Chapter 14: The Pocket Watch

"A sorcerer's apprentice… That means sorcerers aren't just myths—they truly exist."

A spark ignited in Huston's heart—a longing, a hunger for something beyond the life of a knight.

He wanted to become a sorcerer.

"AI chip, temporarily rename 'unknown radiation energy' to 'mana'."

"Renaming complete."

From the message within the pocket watch, Huston deduced that this "unknown energy" was actually mana—the very source of magic.

But something puzzled him. If sorcery had always been so foreign and mysterious, why was his own body capable of absorbing and storing mana without prior training?

"AI chip, how much mana can my body currently hold?"

"Mana reserves are at full capacity."

"Set my current mana as 100%. Add it as a new parameter in my personal stats."

[Huston Merlin: Strength 2.0, Agility 1.6, Endurance 2.2, Spirit 2.5, Mana 100%]

Huston clenched his fist.

He wanted to test the Sacred Healing spell that the watch held within, but he had no idea how much mana it required or if he had enough to sustain it.

Worse yet, he had no other source of mana.

Once he used it, he'd be left depleted, with no way of replenishing it—at least for now. The enchanted pocket watch was the only magical artifact he had encountered, and he doubted he'd find another any time soon.

It was best to use his mana sparingly.

"Nicholas Carlos Camby..." Huston memorized the name.

How had this sorcerer's pocket watch ended up at the bottom of a cursed lake?

The skeletal guards had vanished nearly forty years ago—the same amount of time the watch had likely remained hidden beneath the water.

From Nicholas's message, the watch wasn't meant to be cursed.

Huston suspected that the vengeful spirit he encountered had latched onto the watch, using it as a vessel to gain supernatural power. That entity was never part of the original enchantment.

"I heard that scream again," Emil said, interrupting Huston's thoughts. "It came from the lake. For a moment, I thought you were in trouble."

Huston held up the pocket watch, giving it a small shake. "That scream doesn't affect me. That's why I dared to dive in. Whatever was haunting this thing is gone now."

Emil studied the artifact and whistled. "A treasure, no doubt. Even without its magic, the craftsmanship alone is worth a fortune. Keep it close."

Huston nodded, slipping the watch onto a chain around his neck and tucking it beneath his shirt.

"I think this thing still holds a lot of secrets."

The two knights gathered the scattered remains of the long-lost guards. Since their bones were too mixed to separate, they buried everything together—armor and all—by the edge of the forest near the lake.

At last, after forty years, the fallen soldiers had a grave.

By the time they finished, the first rays of dawn broke over the snow-covered mountains. Light spilled across Pumpkin Farm, washing away the remnants of the night's horrors.

Huston felt a quiet sense of closure.

But trouble loomed on the horizon.

Back at the farm, they were met with a familiar sight—Massimo, standing at the entrance, holding a broken iron lock.

"Damn you two reckless brats! I gave you the keys!" the old caretaker bellowed.

Emil hung his head. "Our mistake."

Massimo grumbled, muttering curses under his breath.

Then, he fixed them with a strange look.

"Didn't expect you two to come back alive. All the others disappeared into the night, never seen again."

Huston stepped forward. "We found them."

Massimo's eyes widened. "You found them?"

"In the northern lake," Emil confirmed. "We buried them properly in the forest."

The old man fell silent.

For a long moment, he only stared into the distance, lost in memories. Then, finally, he muttered, "Good. It's good that they're finally at rest."

Half a month passed.

Winter tightened its grip on Pumpkin Farm, burying the land beneath a thick blanket of snow.

The world became a sea of white.

Huston trudged through the frost-covered forest, a freshly caught hare in hand. Game was scarce in the cold, and hunting had become increasingly difficult.

Emil had barely left his room.

Huston knew why.

Melissa's wedding was approaching.

No matter how strong or proud Emil was, some things couldn't be ignored.

Huston, on the other hand, felt unburdened. He had no such emotional entanglements. His mind was set on one goal—returning to the castle and finding a way to learn magic.

If he could absorb mana, then he had the potential to be a sorcerer.

But Emil had no knowledge of magic.

For answers, Huston needed to speak with Baron Buck.

That was when he heard it—the distant thunder of hooves.

He froze, listening carefully.

"Horses. And a lot of them."

His instincts flared to life.

The sound came from the west—the direction of Behrad's territory.

Huston scaled a nearby ridge, peering down at the snow-covered valley below.

His heart sank.

At the base of the mountain, an armed force rode swiftly through the winding mountain pass.

Their banners were unmistakable—Behrad's colors.

They were heading straight for the castle.

And the timing couldn't have been worse.

Melissa's wedding was only days away.

Huston raced back to Pumpkin Farm.

"Emil, we have a problem."

In minutes, both men stood fully armored, weapons at the ready.

"I thought Behrad had given up," Emil said, his voice grim. "If they're making their move now… it's not just an attack."

Huston nodded.

"This is an invasion."

Ambush at the Mountain Pass

Huston secured six quivers of arrows over his back, his expression sharp with focus.

"Let's move. They won't be expecting resistance at Pumpkin Farm. We take them out first—leave one alive for questioning."

"Let's go!"

Emil swung onto his horse, eyes burning with fury.

His patience was already fraying, and now this group was heading straight for Melissa—fueling the storm within him.

The two knights moved swiftly and silently toward the western mountain pass—the only viable route through this region.

A natural chokepoint. A perfect place for an ambush.

From their high vantage point, they had clear sightlines, giving them a tactical edge.

Huston unslung his bow, his fingers brushing over the cold steel of its frame.

The old longbow of Henry had long since been returned to its place on the wall.

But now—Huston was the one maintaining it, as the aging archer was too weak to move from his bed.

His new weapon, however, was far superior.

A reinforced steel longbow.

It required immense strength to draw, but its range and power far exceeded that of any ordinary wooden bow.

"Fourteen enemies," Huston muttered, scanning the approaching force.

"Fully armored. Their leader is a knight—armor marked with the sigil of House Simon."

A fully armed military force from one noble house crossing into another's territory?

There was no need for diplomacy.

This was an act of war.

The enemy formation rode deeper into the pass, completely unaware of the danger above them.

Huston didn't release his shot immediately.

Patience.

He let them advance further, minimizing their chances of retreat.

Then—

He fired.

The arrow screamed through the air, a streak of death cutting through the cold wind.

A clean hit.

The projectile pierced a rider's throat, the force so immense that the arrow burst through the back of his neck, carrying his bloodstained death straight into the bark of a tree behind him.

One down.

"Ambush!"

The enemy reacted fast and without panic, immediately dismounting and seeking cover.

But it wouldn't save them.

Huston pulled back his bowstring once more, AI chip enhancing his aim.

Cover meant nothing to him.

As long as they weren't completely obscured, they were still targets.