First Conversation

Upon finishing his words, Albert led the way out of the auction house, with Wǎ ěr and Jo trailing behind him. Witnessing this, Fú Nī Yà could only let out a helpless sigh.

‘So be it,’ she thought. ‘I’ll just take things one step at a time.’

‘After all, this Fourth Prince seems like a decent sort.’

‘What truly wretched luck I have. Not only did I transmigrate into a girl, but I’m also a beautiful, discriminated half-elf.’

‘To avoid being *pa* (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘pā,’ referring to sexual assault), it appears my only recourse now is to cling to this powerful patron.’

‘What exactly he bought me for, I couldn’t fathom.’

Shaking her head, Fú Nī Yà dismissed her spiraling thoughts and cautiously quickened her pace to keep up with the trio.

While the interior had been manageable, the moment Fú Nī Yà stepped onto the gravel path outside, she immediately found herself in distress.

“Ow, that hurts!”

A delicate cry of pain escaped her lips, entirely against her will.

Fú Nī Yà glanced down at her bare feet, now flushed crimson from the sharp stones, and bit her lip in vexation.

‘Blast it!’

‘Must a girl’s body be so utterly fragile?’

‘In my previous life, as a man, I could walk barefoot on any road without feeling the slightest discomfort.’

‘If I can’t even conquer such a minor obstacle, how am I ever to survive in this world!?’

The thought of being utterly alone in this world made Fú Nī Yà take a deep breath, and she continued walking in silence, resolute.

Just then, however, she suddenly felt herself being lifted, completely against her will.

“Eh?”

Fú Nī Yà gasped aloud, then quickly spun her head around.

Albert had appeared behind her at some point, a slight look of apology gracing his features.

“My apologies,” he said. “I was lost in thought just now and didn’t notice your predicament.”

He had, in fact, been deeply engrossed in contemplating Fú Nī Yà’s development plan.

After all, the half-elf girl herself was now in his hands, meaning he had averted the most dire of bad ends. Yet, the Calamity Witch’s inherent talent was a resource, and to not utilize it would be a betrayal of his own meticulous nature.

Even so, there were distinctions to be made in its application.

Should he allow the Calamity Witch to continue down her past life’s path, delving into necromancy, or should he pivot, guiding her to explore other schools of magic?

Opting for the former meant Fú Nī Yà might once again tread the path of her previous incarnation—for it was difficult to avoid mental aberrations when constantly interacting with the deceased. However, choosing the latter risked squandering his investment, burying Fú Nī Yà’s innate talent, and preventing her from ever achieving the formidable heights of the Calamity Witch she once was.

After all, no matter how potent her magical aptitude, she couldn’t possibly be an omnimancer, perfectly proficient in every single magical discipline, could she?

Albert shifted his arms slightly, then lifted Fú Nī Yà into a princess carry.

“Whoa~!”

Startled, Fú Nī Yà’s hands instinctively shot out, clutching Albert’s lapels.

“Hey! You brute!” Fú Nī Yà exclaimed indignantly after catching her breath. “Don’t carry me in such an utterly embarrassing manner!”

“My apologies, I’ll be more mindful next time,” Albert said, offering an earnest apology. He then added, “However, you won’t be allowed to act tough again.”

“Acting tough? Where exactly was I acting tough!?”

Fú Nī Yà angrily brandished her fists. “It’s merely a gravel path! I can traverse it perfectly well barefoot!”

“Right, right~”

Albert merely shrugged.

How could he possibly not discern Fú Nī Yà’s pretense of toughness? Yet, had she lacked such a stubborn disposition, her past self would likely never have succeeded in exacting revenge amidst overwhelming adversity.

Cradling Fú Nī Yà, Albert proceeded towards the carriage’s parking spot where he had originally arrived.

“Tha… thank you,” Fú Nī Yà mumbled, nestled in his arms.

‘While her male dignity had suffered a grievous blow from this ‘princess carry,’ Albert’s action was undeniably an act of help, a fact she couldn’t dispute. Her ingrained character compelled Fú Nī Yà to offer Albert her thanks.’

“…”

Hearing Fú Nī Yà’s soft voice, Albert’s steps faltered for a moment, and an involuntary smile played upon his lips.

‘Forget the Calamity Witch,’ he mused.

‘This girl, Fú Nī Yà, is far more endearing.’

****

A short while later, the four arrived at their waiting carriage.

Jo took his seat outside to drive, while Albert, Fú Nī Yà, and the butler Wǎ ěr stepped inside the carriage compartment.

The moment Albert placed Fú Nī Yà onto a seat, the girl immediately recoiled three steps, retreating to cower in the carriage’s corner, trembling faintly.

Albert gave his clothes a curious glance. “There shouldn’t be anything dirty on me, should there? To retreat so far… do you dislike me?”

“No, no!”

Fú Nī Yà shook her head frantically. “It’s just that I feel my spirit has suffered immense trauma… I need a moment to compose myself.”

“…”

‘Immense spiritual trauma?’

Albert’s face was etched with confusion.

Truth be told, he found himself somewhat unable to follow the girl’s peculiar train of thought.

But since she required calm… Albert mused for a moment, then slid open the carriage window.

“If you need to calm down, perhaps observing the scenery outside would help?”

Hearing this, Fú Nī Yà instinctively gazed out the window, while memories of the city from her previous self continuously surfaced in her mind.

—Saint Mir City, the venerable capital of the Holy Kingdom of Lohiris, also served as the provincial seat of the Central Province, widely acclaimed as the ‘Crown of the Empire.’

Beyond the blessings bestowed by numerous deities of the Human Pantheon, Saint Mir City also enjoyed the special favor of Orpheus, the Goddess of Music, which imbued the city with an extraordinarily rich artistic ambiance. Galleries, theaters, and grand music halls could be found in abundance throughout its streets.

To the north and south of the city lay the twin bastions of imperial power—Ganquan Palace and Palburg Palace, serving as the Emperor’s summer and winter residences, respectively. The eastern quarter of the city teemed with countless churches, while the western district proudly hosted the Imperial Comprehensive Academy. Two grand avenues intersected precisely at the city’s heart, forming a prominent cross.

‘This was undeniably a beautiful city,’ Fú Nī Yà mused, watching the wandering bards play their melodies outside the window and the citizens singing and dancing to the tunes. Simultaneously, enveloped by the city’s songs, she felt a profound sense of peace settle within her.

“Thank you,” Fú Nī Yà said. “I feel much better now.”

She addressed Albert directly.

“It’s nothing,” Albert replied with a wistful expression. “Saint Mir’s music always proves so effective. I, too, haven’t heard such melodies in a long time.”

“A long time?” Fú Nī Yà tilted her head, puzzled. “But don’t you reside here daily?”

“Well…”

Observing the very culprit who had prevented him from enjoying the music, now gazing at him with an utterly bewildered expression, Albert gave a helpless shrug and explained, “I am, after all, the Fourth Prince of this nation. How could I possibly spend my days aimlessly wandering the streets?”

“The Fourth Prince, you say… Is that particularly powerful?”

Hearing Fú Nī Yà’s innocent question, Albert had to admit he was genuinely amused. It was truly astonishing that in this era, someone could be so oblivious to the immense power of royalty.

“Naturally,” he affirmed.

“I see,” Fú Nī Yà murmured.

She thoughtfully stroked her chin.

To be frank, while she understood that such an identity carried significant weight, Fú Nī Yà didn’t truly grasp the full extent of its power.

After all, in her former life, she had never once encountered individuals of such standing.

Shaking her head, Fú Nī Yà resolved to regard this Fourth Prince before her as nothing more than a simple friend.

He seemed affable enough, certainly unlike the nobles in her predecessor’s memories, who would casually utter “mongrel” and “commoner” in the same breath.

It was precisely at this moment that the carriage departed Saint Mir City, rolling out towards the tranquil suburbs.

“Eh? That…” Fú Nī Yà began, about to inquire why the carriage was heading out of the city, when she suddenly realized she didn’t even know the Fourth Prince’s name. “Oh, by the way! What is your name?”

“Me?” Albert raised an eyebrow, realizing that he hadn’t actually introduced himself until this moment. “My name is Albert, my full name is Albert Hugh Cadwell. The elderly gentleman seated opposite you is my butler, Wǎ ěr de Randall, and the one driving outside is my knight, Jo de Hill.”

“Good afternoon, Miss Fú Nī Yà,” the old butler greeted with a bow.

“Good afternoon, Butler Wǎ ěr,” Fú Nī Yà responded, returning a slight bow. She then turned to Albert. “My name is Fú Nī Yà Istareluna Long Fieldkerom. If that’s too much of a mouthful, Fú Nī Yà will suffice.”

“Uh… I mean, Fú Nī Yà, is there perhaps a chance,” Albert inquired with a playful smile, “that I already knew your name when I purchased you?”

“Oh? Right… right…”

Realizing the foolishness of her oversight, Fú Nī Yà’s face flushed crimson as she lowered her head in embarrassment.

“There, there,” Albert chuckled softly.

With a helpless expression, Albert reached out and gently patted Fú Nī Yà’s head. “What was it you wanted to ask earlier?”

“You noticed?” Fú Nī Yà blurted out.

Fú Nī Yà froze, then instantly realized Albert’s hand was resting on her head.

‘Wait! I, a man, just got ‘head-patted’ (TL Note: ‘Mō tóu shā’ – a cute or affectionate gesture, often seen as disarming or condescending, literally ‘head-pat kill’)!?’

Fú Nī Yà’s throat suddenly constricted, feeling her male dignity challenged once more, and she quickly pulled Albert’s hand away, warning, “No head-pats!”

“What’s wrong?” Albert asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“Uh…!”

Fú Nī Yà’s throat immediately seized up.

‘I can’t possibly say that I’m actually a man and his actions just offended my male dignity, can I?’

‘Wouldn’t that expose the truth about my soul!?’

‘…He’d probably call me a pervert, wouldn’t he?’

The mere thought of Albert, too, beginning to discriminate against her sent a wave of panic through Fú Nī Yà.

‘No, I can’t let that happen!’

‘I need to come up with a plausible reason.’

“Th-this, well…” Fú Nī Yà took a deep breath. “Aren’t you looking down on me by doing that?”

‘Looking down?’

Albert became even more perplexed, but then, seeing the stubborn glint in the depths of Fú Nī Yà’s eyes, he instantly understood.

‘What a proud and sensitive soul.’

“Alright, alright, I won’t do it again.”

Albert withdrew his right hand. “Now, can you tell me what you wanted to ask?”

“Yes, yes!” Prompted by Albert, Fú Nī Yà nodded vigorously. “That… why are we leaving the city?”

“Because my estate is outside,” Albert replied.

“You don’t live in the palace?”

“I’m an adult; I can’t exactly live with my parents forever, can I?”

“Then why not live within Saint Mir City?”

“Are you paying?” Albert retorted, glancing sideways at Fú Nī Yà.

“Oh, uh… Aren’t you a prince? Can’t you just get someone to sponsor an estate for you?”

Fú Nī Yà was clearly hinting at the events in the auction house.

“I have my pride. I’ve only done something so shameless once, and that was for you.”

“!!!”

Fú Nī Yà’s face flushed crimson.

‘Is… is this a confession?’

‘No, no! I’m a man, dammit!!!’

Fú Nī Yà screamed internally, even resorting to rare profanity to assert her gender identity.

‘Teacher Ma (TL Note: Refers to Karl Marx, often humorously invoked in Chinese online culture for materialistic philosophy) said that matter determines consciousness… Damn it! Am I being influenced by this accursed body on my very first day?’

“Lost in thought again?”

Seeing Fú Nī Yà’s face alternate between green and pale, Albert chuckled softly.

“No, I’m not!” Fú Nī Yà retorted loudly.

Truth be told, he was growing somewhat accustomed to the girl’s erratic behavior.

And he found it quite amusing.

Just then, a knock came from the front door of the carriage, and its speed gradually slowed.

—They had arrived at the estate.

Seeing this, Albert flicked Fú Nī Yà’s small forehead.

“Ow!”

“Get up,” Albert said, seeing the girl wailing while clutching her head. “We’re home.”