Chapter 26: Stop Looking—No Matter How Much You Look, It

The entrance of Guolan Village.

“To have a servant as beautiful as you, it seems Your Highness has a profound appreciation for aesthetics.”

Kalen sighed, then mounted the Black Abyss Wolf, preparing to enter the village.

Though he had not yet seen the prince, he already felt a faint three-tenths of belief.

After all, a servant’s appearance can, in some ways, reflect the noble’s rank.

Perhaps this beautiful servant beside him had come from the Eastern Continent alongside that prince.

“Wait a moment.”

Just as Kalen was about to enter the village, Anliya blocked his path.

Her slender, snow-white arm fearlessly blocked the terrifying wolf-maw of the Black Abyss Wolf, showing no awareness of the risk that the giant beast could tear her apart with a single snarl.

“His Highness permits only you to enter; please dismount from your wolf, Lord Viscount,” Anliya stated calmly.

Upon hearing this, Kalen’s brows tightened.

If it were only that Solin and the guards were barred entry, that would be acceptable—after all, if battle erupted, they would only be a burden.

But Blacktail was different; a knight’s combat power plummets without his mount.

Moreover, Blacktail himself, as a demonic beast, was a major combat asset.

“My mount has a gentle temperament; he won’t disturb His Highness,” Kalen said in a low voice, a hint of cold sharpness underlying his tone.

He patted the wolf’s head, and the Black Abyss Wolf, with clear intelligence, wagged its jet-black tail to demonstrate its docility.

“I’m sorry, but it is His Highness’s command. If you refuse, please leave.”

Ignoring the cold edge in the lord’s voice, Anliya spoke in a voice as clear as a spring, each word deliberate.

At the same time, she raised her arm in a gesture bidding him to depart.

Kalen fell silent.

His emerald-green eyes locked onto the girl, attempting to exert mental pressure.

Beneath him, the Black Abyss Wolf instantly shifted from “dog” to wolf, glaring fiercely at Anliya, fangs slightly bared.

Yet before this overwhelmingly intimidating scene—enough to send ordinary people fleeing in terror—the girl’s will remained unshaken, still holding the same gesture to bid him leave.

Ten seconds. Twenty seconds.

After one minute, Kalen yielded.

He let out a soft sigh and leapt down from the Black Abyss Wolf’s back.

He had originally intended to use Blacktail as a means to test the other’s identity.

After all, if the other truly came from the super-kingdom that ruled the entire Eastern Continent, even if he was unskilled in combat, he would surely be accustomed to demonic beasts of Blacktail’s caliber.

Thus, he would not show any surprise upon seeing Blacktail; if he did, it would reveal his false identity.

But now it seemed this test was unnecessary—after all, even his servant ignored Blacktail completely. Why should he embarrass himself further?

“Lord Viscount Hughes, simply walk straight ahead. His Highness awaits you beneath the oak tree at the village center.”

Seeing Kalen abandon riding the Black Abyss Wolf into the village, Anliya finally lowered her blocking arm.

“You are an excellent servant.”

As he passed Anliya, Kalen said casually.

“My master taught me well,” the girl replied calmly.

Slanting sunlight fell upon the ground; an ancient oak, thick as a dozen arms could encircle, stood towering and weathered.

Its sturdy branches and dense canopy formed a giant umbrella, shielding the scorching sun.

Beneath its shade stood a stone table and two wooden chairs.

One of the wooden chairs already held a young man around twenty years old.

This was the scene Kalen saw after entering the village and walking a short distance.

Of course, his attention was not wasted on the scenery—it was entirely fixed on the long string of white text hovering above the young man’s head.

“Heir to a kingdom of 1,400,000,000 subjects!”

Kalen involuntarily read it aloud, then froze completely.

Though his squire knight Solin had told him, hearing it and seeing it were two entirely different things.

Moreover, the absurd identity buff was word-for-word accurate!

No, no—perhaps it was some kind of illusion. Calm down. Stay calm.

Kalen clenched his fist tightly, the pain of his nails digging into his flesh snapping him out of his shock.

He then concentrated his magic into his eyes; his emerald-green pupils glowed faintly, attempting to pierce through this masterful illusion.

One second. Two seconds. Five seconds passed. The text before him showed no change.

This meant either the heavenly-given identity buff was real, or the other’s illusion or magic had reached a level even a Star-level cultivator could not penetrate.

Either way, it meant the other deserved his utmost caution.

Thinking this, Kalen swiftly withdrew his magic, and the cold indifference on his stern face was instantly replaced by a radiant, almost obsequious smile.

Ah, since becoming a lord, he hadn’t shown this expression in a long time—he no longer needed to perform.

Worried his smile might seem too fake and be seen through by His Highness, Kalen approached the young man uneasily.

On the other side.

“Is he the Lord of Black Wolf Domain, Viscount Hughes?”

Xia Mingyu sat on the chair, gazing at the mature man across from him, seemingly in his early thirties.

After acquiring the Student occupation, his physical attributes had improved comprehensively—strength, speed, stamina, even his vision had sharpened, allowing him to clearly see the approaching figure.

So tall. So broad.

That was his first impression.

Xia Mingyu’s bare height was 1.83 meters—tall by Blue Star standards.

But the man in the black formal suit, whose muscles could not be concealed, stood at least 1.93 meters tall, and with his terrifying double-door shoulder width, he gave this Blue Star native a small shock at first glance.

He had no doubt of the viscount’s martial prowess; judging by appearance alone, even three Solin knights wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

Beyond his appearance, another thing drawing his attention was the emerald-green text hovering above the man’s head: “Noble.”

Concise.

Undoubtedly, this was his first encounter with this world’s ruling class.

To be honest, Xia Mingyu felt a touch of nervousness; his forehead even glistened slightly with sweat from tension and the sweltering heat.

But after a moment, he relaxed.

Because he saw the noble viscount standing frozen in place, staring blankly at him—or rather, at the text above his head.

His eyes were dry and gleaming, unwilling to look away.

Hey, stop staring. No matter how hard you look, it’s real.

Though, aside from this line of text above my head, everything else about me is fake.

Xia Mingyu lifted the wooden cup filled with crimson fruit wine, took a sip, and thought quietly.

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(End of Chapter)