The World Is Mine For The Taking

We tied Lord Cross down in his own basement, his body shaking with fear, sweat dripping down his temples as the ropes dug into his wrists and ankles. The air down there was damp and cold, the faint smell of mold creeping into my nose as I turned away.

And just like that, we left him there.

The assassin, on the other hand, was placed under Aegis's custody. We bound her tightly, making sure there was no way she could wriggle free no matter how skilled she was. Her wrists were strapped so firm that even her small movements made the bindings creak, yet she still glared at us as if she hadn't been defeated.

Aegis, however, didn't look pleased. She frowned at me, clearly unhappy about being assigned guard duty. Her voice carried a bite of complaint when she asked why it had to be her. I met her gaze and explained that for now this was one of the most important tasks. Since we were still making preparations for what lay ahead, someone had to ensure the assassin was kept under watch. That was the reason I put her on guard duty.

She still seemed dissatisfied with that answer, her lips pressing together in frustration. So I gave her something else—an incentive. I told her that if she handled this properly, Artemis would commend her. The moment I mentioned Artemis's name, she scowled at me, telling me to stop dragging Artemis into everything whenever I wanted her to do something. But despite her words, I saw the flicker in her eyes as well as the slight lift in her shoulders. She went to her duty with new resolve. Aegis might deny it all she wanted, but she was really easy to manipulate.

The manor itself had quickly filled with the people for this mission, so much so that we decided to make it our base of operations for now. The halls that once echoed with the pride of its lord now carried the weight of strangers. Of course, I knew suspicion would eventually fall upon us. After all, a manor without its master would naturally raise questions, and the disappearance of Lord Cross couldn't be hidden forever. That, too, had to be factored into the plan.

The slaves inside the manor were another matter. Their faces, weary and hollow from years of mistreatment, brightened faintly when I promised them freedom. I swore to them a clean slate after all this was over. In exchange, they agreed to cooperate with me. My plan was to send them back to the Kingdom of Milham. To do that, I intended to set up two magic circles with one that would send them to Milham, and another that would lead to the Kingdom of Elves.

Since most of these slaves weren't elves, sending them to Leonamon seemed like the better choice. I could've sent them to the Elves' lands, but that would only stir resentment. The elves despised other races—especially humans—for having enslaved them. Sending the freed slaves straight into that territory would've been throwing them into hostility. Leonamon was safer. And Milham, with its reputation for fast progress and modernity, would give them opportunities to rebuild their lives, to find work and perhaps even start anew.

Some of them lit up with hope, smiles breaking through the scars of hardship. But not all of them were convinced. Doubt still lingered in their eyes.

And who could blame them? Out of nowhere, a stranger appeared before them, promising freedom with no cost. It sounded too good to be true, like there had to be some hidden catch waiting to crush them. Their skepticism was natural. Considering how rough and cruel their lives had been, I couldn't fault them for expecting the worst.

Two days passed after our confrontation with Cross…

I returned safely and attended a meeting with the officials who had invited me to dinner. Their request was simple and it was that they wanted smoother trade routes. The roads across the sands were brutal—harsh winds, shifting dunes, and endless resistance that made travel hell for traders. Even horses struggled with their hooves sinking and their breaths labored. They wanted my company to cooperate in building more efficient paths, faster and easier to travel.

But naturally, Cross had opposed this from the beginning. His fortune was built on selling horses. A new trade route meant less reliance on his animals, and less profit for him. Greed had made him stubborn. I couldn't say I didn't understand his reasoning, but it was still shortsighted.

I told the officials that I'd consider their request. I gave no promise, only that I would weigh the matter carefully. That alone seemed to satisfy them. Relief softened their expressions—they were happy enough just knowing I was willing to listen. That was enough for now.

Day three came.

The assassin Leonora had sent was still full of fire, her spirit unbroken despite her restraints. She spat curses under her breath, her sharp eyes narrowing every time they landed on Aegis. When I finally descended into the basement where she was being held, I saw her bound body and met her glare with a smile. Her eyes burned with hatred, as if she truly saw me as her mortal enemy.

I decided to search her properly, to see if she was hiding anything. And sure enough, there was something. A device. It was so small that you wouldn't even notice it during a thorough search. And where was it hidden? Leonora must have thought I was too much of a gentleman to check that part of her body. She wasn't wrong—but I had someone with me who wasn't bound by that same restraint.

With Aegis's help, we found it—tucked deep inside the assassin's vagina.

When it was pulled out, it was drenched, incredibly wet, slick with her arousal or perhaps just her body's reaction. I had to put on gloves just to handle it.

The assassin never broke her glare during the process. Her eyes stayed locked on me, defiant and furious. And I'll admit—it stirred something inside me, that fiery defiance of hers. It was a little arousing, in a twisted way.

As I studied the device, it flickered to life. A small light blinked repeatedly. At first, I didn't understand, but then I caught the rhythm. The blinks followed a pattern, almost like Morse code. It spelled out letters, pausing ten seconds between sequences, until finally it gave me a location.

That's how I learned where to go.

A pub.

When I entered the dimly lit pub, the air heavy with the smell of ale and smoke, my eyes immediately caught her. She sat at a table in the far corner, her posture calm, a quiet smile on her lips. Leonora.

I approached slowly and took the seat across from her.

"You're here. Finally. I've been waiting quite a while, you know?" she said, her voice smooth, teasing, as if she'd been expecting me all along.

Leonora. Another fragment of Lilith. After meeting Elise just weeks ago, I hadn't thought I'd run into her this soon. But maybe it was inevitable. Maybe fate had already woven this encounter into place.

"Well, I had to search the assassin you sent thoroughly," I said evenly. "Didn't expect you'd hide something like that inside her. But I'll admit—it was clever. I commend you for it."

Her smile curled into a smirk. "Did you enjoy it?"

"I did," I answered without hesitation.

"Fufufu… I designed it so that once it dried, the device would activate and blink the pattern to reveal my location," she explained, amusement lacing her words.

Well… that was one way to do it. Though honestly, she could've just sent me a letter.