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 amusent.
"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 amusent. "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 ti?"
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 ga. When the ti ca 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 co crashing down on his fucking head.
"Believe , I think he's an idiot too," Leonora said, her smirk widening. "But an idiot with power is still dangerous. And trust , he's got what it takes. I wouldn't follow him otherwise."
"Worthy, huh?" I scoffed. From what I saw of him in the tournant 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. Sothing 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 . I don't feel like listening to him bitch about 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 so 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 the most. What really pissed off was how she was trying to put Myrcella and Titania within the Emperor's grasp. Those two were my won.
Well, calling Myrcella mine at this point might have been a stretch, but in my head, she already belonged to . 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 , she was a part of Lilith, which ant 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 in the lobby. She stood out imdiately, 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 imdiately scream royalty. But her beauty was sothing 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 forr magic knight turned Myrcella's personal bodyguard.
She was loyal. Maybe too loyal. And judging by the way she was glaring at , she didn't like one bit.
Well, it wasn't exactly surprising that Angelica didn't like . Whether that would ever change was another story. Maybe, maybe not. I'd already figured out the ten requirents 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 argunt.
"A-Allow 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 , weren't this desperate to be near 24/7.
Myrcella let out a small sigh, then turned her gaze to . 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 ca 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 ss.
"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 sothing?"
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 ss first. Can you wait outside for a mont?"
Myrcella gave a slight nod, her expression composed as she stepped back into the hallway without protest.
It felt a little shaful to make a princess wait, but given the situation, I didn't really have a choice.
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