Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 1958 1930. An Unexpected Execution
“But perfumers who have been here for a long time will eventually develop their own interests, like this.”

As he spoke, the perfumer took a sip of the liquor in the golden cup in his hand, as if demonstrating.

"Using poisonous flowers to enhance the flavor of drinks, while the other ingredients in the drinks ensure that these poisonous flowers not only do not harm the human body, but are actually beneficial. This is the beauty of medicine and perfumery."

Marley Marley chimed in, "In Sunshade City, even the most random soldier has some knowledge of how to use poison. They all know how to brew wine with poisonous flowers."

"It was this kind of liquor that prevented them from suffering long-term damage from the toxic gases escaping from the poisonous swamp. It's just that what we drink now is even better; it's brewed by the perfumers themselves."

In closing, Maré Maré also showed great understanding: "If you don't like it, we can switch to regular wine."

"No, it's nothing. It's nice to try something new."

As he spoke, Lan En poured the wine into his golden cup.

However, he stopped the perfumer who wanted to pour a glass for the plush ball as well.

“A cat’s tongue is very sensitive,” the witcher said with a laugh as he took back the wine jug offered to him. “It never drinks alcohol.”

“We have been unkind in our hospitality,” Mare Mare said humbly. “We in Sunshade City were unaware of your arrival. But please do not be disappointed. At least this afternoon, I would like to invite you to witness the execution of Elonmel by the Mare family.”

“Yes!” The perfumer across the long table nodded in agreement, his tone tinged with reminiscence. “In the past, punishments were taken very seriously. When the Mare family was first established, whenever his ancestors used severe punishments, the royal city would send an overseer to ensure the entire process was legal and compliant.”

"Later, the Grand Justice established his residence at the volcano. Mount Gemir was closer to Sunshade City, and the Grand Justice was an official in charge of the judiciary. So the later supervisors were all sent from the volcano's residence."

"But now that the dynasty is in such a mess, the Volcano Palace certainly won't have anyone here to deal with these trivial matters. If the royal city hadn't sent an envoy, the execution by the Mare family might have been a bit against the rules."

The veteran perfumer seemed very eager to recommend the drinks he had, frequently refilling the bottles of Lann and Mare Mare's glasses.

It was a fairly ordinary welcoming banquet. Lan En had no intention of causing trouble, and the Mare family didn't dare to give the envoy representing the royal city a hard time, so the atmosphere was naturally fine.

After the banquet was over, Marre Marre gave a final toast and then raised his glass to Lann before rising from his seat at the long table.

So the old perfumer and Lan En, who were accompanying them, naturally stopped as well.

“Ahem,” Mare Mare coughed, pressing his hand against his mask. “It’s almost time, everyone. Please move along. I need to make some preparations first.”

“This is a tradition of the Mare family.” The old perfumer stood up as well. “The Mare family has established itself and passed down its traditions as the executioners of the dynasty. All serious criminals must be executed by a member of the Mare family. There is a set of etiquette and rules involved.”

He extended his hand to Lan En in a gesture of invitation, clearly taking over the role of receptionist from the Lord of Sunshade City.

This natural action allowed Lan En to gain a deeper understanding of the status of perfumers in Sunshade City.

The Mare family suffers from a strange genetic disease, and each generation is among the shortest-lived in the Golden Tree people.

Normal people of the Golden Tree are immortal during the Golden Law era; only external factors can cause them to die physically and return to the tree.

However, the Marais's hereditary disease was clearly difficult to treat, so much so that they signed contracts with perfumers in the distant past, employing a group of perfumers as full-time family physicians.

To alleviate the suffering of the patients in the Marai family and to do their best to prolong their lives.

However, the Mare family, who were the city's lords, were born and died in waves. But the soldiers and perfumers in Sunshade City remained immortal.

Even the perfumer who once cared for the first head of the Marley family is still taking care of Marley Marley now.

This gave Riyin City, a medium-sized castle located in a remote corner of the Yatan Plateau, a feeling of 'an ironclad camp with ever-changing heads of the Mare family'.

This, of course, leads to some problems. For example, the perfumers here are very prestigious, and even Marie Marie, the owner of the castle, usually communicates with them mostly through consultation.

Of course I'll do any work that comes my way, but I'll try my best to avoid any misunderstandings or conflicts.

Led by the old perfumer, Lan En and the velvet ball went down one floor of the castle and arrived at the middle level.

There is a fairly large terrace here, on which are placed instruments of torture such as gallows and beheading racks.

Furthermore, the surrounding area was very well-organized, unlike the execution grounds in ordinary castles, which were rarely maintained due to the stench and blood.

This can be seen as a demonstration of the Mare family's emphasis on their greatest responsibility as a clan of executioners.

Although it is called an execution ground, due to the special status of the Mare family, it should also serve as a ceremony venue and a performance venue.

Therefore, many wooden walkways were built on the surrounding city walls, serving as viewing platforms overlooking the ceremony.

When Lan En arrived, there were already quite a few people standing on the wooden walkways.

There are perfumers, soldiers, and simple servants within the castle.

Everyone wants to see evildoers punished in this turbulent era.

Especially for criminals like Elon Mel, whose crimes were extremely heinous, they were subjected to the clear and just punishment of the executioners.

After Lan En was brought here, the old perfumer greeted him and then went about his business.

The Witcher saw him walk onto the wooden walkway and meet up with a group of perfumers.

Lan En stood behind the crowd on the platform, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. The fluffy ball found a spot nearby where wooden crates were stacked, hopped up, sat on a corner of one, stretched its head, and swung its legs, full of curiosity.

Without keeping the onlookers waiting long, the soldiers of Sunshade brought Elonmer, whose body was covered in iron thorns, forward.

The moment the prisoner appeared, it was like a pot boiling over!
With a 'buzz,' a chorus of voices erupted, along with shouts, curses, and even cries!
Within the crowd, some wanted to rush forward and attack Elon Meir. The anger and rage in their eyes were genuine.

They appear to be family members of the victims.

However, the soldiers of Sunshade City remained steadfast in their duty, forming a defensive line to suppress the chaotic crowd. They prevented the surging emotions within the crowd from disrupting the execution rituals and the law itself upon which the Mare family relied for its existence.

"Silence! Ahem! Silence!"

His sudden, booming shout, accompanied by a trembling, resonant voice, silenced the entire room with his authority and status.

Maré, the current head of the Maré family, followed the procession that was escorting Elonmer.

His attire remained largely unchanged, except that he now wore a magnificent rapier sheathed at his waist.

Meanwhile, two servants followed closely behind, carrying a long, rustic wooden box.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, but not all of them were directed at cursing or hurling insults at Elon Meir.

"The execution sword! The Mare family's execution sword has been brought out!"

"Alright! Execute him!"

"The most severe punishment should be delivered with the execution sword of the Marei family!"

The Mare family's heirloom sword seems to represent one of the most severe forms of execution.

Therefore, the crowd cheered as soon as they saw the long wooden box.

Many people even raised their hands and cheered, causing their arms and the thick wooden boards hanging around their necks, which resembled handcuffs, to sway and obstruct their view.

The velvet balls all stood up on top of the wooden box.

As a little war fanatic, it was naturally very curious about legendary weapons with great prestige and wanted to see what they were like.

But just as the plush ball was considering whether to jump forward to get a better view, a soft sound stopped it.

"Don't get excited, it's just a velvet ball."

"Meow?"

The calico kitten first let out a soft meow instinctively, then realized that in such a noisy environment, the whispers it could hear must not be coming from its ears.

Looking down, the kitten indeed saw Lan En not far from the pile of wooden boxes where it was, a cold white magic symbol on his hand gradually disappearing under his cover.

The modified [Axis] hand seal has been completed.

So the velvet ball, just like before, plopped down on the corner of the box, as if nothing had happened.

"Boss, what's wrong, meow?"

“Something’s not right.” Lan En, who was communicating several steps away through a magic seal, shook his head seemingly unintentionally in the direction of the wooden walkways on the city wall, as if he were stretching his neck.

"Those perfumers, they wear a much stronger scent of perfume. Compared to the perfumers in the royal city, it's as if they've marinated themselves in the fragrance."

"Although I noticed their perfume was strong as soon as I entered Sunshade City, I analyzed that the ingredients in the perfume were similar to those of the perfumers in the royal city. But now... it seems they've suddenly started carrying a rather unusual fragrance."

At this point, even the velvet ball understood.

The kitten blinked its big, watery eyes at the witcher, then nimbly leaped from the pile of wooden crates onto the wooden walkway.

And as if they were vying for a good spot, they pushed their way forward through the crowd.

That was one of the places where perfumers gathered.

Elonmer was escorted to his place on the execution platform.

He was covered in iron thorns, with several extra-thick iron thorns locking his hands and legs to pull rings on the ground.

Maré Maré also went to the execution platform.

But he frowned beneath his mask and asked the soldiers who had finished escorting the prisoner and were about to leave, "Didn't you take off his armor?"

But the soldiers passing by the city lord were also bewildered: "Didn't they say that under the executioner's sword, this armor is no different from not having any armor at all, so... so there's no need to put in any effort?"

Who told you that?

"A perfumer, huh?"

"..." Mare Mare paused for a moment, then shook his head. "It's alright, you can go now."

Although they were dissatisfied with the perfumers' perfunctory attitude in such an execution ceremony that was so crucial to the foundation of the Marais family.

However, Maré Maré still wanted to complete the execution first.

Without further ado, the Lord of Sunshade City held a golden tree holy mark, which looked like it was made of shattered light, in his left hand.

The emblem of the Golden Law flashed before Mare Mare as he bowed his head in prayer, radiating brilliant golden light.

The crowd below the execution platform also clasped their hands together, their faces devout.

However, after the golden light passed, the body of the Sunshade City Lord suddenly stiffened!
Because the execution platform array, which was supposed to respond to his prayers and subdue the condemned man... did not light up! Let alone trap and subdue Elon Meir inside!
Instead, it was Elon Meir who should have been executed!

A small paper packet appeared in his hand at some point, and with a sinister laugh, he tore it in half! Then he clapped his hands vigorously!

The strong fragrance and dust spread out as he tore open the paper package and clapped his hands!
(End of this chapter)