After bringing Faust back to the castle in the royal capital, Lola began to treat his wounds. Various poultices were applied to the Prince of Qingxi’s body, and herbal decoctions were simmering on the table beside the bed.
Even for a high warlock, neutralizing a toxin she had formulated herself required a great deal of effort and care.
Fortunately, after a day and a night of recuperation, Faust's condition had finally stabilized.
Lola walked to the bedside, looking at Faust, who even in sleep had his brows furrowed and forehead beaded with sweat.
The Queen's cold yet alluring face softened with emotion. She gently wiped the cold sweat from the prince's forehead with a handkerchief and whispered, "Are you having a nightmare too?"
Faust could not answer, of course; he only let out a muffled groan and unconsciously tilted his head, turning his sculpted profile toward Lola. "Ugh..."
Lola involuntarily held her breath, staring at his unbelievably handsome face.
He was indeed quite good-looking, matching Selena's preferences almost perfectly.
How did Lola know this?
It was simple: she measured him by her own standards.
Although the Princess of Midwinter's personality had gradually diverged due to her fragmentation, they were fundamentally of the same root and shared the same essence in many ways.
For example, their favorite foods, their common hobbies, and naturally, their taste in men were identical. It was no exaggeration to say that Faust's appearance was exactly that of the Princess of Midwinter's dream lover.
But if it were limited to just that, the incredibly narcissistic Selena would not have fallen in love so superficially.
While observing the battle from the sidelines, Lola had personally witnessed how this man transformed into a knight protecting the princess. Even when facing a powerful grail knight, he fought to the death without retreating, using his valor, strategy, and skill to hold his ground.
Even when on the verge of death several times, he never backed down and showed no regret.
Not to mention, before they had even met, Faust had written a marriage proposal letter filled with deep affection to Selena.
He was like a Prince Charming who had walked right out of a young girl's beautiful dream specifically to save and protect her. How could she possibly resist loving him?!
That child, Selena, was truly... incredibly lucky to have such a lover, to the point where even Lola felt a slight pang of jealousy.
The more Lola thought about it, the more satisfied she became with Faust.
She studied him closely, her gaze unconsciously drifting from the prince's face to the rest of him.
Then, the cold silver eyes of this elegant and mature Queen slightly widened.
The prince himself placed great importance on training, and after being drilled by Mystoria, the elf martial saint, he not only gained the experience of a 【martial saint】 but also acquired the habits and persistence of an ascetic. His physique had to be polished to the limit, reaching perfection.
This had resulted in Faust possessing a perfect body like a classical sculpture. If Lola's figure was entirely feminine, then the Prince of Qingxi's body exemplified what it meant to be thoroughly masculine.
Lola's slender fingers trailed over the well-defined, beautifully lined muscles of the prince's upper body. A jolting sensation like an electric shock traveled from her fingertips through her entire body, making the Queen's mature, beautiful frame tremble slightly.
Not to mention the pheromones surging from Faust at all times due to his mystery trait, 【monarch of greed】, which were like a mellow wine that refreshed the soul.
Most of the time, Faust himself was unaware of it, but his personal maid would tirelessly emphasize to the prince just how intoxicating his scent was.
"Whew..."
Just before her eyes could cloud over, the Queen of Midwinter finally exhaled softly, regaining her clarity.
What on earth am I thinking? This is Selena's lover!
Just as Lola withdrew her hand, the prince suddenly grabbed the Queen's slender arm.
"Mm... Mama..."
"!!"
Faust's unconscious murmur felt like a critical hit, causing Lola's pupils to shake.
The coldness in her eyes, which usually kept people at a distance, melted like ice and snow, reflecting Faust's expression.
Could this exceptionally heroic prince actually show such a helpless, child-like expression?
Lola pondered for a moment before finally sitting on the bed and placing Faust's head onto her lap, which was covered in black tights.
As she gently stroked his hair, she began to softly hum a lullaby to soothe him.
Just as she had once done for Selena.
Since being taken down by the toxin, Faust had not completely lost consciousness; he was simply unable to move or open his eyes.
He was in a state of delirium caused by a high fever.
In his occasional moments of lucidity, he could only feel the pain in his body.
Every meridian and muscle felt as if they had been scorched, aching intensely.
That deadly poison was no joke. Faust hadn't even swallowed the fruit, only getting a bit of the juice on him, yet it had been this severe.
After another bout of high fever, Faust felt that he wasn't suffering as much.
As the toxin's effects weakened, he seemed to hear a timeless, gentle lullaby in his ears, calming his mind.
A cool yet soft sensation came from behind his head, and a fragrance that soothed his pain wafted into his nose.
This feeling of being simultaneously uncomfortable and comfortable, wrapped in a den of gentleness yet unable to muster any strength—this mixture of pleasure and pain felt very familiar, as if he had experienced it somewhere before...
【You're awake. Congratulations, you're back in the basement.】
Huh? Basement? What basement?!
Ack, you scared the life out of me!
Mephistopheles's voice completely jolted the dazed Faust awake.
His original exhaustion was dispelled by the heart-pounding shock, and his consciousness surged to the surface from the murky depths of the sea.
【Actually, you're not in a basement. I just said that because I thought you needed to wake up. Sorry.】
Mephistopheles! I'll ### your ###! @
Faust roared in his mind, launching a fierce verbal assault on his contract fairy.
【You're being a bit harsh, Faust. I'm very hurt. But you really should open your eyes now; there's something you like.】
Oh, if there isn't, I'm going to keep giving you my best regards, Little Meph.
Hearing what Mephistopheles said, Faust exerted all his strength to open his eyes. The first thing that met his gaze was not the ceiling.
He couldn't see the ceiling; he could only see a pair of spherical cushions of incredible proportions, wrapped in one-piece black tights, that utterly insulted the laws of gravity.
The prince's breath hitched in his throat.
Feeling the breath stop on her lap, Lola tilted her head, and her beautiful eyes, filled with maternal softness, met the man's dazed, reddish-brown gaze.
Lola brushed the hair away from the Prince of Qingxi's forehead and cheeks, whispering, "Prince Faust... you're awake. How are you feeling?"
"Although the toxins in your body have been completely cleared, we cannot rule out the possibility of aftereffects. If you feel any discomfort, you must tell me."
However, the Queen's concerned care went without a response for a long time.
"Hmm?"
As Lola tilted her head in confusion, Faust, struck by a sudden epiphany, blurted out, "Can I call you Mama?"
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