Bright morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, flooding the room with sunshine.
Faust was adjusting his attire. In the mirror, a remarkably charming young man stared back at him.
His face looked like the masterwork of some divine sculptor: handsome, with deep reddish-brown eyes that drew you in, and lips pressed together in a way that radiated natural authority.
His tall, well-built frame was perfectly accentuated by his tailored formal wear, showing off muscular lines that were powerful without being overly bulky.
It might sound a little narcissistic to say this, but honestly, Faust thought he looked like a fairy tale prince come to life.
Oh, wait, I actually am a prince. Never mind then.
Faust shifted his gaze away from the mirror and walked to the windows, looking down at the city below the castle.
From the distant walls and train station to the nearby ornate palace, and everything in between (countless houses packed together, academies, guilds, and more), this was clearly a thriving metropolis.
This was the capital of the Kingdom of Aurum.
What had once been an old, run-down city had been completely transformed in just ten years under Faust's diligent management. The change was nothing short of remarkable.
Looking back on it now, he'd poured so much energy into this place. But whenever he thought about how his every decision affected the lives of thousands of people, Faust felt genuine joy welling up inside him, filling him with endless motivation.
Even without any cheat codes or special advantages, Faust believed his starting position as a reincarnator was more than good enough.
Just as Faust was basking in his sense of accomplishment, a maid's voice came from behind him.
"Your Highness, it's time."
"Right. Let's go."
Reluctantly, he tore his gaze away and left the bedroom.
The castle corridors were covered in crimson carpet, so soft that every step felt like a luxury.
Click-clack.
Just as he was about to enter the king's chambers, Faust stopped at the bottom of the steps.
At the top of the stairs, a young woman in a beige overcoat had set down her suitcase.
Though her figure beneath that gauzy dress could only be described as obscene, her incredibly aloof demeanor somehow balanced it out.
Her silver-gray hair was pulled back into a sharp ponytail, yet even tied up, the thick cascade of hair still flowed down like a waterfall to her waist.
In a crystalline voice without a trace of color, she spoke quietly.
"Faust..."
Her tone was utterly flat, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. The young woman simply stood there, quiet and refined, like a beam of cold moonlight piercing into your heart.
Beneath her veil, her face held a pale, ethereal beauty. Light lashes framed emerald eyes filled with melancholy, her nose formed an elegant curve, and her lips were painted a soft, tempting cherry color.
She resembled the delicate frontispiece of a fairy tale book, covered in illustrations of wild roses and thorns, with a beautiful princess hidden away in a castle, making you want to read deeper into the mysterious story.
Ah, she actually is a princess. Never mind then.
This young woman, radiating an aura of mystery, was the princess of the Kingdom of Aurum, and also Faust's older sister: Eleanor.
"Good morning, Sister."
Faust placed a hand over his chest and greeted Eleanor.
"Drop the fake smile. If you don't respect me in your heart, there's no need to bother with formalities."
Eleanor spoke coldly, her gaze sweeping over Faust. Despite getting roasted, he maintained his bowing posture until, after a long moment, the silver-haired princess finally looked away.
Sister's as harsh as ever...
Faust sighed inwardly, though he was used to his sister's temperament by now. She just had a sharp tongue. She wouldn't actually give him any real grief beyond that.
"How is Father's condition? Has it improved at all?"
Faust tried changing the subject. Eleanor had clearly just come from the king's chambers.
"Same as always... Go on in. Father is waiting for you to discuss the matter of the heir."
The silver-haired princess shook her head gently, then turned her gaze away, as if unwilling to say anything more.
Well, no surprise there. After all, the two of them were competing for the throne, and power tasted far too sweet. No one would give it up easily.
But the struggle for succession had always been this way! Faust would never back down on this point!
Steeling himself, Faust strode confidently into the king's chambers. The moment he pushed open the door, a wave of heat hit him in the face. Even for autumn or winter, this level of heating seemed a bit excessive.
Along the walls stood two rows of bookshelves over ten feet tall, crammed with all kinds of volumes. The long ebony desk was piled high with documents.
A palm-sized iron pot was still heating over the fireplace, dark brown medicinal broth bubbling continuously inside, filling every corner of the room with a faint herbal scent.
And there, in the velvet lounge chair by the fire, an old man with white hair and beard was curled up in the soft seat, a thick blanket draped over his legs. Hearing footsteps, he set down the papers in his hands and slowly turned around.
Faust saw a pair of deeply sunken eye sockets that looked like they'd been chiseled from flint, and dry, wrinkled skin like a riverbed baked under harsh sunlight.
Yet on this aged face was a pair of crimson eyes that sent chills down your spine. Those hawk-sharp eyes looked straight at Faust.
This was the founding monarch of the Kingdom of Aurum, a hero once famous across the world for his military accomplishments. Even riddled with chronic illness, his presence was still overwhelming.
The prince took a deep breath and bowed.
"Father."
"Cough, cough. You're here."
The old king cleared his throat twice. His voice was quite deep, yet it carried an unmistakable air of absolute authority.
Seeing this, Faust said with concern, "You don't look well. Please take care of yourself."
"No need to worry. It's the same old problem. Eleanor's medicinal broth is quite effective. At least it won't get worse."
The old king waved his hand dismissively, then got straight to business.
"Today is your twentieth birthday. According to the kingdom's tradition, once all heirs have come of age, the crown prince must be chosen. I've called you here to inform you of this."
Here it comes!
Those blunt words made Faust's spirits soar. He clenched his fists and stared intently at the old king.
The old man placed his arms on his legs and spoke slowly.
"You and Eleanor are both excellent. You're children, I'm proud of. Either of you has the qualities of a king. But there's only one throne, and I must choose the most suitable candidate."
Faust nodded and said respectfully, "I understand. Whatever choice you make, I'll accept it gladly."
He'd worked tirelessly over the past years, and the achievements he'd racked up would make any wise mortal king choose him as heir without question.
But even with all his accomplishments over these years, Faust didn't dare assume he'd definitely get the throne.
The reason was simple: Faust wasn't actually of royal blood. He was an adopted son taken in by the king.
With such a fatal disadvantage, how could Faust not worry? After all, anyone would want to pass the throne to their own flesh and blood.
The king gazed quietly at the prince for a moment, then said, "There's no need to feel anxious, child. With your intelligence, you must already know: the position of crown prince of Aurum will be yours and yours alone. There's no other possibility."
The king's calm, steady words put Faust at ease. Even though he'd mentally prepared himself, he couldn't help but show his joy. Guessing was one thing, but having it confirmed was another matter entirely.
Until the king himself confirmed it, Faust hadn't dared to hope with absolute certainty.
The old king stared intently at the prince for a long while, then suddenly asked, "Surprised?"
Faust replied, "Not surprised exactly, just... why wouldn't you consider passing the throne to Sister?"
No matter how you looked at it, passing the throne to his biological daughter would be the most natural choice. And as far as Faust knew, his father didn't favor sons over daughters.
The king let out two cold laughs. "Heh heh... Eleanor? She doesn't have the temperament to be a king. More importantly, she doesn't have your talent."
I see. So it's about merit, not bloodline? That's fair enough.
Hearing this, Faust quickly bowed his head modestly.
"Not at all. I've only done a little trivial work, nowhere near as excellent as Sister."
Even as he said this, the prince's face bore a clearly visible, smug smile.
Introducing advanced technology, reforming government institutions, rebuilding foreign trade... These accomplishments might not have been earth-shattering revolutions, but they were certainly bold, sweeping reforms.
After all, he didn't have some magical cheat that let him industrialize everything with a snap of his fingers. He'd relied solely on his own diligence, knowledge, and discipline.
How could he not feel proud?
Absolutely justified! Completely deserved!
"Those trivial matters don't matter at all! They're completely irrelevant!"
But the old king shook his head, throwing cold water on the proud prince's parade. He sat up straight.
"The reforms you've conducted in the kingdom, the construction projects... none of that is why I'm choosing you... Cough, cough, cough. Faust, do you remember what happened when you were small? That night when we first met."
Faust's expression turned serious. He pressed his hand to his chest and replied solemnly, "Of course! If not for your act of kindness, I probably would have died that night. I'll never forget that debt of gratitude!"
After all, anyone who found themselves freezing to death in the snow right after reincarnating would remember it vividly.
Just when Faust thought he'd have to start over, a royal hunting party happened to pass by.
The king rescued and adopted him, and from that moment on, he'd gone from rags to riches, becoming a prince of the Kingdom of Aurum.
So Faust genuinely respected and felt grateful to the old man before him. Not a cheap birth father, but an expensive adoptive one!
However, his heartfelt words didn't lead to the formulaic father-and-son bonding moment. Instead, the old king rubbed his ring and smiled.
"Kindness?... This had nothing to do with kindness."
"Hm?"
"I acted deliberately based on a revelation. Otherwise, how could I have happened to pass by at that exact time and happened to rescue you?"
Faust hummed in confusion. "A revelation?"
The old king nodded and said in a deep voice, "In my youth, I fought and bled for the independence of Aurum's people, and thus founded this kingdom.
With such accomplishments, I was once fortunate enough to receive a blessing from the Fae."
"A Fae blessing?!"
Faust's eyes widened in admiration. "...Father, you had such an extraordinary encounter? Truly worthy of a legendary hero."
No wonder the prince was so excited. The word "Fae" carried tremendous weight.
They were the oldest, most transcendent beings in this world. Though the Fae weren't exactly gods, in certain ways, they might as well be. In fact, in some countries, the Fae were worshipped as deities.
In legends and tales, the various miraculous encounters and opportunities the Fae bestowed upon brave heroes had always been the stuff people loved to talk about.
Faust never expected his father to have received a Fae blessing, too. He'd never mentioned it before.
Though thinking about it, it wasn't so strange. The old king had once been a renowned warrior himself, achieving brilliant victories in the independence wars that swept through the empire decades ago.
It made sense that a founding monarch would be blessed by the Fae.
"Heh heh, that's all in the past now."
Reminiscing about those bygone years, even now tormented by illness and aged like an old warhorse, the old king couldn't help but smile with pride.
Then he composed himself and rolled up his sleeve, revealing the faintly visible crimson contract runes.
"This is the blessing given by the Fae. The bearer can use this contract to communicate with the Fae, seek revelations, and learn prophecies."
"!!!"
Faust couldn't help himself. "That's insane."
Just encountering a Fae was already a miraculous event for mortals. To sign a contract with one? What kind of concept was that?
Every nation in the world that had established a stable contract with the Fae and gained their protection and blessing was a renowned powerhouse. Embracing the Fae meant embracing success.
I'm talking about the Aurum dynasty here. Anyone get what I'm saying?
"Heh heh ha, it's not quite that exaggerated."
The king stroked his arm and looked meaningfully at Faust.
"The contract I signed doesn't stipulate any rights or responsibilities. Whether I can communicate with them, and what kind of revelations I might receive, all depend entirely on the Fae's mood.
In these past decades, I've received their favor only a handful of times. I suppose I'm just not the Fae's type."
"Someone deeply beloved by the Fae would probably have many more opportunities."
So basically, he got their contact info and has been trying to win them over ever since?
Faust immediately calmed down. If that was the case, this contract wasn't such a big deal.
Plenty of people prayed to the Fae. A contract without any binding obligations was better than nothing, but barely.
"But even someone mediocre like me has received revelations before. Based on my accomplishments over the years, I made a request of the Fae."
The old king coughed twice, his hawk-sharp gaze fixed on Faust.
"Find a child who could be loved by the Fae, and make him my heir. That way, perhaps this contract would actually be useful."
Is that even possible?!
"!!!"
Faust looked at his father in shock.
The old king, as if hearing his thoughts, explained, "That's right. Just as you're thinking, I plan to transfer my contract with the Fae to you here and now."
The king gestured for Faust to grasp his arm.
Normally, this would be the moment where Faust should make a show of politely declining. But in front of his adoptive father, who knew him inside and out, putting on an act would be far too pretentious.
Besides... this gift was simply impossible to refuse.
So he grasped it without hesitation.
And sure enough, the runes gradually faded from the king's withered arm and appeared on Faust's.
"Father... You seem to be in quite a hurry."
As Faust felt the burning sensation of the brand, he met his adoptive father's eyes. The old king spoke slowly.
"The empire's internal chaos is about to end.
They'll bring down their wrath and punishment on those who once defied and betrayed them. And my former allies have grown divided and disloyal.
The Kingdom of Aurum has only stood for a few decades. We're still far too weak. How can we hope to survive the coming conflicts unscathed?"
The old king's eyelids drooped slightly as he let out a long sigh.
"It doesn't matter who the king is. What matters is that the Kingdom of Aurum must be great.
This nation... this kingdom I built with my own hands must never fall!"
The contract transfer was completed at that moment. Faust placed his hand over his chest and bowed. "That is my ambition as well."
A trace of gentle kindness appeared in the old king's eyes as he smiled.
"I know. I've seen your dedication and love for this kingdom."
"According to the kingdom's customs, I've arranged a ball for you to select a consort... I apologize for not consulting you before arranging your marriage.
This time, the ball will proceed according to your wishes. That's all. Do what you need to do. I need to rest for a while."
With those words, the old king sank back into the sofa and closed his eyes to meditate.
Seeing this, Faust didn't disturb him further and took his leave.
As he stepped out of the king's chambers, Faust let out a long breath, finally allowing the smile he'd been suppressing to break free across his face.
He laughed happily.
Though the process had been a bit nerve-wracking, he'd ultimately achieved his goal. The position of crown prince, a Fae contract... He could only say: never before had there been such a perfect start!