The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1148 - 175 - Leonamon’s Mercenary Group (1)

Charlotte’s POV

It genuinely felt like I was floating—like my feet barely touched the ground and the world itself had softened just for me. If someone had told me I was walking around with my head in the clouds, I wouldn’t have argued. I was that light, that happy.

The feeling of Leon coming back to me, of him loving me again, made my chest feel so full it almost hurt. I caught myself practically bouncing as I walked, my steps a little too quick, my energy impossible to hide. The memory of his skin pressed against mine lingered in my mind, vivid and warm, like my body refused to let it fade. And his words—those mattered even more. Hearing him say that he loved me, that he wouldn’t even consider leaving me behind despite all my doubts and insecurities... it hit me right in the heart.

Every step I took felt lighter than the last, like I might actually start skipping if I wasn’t careful.

"Leon really loves me, huh?" I murmured to myself, a smile tugging at my lips so hard my face almost felt sore. I could feel my expression going slack, stupid even, but I didn’t care. I was too happy to care how I looked.

The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became. Leon really was in love with me. There was honesty in his eyes when he spoke, a firmness in his voice that didn’t waver. When he said he wouldn’t leave me, I believed him. Completely. And because of that, I decided to trust him—no half-measures, no lingering "what ifs" clawing at the back of my mind.

I was sure he wouldn’t break that trust so easily. He promised me he wouldn’t do anything like that, and Leon wasn’t the kind of person who threw promises around lightly. So yes, I trusted him. Fully. Utterly.

Still... I didn’t know what I would do if he ever did break it.

Just thinking about that possibility made my chest tighten, so I shoved the thought away.

To be honest, knowing that Leon loves me makes me want him all to myself. The feeling is selfish, I know that. Greedy. But it’s there, and I can’t pretend otherwise. At the same time, I know it’s unrealistic. That kind of wish is far out of reach, something I couldn’t grab no matter how hard I stretched my hand.

Dreaming beyond what I was supposed to be doing felt dangerous—like stepping too far past my place. Even for me, it felt like overreaching.

Deep down, I didn’t feel worthy of his love. Not really. There was always this quiet voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough, that I didn’t deserve someone like Leon. That I was lacking, somehow. Smaller. Lesser.

But I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

If I wasn’t worthy now, then I would become worthy. I would work my way up, step by step, until I could stand beside him without constantly feeling like I was looking up at him from far below. I wanted to stand straight at his side, without doubt gnawing at my heart.

That was when the idea really solidified in my mind.

I was going to build a mercenary group.

Yes. A mercenary group.

Even thinking about it sounded strange. Random, even. But the more I considered it, the more it made sense. I wasn’t cut out to be a magic knight. I knew that much about myself. The rigid structure, the constant fighting—it just wasn’t me. So instead, I chose a different path.

I would open a business.

Fighting head-on was never really my style anyway. Planning, organizing, supporting—that was where I excelled.

By now, I had already placed flyers all over town. On walls, notice boards, shop entrances—anywhere people might stop and look. The flyers asked for recruits and clearly laid out what they could expect. I listed the typical earnings for mercenary missions, making sure not to undersell or exaggerate. I also made it clear that I cared about their well-being, not just the results they brought in.

I detailed the benefits too. If someone died during a mission, their family would receive compensation. If they retired, they wouldn’t be left with nothing. Security, stability—things most mercenaries never got. That was how I advertised it. Honest, straightforward, and fair.

At the moment, my base of operations was a small cabin I’d bought with my own money. It wasn’t impressive. The walls were plain, the space limited, and the furniture sparse. But it was mine. And more importantly, it was a start.

I believed it would grow. Slowly, maybe painfully, but it would. I had no doubt about that.

Leon had offered to help. More than once, actually. He even suggested sponsoring me, providing funds so I could expand faster. But I refused.

If I accepted his help, I wouldn’t be able to call myself someone worthy of standing beside him. It would feel like I was leaning on him instead of walking on my own two feet. After all the confidence and bravado I’d put up, asking for his help felt... cheap.

But more than pride, it was about something deeper.

I needed to prove—to myself, more than anyone else—that I could do this on my own.

"It seems... like no one is coming again..." I thought, my gaze drifting toward the cabin door. It stayed stubbornly closed. Silent. Empty. There was no one here but me.

"Am I really that much of a failure?"

The question echoed in my head, heavy and uncomfortable.

Honestly, I felt like I’d done everything right. I advertised properly. I laid out the benefits clearly. I even prepared stacks of flyers so that if someone walked in, I could immediately brief them, explain everything they’d gain by joining my mercenary group.

I was ready.

But readiness didn’t seem to matter if no one showed up.

As I sat there, sinking deeper into my thoughts, a realization hit me. If I didn’t do anything to change this situation—if I just sat here waiting—I’d stay stuck forever.

Nothing would change on its own.

"Do I need to improve the marketing?" I asked myself quietly, tapping my fingers against the desk.

And then, suddenly, it clicked.

"That’s it," I said out loud, my voice sharper, more certain. "That’s going to work. That’s absolutely going to work!"

The heaviness in my chest lifted just a little as excitement rushed in to replace it.

I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed my phone immediately and called the person I knew would be perfect for this.