The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1201 - 184 - Slowly, But Steadily (4)

"Eh?!" Selene’s voice shot up so suddenly that it cut cleanly through the room. "Leon’s staying here for the night?!"

The way her eyes widened made it look like she’d just been told something unbelievable. Her shoulders stiffened, and she leaned forward slightly, as if she’d misheard and needed confirmation, though the shock written all over her face said otherwise.

"Oh my, it seems Selene is excited too," Juna said, covering her mouth as she giggled softly. Her tone was light, almost teasing, but there was warmth behind it. "Wait here, Leon. I’ll go to the market and get the ingredients. Since you’re here, I want to make something special."

"You really don’t have to go that far," I replied, instinctively waving a hand. "I’m fine with anything, really. Whatever you usually make is more than enough."

"Fufufu, but I insist," she said without hesitation, her smile gentle yet firm. "I want you to feel welcome. And since you’re someone special to our family now, it’s only natural that I prepare something truly special."

There wasn’t a trace of exaggeration in her voice.

She meant every word of it.

And honestly, when someone looked at you like that—like they genuinely wanted to do something for you—it was hard to find a reason to say no.

So I didn’t.

When Juna finally turned to leave, she paused at the door and waved at me one last time. The smile she gave wasn’t forced or polite. It was the kind of smile that came from genuine happiness, like this small moment meant more to her than she let on.

The door closed softly behind her.

"It seems like you got caught in my mother’s web," Zeruel said, her lips curling into an amused grin.

"Hm... I guess I did," I replied, letting out a small laugh as I smiled back at her.

"You two are flirting right in front of me," Selene muttered under her breath. "Hmph. I really wish I hadn’t invited Leon here if you were going to act like that."

Something about her tone stood out.

It wasn’t sharp enough to be anger.

But it wasn’t neutral either.

It hovered somewhere in between. It was strained, almost pouty.

Jealous.

And she wasn’t even trying to hide it.

I didn’t say anything out loud, but it would’ve taken a special kind of obliviousness not to notice what was going on.

Selene had a huge crush on me.

In fact, calling it subtle would be generous. She wasn’t exactly doing anything to conceal it anymore.

***

Later, Zeruel and I stepped outside for a while, giving Selene some space and using the chance to talk.

The topic naturally shifted to the tournament Myrcella was going to host.

It was only a few weeks away now.

Close enough that it was impossible to ignore.

I had already signed up for it, after all. There was no backing out now.

"What do you think she’s planning with this, Leon?" Zeruel asked as we walked, her tone thoughtful rather than worried.

I let out a slow breath.

To be honest, it wasn’t the first time I’d asked myself that same question.

"I’ve already said it before, but I really don’t know," I admitted. "There’s no point in thinking about it too much, though. I think she already has something in mind. She wouldn’t host something like this without a reason."

"You really trust her, huh?" Zeruel said, glancing at me with a soft smile.

"Well," I replied after a brief pause, "I trust all of you."

"Fufufufu, we do too," she said lightly. Then, after a short moment, she looked at me again. "By the way, Leon... I’m planning to start a business."

"A business?" I repeated, blinking in surprise. "You’re not going to follow through with becoming a magic knight?"

She didn’t look conflicted when she answered.

Instead, she smiled calmly, as if she’d already come to terms with her decision. "It’s not like becoming a magic knight was ever my real dream. It was just something I thought about because it felt practical. If I became one, I could help my mother financially in the long run."

That explanation made sense.

Magic Knights were known as the most privileged position within the knight system of the Milham Kingdom. For someone struggling financially, it was only natural to aim for something like that.

They were paid around two hundred gold coins per month.

Just hearing that number was enough to make most people pause.

An income like that wasn’t just stable—it was luxurious. Enough to completely change someone’s circumstances, to lift an entire family out of hardship.

That was exactly why Zeruel had aimed for it in the first place.

And it wasn’t like she lacked the talent.

Her skills were real. Her swordsmanship alone placed her far above average.

That much had already been proven when she reached the top of the Gold Class almost immediately.

She’d shown remarkable potential from the start, and even now, as we were finishing our third year and heading into the fourth, she’d managed to hold her position without faltering.

"I see..." I said slowly. "But are you really okay with that? You’ve studied for three years already. In just one more year, you’d be guaranteed to become a magic knight."

From an outside perspective, it felt wasteful.

But that was just my opinion.

In the end, it wasn’t my life to decide.

"It’s not like I’m dropping out of the academy," she said. "I just... rethought my choice. Instead of becoming a magic knight, I want to be a business owner. If I became a magic knight, I wouldn’t have much time with my family. And since the whole reason I wanted that position was to support my mother and my sister, I think it’s better to stay close to them instead."

She paused for a moment before adding, "Don’t you think?"

I did.

Even though graduating from the academy and reaching the Gold Class practically guaranteed a magic knight position, no one was actually forced to take it.

And she was right—being a magic knight meant long missions, long absences, and very little time at home.

What she wanted wasn’t wealth or status.

It was to stay with her family.

And she was choosing that over everything else.

"Well," I said, meeting her gaze, "if that’s what you want, then I’ll support you all the way."

Her expression softened instantly.

She smiled, not the confident kind she usually wore, but something quieter. More sincere.

Then she stepped closer to me, closing the distance without saying a word.

And then, we kissed.