Seriously, what now? Lucas thought, rubbing his temples as a dull throb began to pulse behind his eyes. It felt like he'd escaped death and that family psychodrama barely a minute ago, and now here was another roadblock.

Liona and Silvara finally caught up, flanking him. Karska, still standing as rigid as a board, gave a slight nod toward Silvara as she approached.

"Silvara," Karska greeted her briefly. His tone was formal, but carried a hint of professional respect—one swordsperson acknowledging another.

Silvara replied with nothing more than a stiff nod. Her mind was still a complete mess, but she forced herself to stay on high alert.

"We're heading to the fields first," Lucas interrupted suddenly, his voice thick with exhaustion. "It's watering time. If we're even a little late, the soil moisture is going to be all over the place."

Karska went dead silent. He didn't move or respond. His sharp eyes just tracked Lucas, who had already started walking away. Inside his head, Karska was seething. So the rumors were true. Young Master Voss really is an arrogant brat with zero manners. Am I actually stupid for coming all the way out here?

Still, Karska wasn't about to give up. He stepped up his pace to match Lucas's stride. "Young Master, I beg of you—"

"I said later," Lucas snapped without looking back. "After I water the plants. You want to wait? Be my guest. If not, whatever."

Liona, who was usually the quiet type but seemed weirdly hyped now that the air had cleared (and she had a chance to drive again), chirped in. "Young Master! In that case, let me get the carriage ready. I'll grab the convertible!"

She made sure to emphasize the 'Young Master' part, fully aware that Karska—an outsider—was watching. Without waiting for a reply, the tiny maid bolted toward the stables.

It didn't take long before the jingle of harness bells and the rhythm of hooves echoed nearby. Liona pulled up in a luxury open-top carriage. Lucas hopped into the back seat immediately, followed by Silvara, who sat beside him looking like she was still in a trance.

Karska stood there frozen on the side of the road, staring at the absolute absurdity of the scene. A noble heir, a high-ranking knight, and a maid, all heading out... to water a field?

Lucas looked over and saw Karska still standing there like a statue. His annoyance finally boiled over. "Tsk. Hey, Stone Face! Get in!" Lucas barked. "Once the watering is done, I'll answer whatever the hell you want to talk about. Stop wasting time—the sun's already going down!"

Startled, Karska finally snapped out of it. Since his mission was to get information at any cost, he complied and climbed into the carriage, sitting stiffly across from Lucas and Silvara.

The atmosphere during the ride was excruciatingly awkward. In the front, Liona was humming happily to herself while steering the horses, while the back was filled with a suffocating silence.

Silvara let out one long, heavy sigh after another. Her eyes were fixed on the passing scenery, but her mind was miles away. How is he this relaxed? she wondered, glancing at Lucas from the corner of her eye. He almost died at the Baroness's hands. His secret is out. His real identity is known. And yet here he is... worrying about irrigation?

She couldn't help but wonder: What kind of life did he lead before this to end up with nerves made of freaking steel?

Meanwhile, Lucas was in his own world. He leaned back against the plush leather seat, staring at the sky as it turned a hazy amber.

Man, this is getting so complicated, Lucas groaned internally. I just want to farm in peace.

"Liona, pick up the pace!" Lucas called out to the front. "I'm not letting those tomatoes wither just because Mr. Deadpan here took forever to make up his mind!"

Karska could only knit his brows in confusion, wondering if the man in front of him was truly the depraved Lucian Voss from the stories, or just a peasant soul trapped in a nobleman's body.

Time passed as the carriage cut through the path toward the outskirts. Once they arrived in front of the neatly kept green fields, Lucas hopped down immediately without waiting for the step stool.

Without wasting a second, Lucas held out his hand. A faint light flickered for a moment, and suddenly, an exotic metallic flower bud—Loticentra—was in his grip. He carelessly shoved it toward Silvara.

Karska, who had been analyzing Lucas's every move, narrowed his eyes. An artifact? No... the aura isn't ancient. Is it man-made? Some kind of high-level magic tool I've never seen before? he wondered.

Silvara took the object with a deadpan expression—this was a routine for her now. She walked to the center of the field, began channeling her mana into the Loticentra, and placed it precisely at the center. As she returned to the edge, the previously closed bud slowly bloomed with a soft, mechanical whir. The next second, water sprayed out like a golf course sprinkler, drenching the entire area in a perfect pattern.

Karska stood frozen. Instinctively, he reached into his uniform pocket and pulled out a monocle—a portable analysis tool. The moment he saw the water droplets through the lens, his eyes widened.

The composition... it's different. The energy is too pure. He recalled the report from Commander Crowseal, which mentioned that the secret behind the extraordinary quality of these tomatoes lay in the water used for irrigation.

"Young Master..." Karska's voice wavered slightly. "May I ask for a bit of that water?"

"Sure," Lucas replied.

Karska was just about to take a step forward when Lucas suddenly threw an arm out across his chest, blocking the knight's path.

"Whoa, hold on. Not right now," Lucas stopped him casually. "If you want some, fill it up yourself later using your own mana. Silvara's mana is strictly for the crops—don't go embezzling her reserves!"

Hearing that, Silvara remained silent, but her eyebrow twitched violently. Damn it... she seethed internally, though she kept her posture rigid.

Lucas crossed his arms, eyeing Karska suspiciously. "Anyway, what's it for?"

Karska lowered his head. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to be honest.

"It is for my younger sister," Karska answered softly but firmly.

Lucas flinched, his eyes popping. "What?!"

Karska started to explain, "My sister is suffering from—"

"Are you insane?!" Lucas blurted out, cutting Karska off with a look of pure horror. "You mean you want to give your sister water that I literally use to spray my plants?"

Karska took a deep breath, trying to keep his cool even after getting chewed out by Lucas. "My sister... she's been infected with the Dark Root," he said quietly. "We've hit a dead end. Even a High Luminary Adept has given up on curing her."

"Luminary Adept?" Lucas paused. The title instantly triggered a memory of Ravena.

Karska nodded slowly, noticing the shift in Lucas's expression. "Exactly. Plenty of top-tier Healers have already thrown in the towel. Their basic medicines and holy elixirs don't even make a dent anymore."

Lucas snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Look, I get the situation is grim. But that still doesn't explain why you need water from the Loticentra for your sister to drink."

"Oh, so that's called the Loticentra..." Karska muttered, only just learning the name of the magical device.

Right then, the automatic watering finished. From a distance, Lucas gave a casual flick of his fingers, and the Loticentra vanished.

Lucas locked eyes with the knight, cutting straight to the chase. "So, the whole reason you've been hounding me for my time... your sister? Is that it?"

"That is correct, Young Master," Karska replied earnestly.

Lucas knit his brows, genuinely baffled. "Why?"

Karska met Lucas's gaze with a dead-serious look. "Because there are strong rumors circulating... that Young Master Voss is actually a genius Alchemist."

In an instant, Lucas's eyebrow twitched violently. His facial muscles tightened as he struggled to contain his annoyance.

Geralt... that old man!! Lucas cursed internally. He was one hundred percent sure that the old geezer was the one who had been spreading this garbage gossip everywhere.

Lucas let out a sharp snort, still cursing Geralt's name in the back of his mind. But seeing the desperation etched onto Karska's stiff face, he finally let out a long, weary sigh.

"Ugh... fine," Lucas muttered. He reached out his hand again, and in a flash, the Loticentra reappeared in his grip.

"Here," Lucas said, shoving it toward Karska. "Fill it with your own mana. Take as much water as you want."

Karska froze for a second, caught off guard by how easily Lucas had given in after being so protective just moments ago. He quickly gave a deep, respectful bow, his face radiating genuine gratitude. "Thank you, Young Master. I won't forget this kindness."

However, before he began channeling his mana into the device, Karska reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a roll of brownish parchment that looked old and brittle, then carefully unfurled it in front of Lucas.

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