Year 18 of the Amber Calendar. The Month of Harvest, the beginning of the month.
Outskirts of the Atras Empire.
Gorn Village.
Early in the morning, the village had invited the priest to pray for this year's harvest.
Meanwhile, Ashu was squatting in his own vegetable garden, repairing the stand that had been damaged by wild dogs the night before.
He was a transmigrator, and he figured that to improve the farm's yield, it was better to work hard and take care of the fields himself, rather than rely on a priest's blessings. Back in his previous life, as a corporate drone, he'd constantly had to toast and flatter his bosses. He wasn't going to continue doing that after crossing over, especially not to some charlatan priest.
Plus, he planned to save some money to marry a wife, and living a simple, easy life seemed good enough to him.
"Ashu, it's almost your turn. Aren't you ready with the offering yet?" asked Fat Laus, who had freckles covering his face, as he passed by.
"Same as last year." Ashu replied as he turned around. He hadn't hired a priest the year before, and he hadn't planned to this year either.
"I figured as much. But there's also a lecture today, and I heard a really powerful priest, even stronger than Kido, is coming. And Carol has already signed up." Fat Laus seemed in no hurry to leave, clearly eager to gossip.
"Let her be."
Yesterday, Carol had confessed to Ashu. It was something the whole village knew by now.
If he didn't accept her, she wouldn't be able to stay in the village, so Ashu had decided to marry her. After all, she wasn't bad-looking. As for spiritual connection, that wasn't going to happen. As a transmigrator, there was no one who could share that kind of bond with him. He just wanted a peaceful life. In his previous life, he had mortgages, car loans, and had even bled from his stomach after drinking too much at social events. This life only required farming and eating to live contentedly.
"Ashu, shouldn't you be proposing to Carol under the priest's blessing?" Fat Laus persisted, not letting it go.
"I need her parents' blessing more than the priest's," Ashu answered calmly.
With that, he clapped the dirt off his hands and walked inside to wash up, intentionally avoiding Fat Laus's gossiping.
In his room, there hung a well-maintained knight's sword, an heirloom from his parents. If things ever got really bad, they had left behind a final piece of advice: sell it in the city.
Ashu hadn't been idle over the years; he had kept the sword shiny and free of rust.
He stared at the sword for a few seconds before looking away. The wedding wasn't yet an emergency. He had saved up enough money for the wedding, but Carol's parents had asked for an additional dowry. Ashu couldn't afford that just yet, but if worse came to worst, he could just cancel the marriage.
Gurgle~ Gurgle~
Hearing the sounds from the kitchen, Ashu wiped his hands with a rough cloth. The breakfast he had been slow-cooking was finally ready.
He wasn't particularly industrious, but he couldn't afford to slack off. He went to bed when it got dark and woke up with the sunrise. Other than daydreaming, there was no way to idle around. So, every morning, he would cook the rice first, do some farm work to pass the time, and by then, he could enjoy a warm breakfast.
Ashu first held his bowl and walked over to the framed portrait of his parents in the master bedroom, standing there for a moment.
His father had been the village knight of Gorn Village in his lifetime, and he was quite respected back then. The village children all looked up to Ashu as an older brother. Several girls around his age had even fought to be his bride when they were little. He particularly remembered one delicate and beautiful little girl, who was not only a beauty but also very clever. While the other girls were foolishly competing for his attention, she had already secretly stolen a marriage contract from her home and bound them in a pact. Ashu had intended to raise her to be his wife. But then, she was discovered to have magical talent and was taken away from the village at a young age.
By now, she must have already risen to prominence, while he was still just a farmer in a small village.
Ashu couldn't be bothered to struggle. In his previous life, he had worked himself to death as a corporate drone. In this life, he just wanted a peaceful, low-pressure existence.
The professions in this world weren't as simple as switching from a warrior to a mage like in games. Every profession required talent. Without talent, one couldn't even pass the entry threshold.
After she left, the average beauty of the village had dropped by fifty percent. As far as looks went, Carol could only be considered the tallest among the short girls. She was, at best, average.
In a remote village like Gorn, unless a girl was born with particularly strong beauty genes, it was nearly impossible to raise a very beautiful woman.
Carol didn't have much talent, and she wasn't particularly quick at farm work either. But like her family, she had a deep belief in the priests who came from the city.
Out of curiosity, Ashu had once observed that priest. The priest had real power—he could single-handedly drive away the occasional monsters that would appear in the countryside. But whether or not he was willing to truly bless the villagers was uncertain.
In any case, over the years, the yield per acre of the other villagers hadn't matched Ashu's family's output.
Suddenly, the light and shadows at the door shifted, and Ashu realized someone was approaching the room.
Under his gaze, two familiar figures entered one after another. It was none other than Carol's parents.
Her father had severe hair loss, with half of his head completely bald. Her mother had gained a bit of weight.
Ashu noticed that there was a third person behind them.
As expected, a priest dressed in ceremonial robes entered Ashu's house with a professional smile on his face.
"Ashu, this year you should pray for blessings," Carol's father began, immediately giving a lecture. "Your farm yield has always been good, but both you and Carol are no longer young. Soon, there will be another mouth to feed. If you rely on just what you have now, life will be tight."
He immediately tried to influence Ashu, urging him to offer worship to the priest behind him.
"Ashu, Carol has joined the class today. Why don't you go too?" Carol's mother added, following up with a question.
Faced with their sudden concern, Ashu hesitated for only half a second.
"Uncle, Aunt, have you both agreed to let Carol marry me?"
"What are you talking about, child? The most important thing is that Carol likes you," Carol's mother said. "Everything else is secondary."
"Then, about the dowry…"
Carol's mother smiled and opened her mouth, "I've already told you, it doesn't matter. We don't need a dowry."
"That's just…"
"Just give us the plot of land next to ours," Carol's mother leaned in closer to Ashu, doing her best to appear even more kind-hearted. "Don't worry, we're just holding it for you temporarily. Your uncle insists that you accept the priest's blessing, but I don't want to force you. All you need to do is give us that piece of land for now. We'll manage it for a few years, and when you and Carol's children grow up, we'll return it to them."
As expected.
Ashu knew right away that this couple didn't have good intentions.
The land next to theirs was the fertile soil that Ashu had cultivated for years. It was the largest plot his parents had left behind, while the rest of his smaller fields combined barely amounted to the size of that one.
He looked at the priest.
He was all too familiar with this tactic—like a pyramid scheme scammer coming to the countryside, convincing the elderly to invest money and even getting them to recruit others, only for the scammer to leave with pockets full of money, while the villagers were left crying in despair.
What others did, Ashu couldn't control. He was just a small farmer, and he didn't dare challenge the immense power of the church, nor could he oppose the faith that people held in their hearts. If he dared to "speak out of turn," these people might truly burn him alive.
But when it came to touching his land, they could forget about it.
"I don't agree," Ashu said firmly.
Upon hearing this.
Carol's parents exchanged glances. The kind, soft expressions on their faces vanished without a trace, replaced by the cold, calculating looks they normally wore.
"Ashu, by doing this, neither you nor Carol will receive the priest's blessing," Carol's father said, shooting a regretful glance at the priest before turning back to Ashu with a direct statement.
They had promised along the way that they would convince Ashu, but they never expected that even after waiving the dowry, Ashu still wouldn't agree to give up a piece of land.
"Ashu, what you're saying is, you're not planning to marry Carol, are you?" Carol's mother finally stopped pretending. This was how she normally acted—if you didn't give her money, forget about moving her daughter.
Ashu sighed.
The breakfast he had carefully cooked that morning was now ruined by their stares. He had lost his appetite.
"I think my meaning is quite clear now," Ashu said. Since the conversation had already gone this far, what was the point of even discussing marriage?
Was he supposed to keep living his life as a corporate drone after marriage?
"Ashu, you better think this through. Carol has already joined the training class, and in the future, she could work for the church in the town. There are many men who would pursue her. Don't think that a few plots of farmland would be enough—people would even offer gold, silver, and jewels to win her over," Carol's father lectured. After that, he muttered quietly, "And what about you? What do you have? Nothing at all, and still so miserly. Even the prostitutes in the city are more generous than you."
"I've thought it through. I won't marry Carol. Now leave," Ashu said firmly.
Upon hearing this, Carol's mother immediately exploded in anger. She stepped forward and pointed at Ashu's nose, shouting, "You say you won't marry her, just like that? What about my daughter's reputation? Priest, according to church doctrine, shouldn't abandoning an fiancée be severely punished?"
At that moment.
The priest, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke with an air of authority: "Yes, but before we proceed, I'd like to inform Mr. Ashu of something. After testing, Miss Carol's talent has been identified as a level-one spiritual sense, qualifying her to become a practitioner. If you are willing to form a family with Miss Carol, not only will you receive the blessings of the gods, but you'll also enjoy the benefits the church offers to the families of practitioners!"
Spiritual sense was the standard used to determine whether someone had the potential to become a practitioner. The higher the level, the greater the talent.
"That's right, my daughter is lucky to have her eye on you," Carol's mother said proudly.
"Now, Mr. Ashu, I ask you to reconsider," the priest said, glancing at the sunlight outside, as if calculating the time. "Today, another important figure will bring blessings, and today's lesson will also be led by her. I must go and prepare to welcome her."
The priest seemed to sense something, quickly excusing himself from Ashu's house and hurrying down the village path.
After walking only a few steps, he saw a figure dressed in black gauze, wearing a special gemstone pendant.
He only glanced at her, then immediately knelt down in reverence.
"Lady Saint, I am your loyal servant, Priest Kido, seeking your guidance and protection."
"Rise," came the reply.
"Yes, your lecture is that way. I will lead you."
Priest Kido said, making a gesture to head west. However, the Saint stopped, her gaze sweeping around the area.
Faint murmurs could be heard, like "It should be nearby, why does it seem so unfamiliar?"
She looked toward the nearby houses with fields of various fruits and vegetables and spoke, "Is this the result of the church's blessings?"
"This…" The priest hesitated for a moment, "Yes, it is."
"If I remember correctly, this should be the knight's house."
"That's right," the priest confirmed.
With affirmation, the Saint's steps became lighter, and she immediately walked toward the open house.
Inside the house.
Ashu was in a tense stand-off with Carol's parents.
Suddenly, a figure entered the room. Dressed in black gauze, her figure was elegantly outlined, with a shape that was both graceful and alluring.
Her gaze scanned the room, and when she saw Ashu, she raised her long, gloved fingers to lift the thin black veil.
Her crimson lips and porcelain face appeared first, followed by her sharp, delicate nose. Finally, her soul-stirring deep blue eyes—like the depths of the ocean—locked onto Ashu, carrying an almost hypnotic power, as if they could pull him in.
A voice suddenly echoed in Ashu's mind.
[Crit Refund System activated! Binding a being with a talent score of 90 or above will allow you to receive multiplicative rewards based on the progress of the bound individual.]
Ashu hadn't yet figured out what was happening in his mind.
When the alluring woman spoke softly, "Ashu, I'm back."
"?"
The others in the room couldn't help but feel confused. Who was this enchanting woman, and what did she mean by saying she was back?
"Who is she?" Carol's father instantly became angry, though he was unwilling to admit it—Carol was nothing compared to her, not even her hair!
In the face of this question, Ashu paid no attention.
Though many years had passed, he remembered those deep blue eyes all too well.
"I am Anna Kagreia, Ashu's wife," the woman introduced herself.