"Mephisto, how do you have connections in the Second Empire too?!"
Faust was discovering that the Fae he'd bound himself to was increasingly full of surprises.
Contacts, resources, everything under the sun. Having someone experienced around really was like having a treasure at home.
"I remember the Empire has a Guardian Fae. That's not you, right?"
[Of course not. However, I happen to be acquainted with them.]
Faust opened the letter and scanned its contents.
The wording was formal and remarkably sincere, showing none of the arrogance you'd expect from an empire addressing a minor kingdom.
[Faust, do you remember my goal?]
Prince Faust's eyes widened slightly as he immediately grasped the implications. His tone turned grave:
"I do. You're planning to... Fall, aren't you?"
In this world, countless strange and varied monsters and spirits roamed freely, many of them bearing the suffix [Dragon] in their names.
Iron-Devouring Dragons, Torrential Flow Dragons, Tiger-Headed Thorn-Backed Dragons...
But no matter what, these were merely "false dragons," "dragon beasts."
Most weren't even the same species, named as such simply because they shared some draconic characteristics.
The [True Dragons] recognized by the world were singular entities that struck terror into all who heard of them, leaving people pale and speechless.
The timid couldn't even speak their names without trembling in fear.
They didn't originate from any magical beast. Dragons were Fae who had Fallen from the heavens.
The other name for a Fallen Fae was [Dragon].
[We lack physical form. If we wish to walk the mortal world ourselves, we must become dragons.]
Mephisto continued slowly:
[This is something I cannot accomplish alone. Faust, make this your priority.]
Faust let out a soft laugh. "Ha, so you really do want me to become a villain for the history books."
There were reasons True Dragons were forbidden. According to historical records, Fallen Fae had brought unspeakable catastrophe upon the world.
They'd annihilated hundreds of nations, slaughtered billions, shattered mountain ranges, burned seas dry, torn down the sky itself.
Entire civilizations had been erased, leaving fear permanently encoded in mortal bloodlines.
Even as a transmigrator who held no particular reverence for dragons, Faust found his body trembling involuntarily at the mention of them.
Evil Dragons were this world's ultimate, apex-level demon lords.
If Faust dared announce he was helping a Fae Fall into dragonhood, he'd truly be making an enemy of the entire world.
[How unfair. I won't deny that some Fae have become dragons while consumed by hatred and resentment, wreaking havoc across the land.
But not all who Fall are like that. The existence of benevolent dragons has been twisted and erased, which is why you react with such terror.]
Mephisto argued in its own defense, even deflecting blame:
[If anything, if not for you humans, why would we Fall in the first place? There's no reason we should be blamed.]
What a deflection! This spirit of refusing to accept responsibility rivals my own.
Faust couldn't help but admire it. Mephisto was absolutely shameless!
[I'm not joking. The reason Fae Fall is indeed because of humanity.]
Mephisto's ethereal voice echoed in the prince's mind:
[If you were like the Children of the Sea or Children of the Beasts of ages past, simple creatures, we would never experience the passage of time.
Even witnessing the same cycles of bloom and decay, sunrise and sunset for tens of thousands of years, we could accept it with equanimity.]
[But humanity... you are so unique. The scripts woven for you by the Wheel of Fate are so brilliant.
Your extreme love, your extreme hatred, all of it reaches us, the executors of destiny. How could we not be moved?]
[When we're no longer satisfied with merely observing, Fae Fall into dragonhood.]
Faust had an epiphany. "I see. I thought a Fae's Fall was also part of destiny's design?"
[Heh, as if. A Fallen Fae is the greatest defiance of fate itself. The Wheel of Fate will inevitably destroy those who rebel.]
No wonder Mephisto insisted on finding someone who feared nothing, not even destiny. Anyone with even a shred of reverence for fate wouldn't be able to help.
Understanding the key point, Faust asked an important question:
"Mephisto, will you be a benevolent dragon?"
Prince Faust didn't consider Fallen Fae taboo at all. As Mephisto said, he was truly fearless.
But if Mephisto intended to become a calamity and destroy the world, Faust would have none of it.
If you burn the world to ashes, what would this [Sovereign Ruler] have left to rule? Cinders?
[Faust, are you a good boy?]
Faust answered without hesitation: "Of course I am. Sure, I drink fine wine, eat steak, live in palaces, play cards, and throw parties, but I know I'm a good person."
[Then I am a benevolent dragon.]
Mephisto's ethereal, cheerful laughter reverberated in the prince's mind:
[Don't worry. Those dragons who brought disaster upon the world were fragile, young novices.
They saw only humanity's ugliness and lies, heard only outrage and injustice, felt only endless suffering and sorrow.
That's why they despaired of humanity and became consumed with hatred.]
[But I'm not that extreme. I won't approach humanity with such simple notions of love and hate... Well, except with you. I love you, Faust.]
"...I won't say a word until you show me what you look like."
Whether the Fae's declaration of love was a joke or held some truth, the prince didn't dare respond carelessly. Who knew what Mephisto actually looked like?
Faust stroked his chin, thinking for a moment before nodding.
"In that case, there's no problem. According to our contract, you help me become [Sovereign Ruler], and I help you take dragon form."
"That said, I still don't know how to go about this."
Falling couldn't be as simple as getting angry and transforming. Otherwise, Mephisto, who already had the intention, wouldn't need mortal help at all. It would've done it long ago.
In the legends that circulated, evil dragons all seemed to have been summoned through extremely blasphemous and horrifying rituals.
[That's why I had Ren send someone over, to guide you with successful experience.]
Faust's eyes sharpened. "Ren?"
"You mean... that dragon from the Second Empire?"
[Precisely. As for her intelligence, I shouldn't need to elaborate.]
"Ah, of course. I'm a prince of the Kingdom of Aurum. How could I not know about that upheaval in the Empire?"
Faust smiled with interest. Now that Mephisto mentioned it, he recalled Aurum's history.
As everyone knew, the Kingdom of Aurum had only been founded a few decades ago. Before that, this land had been an imperial province.
Under the leadership of Faust's expensive adoptive father, they'd broken free from the Empire's tyranny.
The reason they could achieve independence, or rather, the reason they chose that moment to boldly rebel, was because the Empire had plunged into unprecedented chaos.