Astartes of the Bear School

Chapter 97 97. Gift

The innkeeper turned around and left as if he didn't see anything.

 Gunt O'Dimm naturally sat next to Lan En, as if he were an old friend for many years.

 But unfortunately, the witcher's attitude has always been cold.

“Judging from your clothes, I always thought you didn’t have much money.”

　　Speaking harsh words in a calm tone, Lan En's performance is enough to make any normal person angry.

 But Gunter Odim cannot be called a normal person in terms of mentality or from a more fundamental point of view.

"These days are indeed difficult, but you are a big customer, Lan En. If I can negotiate a good deal with you, it will be worth all the treasure I have to spend."

 “I’m flattered, Glass Boy. Let me make sure, is this a ‘please’?”

After getting a positive reply from the other party, Lan En picked up the red wine on the plate, greeted the other party, and drank it down in one gulp.

 After drinking, Lan En wiped his mouth and prepared to continue speaking.

It is unrealistic to escape at this moment. As long as the other party doesn't want to, then even if you turn into withered bones, you won't be able to escape from the other party. You might as well just comply with his wishes.

"What you said when you left made me think that I would encounter trouble on the way to Vizima, but you only showed up now. In other words, what I am going to encounter next is the real thing that can make you Are you having trouble signing a contract with me?"

 “If I say yes, will you stop doing it?”

The creature wearing a human face showed an intriguing smile, and after Lan En showed an indifferent chuckle, the arc became wider and wider.

“It’s doing business with people like you that makes me feel that life has meaning, Lan En. I’m bored to death by those guys who seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, choose the best solution all the way, but fail in the end!”

 “For your courage, I can let you ask a question.”

 Lan En raised his eyebrows.

 “It doesn’t count as a contract?”

  “Doesn’t count.”

"whatever?"

"whatever."

 In the hotel, the firelight of the fireplace was swaying, and a creature that could tamper with reality became Lan En's question-and-answer machine within the scope of "one question."

 Power, money, strength, life span. It seems that all desires can be refined into a question at this moment, and then input into this question and answer machine, and then the answer can be obtained.

Half of Gaunt O'Dimm's face was buried in the shadows. The flickering firelight made it difficult to tell whether the smile on his face was a ferocious smile? Or smile?

“I originally wanted to ask you who was behind this slave trade incident. But after thinking about it, I decided not to.”

Lan En supported his chin with his hand, tilted his head and looked at the other person.

From beginning to end, those profound secrets never moved his mind.

Power and money are not as satisfying as killing the mastermind behind the scenes.

 “Oh? Why not?”

 Gunt O'Dimm asked happily.

“Because I don’t know how to ask this question. I don’t know the structure of this criminal organization, so there is a high probability that my question will not be directed at a certain person.”

"This is a complex and tight organizational chain. If my explanation is not clear enough, you can just give me the names of several buyers and the names of the bosses. To some extent, they can all be considered part of this organization. A part of the 'behind the scenes'. But you can get around the key person who builds the entire buying and selling relationship by turning around and around."

 Lan En's tone was calm and flat, as if he had seen the pitfalls the other party had laid in his words.

“To ask a critical question, I need to know critical information, but if I already have enough critical information, why should I risk asking you?”

 “Excellent logical analysis.”

 Those who call themselves “businessmen” applaud.

 “Then do you want to give up this opportunity?”

“No, what I want to ask is—what are you?”

 The moment Lan En asked this question, everything except him and Gunter O'Dimm stopped.

　　Everyone in the hotel maintained their movements for the previous second. The apples that fell on the dinner plate stagnated in the air. The flames of the fireplace and the shadows generated by the flames were all frozen into the appearance of teeth and claws.

Even Lan En, who had been mentally prepared, could not help but lean back at this moment, his eyes looking horrified. The bald businessman in shabby clothes just looked at Lan En and was silent for two seconds.

Although it was only two seconds, during the frozen time, Lan En felt that his sense of time was completely confused.

 “No, you don’t want to know.”

The other person shook his head slightly.

 While looking at each other, Lan En felt that for a moment, he saw the other person's eyeballs turn into a rich pure black.

"I'll spare you this time, Lan En. You are not qualified to explore the inside of a 'thing' like me, at least not yet."

"I'll answer your last question, and as you might have guessed, I'll give you the name of my leader. Ubank, the leader of the cannibal camp, a Skellige. Commanding dozens of men in Velen. Dadi robs young children, contacts ships, and manages relationships. How can he be called the 'mastermind behind the scenes'?"

“It’s time for me to leave. I left a gift in your room.”

 Speaking, he stood up. Whistling in the frozen time, he walked towards the door and left.

“I have a hunch that the time when we sign the contract won’t be too far away.”

With a "pop" sound, the apple fell to the ground and smashed, and the noise in the restaurant started again.

 Lan En sat on the chair blankly.

 After a long time, his shoulders suddenly relaxed.

 “Oh my God, stop?!”

He shook his head helplessly and walked back to the room with the dinner plate.

 It feels more and more miserable that I am being targeted by this kind of "thing".

 After arriving in the room, Aaliya was lying on the bed exhausted.

The work assigned to her today is really not light. At this moment, Stark, who loves to jump and jump, is completely wilted.

Lan put the dinner plate on the table and looked around with a pair of cat eyes.

 “Aliya, has anyone brought anything?”

 The little girl was struggling to get up.

"Send something? Oh! Yes, just after dark, a hotel clerk brought a book. Isn't that what you bought?"

“Hurry up and eat. Where is the book? Point it to me.”

Alia started to devour the food, and Lan followed her fingers.

 Find the target under a pile of clothes.

 “"Principles of Business and How to Use them"?"

  An ordinary hard-cover tome, written by a long name with the honor of "tenured professor of business department at Oxenfurt University".

This is Gaunt O'Dimm's gift? A book about business knowledge?

After frowning for a moment, Lan put the book on the table casually and stopped moving it.

 “Aliya, pack your things after eating, we have to change places.”

Lan En knew that he did not have the broad vision of the other party, so the best way was to stay away.

Although the little girl didn't understand why, because she recognized her identity as an attendant, she quickly stuffed two more mouthfuls and prepared to get up and pack her things.

At this moment, Lan En, who had already started to gather his clothes, suddenly stopped what he was doing.

The cat eyes narrowed slightly and looked in the direction of the door.

At the right time, there was a knock on the door.

Lan En pulled up his hood to cover his face and prepared to ask who was outside the door.

 But before he could say anything, there was a "Bang!"!

 The wooden door was blown open!

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 (End of this chapter)