The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 653 - 101 - The Village Of Flui (3)

It had been two full days since we settled into the village. In all that time, we hadn't really done anything significant aside from wandering around, taking in the sights, and letting ourselves simply exist in the moment. Every day, without fail, we would visit the orphanage, playing with the children and handing out little gifts, watching their faces light up with innocent joy.

Thanks to us saving the village, the owner of the rental house we were currently staying at had given us an incredibly generous offer. It was a fifty percent discount on the lodging. She was unbelievably kind, going out of her way to accommodate us at every turn. Honestly, I felt like I didn't really deserve such generosity, like I was taking more than I should. But refusing her offer would've just been rude, so I accepted it with a grateful smile.

"It's really nice here. Kinda feels like I'm on vacation," Trill said, her voice lazy and relaxed as she basked under the blazing sun. She was stretched out on a lounge chair, wearing nothing but a thin swimsuit that shimmered slightly under the harsh sunlight. Her glossy white skin seemed to almost sizzle from the heat, turning faintly pink where the sun kissed her the most.

Titania was sprawled beside her, also soaking up the sunlight without a care in the world. Meanwhile, I stood nearby, manning the small grill as I prepared barbecue for everyone, the rich, savory smell of roasting meat filling the air. Yr, true to form, was passed out somewhere in the shade, sleeping like a rock. Rose, on the other hand, was doing the same as Trill and Titania, but there was something different about her. Something softer, I guess? She lay there quietly, her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling slowly as if trying to drink in every bit of peace she could. Given how much chaos and responsibility she'd dealt with before, I figured she must've truly been craving this kind of slow, quiet life.

"We only have two weeks left before the second semester starts, huh?" Titania said, cracking one eye open and turning her head toward me. "You planning on entering the academy, Leon?"

"It's been a while since I last stepped into that place," I replied, flipping a piece of meat over the flames and watching the grease hiss and pop. "If I'm remembering right, I stopped attending right when the first semester kicked off. Honestly, I'm just relieved I wasn't expelled because of it."

"I heard Professor Gabrielle pulled some serious strings to keep you from getting expelled. Even Professor Irene got involved," Trill chimed in with a mischievous grin. "I heard that they even teamed up, working together just to make sure you stayed."

I blinked, momentarily stunned. Gabrielle and Irene... those two couldn't stand each other, yet they'd actually collaborated to save my academic record? That was... honestly kinda touching in a weird way.

"We're gonna stay here for a while longer," I said casually, brushing the sweat from my forehead as the heat from the grill and the sun combined into a sweltering wall. "I'm also planning to head into the city soon. Gotta meet with one of the high priests."

"Want anyone to tag along with you, Leon?" Titania offered, her voice laced with casual concern.

"Nah. I'm good going solo," I said, flashing her a reassuring smile.

None of them seemed particularly worried about the fact that I'd be meeting someone so influential on my own. Honestly, I preferred it that way... It was less fuss and less pressure.

As I continued manning the grill, I caught a glimpse of someone approaching from the corner of my eye. It was... the girl who had almost been raped by a bandit not too long ago. She walked toward us slowly, a gentle, shy smile blooming on her lips. Her name, if I remembered correctly, was Rita.

"Good day," she said, her voice soft and a little hesitant, both hands clutching a basket close to her chest.

"Good day to you too," I replied warmly, stepping away from the grill for a moment.

"I... I wanted to give this to you. As thanks. For saving me," she said, her cheeks coloring faintly as she held out the basket toward me.

Inside, I could see it was filled to the brim with fresh fruits and vegetables, all neatly arranged and probably picked with great care.

"Thank you," I said, taking the basket gently from her hands.

The moment my fingers brushed against hers, she turned a deep shade of red, her eyes darting downward before she gave a small, bashful bow and hurried away with a radiant smile.

"Leon, seriously, you've gotta stop charming every woman you meet. It's getting on my nerves," Rose muttered, shooting me a glare that was only half-serious.

"Hahaha… Leon really is like a woman magnet. They just can't seem to resist him," Titania said, laughing lightly, her voice carrying a teasing lilt.

It wasn't like I was trying to attract anyone, but somehow, women seemed to flock to me naturally... like bees to a particularly tempting flower. Not that I minded the attention all that much.

After I'm done cooking, I announced.

"I'm heading to the orphanage for a bit," I said, grabbing a cloth to wipe the sweat off my neck. "There's something I wanna check out first."

***

I eventually made my way to the cemetery, the soft crunch of my boots against the dirt the only sound breaking the heavy silence.

The village's graveyard stretched before me, rows of simple stone markers standing solemnly under the bright afternoon sun. The air here felt different. If I have to say, it was heavier and thicker, as if the land itself remembered every sorrow it had ever witnessed.

When I arrived, I spotted Sister Lily already there, kneeling before one of the graves, her head bowed in silent prayer. I knew, without a doubt, that she must come here every single day, rain or shine, to pay her respects.

I pulled up her domination requirements in my mind.

Her second requirement still hadn't cleared yet. I hadn't visited the orphanage once a week for eight consecutive weeks, and because of that, the counter stubbornly remained frozen at one out of eight.

Reaching this place in a single swoop—by sprinting across the land and soaring through the skies—would only take me about an hour or two at most, and honestly, it would be almost laughably easy for me. Normally, though, if one took the conventional route, along the winding paths without any shortcuts, the journey would stretch out to a grueling three days, assuming no delays. Realistically, though, considering the inevitable need for rest, the unpredictable terrain, and the wear and tear of travel, it would usually take about a full week or more to finally arrive here.

That was one of the main reasons why I hadn't really been able to dedicate myself fully to dominating her.

Honestly... I had thought about giving up on the idea altogether. It's not like I was particularly desperate to make her my woman or anything. It was just... a lingering feeling inside me whispered that maybe it wasn't right. After all, wouldn't it be kind of messed up to do something like that to a nun?

While I was lost in my tangled thoughts, she must have spotted me.

"Oh, Leon," she called out warmly, her face lighting up with a bright, genuine smile that seemed to chase away the heavy silence of the graveyard. "You're here to pay your respects to Sister Eli?"

"Yeah," I answered, my voice softer than usual, almost reverent.

There was no way I would make this long trip and not visit. Paying my respects to Sister Eli—the only mother figure I had ever known in this world—was something sacred to me and something I could never neglect.

I stepped forward quietly, lowering my head, and pressed my hands together in a silent prayer. The air around the grave was cool, almost unnaturally so, as if the world itself stood still for just a moment, honoring her memory with me.

Sister Lily's voice broke the silence, gentle but carrying a playful tone.

"Sister Eli would probably be quite mad at you, you know... having several girlfriends, Leon."

A low chuckle escaped my lips, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Yeah, I'm sure she is," I said. "That's why I made sure to apologize to her in my prayer."

"Fufufu... That's good then," Sister Lily said with a soft laugh, her eyes crinkling with affection. "Well, I'll leave you to it. I already told her she shouldn't be too hard on you, since it seems like you're loving all of them equally."

She gave me one last warm smile before turning away, her figure slowly disappearing between the rows of gravestones. I watched her go for a moment, the silence settling back around me like a comforting blanket.

I stayed there for a while longer, the world shrinking down to just me, Sister Eli's grave, and the whispering wind. Closing my eyes, I offered one more silent prayer from the depths of my heart before I finally straightened up and turned to leave. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com