Chapter 20: Profession: University Student

The next moment, Boge’s face turned crimson, and the surrounding villagers stared at him with eyes full of envy and jealousy.

To be granted a surname by a prince of a superpower—what immense honor this was for a commoner!

Even in their dreams, they dared not imagine such a thing.

Slap!

Boge was struck hard across the face—and the one who hit him was none other than himself.

Because reality was too wonderful, he wondered if this were merely a pleasant afternoon dream.

Yet the sharp pain in his face told him this was real.

This noble prince truly wished to take him as a retainer—and even granted him a surname.

Boge could only thank his luck that, on that day in the forest, when he saw someone under attack, he had suddenly felt compassion and fired an arrow far beyond his usual skill, leading to this dreamlike fortune.

“Above the Creator, above the gods, I, Boge Chu, hereby swear—” After calming himself, Boge steadied his emotions and spoke again, loudly.

“From this day forward, I shall serve Xia Mingyu as my lord, and I shall be his loyal retainer, his hound.”

“No matter if the path ahead is thorns or wildfire, I shall follow his footsteps, guarding his honor and dignity with my life, my bow, and my soul until my final breath.”

Boge’s voice grew louder, tinged with near-fanatical devotion.

“I swear, no matter what enemy I face, no matter what hardship I endure, I shall stand beside you, using my flesh and blood to shield you from every blade and swordsman.”

“Your enemies are my enemies, your ideals are my ideals; whether your demands are just or unjust, reasonable or unreasonable, I shall spare no effort to fulfill them.”

“If I break this oath, may the Sun God scorch my body, the Thunder God strike my soul, and the Earth God split open a chasm to swallow my resting place.”

Boge’s voice trembled slightly as he slowly bowed his head, his forehead nearly touching the ground, his tone low yet unmistakably clear.

“Lord Mingyu, accept my loyalty.”

“I accept your loyalty, and I believe your oath. I promise you, from this day forward, I shall protect your safety and illuminate your path to strength.”

Xia Mingyu spoke softly, placing two heavy hands on Boge’s shoulders.

The path to strength. My lord still remembers my first vow!

Warmth filled Boge’s heart as he slowly rose, his eyes shining brightly.

Just as he was about to thank his lord once more, he saw a white light suddenly rise above the other’s head.

Behind the long label “Heir to 1,400,000,000 Subjects,” another new label slowly formed.

“Lord, your profession has successfully manifested!” Boge exclaimed in delight.

Even without him speaking, Xia Mingyu already felt the changes in his body.

His body felt lighter, a cool sensation stirred in his mind, and his entire being was as comfortable as if immersed in an open-air hot spring.

“Boge, I’m heading back.”

Xia Mingyu, who had originally planned to tease Boge some more, hurried toward the wooden hut.

He could hardly wait to see what his profession was and what abilities it granted—because they would directly determine whether his journey in this Seven-Ring world would be hell mode or paradise mode.

If he was lucky enough to get a profession like “Transmigrator” or “Fool,” he could just kick back and let fate handle everything.

After Xia Mingyu left, the villagers, unable to contain their excitement any longer, surrounded Boge.

“Good lad, you’ve truly been blessed by the gods! Even after committing a crime, you were taken as a retainer—and given a surname. It’s more unbelievable than any bard’s ballad!”

“Hey, don’t forget our village when you make it big—come back and visit often!”

“Never forget the prince’s grace. If you ever betray him, don’t expect me to ever call you brother again!”

The villagers clamored around Boge, some even lifting him high into the air.

At that moment, Luo Bote slowly walked toward Boge, and the villagers parted to make way for him.

“Still hurt?” Luo Bote gazed at Boge’s battered body and sighed softly.

“Not at all! Not one bit!”

Boge grinned, his scarred face lighting up with a radiant smile.

Though his body ached, the boundless joy in his spirit had long drowned out the pain.

“Sigh,” Luo Bote’s brow twitched at the sight.

“I hit you hard just now. Do you hate me?”

“Without your beating, my lord might never have taken me. I’m grateful to you!” Boge burst out laughing.

“You’re impossible!”

Luo Bote glared at Boge, who coughed a few times and immediately returned to his usual cold, calm demeanor.

“Boge, remember—no matter what happens, under any circumstance, never disobey your lord’s orders again,” Luo Bote warned.

“Yes, I will!” Boge replied firmly.

“Also, if the prince ever beats you—even if he beats you badly—you must not dodge, just like today when I hit you.”

“And if anyone dares insult the prince, you must be the first to step forward and kill him.”

After giving many instructions, Luo Bote looked at Boge—still expression resolute, not a trace of annoyance on his face—and finally nodded in satisfaction.

“Today, our village has resolved its crisis and experienced such great joy. Tonight, we’ll bring out our stored goods and hold the most grand bonfire feast in the history of Fruit Basket Village!”

Luo Bote waved his hand with renewed vigor, as if he had regained his youthful energy.

“Long live the village chief!!”

“Ooh! We can finally drink some red berry wine!”

The villagers’ cheers nearly overturned the ancient oak tree.

On the other side, inside the wooden hut.

Xia Mingyu stared blankly at his reflection in the water barrel, his expression dazed.

He never in a million years expected his profession to be this!

In the reflection, beneath the white text “Heir to 1,400,000,000 Subjects,” another line of white text had appeared—“University Student.”

“Though a profession is meant to summarize one’s past life, this one is absurdly abstract,” Xia Mingyu muttered, his lip twitching.

He didn’t really care about the profession itself—he cared about what abilities it granted, preferably something like “Knight” or “Hunter” that would help in combat.

But “University Student” made him think of the average physical test scores from before his transmigration—and he felt like diving headfirst into the water barrel.

“Forget it. Let’s just check the abilities.”

Xia Mingyu sighed and focused his gaze on the label “University Student.”

Slowly, two new lines of text emerged beneath it.

Innocent Foolishness: You will more easily gain others’ favor upon first meeting.

Mind Wandering: You can empty your mind and let your body act on its own.

Huh? Even a Mortal-rank profession can have two abilities?

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(End of Chapter)