Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 988 970. Schedule
Lan En and Berengar were both stunned by the candidates recommended by Geralt.

Shapeshifter.
The magic of this ancient creature lies in its extraordinary ability to imitate.

As long as the shapeshifter observes a person for a period of time, it can turn into that person - not only the body, but also the clothes and even the tools he holds can be simulated. Of course, the weight of the person cannot be too different from him.

The shapeshifter can also copy the person's voice, way of thinking, acting style, professional knowledge and skills, etc. This is because - in Geralt's words - it can copy the victim's brain characteristics and mind, or soul. .

Of course, Lan En, who had just returned from the World of Fire, had a different view on the issue of souls.

The reputation of shape-shifters among intelligent creatures is not any better than that of water ghosts and ghouls because of their kind nature.

A deformed monster with pus all over its body and snarling teeth is certainly scary.

But wouldn't a 'replicant' who steals your identity, appearance, skills, and even all social relationships make the person involved feel even more chilling?
The physical monster can still be dealt with with a silver sword, but how should we deal with this 'social relationship' thief?

Human beings are the sum total of all social relationships, and shapeshifters have the ability to completely replace humans from a social perspective.

That is a more complete 'killing' than the 'disappearance' of the physical body.

Therefore, shapeshifters are very different from other humanoid creatures. They have suffered a wave of large-scale hunting by humans in this world.

Today, it has become something rare and almost a fairy tale.

At least Lan En had never seen such a humanoid creature.

"Do you even know shapeshifters?"

The young witcher admired the old man's connections.

Sure enough, the decades of wandering around the mainland were not in vain.

But Geralt's face looked a little strange, as if he was remembering a strange experience.

Thinking about it this way, the process of his getting to know the shapeshifter should be really strange.

While thinking about it, Lan En pinched his chin.

"Since he is the candidate you recommended, then I have no doubts about this Dudu's character."

"But a shapeshifter, how did he become a businessman in Novigrad? Borrowing the face and business acumen of a dead businessman?"

"It's true that the face is borrowed." Geralt shrugged, "But the business acumen should be Dudu's own. No one stipulates that a shapeshifter must not be able to do business."

"And the owner of that face doesn't make as much as he does."

"That's the face of Dandy Bibwit, the halfling from Polygonum Pasture. Now Dudu is running business in Novigrad using his cousin's name, Dudu Bibwit. Earning money Dandy’s share of the money is considered a dividend.”

"So the borrowed face is no trouble."

Geralt introduced the shapeshifter he knew to Lan one by one.

"Furthermore, his identity is a shape-shifter. If the cooperation between the two of you really succeeds, he becomes greedy later. You can also use this identity to protect your own interests."

What Geralt said was in line with his work style.

Even if you are trying to bring together two friends who have a good relationship to cooperate, you will first talk about the possibility of a bad situation.

As long as you prepare for the worst, you won't appear overly panicked and desperate when encountering difficulties.

This is Geralt's wisdom in life.

But on the other hand, he also said this to Lan En out of trust in his morality.

He was convinced that if Dudu had done nothing wrong, then Lan En would not be able to embarrass a shapeshifter.

Lan En nodded, indicating that he understood what Jero meant.

"Then there's only one last question left. Is he willing to take over the management of my property?"

Lan En said with his arms crossed.

"After all, it sounds like he already has a career of his own in Novigrad."

"Dudu seems to like the process of making money. He never gets tired of it."

Geralt patted his thigh.

"How about it? If you want to hire him, we can go to Novigrad together. The shapeshifter is very cautious. If a strange-looking witcher comes to look for him, he will probably hide himself."

"Finding a shapeshifter in a big city is no easy task, even for a witcher."

"Novigrad?"

"Yes." Geralt stood up from the chair, "I have been away for long enough. It's time to change shifts with Lambert."

"Go north to Kaedwen and return to Kaer Morhen to take care of Ciri. I can take care of this with you when we pass through Novigrad."

"I think you are afraid that Yennefer will tear Kaer Morhen apart."

Although Lan En and Yennefer had met once on the battlefield, this powerful and cold sorceress had an untouchable temperament that was too distinct.

Lan En couldn't help but want to laugh just thinking about Geralt, a boring gourd, acting so 'well-behaved' in front of the other party.

The matter was settled, and his asset manager finally had an idea, so this troublesome matter was removed from Lan En's mind.

And a trip to Novigrad. No matter what Margarita 'conspired' with Tisaya, it shouldn't affect him. Perfect.
-
Although Geralt had to change shifts with Lambert, Aretuza's mission still had to be delayed for a while, and he could finish the work before leaving.

After making an agreement with Lan, Geralt began to speed up the completion of the mission.

And Lan En was not idle either.

After coming out of the Valyrian blacksmith workshop, he entered the crystal cultivation laboratory without stopping.

While Tissaya is here, their experiment can now be the same as it was in the early days, with an experienced and powerful mage and a talented and far-sighted researcher.

This is a great opportunity to move research forward.

Although Tissaya took a leave of absence from the affairs of the Talent and Skills Association.

But conducting their research with Lan En seemed to be quite relaxing for her.

Tissaya frowned the first time she entered the laboratory, and then gently waved a hand that was originally reserved on her lower abdomen.

The originally slightly messy laboratory was tidied up again.

"The last time we treated the noble whose lower body was injured by an evil spirit was very effective."

Tisaya walked to Lan En and said, and even the well-informed Archmage couldn't help but be speechless when talking about the gameplay of the nobles.

"Now the reputation of crystal cultivation technology is widely spread among the upper class, and people have high expectations for this technology."

As she spoke, Tissaya glanced sideways at Lan En's side face.

"Of course, our project funds have been exhausted since you last came off the battlefield. But I still hope that people can identify with the prospects of this technology. Just think of it as a stubborn old mage. "

"No, it's okay, Tissaya. And you don't look old at all."

Lan En had already put on a white coat at this time. With the change of scene and clothing, he no longer looked like a warrior with ease and explosiveness.

Holding the record board while observing the experimental equipment, and writing and drawing on the record board, he looks more like a tall and confident scholar.

Lan En complimented without turning his head when he spoke.

Tissaya, on the other hand, glanced at the demon hunter's side face with her peripheral vision, then sat down behind the desk in the laboratory.

It's just that Tissaya, who used to be able to subconsciously arrange things on the table symmetrically and neatly, now has a bit of a messy approach.

Lan En, who was fully focused on the experiment, was still informing Tissaya about the progress of their experiment during this period.

"The keel growth solution is still the most efficient type of growth solution at present, but I have proposed three other types of growth solution ideas and gave them to Felicia for verification before I left last time. What was the final result?"

Phylicia Corey, a sorceress apprentice who was taken by Tisaya to work in the laboratory.

Only then did Tissaya realize that she was standing in the corner of the laboratory.

Tisaya pursed her lips. Her attention was so drawn just now that she didn't notice that there were more people.

Felicia was very used to serving as a witcher at this time, even more familiar than serving under Tisaya.

Lan En's communication skills allowed him to complete the work integration between Felicia and him without even intending to do so.

This kind of communication ability is simply the most important 'lubricant' and 'glue' in team work.

“With the help of Ms. Mattie Sodergren, she and I successfully implemented two of the growth solution preparations.”

Felicia responded while flipping through her experimental records for comparison.

Mattie Sodergren was the sorceress who performed the skin transplant surgery on Triss. She specialized in healing spells and opened a clinic outside the academy in Goss Willen.

This healing spell also made her one of the participants in the crystal cultivation project.

But Lan En’s deepest impression of this sorceress he had never met before was——

Tissaya said that if she and Lan were working at the same operating table, the thought of having sex would be far stronger in her mind than the thought of working.

A standard sorceress with open ideas and strong sexual desire.

"One of the growth solutions is exactly what you'd expect in your imagination."

Felicia continued to report.

"This growth fluid does not greatly promote the growth rate of organs, but it helps to build the organs more accurately."

"Are we going to use this growth solution this time?"

"This is it." In the laboratory, Lan En tied his molten silver hair into a ponytail. While writing the experimental records on the record board, he ordered Felicia to start work.

"The shortcomings of growth speed can be compensated for by magic stimulation under special circumstances, right?"

The first half of the sentence was an explanation to Felicia, and the second half was a question. Lan En turned his head and looked at Tisaya behind the desk with a smile.

The so-called special situation is that there is a great mage who can provide energy throughout the experiment.

Although Margarita could be called before, on the one hand, although she has a lazy personality, she is a responsible teacher and principal. She can't exhaust herself to the bottom of her magic power on an experiment, right?
On the other hand, although Margarita and Tisaya are both archmages, the gap in magic power between them is a bit big.

(End of this chapter)