Bear School Astartes-Chapter 834 - 817: Exchanging Intelligence

Compared to the robust and formidable Cassandra, Lann had no idea how Phoebe had changed over the past year and a half.

For someone like him, this plague was at most just a slight taint in the air.

But for ordinary people, it was death itself.

He only hoped that the little girl who dreamed of a grand adventure wouldn’t succumb to the plague halfway in Athens.

Cassandra watched Lann’s movements and chuckled, then nimbly dashed toward the residences along the street.

She could climb steep cliffs by relying on just one joint of her finger, supporting her whole body’s and her equipment’s weight.

Moving through the city’s residences was like taking a stroll for her.

Rong Buqiu followed from behind, standing at the edge of the street, looking up at the building before leaping up, one jump at a time.

Cats were natural climbers.

The two, alongside the cat, sprinted across the rooftops of Athens’ residences, while Icarus occasionally called from the sky, guiding their direction.

Soon, Phidias’s studio appeared before them.

Last time Lann first arrived in the Ancient Greek world, he stayed there for a few days; now it seemed the studio hadn’t changed much.

However, it seemed Phidias had completed one batch of orders and received another.

Hence, within this warehouse-like workshop, the unfinished marble sculptures had changed significantly in appearance.

The scaffolding, pulley systems, and other tools were placed as per Phidias’s usual habit.

It seemed that after Lann left, Phidias’s life hadn’t been greatly disturbed.

"Phidias!"

Lann shouted inside the sculptor’s workshop.

His voice echoed within the structure.

The sculptor’s voice came from the second floor.

"Sir, I’ve closed shop, don’t come in! Look for someone else."

His voice sounded listless, filled with caution and distrust.

"Times are tough right now; we should be careful. Once things get better, I’ll lower my prices for orders, I promise."

"If you insist on coming in, I’ll have to call the guards. They’ll do their duty."

Lann exchanged a sidelong glance with Cassandra and smiled.

"Ah, Phidias..."

Lann called the sculptor’s name with a sigh, and it seemed as if Phidias recognized the familiarity in the voice from the second floor, and stopped urging them to leave.

"Your justified and unyielding stance in this terrible time is truly invigorating."

"At least it’s better than how frightened you looked the last time we met. The plague isn’t that terrifying, right?"

The hesitant voice of Phidias came from the wooden corridor on the second floor.

"What are you talking about? Have we met? ...Wait!"

Lann’s acquaintance, the bearded, almost driven mad, and half-dead Athenian sculptor tormented by the Order Divine Teachings, stuck his head out from the second floor, looking down suspiciously.

Suddenly, when he saw the tall and extraordinary figure, his eyes widened with a look of joyous surprise.

"Lann?! Is it really you! By the gods!"

"Come up, quick..."

But just as Phidias began acting like an old friend reunited, mid-sentence, he turned apologetic and hesitant.

"But... no, you two just came from outside... it’s too dangerous."

"Yes, it is dangerous, considering the plague outside."

Lann’s tone was quite natural; keeping a distance during a plague isn’t unfriendly but sensible.

"Haha, I’m truly glad to see you’re okay. We can just talk like this. We only came to ask about the current situation in Athens; Cassandra and I just arrived today."

"Th-thank you for understanding, Lann. And you, Cassandra. I’m sorry, you were standing behind Lann, and I didn’t see you at first."

Cassandra waved with a look of helplessness yet understanding, indicating no need to worry.

It seemed that thanks to Lann’s natural demeanor, Phidias’s tone eased a bit from his embarrassment.

The sculptor quickly positioned himself on the wooden corridor directly above Lann, leaning his hands on the wooden railing, peering down.

He looked as if he wanted to be as close to his friend as possible.

"Seeing you unchanged gives me real comfort. In this world, seeing things that remain unchanged feels like a luxury."

Phidias said with deep emotion.

It seemed that while the plague hadn’t affected him physically, living in a city overrun by disease, with bodies and dying patients on every corner, was mentally exhausting.

Lann smiled, and this smile offered Phidias some comfort.

"Your current expression reminds me of facing Alcibiades... you weren’t influenced by his si- love theories, were you, Phidias?"

"Ha, don’t joke around about that with me. I only want to sculpt you, not bed you."

Under Lann’s control of the atmosphere, Phidias visibly relaxed mentally.

This was a state of mind conducive to conversation.

"Well, you both came to Athens at a truly unlucky time."

When they began discussing serious matters, Phidias remarked wistfully.

"This plague seemed without start or end, then one day everyone was suddenly sick and dying. I don’t even know how to explain it. But Pericles and others said the plague had been spreading in Athens for three months, and it was traceable."

"I’m just a sculptor; I don’t know much." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Phidias laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Now the city is in panic, even the Spartans sieging outside are terrified of the plague."

"But when I came, I saw there were still Spartan troops destroying the fields and farmlands outside."

Cassandra asked, looking up.

"Those are Spartan slave armies; I guess there aren’t many Spartan citizens among them?"

Phidias shook his head, adding a note that it was only speculation from rumors.

"And soon enough, the unchecked plague might scare even the slave armies away. Haha."

Phidias chuckled in resignation, pointing down around Lann and Cassandra.

"People believe it’s because Athens disrespected the great Apollo, so he, who controls plagues, sent a punishment, making people understand the cost of disrespecting the gods."

"Since people started getting sick, I’ve received numerous orders to sculpt Apollo, for Divine Halls, private clients, political entities..."

"Those unfinished products you see are just the rough shapes halfway through the process."

"But now, many who placed orders have already entered the Netherworld themselves."