A grail knight...
Faust couldn't help but sneer inwardly at the Azure Maiden's proposal.
In the 【heroic tale】 sung throughout the world, legends regarding the 【grail knight】 were countless. They were heroes who had passed through numerous trials and were blessed by the Lady of the Lake.
Drinking the water of the holy grail, being gifted silver swords and sacred armor, they reached the pinnacle of their craft and ascended to transcendence.
This was a legend known to most mortals and an encounter dreamed of by countless adventurers.
Glory, power, reputation, wealth, and authority were all within reach! Any grail knight could walk freely through various kingdoms, revered by tens of thousands.
Even Faust had once admired the power and prestige of the grail knights in the past, though the restriction that a grail knight could not become a king had made him discard that thought.
But after speaking with Mephistopheles about it, the truth he learned had completely shattered his perception.
【Once the Vow of Dedication is sworn, a grail knight will no longer be a son of man, but a subordinate executor belonging to the Lady of the Lake—strictly speaking, nothing more than the Lady of the Lake's dog.】
【That bitch, the Azure Maiden, not only loves to break talented young men, but if someone is lucky enough to make it to the end, she takes them in as a grail knight. After all these years, the power she has accumulated in the mortal world must be quite considerable.】
Faust: "The Lady of the Lake sounds like she's living quite the life. Much more carefree than you fairies."
【Indeed.】
Even Mephistopheles couldn't deny this point. Though they were both executors anchored by the wheel of destiny, fairies and the Lady of the Lake were vastly different.
The fairies above lacked freedom, and the mortals at the bottom lived miserable lives.
Damn, the Lady of the Lake in the middle was getting all the enjoyment!
Knowing that being a grail knight was such a trap, Faust certainly wouldn't agree. Instead, he feigned a look of fear and trepidation, replying:
"I... how could I dare hope for a seat among the grail knights? I am truly unworthy of such status!"
The Azure Maiden gave an "Oh?" and raised her voice:
"There is no need to belittle yourself. Your current achievements indeed don't qualify you for the grail trials, but that doesn't mean they never will. I am willing to give you a chance... Hmph, Faust, do you really need me to say it out loud?"
Faust glanced at the Azure Maiden. She had dropped her previous arrogant posture, crossing her arms and closing her eyes, occasionally peeping at the man with one eye. Her snowy-white cheeks were slightly flushed.
She was quite the actress. To be honest, Faust couldn't find a single flaw in her expression; she looked exactly like a noble and haughty Lady of the Lake acting coy toward someone who had caught her heart.
You had to admit, if it were any other high-spirited young man, it would be hard not to feel lightheaded and have the urge to get closer to her.
But Faust acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, tilting his head as he said:
"I apologize, Lady Azure Maiden, but I cannot accept rewards for work I haven't done. I am so young and have yet to achieve any merit; I wouldn't dare overstep my bounds. It would be disrespectful to the countless seniors before me!"
No... this guy... is he truly oblivious or just pretending?
Seeing Faust's expression of pure innocence, the Azure Maiden couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
Normally, a vigorous young man like this could be toyed with in the palm of her hand with just a little bait. But over the long eons, there were always exceptions.
There were always some people born as ascetic monastics with no desires, as stubborn as stinking rocks in a latrine. Was this prince the same?
The Lady of the Lake could not force a mortal to do anything. Since Faust was immune to both the soft and hard approaches, the Azure Maiden had no choice but to give up on her seduction.
Of course, it was only temporary. The simp she set her sights on would be brought under her command one way or another.
"Regardless, you have passed my test and proven your virtue. I must grant you a reward."
The Azure Maiden floated over to the small lake, leaning her delicate body back and extending a crystal-clear, white jade foot. She smiled and said:
"How about I grant you the honor of licking the top of my foot?"
It had to be said that the Lady of the Lake's foot was indeed perfect, as if sculpted from jade, with elegant curves and perfectly proportioned flesh, without a speck of dust.
If it were any ordinary, repressed young man with the chance to be so close to a goddess, they would likely have knelt down to lick it on the spot.
But Faust almost burst out laughing when he saw it.
Really? You're treating me like some starry-eyed boy?
Who are you looking down on? With your brother Faust's knowledge of tropes, he's seen everything from cream puffs to essence baths!
Faust suppressed his urge to laugh, looked away, and said seriously:
"My Lady! Please, stop joking!"
"Hmph, what a boring man."
Seeing that Faust seemed to be the truly stubborn type who was immune to everything, the Azure Maiden's face turned cold. She hooked her finger, and the dagger at Faust's waist flew into the air, falling straight into the lake.
Then, three daggers of the same style rose from the lake water. Two of them were clearly engraved with profound runes, entering the realm of mysterious artifacts.
"Faust, Faust..."
The beautiful and elegant Lady of the Lake lightly rippled the water's surface with her finger and said:
"May I ask which weapon you dropped?"
It was another classic legend, seemingly easy to answer. However, Faust kept Mephistopheles's warning in mind and refused to answer the Azure Maiden's question directly:
"I did indeed lose something. I once lost a flaming straight sword that can cancel animations, a half-blade that can return, and a greatbow that can be dual-wielded for rapid-fire. Do you know where they are?"
"!!"
No matter how dull one was, they would realize by now that the Prince of Qingxi was talking in circles.
The Azure Maiden's expression changed. She scrutinized Faust with an incredibly serious and cold gaze, finally letting out a cold sneer:
"Heh, it seems you really do know something. You're not very honest, are you?"
As if losing all interest, the Lady of the Lake gave the Prince of Qingxi one last deep look, waved her sleeves, and vanished into a streak of light.
【You did well. The Lady of the Lake's gifts are poison to free will. Refusing her was the right choice.】
Mephistopheles praised Faust's response and explained:
【The duty of the Lady of the Lake is to test the will of the son of man. Those who grow accustomed to receiving blessings and gifts from her cannot receive the true blessing of fate.】
"So the Lady of the Lake's existence itself is a form of entrapment? Is there anyone in this world who hasn't fallen for it?"
Faust shook his head with a smile, stepped forward, and fished his dagger out of the small lake. There was no sign of the other two enchanted daggers.
Legend said that the Lady of the Lake could move freely near any lake. He wondered where she had gone to pester someone else.
【The Lady of the Lake's blessings are all like that—minor favors. They don't compare to a dragon's blessing.】
Faust deeply agreed: "I have to agree with you on that."
The power of a dragon's blessing had been clearly demonstrated during the imperial civil war. If it hadn't been for the blessing of a true dragon, how could the Second Empire have gained such an overwhelming advantage?
Not to mention, the imperial family of the Second Empire were all those who had bathed in dragon blood, thus possessing the 【mystery】 trait of immortality. No conventional means could damage the dragon's kin in the slightest.
Faust rubbed his chin, saying longingly: "Bathing in dragon blood... I wonder if that Lian from the empire could arrange a dragon blood bath for me too."
The Prince of Qingxi was merely dreaming, but he suddenly felt a bone-chilling cold.
【Ho... Faust, are you planning to have an affair?】
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