Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1529 1501. Serious Problem

"You're quick, Hanbei."

Outside the village gate that was split open by demons the previous evening, Lan En leaned against a rock, looking at the dust raised by the cavalry's hooves in the distance.

After the cavalrymen stopped in the distance, the leader rode forward and Lan En raised his hand to greet him.

The man was wearing battlefield armor. It seemed that Japanese armor had begun to absorb some European technology, and the body armor was already one-piece.

The helmet is very much in the style of the warriors of that era, like the hat worn by Zhuge Liang, the military advisor in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, except that it is made of steel and has a curtain hanging in front.

“But this hat is ugly.”

Lan En tilted his head and vented his complaints without any hesitation.

"Ha, please stop making fun of me." Takenaka Hanbei Shigeharu, the wise general who led the troops from Iwamura Castle, said in his usual gentle tone, touching his helmet and muttering. "I think it's pretty good-looking."

With his intelligence, when he saw Lan En standing at the entrance of the village without any nervousness or depression, he was basically able to determine that the changes here seemed to be over.

Therefore, he relaxed and talked to Lan En in a relaxed manner.

"I didn't expect so many things to happen in the once peaceful Meinong in just one day."

Hanbei said with emotion.

Yesterday morning, Lan En and his men went straight to Changzai Temple, and by the evening, they had already reached Shisanzakura Village.

If Miss Wuming had not ridden the Qilin and quickly ran to Iwamura Castle to explain the situation to her father-in-law, he would not have been able to mobilize a cavalry team in one night and rush to Jusanzakura Village overnight.

"Sir Lan, is the situation very serious?"

However, the relaxed atmosphere of the conversation did not last. Hanbei lowered his voice and asked Lan En in a serious tone.

The situation he was talking about was certainly not referring to the Thirteen Sakura Village behind.

It's just a village, it's really not important.

Although Hanbei is not a cold-blooded person, the value of a village is objective, and if it is not important, it is not important.

He was asking about Jōzai-ji Temple and even Inabayama Castle!

Takenaka Hanbei was a military strategist who was known as one of the "Warring States Ryobei" together with Kuroda Josui who later became famous.

It is normal for a brain like his to see through the plans several steps ahead.

Among the shocking events of yesterday, there is no doubt that the biggest problem was that the Changzai Temple where the incident occurred was right opposite Inabayama Castle, but Miss Wuming's warning notice had to be sent to the farther Iwamura Castle, to the hands of her father-in-law.

The guardian of Mino Province is the Saito clan, and now the position of the Saito clan's head has long been passed from Master Michisa to Master Yoshitatsu.

Such a huge [Disaster of Filth] has occurred in Mino Province, and as the head of the family who protects Mino, there is no reason for me to ignore it.

And to be more realistic, if it was just the head of the temple, Higo Shonin, who secretly colluded with certain forces and wanted to play a conspiracy, then the Saito family might have to handle it with caution and restraint, calmly and without publicity.

After all, Master Nichigo came from a prominent family, and most of the prestigious families in Mino were his relatives.

But since it has involved monsters and evil spirits, there is nothing to argue about even if the matter is brought to the Kyoto court, which is no longer able to handle the matter.

Those who deserve to be killed must be killed!

On the issue of "exorcising demons", the Japanese daimyo and the imperial court had some consensus.

And Hanbei also absolutely believed that this Ming man in front of him, whose origins were mysterious and whom he could not see through at all, would definitely realize this.

But he still let Miss Wuming go to Iwamura Castle.

This had to make Hanbei think more.

"Didn't Wuming tell you clearly?"

Unexpectedly, Lan En asked back in surprise.

"Well, you know." Hanbei's gentle voice was a little halting, "Ms. Wuming's grammar and expression are a little..."

Simply put, I never went to school.

Wuming could repeat Lan En's words back to him, but he was unable to accurately describe the specific situation at that time to Hanbei in vivid detail.

Truth is a very simple question.

The demon hunter shook his head helplessly: "Okay."

Lan used his own words to communicate with Hanbei.

It can be seen that the military advisor was very relieved. It seemed that the previous communication with Wuming made him feel very tired.

However, his communication with Lan En was extremely efficient.

Because two people can always point out problems and doubts directly, while the other person can understand them immediately and explain them in depth.

This kind of logic and communication skills, in this world and at this time, are excellent qualities that can only be possessed by a good education and logical training.

"Lord Yoshitatsu, you actually stood by and watched the [Eternal Darkness] that enveloped the entire Jiulin Mountain, and Inabayama Castle did nothing from beginning to end?!"

Hanbei took a deep breath, the disbelief in his tone evident.

"Since you have inherited the Saito family name, you should be responsible for protecting it. How can you do this?!" "He has already done this." Lan En interrupted his surprise, "I see you don't seem to believe it? In your eyes, Saito Yoshitatsu is not someone who would be involved with monsters?"

"My lord has always been cautious and self-disciplined, and he has always been thoughtful in his words and deeds, and he doesn't say much about other things." Hanbei shook his head and sighed, "But."

What Hanbei meant was that Saito Yoshitatsu didn't talk much even in front of his retainers, and never let others easily understand his thoughts and inclinations.

This is not a problem, as this is the leadership style of many lords. If subordinates are not sure about their own temperament, they will be more cautious and serious in their work.

However, no matter how much he tried to hide his thoughts, in the eyes of a local samurai like Hanbei in Mino, he should not stand idly by and watch the monster.

And
“This is no small matter.”

Hanbei said in a serious voice.

"According to your description, Inabayama Castle, which is just across from the Jozai Temple, not only has there been no movement, there is not even a sign of alert in the castle."

"Even if we assume the most optimistic possibility: Lord Yilong was not in the city at the time, he was out hunting, and no one could make the decision at that time."

"But Inabayama Castle is the strongest castle in the world built by Master Dao San. Even if the lord of the castle is out hunting, all the security forces in the city should start to be on alert according to the regulations. Unless..."

At the end of his speech, the sadness in Hanbei's eyes made it difficult for him to speak.

"Unless," Lan En whispered what he couldn't say, "There was someone in the city who was in charge at that time, and that person gave the order and just watched the changes that happened in Changzai Temple and didn't do anything."

Even though Lan En completed the words he couldn't say, there was no relief on Hanbei's face, only heaviness.

"Please prepare to leave with me, Lord Lan."

Hanbei bowed seriously to the demon hunter and said this.

"At this point, even my father-in-law is no longer able to handle this matter. In other words, there is only one person in the entire Meinong who can make the decision."

Saito Dosan was the former head of the Saito family, who had nominally retired as a monk, and the former daimyo of Mino.

Without Hanbei saying the name, Lan knew who he was talking about.

"The village has just calmed down. There is a friend who fainted last night." Lan En did not shirk or delay. He straightened up from the rock he was leaning on and said, "Let me see how she is now. If she is okay, we will leave."

"Excuse me."

Hanbei bowed again, and Lan opened his mouth, still a little uncomfortable.

To put it another way, he felt that if it was about communication, then Hanbei's intelligence and the knowledge he learned from Bai Ze would allow them to chat.

However, he can only feel more relaxed when he is with people like Wuming and Axiu who are not too reserved and don't care about etiquette and rules.

"By the way, Bai Ze returns it to you."

Lan En waved his hand and walked towards the village without looking back. On his shoulder, Bai Ze broke away and flew back behind Hanbei.

In fact, when the spirits were divided this time, Hanbei's strength was not that great. Lan En would call the old goat out to chat whenever he had time, and the old goat was also very interested in chatting with him.

So the soul splitting was about to end, and the guardian spirit automatically returned to its original host.

Hanbei felt a sense of relief when the teacher he had known since childhood returned to his side.

And behind Lan En's side, because of the fluctuations of the guardian spirit returning to its original owner, the image of a majestic, calm and peaceful divine beast flashed by.

Hanbei almost felt his breathing stop.

“Shocking, isn’t it?”

Bai Ze returned to his original boarder and shook his goat ears, speaking with a trembling voice.

"teacher?"

"Don't feel weak, Hanbei." Bai Ze knew what his student was feeling without even looking at his face. They were already too familiar with each other.

"Even if you only look at that awe-inspiring and sacred figure, you will feel shocked. Not to mention you, I also feel very stressed when I am next to it."

"Hu~" After the teacher's persuasion, Hanbei finally let out the breath that was held in his chest.

But I still feel excited.

At this moment, he still remembered the indifferent and casual glance of [Guardian Spirit·Qilin].

"It really is a Qilin."

Takenaka Hanbei lowered his head and sighed to himself.

Although he was already prepared mentally when his teacher spoke to him in Iwamura Castle because he understood the teacher's hints.

But at the moment, it seems that we are just "thinking we are prepared".

"The symbol of a benevolent and peaceful world, the leader of the five divine beasts, spits out the Jade Book of the Su Wang."

When Hanbei acquired the guardian spirit, Shirazawa, his reading volume surpassed almost everyone else of that era.

Ancient documents, records about strange life forms, changes in the divinity of gods and changes in sacrificial specifications over time. Hanbei, who owns Bai Ze, is almost a library recording system for these legends.

However, when the legendary [Qilin] really appeared in front of him, he still sincerely felt a sense of unreality and shock that "the magical things he had learned and seen came from the book into reality."

(End of this chapter)