Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1948 1920. The Underground Prison
"Although the mimicry veil is just a 'playful' thing, it is still a work by Queen Marika."

Melina glanced at Greik, who had slumped into the base of the broken statue after the smoke and dust had cleared.

Compared to Lan En, who was wielding the [Ninety-Nine Weapons] and managed to stay clean from the dust with his swordsmanship until the very end, he looked much more disheveled now.

The lime dust made his already gray hair look even more like it was covered in powder.

His left elbow was completely severed, and his right scapula was pierced through. The blood gushing from the wounds mixed with the lime on the ground, becoming thick and dirty.

"The Mimicry Veil allows the user to transform into many things, not just people; inanimate objects like stone pillars and jars are no problem. Yet, he used the Mimicry Veil to transform into a noblewoman..."

At this point, even Melina, with her usual cold and calm demeanor, couldn't help but shake her head.

"I'm afraid he's too eager to leave the city safely. After all, no one would believe that a demigod of the Golden Dynasty would disguise himself as a woman and escape from Rodel."

This is a complete abandonment of face and dignity. No wonder Lan En felt that Grek's emotions were extremely extreme and unstable when he fought with him earlier.

After all, he made such a humiliating decision himself, and only he knows the psychological pain and obsession he endured.

The Golden Dynasty reigns supreme over the entire border region, and the Golden Demigods are undoubtedly at the top of the dynasty.

This occurred less than a month after the dynasty underwent a major upheaval, with Prince Godwin being assassinated.

With the Golden Law's operational flaws already manifesting in the material world shortly after the Law Ring shatters, it's only a short time before the ring breaks.

But in this extremely short time, Greck has completely abandoned his dignity and composure as a top figure in the Golden Dynasty. For the sake of survival and future possibilities, he has no qualms whatsoever and has started fighting!
The speed and intensity of his shifts in mindset are probably unmatched by most people in the entire border region.

If such a person can consistently undergo trials and training, he might actually become a terrifying figure.

But that's just a possibility.

Now, during the standoff before the battle, he tried to sneak out of Rodel, but was discovered and captured halfway.

Even considering his status as a member of the Golden Clan, he would likely only be released by the victors and regain his freedom after everything has settled down.

On the side guarded by the velvet ball and the big tree, several knights were swept away by the huge, heavy golden halberd and were torn away like rag dolls.

The battle on their side is also nearing its end.

After Melina explained the use of the mimicry veil to Lan En, she turned into a patch of pale blue light and disappeared.

Not long after she transformed into her spirit form, Sir Hundred Wisdoms took the lead and appeared there with Krepp and Viherer.

Behind them, a group of Rodell knights and soldiers hurried along.

"What's going on here?"

Gideon Ofnier, who usually looks like he's hunched over with a cane, can actually run faster than the two faded ones behind him.

Upon spotting the Witcher, he called out loudly from a distance.

"Lan En! The demigod Grik has stirred up chaos and is preparing to escape in the confusion! What about you here..."

As he was shouting, Sir Hundred's helmet suddenly swept across the knight statue, which was clearly damaged, yet still stood firm thanks to the solid and luxurious materials and superb technology of the Golden Dynasty.

The gaze swept from top to bottom, finally settling on the cracked base.

It was still dark under his helmet, but for some reason, others could easily sense his... bewilderment.

Or rather, bewildered.

"Have you...found anything...?"

The second half of the sentence was muttered, growing softer and softer, coming from under Sir Hundred's helmet.

Sir Bai Zhi, who had been running wildly, stopped, and then Lan En strolled over to his side.

The two looked down at Grek, who had fallen unconscious into the dent in the base of the statue.

"That commotion just now," a voice came from inside Sir Hundred's helmet, "was it the sound of you two fighting?"

Given Gideon Ophniel's intelligence, he basically understood what was happening the moment he saw this scene; he was just confirming it now.

Lan En nodded, then gestured with his chin toward the land behind him, now a mess from the war ash released by Grik.

He didn't even need to say a word; Bai Zhi, a seasoned veteran, already figured it out.

"Battle Ash, developed by imitating the power of the War King? Then it's not surprising that there's this commotion."

After saying this, there was a deeper meaning in his words.

"Even if it was just imitation, you are still a warrior who defeated a demigod, Lann."

“There are differences even among demigods.” The Witcher showed no sign of being flattered. He looked down at the unconscious demigod. “Greek’s mindset changed quickly at this crucial moment. He was able to abandon his dignity and pride. He disguised himself as a woman in an attempt to sneak out of the city.”

"His mentality is ruthless enough, which makes him someone of importance. But he has wasted too much time in the glorious Golden Age of the past. Apart from the basic power brought by his bloodline, everything else is a complete mess."

"Defeating a demigod like that isn't something to be proud of, Bai Zhi." "In the War of the Giants, such an achievement wouldn't even be considered impressive, would it?"

Gideon Ofnir remained silent. He glanced at Lann, who seemed genuinely indifferent, and then said, "...You really are arrogant, Lann."

In fact, even during the War of the Titans, someone like Grik, who gained power through superior bloodline but didn't train much, was still worthy of being called a famous hero.

Even in those days when the border region was not yet unified, he was the supreme leader of a small force or ethnic group.

The bloodline of the Gothic people and the blessing of the Golden Law are not just empty words.

This is a force that has truly conquered and subdued the entire border region!

In the current situation, Greck is a demigod of the Golden Dynasty, holding an extremely high political position. Outside the walls of Rodel, his father is stationed with troops, watching with predatory eyes.

This makes Greck even more crucial.

Lan En, who had captured such a key figure, seemed completely unconcerned.

This made Sir Hundred Wisdom ponder: Where exactly did this guy hang out before?
How come I've never heard of this kind of character in the Battle of Titans?
What are you doing? !
In any case, the fact that Grek was found and stopped was a great thing for Rodel.

Sir Hundred immediately took over the area and directed the Rhodes Knights and soldiers who followed him to get to work.

"Treat him first! The Golden Law can't make a demigod immortal! He won't die, but if he's overwhelmed by his injuries and suffers a mental breakdown, that would be a big problem."

"Don't use the Red Dewdrop Chalice Bottle on him! Do you even want to heal him? Get the perfumer over here!"

Gideon Ophniel was far more rational and thoughtful than others; at least his thinking had begun to deliberately break free from the Golden Law.

Otherwise, who knows who might remember to bandage and treat this injured demigod at this moment?

After all, in the Golden Age, it would have been quite ridiculous to say that a demigod could be injured.

After Grek's failed escape, Lann no longer needed to stand guard at the city gate.

After all, this is a genuine achievement.

Sir Hundred Wisdom and Two-Finger Spy Krepp, two intelligence and espionage professionals, are now personally setting up a checkpoint at the city gate, ensuring everyone can pass through.

They were afraid that they might accidentally cause a major incident.

Viherer, as a magical advisor, is now needed everywhere in Rodel, even by the Blessed King. It seems he is tasked with designing a magic circle that allows knights to summon their lost mounts at any time, anywhere.

While this type of magic array has a wide range of uses, it is also very expensive. The Golden Dynasty didn't pay much attention to it before, but now it seems that the Blessed King wants to equip his private army with it.

Therefore, after seeing that Grek hadn't run away, Viherer hurriedly left.

Lann was arranged to return to the Round Table Hall to rest, and on the way, he also escorted Grek to Rodel's prison.

Since the Faded Ones were working for the Two Fingers of the Round Table, and mostly in violent ways, it was no surprise that they were connected to Rodel's prison.

So, as Lann escorted the half-conscious Grek, whose wounds had at least stopped bleeding, deeper underground, away from the sacred gold and pristine white stone of the surface, they reached the underground prison, where they saw the damp blue bricks and the cold candlelight.

The listless jailer simply held up a candlestick, glanced into Lan En's eyes, and then, as if nothing was amiss, handed him a bunch of keys.

"What's been going on these past few days, Mr. Faded One?" the jailer muttered. "You've never been this diligent when you've been shoving people here before."

"And where did you get so many tough guys from these people you captured?"

Lan En glanced at Grek, whom he had dragged in, and then at the jailer.

A demigod's size could block the door.

"How much did you drink?" Lan En asked with certainty.

"No, hiccup!" The jailer paused, then hiccuped. "Not much, sir. But... in this state, why not drink? The great Golden Law no longer favors us! Life and death are in the hands of fate!"

Lan En shook his head, ignoring the jailer who was trying to escape reality with alcohol, and walked straight toward the damp and cold iron gate.

The underground prison used part of the royal city's sewer system, so the smell was unpleasant whether anyone was there or not.

The squeaking of mice could be heard from the darkness, coming out in a muffled, squeaky manner.

Lan En followed the road and locked Grek in a high-security cell.

After the demigod was thrown inside and the door was closed, a golden pillar of light spontaneously appeared on the ground and ceiling, encircling the demigod inside.

Lan En looked at the top and bottom of the pillar of light; the pattern in the circle was the emblem of the Golden Law Basicism.

It seems this place was set up by Wang Fuladagan.

After imprisoning Grek, Lann did not immediately leave this unpleasant place.

Instead, he went to check out several cells where people had recently been imprisoned.

(End of this chapter)