Four days later.
A group of riders galloped swiftly along the road.
At the center was Richard, riding calmly, while Lucy seated behind him, eagerly gazed around, exclaiming from time to time.
"Master, look! There's a huge bird over there!"
"Master, look! A rabbit!"
...
The first guard around Richard remained silent as they moved.
Tuku, the strongest among them, led the way, with Hughes, recently recovered from injuries, guarding the rear.
The journey had been swift, covering the distance from the castle to the northernmost part of Baron's territory in just four days.
Tuku, alert and vigilant, suddenly spotted something ahead.
He swiftly pulled the reins of his horse, causing it to leap and stop abruptly by the roadside.
The rest of the team halted, curious to see what had caught Tuku's attention.
Without acknowledging the inquisitive looks of his companions, Tuku turned to Richard, pointing to a stone marker ahead.
"Master Richard, beyond that stone lies Baron Lancaster's territory. Shall we proceed directly? The relationship between Baron Lancaster and our Lord Baron Leo isn't favorable."
Richard pondered briefly. The relationship between Baron Lancaster and Baron Leo had seen tensions over territorial disputes in recent years, but never escalated into war.
Now faced with a choice—entering Lancaster's territory or waiting—he decided.
"There were no signs of extensive wagon tracks on our way here, suggesting the caravan is still moving within Lancaster's domain. We can either wait here or proceed to meet them. Let's go."
With a kick to his horse, Richard crossed the boundary marker swiftly.
Tuku hesitated briefly, then urged his horse forward, leading the guards after Richard.
Thus, Richard and his entourage entered Baron Lancaster's vast domain.
In this world, noble titles range from Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, Baron, to Knight.
Baron Lancaster's territory, nearly twice the size of Baron Leo's, had expanded significantly through ambition and skill, bordering directly with Baron Leo's after absorbing several neighboring estates.
/
Richard's group traveled through Lancaster's domain for most of the day.
As evening approached, they spotted a caravan camping by the roadside.
Without delay, Richard and his men approached.
The caravan, alerted by their approach, tensed defensively until they recognized Richard's intentions.
A middle-aged man, presumably in charge, cautiously stepped forward. Dressed in earth-toned clothes, he introduced himself as Mura, confirming they were indeed en route to Baron Leo with goods.
Richard identified himself as the second heir of Baron Leo, explaining his presence to protect them due to recent security concerns.
Mura, visibly relieved but still cautious, agreed to coexist peacefully for the night.
However, Melissa, a unique figure in the caravan, daughter of the Magnolia Trading Company's owner, expressed her discontent.
She questioned Richard's authority and status, being only the second heir and not yet possessing a title.
Despite her objections, the evening settled into an uneasy truce as preparations were made to resume their journey at dawn.
Due to the distance and differing national conditions, it was possible to fully satisfy the girl's adventurous spirit.
Traveling with the caravan allowed its members to secretly look after her, preventing her from suffering or being deceived by strangers.
Thus, over the next month, under her father's invisible arrangements, the girl enjoyed a leisurely journey.
During this time, she pondered how to share her experiences with Muren's companions and impress them with tales of her adventures.
Melissa imagined their surprised expressions, making her want to laugh.
Before she could, however, a fully armed group appeared around the caravan, led by the second heir of a minor baron, Richard.
Melissa couldn't stand this.
Though she didn't dare confront Richard directly, she cursed him behind his back.
"Humph! Who does he think he is, acting all high and mighty? In Muren, even someone without a title, I do not care to acknowledge. It's only in this remote place that he can flaunt his power with a few hefty soldiers."
As Melissa continued her tirade, a boy of similar age approached, eager to please her.
"That's right, Miss Melissa is absolutely right. This guy is completely clueless!"
This youth, named Emi, was a year older than Melissa but worlds apart in status.
He was a commoner, impoverished since childhood with both parents deceased.
He had struggled to survive, often going hungry and resorting to theft, only to be beaten when caught.
After years of hardship, he had finally grown up and, by some stroke of luck, became a guard employed by the Wisteria Flower Caravan.
This was his first time leaving Muren with the caravan, feeling both nervous and excited.
The news that the owner's daughter of the Wisteria Flower Caravan was accompanying them nearly made him jump for joy.
He saw this as his chance to rise: if he could build a relationship with Miss Melissa, he could skyrocket within the Wisteria Flower Caravan.
So, during the journey, he tirelessly attended to Melissa, hoping to please her in every way.
Melissa was pleased with his efforts, but beyond that, she never expressed any gratitude or made promises.
Instead, a few times when his service wasn't up to par, it earned him a furrowed brow, leaving him distressed.
Mura, the caravan leader, observed everything and understood Emi's motives well.
However, he chose not to intervene, planning to report the situation truthfully to the boss of the Wisteria Flower Caravan upon their return to Muren, leaving the decision to him.
In Mura's view, Emi did his job adequately, but his character was lacking, overly ambitious.
Miss Melissa might give Emi some guidance, but she should not be too involved with him.
If Emi knew Mura's thoughts now, he would surely swear to strangle him.
But he didn't know, so he continued to work hard to please Melissa.
Listening to Melissa berate Richard, Emi immediately chimed in.
"Miss Melissa, you're absolutely right. That guy is just a country bumpkin who's never seen the world. Honestly, he probably doesn't even know where Muren is."
"Really?" Melissa asked skeptically.
"Absolutely," Emi exaggerated for effect, "Maybe he even thinks Muren is just some distant village, that's why he's so arrogant."
Melissa, hearing Emi's words, first paused, then couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The more she thought about it, the harder she laughed, eventually playfully punching Emi with her fists.
Emi maintained a calm expression, even as he felt like he might spit blood from the punches, still trying to laugh along, "Haha——haha!"
Richard, observing Tuku's camp from afar, furrowed his brow slightly, glancing towards the direction of the caravan.
Others might not hear the words, but with his enhanced meditation senses, he definitely caught the insults.
Richard didn't say much in response, just shook his head slightly and walked away.
/
No words were exchanged overnight.
Early the next morning, the first guard team had already assembled, mounted on horses and waiting silently.
However, they waited for a long time, but the caravan still hadn't departed.
Richard, on horseback, turned to look at the caravan.
He observed several men who clearly hadn't fully awakened, yawning as they dismantled tents.
Some were hastily stuffing food into their mouths while others were busy moving cargo.
Emi, who had spoken ill yesterday, had just finished urinating under a distant tree.
He stumbled into the camp, hastily wiping his hands on his clothes before grabbing a dry, hard biscuit and stuffing it into his mouth.
In the center of the camp, the largest tent was opened, and Melissa, rubbing her sleepy eyes, staggered out, calling out for water to wash her face and brush her teeth.
She complained, "Uncle Mura, why are we up so early today? I'm not even awake yet!"
Mura approached Melissa with a basin of water, handing it over with a wry smile.
"Miss Melissa, it's already late; the sun has been up for half the day. You'd better freshen up quickly. We need to pack up the camp, load the goods onto the wagons, and depart immediately."
"Are we leaving already?!" Melissa seemed incredulous.
"But I haven't had breakfast yet!"
"Well... um..." Mura hesitated, then suggested, "You can eat on the road."
"But eating while traveling could upset my stomach. And riding a horse is so bumpy; I might choke on food," Melissa replied seriously.
Mura looked pained, struggling to respond.
"Um... Miss, why don't you sit in the wagon? It'll be more stable there."
Having said this, Mura dared not linger further, fearing Melissa might raise more difficult questions.
He quickly turned and urged the men to speed up loading the wagons and dismantle the tents.
At that moment, Mura felt truly helpless. Miss Melissa had many good qualities—no airs of nobility, no excessive pride, no particular eccentricities of the aristocracy.
However, her slight stubbornness and tendency to act without considering the circumstances often left him exasperated.
This is a mission, not a vacation!
Shaking his head again, Mura raised his voice to urge, "Hurry up, everyone! No more dawdling!"
It wasn't until mid-morning that the entire caravan finally set off.
Meanwhile, Richard had been waiting by the roadside for a good half-hour.
Richard's expression remained unchanged, but the members of the first guard team were visibly irked, with Tuku preparing to draw his knight's sword.