The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1199 - 184 - Slowly, But Steadily (2)

"I heard the Princess is making a tournament," one of the cadets said, his voice low but clearly curious.

"What do you think the reward is?" another chimed in almost immediately. "I heard it’s something huge."

"The whole nation is allowed to join, right?" a third asked, sounding more intrigued than skeptical. "I wonder what kind of thing she wants if she’s hosting her own tournament."

"I mean, she’s the Princess," someone else replied with a shrug. "She’s probably just doing it to entertain the people."

"Well, maybe," the first one said again, "but what do you think the reward actually is?"

"They said it’s really, really big," another cadet added. "You think it’s money?"

"Money?" the first scoffed. "Nah, I don’t think so. If it was just money, she wouldn’t hype it up as some very big reward."

"You’re right," someone muttered. "That wouldn’t make sense."

I slowed my steps slightly as I passed by, listening to their conversation without turning my head. It was interesting—more than interesting, actually.

I hadn’t expected news like this to spread all the way to the academy so quickly.

Myrcella really was moving fast.

Much faster than I had anticipated.

The tournament wasn’t just some random event. I knew that much. It was part of her plan. It was one of the first major moves she wanted to make before shifting into something more direct. A stepping stone, maybe. Or bait.

I didn’t know the full picture yet, but knowing her, there was no way she’d do something like this without thinking it through. Even if she wasn’t perfect yet, she was sharp. Dangerous, even, in her own way.

She had an unusual kind of intelligence. It was one that didn’t rely purely on book knowledge, but on instinct, adaptability, and knowing how people worked. Still, she wasn’t fully mature yet. There were moments where she rushed things as well as moments where she didn’t think far enough ahead.

But she was learning.

Slowly.

Steadily.

And that alone made her terrifying.

As for me, my role was clear. She had already told me she wanted me to enter the tournament.

The only question was how far I should go.

Should I dominate completely and take first place without holding back?

If I was going to show what I could do, then half measures would just be insulting. Going all out and winning the whole thing felt like the most natural choice.

Still, the reward bothered me.

What exactly was she planning to give?

Whatever it was, it had to be something significant. It was something worth drawing the attention of the entire nation.

For now, though, I pushed the thought aside.

Things were moving slowly, but every step was deliberate. Everything was lining up, inch by inch, toward the point where it would all come together.

And I had no doubt that Myrcella, as she was now, could pull it off.

"Now then... what should I even do?" I muttered quietly.

I was walking alone through the academy grounds, my footsteps echoing faintly against the stone paths.

There was a strange kind of peace in being alone like this.

There was whispers as well as no judgmental stares.

It was just space. Actual space to breathe.

I let my gaze drift, unfocused, staring into the air as my thoughts wandered aimlessly. I was bored, plain and simple, when something caught my attention.

A small group ahead.

Too close together.

Too aggressive.

Someone was being surrounded.

Male cadets.

And a girl.

I sighed internally.

Classic.

They weren’t subtle about it either. Numbers first, confidence second. Blocking paths, standing just close enough to make escape awkward. It was a routine I’d seen too many times already.

My eyes narrowed slightly as I focused on the girl they were cornering.

...Selene.

Of course. Zeruel’s sister was cute, it was only natural that pick-up artists would come for her.

"Come with us for a bit," one of the cadets said, leaning in with a grin that tried far too hard. "It’ll be fun. Just for a sec."

"I’m already heading home," Selene replied, her tone firm but controlled. "So please, don’t talk to me. And just so you know, my sister is pretty strong."

"Your sister can join us later," he replied without missing a beat.

They were persistent.

Annoyingly so.

They were shifting positions now, closing the gaps, making sure she couldn’t just walk away. It was obvious what they were doing, and they weren’t even ashamed of it.

They were trapping her.

Textbook behavior.

"Selene," I called out calmly. "Aren’t you heading home?"

Her head turned instantly, and when she saw me, her expression softened into a genuine smile.

"Who’s that?" one of the cadets said, looking me over. "Your boyfriend?"

"Oh," another one laughed. "I’ve heard about him."

He tilted his head, smirking.

"He’s that gigolo everyone talks about, right? People are shocked because he’s supposedly weak, yet women keep flocking to him."

"Yeah," another added. "I heard he’s completely skillless."

"For real?" someone else snorted. "How does someone that useless pull that off?"

Selene’s expression darkened instantly.

"How dare you talk about Leon like that?" she snapped. "Just so you know, he’s far better than all of you combined!"

I appreciated her standing up for me. It was surprisingly heartwarming.

I didn’t expect that.

Not the intensity in her voice, at least.

It caught me off guard—in a good way.

The cadets burst out laughing, loud and mocking, like she’d just told the world’s funniest joke.

"Listen," one of them said, stepping forward, "we’re from the Gold Class."

He glanced at me, eyes full of open disdain.

"And I heard your precious knight in shining armor here is from the Bronze Class."

He smirked.

"If he’s really that impressive, why don’t we test it? If we manage to do him in properly, then you’re coming with us."

That was enough.

I didn’t bother responding.

In a single step, I closed the distance.

My fist connected with his face before the grin could fade.

The impact was solid and clean.

His body lifted off the ground, twisting awkwardly in the air before being thrown backward, crashing hard against the stone.

The laughter died instantly.