"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.
]
Helag's mental strength increased by 3, but he didn't feel any different and was unsure of its effects.
"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" Emil asked, noticing Helag spacing out.
"I'm fine. I was just wondering why I fainted," Helag explained.
"I've heard many stories like this, but experiencing it firsthand is a first. There's still so much unknown in this world," Emil mused.
After leaving the northern lake, Helag and Emil continued patrolling other areas but found nothing unusual.
"After the wedding, I'll report the strange occurrences here to the baron," Emil noted.
"During spring and summer, this place is bustling, but no one ever mentions anything strange. The lake only has water in winter, which means the crying only happens when the lake is full," Helag summarized.
Thinking about the pale face he saw in the lake gave him chills. He knew it wasn't a hallucination.
As the sun set, the golden light on the snowy mountains created a beautiful scene.
At night, the wind grew stronger, howling more fiercely than the previous night.
"Woo… woo…"
The familiar crying sound returned, louder and clearer than before.
Helag lay in his room, ignoring the distant wailing.
Unexpectedly, the wind outside intensified, rattling his window.
"Woo… woo…"
The crying grew louder, seeming to come from right outside his window.
"Deep Blue!"
He checked Deep Blue's mini-map, which showed nothing outside—no animals or people.
"Woo… woo… ah!"
A piercing woman's scream filled the air, making Helag's head throb painfully. His vision flickered between black and white, and he felt on the verge of fainting.
[Unknown radiation energy detected. Suggest temporarily blocking hearing.]
"Block hearing!" Helag commanded immediately.
Suddenly, the world went silent, and his headache vanished.
Helag touched the window, confirming it wasn't his imagination. There wasn't even a breeze outside.
"I wonder how Emil is doing," he thought, realizing Emil couldn't block his hearing like he could.
He opened his door and found Emil's room empty, the bed still warm.
The bedroom was on the second floor. When Helag reached the first floor, he saw the front door wide open.
"Why would Emil go out so late?" Helag wondered.
Deciding to investigate, he searched the farm but found no sign of Emil.
Passing by Massimo's house, he heard loud snores. "This old man sleeps so soundly. No wonder he's been safe all these years; nothing can wake him."
"Could Emil have left the farm?"
At the gate, Helag's suspicion was confirmed. The iron gate, usually locked with a chain, had been cut open, and the gate was ajar.
Helag felt a sense of foreboding. Emil wouldn't leave without telling him, so something must have happened.
He grabbed his sword and bow, then set out to find Emil.
His first destination was the north, where the creepy lake was.
Moving swiftly through the night, Helag soon spotted Emil. Emil, in plain clothes and holding his sword, was walking stiffly towards the lake.
"Emil!" Helag called out, but Emil didn't respond or even look at him.
Helag tried to block Emil's path but noticed Emil's eyes were hollow and black, like the face he saw in the lake.
Emil walked past him, unresponsive to Helag's actions or words.
Helag considered knocking Emil out and tried to strike him, but Emil reacted quickly, swinging his sword to fend him off.
Emil continued towards the lake, seemingly intent on walking into the water.
The lake was deep and freezing. Walking into it would be fatal.
Desperate, Helag shouted, "Melissa is getting married! The groom isn't you!"
Emil stopped, his mouth slightly open as if to speak. His eyes gradually regained focus.
He turned to Helag, confused. "Why am I here?"
"You were like a man possessed, walking straight into the lake. I couldn't stop you," Helag explained.
"That sounds unbelievable," Emil said, puzzled. "I remember hearing a scream, then nothing until now."
"It's definitely the scream. Luckily, I blocked my hearing in time. Otherwise, we'd both be fish food," Helag realized.
"What could be in this lake that even a knight can't resist?" Helag wondered, staring at the calm water.
Emil, still shaken, was also curious but cautious.
Splash!
The lake suddenly stirred.
"Be careful!" Emil gripped his sword tightly.
Helag watched the lake intently. Deep Blue's mini-map showed nothing, but he could see two figures emerging from the water.
"Their armor… they look like castle guards!" Emil recognized the armor.
Helag had a realization. "Castle guards? So the missing guards must have ended up in this lake…"
The figures moved slowly towards them, revealing themselves as armored skeletons with rusty swords.
More figures emerged from the lake, making a total of five.
"Shall we try?" Emil asked, excited rather than scared.
"I'll take the left, you take the right," Helag replied with a grin.
Both were eager to test their skills against these undead foes.
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