"Rollin, back to your post,"
Lord Donner said, watching him from a distance as he returned to his watch spot.
From afar, he saw Sir Donner and Sir Gary walking into the makeshift camp together, laughing and greeting each other.
What they were saying was impossible to hear from this distance.
Sir Gary's only retainer had placed the flag by the side, and was standing like Peamon, waiting on his master.
Soon, the two groups merged into one, continuing their journey.
Since Sir Gary only had one retainer, the same pair—Rollin and Bill—were still assigned to the rear for scouting and guarding.
Bill muttered to himself,
"Ugh, this new guy's not going to make the difference. I still have to work all night."
He was thinking,
"This is totally unfair. But hey, at least it's a good setup for me. I can keep training Xiao He and the gray dog without being pulled back."
As they moved further, more knights joined the ranks.
By dusk, the group had eight knights and nearly twenty retainers.
They chose the same dense forest for the night.
"Yay, finally can rest,"
Bill and Rollin set up Lord Donner's tent and lit a small campfire.
After a simple dinner, they found a spot not too far from the fire, sitting with their own hard bread and dried meat.
They were assigned to the late night watch.
"Rollin, you saw it, right? Our Lord Donner has three retainers, others have two or one,"
Bill took a bite of the black bread dipped in meat soup, asking, "You know why?"
"I don't know,"
Rollin replied, adopting a passive role.
He kept his mouth closed, waiting to hear the explanation.
"Hey, I'll tell you,"
Bill, always eager to share his knowledge, said, "It's because the fief under Lord Donner's management is fertile. With good harvests, they can get three times the yield, and even more in good years."
"Oh, so that's why,"
Rollin nodded, playing the role of the quiet one.
He thought back—
His original self had only one dog, working on 20 acres of land.
But in this world, they were using a two-crop system, so they only needed to plant on 10 acres.
Because of the outdated farming methods, the harvest wasn't very impressive.
Putting 100 pounds of seeds into the field, you'd get about 300 pounds of grain.
That's the "plant one, get three" concept.
In poorer lands, you might get only "plant one, get two," and in bad harvest years, you'd starve.
"Exactly, it's because the land is good that our Lord Donner is a rich knight,"
Bill said, his face showing a bit of pride.
His master's wealth meant that the people under him had a decent life.
"Okay, I get it,"
Rollin said again, just to be the quiet one.
As the night wore on, the cold of autumn returned.
Rollin leaned against the tree, half-asleep but still keeping watch.
Xiao He and the gray dog were on either side, their heads resting on his chest, hugging him tightly.
Now, he had two warm companions.
The cold was no match for them.
He sniffed the air, noticing that the scent of these two dogs was a bit…
Well, let's just say it was the kind of smell that only a dog who likes you would have.
Maybe it was just the fact that they were his dogs.
As the morning came, the night had passed without incident.
Everyone had a quick breakfast, and the group resumed its journey.
"Did you pick that up yourself?"
Lord Donner asked after hearing from his retainer.
He glanced at the gray dog, then nodded, "Take it with you. Hopefully, it can help us as Xiao He did."
"Thank you, my lord,"
Rollin told the truth, explaining how he had found the dog.
He didn't want to be caught with an extra dog.
But with Xiao He and the gray dog already proving their worth, he had to get it approved before the day was over.
He managed to pass the test with the help of Xiao He's performance.
The issue was now settled.
With the group growing in size, and the night watch duties falling to others, Bill and Rollin were now walking in the middle of the formation.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Rollin kept Xiao He and the gray dog at a distance.
They could move freely at the rear, and it looked like they were enjoying the company.
Peamon, in the meantime, took out the triangular flag for his master.
It had a white background, with the Bruin Baron's emblem of a black pine tree at the front and a black pine cone at the back.
It showed the loyalty of the pine cone to the pine tree.
"Bill, here,"
Rollin handed over a few hazelnuts, sharing with his companion.
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Bill said, "What kind of trick?"
"Watch this,"
Bill demonstrated his "survivalist" skills.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
This was the perfect way to move without getting in the way of the knights.
In front were Lord Donner and his retainer Peamon.
On the sides were the mules.
Behind were Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin's mind was suddenly opened.
He and Bill were now inside a makeshift "armored transport vehicle."
What a revelation.
He had learned something new.
"Rollin, here,"
Bill handed him a few hazelnuts, saying, "You're the only one who gets to eat them."
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Rollin said, taking the nuts.
"Whoa, what's this trick?"
"Watch me,"
Bill's actions fully revealed his "survivalist" talent.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
Now, in front of them were Lord Donner and his retainer, Peamon.
Their mules were on the sides, and behind them was Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin suddenly understood it all.
He and Bill were now inside a primitive "armored transport vehicle."
What a learning moment.
"Rollin, here,"
Bill handed him a few hazelnuts, saying, "You're the only one who gets to eat them."
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Rollin said, taking the nuts.
"Whoa, what's this trick?"
"Watch me,"
Bill's actions fully revealed his "survivalist" talent.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
Now, in front of them were Lord Donner and his retainer, Peamon.
Their mules were on the sides, and behind them was Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin suddenly understood it all.
He and Bill were now inside a primitive "armored transport vehicle."
What a learning moment.
"Rollin, here,"
Bill handed him a few hazelnuts, saying, "You're the only one who gets to eat them."
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Rollin said, taking the nuts.
"Whoa, what's this trick?"
"Watch me,"
Bill's actions fully revealed his "survivalist" talent.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
Now, in front of them were Lord Donner and his retainer, Peamon.
Their mules were on the sides, and behind them was Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin suddenly understood it all.
He and Bill were now inside a primitive "armored transport vehicle."
What a learning moment.
"Rollin, here,"
Bill handed him a few hazelnuts, saying, "You're the only one who gets to eat them."
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Rollin said, taking the nuts.
"Whoa, what's this trick?"
"Watch me,"
Bill's actions fully revealed his "survivalist" talent.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
Now, in front of them were Lord Donner and his retainer, Peamon.
Their mules were on the sides, and behind them was Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin suddenly understood it all.
He and Bill were now inside a primitive "armored transport vehicle."
What a learning moment.
"Rollin, here,"
Bill handed him a few hazelnuts, saying, "You're the only one who gets to eat them."
"Thanks, I'll tell you a little trick,"
Rollin said, taking the nuts.
"Whoa, what's this trick?"
"Watch me,"
Bill's actions fully revealed his "survivalist" talent.
He used his right hand to guide the mule, positioning himself to the left.
Meanwhile, he used his left hand to guide the mule, standing to the right.
Now, in front of them were Lord Donner and his retainer, Peamon.
Their mules were on the sides, and behind them was Sir Gary and his retainer.
Rollin suddenly understood it all.
He and Bill were now inside a primitive "armored transport vehicle."
What a learning moment.