We gathered in Leon’s cramped dorm room, the only space where we could have a private conversation. It was tight quarters, but it would have to suffice for our needs. The four of us—myself, Johanne, Leon, and Princess Titania—were squeezed into the room, with Leon and Johanne standing while Princess Titania and I sat on Leon’s bed. The room was so cramped that there was barely enough space for us to move around.
As we settled in, I couldn’t resist taking a sniff of the air, catching a whiff of Leon’s room. I didn’t know why I felt compelled to do it, but I did it nonetheless. Princess Titania noticed my action and shot me a look of disdain, prompting me to halt immediately.
“Anyway,” Johanne interjected, “Princess Myrcella wants you on her team tomorrow at the King’s Game, Leon.”
“And you want me because you have some kind of goal in mind, yes?” Leon inquired. “Teaming up with others does increase our chances of winning, but I need to consult Shredica first. She’s determined to win this game.”
“We’re not aiming to win the King’s Game, Leon,” Johanne clarified. “Our only objective is to achieve our goal, nothing more. Winning is not our priority. Once we’ve accomplished what we set out to do, we’ll forfeit the game.”
“It seems like whatever this goal is, it’s driving you. Can you at least share it with me?”
Johanne glanced at me, seeking confirmation. I nodded in agreement. If I wanted their cooperation, I needed to be completely honest with them. After all, you can’t expect cooperation if you’re not truthful. Johanne nodded back, understanding my silent message.
“Well, if you can keep this under wraps, we’d appreciate it,” Johanne began. “This involves a matter concerning the royal family. Only those within the royal court and some of the Magic Knights are aware of it. It’s highly classified, but since you’re offering to help us, it’s best you know.”
“I promise not to breathe a word to anyone.”
“I promise too,” Princess Titania added, though her dislike for me was evident. “Even though I’m not particularly fond of you, Princess Myrcella, I’ll keep quiet since Leon is involved. We might be adversaries come the third semester, but for now, cooperating with you for Leon’s sake seems like the right move.”
“I appreciate that, Princess Titania,” I replied.
With that, Johanne proceeded to reveal our goal.
“I can’t believe Prince Julius would stoop to something so absurd,” Princess Titania exclaimed in shock after hearing Johanne’s explanation. “It’s ridiculous to think he’s plotting to seize the throne, but for what purpose?”
“I suspect someone may be manipulating him,” I suggested.
“It’s a plausible theory, but what if seizing the throne is truly his desire?” Princess Titania countered.
“I prefer to think otherwise, considering Julius has never shown much interest in the throne,” I responded. “But I can’t come up with any other explanation for his sudden ambition unless he’s being manipulated.”
I turned to Leon. “That’s why I need your help, along with Shredica’s and Hereon’s,” I explained. “Do you think they’ll cooperate if I ask them to?”
Leon shook his head. “I highly doubt Shredica would even consider cooperating with you, let alone bend the knee. And Hereon isn’t the type to follow orders either. However, I have an idea that might persuade them to cooperate. If you can give me some time, Princess, by tomorrow, they’ll both be willing to work with you.”
His confidence caught me off guard, causing my breath to hitch and my heart to race for a moment. Thankfully, I managed to maintain my composure.
“Thank you for that, Leon,” I replied with a smile.
Princess Titania shot me a glare before striding over to Leon, seizing his arm, and pulling him closer, sandwiching his arm between her breasts.
“Don’t you dare try to flirt with my boyfriend!” she snapped.
“I wasn’t flirting with him, actually…” I attempted to explain.
“Liar! That smile of yours just now reeked of seduction! Don’t try to deceive me!”
Was that really the case? I was just smiling normally.
“It’s true. Your smile does have a hint of seduction, Princess,” Johanne chimed in.
“Well, if that’s true, then it wasn’t my intention,” I explained. “If it seemed like I did something unsavory, then I apologize.” I turned to Leon. “Well then, we should proceed now. Johanne and I are going to try to persuade Hertrude and Harold to join us as well. Thank you for your time, Leon,” I said, smiling at him once more, earning another glare from Princess Titania. I wasn’t trying to be seductive when I smiled, and there was no intention of seduction behind my every smile either. So why did my smile seem different when it came to Leon? It was strange.
As we exited his dorm room, we garnered shocked looks from onlookers. They wondered why I was in the bronze class dormitory. There was nothing wrong with visiting another dorm of a different class, as long as you had permission. This wasn’t trespassing, as far as I could tell. Johanne assured me it was fine, as long as we had permission.
After we had finally distanced ourselves from his room, I asked Johanne, “Do you happen to have any photos of Leon, Johanne?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind…”
It was odd. Ever since I first met Leon, I had been feeling peculiar.
***
Leon’s POV
I locked the door to my room, leaving Titania and me alone together. We settled on the bed, but she was clearly upset.
“Leon… I don’t want you getting too close to that Princess ever again,” she said, her tone firm.
“Why not? Didn’t you say it’s okay for me to have other women?” I countered.
“I did say that, but Princess Myrcella is off-limits,” she insisted. “I don’t trust her at all. She’s going to be my opponent in the presidential race next semester, and I know she’s cunning. I’m worried she might try to snatch you away from me.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I reassured her. “I don’t think Princess Myrcella could ever sway me away from you.”
However, deep down, I knew I couldn’t guarantee that I’d be able to keep my hands to myself, especially considering the way her gaze seemed to ignite a desire for dominance within me.
—
You’ve captured the interest of Myrcella. You can now proceed to dominate her.
Name: Myrcella Odette Milham
Race: Human
Requirements to dominate Myrcella:
1. Establish Myrcella as the official heir to the throne
2. Unlock
3. Unlock
4. Unlock
….
—
Her first requirement was a long-term goal, one that I suspected would take years, if not decades, to achieve. Honestly, I had no clue where to even begin with such a monumental task.
And I didn’t think it would be easy. Seriously, why the hell was this the first requirement? Nevertheless, even though Titania claimed she didn’t like her, I had no choice but to assert dominance over her. She was a crucial piece on the chessboard of my ambitions, one that I needed to secure in order to dominate this entire world. If Titania and I ever got married, and I ascended to the throne of Bethlan, I planned to work towards merging the two kingdoms into a united realm. It would take years, of course, and there was no guarantee that Titania would inherit the throne of Bethlan. I would support her and do my utmost to secure the throne for her, but it wouldn’t be an easy task.
“Anyway,” Titania said after a while, “looks like something is brewing in this kingdom too, huh? I kind of figured there’s a rebellion on the horizon, similar to what’s happening in Bethlan, but I didn’t expect their own prince to be the instigator.”
Ah, that’s right. Titania came here to study because there was a rebellion brewing in the kingdom of Bethlan. Her father, the king, advised her to study abroad and escape the turmoil while he dealt with it. I wondered if Titania was missing her home.
“All this talk is somehow exhausting. You know, I’ve never had any interest in the throne, but since I’m the only heir, it falls to me to take it. I plan to pass the position to you, while I support you from the sidelines as your queen. However, what will you do if something like what’s happening in the kingdom of Milham were to occur during your reign?” Titania inquired.
“Of course, I’ll take action,” I assured her. “A king is meant to rule those beneath him. That’s the very essence of kingship. If a king can’t control his subjects, it means he’s unfit for the role and incompetent. An incompetent king sets a poor example for his subjects, leading to further incompetence. I refuse to be that kind of king. I’ll be a king worthy of the title, one who complements a queen like you.”
Titania blushed. “You’re making my heart flutter in the most unusual way. Yes, that’s right. That’s how a king should be. You’re the epitome of a king, Leon. I love you,” she whispered those last words, then leaned in and captured my lips in a tender kiss.
