Upon seeing what Faust had written on the paper, Mephisto was not stingy with praise:
[Destiny is not something easily fathomed. Even awakened ones instinctively maintain awe, unable to guess the trajectory of fate due to fear and confusion. Yet you... it is as if you knew the whole picture from the start, devoid of all folly.]
If you put it that way, then I indeed knew the whole picture in advance. Who would have thought that after all this time, I'd actually count as a clairvoyant in this regard?
Faust smiled. "Mephisto, do you also believe my summary is correct?"
[Who knows? We Fairies do not speculate on destiny, let alone pass judgment on it—especially the destiny of a Witch. However, since you were able to break free from a Witch's fate, I shall trust your judgment.]
Mephisto's ethereal tone seemed to carry a bit of subtext, but Faust took it as agreement and stood up to stretch.
By now, the sky had brightened. Soft morning light spilled into the bedroom through the window; Faust had actually gone an entire night without sleep.
Of course, after the barrage of so many events last night, it was impossible to feel drowsy.
The Prince put away his notes and left the bedroom carrying the glass slipper.
"Your Highness!"
"Your Highness! Are you alright?"
"Is this... have you not rested all night?"
"..."
As soon as Faust stepped out, he was surrounded by a group of attendants in the corridor. Looking at them, they had likely stood guard here all night.
It wasn't hard to understand; after all, the lives and honors of these subordinates were bound to his own. They couldn't afford any mishaps.
"There are no official duties today. Your Highness may rest a while longer," the attendants observed Faust's complexion and advised.
Faust waved his hand and laughed:
"I told you I'm fine. On the contrary, I feel great right now. In fact, I have something for you to do—something that will keep you quite busy."
His subordinates immediately expressed their loyalty:
"Please give us your orders. We will go through fire and water without hesitation!"
"It's nothing that dramatic. I want you to go and bring back my Princess."
"Yes. May I ask which family's daughter you favor? We shall make preparations immediately."
Faust held up the glass slipper and said:
"The one who can wear this shoe shall be my Princess."
"?"
Though they found the Prince's request somewhat abstract, Faust's bureaucrats complied nonetheless.
There was no "why." Did the Prince need an explanation to choose a consort? This was merely a small whim of power.
Before Faust had awakened, he already had the intention of digging three feet into the ground to find "Cinderella." Now, he was simply putting it into practice.
Furthermore, "Cinderella" had hinted before leaving that he should take the initiative to find her.
In short, to advance the "script," finding the other party was inevitable. After much thought, Faust decided to continue pretending he was still under the enchantment.
He made no secret of his goal to search the entire kingdom for the mysterious girl from that night. Even though informed observers understood this, applicants still flocked in endlessly.
After all, the Prince only said the one who fits the shoe is the Princess; he didn't specify who that was.
A promise made by royalty shouldn't be broken, right?
It didn't even have to be a noble. If a commoner could seize this opportunity, they had the chance to become a Princess.
No matter how "custom-made" a shoe was, there would always be a population it fit. This kind of opportunistic thinking was beyond reproach.
Thus, long lines formed before the palace. One after another, beautifully dressed and youthful young women arrived with confidence, firmly believing they would be the lucky "girl of destiny."
However, to everyone's astonishment, out of the first hundred or so people who tried, not a single one could fit into the glass slipper.
The shoe size clearly looked normal, but when it came time to try it on, problems arose constantly.
Either the toes were cramped, or the heel wouldn't go in; in short, it simply wouldn't fit.
Every loser looked as if they had lost a parent. Some wept bitterly, some fainted, and some let out a roar, trying to lunge at Faust...
Even worse, some directly sliced off their own heels and toes, disregarding the dripping blood in an attempt to put on the dancing shoe.
"No! Let me try again! Let me try again!"
"I am the future Princess! I am!! Hahaha!!"
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Do you see? I put it on!"
"...."
After such self-mutilation, it indeed fit, but the court attendants couldn't hold it together any longer.
They looked at the Prince of Qingxi and said awkwardly:
"Your Highness, this..."
Faust furrowed his brow and waved them away:
"This is unseemly. Take her away! Monitor the scene better; I don't want to see this happening again!"
After strictly forbidding any self-mutilation, Faust temporarily left the scene. He realized that if he stayed there, it would only make the atmosphere even more fanatical.
There's definitely a problem.
The Prince stroked his chin, pondering:
No matter how popular I am, they wouldn't be this crazy. Is this also a part of the Witch's destiny?
Faust could only associate such a frenzied scene with the [Witches' Feast] taking effect. Just like his own previous uncontrollable obsession with Cinderella, it had the effect of twisting human hearts without any regard for logic.
"By the way... besides being the darlings of destiny, what can be said about a Witch's individual strength?"
Faust suddenly thought of a crucial element and inquired of the Fairy.
If common [Heroes] possessed the power to establish great feats, then [Witches] should be similar, right?
[That is hard to say. Destiny merely bestows upon Witches the highest specification of Mystery to ensure they achieve happiness. Some can turn the world upside down, while others remain village girls their whole lives. Regardless, I suggest you mind your safety.]
Faust blinked. "Am I actually in mortal danger?"
[I am merely reflecting that, from ancient times to the present, Witches have always possessed... rather complicated personalities.]
Mephisto spoke evasively; for a Fairy, this was already a subtle hint.
"Will I die?"
[Quite possibly.]
Faust nodded silently, indicating he understood.
He hadn't placed much importance on personal safety before. After all, Faust was of the occult nobility. By convention, even a peerless powerhouse capable of moving mountains and filling seas would have to show him some respect.
To be safe, I should find a bodyguard.
Just as Faust was thinking this, an attendant beside him stepped forward and whispered:
"Your Highness, Lady Viviana has arrived."
"Ha, perfect timing."
The corners of Faust's mouth curled up as he looked up immediately.
He saw the guard walking straight toward him at a glance.
It was an extremely pretty silhouette. Silver light armor covered her arms and knees; the black lining of her bodice was stretched tight by her towering fullness, standing tall with a proud posture that insulted the laws of gravity.
Her cloak bore the embroidered gold-thread crest of Qingxi. A light blue belt encircled her slender waist, while her rounded, slender, and incredibly straight legs were wrapped in tight-fitting trousers.
As for the girl's face, it was mostly hidden by the cloak's integrated hood, with only the lower half visible. Even so, from that snowy-white, exquisite chin and pretty nose, one could glimpse that she must be a girl of stunning beauty.
In fact, she was. As her childhood friend, Faust had the most authority to speak on the matter.
"Good day, Your Highness."
The guard stopped before the Prince, placed a hand lightly over her full, high chest, and bowed in greeting. Slightly curled, pale-gold locks fell from the gaps in her hood, cascading loosely over her shoulders.