Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1174 1156. Nenneke

This cave dug into the mountain is very different from ordinary caves.

The further you go inside, the hotter it gets, and there is no shade at all.

By the time we were all inside, the temperature was already hot. It was hot and humid.

The moss-covered rocks and dark rock walls are hung with plump water droplets.

There are plants everywhere, spreading out from cabinets, flower pots, and sinks, competing for territory, causing dirt to get into the leaves and stamens.

With just a quick glance, Lann recognized many rare herbs and even plants that had been declared extinct in Aretuza's library.

An old woman dressed similarly to Aunt Airola, but with a heavier body, was rolling up her sleeves and working among the lush plants with scissors and a bone stick.

The lighting in the cave was surprisingly good. Lan En looked up and realized that there were several large holes dug out on the surface, which were then sealed with crystals.

"Aurora, you don't have to come down today. It's very hot here."

The fat old woman was pruning the plants with nimble and skillful movements. Although she kept saying "it's very hot", she was surprisingly dry as if it was autumn.

Standing up with the bone stick she had just used to turn the soil, Aunt Nenneke turned her head to look at the cave entrance, then raised her eyebrows.

"Ahaha." The wealthy old woman shook the dirt-covered bone stick, "So there are guests?"

Aurora stretched out her hand toward the greenhouse in the cave and looked back at Lan. This meant: Now is the time for you two to talk.

"If I'm not mistaken." Lan En nodded to Aunt Airola, then walked down the last step and entered the greenhouse.

"Is that the five-star-leaved osmanthus? And the carnivorous flower, the omphalophyte?"

Lan lifted his hood and looked at the rare plants in the cave with interest, and asked Aunt Nenneke.

"At least half of the species here are already extinct in the outside world."

"Hehe." The plump old woman chuckled. "This is the first time I know that the famous Lord Hunter is so accomplished in herbal medicine?"

Lan's unhooded face passed through the junction of sunlight and darkness created by the crystal on his head.

The change in light made his brilliant silver hair shine and then fade away, and his eyes also glowed faintly before returning to normal.

Plus the roaring bear head pendant that was sliding down from the collar of the cloak and was shaking slightly.

This is a demon hunter from the Bear School, and he is tall and handsome.

Who else could it be?
Nenneke had little trouble figuring out the assignment.

"No, I'm mainly interested in alchemy."

Lan En walked up to the wealthy old woman and bowed to her.

"Good day, Aunt Nenneke."

The old woman nodded casually: "Good day to you too, Duke."

This casualness is not negligence, but rather the feeling that he is getting older and no longer cares about status. This may also be due to his detached attitude towards the secular world after dedicating his life to the gods.

Lan didn't care. After all, in terms of age, this kind and wealthy old woman looked at Geralt like a child, not to mention a young man like him.

"It seems that the 'evil wind' in the Pontar River Valley has brought you here? Yes, except for that place, this area can be said to be peaceful now."

Just like Aunt Airola, Nenneke immediately understood why Lan appeared in the Principality of Elland.

"But you should go to Seaward. He is the Grand Duke of Elland."

Nenneke wiped her dirt-stained hands on her apron before speaking.

Lan En smiled and shook his head, just tapping his eyes with his fingers.

"Hiward doesn't have a good reputation with me. Sister Nenneke, you should still remember how White Wolf was treated when he was recuperating here a few years ago?"

The wealthy old woman's brows suddenly relaxed.

"Oh, you know me through Geralt?"

There was a sense of security in her tone, as if the person Geralt introduced could naturally be trusted.

"Then I can understand that idiot Seaward, and his knights are all crazy."

"I should have stopped supplying him with aphrodisiacs. How can a man who can't even get an erection still have the nerve to speak so confidently?"

The wealthy and kind old man spoke disdainfully about the Duke of the Duchy's evaluation of her.

Lan En just smiled politely and didn't comment on this.

Nenneke took off her apron and placed it on a bench between several sunlit windows in the greenhouse, then led the way out.

"So those stories are true? You, Geralt, Dandelion, and a guy called Ged supported each other on the battlefields of the last war?"

Nenneke was speechless.

"It's not that I don't believe in the ballads and stories, I just don't. Especially since I know Dandelion. That bad boy would make up anything just to save face and get into bed with a lady."

"Uh, Aunt Nenneke," Lan said with a bit of embarrassment, "I agree with you in part, but Dandelion is also my friend."

The old woman smiled and turned her head as she walked up, looking Lan up and down again. "Well, it seems that you are indeed the kind of person that they can like."

When they walked out of the greenhouse, the temperature changed dramatically. But Nenneke seemed to feel nothing from beginning to end, and the roaring bear head pendant on Lan's neck also remained motionless because they left the magical greenhouse.

This phenomenon made the witcher look at the old woman thoughtfully.

“How many people are you bringing with you?” Nenneke asked as they walked. “I mean, how many people do I have to provide food and lodging for?”

"Ten people, don't worry. We won't be here long, and I'll pay."

“These are just small things.” Nenneke kept walking and waving at the distance.

Then a girl in plain clothes came trotting over. Lan had put his hood back on, so the girl didn't waste much time staring at him.

Nenneke skillfully instructed the girl on various matters, and with just a few concise words, she arranged for the food and lodging of ten people, as well as the storage and care of the war horses.

She has served the goddess in the Temple of Meliteli all her life, and no one understands and commands this temple better than her.

They passed by the main entrance. Lan raised his hand to greet the Embers, Kirins, and Flannel Balls, and they then quietly and orderly accepted the arrangements made by the priestess apprentices.

"Is Geralt okay?" Lan was a little surprised that Nenneke asked this question now.

"Physically and mentally, he's fine."

The witcher was very optimistic about the situation of his old friend.

“So,” Nenneke said, her tone hesitant. “What about his ‘fate’?”

"Are you talking about his famous child of destiny?" Lan En considered his words carefully. "Officially, we can only sadly believe that Princess Xilia has passed away. The better version is that she is still wandering somewhere."

Nenneke, no doubt, as someone who was partly aware of the situation, heard the hidden meaning in these cautious words.

A slightly relieved smile appeared on her face.

"You seem to be very concerned about Geralt's fate?" Lan En felt a little interested, so he said sharply.

Nenneke was silent for a moment, but then spoke out.

"That's because... my previous prediction about him was not very optimistic. It was full of images of sadness and death."

As she spoke, Sister Nenneke led Lan to the back garden of the temple.

There are lush and neatly trimmed flowers here. It is quiet and stylish, and most importantly, there is no one else. It looks like a good place for conversation.

Although the temple can be completely regarded as the territory of Sister Nenneke, Meliteli's teachings are tolerant and kind. There are also many believers in the temple who come from the outside world to seek treatment and help, or they are just passers-by.

It can be said that there are many people and many eyes.

This was also the reason why Nenneke had to give instructions on arranging food and lodging for the ten people, as there were always many people in the Temple of Meliteli.

If it's not arranged properly, things will really get messy.

"Geralt didn't tell me you could predict the future."

Lan En asked with his head tilted, which earned him a roll of the eyes from the old woman.

"It's not my prediction. To be precise, it's 'telepathy'. That was done by Aurora. The two of them went to bed and had physical and spiritual contact, which was very convenient for telepathy."

".Um?!"

The young man was stunned at first, then gradually dumbfounded, and then Nenneke seemed to react and quickly added.

"No! Not Aunt Irola! It's Little Irola!"

"Oh~"

Only then did Lan En show an understanding look.

"You let the priestess apprentice sleep with Geralt in order to make him telepathic?"

Nenneke patted Lan's arm lightly and spoke unhappily.

"Don't make me sound like a brothel madam, young man. This temple is full of young and lively female apprentices who have rarely seen men. When workers come to repair something, they can stand there and watch happily for a long time just by showing their arms."

"Natural sexual desire is natural and beautiful, child. Geralt was strong and single at the time. Little Ira was very interested in him, and she had a psychic gift, so I didn't care."

The young man shrugged. He was used to the openness of gender in this world. Moreover, Melitelli did not believe in the concept of virgin goddess. The images of pregnant women and old women in the three incarnations all carried maternal characteristics.

Therefore, priests and believers have even less reason to abstain from sex.

The last telepathic communication seemed to show a bad omen regarding Geralt and Ciri.

Ciri is not only Geralt's unexpected daughter, but Lan also cares about her.

But thinking about the life they are living now in Kaer Morhen, it seems that there is nothing to worry about.

Although Lan had never had much contact with Yennefer, he knew from hearing about her that she was a very powerful female sorceress.

I guess one person can keep both Geralt and Ciri in check and make them behave themselves.

(End of this chapter)