CH11

"Don't overthink it. The baron is in good health, nothing serious," Emil said, noticing Helag's worried expression.

"Then why?" Helag asked.

"Rumor has it that Simon from Beharad has contacted a mysterious wizard," Emil said gravely.

"A wizard? Do they really exist?" Helag's interest was piqued.

"I haven't seen one myself, but they likely exist. Otherwise, the baron wouldn't be so eager to seek help," Emil explained.

He took a sip of wine and continued, "The baron and Simon's families are mortal enemies, a feud that can never be resolved. Recently, Simon's youngest son died in a horse race, and he went mad, convinced it was the baron's doing."

"The baron is a great knight, and ordinary people can't deal with him. Simon must have realized this and sought out a wizard, though who knows what price he paid."

"Upon learning this through an informant, the baron arranged the marriage alliance with the Duke of Tulip. With the duke's influence, the wizard likely won't target the baron."

"As long as the baron is around, the territory's people will be safe."

"So, how could I be with Melissa? The baron said we weren't suitable. This marriage must succeed, and I came here to avoid affecting it."

"Do you know why I brought you here?" Emil asked, seemingly drunk and talking to himself.

"Because if I didn't, the baron might have eliminated you. You overheard my conversation with Melissa at the training ground. The baron is ruthless and would remove anyone who might jeopardize the marriage. Coming to the Pumpkin Farm with me is the safest option."

"I see," Helag said, surprised by the revelation.

"Does Melissa know all this?" Helag asked.

Emil shook his head. "She doesn't know, but she might find out someday."

"When's the wedding?"

Emil downed his drink. "In a month. The baron will send Melissa to Limru Province for the wedding."

According to local customs, since Baron Buck's status was lower, he had to escort the bride to the groom's home for the wedding. On the wedding day, a banquet would be held at the castle to thank their friends and family.

They drank late into the night as a fierce wind howled outside, making the door rattle.

"Is that the wind… or someone crying?" Emil suddenly put down his cup.

Helag laughed, "You must be drunk. The wind sounds like that."

"No, listen carefully," Emil said seriously.

Seeing Emil's seriousness, Helag began to listen intently.

"Woo… woo… ah…"

Helag took a deep breath, realizing he indeed heard someone crying.

"Massimo warned us not to leave our rooms at night, no matter what we hear. It seems there's something strange here. The missing guards probably didn't encounter wild animals," Emil said, his face grim.

"There's definitely something odd. We shouldn't act rashly. Massimo has been here for years without incident, so staying inside should be safe," Helag reasoned.

"Tomorrow, we'll investigate the area," Emil decided, planning to look into the matter during the day.

Helag returned to his room, feeling drowsy from the wine.

The wind continued to howl, mingled with the sound of crying, but as Massimo had said, nothing happened as long as they stayed inside.

The next morning, Helag and Emil were safe and sound.

The weather was beautiful, and Massimo lay on a chair, basking in the sun, looking relaxed.

"Massimo, did you hear any crying last night?" Emil asked the old man who had been there for forty years.

"What?" Massimo didn't hear clearly.

Emil moved closer and repeated the question.

"Crying? Do you mean the wind? I heard it when I was young, but after my ears got damaged, I haven't heard it since. Now I'm old and can barely hear you, let alone the wind," Massimo replied.

Helag smiled and gestured for Emil to check outside.

The Pumpkin Farm was surrounded by mountains, making it hard to pinpoint the direction of the crying. They decided to explore and look for anything unusual.

Helag rode across the plain, feeling a sense of freedom as he gazed at the distant snowy mountains.

"Let's check the north first," Emil said, consulting the map.

The north was a snowy mountain range with a deep lake at its base.

"This lake is strange. It only has water in winter; it's dry the rest of the year," Emil explained by the lake.

"That's odd," Helag said, staring at the calm surface, seeing nothing unusual.

He crouched by the lake, feeling something strange.

"Feeling dizzy?" He realized that staring at the lake bottom made him slightly dizzy.

"This lake is peculiar."

He leaned closer, sensing something in the lake.

A pale face floated on the surface, gender indistinguishable, with hollow eyes.

[Warning! Warning!]

[Unknown radiation detected! Effects unknown!]

"Helag! Wake up!"

Helag realized he had fallen asleep somehow. Emil shook him awake, looking serious.

"What happened?" Helag asked, confused.

"You fainted by the lake. I called you for a long time before you woke up," Emil explained.

"Fainted?" Helag had no memory of it. "I saw a face in the lake, like someone who had been submerged for a long time…"

Emil didn't doubt him but cautiously pulled Helag away. "I looked at the lake bottom too but saw nothing unusual. But your fainting means something's wrong. I couldn't see anything, but my instincts tell me this place is dangerous. Let's go and never come back."

Emil had no desire to investigate further. His curiosity was tempered by his rationality, avoiding anything beyond his capabilities.

"Unknown radiation…" Helag pondered the information from Deep Blue, wondering what it meant.

[Detected radiation energy compatible with body. Stored internally. Usage unknown, insufficient data.]

[Mental strength increased by 0.3]

Helag was intrigued. It was the first time he had seen his mental strength change.

So far, food and training have only increased strength, agility, and constitution. Mental strength had never changed.

He had never met anyone with high mental strength. Even Baron Buck, a great knight, only had 3.

"Check body data."

[

Helag Merlin: Strength 2.0, Agility 1.6, Constitution 2.2, Spirit 1.5.

]