling career as a witcher has given you this little imagination?"

Geralt didn't change his expression in the face of Lan En's sarcasm.

Normally, he would be okay even if the villagers spit on him when he was taking jobs, but now it was even worse.

Sure enough, Lan En, who was making fun of Geralt, suddenly lost a lot of fun when he saw that he didn't refute or stab him.

"Okay." The young witcher shrugged.

"Remember, I am actually a duke with a legal appointment?"

At the very beginning of the Battle of Sodden Hill, Haxo, the Steward of the Palace of Cintra, gave Lan an appointment.

The coat of arms on it is rigorous and legal, demonstrating its unquestionable legitimacy.

His appointment ‘Lane of Cintra is, from the date of his appointment, a legitimate duke recognized by Queen Calanthe of Cintra’.

Mentioning that war, as well as Haxor, Lann and Geralt's voices became a little lower.

But Lann is slightly better than the emotionally sensitive Geralt.

After participating in the war, he traveled to the New World. The sincerity and enthusiasm of the people in the New World, as well as the magical and vast nature, healed his body and mind.

So Lan En just sighed and recalled it, and then returned to normal.

"The land of Cintra was not brought back during the post-war negotiations, and Nilfgaard could not spit it out. Now both the north and the south are exhausted physically and mentally, and no one wants to break the peace after this disaster."

"Foltest, on the other hand, placed my knights in Temeria under the name of the 'Expatriate Knights of Sintra', with a castle as their base."

"This is to win over you."

Geralt said calmly. Although he is only a demon hunter, he has actually been involved in many court and political events. Many people are interested in his swordsmanship and want him to participate in a banquet or meeting. to erase someone's neck.

Therefore, having seen a lot of things, they have more insight into the appearance of things than ordinary people.

"It's also to appease you."

It is natural to win over this unparalleled force that can run rampant in a big battle involving hundreds of thousands of people.

Foltest was even jealous of the other northern kingdoms because of Lane's connections in the Temerian province of Velen.

But on the other hand, no one wants another war now.

A major battle involving hundreds of thousands of people is unprecedented, and now the domestic economies of many countries show no signs of recovery at all.

After all, too many people have died. In an agricultural society, this sudden decrease in human resources is simply unacceptable.

Foltest was also afraid that Lan En would provoke the Nilfgaard Empire, which was temporarily submissive and peaceful, because of his fiefdom.

"Yes."

Lan En nodded and said bluntly that he had thought of everything Geralt thought of.

"That's why he gave a castle to me and my knights. That place is called Castle Highhill."

But accepting this castle does not mean that Lan En is really at peace with Nilfgaard.

Is it possible for a classical militaristic slave-owning empire to expect that it would stop when it gets better during its expansion?

It can't be stopped, but if there is even the slightest thought of 'stopping', don't look at the fact that Emhyr Emres is the emperor of the empire now. Known in awe as "the white flames dancing on the enemy's grave".

But even he would die if he dared to have such an idea.

The whole empire will let him die.

Because without expansion, militarism will collapse. Anyone who does not want to expand is the internal enemy of the entire empire.

This is a precious period of peace, but Lan En believes that the Nilfgaardians will not live in peace forever.

This was also the reason why he let Menno Kuhorn go in the first place.

Sooner or later they will face off again.

"The Knights of Ember accepted Temeria's logistical support and financial support."

Lan En said while stroking Qilin's mane.

"I originally ordered them to accept this in order to prevent Foltest from panicking. For a small knight order with only more than 60 people, that is a lot of money."

"But now."

Speaking of this, Lan En looked a little embarrassed.

Now he has to temporarily withdraw the less urgent funds of the Knights to make up for the holes in his own capital chain.

"Oh, so this is your method?"

Geralt also laughed and complained to Lan En.

——

The Velen region is not only filled with wet, muddy swamps and miasma-filled woods. In the south of this area, there are also rugged and winding mountain peaks.

These peaks are not high, and the highest Bald Mountain is only over 500 meters above sea level. However, the huge oak trees growing on Bald Mountain are very conspicuous.

I heard that a nightly banquet is held every year under the huge oak tree on Bald Mountain. The theme of the banquet seems to be about the three witches in the folklore of Willen, and the scene is very lively.

The ancient castle that Foltest granted to the Knights is far away from Balder Mountain.

It was originally a military outpost built on a mountain, gaining military advantage through its condescending terrain.

"squeak!"

On the skyline where the mountain peaks intersect with the sky, a griffon with swollen hair is flying in a circle, and at the same time, a sharp cry comes from the bird's beak.

Geralt was riding a carrot, and Lan En was riding a unicorn. The flannel ball was looking curiously at the sky on Lan En's shoulder.

They were all standing in the shadow of the trees downwind.

The two demon hunters slightly raised the brim of their hoods and looked at the gryphon that vented its energy by chirping.

This griffon is very young, with thick quills and black feathers with a hint of gray.

His body is strong enough to even pick up two armored soldiers and fly into the sky.

But it is not a strong opponent for Lan or Geralt.

"A royal griffon, a young and irritable bachelor who has yet to find a life partner."

Under the shade of the tree, Lan En summarized the characteristics of this griffon in a few sentences.

Geralt agreed with Lann's observation.

"It will fly away when it gets bored, so there's no need to get entangled with it."

The conclusions of the two demon hunters were correct. The young griffin patrolling the territory flew away after a while.

The two continued walking up the mountain.

The mountain in Willen should be called a ‘hillside’, because apart from being rugged, it’s really not very high.

The height difference of tens to hundreds of meters is slightly away from the moisture vapor on the ground, and the air becomes fresh and the humidity is suitable.

The flowers and plants are also more colorful than on the flat ground.

There were originally only decaying wooden bridges over several streams flowing down from the mountains, but now they have been replaced with obviously stronger and newer ones.

"It seems that your knights are adapting to life here?"

Geralt's pupils shrank uncertainly, turning on his witcher senses to follow the traces.

"They are all very powerful." Lan En didn't seem surprised, "Of course they will adapt."

In fact, if every member of the Knights has a high degree of subjective initiative, and they also discuss and make collective decisions.

Then in front of this kind of team, the environment that cannot adapt will be pitiful.

From the moment the Ember Knights were born, they have always followed Lan En as a role model.

Even Lincoln, as a subordinate commander, looked like a little kid at first, but later he imitated Lan En intentionally or unintentionally in every word and deed.

They have now moved into a mountain castle in the Willen region, and they have not left themselves desolate.

Along the way, the senses of the two demon hunters clearly saw the traces of team training, as well as the maintenance and repair of the road in their spare time.

This left Geralt confused. After all, he had never seen soldiers repair anything except those who had been specifically given engineering orders.

Soldiers are roughly equivalent to bandits with relatively strong combat effectiveness.

This is the norm and common sense in the magical Middle Ages.

Improve the environment and repair facilities around the station. Even the Knights are a bit too strict with themselves, right?

But Lan En is very natural. After all, this is what he did when he led the Ember Knights.

Unknowingly, under the influence of their example, the Knights of Ember are developing towards a look that makes Lan En feel familiar and at ease.

The mountain was not high, so it was easy for Carrot to walk along the repaired mountain path, and it was even easier for Qilin to be the one who was being slowed down.

When the two demon hunters were waiting on the mountain and looked westward, vaguely seeing the huge oak canopy on Bald Mountain, they also happened to be able to see a military fortress whose main body was made of rocks above their heads.

Lan En leaned over on horseback and pulled Geralt's shoulders, preventing him from getting any closer.

Sure enough, the next moment

"Whoosh!"

A crossbow arrow shot out of the firing hole in the fortress's outer wall.

According to the parabolic trajectory given by Mentos, the impact point should have passed Lan En and then stuck on the ground next to Qilin's hooves.

But Lan En's left hand suddenly blurred for a moment, and then when his left hand stopped again, the crossbow arrow was already spinning in his hand.

"It's better to stop the magic golden arrow. Ha, you are very vigilant."

Lan En rubbed the arrow with his fingertips and chuckled. Then he raised his crossbow and raised his voice towards the castle.

"It's me! Can't you try a different way to detect illusions next time?!"

There was silence in the castle at first, and then a short but strong cheer erupted.

The sudden cheer even startled Geralt.

"I beg your pardon, my lord."

After the cheers, a voice with laughter and excitement came from the shooting hole.

"You are always coming and going and busy, but we have to inspect it meticulously!"

"Come on!" Lan En pouted and took off his hood. "Made me look like an enemy."

After the hood was lowered, Lan En's hair flowed out of the hood like mercury, and his face was also revealed.

The main body of the castle is similar to the crow's nest where Lan En once visited Governor Willen.

A thick wooden door five to six meters high opened from the inside.

Lann patted Geralt on the shoulder, then took the lead in riding the Qilin and walked towards the castle.