From This Day Forward, You Are Berg Chu

"I-I just didn't want that Clay Person's filthy hands touching Sister Anlìyà. I was protecting Your Highness, too."

Berg covered his flushed face, at a loss for what to do.

"You still dare talk back!"

This only made Robert even angrier. Without holding back, he slapped Berg hard across the face again, leaving the struck side bright red as well.

Now it was symmetrical.

But Robert still did not stop. He wildly swung his fists, raining blows down on Berg's body like a raging storm.

Facing the benefactor who had raised him, and believing that he had indeed committed a grave mistake, Berg did not dare resist at all. He merely curled up on the ground with his hands over his head and silently endured Robert's beating.

The villagers watched the scene in horror. It was the first time they had seen their usually kind village chief in such a furious state.

Yet no matter how worried they were for Berg, the villagers remained silent, only gazing anxiously at him as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and bruises spread across his body.

Anlìyà was the same. The girl even cruelly turned her head away and covered her ears with both hands, pretending to be a wooden doll.

"Bastard, have you forgotten the kindness Your Highness has shown us?"

Robert wanted to continue, but a hand lightly pressed down on his shoulder.

When he turned around, he found Xian standing before him with an expressionless face.

"Your Highness."

The anger on Robert's face vanished instantly. With a fawning smile, he bowed and dropped to his knees.

"Berg, get over here and apologize to Your Highness!"

At the same time, Robert did not forget to bark at Berg.

Berg struggled to his feet and limped over to Xian, where he knelt on one knee.

He looked utterly miserable. His cheeks were red and swollen, dried blood hung from the corner of his mouth, his eyes were nearly swollen shut, and his arms and legs were covered in purple bruises.

"Your Highness, I disobeyed your orders. Please punish me." Berg lowered his head deeply, his voice as heavy as though a mountain were pressing down on him.

Whatever his reasons, the fact that he had disobeyed His Highness's instructions could not be changed.

Xian remained expressionless, only furrowing his brow slightly as if considering something.

"Your Highness, I will expel Berg from the village as punishment for offending you." Robert spoke as well. There was a trace of reluctance in his eyes, but his expression remained stern.

Although he had always regarded Berg as his "son," this "son" had committed a tremendous wrong in the village. Even as the village chief, he would never show favoritism.

At those words, Berg's eyes stung slightly. Though he had already decided to leave the village soon to seek a path to transcendence and pursue his dream of becoming strong,

there was a difference between leaving on his own and being driven out. The former meant he would still have a hometown; the latter meant he could never return, only wander outside like a stray dog until his soul returned to the underworld, with no one to remember him.

So bitter, so bitter, so bitter. "Raise your head."

Just as warm tears were about to fill Berg's eyes, a familiar voice roused him.

Berg slowly raised his head and saw Xian looking at him calmly.

Berg froze, his gaze drifting away as he did not dare meet His Highness's eyes.

He had let this prince down.

But to his surprise, His Highness did not scold him. Instead, Xian took a snow-white "handkerchief" from his pocket and gently wiped the blood and dirt from Berg's face.

For a moment, Berg was overwhelmed by the favor. He wanted to dodge away, but Xian firmly held him by the shoulder.

So he could only gratefully accept His Highness's kindness. Even when the "handkerchief" occasionally brushed against his wounds and sent pain shooting through him, he clenched his teeth and forced himself not to make a sound.

Even though he was about to leave, even at the very end, he wanted to leave a good impression on this kind and benevolent prince he had known only briefly. At the very least, he could not show such weakness.

Then perhaps, on some quiet afternoon many years from now, His Highness might happen to remember an unremarkable Hunter who had once saved him when a pack of wolves descended upon their prey. That would be Berg's glory.

"Berg, you broke the agreement between the village and me. By rights, I should punish you."

Xian spoke calmly.

"But you once saved my life, so by rights, I should forgive your mistake. However, I am a stingy person, so I have still decided to punish you!"

At those words, the light that had just returned to Berg's face gradually faded again.

"My punishment is this: from this day forward, you will serve as my attendant and work for me for the rest of your life!" Xian said solemnly.

The moment those words were spoken, the expressions of the surrounding villagers, Robert, and Berg all changed.

"Your Highness, I did not hear you clearly just now. Could you say that again?" Berg suspected his ears had deceived him. Otherwise, how could he have heard such wonderful words? "I have decided to punish you by making you my attendant, to serve me for the rest of your life." Xian repeated himself helplessly.

"What? If you are unwilling, I can change the punishment." Xian shrugged and casually tossed away the soiled tissue in his hand.

He had kept it in his pocket before crossing over. Over the past few days, he had used most of the tissues to handle his bodily needs, and this was the last one left.

"I'm willing! I'm willing!" Berg exclaimed in ecstasy.

He swiftly rose to his feet, feeling as though the pain from his beating had suddenly vanished in an instant.

"Phew!"

The young man took a deep breath to compose himself. His rough, callused hands clenched tightly into fists, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

His sharply defined face still bore tear tracks and red, swollen wounds, but his gaze grew firmer and firmer. A blazing fire seemed to burn within his brown eyes.

Under the expectant and blessing-filled gazes of all the villagers, Berg slowly knelt on one knee and declared loudly, "Before the Creator, before the gods, I, Berg, hereby swear—"

"Wait." At that moment, Xian suddenly interrupted him.

Berg's eyes grew nervous. He was terrified that His Highness would change his mind. If that happened, it would hurt him more than death itself! "Before you swear your oath, I have decided to grant you a surname first." Xian said seriously.

As far as he knew, in the Middle Ages, many nobles granted surnames to those who pledged loyalty to them in order to deepen the bond between both sides.

He had already entered the sight of this world's nobles, so he had to make good use of every card in his hand.

Berg was his first card.

"In my homeland, there was a Dragon Hunter of extraordinary strength and unshakable resolve. I have decided to bestow his surname upon you, in the hope that one day you can become as reliable as he was."

"From this day forward, your name is Berg Chu," Xian said slowly.