Before entering the reception room, Pres was subjected to another thorough search. This time, the search was far more meticulous, with every possible hiding spot for a small knife or dagger being examined from head to toe, even the soles of her shoes were not spared.
Later in the hall, he met the victors of the Duke's coalition forces: Graycastle the Fourth Prince, Lord of Border Town, and the newly appointed governor of the Western Frontier, Roland Wimbledon.
Prince Prince had long, lustrous gray hair—a hallmark of royal lineage—and his youthful face suggested he was barely twenty. He wore no hairpin or crown, his fingers slender as those holding a quill pen. Not a single jewel ring or bracelet adorned his hands, a rarity in the Noble.
"Prince Dissa, the Knight of the Elk Earl?" Roland leaned back in his chair, flipping through the list in his hand.
"Yes, Your Highness," said Prince, kneeling on one knee.
He still finds it hard to believe that a man with not even a trace of beard could lead a band of miners and hunters to defeat the Duke of Llane, who had long dominated the western frontier.
"Do you know how to read and write? Stand up and answer." "I can do both, Your Highness," Prince Press said, swaying as he stood. He suddenly recalled how some old Knights were ennobled before Graycastle's current emphasis on dual proficiency in both civil and martial arts, adding, "I mean the new generation." Over the past thirty years, fewer Knights had been ennobled through military prowess, while other qualities became more important. Those who couldn't write or read official documents were unlikely to be favored by the Lord. The rise of exceptional young men like the Wind Knight of the capital or the Dawnlight Knight of the West had raised the bar for Knighthood to unprecedented heights.
Now that I've become an apprentice Knight, my first priority is to learn to read and write. At a higher level, I also need to master various etiquette.
But Priscilla couldn't figure out why Her Highness was asking her this question.
"Very well," Prince nodded. "Then I shall pronounce the verdict now." The words made him hold his breath.
"You have two options: either mine at the North Slope Mine for twenty years to atone for your sins, or become a teacher to teach my subjects how to read and write. Miners aren't slaves—they receive wages and three days off each month. Teachers get not only pay but also free housing and two days off weekly. But if you choose the latter, you'll have to work until fifty to retire. Don't worry, your pay will continue even after you stop working." After hearing this, Preys breathed a sigh of relief. As he had anticipated, he wasn't executed or exiled. Yet these options left him perplexed. Being a miner sounded like manual labor, but Your Highness mentioned pay and... holidays? And teachers? Didn't he say only the learned could hold that position? He could barely read or write. What did "teaching the subjects" mean? Did Your Highness really want to train these commoners as Nobles?
Most critically, neither mentioned how their territories should be handled.
Prince looked up at the Count and asked cautiously, "Your Highness, may I ask what will become of my estate after my choice?" "From the moment you raised your sword against me, your estate no longer belongs to you," Roland replied bluntly. "I've reached an agreement with the heir of the Elk House. He'll compensate you with gold dragons from your estate's assets. Once you've made your decision, the new Count will send this compensation along with your family to Border Town, freeing up space to recruit Knights." Prince's heart sank. His estate contained only a house, a flock of chickens and ducks, and fish in a pond—how much could these things possibly be worth? The new Count would surely cut into it again... Whether thirty gold dragons would remain uncertain. The Count had just died, and his heir had abandoned him so heartlessly. This cruelty left Prince utterly disillusioned.
"As an accomplice to the rebels 'accomplices, this is already a very lenient sentence." Roland paused. "Besides, what's there to regret about a barren territory? Whether you choose to mine or teach, you can save enough to buy land in Border Town." Hearing this, Pres regained some composure. Mining was definitely not an option for him, but as for the other choice... "Your Highness, how much does a teacher earn?" "For entry-level teachers, it's 20 Silver Wolves per month, with a 5-wolf annual increase until age 50. After 50, the salary follows the maximum growth rate. By the way, this privilege cannot be inherited or transferred." Pres did a quick mental calculation and realized he could earn nearly 3 Golden Dragons annually, with yearly increments. In four or five years, he'd catch up with his territory's income. "Your Highness, what does entry-level teaching mean... Are there other categories?" "Of course. Entry-level teachers teach literacy, while intermediate and advanced levels cover all subjects. Anyone with a skill beneficial to Border Town's development can serve." Roland sat up straight. "What skills do you have? I don't need horsemanship or swordsmanship." "But those aren't my strong points," Pres thought. After hesitating, he asked, "Your Highness, does raising chickens and ducks count?" "Fish-fishing is my forte too," he admitted with a wry smile. "What's that even called? You can survive in the wild without it. Plenty of folks in Noble keep cats and birds, but nobody's ever raised this thing. As for fishing... it's just like hunting—more of a hobby, really."
To his surprise, Your Highness showed interest in the first half of the sentence. "Oh? How do you raise them? Let me know." Pres had to force himself to continue: "Well, based on my experience raising chickens in the territory, compared to free-range, adding some grain daily helps them grow faster. If the grain is mixed with sand, it works just as well while saving food. It's best to build a shelter in a well-ventilated area to protect them from sun, rain, and cold. Especially during hot summers, without a shelter, hens might stop laying eggs. In winter, stuffing the coop with straw prevents the flock from freezing to death. Also, feeding small fish monthly keeps the flock healthy, though cleaning up chicken droppings is crucial..." As he finished speaking, he noticed Your Royal Highness actually laughed. "Not bad. Looks like the Nobles in the Western Border aren't all bad either." "Your Highness?" Pres was momentarily unsure of the implication behind the words.
Fortunately, Roland Wimbledon swiftly dispelled his concerns. "I'll dispatch someone to procure poultry from the Long Song Fortress, while allocating a plot west of the border for your use. You may raise these birds, and if successful, pass on the breeding techniques. Your remuneration will follow the mid-level instructor standard, starting at 50 silver wolves per month in the first year, with a 10-wolf monthly increase thereafter. Should you fail, the North Slope Mine will be your only option."