"A wizard apprentice… This means wizards aren't just legends; they really exist."
Helag felt a growing desire to become a wizard.
"Deep Blue, temporarily rename the unknown radiation energy to 'magic.'"
[Renaming complete.]
Based on he message from the pocket watch, Helag guessed that the unknown radiation energy was indeed magic.
He wondered why he could absorb and store magic without any prior knowledge of wizardry.
"Deep Blue, how much magic can my body currently store?"
[Storage is full.]
"Set the current magic level to 100% in my personal data."
[
Helag Merlin: Strength 2.0, Agility 1.6, Constitution 2.2, Spirit 2.5, Magic 100%.
]
Helag wanted to try the Holy Healing spell enchanted on the pocket watch but was unsure how much magic it would consume and whether his current magic reserves were sufficient.
Another concern was his lack of other magic sources. His current magic was finite, and he doubted he would find another enchanted item like the pocket watch anytime soon. He decided to use his magic sparingly.
"Nicholas Carlos Camby…" Helag silently memorized the name.
He didn't know why the wizard's pocket watch was here or how it had been here for at least forty years, as the guards' disappearances began forty years ago.
From Nicholas's message, the pocket watch shouldn't have had the attached face.
From Helag's perspective, the face seemed to have inhabited the watch, gaining some extraordinary power from it, leading to subsequent events.
"I heard that scream again, coming from the lake bottom. I thought you were in trouble," Emil said.
Helag shook the pocket watch. "The scream didn't affect me, so I dared to go down. The nasty stuff on this seems to be gone."
"This is definitely a treasure. Its intrinsic value alone is incredible. Keep it safe," Emil advised.
"This thing probably holds many secrets," Helag said, hanging the pocket watch around his neck and tucking it into his shirt.
They gathered the scattered bones and armor, unable to distinguish which bones belonged to whom, and buried them together.
The five missing guards finally had a resting place.
By the time they finished, the sun was rising, its light piercing the darkness of the Pumpkin Farm and dispelling all shadows.
Returning to the farm, Helag saw Massimo at the gate, holding the broken lock and cursing, "Damn you two brats! I gave you the key!"
Emil could only bow his head and apologize while Massimo muttered incessantly.
"I didn't expect you to come back. The others vanished at night and were never seen again," Massimo said, looking at them with a strange expression.
"We found the five missing guards," Helag said as he approached.
"You found them?" Massimo was surprised.
"They were in the northern lake. We buried them in the forest by the lake," Emil explained.
Massimo seemed lost in thought, then said, "It's good you found them. It's good.
***
Half a month passed, and the weather grew colder, covering the Pumpkin Farm in snow.
The landscape was a winter wonderland.
Helag walked through the snow-covered forest, carrying a rabbit.
Few animals were active in winter, making hunting difficult.
Emil had been in a bad mood lately, often locking himself in his room for days.
Helag knew the reason: Melissa's wedding was approaching.
Lovers separated by circumstances always brought helplessness.
Helag was glad he didn't have such troubles. He was focused on finding a way to contact wizards once he returned to the castle.
Since he could absorb and store magic, he believed he had the potential to become a wizard.
Emil had no information about wizards, so Helag planned to ask Baron Buck.
Lost in thought, Helag suddenly heard a noise in the distance. He stopped to listen.
"Hoofbeats, and quite a few people."
He became alert, realizing the sound came from the west, where Beharad territory lay.
Climbing to a high point, Helag saw a group of armed men riding quickly along the mountain path.
They were heading towards the Pumpkin Farm and would soon cross the Emerald Mountains to reach the castle.
And Melissa's wedding was just days away…
Confirming the situation, Helag hurried back to the farm to inform Emil. They were the only ones capable of fighting.
At the farm, Emil and Helag armed themselves.
"I thought Beharad had given up. Their timing suggests something more is at play," Emil said gravely.
Helag packed six quivers of arrows. "Let's go. They won't expect anyone at the Pumpkin Farm. We'll take them out and leave one alive for questioning."
"Let's go!" Emil mounted his horse, eyes filled with determination.
He was already in a foul mood, and the thought of these men targeting Melissa fueled his anger.
Helag and Emil quickly reached the western pass, the only route through the mountains.
They took a high vantage point, ready to attack from above.
Helag readied his steel bow.
He had returned Old Henry's longbow, which now hung on the wall as before.
But Helag maintained it, as Old Henry was bedridden.
The steel bow required great strength to draw, with power and range far beyond a wooden bow.
"Fourteen men, fully equipped. The leader is a knight with the Simon family crest on his armor," Helag assessed.
An armed force entering another territory meant war.
As the group entered range, Helag waited, letting them come closer to prevent escape.
When they were close enough, Helag released his first arrow.
The arrow whistled through the air, piercing a man's throat and embedding itself in a tree, blood splattering.
"Ambush!" The group quickly dismounted and sought cover.
Helag continued drawing his steel bow. With Deep Blue's assistance, hiding was futile unless they were in a blind spot.