After finishing the remaining documents, Unas found Luisa waiting by the main tent, with a middle-aged man with a black beard beside her.
Luisa stammered, "Mr. Knight, this is Uncle Gail. He took good care of me during our escape, and I'd like to take him with me..."
"Let's go to Blackrock Depths together?" Unas sized up Uncle Gail. After Natasha's report, he reviewed the refugee's information again. He claimed to be fifty-four years old and a rancher whose family had been destroyed.
"Knight lord knight, I also wish to contribute to the establishment of the Light's Hope Chapel. Please grant me permission to go to the underworld with Luisa." Gail's weathered face was etched with deep wrinkles, and although he made the request respectfully, there was no trace of humility in his eyes.
I hadn't paid much attention during the morning meeting, but now it seems that, just as Natasha said, he doesn't look like an ordinary farmer at all. Unas stepped forward and shook hands with him. It was a pair of hands covered in calluses, and it was hard to tell whether they were from a sword hilt or a hoe.
He tentatively declined, saying, "There's no need. The Dark Iron Dwarves already have enough construction workers. Large tracts of land in the Canyon are in dire need of experienced farmers like you. A piece of land will soon be handed over to you, and you can start clearing it tomorrow. If you do well, you will become a farmer again, Mr. Gail. Don't worry, from today onwards, your and Luisa's lives will be free from hardship and danger."
"But I..."
Unas interrupted, emphasizing slightly, "There are no 'buts'. Please obey the organization's arrangements."
"But I must protect Luisa's safety." Gail straightened his hunched back, making him appear much taller than before.
"Heh, are you questioning my abilities? You've come seeking refuge here, and as the Warden, my greatest duty is to protect your safety," Unas deliberately emphasized again, "Even in Blackrock Depths, Miss Luisa is still under the protection of the Argent Dawn. She doesn't need a farmer like you for protection. You should just go back to farming!"
"You bastard...!" Faced with the tough young man, Gail felt insulted and almost lost her temper, but considering their current situation, she could only swallow the anger that was about to burst out and turned to look at the girl beside her.
Luisa pleaded hastily, "Knight, please..."
The sight of her teary, animal-like eyes was captivating, but Unas wavered for only a moment. "No, letting you go to Shadowforge City is already an exception. I can't grant any more unreasonable requests."
The two men exchanged a glance, Gail said, "Since the master won't agree, we'll have to leave the Canyon."
"Leave? Then where will you go? Your identities are not clear, the Monastery will not accept you, the sea route to the north is blocked, the east is Plaguelands filled with the Undead, and the roads to the west or south are all controlled by the Forsaken. With your limited strength, it would be almost certain death for you to break out. Staying with me is the best choice."
Unas's analysis and warnings had no effect; although the two people opposite him looked desperate, they remained stubbornly silent.
Unas frowned, overturning his previous judgment. The two were indeed as Natasha had said, quite suspicious, and must be hiding some secret.
"Why? Why do you all have to stay together? I need a real reason."
After a moment of silence, Gail suddenly strode up to Luisa, put his arm around her shoulder, and exclaimed, "Luisa and I are practically husband and wife now, of course we should be together!"
Unas was startled, but on the surface he sneered, "How is that possible? Don't try to fool me!"
"What's impossible about it?" Gail said matter-of-factly. "We're both people whose families were destroyed, and we took care of each other during our escape. What's wrong with developing feelings for each other and becoming husband and wife? There's no law in any country that says an old man can't marry a young woman, is there?!"
"You're talking nonsense!" Unas lost his composure and turned to the girl, "Luisa, is what he said true?"
Luisa nestled in Gail's arms, head bowed, silent, only nodding slightly.
It felt like several sharp thorns had been pierced through his heart. Unas felt his heart convulsing, his mind a complete mess, and he was speechless for a moment.
Gail pressed her advantage, saying, "It is a husband's duty to protect his wife. Please, sir, grant us permission to go to Blackrock Depths."
After waiting for a while, Unas had been lost in thought, finally came back to reality. "Well then... you should find a place to rest first. I'll send someone to take you underground."
Watching the Warden's dejected figure gradually disappear into the distance, Gail quickly released his grip on Luisa and whispered in the girl's ear, "Excuse me, Your Highness."
"N-nothing." Luisa rubbed her shoulder, which was sore from being gripped. "What... what happened to him?"
Gail scoffed, not giving a direct answer. "I heard this newly appointed Warden was a valiant Paladin, but it seems he's just a greenhorn. Rumors are indeed unreliable."
Unas didn't know how he got back to the Tent. The lunch Raphael brought had been cold for a long time, and he still had no appetite.
A sense of loss followed the heartbreak, which was more painful than being rejected by Whitemane in public. He could hardly believe that Luisa, whom he had only met twice, held such an important place in his heart.
Perhaps at their first meeting, those large, listless yet yearning blue eyes had already captivated him; they were eyes that could evoke a man's boundless desire to protect them.
More likely, it was the rose fragrance emanating from the spiderweb robe that accompanied him at all times, allowing him to feel a touch of warmth belonging to his beloved in countless midnight dreams.
In short, Unas's eagerness to help her stemmed not only from gratitude, but also from a deep affection he himself was unaware of—he had grown somewhat fond of this timid yet endearing girl.
But the woman he loved had already become that bastard old man's woman. Thinking of this, his heart ached again, Unas couldn't help but curse, "You bastard!"
"Who is the master cursing?" A familiar female voice came in with the sound of the curtain being lifted, and Natasha, shrouded in a robe and veil, returned.
Unas didn't want to show weakness in front of others, so he quickly rallied his spirits and asked, "What happened now?"
"It's about adults, and it's also about women." Natasha's words were ambiguous, and her eyes rarely flashed with gossip.
"Just say what you want to say, don't beat around the bush!" Unas was in a bad mood, and his tone wasn't as kind as usual.
"Does Your Excellency truly believe that Luisa and Gail have become husband and wife?"
How did you know? You... you eavesdropped on our conversation?
"I was just following orders from my superiors to keep a close watch on suspicious individuals."
This left Unas speechless.