The World Is Mine For The Taking

So, the Emperor had set his sights on Myrcella, aiming to secure a powerful alliance with the Kingdom of Milham. It made sense. With Milham's cutting-edge technology backing his forces, taking Bethlan would be almost too easy—like a wolf sinking its fangs into the throat of a helpless lamb.

"He's really dead set on conquering the world, huh? Think he's got what it takes?"

Leonora just smiled, a lazy, confident curve to her lips as she shrugged, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement.

"His Imperial Majesty is a little crazy in the head, but I think he's got the chops to do it, you know? You should consider allying with him too, my brother."

"I'll pass," I said, my tone edged with dry amusement. "I doubt I'd get along with your Imperial Majesty. He's a little too in love with himself for my taste, and I'm not interested in playing sidekick in his little world-domination fantasy. Besides, do you really think he can rule the world in just a short amount of time?"

It was laughable. Sure, he could crush any country that stood in his way, but conquering and ruling were two different beasts. Any idiot could take a kingdom with enough power and numbers, but maintaining control? Keeping the conquered from rising up and tearing him to pieces? That was another story.

That's why I wasn't rushing things. I was weaving my web carefully, securing ties with future rulers like Titania and Myrcella—positioning myself for the long game. When the time came and they ascended to their thrones, Milham and Bethlan would already be within my grasp. No chaos. No instability. Just seamless control.

The Emperor, though? He was a reckless bastard, bulldozing his way through without thinking about the inevitable backlash. Right now, he was still on the rise, still drunk on victory. But the cracks would form, and when they did, the whole thing would come crashing down on his fucking head.

"Believe me, I think he's an idiot too," Leonora said, her smirk widening. "But an idiot with power is still dangerous. And trust me, he's got what it takes. I wouldn't follow him otherwise."

"Worthy, huh?" I scoffed. From what I saw of him in the tournament yesterday, fighting that brute of a man, I wasn't convinced. He was strong, sure, but strength alone didn't make a ruler. There had to be more. Something Leonora saw that I didn't.

"Well, I should get going." She stretched, her back arching slightly as she let out a small, satisfied sigh. "I'm sure His Imperial Majesty is already looking for me. I don't feel like listening to him bitch about me not being by his side."

"Wait, Leonora," I called, my voice lowering slightly. She stopped mid-turn, one brow arched in curiosity.

"The Emperor isn't just here to form an alliance with Milham and marry Myrcella, is he?" My voice turned cold, my words carrying an edge that could slice through flesh. "He's also got his eyes on the daughter of the next land he plans to conquer."

Leonora paused, her body still for a fraction of a second before she glanced back over her shoulder. The way her lips curled upward, slow and deliberate, sent a pulse of heat through the air.

"That's right."

My eyes darkened. "You know I have ties with Titania," I said, each syllable heavy with warning. "If your Emperor lays a fucking hand on her, I'll kill him."

The air between us tightened like a coiled spring.

"If you don't want that, stop him. And Myrcella?" My lips twisted into a smirk of my own. "She's mine. You'd better tell him that too."

Leonora chuckled, the sound low and teasing, like she found my words both amusing and dangerously serious. "You're such a possessive man," she murmured, her voice smooth as silk.

Then, just like that, she vanished, leaving only the ghost of her presence behind.

***

After parting ways with Leonora, I made my way back to my dorm room, my mind still lingering on our conversation. The woman was sharp—too sharp. I had a gut feeling she wasn't just some loyal follower of the Emperor. No, she was probably using him as her pawn, manipulating him into conquering the world while she pulled the strings from the shadows.

But that wasn't what irritated me the most. What really pissed me off was how she was trying to put Myrcella and Titania within the Emperor's grasp. Those two were my women.

Well, calling Myrcella mine at this point might have been a stretch, but in my head, she already belonged to me. She was a target for now, but I didn't plan on letting anyone else have her.

The real enemy here wasn't the Emperor—it was Leonora. Like me, she was a part of Lilith, which meant she had her own powerful ability that she had inherited from Lilith herself. And if she ever turned into a real threat, I wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

For now, though, I had to figure out where exactly her intentions lay.

As I approached the bronze-class dormitory, my steps slowed when I noticed a woman waiting for me in the lobby. She stood out immediately, her presence demanding attention even in such a plain setting.

"You're kind of a standout here," I remarked, my gaze raking over her. "The bronze-class dormitory doesn't exactly suit you as a backdrop."

"Really?" she replied, glancing down at her outfit. "I thought I dressed casually enough."

She wasn't wrong. Her clothes were simple, nothing extravagant—just casual wear that wouldn't immediately scream royalty. But her beauty was something else entirely. She could wear a sack and still make it look like a designer piece.

I hadn't expected to see Princess Myrcella right after my conversation with Leonora. This wasn't a coincidence. She was here for a reason, and I had a feeling it involved the Empire's next move.

"Can I have a word with you, Leon?" she asked, her tone quiet but firm. "Preferably in private."

The way she said it made it clear this was serious.

"If you don't mind coming to my room, then I guess it's fine," I said.

"I don't mind at all." She turned slightly. "Angelica, please stay here."

"I can't leave you alone with him, Princess," a voice interjected sharply.

My gaze flickered to the woman standing by her side—Angelica, the former magic knight turned Myrcella's personal bodyguard.

She was loyal. Maybe too loyal. And judging by the way she was glaring at me, she didn't like me one bit.

Well, it wasn't exactly surprising that Angelica didn't like me. Whether that would ever change was another story. Maybe, maybe not. I'd already figured out the ten requirements to dominate her, but the first one? Completely impossible to achieve right now. It was like trying to open a locked door without a key—pointless.

"Myrcella, it's fine. I trust Leon," the princess said, her voice soft yet commanding, as if there was no room for argument.

"A-Allow me to at least stay outside the room, then. Please. I can't calm down if I'm not near you," Angelica pleaded, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

Huh, she really wouldn't relax unless she was glued to Myrcella's shadow, huh? I could kind of get it, but well, wasn't this level of obsession suffocating? Even my Shadows, who were unwaveringly loyal to me, weren't this desperate to be near me 24/7.

Myrcella let out a small sigh, then turned her gaze to me. Her eyes glowed under the dim hallway light, holding a quiet patience. "Is that fine, Leon?"

"I don't see the problem. In fact, I wouldn't even mind if she came inside too, as long as she doesn't mind the tight space."

"Well, I suppose that's settled. Angelica can stay outside."

I caught the way Myrcella's lips twitched ever so slightly, like she, too, felt caged by her own knight's obsessive protection. That was amusing.

I didn't dwell on it, though, and instead led the way up to my floor.

A short walk later, we reached my room.

I pushed the door open, and the sight inside instantly drew my attention.

Yr was there, slumped over the table where I had left her food. At first glance, it looked like she had just finished eating—but no, she had passed the hell out right there. Her head rested against the wooden surface, her cheek pressed against it, her soft breathing steady and slow. A little trail of saliva dribbled from the corner of her parted lips, glistening under the light. The spoon was still in her grip, hanging loosely from her fingers, as if she had fallen asleep mid-bite.

A lazy mess.

"Oh my..." Myrcella's eyes widened, a hint of surprise flickering in them. "I never would have expected you to be together with the Sleeping Princess. Have I interrupted something?"

I glanced at Yr again. The rise and fall of her chest was steady, completely unaware of the world around her.

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"No, it's fine," I told her. "I just need to clean up this mess first. Can you wait outside for a moment?"

Myrcella gave a slight nod, her expression composed as she stepped back into the hallway without protest.

It felt a little shameful to make a princess wait, but given the situation, I didn't really have a choice.