Chapter Nineteen: From This Moment On, You Shall Be Berg Chu

“I... I just didn’t want that Clay man’s filthy hands to touch Sister Anlia; it’s also to protect Your Highness...” Berg covered his reddened face, bewildered and at a loss.

“How dare you talk back!”

But this only fueled Robert’s fury even more. Ungratefully, he delivered another harsh slap across Berg’s face, turning the struck area a deep crimson.

Now the balance was restored.

Yet Robert did not cease his assault. He wildly swung his fists, raining blows upon Berg’s body like a violent storm.

Faced with the benefactor who had raised him and feeling the weight of his own grave mistake, Berg dared not resist. He curled up on the ground, hands clasped over his head, silently enduring Robert’s beating.

The villagers watched in terror at this scene. It was the first time they had ever seen their usually kind village chief so enraged.

Even though they worried for Berg, the villagers remained silent, their eyes filled with concern as they gazed upon him—his mouth bleeding, his body mottled with bruises.

Anlia was the same. The young girl even cruelly turned her head away and covered her ears, pretending to be a wooden doll.

“Bastard, have you forgotten all the kindness Your Highness has shown us?” Robert wanted to continue his assault but was stopped by a gentle hand pressing on his shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Xia Mingyu standing before him, expressionless.

“Your Highness.”

Robert’s anger instantly vanished, replaced by a forced smile as he knelt down.

“Berg, come here and apologize to His Highness!” Robert scolded, not forgetting to berate Berg.

Berg struggled to his feet, limping as he approached Xia Mingyu and knelt on one knee.

His appearance was pitiful—red and swollen cheeks, dried blood at the corner of his mouth, eyes nearly shut from pain, and bruises covering his arms and legs.

“Your Highness, I have disobeyed your orders. Please punish me.” Berg bowed his head deeply; his voice was heavy, as if burdened by a mountain.

No matter the reason, he had defied His Highness’s command—a fact that could not be changed.

Xia Mingyu remained expressionless, only furrowing his brow slightly as if deep in thought.

---

“Your Highness, I will expel Berg from the village to punish his offense against you,” Robert said, his eyes softening despite his stern expression.

Though he had always regarded Berg as his own “son,” this “son” had committed a grave mistake in the village. Even as village chief, Robert would not show favoritism.

Hearing this, Berg’s eyes grew watery. Although he had resolved to leave the village soon to seek the path to transcendence and realize his dream of becoming strong, there was a difference between leaving voluntarily and being banished.

Leaving meant he still had a home; being cast out meant never returning, wandering like a stray dog, forgotten until he returned to dust.

So bitter, so bitter, so bitter...

“Lift your head.”

Just as tears began to well up, a familiar voice roused him.

Berg slowly raised his head to see Xia Mingyu looking at him calmly.

For a moment, Berg was stunned, his gaze evasive, unable to meet the prince’s eyes.

He had let down this noble figure’s expectations.

But unexpectedly, His Highness did not scold him. Instead, he took a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the blood and dirt from Berg’s face.

Berg was taken aback, wanting to withdraw, but Xia Mingyu firmly held his shoulder.

So he could only gratefully accept the prince’s kindness. Even when the handkerchief brushed over his wounds, sending sharp pains through him, he gritted his teeth and kept silent.

Though he was about to leave, even in his final moments, he wished to leave this kind and benevolent prince with a good impression—at least not showing weakness.

Years later, on a quiet afternoon, perhaps this prince might remember an unremarkable hunter who once saved him from a pack of wolves. That would be Berg’s pride.

---

“Berg, you have broken your promise to the village and me. By right, I should punish you,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.

“But since you saved my life once, I should forgive your current mistake. Yet, I am a stingy man, so I have decided to punish you!”

Hearing this, the faint light returning to Berg’s face dimmed again.

“I will punish you by having you serve as my attendant for life!” Xia Mingyu declared solemnly.

At these words, the villagers, Robert, and Berg all changed expressions.

“Your Highness, I didn’t quite hear that. Could you please say it again?” Berg doubted his ears; such wonderful words seemed like a hallucination.

---

“I have decided to punish you by having you serve as my attendant for life,” Xia Mingyu repeated helplessly.

“What’s that? If you don’t want to, I can choose another punishment,” he shrugged, casually tossing aside a soiled tissue.

It had been in his pocket before he transmigrated, and he had used most of them recently, leaving only one last piece.

“I’m willing! I’m willing!” Berg cried out in joy.

He quickly stood up, feeling the pain from the beatings vanish in an instant.

“Phew!”

The young man took a deep breath to steady himself. His rough hands, calloused from hard labor, clenched tightly into fists, knuckles whitening from the effort.

Though his angular face was marked with tear stains and swollen bruises, his eyes burned with fierce determination. His hazel pupils seemed to hold a blazing fire within.

Under the expectant and blessing-filled gazes of all the villagers, Berg slowly knelt on one knee and declared loudly:

“By the Creator above, by the gods above, I, Berg, hereby swear—”

“Wait.”

At that moment, Xia Mingyu suddenly interrupted him.

Berg’s eyes grew nervous; he dreaded the prince changing his mind, which would be worse than death.

“Before you swear your oath, I have decided to bestow upon you a surname,” Xia Mingyu said seriously.

As he knew, in the Middle Ages, many nobles granted a surname to those who pledged loyalty, to deepen their bond.

Having already been exposed to the noble circles of this world, he must make the most of every card in his hand.

Berg would be his first card.

“In my homeland, there was a powerful and resolute dragon hunter. I choose to give you his surname in hopes that one day you will be as reliable as he was.”

“From this day forth, your name shall be Berg Chu,” Xia Mingyu said slowly.