"Why go to the Pumpkin Farm at this time?" Herag asked doubtfully.
The autumn harvest was already over, and the Pumpkin Farm had nothing left, so there was no chance for anyone to stir up trouble, nor was there any value in guarding it.
He saw Emil's awkward expression and suddenly understood. "Alright, I'll go with you, but have you really thought it through?"
He had seen it that day, Emil and Melissa were indeed fond of each other.
This time Emil ran off to the Pumpkin Farm, mostly to hide away for a while until Melissa was married.
He patted Herag's head. "Kids shouldn't meddle in grown-up affairs!"
Herag could tell Emil was in a hurry, and after quickly packing up, he headed out with him.
At the castle gates, two horses were already prepared, loaded with various packages containing supplies for winter.
Herag turned to glance at Emil, noticing his spirit seemed depleted, guessing he hadn't slept all night.
"Emil!" Melissa's voice came from afar, and Herag turned back to see a graceful figure running over.
"Let's go!" Emil steeled himself and immediately mounted the horse and rode off.
Herag saw him dash away and looked back to see Melissa running over. Not wanting to get involved in these noble affairs, he mounted his horse and followed suit.
He rode across the river and looked back to see Melissa kneeling at the castle gates, seemingly in tears.
The autumn forest had transformed, fiery hillsides and vibrant layers everywhere, with fallen leaves carpeting the mountain path underfoot, making a rustling sound.
Emil remained silent throughout the journey, lost in thought, while Herag didn't mind and treated it like a countryside trip.
Though young, he'd lived two lifetimes, possessing far more experience than Emil, understanding that everything required time to settle in.
This outing had no mission, so there was no rush.
Along the way, they passed by the cave, where Herag and Emil stayed for a brief moment.
Emil poured out two cups of wine on the ground, performed a knight's salute, and left quietly.
Seven days later, the two arrived at the Pumpkin Farm.
The Pumpkin Farm lay at the foot of the Jade Mountain Range. They descended the mountain road and passed through the woodland, opening up to a spacious plain.
The plain was filled with variously sized fields, generally planted with wheat, pumpkins, and other crops.
Since the harvest was over, most fields lay barren.
In the center of the Pumpkin Farm was a large yard with walls made of heavy stone blocks, resembling fortifications.
"This is to guard against wild beasts and occasionally fend off enemy attacks," Emil explained.
The farm gate was also a heavy iron door. Emil walked to it and knocked lightly.
After some time, faint footsteps came from inside, and a hoarse voice asked, "Who is it?"
"Castle Guard Captain, Emil, reporting for guard duty," Emil replied.
"Who?" The elderly voice inside seemed not to have heard clearly.
Emil had no choice but to raise his voice and repeat.
This time, the elder seemed to have heard, and the sound of keys entering a metal lock was heard behind the door.
Cre-eeak...
The door slowly opened with a piercing scraping sound. Behind it stood an old man wrapped in bulky cotton clothing.
The elder's skin was as parched as tree bark, and his eyes were murky, leaving one uncertain if he could see clearly.
"You're Massimo, right? I'm Emil. Here is my token." Emil pulled out his Knight Captain badge and handed it over.
Massimo took the badge without looking, feeling it with his hand before returning it to Emil, saying, "Come on in."
"He's the farm's only guardian, having been here for forty years," Emil elaborated.
"Forty years..." Herag looked at the trudging old man, somewhat astonished.
"Remember, don't leave your room at night, no matter what sounds you hear. There are demons in the mountains; guards have come here to stay in the past winters, only to vanish by morning. Stay cautious." Massimo said as he led the way.
"Demons? Do such things really exist?" Herag asked.
Massimo didn't respond, ignoring Herag completely.
Emil said, "Guards did indeed come for winter duty in the past, but without exception, they vanished, so they no longer send anyone in winter."
"Then why are we here?" Herag showed an expression as if he felt duped.
Emil laughed, "Ha-ha, the demon talk is just rumors. There are many wild beasts foraging in the mountains during winter. Going out at night indeed poses risks, but us afraid of beasts?"
Herag thought it over. Ordinary beasts would just be snacks, but fearing uncanny occurrences was reasonable. He couldn't rely on past assumptions in this world.
There were a dozen or so buildings on the farm, some big, some small. The large ones were mainly warehouses, storing grain or other supplies.
Smaller buildings were typically living quarters, and Massimo lived in a small house at the north end of the farm while Emil and Herag stayed in a three-story building in the farm's center.
The building was relatively cluttered, and the two tidied up slightly, creating a semblance of living quarters.
The building had a cellar, and Emil opened the wooden cover and lowered an oil lamp inside. Once assured the lamp wouldn't extinguish, he descended.
The cellar housed bags of flour and several large wooden barrels.
Emil beamed with joy as he picked up a barrel and sniffed it, saying, "This is good wine!"
They carried a barrel out, found two cups, and poured out deep red grape wine, with a rich aroma instantly permeating.
"Cheers!" Emil said, smiling.
"Cheers!"
After a long journey, both were somewhat weary and welcomed a drink.
The Knight Level constitution hardly succumbed to alcohol, and with no one else around, Herag boldly asked, "Running here to hide, will you really not regret it later?"
Emil replied with a bitter smile, "I'm regretting it right now, but there are more important things than my personal feelings."
"The Lord Baron's marriage alliance is to secure the entire territory. If I let my personal issues affect it, the territory and Lord Baron would suffer," he continued.
Herag was a bit puzzled. "Securing the entire territory? Behard's people don't have that ability, do they?"
Behard himself was so impoverished that it was impossible for him to pose a threat to the whole Dur Valley.
Emil looked at Herag and said, "Do you know why Lord Baron has been able to control Dur Valley for so long? Is it because he has many guards? No, it's because Lord Baron is a Great Knight, and there are only a few Great Knights in the whole Norton Kingdom."
"A Great Knight's supreme combat strength acts as a deterrent, so no one dares to invade, as a Great Knight alone can wipe out your family."
"Could it be that Lord Baron..." Herag suddenly had a suspicion, if Baron Buck was nearing his end, then Dur Valley would become a tantalizing prospect for everyone.