"Faust, you seem awfully pleased with yourself."
A calm voice pulled him from his thoughts. Faust turned to find Eleanor waiting just outside the bedchamber.
Her crystalline eyes resembled sacred sapphires, catching the light with an iridescent gleam. There was no other word for those exquisite pupils but magnificent.
The princess stared at the prince as if he were the only person in the world.
"It's nothing, sister. I just learned a few things and got a little carried away."
Faust rubbed his temples and let out a breath, giving the silver-haired princess a quick rundown of the situation.
Back when they had been competing for the throne, Faust had kept his guard up around her. But now that the succession was settled, he could trust this sister completely.
Eleanor gazed at the cursed mark on Faust's arm. "A Fae, then... I knew Father had made a contract with one, but I've never spoken to it myself.
"To be chosen by the Fae, Faust, I never would have guessed you had such talent."
Is that really a talent? Well... in this world, I suppose it counts as something special.
Still, Faust would not stake his future on gifts from otherworldly beings. Compared to a Fae contract, he cared far more about things he could actually control.
"Maybe," Faust said, "but I have no idea what the Fae wants from me. It hasn't even tried to reach out yet.
"Either way, the throne of Aurum is a much better way to prove what I'm capable of."
"Congratulations."
After catching Faust's hint, the composed princess replied with barely a flicker of emotion. Her face behind the veil gave nothing away.
Was she genuinely unbothered, or hiding her disappointment?
Faust's eyes dropped slightly. "Ahem... Father wants you to work with me."
He watched his sister carefully. As the two royal heirs of Aurum, both Faust and Eleanor had built their own power bases.
Faust's supporters were mostly technocrats, while Eleanor controlled the kingdom's only team of sorcerers. She herself was Aurum's Chief Court Mage.
Faust absolutely wanted control of the kingdom's sorcerers, but he could not read his sister's intentions. If she refused to cooperate, governing would become a nightmare.
"Mm..."
The princess studied the man's profile without blinking, as if trying to burn this moment into her memory.
After a long pause, Eleanor drew a slow breath. "I have no problem with that."
"Hm?"
Eleanor's voice remained even. "You always assume the worst in people. Maybe that kind of paranoia is what makes a king. But I don't want the throne. You don't need to worry about that."
Oh, is that right?
Based on what Faust had observed over the years, he had actually believed Eleanor had no interest in power or prestige. But until she said it outright, he could not just take it for granted.
Now the prince could finally breathe easy. He gestured broadly.
"In that case, we'll make it official at tonight's ball. I'll announce to the entire capital that my position as Crown Prince is set in stone."
---
That evening, the palace gates swung wide open. A broad avenue welcomed carriages and visitors of every stripe.
Once word spread that Faust's position as heir was confirmed, nobles from all over Aurum rushed to attend, whether to pledge their loyalty or simply to be seen.
The entire palace had become one giant celebration.
Beyond the golden hall stretched the dance floor, where a three-tiered circular platform floated at the center, champagne cascading down like a fountain.
Servants wheeled carts through the crowd, offering delicacies and wine to every guest. Palace musicians filled the air with soft, elegant melodies.
As the ball's guest of honor, Faust found himself surrounded by his inner circle. People raised their glasses in toast after toast, barely sparing a glance for Eleanor, the kingdom's legitimate royal bloodline, as they heaped endless praise and flattery on the prince.
"Your Highness, congratulations!"
"Just as we expected, you're the kingdom's future!"
"We never doubted you for a second. His Majesty must have felt the same. Only you can lead this kingdom to greatness!"
"..."
Surrounded by adulation, Faust raised his glass. He was not much of a drinker usually, but on an occasion like this, staying completely sober would just kill the mood.
The prince smiled and declared firmly, "Without your support, I wouldn't be where I am today. But this is only the beginning. We're not stopping here. The Kingdom of Aurum will be great.
"And I won't keep all the glory for myself."
His confidants raised their glasses and cheered, "Long live Aurum. Long live His Highness."
After rallying his core supporters, most of them dispersed to enjoy the festivities. Faust leaned against one of the banquet tables, savoring the cool night breeze.
He was riding high right now. Perfect. What comes next is the part where I actually govern well and show everyone what I can do.
Heh, I'm definitely going to conquer the world.
Caught up in the moment, Faust downed a few more glasses, then turned his attention toward the plaza dance floor.
Tonight's ball was supposedly a matchmaking event the king had arranged for the prince.
Beautiful women of every type filled the room: sultry, sophisticated ladies; pure, dark-haired beauties; sweet young women with surprisingly generous figures.
To catch the prince's eye, every merchant's daughter and noble lady in the capital had dressed to impress, creating a stunning display.
Even though this seemed like a medieval world of swords and sorcery, the civilization here had an almost unbelievable level of prosperity and refinement. How to put it... it felt like something out of a fairy tale.
Not that Faust was complaining. If things were actually as brutal and primitive as the real Middle Ages, he, a modern man, would not be able to stand it.
"Do you have anyone in mind?"
Eleanor glided over gracefully, taking her place beside Faust. Noticing her brother's gaze drifting over the female guests, she asked, "Or are you just going to act like a dog in heat, jumping on whichever girl catches your eye?"
Faust had long since gotten used to Eleanor's cutting remarks. He raised an eyebrow and grinned.
"If I just wanted someone to warm my bed for the night, any of them would do fine. I'm sure it would be plenty enjoyable. But as for a wife... I need to aim higher than that."
This world had no concept of monogamy. A prince could easily marry five or six wives without raising an eyebrow.
But in Faust's mind, marriage was a valuable political tool.
Aurum was, at the end of the day, a small nation that had only gained independence a few decades ago.
Even with his careful management, only the capital had become prosperous enough not to be laughed at by foreigners. The kingdom's overall strength was still lacking.
So Faust was leaning toward marrying a foreign princess, ideally securing a reliable ally for Aurum in the process.
Faust waved dismissively. "No domestic faction is worth marrying into. I'm planning to centralize power. Compromise with the great noble houses? Not a chance."
In other words, if it did not have strategic value, it was not worth his time.
Eleanor understood immediately. "I see. Is that why you broke off your engagement to the Count of Roselyn's daughter?"
Faust raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you mean Viviana? Yeah, exactly."
The prince had been engaged once, but he had fought tooth and nail against the marriage his adoptive father had arranged.
So Faust had used a little scheme to get the engagement canceled.
"I'll admit, what I did was pretty underhanded. But it doesn't matter. She's easy enough to deal with.
"As for tonight, I'm just going to find some fun and unwind."
Though he had no interest in marriage, the prince was hardly a monk. Far from it, his appetite was well known.
There was even a rumor floating around the capital that so many noblewomen supported the prince because he had won them over with his overwhelming masculine charm, leaving the capital's elite women completely smitten and devoted.
Faust had to set the record straight. This was not a rumor.
After all, I'm a prince. Why would I deprive myself? When there's something worth enjoying, I'm going to enjoy it.
Just as Faust's gaze wandered through the sea of beautiful women, the palace bell rang. Along with its clear chime came a commotion from the palace gates.
"Dong, dong..."
"What's going on?"
The prince pushed through the crowd toward the disturbance.
A spectacularly luxurious carriage had stopped just outside the gates. Pulled by four unicorns, the coach itself was a work of art, crafted from pristine marble and oak, with every line and relief carved in exquisite detail.
A carriage this extravagant would be considered lavish even at an imperial gathering, let alone in backwater Aurum.
Aurum did not have this kind of money. Was this a foreign visitor?
That would make sense.
After Aurum's reforms and the establishment of the railway line, the capital had become somewhat cosmopolitan.
The kingdom's scenery was quite beautiful, and Faust had capitalized on that by developing tourism. Large numbers of foreign nobles came to Aurum on vacation.
Though this ball was meant to find the prince a bride, foreign guests were more than welcome. In fact, that would be ideal.
For Aurum, any kingdom could potentially become a valuable ally.
"Click..."
The carriage door opened slowly. A young woman stepped out gracefully.
The first thing that caught everyone's attention was her pure golden hair, like shattered sunlight, without a single impurity, cascading over her back and shoulders.
The girl lifted her face, delicate and flawless. Light-colored lashes framed her slightly lowered eyelids. Her deep violet eyes were crystalline and breathtaking.
Her gown was trimmed in radiant gold and pure white, simple yet elegant in design. One sleeve was wide, the other fitted, an asymmetrical style that gave her an air of effortless grace. Her white shawl was embroidered with golden thread.
Her black inner bodice was stretched taut across her full, generous chest, without a single wrinkle.
A pale blue sash cinched her slender waist. Her perfectly shaped, impossibly long legs were wrapped in thigh-high stockings.
Wow. She's gorgeous.
Even Faust, who had grown used to beautiful women, found himself momentarily stunned.
He stared at the girl who looked like she had stepped out of a painting, unable to pull himself together.
As for the other guests, they began whispering among themselves.
"Who is she?"
"She's stunning..."
"Do we even have anyone like that in Aurum?"
"Could she be a foreign princess?"
"..."
The sudden arrival had stolen everyone's attention. Standing at the center of all those stares, the girl pressed her cherry-colored lips together, clasping her hands over her chest.
Her violet eyes blinked repeatedly, as if she were waiting for something.
No one approached. Everyone knew that at this ball, any beautifully dressed young woman had only one goal.
To win the prince's favor.
And the ball's host was currently staring, dumbstruck, at that dazzling figure.
He wanted to hear her voice, to study her face, to touch her skin. From the first moment he laid eyes on the mysterious girl, an intense longing surged through the prince's chest.
All his usual self-control seemed to burn away in a blaze, leaving only raw, overwhelming passion roaring inside him.
"Faust... you..."
Eleanor noticed her brother's slightly labored breathing. Her elegant brows drew together.
"Sister, I really do like this one."
Faust pressed a hand to his chest and smiled, then quickly crossed the distance to the mysterious girl.
Up close, he found her even more breathtaking than he had initially thought. Her exquisitely sculpted face tilted up slightly, moonlight flowing over her delicate nose. She looked like poetry given form.
But the prince felt this face was somehow familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
No matter how hard Faust wracked his brain, though, he could not remember where.
Whatever. Maybe beautiful things just naturally look alike.
"Your Highness?"
Just as Faust was lost in thought, the mysterious girl tilted her head and called out softly.
The prince snapped out of his trance and flashed a flawless smile. "Forgive me. Your beauty is so captivating I lost myself for a moment. May I have the honor of a dance?"
He was naturally blessed with the kind of looks that made women swoon. This was not him bragging, Faust's appearance was the perfect embodiment of "Prince Charming."
"I'd love to."
Hearing his invitation, the golden-haired girl's eyes widened. She smiled, shy yet joyful, and placed her slender hand, wrapped in a delicate ring glove, into the man's palm.
So, under the envious and disappointed gazes of the other noblewomen, the two moved close and began dancing gracefully across the floor.
"What should I call you?"
While breathing in the soft fragrance drifting from her golden hair, Faust asked for the mysterious girl's name.
"Mm..."
But she just smiled and shook her head, saying nothing.
She won't tell me her name? Does she have some kind of secret, or is her identity sensitive?
Faust tried a different approach. "Have you just recently arrived in Aurum?"
To the prince's surprise, the girl shook her head. "I'm from Aurum."
"Hm?"
Faust shook his head with a smile. "I've never seen you in the capital. If you were this beautiful, there's no way you could have gone unnoticed."
"That's not true. You're exaggerating."
Hearing such praise, the mysterious girl beamed, the corners of her eyes crinkling with delight.
She bit her lower lip lightly with her pearly teeth and explained softly, "I was never allowed to leave home before. Today... today is my first time out. I snuck away. To see you, Your Highness."
The girl raised her delicate chin. Those magnificent violet eyes sparkled brilliantly. Anyone could see the adoration shining in them.
Though being the object of instant infatuation was perfectly normal given Faust's charm, his gut told him it was not quite that simple. This mysterious girl did not seem like someone so superficial.