Bright morning light streamed through the French windows, casting sunlight into the room.
Faust was tidying his attire; reflected in the mirror was a highly charismatic young man.
He had a handsome face that seemed meticulously sculpted by the Creator, a pair of deep and charming reddish-brown eyes, and slightly pursed lips that naturally exuded an air of dignity without the need for anger.
His tall and straight posture, fitted perfectly by his neat formal wear, accentuated the lines of his muscles—robust without appearing excessively brawny.
Although it felt a bit narcissistic to say, to be honest, Faust felt as if he were a Prince Charming who had walked straight out of a fairy tale.
Oh, I actually am a prince. Never mind then.
Faust looked away and walked to the French window, overlooking the city below the castle.
From the city walls and train stations towering in the distance, to the exquisite and magnificent palaces nearby, and the countless rows of residences, academies, and guilds in between—it was clearly a flourishing metropolis.
This was the capital of the Kingdom of Qingxi. Once an ancient and dilapidated city, it had undergone a complete transformation in just ten years under Faust's diligent management.
Looking back now, it truly took a considerable amount of effort. However, whenever he thought about how his every action could decide the fate of tens of thousands, Faust felt a heartfelt joy, filled with endless motivation.
Even without any "cheat" or "golden finger," Faust believed that as a transmigrator, his start was already perfect enough.
Just as Faust was reveling in his sense of accomplishment, a maid's voice came from behind him:
"Your Highness, it is time."
"Mhm, let's go."
Reluctantly, he withdrew his gaze and left the bedroom.
The castle corridors were covered in crimson carpets; the soft texture made every step feel like a luxury.
Clack, clack—
Just as he was about to enter the King's bedchamber, Faust stopped at the bottom of the steps.
Above the steps, a young girl draped in a beige trench coat set down a suitcase. Although her figure beneath the gauze dress could only be described as "lewd," her extremely cold temperament more than made up for it.
Her silver-gray hair was tied back in a sharp ponytail, yet even so, the thick locks cascaded down like a waterfall, reaching her waist.
In a voice that was exquisite, clear, and devoid of impurities, she said indifferently:
"Faust..."
No emotional fluctuations could be heard in her extremely level voice. The girl stood there quietly and elegantly, appearing like a beam of cold moonlight shining into one's heart.
Her face beneath the veil possessed a pale beauty; hidden under light-colored eyelashes was a melancholy gaze like emeralds. The bridge of her nose formed an elegant curve, and her lips were painted an inviting, soft cherry color.
She was like the exquisite frontispiece of a fairy tale book, adorned with patterns of wild roses and thorns, where a magnificent princess lived in seclusion within a castle, making one unable to stop themselves from reading into the subtext of this mysterious story.
Ah, she actually is a princess. Never mind then.
This young girl, exuding an aura of mystery, was the Princess of the Kingdom of Qingxi and Faust's elder sister—Yu Xuemu.
"Good day, Royal Sister."
Faust placed a hand over his chest and greeted Yu Xuemu.
"Put away that hypocritical smile. If there is no respect in your heart, there is no need to be bound by etiquette."
Yu Xuemu spoke coldly, her gaze sizing Faust up. Even though he had been snubbed, he maintained his bowed posture until, after a long moment, the silver-haired princess withdrew her gaze.
Royal Sister is as strict as ever...
Faust sighed inwardly, but he was used to his sister's temperament. She just had a bit of a sharp tongue; she wouldn't actually be overly harsh.
"Has Father's condition improved?"
Faust tried to bring up another topic. Yu Xuemu had clearly just come out of the King's bedchamber.
"The same as always... Go in. Father is waiting for you to discuss the matter of the heir."
The silver-haired princess shook her head slightly and shifted her gaze to the side, as if unwilling to say more.
Alas, it's no wonder. After all, the two of us are rivals for the throne. The taste of power is simply too wonderful; no one would let go of it easily.
But the struggle for the succession has always been thus! Faust would never back down on this point!
Adjusting his mindset, Faust strode into the King's bedchamber. As soon as he pushed the door open, a wave of heat hit him; even for the autumn and winter seasons, this level of heating was a bit excessive.
Two rows of bookshelves over three meters high stood against the walls, filled with a diverse collection of titles. The long black walnut desk was piled high with official documents.
A palm-sized iron pot was still heating over the fireplace, with dark brown medicinal soup constantly boiling and bubbling inside, allowing a faint herbal scent to reach every corner of the room.
In a velvet lounge chair by the fire, an old man with white hair and a white beard curled up in the soft chair, a thick blanket covering his legs. Upon hearing footsteps, he set down the document in his hand and slowly turned his head.
Faust saw a pair of deep-set eye sockets that looked as if they had been chiseled out of flint; his withered skin resembled a dry riverbed baked under a scorching sun.
Yet, such an old face possessed a pair of terrifying scarlet pupils. That gaze, as sharp as a hawk's, looked straight at Faust.
This was the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Qingxi, a hero world-renowned for his illustrious military achievements. Even though he was now plagued by chronic illness, his aura remained soul-stirring.
The Prince took a deep breath and bowed:
"Father."
"Ahem, you've come."
The old King coughed twice. His voice was quite deep, yet it faintly revealed an unquestionable majesty.
Seeing this, Faust said with concern:
"Your complexion does not look good. Please take care of your health."
"No need to worry, it's just the old ailment. Xuemu medicinal soup is very effective; at least it won't worsen further."
The old King waved his hand and then moved on to official business:
"Today is your twentieth birthday. According to the kingdom's tradition, once all heirs have come of age, it is time to designate the Crown Prince. I called you here precisely to inform you of this."
It's here!
The straightforward words made Faust perk up. He clenched his fists and gazed unblinkingly at the old King.
The old man placed his arms on his lap and said slowly:
"Both you and Xuemu are excellent, children I am proud of. Both of you have the capacity to be King, but there is only one throne. I must select the most suitable candidate."
Faust nodded and bowed his head: "I understand. No matter what choice you make, I will accept it gladly."
He had performed desperately in the past, and the results he achieved would make any wise mortal king choose him as the heir without question.
But even with the significant achievements he had made over these few years, Faust couldn't say he was one hundred percent certain to obtain the throne.
The reason was simple: Faust was not of true royal blood, but the King's adopted son.
With such a fatal disadvantage, it was hard for Faust not to be anxious. After all, anyone would want to pass the throne to their own flesh and blood.
The King quietly watched the Prince for a moment before saying:
"There is no need to be restless, child. With your intelligence, you should already know that the position of Crown Prince of Qingxi will only be yours; there is no other possibility."
The King's plain and steady words put Faust at ease. Even though he had been mentally prepared, he couldn't help but look delighted. Guessing was one thing, but actual confirmation was another.
Until the King admitted it personally, Faust didn't dare to hold absolute expectations.
The old King stared intently at the Prince for a long time before suddenly asking:
"Are you surprised?"
Faust: "Not exactly surprised, it's just... why would you not consider passing the throne to Royal Sister?"
No matter how one looked at it, passing the throne to a biological daughter was the most human thing to do. And as far as Faust knew, his father had no inclination toward favoring males over females.
The King let out a cold chuckle: "Heh... Xuemu? She doesn't have the temperament to be King. More importantly, she lacks your talent."
So that's it? Choosing based on merit rather than lineage? That's very fair.
Hearing this, Faust quickly lowered his head modestly:
"Not at all. I have only done some insignificant work; I am far from being as excellent as Royal Sister."
Though he said this, a visible, smug smile played on the Prince's face.
Introducing advanced technology, reforming the government system, rebuilding foreign trade... While these political achievements weren't exactly earth-shattering revolutions, they were certainly bold reforms.
One had to understand, he didn't have a "golden finger" to manifest industrialization with a snap of his fingers; he relied solely on his own diligence, erudition, and self-discipline.
How could he not feel proud of this?
He absolutely could! Easily!
"Those trifles don't matter; they are of no importance at all!"
However, the old King shook his head, pouring cold water on the proud Prince. He sat up straight and said:
"Neither the reforms nor the construction you carried out in the kingdom are the reasons I chose you... Ahem, ahem. Faust, do you remember when you were young? The night we first met."
Hearing this, Faust solemnly pressed his hand to his chest and said seriously:
"Of course! If not for your act of mercy, I'm afraid I would have died that night. I shall never forget this kindness!"
After all, anyone would have a deep memory of finding themselves about to freeze to death in the snow right after transmigrating.
Just when Faust thought he was about to "re-roll" his life, the royal hunting party happened to pass by. He was rescued and adopted by the King, soaring from a low branch to become a phoenix—the Prince of the Kingdom of Qingxi.
Thus, Faust genuinely respected and felt grateful toward the old man in front of him. He wasn't just a "cheap father," but actually a "precious foster father"!
However, his resounding words did not lead to the formulaic development of fatherly love and filial piety. The old King rubbed his ring and smiled:
"Mercy... this has nothing to do with mercy."
"Eh?"
"I acted intentionally according to a Revelation. Otherwise, how could I have happened to pass by at that time and happened to rescue you?"
Faust hummed in confusion: "Revelation?"
The old King nodded and said in a heavy tone:
"In my youth, I fought and bled for the independence of the people of Qingxi, thus founding the kingdom. By virtue of such achievements, I once had the honor of receiving a blessing from a Fairy."
"A Fairy's blessing?!"
Hearing this, Faust's eyes widened, and he said with immense praise: "...Father, you actually had such a fortuitous encounter. You truly are a legendary hero."
It wasn't strange for the Prince to be so excited; the weight of the word "Fairy" was simply too heavy.
They were the oldest and most transcendent existences in this world. Although Fairies were not gods, in certain aspects, they were no different from gods. In fact, in some countries, Fairies were indeed worshipped as deities.
In legends and stories, the various encounters and opportunities bestowed by Fairies upon brave warriors and heroes had always been things people talked about with great interest.
Faust didn't expect his father to have a gift from a Fairy; he had never mentioned it before.
But thinking about it carefully, it wasn't surprising. The old King was once a world-renowned warrior who had achieved brilliant results in the War of Independence that swept the empire decades ago. It was reasonable for a founder to be blessed by a Fairy.
"Heh, that's all in the past."
Reminiscing about the years gone by, even though he was now tormented by illness and his heroic days were fading, the old King couldn't help but smile proudly.
Then, he suppressed his smile, pulled back his sleeve, and revealed a looming, bright red Contract Seal.
"This is the blessing given by the Fairy. The owner can use this contract to communicate with the Fairy, seek revelations, and learn prophecies."
"!!!"
Faust couldn't help but say: "Invincible."
For a mortal, merely meeting a Fairy was a fortuitous encounter. To be able to sign a contract with a Fairy—what kind of concept was that?
In this world, every nation that could establish a stable contract with a Fairy and obtain their protection and blessing was a world-renowned hegemon. To embrace a Fairy was equal to embracing success.
I'm talking about the Qingxi Dynasty, do you understand?
"Heh ha, how could it be so exaggerated?"
The King lightly stroked his arm and looked at Faust meaningfully:
"The contract I signed did not specify any rights or responsibilities. Whether communication is possible and what kind of revelation can be obtained depends entirely on the Fairy's mood. In these decades, the favor I've received can be counted on one hand. It can only be said that I am truly not to the Fairy's liking."
"If it were someone deeply favored by the Fairy, they would probably have more opportunities."
So you just got a contact info and then sat here simping?
Faust immediately calmed down. If that was the case, then this contract wasn't that big of a deal. Plenty of people prayed to Fairies; a contract without constraints could only be said to be better than nothing.
"But even a mediocre person like me has received revelations. Relying on my achievements in years past, I made a request to the Fairy."
The old King coughed twice, his hawk-like sharp gaze turning toward Faust:
"Find a child who can be loved by the Fairy and let him become my heir. In this way, perhaps this contract will have some use."
There's such a maneuver?!
"!!!"
Faust looked at his father in surprise. The latter seemed to have heard his inner voice and explained:
"Yes, just as you thought. I intend to transfer the contract with the Fairy to you here and now."
The King signaled Faust to take hold of his arm.
Reasonably, Faust should have made a show of declining, but in front of a foster father who knew him inside and out, acting would be too affected. Moreover... this gift simply could not be refused.
So, he gripped it without hesitation.
And that curse-seal indeed gradually faded from the King's withered arm, surfacing on Faust instead.
"Father... you seem to be in a great hurry."
While Faust felt the burning sensation of the brand, he met his foster father's gaze, only to hear the latter say slowly:
"The civil unrest in the Empire is about to end; they will rain down fury and punishment upon the former rebels and traitors. Meanwhile, my former allies are becoming estranged. The Kingdom of Qingxi has only been established for a few decades; it is still too weak. How can it survive the coming conflicts?"
The old King's eyelids lowered slightly as he let out a long sigh:
"It doesn't matter who the King is. What matters is that the Kingdom of Qingxi must be great. This nation... this kingdom I built with my own hands must never perish!"
The transfer of the contract was completed at this moment. Faust placed his hand over his chest and bowed, saying:
"This is exactly my ideal."
A trace of kindness and gentleness appeared in the old King's eyes as he smiled:
"I know. Your regard for and love of the kingdom are things I have seen clearly."
"According to the kingdom's protocol, I have organized a ball for you to select a consort... Arranging a marriage without asking for your opinion beforehand was indeed my mistake. This ball will be conducted according to your wishes. That is all. Go do what you must; I need to rest for a while."
As his voice fell, the old King slumped into the sofa and closed his eyes to meditate.
Seeing this, Faust no longer disturbed him and took his leave.
Emerging from the King's bedchamber, Faust let out a long breath. He finally stopped suppressing the smile on his face and laughed joyfully.
Although the process had been a bit nerve-wracking, he had finally achieved his goal. The position of Crown Prince, the Fairy Contract... one could only say that there had never been such a wonderful start!