【Well, you truly are yourself. Your insight into the threads of the fate script remains as sharp as ever. By comparison, I’ve only been guessing based on experience.】
Mephistopheles praised Faust’s talent for perceiving the trajectories of fate.
The fact that Artedinis could so openly step on the witches’ heads actually followed the basic laws of the world.
If someone else had tried to snatch away their love—for instance, like Alexander hitting on Selena—under Faust’s deliberate distortion, they would have been cast as a foul man daring to lay hands on a heroine.
In that case, there would be no question; they would be treated as a mere stepping stone and crushed to death.
However, Artedinis’s situation was different.
The prince was merely positioned as a prize in the [witches' feast]. Coincidentally, the Imperial Princess treated Faust exactly like a prize.
【The Prince Charming belonging to the heroine’s heart is targeted and fought over by a foreign princess, and the heroine uses her own charm to defeat the opponent and capture the prince.】
This was a classic trope with strong fairy tale characteristics. Logically, one should have been sick of seeing it by now.
The reason Faust had never seen such romantic rivalry before was simply because the lovers around him were all witches, providing no fertile ground for it to manifest.
“Speaking of which, does this count as a continuation of the [witches' feast] content?”
Faust understood the reason and nodded in realization.
He didn't know if Artedinis had done it intentionally or not, but she had managed to land exactly on the critical threshold.
If she had intended to cross the line, she would have surely invited an iron fist of retribution.
But by being courteous before using force and declaring in advance that she would take Faust in the future, this level of pressure was just right. It applied pressure without triggering a backlash.
Experiencing a little setback was merely adding flavor to the romance. Thus, a little bit of angst didn't count as tormenting the protagonist!
Regardless of whether this was within the Imperial Princess’s calculations, Faust felt she had handled it exceptionally well.
After a while, Irithea returned.
“Everyone! You won’t believe how great I was as a bard!”
She intended to share her brilliant street performance with Faust and the others, having used the 【Blade of Praising Gods】 as a musical instrument.
However, the suffocatingly heavy atmosphere that greeted her cut her desire to share short.
On the chaise longue in the living room, Faust, Selena, and Viviana were all sitting quietly in a row, as still as statues.
“What happened? Why is the atmosphere so stiff?”
The wolf-girl twitched her ears, keenly sniffing the gloom in the air that was as thick as water.
Faust cleared his throat twice and explained to Irithea, “Ahem, some unpleasant things happened just now.”
Upon learning how Artedinis had given Selena and Viviana a show of force and how she had declared her sovereignty with such a condescending attitude, Irithea couldn't help but let out a sharp whistle.
“Wow... that does sound a bit much. She basically ground your self-esteem into the dirt, though she was telling the truth.”
The white wolf remained as blunt as ever.
But unlike their previous bickering, this time neither Selena nor Viviana had any intention of retorting.
The pale-blonde girl’s naturally melancholy beauty, now bolstered by both sadness and shame, was enough to break one’s heart. She pulled her hood back on and gripped her arm with one hand.
“What a disgrace... When His Highness was being threatened by that abominable woman, I, as a royal guard knight, was completely useless.”
No, actually, I didn't feel threatened at all. Setting aside the combat aspect, Artedinis was purely using cheats. But if she really wants to compete on another battlefield, my Great Thunder isn't necessarily at a disadvantage. I might even be able to strike down a [Saint]!
The Midwinter princess propped up her exquisite face with one hand, gritting her silver teeth as she spoke.
“That woman even had the nerve to say she’d take Faust away after ascending to the supreme throne. Such arrogance.”
The Imperial Princess’s declaration of certain victory was like a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, destined to fall in the future.
Faust sighed. “But Artedinis does indeed have the confidence for it.”
Holding both the [Brave One] and [Overlord] fate-stars meant the Imperial Princess was destined to practice her path through endless conquest and rule. Her promotion to a [Saint] further proved she had completely understood and enacted her path.
The promotion requirements for the [Radiant King] path were public knowledge—【A ruler as dazzling as the sun, shining upon all living beings with soft, warm light, while incinerating enemies with ruthless, cruel wildfire.】
That’s the life of Faust’s dreams!
In short, Artedinis’s path to proving her dao would inevitably involve becoming a world conqueror. Following the established route, she would surely go on to forge the Empire's glory anew.
If the dragonslaying succeeded, then naturally, it would be a true dynasty.
Even if the dragonslaying failed, the Empire commanded by Artedinis would surely grow to a terrifying degree.
Despite Faust’s two years of eastern and western campaigns and massive expansion, he had only barely reached the threshold for joining the 【Sacred Alliance】. In a true contest of national power, he would be kicked aside by the deep foundations of the Empire.
Of course, Faust didn't actually need to compete in national power; the golden protection of the [witches' feast] would ensure he remained invincible.
The key was that the witches themselves didn't know this!
So, knowing there was a robber like Artedinis out there, they inevitably became anxious.
Dynastic ambitions and dragonslaying feats were not as effective as the simple, clear realization that "Faust is going to be stolen."
If they remained immersed in the daily routine of traveling and playing with their lover, they wouldn't even be qualified to defend the happiness they possessed when a behemoth like the Empire bared its fangs.
To resist Artedinis’s eventual ambition to snatch Faust away, an unprecedented air of solemnity filled the residence.
The beautiful girl with long black hair looked up, her clear silver eyes meeting Irithea’s.
“From today on, I’m going to follow your lead and be abstinent. I really need to be abstinent.”
Selena realized she truly couldn't resist temptation. Every time she tried to work hard, she would unknowingly slip into Faust’s embrace.
She wanted to hear her lover whisper sweet nothings in her ear; she wanted Faust to praise her beauty over and over again; she wanted to nuzzle against him, staining him with her scent; she wanted to roll around in the sheets and pamper him relentlessly.
These things were certainly wonderful—they were practically the meaning of life—but being addicted to them did indeed drain the drive for everything else.
The period when her path cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds happened to be when Faust wasn't by her side.
Once she was near him, she was led astray by wine and pleasure.
“It’s Faust’s fault.”
“Hmm?”
Faust was suddenly blamed out of nowhere. He saw the Midwinter princess cross her arms.
“If you weren't tempting me in front of my face every day, how could I have fallen so far, to the point of being mocked by that woman!”
Fine, fine, shifting the blame now, are we? So pure and untarnished, huh.
Who did she learn this style of avoiding internal friction from!
Rate on N.U.
