The Princess's gaze—cold and noble yet laced with disgust—was truly a top-tier delicacy, worthy of being branded into the depths of one's soul for careful appreciation.
Thank you; that was satisfying.
Wait! You were the one who took the initiative to press close; why does it feel like I'm the one acting like a hooligan? Even for "entrapment," this is a bit too ham-fisted!
For some reason, Royal Sister held a very deep prejudice against him, always finding various angles to attack and criticize the Prince of Qingxi.
Fortunately, Faust's psychological fortitude was remarkably strong. Yu Xuemu's belittlement was essentially painless. One could only say the Princess was too well-bred; she couldn't utter truly vulgar curses, so her icy mockery felt more like a reward to Faust.
A breath of fresh air; truly a breath of fresh air.
Faust nodded slightly and smiled:
"I have something to discuss with you. Is now a convenient time, Royal Sister?"
"Wait a moment."
Yu Xuemu's holy azure eyes sized Faust up once before she closed the room door.
After waiting for a short while, the Princess finally invited Faust inside.
It was Faust's first time in his sister's room. Yu Xuemu's boudoir... how should he put it? It fit her temperament perfectly. There was no extravagant or expensive furniture; the cool tones of sky blue and light gray decor created an atmosphere of restraint and mystery.
The space where a dressing table should have been was occupied by an astrolabe. Outside the spacious French windows, there were no buildings to obstruct the view, allowing for a direct gaze at the celestial vault.
Bookshelves were tucked into the corners, while various scrolls and grimoires were piled on a small table next to some alchemy tools.
If Faust hadn't caught a whiff of a soul-refreshing, ethereal fragrance, he wouldn't have even felt that this was the room of a young girl.
Faust didn't look around excessively, as the gaze Yu Xuemu threw his way was already turning cold.
The Princess of Qingxi was naturally beautiful; even without any potions or makeup, she was incredibly magnificent. Dressed in simple loungewear with her silver-gray hair cascading over her shoulders, she possessed an otherworldly aura that seemed untouched by the mortal realm.
Mhm, her figure is also very "fairy-like."
For some reason, while Yu Xuemu had clearly spent effort straighten the room just now, she had forgotten to add a coat. Her sleeveless shirt and short skirt were extremely " light."
Faust tried his best to look away. Without a doubt, if his gaze flickered, Royal Sister would surely catch him and mock him ruthlessly.
Yu Xuemu sat down by the table and tilted up her snowy, exquisite chin:
"So, what do you intend to say?"
"Royal Sister, I have a presumptuous request..."
The Prince of Qingxi took a deep breath and explained his intent.
He hoped Yu Xuemu could serve as co-regent with him.
Being rejected was the most normal outcome; Faust had long prepared himself mentally for a harsh lecture and had already drafted a mental script on how to convince her.
Even if he couldn't convince her, it was fine; he had to at least try.
"..."
The silver-haired princess scrutinized Faust silently for a long time. Just like their usual meetings, after a period of silence, she said slowly:
"I am curious... Faust. Not long ago, you were full of joy, celebrating your imminent ascent to the throne. Your goal all along has been nothing more than satisfying a greater lust for power."
"For that, you would feign an image of wisdom and patience, showing concern and care for the citizens; for that, you could overcome your innate nature of laziness and indulgence to work day and night; for that, you categorized everyone into tiers, calculating their value."
"You crave prestige and glory so much, and you hate and fear mediocrity. Why, in just a few short months, would you give up everything you've fought for?"
Faust: "....."
Stop, stop, I'm actually sweating!
Yu Xuemu's words were like a sharp scalpel, precisely dissecting the Prince's chest, analyzing the purpose behind every action and pointing out the essence with piercing accuracy.
Faust had never felt so seen through before. Yu Xuemu's understanding of him far exceeded his imagination.
The excuses he had prepared earlier were now completely useless. But that was fine; total candor was his final trump card.
The Prince of Qingxi pursed his lips and replied:
"I simply realized it. I understand how ridiculous my previous methods were. I used some techniques I thought were clever and felt smug about them; looking back now, I didn't understand what truly precious things were at all."
This was the absolute truth. If he hadn't learned of the existence of the Wheel of Destiny, Faust's methods would have likely sent him sprinting toward a bad ending.
Yu Xuemu blinked and said:
"Is it because of Vivian? Did that child... change you?"
"I can't say it was entirely because of Vivian. More than that, it was my own realization, along with some assistance from the Fairy."
"Is that so?"
The light shimmered in the silver-haired princess's holy azure eyes as she pondered.
After a long while, she suddenly looked at the Prince and asked:
"Faust, do you love Vivian?"
"Love... I don't like to speak of love lightly. It's a rather heavy word."
Faust frowned and continued:
"But to me, Viviana is worth more than the wealth and power of an entire nation."
A lover with the "Witch" destiny who can grow infinitely? Even a second of hesitation is a lack of respect for a top-tier destiny!
"That sounds like something you would say. It would be more surprising if you said she was worth more than 'everything.'"
The corners of Yu Xuemu's mouth curled slightly, and she said:
"Fine. You truly have changed. Let it be so; go and enjoy the beauty of life like others your age."
The silver-haired princess lightly toyed with her ponytail and said:
"My governance of the kingdom won't be as meticulous as yours. I will only put effort into it while you are away."
"Royal Sister!"
Hearing what amounted to an agreement, Faust gave a joyful cry.
Unlike his usual polite greetings, this "Sister" carried a fair amount of genuine emotion.
Yu Xuemu seemed taken aback; her cold, dignified expression changed instantly. Her slender fingers toyed with her hair as she looked away.
"Mm... I am your sister, after all."
Faust wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he thought he saw a smile appear on Yu Xuemu's exquisite and magnificent face.
Not a cold smile, not a mocking one, but a genuine, joy-filled smile.
Does Royal Sister also make such expressions?
But the atmosphere was so good that he didn't feel right asking anything. He took his leave, satisfied.
After the Prince left, Yu Xuemu took a grimoire from the shelf and slowly opened it, while also taking a cloth doll from a drawer.
The handmade doll looked very cute; if Faust were still there, he would have recognized at a glance that it was clearly made in his image.
Yu Xuemu placed the doll against her neck, tilting her head to hold it in place. As she flipped through the grimoire, watching the words on the page blur and change, she whispered:
"The future... has changed."
But soon, Yu Xuemu seemingly saw something in the book. Her fair face flushed slightly, and her brows furrowed as she cursed softly:
"But he's still a lewd bastard!"