As the person directly involved, Faust could bet his life on the fact that the fire in Cinderella's eyes was no joke.
This state was absolutely abnormal. One must remember that the original Viviana could be described with a long list of virtues: diligent, capable, reserved, elegant, upright, and decisive.
Viviana almost never revealed her inner thoughts, always maintaining a cold and melancholic demeanor. Even Faust had assumed his childhood friend was simply indifferent by nature, never imagining that such deep obsession was brewing within her.
Ten years of suppressed longing, lust, resentment, and hate... the "Cinderella" born from this—even if not a second personality in the strict sense, but merely a mask—was terrifying enough.
Faust seriously doubted if he could withstand this. After all, Viviana's Path, [Palace Knight], was an ancient [Hero] profession. This Path had no other special features except for its exceptionally cold, raw stats.
He was afraid he was about to witness some unimaginable "suppression" (sadness).
"What are you saying?"
Cinderella smiled sweetly, biting his earlobe. "It was Your Highness who said you wanted to find me. It was Your Highness who seduced me first, so you must take responsibility."
The girl spoke words that made the Prince of Qingxi shiver in an incredibly soft and gentle tone:
"Weren't you used to ordering Viviana around like a maid anyway? In that case, let me take care of everything for you. You just need to look at me, look at me... just keep looking at me forever."
"Viviana will accept your demands without limit, and I will only take from you without limit. That's fair, isn't it?"
Faust turned pale. "Sigh... can we settle this out of court?"
"At this very moment? Your Highness, you must be joking."
Cinderella laughed, tying her long hair back into a ponytail and kneeling down.
In the basement of the Roselin estate—a place where no signal could reach, and where no one could find them.
This was originally Viviana's private laboratory, but now it had become a "dungeon." The Prince was here to endure his ordeal.
Don't misunderstand; it wasn't because "Cinderella" bore any ill will toward him. Logically speaking, Viviana wearing the "Cinderella" mask wasn't some terrifying yandere.
At least to Faust, Cinderella couldn't be called a yandere; her behavior was more like that of a simple, beautiful, love-struck maiden.
She was just too suppressed.
As if trying to reclaim every bit of romance and sweetness she had lacked, Cinderella did exactly what she said she would within this tiny world of the basement.
Stunning.
Unlimited stunning.
Sometimes she kissed Faust's skin and cheeks, whispering words of love; sometimes they leaned shoulder to shoulder, sharing a book of poetry and discussing favorite lines or plays; sometimes she played the piano or violin, singing softly in his ear with a nightingale-like voice; sometimes she cooked his favorite pastries and dishes, feeding them to him mouth-to-mouth, bit by bit.
Every minute, every second, had to be spent with her beloved.
On the sofa, on the bed, in the bathroom, under the dining table... in every place and at every time, proper or improper, she took insatiably.
As if she had obtained her long-sought treasure, Cinderella played with it beautifully and incessantly, sticking to him like glue.
It sounded manageable, perhaps, as Faust was no ordinary man. With the Mystery trait [Sovereign of Strong Desire], even the most terrifying demands should have felt like a gentle paradise.
But things weren't that simple.
Because while Cinderella's care was meticulous, she refused to allow Faust to ignore her. As she had said, she wanted him to look at her forever. Whether it was love, hate, affection, or revulsion, everything had to be communicated to her.
This meant the poor Prince of Qingxi could hardly rest. Countless times, just as Faust's eyelids dropped, he was startled awake by bright lights or noise. Sometimes, Faust would fall asleep the moment hot water touched his lips, yet when he woke up, the water was still warm.
"Please let me sleep for a while. Just a little. I'll agree to anything you say once I wake up," Faust said weakly, looking at his childhood friend sitting in his lap.
Her pale-gold hair fell messily and lazily. Cinderella tilted her head in confusion, but then lowered it again to suck on the Prince's collarbone.
Fine. In this state, Viviana probably had no logic to speak of. Requests were useless; he could only wait for her to calm down completely.
"How much time has passed?"
[Since Viviana set her elaborate trap and Faust strayed into the underground hall, three months have passed.]
Mephisto's gloating voice appeared in his mind, making Faust give a bitter laugh.
"It's actually been that long? Well, at least it hasn't been years."
Confined in the basement all day, Faust had nearly lost his sense of time.
Cinderella had openly taken him from the palace. Ordinarily, this should have drawn attention; being discovered the next day would be considered slow, let alone three months. The Regent Prince and his personal guard had vanished for three months—was the entire nation truly showing no reaction?
Faust almost wanted to curse his subordinates as a pack of useless drunkards—if Viviana weren't a [Witch].
But because she was a Witch, there really was no way. [Witches] are the darlings of Destiny; the common logic of the world can be bypassed by them at will. Especially within a Script of Destiny, everything they do is aided by a divine-like force.
Don't ask; it's just the "plot requirement." Thus, twisting the laws of nature and the will of the human heart is a trivial matter.
[You don't seem particularly resentful, despite being treated this way.]
"It's indeed difficult, but it's not Viviana's fault." Faust shook his head. Despite enduring what could be called inhuman torment, he felt no resentment toward her. Putting himself in her shoes, her actions were entirely understandable. Faust's previous insults to her were a hundred times worse than this!
[So, it's your fault?]
"It's definitely not my fault either!" Faust gnashed his teeth, refusing to take the blame. The Prince had one virtue: he never engaged in self-recrimination. He immediately found the culprit: "It's all the fault of Destiny!"
If not for the influence of the Wheel of Destiny, how could he have failed to notice Viviana's feelings? How could he have treated his childhood friend so harshly? How could such a deep gloom have accumulated in her heart? Viviana was clearly such an elegant and well-behaved girl, yet she was driven mad by suppression under the mockery of fate.
Man, why is Destiny so wicked!
[Even if you blame Destiny, it is but an abstract concept that cannot bear your hatred. Or rather... do you intend to perform an act of defying fate?]
Mephisto's tone was subtle. Rather than a warning, it seemed to carry a faint hint of expectation, as if hoping Faust would become a Rebel of Fate.
The Prince replied without hesitation: "If resisting being toyed with and twisted like this is called 'defying fate,' then I truly have no choice but to defy it!"
However, the Prince was simply too exhausted, his thoughts becoming sluggish. Even knowing he would be startled awake, he couldn't help but close his eyes.
When Faust regained consciousness again, the first thing he felt was a sense of comfort and satisfaction filling his entire body. Even with the [Sovereign of Strong Desire] trait, not being able to rest for so long had left him utterly stifled.
Wait, I actually fell asleep?! No, I should say I was actually allowed to fall asleep!
Faust snapped awake after a brief haze. Opening his eyes, he saw a tranquil and soft face. The girl's eyes were tightly shut; she was as beautiful as a painting. He was currently resting on a pair of elastic, firm, and rounded thighs.
"Vivian!"
Faust's movement caught the girl's attention. When she opened her eyes, the Prince felt a sense of relief instead. Those purple eyes were no longer burning like fire, but were calm and melancholic as usual. Her exquisite face was no longer wearing that sweet smile that made his heart tremble; she had returned to the static beauty he knew best, like a doll or a scroll.
This meant Viviana was no longer in her "Cinderella" form.
Realizing this, Faust spoke with a tone of relief: "Are you finally awake?"
"My apologies." Pale-gold bangs couldn't hide her gaze. Viviana nodded gently to Faust. "What 'she' did was too much. It was practically torture. I never wanted to hurt you, no matter what..."
Holy Divider! The first thing Viviana said to Faust was to cut a line between yesterday's self and today's self. It was as if the "Cinderella" who had spent three months trying to suck the marrow from Faust's bones wasn't her.
Never mind whether "Cinderella" was just a mask; even if it were a "second personality," it made Faust want to laugh from anger. You finished having your fun and now you don't recognize me? Forget yesterday as soon as the sun rises? Vivian! I don't remember you ever becoming like this!
Faust almost blurted out a complaint, but learning from his past mistake, the Prince swallowed the words at his throat and nodded instead: "I know. After all, you're the good girl who considers companionship the longest confession of love. What bad intentions could you have?"
The girl's violet eyes widened slightly. "Companionship... is a confession?"
"Ah. During this time, I fully understood your feelings." Faust tried his best not to say this through gritted teeth.
The knight-maiden's eyes lit up upon hearing the words she had long dreamed of. She helped Faust up, sizing him up seriously as if getting to know him all over again.
Viviana held her heart. "Your Highness, hearing you say that makes me happy... truly, very happy."
"So now, can we leave this place?" Faust asked tentatively. Now that Viviana had vented ten years of accumulated emotion, there should be room for a conversation.
Viviana did not answer for a long time. After an eerie silence, the girl spoke: "And then what?"
"What?"
Viviana reached out to brush Faust's cheek, straighten his hair. Her already melancholic gaze grew even sadder. "Once we leave here, you will probably stop pretending. Your Highness, I know you too well. You can say any sweet words against your will, and you can laugh off your ordeal."
"Perhaps in your heart, you have always thought I was an easy woman to manage—that as long as you ask, I will surely take the task. But in this matter alone, I do not wish to follow your will."
"Your Highness, Your Highness, Faust... how can I believe you have truly changed?"
I see. She doesn't trust me?
It was normal. Faust knew his own character, and Viviana knew him too well—sometimes better than he knew himself. Doubting his "acting" was perfectly reasonable. If he hadn't learned the truth, he really would have done exactly that!
Seeing Faust fall silent, Viviana's gaze dimmed instantly. "If it means returning to the days when you used me as a tool and treated me with indifference, I would rather keep you bound. At least your loathing and hatred would belong entirely to me."
"!!"
Faust was now sweating profusely. If he couldn't convince her, it wasn't hard to imagine what would happen. Even if the "Cinderella" ending was harmonious, being locked up for three to five years would be unbearable, and his grand ambitions would die before they even started.
Think, quick! Think of how to convince Viviana! He had to put down a weight heavy enough to dispel all her doubts.
Words of eternal love? The girl had always seen through his lies; she used to just like hearing them, but that wouldn't pass muster here.
Promises of wealth and glory? Don't make her laugh. If Viviana put her mind to it, it was uncertain who would actually sit on the throne of Qingxi.
Even the position of Princess Consort probably wouldn't satisfy her, as that was already within "Cinderella's" easy reach.
What other promise!? What other condition!? What else could prove his determination?!
Under immense pressure, Faust thought rapidly, and then... he hit upon a perfect answer.
The Prince took a deep breath and said: "I will give up the throne."
"Ugh!"
The moment the words fell, Viviana's eyes widened in disbelief. No matter what she had expected, she never imagined Faust would say that.
Faust continued: "Once we go out, I will give the position of Crown Prince to Royal Sister. I won't become the King of Qingxi. I'll just stay a Prince forever."
Viviana's gaze locked onto Faust's face, searching for any sign of a ruse. She simply couldn't believe he would do this. But the girl found no lie. Based on her understanding of the Prince, these words were truly sincere, without a hint of deception.
"Why?" the knight-maiden pursed her lips and asked involuntarily. "You would... use this as the price?"
No outsider knew better than Viviana what the throne and power meant to Faust. On countless nights of working through to the dawn, Faust had poured his heart and soul into becoming a great monarch. In a sense, his harshness and distance toward her were all because of this goal.