The World Is Mine For The Taking

After the closing ceremony of Milham Academy, spring vacation officially began. And with spring came the Sword Festival, an annual competition hosted by the King of Milham. The festival spanned the entirety of the vacation, with an obscene amount of money poured into it—easily the largest budget ever spent on a tournament.

But, of course, entering the tournament required registration. Sign-ups were only open for the first week of vacation, so anyone wanting a shot had to make their move fast.

Titania, Trill, and I were headed there to register. All three of us had decided to participate in the tournament.

I didn't know why Titania suggested it, but it seemed she was set on claiming the ten-thousand-gold prize waiting for the winner. That much money wasn't just a reward—it was life-changing.

When we arrived at the registration site, a massive line was already snaking out of the building.

"So many people…" Titania murmured, her eyes widening slightly.

The crowd was overwhelming. Hundreds, maybe even more, had gathered to sign up. Clearly, the prize money was as coveted as expected, and the sheer size of the line reflected that.

"Do you think we'll make it in before registration closes today?" Trill asked, tilting her head in that cute, innocent way she always did.

"Well, there are a lot of staff handling the sign-ups, so maybe…" I replied, though I wasn't entirely sure myself.

While I was scanning the crowd, someone familiar caught my eye—it was Johanne.

"Oh, Leon. I never thought I'd see you he—"

Johanne's words cut off as soon as her gaze landed on Titania and Trill standing beside me. For a moment, her expression froze, her eyes flickering with some emotion I couldn't quite place.

What was she thinking right now?

Whatever it was, she masked it quickly, returning to her usual demeanor.

"I never thought I'd see you here," she said, offering a smile. Then she turned to Titania and Trill, bowing respectfully. "And hello, Princess Titania and Princess Trill."

In the eyes of most people, Johanne was male. Thanks to her body being altered by some unknown cause, she had been transformed into a man. Trill and Titania, like everyone else, saw her as male and addressed her accordingly.

"Hello there, Sir Johanne," Titania said with a graceful curtsy.

"Hey there, Sir Knight," Trill greeted casually, skipping any formalities. She was a princess, sure, but coming from the beast races, she wasn't well-versed in noble etiquette. Titania immediately nudged her shoulder, coaxing her to bow like she had.

"You don't need to bow to me," Johanne said gently. "I'm just a humble knight serving the Princess."

"But you are a knight, and we are princesses. It's only proper to address you according to our stations," Titania replied with a poised smile.

Johanne seemed momentarily at a loss for words.

"It looks like you're signing up for the tournament too?" I asked, breaking the brief silence.

"I am," Johanne said. "It'll be my first time participating in something like this. I want to showcase the talent of the Sword Saint's heir and the strength of our sword style."

Johanne's father was the current Sword Saint. You might be wondering—what exactly is a Sword Saint? It's an honorary title bestowed upon a warrior of legendary skill in swordsmanship. To earn this title, one must master the seven legendary techniques passed down to the heirs by their predecessors. Johanne's father had officially mastered all seven, while Johanne herself had already mastered five out of the seven techniques.

This title carried immense weight, as the Sword Saint was considered the King's most trusted blade. Essentially, they were the King's Arm, holding the highest military rank achievable in the Milham Kingdom. Their authority surpassed even that of the commanders of the Royal Knights and the Magic Knights.

If Johanne managed to claim the title of Sword Saint from her father, she would wield unparalleled authority in the kingdom's military.

"We might end up fighting each other then," I said with a smirk.

"I'm looking forward to it," she replied, flashing a charming smile that made the girls nearby swoon. Johanne was, after all, a tall and strikingly handsome "man."

Then, turning to Titania and Trill, she asked, "Princesses, may I borrow him for a moment?"

The two exchanged a glance, their silent understanding apparent, before nodding in agreement.

"Sure," Titania said, her tone calm.

I couldn't help but notice the small moment of silence between them. Did they pick up on something about Johanne? Maybe they did, but for now, I had to follow her.

Johanne led me to a quieter spot, away from the bustling crowd.

"I don't want too many people knowing this, but… I'm getting married tomorrow," she said.

"You are?" I blinked, caught off guard. I'd heard her mention she'd be married in spring, but I didn't expect it to be so soon.

"Yes," she said. "My father decided to hasten the wedding a bit."

"I see."

"I'm planning to invite you, Leon," she said, looking at me with an earnest expression.

"Me? Is that okay? Isn't your wedding a noble ceremony? I don't think someone like me, born without noble status, would be allowed to attend."

"It's fine," she reassured me. "I'll tell my father you're my friend."

I wasn't so sure about that. From what little I'd gathered about her father, he seemed like the kind of man who put status above everything else. The fact that he'd forced Johanne to change genders only reinforced that impression.

"Are you okay with that?" she asked, her gaze searching mine.

"Well, I don't have any plans tomorrow, so yeah, I'll come," I said, offering a smile. "I wouldn't miss the special day of one of my friends."

She laughed lightly, the sound carrying a mix of relief and something heavier. "Well, see you tomorrow, then. I shouldn't keep you any longer; the princesses must be waiting."

"Yeah. See you," I said, watching her as she walked away.

I wasn't sure if this marriage was truly what Johanne wanted. I'd never been in an arranged marriage, so I couldn't fully grasp the idea of uniting with someone you didn't love. But judging by her expression, she seemed determined to go through with it. For her sake, I should at least be happy for her.

With that, I headed back to Titania and Trill, the weight of the conversation lingering in my mind.

***

At the same time Leon and Johanne walked away, leaving Trill and Titania behind.

Titania's POV

Trill and I stood quietly, waiting for Leon to come back. The air between us was calm but thoughtful.

While we waited, I broke the silence with a question.

"You noticed it too, right?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied without hesitation.

We both knew exactly what we were talking about—the expression Sir Johanne had made when he saw us standing there with Leon.

"That was undeniably the look of a broken heart… and jealousy," Trill concluded.

"Right…"

The thing was, Sir Johanne was a man, and so was Leon. It wasn't impossible that Johanne swung that way—I'd met plenty of people who did. But something about him… something was off.

I thought back to that odd incident during the physical examination, when Sir Johanne suddenly collapsed, clutching his crotch in pain. The symptoms he showed were bizarrely similar to what we women endure during our monthly cycles. A man having a period? That was impossible… under normal circumstances.

"Trill, do you think there's a chance Sir Johanne isn't actually a 'sir' but a 'lady' instead?" I asked, my voice low and cautious.

Trill's expression flickered with skepticism, but then her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"I can see that," she said slowly. "Or rather, smell it. What I mean is, I don't smell a man's scent from him. Normally, I'd catch the arousal that comes naturally from males, but with him? There's nothing. It's… neutral. I can't say for sure, but yeah, I think it's possible."

"Magic isn't impossible, and there are some weird abilities out there," I added. "It's not far-fetched to think something exists that could change a person's gender."

That made sense. The world was full of strange powers and abilities that defied logic. If Johanne really was a woman, it wouldn't be the most shocking thing I'd ever encountered. And his—or her—reaction when seeing Leon with us earlier… It all started to click.

"But that means Sir Johanne is in love with Leon," I said, my voice softening as I pieced it together.

The way Johanne looked at Leon, the subtle changes in his demeanor—it all pointed to feelings that went beyond mere friendship. Whether male or female, Sir Johanne clearly had a heart full of longing for Leon.

Does Leon already know this? He might. Knowing him, though, he could also be completely oblivious.

Still, it wasn't my place to decide. If Leon wanted Johanne as part of his harem, whether male or female, I'd welcome him—or her—with open arms.

"But more than that… I'm kinda nervous…" Trill admitted, her voice shy, a wry smile tugging at her lips as she scratched her cheek.

"You don't have to be nervous!" I reassured her quickly. "Leon will be gentle with you! I promise! And I'll guide you through it, too!"

That's right. Today, I was planning for Leon to finally take Trill's virginity.