Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1173 1155. Temple of Meliteli
Lan, who had entered the vicinity of Elland City, had no intention of entering the city. Instead, he sent Lincoln to ask the busy merchants on both sides of the road. After learning the location of the Temple of Meliteli, he rode in that direction.

This kind of asking for directions seems to be very common, so both traveling merchants and passers-by acted as if they were not surprised.

The Faith of Meliteli is the most widespread faith in the North, and the Temple of Meliteli in Elland is the most famous temple of this faith.

Every year, countless pilgrims or people begging for help come here without any effort, seeking spiritual comfort or practical help from the priests.

To some extent, the city of Elland is perhaps widely known because of the Temple of Meliteli?

The temple is located outside the city and is not difficult to find.

For there was a road convenient for pilgrims and prayers, leading from the city all the way to the temple.

This road is flat and solid, and there would be nothing wrong with it even if it was placed in a busy area in the city center, but now it is just placed on the plain outside the city.

After the Embers Knights and Lan found the direction, they walked slowly along the road.

On both sides of the road are still the farmers' fields, where they grow a lot of wheat, as well as a small amount of turnips, potatoes and radishes.

There are also some herbs like safflower that are easy to grow.

It was a bit cloudy at this time, but combined with the empty sky around the city and the large clouds floating in the wind, it seemed vast and distant.

A tall and large windmill with worn-out blades was creaking in the distance among many farmlands in such weather.

There were several Ash Knights in the team. As they got closer to the Temple of Meliteli, they stroked their foreheads with their fingers and prayed for a while.

Lan En turned his head and looked but said nothing.

There is no need to explain the influence of the Meliteli faith. Almost all women in the North have this faith.

From the queen to the washerwoman.

Men will inevitably be influenced by the women around them.

Although the Embers are all solitary, their family members, such as mothers, sisters, and lovers, should have believed in Meliteli when they were alive.

They are not only worshipping gods now, but also probably remembering their deceased female relatives.

Meliteli is a gentle and tolerant faith, and He comforts the suffering of all living beings with the trinity image of a young girl, a pregnant woman, and an old woman.

Of course, this also includes men who have lost their female relatives.

Continue along the pilgrim's path until you come into view the main entrance to the Temple of Meliteli.

This place is said to be a temple, but it is actually a complex of buildings.

There is no magnificent architectural style like that in Yharnam, the Fire World or the World of Arda, and the people here do not have that kind of construction ability.

The entire Temple of Meliteli is like a circle of buildings in the upper city of Novigrad.

Off-white glued stone walls and a red tiled roof.

A poplar-lined avenue leads from the main entrance to a group of buildings adjacent to the sanctuary.

The main hall area is built on the hillside, and the three images of Meliteli are made into stone fountains and stand at the entrance of the main hall. There must be more solemn statues or portraits inside the main hall.

The arrival of a group of knights broke the originally peaceful atmosphere of the temple.

The heavy sound of horse hooves naturally carries a sense of solemnity and urgency.

However, most people in the Temple of Meliteli were relatively calm. The pilgrims who came from all over the world were the "world" they had seen.

And no one would believe that someone would dare to do evil in the sanctuary of Meliteli.

Inside the temple gate, several priestess apprentices who were originally sitting together scattering food to chickens, ducks and geese, saw the knights coming in and the first thing they thought of was to drive these poultry out of the road to prevent them from being trampled to death by horses' hooves.

The stout old woman holding a big broom curled her lips in dissatisfaction, as if she was disgusted by the dust and leaves that were raised again with the knights' footsteps.

The Embers Knight, with his bright armor and awe-inspiring temperament, is quite different from ordinary knights in appearance alone.

They attracted a lot of attention at this time.

These priestess apprentices who were training in the temple drove the flocks of chickens, ducks and geese under their feet, while secretly glancing at the Embers Knights who were staring straight ahead.

But all the Embers Knights combined are not as conspicuous as the one at the front.

On a horse that was more than two meters tall at the shoulders, with beautiful pale mane spreading out from under the harness, and a body that was so agile and elegant that it didn't seem like an ordinary creature.

A knight whose body shape matches that of the horse sits on it.

It's just that he seemed to be wearing a magic cloak that was popular at the moment, and the shadow of the hood made it impossible to see his face clearly. Perhaps his figure was brought out by the magic cloak?

The priestess apprentices absentmindedly scattered a handful of feed to the side to attract the chickens, ducks and geese further away, but their eyes were still secretly watching the group of knights who suddenly arrived.

But even though the priestess apprentices couldn't figure out the situation, there was someone else who could.

In the building complex at the end of the tree-lined path, a wooden door opened and an old woman in simple clothes and a blue veil on her head walked out.

"What's the matter? What's all the noise?"

Her hands, whose skin had become loose, held the two sides of the veil in front of her chest and walked towards me while speaking.

The priestess apprentices along the way greeted her and explained the situation.

"A team of knights suddenly came over, Master Aurora!"

"It's a knight we haven't seen before. He must be from another place!" The girls chattered happily and lively.

It was in stark contrast to the old woman who was upset by their chatter.

"Alright, alright! Do you think I'm deaf?"

The old woman shouted helplessly.

"Little Airola, take them to the side first. After feeding the chickens, ducks and geese, go water the flowers and vegetables. Oh, please spare me."

Then a young girl stood up from among the priestess apprentices, and led the chattering girls to a farther place.

It sounds like their names are the same, so I guess Teacher Aurora must have adopted this girl.

After sending away the noisy and lively priestess apprentice, the old woman turned around and quickly looked at the team of foreign knights entering the Temple of Meliteli.

At this time, Lan En and the others dismounted politely and each calmed their mounts down to stop making noise.

This kind of politeness and discipline obviously made the old woman raise her eyebrows in surprise.

Then, Teacher Aurora's eyes quickly glanced at the gun flag with a golden lion on a blue background on the spear that Lincoln had been holding vertically.

"The banner of Cintra. The famous Order of Embers?"

The old woman grabbed the corners of her veil with both hands, placed it in front of her chest, and asked cautiously.

Although she was already 70% to 80% sure, if she identified the wrong order, it would sometimes anger some well-known and stubborn knights.

Fortunately, Lan and the Embers are not that kind of people.

"Hello, Teacher Aurora." Lan En stepped forward and began to negotiate in a gentle tone.

This tone is equivalent to affirming the other person's words.

The old woman looked up and down at Lan En who was speaking.
"Just call me Auntie Airola. Are you Duke Lann of Cintra?"

Aurora introduced herself subconsciously at first, but then her eyes widened and she reacted.

If an ordinary person had this body shape, the first reaction would generally be: this person is wearing a popular magic cloak.

This is also a summary of Dandelion's publicity strategy and Dudu's business planning, which is a successful performance over the past period of time.

But a man of this stature went out with a team of Embers Knights. You tell me he's wearing a magic cloak?!

I've only heard that the magic cloak can bring illusions that confuse the body, but I've never heard that it can bring such elite knights!
But she was only startled for a moment, and Aunt Airola quickly calmed down.

As a priestess of the temple and mentor of apprentices, she serves the goddess wholeheartedly and this is the best attitude she can have towards fame from the mortal world.

"It's really a big shot coming in person."

The old woman said teasingly as she saluted Lan, and the witcher responded.

"You came to Elland this time. It seems to be about the matter in the Pontar Valley?"

Aunt Airola spoke seemingly nonchalantly.

But these words made Lan En turn around and look at Lincoln.

Sure enough, in this highly respected Temple of Meliteli, although there is no worldly power due to the dogma of the faith itself, the status is there.

Very well-informed.

"Since you are also an insider, then I have nothing to hide. It is indeed the case."

Lan En said politely.

"Foltest wrote to us personally, so we came all the way from Velen, and we just arrived at Elland today. Now we just want a place to rest in peace."

"Merritelli the Merciful will share a roof and food with all who ask for help within her power."

Mother Aurora spoke piously at first, then stretched out her hand and pointed in a direction.

"But first, I would like you to meet the Chief Priestess."

"That's exactly why I came here." Lan En said readily.

Qilin and the other Ash Knights stayed where they were, while Lan followed Aunt Airola along the tree-lined path.

They walked all the way to the side of the main hall built against the mountain, where there was a small hole with flickering fire inside.

“This is a greenhouse we dug out to grow special herbs.”

Mother Airola said as she led the way.

"Aunt Nenneke is in there now, taking care of the delicate plants."

".You're not worried about assassins or anything else in there, are you?"

As the old woman said this, she jokingly looked at the witcher following behind her.

If the legends passed down from the battlefield are true, then what can a sneaky killer or even a fully armored legion do to this man?
Sure enough, Lan En, who was following behind, did not show any movement under his hood.

(End of this chapter)