"See where it is? The bushes, which are the low bushes peculiar to Doyle and Sarah, and the beard of Salva, are very hardy, and even in winter, their buried rhizomes continue to grow, and we can go and dig some and take them. Ray pointed to a bush in the distance and said to Fern.

"Not a bad idea. Fern nodded.

It took them a lot of effort to find a small clearing in the bushes, and Fern exhaled into his hand and began to dig.

"Do you still have a dagger? I'll help dig some too. Rui stood by and watched as Fern struggled to dig, the branches of Salva's beard were so hard that it was hard enough to get into the bushes, let alone dig up its roots in the bushes.

"Would you use a dagger?" Fern pulled out a short dagger from his right bootie and handed it to Rui.

"A little bit. Rui took the dagger and found an empty space and dug it up.

Fern watched Rui dig for a moment, a little surprised that she could use a dagger. "I thought mages wouldn't know how to use weapons, and Ness didn't know how to use daggers, and I had one for her when we left Deville, but she never used one. ”

"In Sarah, everyone, young and old, men and women, will use simple weapons, short swords, daggers, and even short bows, and don't forget, this is a border country. Rui didn't even raise his head, and continued to dig intently.

"Are all soldiers?" Fern stopped what he was doing, and looked up at the mage with his head buried in the bushes, with only a little hair exposed.

"Yes, there is no time when there is no war, a farmer, a merchant, or a craftsman, and when the dark tide comes, everyone is a soldier, except for children who are too young to go to war. Rui still didn't stop, and his head kept rising and falling. "Sara's national power is too weak, and there are not many people, and there is no comparison with Doyle, let alone the countries of the South, and everyone has to do their best to survive. ”

Fern frowned and didn't answer Rui's words, feeling a trace of sadness in his heart.

Rui lifted a fruit and threw it at Fern, who caught it and put it in the package. The mage tucked his loose hair, lowered his head and dug again. "Actually, even if there is no dark tide, Sara will not exist for long, Sarah's land is too barren, most of it is uncultivable frozen soil and ice swamps, even if the fields can barely grow wheat, they can only be ripened once a year, sometimes there is no harvest for a year, and even livestock cannot be fed, how can they feed people?"

"What sustains you, struggling to survive in such a hostile environment, battling the Dark Tide?" Fern asked with a sigh.

"I can't tell, it's the attachment and attachment to this land, although it's so barren, but after all, it's our hometown. Rui also stopped what he was doing and looked into the distance stupidly. "Sometimes I also think that maybe Sara has fallen is also a relief for us, and it is better to end this cycle of suffering from generations to generation. ”

"Maybe. Fern stood up and stamped his feet, relieving his numb legs from the constant squatting. "But everyone has the right to live, and this cannot be taken away. ”

"Fern, I really should let you live in Sara for two years, and see if you will say that. Rui looked up at Fern faintly.

"Well, I throw in the towel. Fern smiled and tried to take out the water bladder to drink water, but found that the water bladder had already frozen into an ice lump, and not a drop of water could be poured out. "I've also experienced the feeling that life is worse than death, and maybe the Sara people are like that. ”

Rui nodded, not saying anything more.

After Fern had rested, he continued to crouch down and start digging, when suddenly he thought of something, looked up at the top of Ray's head and asked, "You said you were there when Sara fell, so how did you end up in Canrito?

"I've been looking for you, to be exact, looking for Ness. Rui threw another rhizome, then clapped his hands and sat down on the pile of branches. "The Mage Tower sent someone to find me, saying that they needed me to do something, and if I agreed, they agreed not to pursue my study of dark magic. ”

"So you agreed?" said Fern and sat down on a pile of branches.

"Hmph, I don't care if they chase me for studying dark magic, I don't have anything to do with the Mage Tower anymore. Rui tied his hair into a handful and tied a long linen rope into a ponytail and hung it down the back of his head. "I accepted this tricky task because they promised that if I helped Ness, they would tell me Moses' whereabouts. ”

"Do you still need Moses' whereabouts? You already know everything you want to know. Fern slanted his head over to look at Rui.

"I don't need to, but I need to, and it's always good to see him again, if it's not necessary. A subtle smile spread across Rui's face.

"Then why are you risking so much to stay with Ness?" Fern still looked at Rui.

"Aren't you the same, knowing that this journey will be unlucky, but you will continue to accompany Ness until the end. Rui turned to look at Fern and smiled slightly. "The so-called commission fee is definitely not the reason. ”

Fern lowered his head and laughed self-deprecatingly. "Now, we have no way out, we have long been tied together by fate. ”

"Yes, Ness needs us, Wallis needs us, we can't escape. Rui turned his head and looked into the distance.

"To be honest, Wallis doesn't matter much to me, or I don't have a particular focus on what happens to Wallis. Fern also looked up into the distance.

"I know that you are just a mercenary, unlike mages, you don't have a special sense of Wallis's history and future, and the reason why you insist is only for certain things or certain people. Rui curled up his legs and wrapped his hands around his knees. Or rather, just for someone. ”

Fern snorted and went back to work, the cold weather of the border country kept him from stopping for long. "I am a mercenary, I was, I am, and I will always be. ”

"Mercenaries can also have noble character, they can save others, and they also have the right to pursue happiness, as you said, everyone has the right to live, do you want to deny what you said?" Rui's tone changed slightly.

"You're right, but some things are destined to be unattainable for some people, and some chasms are never bridged. Fern dug hard in the snow, as if venting his emotions.

"I know it's useless to say anything now, maybe in the future you will have the courage to break through this barrier in your heart, maybe you can only hide behind the barrier forever, brave or cowardly, you choose. Rui stopped talking and got to work.

Neither of them said anything more, and dug so dullly until the sun was about to set, that they carried most of the bags of rhizomes and walked towards the house.

Fern sorted out his emotions and sealed the conversation he had just had with Rui in his heart. "So the Mage Tower still wants to protect Ness, so you want to walk with her to protect her?"

"I thought so, too, but they didn't want to protect Ness overtly, or that they had any concerns, so they found me, a mage who was outside the mage's tower. Rui had already shaved off the skin of a rhizome with a dagger and began to nibble on it in small bites.

Fern thought for a moment, and felt as if he had grasped the key. "Maybe there are two factions in the Mage Tower, one wants to protect Ness, but the other can't let the other know what they're playing with each other. ”

Rui was about to take a second bite when he heard Fern's speculation and immediately stopped. "Yes! It must be so! Fern, I have to admit, you're a genius sometimes. Rui quipped to Fern. "But sometimes, it's a fool who just closes his heart. ”

"Is that a compliment?" Fern shrugged helplessly, and then he thought of something else. "Whether that's true or not, don't tell Ness yet, I'm afraid she'll come out of her mess and accept all this mess. ”

"Well, I understand. Rui continued to nibble on the tuber.

Outside, Stan and Ness are working together to gut the fish they caught, then cut the fish into small slices and cover them up with snow.

"Freeze in the snow overnight, and tomorrow you can put it in your package and take it on the road. Stan explained to Ness. "That's how people store meat in Doyle, not just fish, but any kind of livestock. ”

Ness nodded excitedly, and when she saw that Fern and Ray were back, she hurriedly ran over. "Fern, I've learned a new skill today, and if I learn a little more, I'll be able to survive alone in the wilderness like you in the future. ”

Fern watched Ness run over, and for some reason, he suddenly lost the urge to talk to Ness, just smiled and nodded, and walked straight into the house.

"What's wrong with Fern? Did you poke the sore spot in his heart again?" Ness asked Ray beside her, tilting her head.

"Sort of, this guy. Rui shook his head helplessly.

Stan walks over, rubbing a handful of snow in his hand. Fern was just thinking too much, always struggling with the consequences of his decisions, not knowing how much the experience in the source of magic would help him change. ”

"It's his nature, it's not so easy to change. Rui sighed, took a fillet from Stan's hand, and put it in his mouth. "It's not bad, the fishy smell is almost gone. ”

"I'm a veteran of this. Stan said smugly.

Rui raised an eyebrow and glanced at Stan, and the three of them laughed and returned to the house.