The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 650 - 100 - Connection (6)

Here, the priests and priestesses held celibacy as a sacred vow. I was not entirely certain whether the same custom applied back on Earth, given how many different religions thrived there. But from what I did know, most priests there also honored celibacy, committing themselves fully to their faith.

"She is studying priesthood now, correct?" Titania asked, her voice calm yet tinged with a slight hint of sympathy. "I suppose there is not much you can do about it. If becoming a priestess is truly her dream, then even if you both love each other deeply... some things cannot be changed."

"Which is exactly why I am not actively seeking her out," I said, my tone steady but heavy with resignation. "Considering that I, too, have a dream I wish to pursue, I cannot, in good conscience, tell her to abandon hers simply to be with me."

"That is the right decision. It is better that way—for both your sakes," she said, her lips curving into a soft smile.

"Right," I echoed, though the word tasted bittersweet as it left my mouth.

Dreams demanded sacrifices. To achieve something you truly desired, you had to be willing to give up anything, everything, to chase it down. And nothing—nothing at all—should stand in your way. Not even love. No matter how much it hurt, I had no right to ask her to throw away her future, her ambition, just for the sake of being with me.

Of course, I still wanted to be with her. The yearning to have her as my woman burned within me.

"Well then, would you give up on her?" Titania asked softly, her gaze curious, almost testing.

"Well... that depends," I replied thoughtfully, pausing. "If she truly does not want it... if her heart lies elsewhere... then perhaps."

"Fufufu... That is exactly what I like about you," Titania said with a gentle laugh, before leaning in and planting a soft kiss on my cheek, her lips lingering for a brief second longer than necessary.

Just then, the door swung open with a sharp creak.

It was Rose and Trill.

"Ah! Nia! I knew it!" Trill said, her eyes lighting up in accusation.

"Hehehe... The spot next to Leon is already mine," Titania said triumphantly, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"That is so unfair! You left the bath first just to claim the spot next to Leon!" Trill whined, stomping her foot lightly. "It was obvious Yr would sleep beside him, so there was only one place left! You took advantage of that by sneaking out first!"

"As the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm," Titania said, grinning widely with obvious satisfaction.

"Enough already, you two," Rose said, stepping between them with a sigh. "There are two beds, you know. If you really want to sleep next to Leon that badly, there's still some space down by his legs."

"Well, I certainly do want to sleep next to Leon..." Trill muttered, pouting adorably. "I guess I'll just have to make do for now."

"Is that so? All the better for me," Rose said, flashing a smirk. "I get to claim the other bed for myself. I could really use a beauty rest tonight... thanks to a certain someone."

She shot a pointed look at me, her gaze lingering.

Well, last night, I had made her perform rather suggestive and provocative positions in a heated BDSM roleplay, pushing her body to its limits. We barely got any sleep because of it. Then, to top it all off, I had her drive early this morning toward the village. It was only natural she would be utterly drained—likely far more exhausted than she was letting on.

After a short while of teasing and banter, we all finally settled down and decided to sleep.

***

When I woke up, I found myself completely smothered by soft, warm bodies. The scent of womanly skin and faint traces of shampoo filled my senses. Titania and Yr were still in their original spots, though Yr had somehow managed to glue herself onto me like a stubborn cicada, clinging so tightly that it looked nearly impossible to pry her off.

Meanwhile, Trill had latched herself onto my feet, her arms wrapped securely around my ankles like a hugging vine.

Chuckling under my breath, I carefully and gently peeled them off me, mindful not to wake them. I needed some fresh air.

Noticing that Rose's bed was empty, I figured she must have gotten up earlier and gone outside.

I quietly made my way to the door and stepped outside. A cool breeze brushed against my skin, and the early morning sun painted the world in soft, golden hues.

There she was—Rose, sitting quietly, her elegant figure illuminated by the faint morning light. In her hand, she held a plain white mug, steam curling upward into the crisp air. She took a slow, leisurely sip, her expression serene.

When I stepped fully outside, she noticed me and turned her head slightly.

"Good morning," she greeted, her voice warm yet composed.

"I never would have expected you to be awake at this hour," I said with a faint smile. "Did you not say you wanted a full beauty rest?"

"Well," she said, lifting the mug slightly in a casual gesture, "I woke up a bit earlier than I intended. So I decided to help myself to some coffee."

"Well, coffee sounds nice." I said. "I should have gotten myself with one."

"You should have. Coffee is delicious when you're on a trip in a morning like this." she said.

While we were deep in conversation, exchanging thoughts with light smiles, a sudden, bloodcurdling scream shattered the calmness of the morning.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The scream sliced through the air like a blade. Instinctively, Rose and I snapped our heads toward the direction of the sound. A chill ran down my spine. Without needing to speak, Rose slammed her mug down on the table, the liquid inside sloshing violently, and we both bolted toward the source of the scream, our legs moving before our minds could catch up.

Our feet pounded against the dirt path, kicking up clouds of dust as we raced across the field. The sharp morning air stung my lungs, but I ignored it, pushing myself faster. In a matter of seconds, we reached the scene.

There, right before our eyes, was a terrible sight.

"Help! Help me, please! Helpppp!"

A woman shrieked in sheer terror, her voice cracking with desperation. She struggled helplessly beneath a man who had pinned her down, his intentions clear in his vile gaze.

Rose and I acted without hesitation. We closed the distance in the blink of an eye, and with swift, coordinated movements, we delivered punishing blows to the man's face, feeling the satisfying crunch of impact. His body crumpled like a ragdoll, collapsing onto the ground, unconscious.

Breathing heavily, we quickly turned our attention to the woman. Her body trembled uncontrollably as we helped her sit up, her eyes wide and glossy with tears.

Thankfully, we had stopped the monster before he could inflict irreversible harm.

"T-Thank you..." she whispered, her voice fragile.

"This man is abhorrent... attempting something this vile..." Rose muttered coldly, her voice laced with venom. "And at this ungodly hour, no less. What the hell was he thinking?"

Without hesitation, she ripped off her belt and tightly bound the man's wrists, her fingers moving with mechanical precision fueled by anger.

"What exactly happened?" I asked, kneeling beside the woman.

"I-I don't know..." she stammered, her body still wracked with tremors. "He... he just came out of nowhere..."

I shifted my gaze to the unconscious attacker, my brows furrowing. There, inked onto the side of his neck, was a tattoo — the unmistakable mark of a bandit, etched crudely into his skin.

"Why would a bandit attack at this hour?" Rose muttered under her breath, glaring at the tattoo. "Bandits... they truly have no sense of honor or shame. They act solely on impulse, without regard for anything. Honestly... it is beyond me why people like this even exist in our world..."

"Hmm..." I murmured, running a hand through my hair as I contemplated the situation. "Bandit activity around here is practically unheard of. For one to attack this early... it is either astonishingly bold, or..."

I cast a grim glance at the woman.

"...Perhaps the call of the flesh was simply too strong for him to resist."

My gaze wandered toward the vast, golden horizon, where the fields stretched endlessly under the pale light of dawn.

Maybe this was an isolated incident... a tragic, random act of cruelty.

But deep in my gut, a gnawing sense of unease whispered that something far more dangerous was brewing just out of sight.

While I stood there, lost in dark thoughts, two figures suddenly came running toward us, kicking up small clouds of dust in their haste.

It was Sister Lily and Alice.

Sister Lily clutched a sword in both hands, the blade glinting menacingly under the weak morning sun, while Alice, fists clenched, looked ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

"Rita!" Sister Lily called out sharply, her voice thick with panic. "Are you alright!?"

"Y-Yes..." the woman — Rita — answered shakily, forcing a small nod. "This young man saved me."

Sister Lily turned her attention to me immediately, her face grave.

"Leon... what exactly happened here?" she demanded.

"Ah... this man," I replied grimly, pointing down at the unconscious attacker sprawled on the ground like discarded garbage.

The moment I gestured toward him, Sister Lily's expression twisted with rage and grief, her eyes burning with barely contained fury.

"I-I told them!" she cried, her voice breaking slightly. "I warned them not to harm the villagers! Why... why are they doing this!?"

Her shoulders trembled with anger.

Does she know the real reason why this man attacked...?