Chapter 26: Stop staring; no matter how long you look, it’s still real.

At the entrance to Fruit Basket Village.

"To have a handmaiden as beautiful as you, it seems His Highness is a man with a profound appreciation for aesthetics," Kallen remarked, preparing to ride his Black Abyss Wolf into the village.

Although he had yet to meet the Prince, he was already three parts convinced. After all, the appearance of a handmaiden could, in certain respects, reflect the rank of a noble. Perhaps this beautiful attendant before him had traveled all the way from the Eastern Continent with that very Prince.

"Please wait a moment."

Just as Kallen was about to enter the village, he was intercepted by Anlia. She placed her slender, snow-white arm fearlessly in front of the Black Abyss Wolf's intimidating maw, showing no concern that the massive beast could tear her to shreds with the slightest show of temper.

"His Highness only permits you to enter alone. I must ask you, Viscount, to dismount... or rather, dis-wolf," Anlia stated calmly.

Kallen’s brow furrowed tightly. It would have been one thing to bar Knight Sorin and the guards—after all, they would only be a burden if a battle were to break out. But Blacktail was different; a knight’s combat effectiveness is significantly diminished without his mount. Furthermore, Blacktail, being a magical beast, was a formidable combatant in his own right.

"My mount has a very mild temperament; he will not disturb His Highness," Kallen said in a low, stern voice, a hint of cold sharpness underlying his tone. He patted the wolf's head, and the Black Abyss Wolf, displaying a keen intelligence, wagged its massive, obsidian tail to demonstrate its obedience.

"My apologies, but these are His Highness's orders. If you insist on refusing, I must ask you to leave," Anlia said, ignoring the cold edge in the lord’s voice, her tone as clear and melodic as a mountain spring, emphasizing each word. Simultaneously, she raised her hand in a gesture inviting him to depart.

Kallen fell silent. His dark green eyes locked onto the girl, attempting to exert mental pressure. The Black Abyss Wolf, in turn, shifted from a "dog" back into a wolf, glaring fiercely at Anlia and baring its razor-sharp fangs.

Yet, faced with this overwhelming pressure—a sight that would have sent an ordinary person fleeing in terror—the girl’s resolve did not waver in the slightest. She maintained her gesture, waiting for him to leave.

Ten seconds, twenty seconds... After a full minute, Kallen conceded. He let out a soft sigh and leaped down from the back of the Black Abyss Wolf.

He had intended to use the Black Abyss Wolf as a gauge for the visitor's identity. After all, if the man truly were a Prince from a super-kingdom that ruled the entire Eastern Continent, he would be well-accustomed to magical beasts of the Black Abyss Wolf's caliber, even if he were not a warrior himself. Thus, he would certainly not show surprise upon seeing it. If he did, it would prove his identity was a sham.

But now, it seemed this test was unnecessary. If even a mere handmaiden could treat a Black Abyss Wolf as if it were invisible, why bother making a fool of himself?

"Viscount Hughes, you need only proceed straight ahead. His Highness is waiting for you under the oak tree in the center of the village." Seeing that Kallen had given up on riding his wolf into the village, Anlia withdrew her hand.

"You are an excellent handmaiden," Kallen said coolly as he passed her.

"Because I have an excellent master," the girl replied without looking back.

...

Sunlight slanted across the ground, illuminating an ancient oak tree so thick it would take several men to encircle it. Its sturdy branches and dense canopy formed a giant umbrella, shielding the area from the scorching sun. Beneath the shade sat a stone table and two wooden chairs.

A young man of about twenty was already seated on one of the chairs. This was the sight that greeted Kallen as he moved deeper into the village.

Of course, his attention was not wasted on the scenery; it was entirely focused on the long string of white text hovering above the young man’s head:

"Heir to a Kingdom of 1,400,000,000 Citizens!"

Kallen couldn't help but read it aloud, his entire body freezing in shock. Although his attendant, Knight Sorin, had already told him, hearing it and seeing it with his own eyes were two different things. Moreover... the absurdity of the status blessing was written exactly as described!

No, no—it could be some kind of illusion. Stay calm, keep calm.

Kallen clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, the pain helping him snap out of his astonishment. He then focused his mana into his eyes, his dark green pupils glowing faintly as he attempted to see through the masterful illusion.

One second, two seconds... five seconds passed, and the text before him remained unchanged.

This meant that either this status blessing bestowed by the heavens was real, or the stranger's illusion—or whatever magic he possessed—had reached a level that even a powerhouse of the Star-Rank could not penetrate. Regardless, it meant the man deserved to be treated with the utmost caution.

Thinking this, Kallen quickly withdrew his mana, and the detached expression on his rugged face was swiftly replaced by a smile so radiant it bordered on sycophantic.

Ah, he hadn't worn a look like this since he became a lord; there had been no need for such performances. Worried that his smile might be too artificial and seen through by the Prince, Kallen walked toward the young man with a sense of trepidation.

...

On the other side.

"So that's the lord of Black Wolf territory, Viscount Hughes?"

Xia Mingyu sat in his chair, watching the mature man in his early thirties approaching from a distance. Ever since he had acquired the "University Student" class, his physique had seen comprehensive improvements—strength, speed, stamina... even his eyesight had been enhanced, allowing him to see the visitor clearly.

*So tall and sturdy!*

That was his first impression. Xia Mingyu stood one meter eighty-three, which was considered tall back on Blue Star. But the man in the black formal attire, whose muscular frame couldn't be hidden by his clothes, was at least one meter ninety-three. Combined with his terrifying, broad-shouldered build, the sight gave him, a man from Blue Star, a genuine sense of shock.

He didn't doubt the Viscount's martial prowess for a second; just looking at him, he suspected that even three Knights like Sorin wouldn't be a match for him.

Aside from his appearance, the other thing that caught his attention was the line of emerald-green text above the man's head: "Noble."

Simple and concise.

Without a doubt, this was his first contact with the ruling class of this world. Honestly, Xia Mingyu felt a bit nervous; his forehead was even sweating slightly from the tension and the sweltering heat.

However, a moment later, he relaxed.

He saw the noble Viscount standing frozen in place, staring at him—or rather, at the text above his head—with wide, unblinking eyes. He stared so hard his eyes seemed to be drying out, yet he couldn't bring himself to look away.

*Hey, stop staring. It's real no matter how long you look at it.*

*Though, other than that line of text, everything else about me is a complete fake.*

Xia Mingyu lifted the wooden cup filled with bright red fruit wine, took a sip, and thought to himself.