Chapter 27: The Chalice of the Rainbow

Under the shade of the oak tree.

"Respected Highness, I am the lord of the Black Wolf Territory, Viscount Kallen Hughes of the Socia Kingdom. Thank you for gracing my lands; it is my supreme honor."

Kallen placed his right hand over his left shoulder, bowed slightly, and offered a modest, radiant smile. As a nobleman, he was not required to kneel, regardless of the other party's status—provided they were not his liege, a king, or... an eternal deity.

"Sit." Xia Mingyu raised his hand slightly, gesturing for the other to be seated.

"I thank you for the seat." As Kallen sat down, he took the opportunity to observe the other man's appearance. Fair skin, long and delicate fingers, an air of noble refinement (reminiscent of a student), and clothing made of a material that, while unrecognizable in style, was clearly of high quality (modern attire)... From these details, Kallen concluded that regardless of whether the prince’s status was genuine, he surely hailed from an incredibly wealthy background.

Beyond that, he stole a glance at the other’s obsidian-like, flawless eyes and perfect facial profile.

*Hiss!* This Highness was actually as handsome as he was! Kallen marveled to himself.

At this point, Kallen’s trust in the prince’s identity was mostly secured. After all, a handsome appearance was one of the most universal traits among the nobility across the entire continent. Just as the founder of the nobility system, Grand Duke Cameron, famously remarked: "The noble must be beautiful."

"Your Highness, might I ask your name?" Kallen asked with a smile, his deep voice tinged with respect.

"Mingyu Xia." Xia Mingyu picked up a wooden wine bottle and poured a drink into the glass in front of Kallen.

"You are too kind!" This gesture caught Kallen off guard. He hurriedly took the bottle to pour for himself, not forgetting to fill the other’s glass as well.

*Xia...* Kallen searched his memory, but could not find any noble house by that name on the continent. He was certain that no such family existed in the Western Continent; if they did, such a unique noble surname would surely have reached his ears. It seemed he truly was a prince from the superpower that ruled the entire Eastern Continent... No, he must remain cautious. It was time for one final test.

"Your Highness Mingyu, to thank you for your arrival, I have prepared a special gift. May I present it to you?" Kallen said warmly.

"Proceed," Xia Mingyu replied coolly. He knew that the more one spoke, the more likely one was to slip up.

"Then I shall retrieve it now. Please, wait a moment." Kallen stood, bowed, and turned to leave.

Minutes later, he returned carrying an exquisite wooden box. "Your Highness, this is the gift I have prepared for you." Kallen placed the box on the stone table.

Xia Mingyu examined the box closely, noting a lifelike fox head carved into its lid.

"This was a blessing gift from my mother-in-law, Countess Martha, upon my marriage to her daughter, Danielle," Kallen explained in a low voice.

Hearing this, a spark of anticipation flickered in Xia Mingyu’s eyes. In the Middle Ages, a noble countess was a figure of immense power and influence. A gift meticulously prepared for a daughter’s wedding must surely be an invaluable treasure, rare in this world—perhaps something like the dragon eggs, magic potions, artifacts, or grimoires often found in fantasy novels.

Noticing the anticipation in Xia Mingyu’s expression, Kallen smiled and slowly opened the box.

*Click.*

A beautiful goblet was revealed. It was crafted entirely from crystal-clear glass, the walls as thin as a cicada’s wing, the rim smooth and rounded. As the sunlight passed through it, it refracted into a vibrant, iridescent spectrum, as if a rainbow had been shattered and infused into the material. It was truly magnificent.

As he opened the box, Kallen’s dark green eyes watched Xia Mingyu’s face, not missing a single detail. This glass cup was a treasure of the House of Martha, known as the "Cup of the Rainbow." A high-ranking marquis had once offered hundreds of gold solars for it, only to be refused by the Countess. It had only been gifted to Kallen when he married her daughter, Danielle, a gesture that had made his wedding the talk of the southern noble circles.

He reasoned that if this Highness were truly a prince from an Eastern superpower, he might appreciate the cup, but he would never be overly surprised, nor would he show signs of greed. This was his trump card for verifying the man's identity.

However, unexpectedly, Xia Mingyu’s expression upon seeing the treasure was not one of admiration or awe, but rather... *Is this it?*

Staring at the glass in the box, Xia Mingyu’s mouth twitched. This thing looked exactly like a cheap, nine-yuan-ninety-cent glass cup from an online discount site, the kind of tacky item even the elderly wouldn't want.

"Not bad..." Xia Mingyu forced a smile, suppressing his disappointment. It was, after all, a gift; it would be impolite to show how let down he truly was.

*He is completely unimpressed by the Cup of the Rainbow!* Kallen was struck with awe as he looked at the strained smile on the young man’s face. What kind of immensely wealthy family could raise a noble who felt nothing for such a treasure?

"Viscount, does this cup possess any special abilities?" Xia Mingyu asked, thinking perhaps he was simply too uncultured to recognize its true value.

The question stumped Kallen. Special abilities? Was its beauty not enough? "Err... the Cup of the Rainbow can make the liquid it holds taste sweeter," Kallen improvised after a moment of desperate thought.

Xia Mingyu, now intrigued, poured the red fruit wine into the glass and drained it in one gulp. Nothing happened. A trace of disappointment inevitably crossed his face.

"A truly fine gift... heh," he managed to praise, forcing the words out. He was still in the man's territory, after all—he would have said the same even if he had been gifted a rock.

*It’s real, it must be real!* This person... this noble Highness must truly be a prince from the Eastern superpower! Kallen thought, having witnessed every shift in Xia Mingyu’s expression.

As a nobleman, his basic instincts immediately led him to judge the value of the situation. An heir to an empire from another continent had ended up in his lands—perhaps fleeing from enemies. But if he could seize this chance, it would be the opportunity of a lifetime.

Even setting aside the worth of the massive kingdom of fourteen hundred million people behind him, the individual himself was invaluable. Whether it was the entirely new "University Student" class, the knowledge of the other continent, or the mysterious abilities conferred by his noble status, it was enough to command the respect of every noble in the Western Continent, even the King himself.

Kallen Hughes had always seen himself as a lone wolf, but today, he decided that perhaps he could learn from his mount and try being a "dog" for a change.