Chapter 68: Goodbye Robert

Mine Town.

After the execution ended, it was dusk again.

Orange-gold light intertwined with pale purple twilight, forming a sky as beautiful as a painting.

After expressing their gratitude to Kallen for a long time, the villagers gradually dispersed, and Xia Mingyu prepared to leave.

“My lord, a man claims to be the village chief of Guolan Village and wishes to meet you.”

At that moment, the Black Wolf Castle’s steward, Old Xiao En, walked up to him and bowed respectfully.

Robert? Did he come to watch the execution too?

“Bring him over,” Xia Mingyu said.

“Master Mingyu, may the gods bless you.”

Robert began greeting him while bending down to kneel, but Xia Mingyu stopped him.

“No need to kneel, Mr. Robert. It’s been a long time—what brings you to me?” Xia Mingyu gripped his arm and gently helped him up.

“Master Mingyu, I’ve come to ask about the well-being of Anliya and Boge. They’re still young; I worry they may not serve you well enough.”

Robert’s face showed hesitation, a flicker of concern crossing his deeply lined features.

“Don’t worry—they’ve both fulfilled their duties as maid and attendant excellently. I should thank you for raising these two pillars of mine.”

Xia Mingyu smiled slightly and patted his shoulder lightly.

He held deep respect for this diligent old village chief, who gave him the feeling of a model worker devoted selflessly to his post.

“That’s good,” Robert sighed deeply, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.

“Master Mingyu, the Lord’s execution of so many villains and his grain donations to the villages—surely they were your orders, weren’t they?”

Xia Mingyu gave a slight nod, acknowledging it.

“Master Mingyu, you truly seem like the sun and the god of justice incarnate—wherever you go, you pour your glory selflessly upon mortals. May the gods bless you!”

Having confirmed his suspicions, Robert’s expression betrayed his excitement; had Xia Mingyu not stopped him, he would have kissed the toe of his shoe.

“By the way, Robert, what is your farmer’s ability?”

At that moment, Xia Mingyu, gazing at the white Farmer Blessing above his head, suddenly wondered.

“My ability makes plowing easier. Others have gained the ability to drive pests away from fruit trees,” Robert replied.

“A useful ability. What about an Exalted-rank farmer?” Xia Mingyu mused.

“That, Master Mingyu—I’ve never seen an Exalted-rank farmer. But my ancestors said they could increase crop yields,” Robert said hesitantly.

Increase crop yields?!

So if there were enough Exalted-rank farmers, even without agricultural improvements, could they produce enough grain to feed everyone?

Hearing this, Xia Mingyu fell into deep thought.

He had discovered something profoundly strange.

Food is life. For any nation, the most vital and critical matter is ensuring its food supply—like provinces designated as granaries.

In ancient times, this even gave rise to the social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, placing farmers just below the literati.

In a world blessed by divine protection, where sentient beings are favored by heaven and earth, shouldn’t a competent king prioritize agriculture and systematically cultivate Exalted-rank farmers to meet the nation’s food needs?

Is the threshold for farmers to ascend to Exalted rank too harsh, with returns not matching investment—or was the intention never to feed the people at all?!

Xia Mingyu suddenly snapped awake. He felt the latter possibility was high—but it was too absurd. How could a king deliberately let his own people starve?

“Master Mingyu, night is falling—I must return to the village early. Please tell Anliya I’m well.”

At that moment, Robert bowed respectfully.

“No message for Boge?”

“No need. He’d only find me a nuisance,” Robert smiled warmly.

“May the gods bless you, Master Mingyu. I’ll pray for you every day.” He bowed deeply, then turned and faded into the street.

Evening fell; the night sky lowered, stars scattered like sesame seeds on a pie.

Library.

Several candles on the walls burned fiercely; the stacked bookshelves glowed with a yellowed light, strangely warm.

“Your Highness, is it delicious?”

A beautiful maiden with golden hair and blue eyes knelt on the floor, gazing tenderly at the black-haired youth lying on her lap.

With her delicate, snow-white hands, she took a bright red fruit from a nearby basket and offered it to his lips.

“Delicious.”

Xia Mingyu ate the fruit bit by bit, then lightly nipped her slender finger.

What a beautiful hand—who could resist the urge to bite?

“Your Highness, it tickles…”

Feeling the warm sensation and slight pain on her fingertip, the maiden’s cheeks flushed red, and she let out a bell-like laugh.

Yet she did not withdraw her finger; instead, she pressed her thighs together to give him a better knee-pillow.

“Sesee.”

Nearby, lying on a hammock with two snow-white feet propped up, Elise hid her face behind a thick book, blushing inwardly.

“Your Highness, I made some venison-and-pepper pies specially for you. Would you like to try?” Anliya said softly.

As the Highness’s maid, no one in the castle dared assign her any task—even if she volunteered.

Thus, every day in the castle, she spent her time studying cookbooks in the library and learning to prepare all kinds of delicacies, to soothe His Highness’s ever-hungry stomach.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I truly have no appetite,” Xia Mingyu said, recalling the scene he had ignited today, his mouth twitching as he refused.

Ugh—these past days, he’d either killed or burned things. He hadn’t wanted meat for days.

“I see,” Anliya’s face flickered with disappointment.

It wasn’t because her hard-made food was rejected—it was because she worried about Xia Mingyu’s health. Long-term vegetarianism was terrible for the body.

“Today, I met Robert. I told him you and Boge have been diligent. He was delighted, and asked me to tell you he’s well.”

Seeing the maiden’s sadness, Xia Mingyu gently stroked her snow-white neck.

Hearing news of her foster father, Anliya’s lips curled slightly—but her expression quickly turned anxious.

“Speak freely,” Xia Mingyu glanced at her, calmly.

He now knew Anliya so well he could guess her thoughts from her expression alone.

“Your Highness, Boge has been deeply troubled these days. Would you consider formally appointing him as your attendant?” Anliya ventured carefully.

In this world, attendants came in two kinds: nominal attendants, and those whose status blessing was changed by an Exalted noble using their extremely limited appointment slots.

The latter formed a bond with their lord far stronger than the former—like Knight Solin and Viscount Hughes.

“I see,” Xia Mingyu mused.

No wonder Boge had been looking at him these past days with unspoken words, his face flushed like a monkey’s rear—he’d thought it was a side effect of the Hunter blessing.

Appointing Boge as attendant on his blessing must mean the “Comrade-in-Arms” ability.

He was curious what unique boon Boge’s potential and will would awaken.

“Tomorrow, I will formally appoint him as my attendant,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.

(End of Chapter)