Chapter Thirty: The Rarity of Knowledge

The full moon hung high in the sky, spilling silver moonlight like a waterfall, bathing the black fortress—which stood dozens of meters tall like a silent giant upon the earth—in a pale, ethereal glow.

Clop, clop, clop.

After hours of travel, a luxurious carriage, escorted by several mounted guards, arrived at its destination: the heart of the Black Wolf Territory, Wolf-Howl Castle.

The guards on night duty atop the castle battlements were stunned by the sight. In the moonlight, they could clearly see that the coachman driving the carriage was none other than their great and aloof lord: the "Howling Wolf," Kallen Hughes.

For a moment, the guards thought they were hallucinating, only confirming the reality after exchanging glances with their comrades. Their shock then deepened. Just who was the guest in that carriage to make their lord willing to serve as a coachman? An earl, a marquis, a duke, or perhaps... the most supreme royalty of the Sosia Kingdom!

Not daring to delay, the guards immediately opened the gates before Kallen could even speak. With a heavy, creaking groan, the castle gates slowly parted, and the chains of the drawbridge turned, lowering the bridge until it rested firmly on the far bank of the moat.

"Your Highness, we have arrived at my castle," Kallen said, turning his head toward the carriage cabin behind him.

A moment later, a woman’s voice drifted from within: "Viscount Hughes, my master has fallen asleep. As a maid, I dare not disturb his sweet dreams. Might I trouble you to send a few maids to carry my master to his room?"

*So, that Highness can sleep so soundly even in my carriage...*

A sense of pride welled up within Kallen. After all, this was the best testament to his driving skills, and he had kept his promise as a knight: not a single jolt.

"Miss Anlia, there is no need for maids. Allow me," Kallen said in a low, steady voice. "I am highly experienced in controlling my strength; only by my hand can we ensure His Highness’s dreams remain undisturbed."

As a Morning Star-ranked knight, his strength was enough to easily bend steel, yet in his daily life, he could hold a teacup or embrace his wife with perfect stability; his mastery over his own power had long reached the realm of perfection.

"I leave it to you, Viscount Hughes," a hesitant voice replied from the carriage after a brief silence.

Kallen stepped into the carriage, and moments later, he emerged carrying the slumbering Xia Mingyu into the castle.

***

After settling His Highness and his attendants, Kallen hurried toward his bedroom. He needed to discuss immediately with his wife, Danielle, how to properly receive and entertain this noble prince from the Eastern Continent.

...

The next day.

The first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the tall, arched windows, quietly spilling into the castle chamber and casting long, thin ribbons of light across the carpet. Feeling the warmth on his face, Xia Mingyu slowly opened his eyes.

"This is the most comfortable sleep I've had since I crossed over!" he exclaimed, stretching lazily before surveying his surroundings.

He was in an incredibly spacious room. The floor was covered in various rugs, their edges curled slightly to reveal the cold stone floor beneath, creating a warm contrast. The walls were carved with exquisite murals, and on either side of the bed stood a bronze candelabra, each base sculpted into a lifelike wolf’s head with its jaws agape. The room was filled with a faint, woody fragrance, mingled with the morning chill, making the air feel exceptionally fresh.

"This one room is almost as big as ten of my six-person college dorms combined," Xia Mingyu remarked.

He glanced at the layers of bedding beneath him, as smooth and fluid to the touch as water, and understood why he had slept so well. Feudalism might be evil, but it was certainly decadent.

*Someone must have carried me to the room last night. Was it Anlia? That was quite a task for her...* Xia Mingyu thought to himself as he stepped out of bed and put on the pajamas neatly folded on the bedside table.

Dressed, he opened the door and stepped out. Someone was already waiting in the corridor.

It was an elderly man in a black tailcoat, his collar and cuffs embroidered with delicate silver patterns, appearing solemn and elegant. His silver hair was combed meticulously, and though his face was lined with wrinkles, it exuded a sense of composure and authority. Behind him stood two maids in black-and-white uniforms, their hair neatly pinned back, revealing smooth foreheads and young, pretty faces.

"Respected Highness Mingyu Xia, I am Sean, the butler of Wolf-Howl Castle. I await you by my master's order. I hope you had a wonderful morning." Old Sean bowed slightly with his right hand placed over his left shoulder, while the two maids behind him bowed in unison with their hands folded.

"Where are my attendants?" Xia Mingyu asked, frowning slightly as he looked down the empty corridor.

In a strange, new environment, his first instinct was to find familiar faces.

"Your Highness, they have been assigned to rooms on the floor below. Perhaps exhausted from yesterday's travels, they are still in the land of dreams. Shall I summon them for you?" Old Sean said, his voice calm and clear.

"No need," Xia Mingyu shook his head. Knowing they were safe was enough; there was no need to disturb them. He wasn't some heartless boss who deprived his staff of sleep.

"Your Highness, my master, Viscount Hughes, asked me to convey that he will host a family dinner at sunset this evening to entertain you. Aside from you, the only attendees will be my master and his most cherished family members."

"Furthermore, the master has informed all servants of Wolf-Howl Castle that they must not defy any of your orders and must treat you with ten times the respect they show him. Do you have any instructions, Your Highness?" Old Sean asked respectfully.

"...Butler, could you take me to the castle library?" After a moment of silence, Xia Mingyu stated the primary reason for his stay at the castle.

"It would be my honor, Your Highness," Sean replied without a moment's hesitation.

...

"Your Highness, this is the library of Wolf-Howl Castle. It was established a century ago by the first Viscount Hughes and has been continuously expanded by every generation since. It is one of the Hughes family's most precious treasures," Old Sean said slowly as he stood before a pair of sealed oak doors.

Xia Mingyu nodded slightly, a flicker of anticipation in his dark eyes.

"Your Highness, I do not have the qualifications to step inside, so I must ask you to open the doors yourself. I shall take my leave now." After a slight bow, Old Sean quickly departed.

*Even the old butler who has worked in this castle for decades isn't qualified to enter the library...*

Watching the butler's retreating figure, Xia Mingyu was stunned. He realized just how severe the ruling class's monopoly on knowledge was in this world.

*If not for the protection of this 'Fourteen Billion' status, I’m afraid I wouldn't have earned the right to step inside here even if I struggled for a lifetime in this world,* Xia Mingyu couldn't help but sigh to himself.

Without further hesitation, he reached out, pushed open the oak doors, and stepped inside.