Faced with the princess’s impassioned words, Faust hadn’t even replied when Mephistopheles, inside his mind, couldn’t help but laugh:
【Pfft—Lian certainly knows how to say some high-sounding words to coax children. She really is gentle, isn't she?】
Faust: "Oh? Why do you say that?"
【We know all too well that the wheel of destiny is impossible to resist. It is something without even intellect, something that cannot even be touched. How could it be defeated? Even I have no way, let alone Lian. She only underwent dragonfall because she loved a human; she just wants to be with the son of man, and nothing else matters.】
'Some kind of lover-obsessive?'
Faust was about to retort, but then it occurred to him that all fairies were probably a bunch of lover-obsessives.
Especially those who underwent dragonfall—they were the most extreme of the extreme. If they weren’t deeply moved and swayed by the loves and hates of mortals, they wouldn't have abandoned their fairy status and fallen to be shattered into pieces.
【However, the son of man is skilled at bestowing meaning upon meaningless things and is willing to sacrifice everything for it. Thus, Lian is merely catering to the children’s ideas. Those are the slogans being shouted, but in reality, with her personality, she’s just taking it day by day. Surviving is a win.】
Learning the truth from Mephistopheles, Faust looked again at the princess's high-spirited fighting intent—the kind that aimed to vie with the heavens in height—and suddenly felt a bit of irony.
So, he nodded without hesitation.
"Well said. I completely agree!"
"Ha, I thought so. As expected of someone who could independently become an awakened one from this drama of false cycles, you certainly have resolve!"
Charlotte laughed breezily, not at all surprised by Faust’s response.
After all, Faust was a very rare ally who had been personally named by Lady Lian for recruitment. In her eyes, Faust was bound to be a person of ambition who absolutely refused to yield to fate!
The princess even sighed as she tried to persuade him further:
"...It’s a pity most of my kin failed to grasp the depth of Lady Lian’s intent. They actually took up arms against our generational protector, forcing us into fratricide and leaving the empire drowning in rivers of blood. No matter; it is all worth it. To secure human freedom, it is necessary to tread a path over a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood."
"For that, I wouldn't care if the entire old world was smashed to pieces!"
'Terrifying,' Faust could only respond to these murderous words with silence.
Although he aspired to be an overlord, he was not a bloodthirsty person. To the prince of Qingxi, construction and conquest brought him great enjoyment, but simple destruction and slaughter could not provide him with satisfaction.
Charlotte slapped both hands on the table and suddenly leaned closer to Faust, her brilliant glaze-colored eyes seemingly a fusion of ice and fire:
"Why don't you come back to the imperial capital with me and let Lady Lian grant you a position as her kin?"
'Huh? Don't you know I’m already hanging out with Little Mephi?'
Faust frowned as he heard this, sensing a clue.
Charlotte didn’t seem to know he was a fairy contractor; otherwise, she wouldn't have said such a thing.
【Lian certainly wouldn't mention my existence. In many ways, it's not ideal for me to be exposed on the front stage.】
'That works too.' A fairy contractor was far too eye-catching. Currently, only the inner circle of the royal family and Mystoria knew about the contract between Faust and Mephistopheles. If it truly became common knowledge, it wouldn't be good for Faust.
A fairy contractor would attract too much scrutiny and greed. The tree that stands out in the forest is the first to be destroyed by the wind.
Furthermore, since Faust intended to side with a dragon, he couldn't exactly do it with a fanfare.
The prince of Qingxi took a light sip of his coffee and said:
"I'll pass on that. I'm more used to staying in a place I know. Besides, Lady Lian should have other expectations for me."
This was quite easy to deduce. Without the Mephistopheles factor, a mere awakened one wouldn't be worth sending a royal to recruit and pay such close attention to.
Clearly, Lian had a different story for her 'children.'
Charlotte sat down, twirling a lock of hair by her shoulder with her finger, and smiled:
"Indeed, Lady Lian did mention it to me. For this alliance, the empire will do everything in its power to help you—whether it's money, food, resources, or technology. As long as the empire has it, we can share and gift it. There is no upper limit to our cooperation."
"Because Lady Lian believes you are the key to dealing with the 【brave one】. "
Faust raised an eyebrow. "The 【brave one】?"
"Ah, the 【brave one】, of course. Or rather, the dragon-slaying warrior..."
At the mention of the 【brave one】, the flowing flames in Charlotte's bright pupils couldn't help but settle, and her voice grew much softer.
It was a complicated feeling to talk about, as she was a direct descendant of the dragon-slaying warriors.
"As an awakened one, you should also know that fate-stars exist in this world, right? Those rulers high in the heavens play with mortals like chess pieces, writing them into a predetermined script. The corresponding roles are the fate-stars."
Faust waved his hand to interrupt Charlotte, indicating he had long been aware of this.
The imperial princess curled her lip and laughed with disdain:
"...The encirclement net against us is almost formed. Those mediocre and useless people, those pitiable fools, are nothing but a disorganized mob. Under Lady Lian's leadership, we fear no difficulty. How could they... possibly know the great power of a dragon?"
Faust actually believed this. A true dragon was simply too strong; the path systems of mortals were fundamentally incapable of containing or describing a true dragon. Not to mention the great cataclysms and mass extinctions caused by evil dragons in history, even the recent imperial civil war—
That true dragon named Lian hadn't even personally stepped onto the field. Merely by existing and using a fraction of her power to bless her subordinates, she had routed the dragonslayer faction. To call it an even match was more because the Second Empire didn't want to slaughter them all.
Although fairies weren't gods, mortals worshipped them as such because they feared their great power. In reality, without permission, a fairy couldn't do anything outside of the rules—they had less freedom than any son of man.
But once they underwent dragonfall, all taboos were gone. They would show you what a god among men looked like!
"However—"
Charlotte’s tone shifted, and she said coldly:
"Judgment from fate is the only exception. It doesn't matter how many ordinary enemies come, but a fellow bestowed with the 【brave one】 fate-star—a hateful puppet manipulated by destiny—is someone even Lady Lian cannot fully deal with."
"The 【brave one】, a dragon-slaying warrior..."
Thanks to Mephistopheles's constant influence, Faust's understanding of fate-stars was quite profound—much deeper than the imperial princess before him. Naturally, he knew there was a hierarchy among fate-stars.
The 【brave one】 fate-star was, in short, peerless under heaven!
Subjugating demon kings, quelling disasters, sweeping across the world! Even if the 【brave one】 was just an ordinary boy from a rural village, he would surely advance triumphantly, invincible and unstoppable, creating countless miracles and legends to achieve supreme feats.
Second-rate fate-stars like the 【overlord】 were nothing more than stray dogs on the roadside that the 【brave one】 would kick aside in passing.
Faust pointed to himself. "You want me to take down the 【brave one】?"
Rate on N.U.
