Faust naturally and gladly agreed to Viviana's request.
Delegating power to his childhood friend was no big deal; it wasn't as if Viviana would stage a coup d'état.
Faust didn't doubt Viviana's loyalty for a second. Beyond the intimate, "same pair of trousers" relationship between the Roselin family and the royal house, he held the girl herself firmly in the palm of his hand.
As long as it was his request, Viviana could never refuse; she would put forth every effort to complete it, embodying the definition of "toiling without complaint." As for the reason... is it not enough to simply win the favor and praise of the one she loves?
This was why Faust claimed Viviana was an easy woman to manage; she was simply too easy to drive.
The Prince of Qingxi granted the girl authority equal to his own on the spot, allowing her to freely enter any venue and mobilize all resources.
Faust smiled at Viviana:
"I'll leave the rest to you."
The girl with golden hair and purple eyes closed her eyes, slowly clenching her fists. She whispered as if hypnotizing herself:
"I will fulfill your expectations. It has always been so, and it shall ever be so..."
Viviana's state was a bit strange, but Faust didn't give it much thought. He entrusted the task of finding "Cinderella" to his childhood friend and added even more stakes to the operation.
For several days in a row, royal spies, court attendants, and even kingdom bureaucrats were dispatched by Faust, all for the sole purpose of finding one woman within the country.
Merely fitting the shoe was not enough; Faust had to consider that "Cinderella" might be unable to come in person for certain reasons.
This required the exercise of subjective initiative.
Finding "Cinderella" was a necessity. It concerned not only Faust's path as a [Tyrant] but was also the key to whether the Kingdom of Qingxi could survive the destiny of the [Witches' Feast].
However, a commotion of this magnitude reached a level that "startled the friendly nations," resulting in Faust being summoned to the King's bedchamber.
Inside that warm, dim study, the old King drank his thick, bitter medicinal soup while speaking to the Prince:
"Faust, I hear you found a lady you favor at the ball."
"That is correct. Therefore, I am searching for her."
After receiving the affirmative reply, the King spoke expressionlessly:
"But I hear you have gone a bit too far. To what end would you do all this for a single woman?"
His "precious foster father's" heavy tone was full of pressure; anyone could tell the King was angry.
He wasn't angry because Faust's absurd actions wasted manpower and resources, but because his usually calm and steady heir had "acted impulsively for love."
A wise man does not fall in love! How could someone obsessed with romantic sentiments lead Qingxi to prominence?!
The old King slapped the armrest of his chair repeatedly:
"...I have seen too many people act on emotion. Their vitality is burned away by fleeting passion, and they ultimately end up mediocre and accomplishing nothing. As monarchs, the only emotion we need is responsibility and love for the kingdom. Child, you have never disappointed me before..."
Since being established as the Crown Prince, Faust's power was nearly equal to the King's. Using that power for a small whim was perfectly fine, but by any standard, this was excessive.
The Prince was, of course, well aware of this, and he had long ago prepared his rhetoric for his foster father.
Faust placed his hands behind his back, straightened his chest, and said calmly:
"This is a Revelation from the Fairy."
"!!!"
The old King's withered arm trembled, spilling medicinal soup onto the blanket on his lap.
The old man's hawk-like gaze stared fixedly at Faust. He asked, word by word:
"You have already spoken with the Fairy?"
Faust bowed his head: "Yes. A few days ago, His Excellency Mephisto granted me a Revelation. That girl is very important to the kingdom—and to me."
He even knows the Fairy's honorable name?!
"Good! Good! Good!"
The old King clapped his hands excitedly, saying "good" three times. A joyful flush actually appeared on his pale face.
"So soon? As expected, you are one deeply favored by the Fairy."
"As for why that girl is... No! You don't need to answer me. Just act according to the Revelation."
"Whatever you need, just say the word. The kingdom will support you with all its might!"
The old King's respect for the Fairy's authority had reached the point of superstition. He didn't even ask further questions, fearing he might ruin the Fairy's mood.
Seeing his father act so reasonably allowed Faust to breathe a sigh of relief; there was no need to use other excuses to gloss it over.
As for his deal with Mephisto, it was better not to let his "precious foster father" know for now; besides, telling him would be useless.
On the way back, Mephisto spoke:
[This is correct. A Human child who has not awakened cannot bear the weight of Destiny—especially the Heroes among men; they are the most faithful pawns of Fate.]
Faust wondered if it was an illusion, but he thought he heard... pity in Mephisto's whisper?
Did that mean... those who haven't awakened are just unlucky fools in the eyes of a Fairy?
Pondering the deeper meaning of Mephisto's words, Faust returned to his room.
By now, it was late. Ordinarily, the Prince's nightlife would be quite rich, often summoning maids or noblewomen for a raucous party, but he certainly wasn't in the mood for that now.
"Cinderella" had not been found, and the [Witches' Feast] hung over his head like a sword of Damocles. Only by solving the current dilemma could Faust afford to focus on other things.
But worrying was useless. Faust had done everything he could; all that remained was to pray he didn't actually trigger a "Rebellious Fate route."
Though I am indeed interested in 'rebellion,' don't mess with me right now.
Thinking this, Faust planned to meditate for the night and check his own progress in Mystery.
As the Prince closed his eyes, an information interface manifested on his retina:
[Faust Qingxi]
[Path: Monarch of Dominion]
[The path leading to the Supreme Overlord. As the monarch of a nation, you shall conquer, rule, and subjugate, thereby achieving the great feats of heroes and kings.]
[Path of Conquest: Conquer the hearts and bodies of humanity; conquer nations and wilderness. Make them submit completely to you, viewing you as their sole Master.]
[Path of Rule: Govern your nation toward prosperity; lead your armies to victory; guide your team to glory.]
[Path of Subjugation: Challenge powerful demons and disaster-beasts; eliminate your ancestral enemies.]
Don't misunderstand; this wasn't a "system panel," but a simple inspection technique—a small trick casters used to examine their own paths.
The transcendent beings of this world could generally be divided into [Casters] and [Heroes].
The former, as the name implies, were those who continuously acquired knowledge and power through talent, study, and research; they were the most common type of transcendent.
[Heroes] were more special. Their power did not stem from cultivation or study, but from the practice of their "Path."