Chapter Thirteen: The Knight Arrives

Career is a summary of one’s past life…

On the way back to the village, Xia Mingyu’s mind kept pondering this question.

Most of his past life seemed to have been spent in school—waking up at six every morning to get ready for class, then studying until ten at night before finally going to bed. It was even more grueling than Sparta…

He had finally made it to a decent university, only to find himself buried in endless grade grinding, staying up late into the night streaming online courses.

His past life could be summed up with just four words: academic workhorse. Yet, how could there be such an abstract thing as a “career”?

Xia Mingyu sighed. Unconsciously, he and Berg had already returned to the village.

The sun’s last rays bathed the village’s earthen path, while the distant orchards rippled with waves of green in the evening breeze. The faint aroma of food lingered in the air.

“Your Highness, you’re back!” Anlia greeted him at the village entrance, her face alight with joy. She had changed back into the patched, cinched-waist jacket, but it did nothing to diminish her beauty.

Her golden hair shimmered softly in the sunlight, and her deep blue eyes mirrored the sky itself.

On her left wrist hung a woven basket, and when she lifted the burlap cloth covering it, four neatly arranged, steaming white breads were revealed.

The three of them entered the village together, heading toward home.

“Your Highness, you must be tired from hunting. These are freshly baked white breads. Please try one,” the girl said eagerly, offering a piece smeared with red berry jam.

“Thank you,” Xia Mingyu accepted the bread and took a gentle bite.

A simple, pure wheat fragrance blossomed instantly in his mouth, mingling with the faint fresh scent of the jam. Sweet, yet with just the right touch of tartness, the warmth of the bread enhanced the jam’s aroma. Each berry burst between his teeth, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

“Delicious!” Xia Mingyu praised, taking a hearty bite.

“As long as Your Highness likes it,” the girl’s eyes curved into crescent moons with happiness, her lips lifting to reveal white teeth.

“Anlia, I accompanied His Highness hunting all day. Can I have a piece of white bread too?” Berg sniffled, staring hungrily at the three remaining loaves like a starving wolf.

Though an excellent hunter who ate meat regularly, he had never indulged in such sweet white bread before.

“No, Berg. I’m only responsible for baking it, but the wheat was specially sent for His Highness,” Anlia refused without hesitation.

Hearing this, Berg immediately turned away, looking longingly at Xia Mingyu.

He clearly realized begging Anlia was futile; he had to plead with His Highness instead.

“I’ll have another piece. The remaining two breads can be shared between you two,” Xia Mingyu smiled slightly.

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Before Anlia could react, Berg snatched a loaf with lightning speed and devoured it like a ravenous tiger.

“You fool, Berg,” Anlia said, kicking him playfully before picking up a piece herself and nibbling delicately.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” The girl’s steps grew inexplicably lighter, and the gaze she cast at the young man’s handsome face softened with affection.

“Your Highness, the cellar we dug under your guidance is finished. Would you like to see it?” she asked.

“All right.”

…

In the dim cellar, baskets brimming with red berries were neatly placed on a floor covered with dry straw.

A faint, fresh fragrance filled the air, and fine droplets of condensation clung to the walls.

“Your Highness, storing the red berries in the cellar extends their shelf life greatly. It should be enough for Father to find new traveling merchants to buy them. The jam made following your method tastes excellent; everyone agrees it will fetch a good price,” Anlia reported softly, her eyes full of admiration.

The prince was truly noble and knowledgeable, even knowing how to store fruit and make jam.

“Good, that’s settled,” Xia Mingyu nodded while casually picking up a translucent berry from the basket and eating it in one bite.

He had merely tried to recall the random short videos he had watched before and guided the process experimentally, never expecting such success.

Tap, tap, tap.

At that moment, Berg, who also reached for a berry but was sternly tapped on the hand by Anlia, who forbade it, suddenly went serious and reported swiftly.

“Your Highness, there are riders arriving at the village—and more than one horse.”

As a hunter, his senses were keener than most, allowing him to hear the distant neighing.

Multiple horses… Xia Mingyu frowned slightly.

One horse would mean a traveling merchant, but multiple horses could only mean…

“I am Thorin Brook, the great Lord Hughes’ attendant knight. All villagers of Fruit Basket Village, assemble immediately at the village center!”

A strong, commanding voice rang like a bell throughout the village.

Soon, hurried footsteps followed as the villagers gathered in the village center.

“Your Highness, will you come with us?” Anlia asked.

Everyone had to go, so naturally, she would accompany Berg.

“Is the straw hat I requested ready?” Xia Mingyu asked.

“Aunt Hanna has finished weaving it,” Anlia replied.

Knowing it was a request from the prince to save the village, Aunt Hanna had worked tirelessly day and night to complete it in such a short time.

“Let’s go.”

…

The sun’s fading light cast dappled shadows beneath the old oak tree in the village center.

The area was packed with people, crowding tightly around the tree.

Under its shade, a knight sat astride a tall, majestic horse, waiting silently.

His weathered face bore cold, piercing eyes beneath a thick beard. He stood about 1.7 meters tall and looked to be in his forties.

The knight wore a shining chainmail armor, forged of hundreds of interlinked steel rings, smooth and mirror-like, incredibly tough. At the center of his chest plate was a fierce wolf’s head, its fangs sculpted so vividly they sent chills down one’s spine.

Most striking were the two lines of bright green tags hovering above his head, labeled “Attendant” and “Knight.”

Behind him were several mounted attendants and a cart clearly meant for transporting tax gold.

“The green text represents identity and career blessings… Is this the ‘transcendent rank’ Berg mentioned?” Xia Mingyu mused quietly from within the crowd, watching the scene unfold.