Formally joining the alliance would certainly not be something settled in a few words.
In particular, the 【Sacred Alliance】 was not just a loose alliance in name only. The Sanctuary had grand designs; they likely sought not only to slay the dragon but to redefine the order of the continent.
Consequently, they would evaluate every aspect of the Qingxi Kingdom before drafting detailed terms of alliance.
Faust expressed that he had no issues with this. In any case, he did not intend to be bound by the treaty, so being harsh did not matter.
"Historical treaties hold no realistic meaning."
When the time was ripe, Faust would inevitably break with them. Until then, stealing resources from the 【Sacred Alliance】 to develop himself would suffice. This did not count as betraying an alliance or breaking an oath, as he was already standing on the side of the empire's dragon lord; at most, it was merely acting as a mole.
He stood on firm ground regarding the greater good.
However, while the envoy group stayed in the royal capital, Helen, as the leader of the Sanctuary envoys, had her mind completely off the business at hand.
Ever since that "accidental" kneeling in the audience chamber that day, Helen's attitude toward Faust had undergone an indescribable, subtle change.
She began to "bump into" Faust frequently.
Sometimes it was at a corner in the royal palace corridors. She would be holding a scroll of prayer scriptures, bowing slightly, her long golden hair slipping from the edge of her hood. Her golden eyes beneath the black veil would sweep across Faust's face as if by chance, her voice soft:
"Good day, Brother Faust."
Sometimes it was in a secluded corner of the royal garden. She would pause to admire a rose in full bloom, and when Faust passed by, she would strike up a conversation with her cold yet strangely alluring voice.
Other times, while discussing business with Faust, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the prince, her arm would seem to brush against the back of Faust's hand inadvertently, the sensation cool and soft.
When Faust glanced over, he saw her side profile with its graceful lines. The tips of her ears, exposed at the edge of the black veil, seemed to be tinged with a faint pink.
These actions might have been coincidences once or twice, but with repetition, their meaning became self-evident.
Faust himself maintained a nearly perfect balance. Regarding Helen's "accidental" encounters and ambiguous gestures, he appeared neither eagerly accommodating nor deliberately cold and avoidant.
He maintained the etiquette and demeanor expected of a prince, remaining sincere during conversations. Occasionally, he would return Helen's obvious hints with a polite smile or a witty, lighthearted remark, but he would never allow the topic or atmosphere to drift into more private territory.
The young women around Faust naturally noticed as well.
Selena scoffed at this. After rolling in the sheets with Faust and discussing the matter, she snorted derisively:
"I have heard of the Sanctuary's dogmas; celibacy is also their tenet, but it feels like this nun is not exactly practicing their philosophy."
"..........."
Faust recalled the princess's posture just moments ago and said nothing.
When it came to the level of repression, the witch should not be mocking others.
He had only seen the pot calling the kettle black, never the other way around.
At the very least, Helen had never made any move that truly crossed the line in front of the prince. It was a case of feelings arising but being restrained by propriety.
"This is actually a breakthrough."
Faust thought for a moment and said:
"Originally, I intended to finish once the alliance matters were settled, but if I can open a path through Helen and make a high-ranking Sanctuary member—a descendant of the holy kings—one of our own, that would not be bad at all."
How to open it, what path—explain yourself clearly!
"Faust... are you going to..."
Lola hugged him from behind, resting her head on Faust's shoulder, exhaling a faint fragrance.
Faust's time management was quite tight now. Although the witches did not demand that the prince accompany them at every single moment,
at least during this period of gathering in the royal capital, Faust was basically unable to sneak away to the maids; all his spare time for recreation had been monopolized.
Moreover, each witch had a clear and tacit division, interfering with none, which provided the best experience.
However, Lola and Selena would occupy the Prince of Qingxi as a pair; only the two of them would not be jealous of each other.
Sharing the prince—that was comfortable.
Facing Mother Lola's confusion, Faust said righteously:
"If necessary, I can sacrifice my looks!"
The beautiful girl with long black hair held his embodiment of Great Thunder, her eyelids drooping slightly:
"I see that you are incorrigible... but never mind. After all, what you are going to do later indeed requires using any means necessary."
Selena had wanted to be more sarcastic, but remembering Faust's true goal, her good-girl personality ultimately gained the upper hand.
As long as it was a path to obtain power, doing anything was not excessive.
............
The following evening, the sunset dyed the royal palace a warm gold. Using the excuse of asking about a few "frost-walker related questions," Helen once again requested a short period of time alone with Faust in the study.
"Shhh-shhh-"
In the quiet room, there was only the rustling of pages turning and their slight breathing.
Outside the window, the sunset's afterglow outlined Helen's figure in soft contours.
Helen was not wearing her monastic hood today. Her long golden hair flowed down completely, shining with a honey-like luster in the twilight. The black veil still covered her eyes, but it added to her mystery and temptation.
Especially when paired with Helen's unique, holy temperament, the sharp contrast between the celibate nun's robe and her figure—which could be called "sin itself"—while her restrained, cold face hid something impossibly lewd, almost a provocation to any male. This contrast itself was extremely impactful and alluring.
Prince Faust gave the shortest yet highest evaluation of this.
Mother-level.
【Faust, how many mothers do you have? Mommy Mephisto is going to get jealous.】
"Mephisto, shut up! Do not ruin my good work!"
Faust said fiercely in his heart, then continued to clarify things for Sister Helen.
The nun nodded: "I see... so the frost-walker has suffered heavy damage? That is truly a pity. If it were still in its prime, Brother Faust, you would surely receive a high reward for bringing the heritage of the Golden Age back to the Sanctuary."
After the questions were asked, Helen did not leave immediately but turned to look at Faust, becoming momentarily entranced.
Originally, as a holy blood descendant of the Sanctuary and an inner-circle monastic, coming to this backwater to invite a member state, Helen had held a sliver of pride and superiority in her heart.
This was normal, for as a descendant of the holy kings, she should be this superior.
Secular monarchs, no matter how powerful they might be for a moment, were ultimately only mortals, completely incomparable to the ancient holy kings.
Most royal families had at most a bit of inherited path knowledge, with nothing special in their bloodlines, but the holy blood could truly inherit the techniques and power of the Golden Age. Relying on these relics of the Golden Age was how the Sanctuary stood tall and unfallen.
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