Chapter 40: The Only Unique Genius in the Entire World!

At the room’s door.

“I choose the Hunter’s path.”

“Forgive me, my lord, for my caprice.”

Though he had made his desired choice, Boge’s face was filled with unease; he even bowed his head, unwilling to look at Xia Mingyu.

Because he knew that choosing the orthodox Knight’s path was the proper duty of a loyal squire—countless others dreamed of such an opportunity but never received it.

Yet while fulfilling his father’s last wish was one thing, he still needed at least another year to become a knight—how could he possibly fulfill his duty to protect my lord during that time?

He no longer wished to be knocked senseless, his sword ripped from his grasp, before my lord’s eyes—he hoped that had been the last time.

“Do what you wish to do; this is no caprice. I believe you will go farther on the Hunter’s path and bring me greater glory.”

“As we once agreed, you offer me your loyalty, and I shall guide you toward the path of strength—that is my duty.”

Xia Mingyu said calmly.

At these words, the boy clenched his fists tightly, his brown eyes shimmering with tears.

“Your Highness, thank you for saving me from the wolf pack long ago, and for taking me as your squire and showing me the way.”

“I, Boge Chu, swear before the gods: even if one day I lose my human form and become a beast, I shall forever remember my lord’s grace—I shall gnaw the flesh of his enemies, forever and ever!”

At midnight, a full moon hung high above the deep night sky, pouring down countless threads of silver light.

At the top of the bell tower.

A petite girl with silver hair stood beside the massive bronze bell, gazing at the bright moon in the sky.

She wore a white dress, her silver locks flowing like a waterfall in the night wind, shimmering with ripples woven by moonlight.

The hem of her white dress fluttered slightly, revealing slender, jade-like ankles.

Her mismatched red and gray eyes reflected the full moon; her hand rested lightly on the slightly rusted bronze bell, her snow-white fingertips stained with faint verdigris.

Tap-tap-tap.

At that moment, footsteps echoed up the spiral staircase; hearing them, the girl turned from the moon and stood respectfully to one side.

“Good evening, Your Highness.”

After the black-haired young man ascended to the loft, the girl gently lifted the hem of her white dress and bowed deeply.

“Elise, you are beautiful tonight.”

Xia Mingyu gazed at the girl glowing under the moonlight, his dark eyes flickering with awe; he extended his right hand, palm open, before her.

Seeing this, Elise’s cheeks flushed slightly, yet she slowly placed her hand upon his.

Then Xia Mingyu bent down and lightly kissed the back of her hand.

A kiss on the hand—he had read a book titled *Nobility Etiquette* today.

“Your Highness, tonight is the full moon—the perfect time to practice the Moonlight Meditation. Please begin your visualization now.”

Elise whispered.

“Alright.”

Following Elise’s instructions, Xia Mingyu sat cross-legged on the loft, facing the best position to view the full moon.

“Your Highness, this is a magical potion to aid your meditation. Please drink it.”

Elise pulled out a pale blue potion and handed it to Xia Mingyu.

It had been purchased years ago by Viscount Hughes when she first began learning magic—he bought a whole crate, but she only used three or four bottles before successfully sensing magic, and the rest had sat untouched in the storage room ever since.

After a moment’s hesitation, Xia Mingyu downed the potion in one gulp.

After all, Elise had no reason to poison him.

Hmph, it was surprisingly sweet—like drinking a little dessert wine.

After drinking the potion, Xia Mingyu felt his mind suddenly grow empty, his emotions settling into calm stillness.

“Remember the appearance of the full moon in the night sky.”

“Close your eyes, relax your breath, listen to the whispers of the wind.”

“In your mind, imagine the full moon you just memorized.”

The girl’s soft, kitten-like voice echoed in his ears; Xia Mingyu followed each instruction precisely.

He struggled to imagine the full moon in the pitch-black void before him.

With years of experience daydreaming during class, he found it surprisingly easy.

“Your Highness, imagine your soul leaving your body, standing alone atop the full moon, gazing across the dark continent, gazing at your own body.”

Elise’s guidance continued.

Xia Mingyu obeyed; his sensation was strange.

It felt as if his soul had truly detached from his body, floating with ethereal freedom.

Soon, his consciousness grew hazy, leaving only the memory of the bright moon.

On the bell tower, Elise watched Xia Mingyu, motionless, his breathing slowed to near stillness; her flawless ruby eyes flickered with astonishment.

Because this was the unmistakable sign of successful meditation.

She herself had taken a full week to achieve it—and even then, her teacher had called her an unparalleled genius of the magical world!

He claimed that had she not been heterochromatic, he would have taken her to Star Tower, the sacred sanctuary of all mages, to study the deepest magic of the world.

And the prince had done it in just one hour. This could no longer be called genius—it was as if the world itself favored him!

“So this is the power granted by the beliefs of 1.4 billion people…”

Elise gazed at the white text hovering above Xia Mingyu’s head: *Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 Billion Citizens*; her beautiful eyes held a complex emotion.

Having read every book in the entire library, she knew well: the beliefs of sentient beings themselves were a form of power.

“A world where heterochromatic eyes are not omens of ill fortune—I truly wish to see it!”

The girl murmured to herself, staring at the spot on her hand where he had kissed her.

It was the first time anyone had called her beautiful—and the first time a man had performed the kiss-on-the-hand ritual.

The first rays of dawn pierced the night, the distant horizon gradually turning pale as fishbelly white.

Hum!

Accompanied by a resonant chime from the bell, Xia Mingyu slowly opened his eyes.

He felt as if he had dreamed—walking alone on the moon for a long time, seeing no one, only gazing in solitude at the distant blue planet, like the opening screen of some social app.

“Your Highness, congratulations. You mastered the Moonlight Meditation in a single night—I have never heard of anyone achieving it so quickly.”

Elise stood before him, speaking softly.

“So does that mean I have some talent in magic?”

Xia Mingyu asked, stretching his numb legs.

“Your Highness, please extend one finger and focus all your spirit on the fingertip.”

Elise did not answer, but continued.

Xia Mingyu obeyed; soon, a cool sensation gathered from his entire body and flowed into his fingertip.

Then, a faint white glow—barely brighter than a firefly—appeared on his fingertip: blank magic.

Seeing this, Elise’s face showed a hint of satisfaction.

“Your Highness, a mage requires many talents; I cannot guarantee you are a magic prodigy. But—” the girl paused.

“At least in meditation and accumulating magic, even the elves, the favored children of magic, could never match you.” Elise declared firmly.

“In this regard, you are the one and only supreme genius in the entire world!”

Please request moon tickets, thank you all for helping me enter the top ten, Thanks(ω)

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(End of Chapter)