The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1262 - 194 - The Start Of Conflicts Of Interests (1)
Titania’s POV
My father sat at the very end of the long dining table, claiming the head seat like he always did, as if the wood itself had been carved to fit his authority. I was seated at the opposite end, far enough that the distance felt symbolic. The table between us was heavy oak, polished to a dull shine, lined with dishes that steamed gently in the warm light of the chandeliers above. The scent of roasted meat and spices lingered thick in the air.
He was eating an entire roasted cow leg—yes, an entire leg—holding it with his bare hands like utensils were an insult to his pride. Grease coated his fingers. The sound of tearing flesh and bone echoed faintly through the hall. He chewed with the casual indifference of a man who had never once worried about how he looked while eating. If a noble walked in and judged him for it, he’d probably just offer them a bite.
Honestly, I wasn’t bothered by how he ate. I’d grown up with it. If anything, it was predictable.
What did bother me was being stuck here.
I just wanted to finish my meal as quickly as possible so I could leave and meet Leon. Every second felt stretched. Every bite tasted dull because my mind wasn’t even on the food. I was already imagining the walk through the courtyard, the meeting point, the sound of his voice—
"If you’re thinking of rushing through that food just to meet that man as soon as possible, then give it up. I won’t allow it."
His voice cut cleanly across the table.
It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t even sharp. But it carried that unmistakable weight. The kind that made generals stand straighter and servants freeze mid-step. For a moment, I genuinely thought I had misheard him.
Then the words settled.
I pushed myself up from the table, my palms pressing hard against the wood. The chair scraped loudly against the floor, the sound almost jarring in the otherwise controlled silence.
"What do you mean?" I shot back, glaring at him. "Whether you like it or not, I’m going to meet Leon."
My voice rose without permission. It wasn’t elegant. It wasn’t royal. It was just honest anger.
He didn’t even look offended. He simply took another bite of the cow leg, chewed slowly, swallowed, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his wrist.
"Believe me," he said evenly, "this isn’t my choice."
I blinked. "What does that even mean?" 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎
Not his choice? Since when did anything move without his decision behind it?
"The Kingdom is unstable right now," he began, finally setting the bone down. "After the stunt the Princess pulled, things may look like they’re progressing smoothly. But beneath that? Everything is displaced. Out of order."
I frowned slightly.
"Her plan is working," he continued. "Perhaps too well. But there are factors she didn’t fully account for. Tensions. Pride. Fear. And considering your connection to Leon... it’s only natural that I protect you."
"W-What...?" The words slipped out before I could stop them.
"And before you misunderstand me," he added, meeting my eyes properly now, "it was Leon and Princess Myrcella who told me this."
That made my heart stutter.
"They want you safe."
"What does that even mean?" I repeated, softer this time.
"For the record," he went on, "all of your friends are safe including all of his women. Leon has already informed them of the situation. He’s anticipating an internal war within the Kingdom. He plans to keep all of you protected until it’s over."
An internal war.
So Leon was the reason I was being kept here.
I lowered myself back into my seat slowly. Did he really think I’d be safe if I wasn’t by his side?
"You may believe the safest place for you is beside him," Father said, as if reading my thoughts. "But you must understand something. The most dangerous place right now might also be at his side."
"So I advise you," he continued calmly, "stay here. Remain here until it’s safe."
Leon wanted me to stay behind?
I stared down at my plate. It felt like he was underestimating me. Did he think I was still the girl who hid behind walls? Didn’t he know what I was capable of now? I could protect myself. And if necessary... I could protect him too.
I know he’s strong. Stronger than most. Stronger than he probably lets on.
But still.
This was frustrating.
The kind of frustration that sat in your chest and refused to move.
But since it was Leon... since it was his decision too...
I exhaled slowly.
I suppose I’ll have to swallow my pride and stay put.
***
King of Bethlan’s POV
This girl... she truly loves that man.
I watched her from across the hall after she had gone quiet. The firelight flickered against the walls, shadows stretching long across the stone. She tried to hide it, but it was obvious. The tension in her shoulders as well as the way her jaw tightened whenever his name was mentioned.
She has changed. Not completely, but enough.
There was a time when she barely stepped outside her comfort zone. A time when she would cling to me, rely on my decisions, as well as my protection. Back then, I was her entire world.
Now she has stepped beyond that boundary.
And instead of leaning on her father, she leans on him.
I would be lying if I said that didn’t irritate me.
There’s something uniquely humbling about watching your daughter transfer her trust to another man. It’s like being replaced in slow motion.
Still... I can’t deny what I see.
It’s only natural for her to fall for him.
That man possesses a presence that is difficult to ignore. Charisma that doesn’t shout but lingers. Women around him seem to gravitate without realizing they’ve moved. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. It’s almost irritatingly impressive.
And yet, I respect him.
Because when it truly matters—when push comes to shove—he would never allow the women under his protection to fall into danger. That much, I am certain of.
"Well," I muttered to myself, leaning back slightly in my chair, "everything is clashing right now."
The Kingdom feels different these days. The air itself is heavy. Conversations lower when footsteps approach. Smiles are thinner. Trust is fragile.
"I don’t know how this will unfold," I continued quietly. "But the Princess’s path to her Queendom will not be easy."
That girl—Princess Myrcella—has chosen a road paved with resistance. Reform always sounds noble in theory. In reality, it threatens the comfortable and empowers the restless. That alone is enough to ignite conflict.
The tension in the Kingdom right now could be sliced with a blade.
"It won’t be simple," I admitted to the empty hall. "But I hope she succeeds."
Because despite everything, I believe in her.
"If there is anyone capable of making this Kingdom prosper... it is the Princess."
She has vision. Resolve. And perhaps just enough recklessness to force change.
And with that man standing beside her?
Perhaps this land will rise higher than it ever has.
Higher than anyone would have believed possible.
Especially for a Kingdom that once suffocated beneath corruption.
