The World Is Mine For The Taking Chapter 1059 - 163 - The Negotiations With the Dwarven Queen

"Why do you want to be the one to lead all of you?" I finally asked her, the question slipping from my lips before I could think twice about it.

Honestly, it had been sitting in the back of my mind from the mont she brought up the whole ’you’ll be the one to lead us’ thing. I an—she was a queen. A literal queen who had been ruling longer than I’d been alive by several lifetis. Soone like her choosing soone like didn’t feel natural. Actually, it felt like the kind of thing you’d only hear in weird stories where the protagonist gets picked for so impossible destiny—and even then, it always sounded absurd.

I didn’t have centuries of wisdom, nor the experience of navigating politics across kingdoms. I didn’t have the gravitas of soone who ruled a massive forest and all the people in it. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how she’d feel being ordered around by soone who hadn’t even lived a fraction of her life span. So, the question fell out from almost instinctively.

"You’re asking that, Sirion?" she replied, and the smirk on her face curled up with this amused sharpness that made it look like she’d been waiting for to say that. "Isn’t this what you wanted in the first place?"

"Well, I guess so," I admitted with a half-shrug, feeling slightly exposed. The woman was ridiculously perceptive—like she had this built-in radar for bullshit—and she saw right through whatever façade I tried to put up. I guess it was only natural. A queen doesn’t rule for centuries without being able to read people.

Still, I wasn’t expecting her to be this direct.

She didn’t wait long before continuing. "Well, I think it’s only right. You might not have known this, Leon, but soone ca to this forest once and told us a prophecy that a man would co here and unite all beings to fight in a final war. Sothing so powerful it could destroy this world—and the worlds around it."

Her voice lowered, like she was speaking of sothing sacred or terrifying. Maybe both. "Considering you ca here... I’m guessing that man might be you. Of course, it’s a gamble. It’s possible you’re not the one the prophecy ant. But I couldn’t ignore the possibility—not when you’re connected to Lilith’s."

So that was it. She was basing everything partly on so prophecy. A literal prophecy. Great. Just what I needed. It took a mont to digest it, and as I did, so old mories tugged at —Solaris ntioning sothing similar, Reilhahand hinting at the sa thing, and Lionel giving those cryptic comnts. It all lined up disturbingly well.

"That person is Lilith, Leon."

"Lilith?" My eyebrows shot up before I could stop them.

"Yup. The Great One herself ca here to say this," she said with a nod, her expression turning softer for a mont as though recalling a mory she held tight. "Back then, this forest was on the brink of collapse because of constant fighting. It was chaotic. Bloody. Endless. And she was the one who stopped it. She brought an end to everything and restored balance. That’s the reason the Great Forest blooms the way it does now. She left a piece of herself here. That’s why it’s still so powerful."

Her words sank slowly into , like thick syrup. Lilith being involved in this felt... heavy. Unexpected. Complicated. But it did make sense. My connection to Lilith had been changing a lot of things in ways I didn’t fully understand. Maybe this was just another one of those strange ripple effects.

"But don’t misunderstand," Agneis said suddenly, and the sharpness in her tone pulled right back. "I didn’t choose you because of a prophecy I barely believe in. I chose you because you’re going to do a better job than the other leaders—those scums—ever could."

She clicked her tongue lightly, the irritation flashing across her features almost comically. "Lionel, Reilhahand, Solaris, Jotnar... all incapable leaders. And honestly, so am I in so ways. But you, Sirion... you’re different. You’ve already managed to unite so of the kingdoms. And you’re doing it in such a fashionable way, too," she added with a teasing smile. "So of course it’s natural to hand the helm to you. You’re capable. Don’t you think so?"

She held my gaze as she spoke, and for a mont, everything felt strangely still. Her confidence in was so firm, so unwavering, it almost felt embarrassing. Then, she slowly uncrossed her legs before crossing them again, a subtle but striking motion that made it impossible not to notice her confidence radiating in full force.

"Now, those are my terms," she said. "If you can give those terms, then I’ll agree. If not, I’m sorry—but you can’t change my mind."

Honestly, her terms were ridiculously easy. So easy that it barely felt like sothing worth gathering all the leaders for a eting. And yet it carried the weight of sothing enormous.

"Consider it done, Agneis," I told her, my voice steadier than before. "I’ll make sure I get your approval."

Her smile widened, bright and mischievous, a spark lighting up in her eyes.

"Good."

***

Agneis’s POV

After that young man walked out of the chamber, leaving the air around strangely warm and buzzing, I leaned back on my throne and let out a deep, quiet sigh.

I knew he thought my terms were too easy. And he was right. They were easy—so easy it was almost embarrassing. But I chose them deliberately. I wanted no way out for myself. No excuse to back down from joining the unification. I might be stubborn, but I’m not reckless. I know when it’s ti to stop fighting and start moving in a better direction.

And right now, joining the other kingdoms was the only real choice.

"That man..." I murmured to myself, unable to keep the smile off my face. It crept up naturally, like it belonged there. "He really does make my heart go crazy..."

Saying it out loud made it feel even more ridiculous, but it was true. I liked him. Actually liked him. And that was unbelievable coming from —a queen who had lived seventeen hundred years without letting anyone in. But I’d never t a man like him. So determined. So bold. So frustratingly confident in a way that made my pulse pick up.

"Maybe I should take his offer and have sex with him already?" I said, a mischievous grin forming on my lips. It was absurd, but the thought alone made warmth bloom in my chest and lower.

I had no doubt he was lusting over my body. The way his eyes kept wandering earlier... He practically wanted to lick every inch of . It wasn’t subtle at all.

"Fufufu..." A soft chuckle escaped , my fingers brushing lightly against my lips. "I may beco a full-fledged woman tonight, after seventeen hundred years..."

The idea was intimidating, thrilling, and sohow deeply amusing. It would be my first ti doing sothing like that, but I didn’t see any problem with it—not with him. I was too interested in that man to be hesitant.

"Oh well..." I finally said as I rose from the throne. My joints stretched, a satisfying looseness spreading across my limbs as I arched my back and let out a soft exhale. "I guess I should learn more about sex in books."

With a small smirk lingering on my face, I stepped forward.