Chapter 80: I Will Become Your Left Arm (Requesting Monthly Votes)

Starfire Hall.

“You’ve become so handsome?”

Looking at the man kneeling before him on one knee, his nose high and proud, his features sculpted and heroic, Xia Mingyu’s face showed a flicker of shock.

He could hardly reconcile this vigorous young man with the former thirteen, whose body was covered in scars, so ugly he could have played a serial killer in Saw.

Thanks to the grace you bestowed upon me—the Thirteen Rebirth—I underwent my first rebirth, restored all my scars, and all of this is due to you.

Hargex bowed his head slightly, speaking with utmost reverence.

“Sit down. Tell me everything that happened to you.”

Xia Mingyu was curious about Hargex’s past; he patted his shoulder and snapped his fingers, transforming the first bronze seat to his left into a wider one to accommodate Hargex’s larger frame.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

After sitting, Hargex began to speak slowly.

His voice was neither passionate nor emotional, but his life was rich and winding enough to captivate.

Born a slave, he lost his emotions through repeated life-or-death battles with his fellow slaves, becoming a hollow shell tormented by guilt; he met Your Highness, refused to kill, abandoned combat and resistance, bled out, and was thrown into prison; he fought a man-eating lion bare-handed until he finally used his life to force the Piercing Duke to improve the slaves’ conditions.

Xia Mingyu listened, spellbound, sometimes sighing in sorrow, sometimes smiling.

This was far more thrilling than any fantasy novel from Blue Star—especially since it was the real, living story of a hardened man.

“Hargex, meeting you has been truly wonderful!” Xia Mingyu sincerely exclaimed after hearing it all.

Only now did he realize that beneath Hargex’s once-ugly exterior lay a gentle and righteous soul.

He had thought he and Hargex shared the same will; now he saw that Hargex’s will likely towered far above his own.

To find such a righteous and selfless companion in this world teeming with crime and filled with occult brothels and gangs—how reliable he was!

“Your Highness—no, Master—meeting you is the greatest redemption of my life.”

“I will become your left arm, forever by your side, cleansing this world full of sinners with you.”

“I swear to the gods—no, I swear to you: any enemy who dares harm you will be killed without mercy. If the enemy is stronger than me, let him cross over my corpse twelve times first.”

Hargex bowed deeply.

“I swear to you too: I will always regard you as my companion, cherish you as I would my own left arm. May we together realize that absurd, endless ideal—to make every person on this continent live like a human being!”

Xia Mingyu extended his fist toward Hargex; Hargex understood and did the same.

Thud.

A large fist and a small fist collided.

Black Wolf Keep.

Guest bedroom.

Xia Mingyu slowly woke from sleep, gazing at the yellowed sky outside the window, feeling as if he had awoken from another lifetime.

“Didn’t expect to sleep from noon till dusk… but I did manage to help Hargex.”

Xia Mingyu stretched comfortably, a sense of accomplishment rising within him.

Then he frowned slightly, looking at his chest—his heart was fluttering.

“Didn’t expect to be reincarnated and still have this problem,” Xia Mingyu sighed.

On Blue Star, he’d always felt this way: if he slept until dusk, he’d get a pang of being abandoned by the world.

But the cure was simple: just chat with a gentle girl.

Xia Mingyu opened the door and stepped out, heading for the library.

“It seems the carriages entering the keep today haven’t stopped at all.”

In the corridor, Xia Mingyu watched carriage after carriage, loaded with goods, rolling into the keep, his brow furrowed in confusion.

He’d lived in Black Wolf Keep for some time, but had never seen such a scene.

“Your Highness.”

At that moment, the old steward, Xiao En, passed by the corridor corner with two servants carrying goods; seeing him, he bowed respectfully.

“Steward, what are these carriages for?” Xia Mingyu asked.

“Your Highness, young Lord Haidun’s infant honor ceremony will be held in a few days; one necessary step is to proclaim his birth throughout the domain.”

“These carriages carry a small portion of the ceremony’s supplies, but the vast majority are gifts sent by the domain’s people, who heard of young Lord Haidun and came voluntarily.” Old Xiao En explained.

“Lady Daniele has confirmed repeatedly: these gifts were truly spontaneous, no coercion involved—it seems the people are deeply grateful to the Lord for clearing out the brothels and gangs.”

Worried Xia Mingyu might misunderstand, Old Xiao En quickly added.

“I see,” Xia Mingyu murmured, a faint smile touching his lips.

People are simple: if you care for them, they care for you.

“Since Lady Dorothy’s death, I’ve never seen the Lord so happy—he’s found new glory and happiness because of your arrival, Your Highness.”

“May the gods bless you; you will forever be Black Wolf Keep’s most honored guest.”

Old Xiao En bowed deeply in heartfelt gratitude; the two servants behind him also bowed, still holding their goods.

“No need,” Xia Mingyu said, gazing at the crimson clouds outside the window, smiling faintly. “Kallen has helped me greatly. We… are friends.”

“Please inform Anliya I’d like her to come to the library now.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The sunset’s glow streamed through the library’s tall arched windows, bathing the entire space in warm gold, filling it with quiet, peaceful warmth.

Xia Mingyu rested his head on the lap of a beautiful girl in a white dress, feeling the softness beneath his skull, while she fed him strips of fried fish with her slender fingers.

“Perfect!” Xia Mingyu murmured, savoring the dual satisfaction of appetite and desire.

“Hehe, Your Highness, eat slowly—I fried plenty of fish strips~”

Anliya was delighted too: after days of vegetarian meals, the Prince had finally accepted meat again.

Now she no longer had to strain her mind daily inventing new, delicious, nutritious, non-repeating vegetarian dishes.

Watching this harmonious scene, Elise, lying on a hammock nearby with a book in her arms, felt a pang of envy.

Since her mother’s death, she hadn’t felt this close to anyone in a very, very long time.

“Your Highness, may I ask you something?” After a moment’s hesitation, Elise walked over and knelt beside him.

“Go ahead, Teacher Elise,” Xia Mingyu said lazily.

“Today I heard Father say you plan to take my younger brother Haidun as your godson—is that true?” the girl asked.

Though she knew her father wouldn’t lie, the idea of a ruler with 1.4 billion subjects choosing a viscount’s son as godson still seemed unbelievable.

Xia Mingyu nodded slightly.

“Th-this… you’re so generous it’s almost unbelievable!”

Once confirmed, Elise couldn’t help but exclaim, deeply envious of her half-brother’s fortune.

If she could, she too wished for a noble figure like the Prince as her godfather—then even with her ominous heterochromia, no one would dare look down on her.

After all, behind her stood 1.4 billion people—the weight of an entire continent.

(End of Chapter)