The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 583 - 92 - Crossing Paths (3)

"Leon...?"

The moment our eyes met, her emerald gaze widened, reflecting nothing but sheer disbelief. It was as if the very sight of me had shaken her to her core, as though I was the last person she ever expected to see in this place. A sharp intake of breath hitched in her throat, her body tensing, frozen in place for a split second.

Then, without a word, she turned on her heel and walked away.

No hesitation. No explanation. Just a swift departure.

Her sudden retreat left the air heavy with unspoken emotions, and the other two were visibly confused.

"Uh, Leon…" Raymond muttered, his brows knitting together. "Did something happen between you and Professor Rose for her to act like that?"

"To be honest, I don't know," I replied, keeping my tone even.

That was a lie. I knew exactly why she had reacted that way, but there was no point in telling them. If they found out about my history with her… explaining it would be nothing short of a nightmare. There were some things better left unsaid.

Beside me, Estelle was grinning, her sharp eyes gleaming with amusement. She had already put the pieces together—at least, in her own way. Whether she was right or not didn't matter; she was convinced that Rose was just another woman in my life. And judging by that expression, she was likely assuming—just as she did with my other relationships—that it had been a passionate one, complete with love and sex.

Her smirk only deepened, as if she found the entire situation highly entertaining.

"Hm… I wonder why she ran off like that," Raymond mused, rubbing his chin in thought. Unlike Estelle, he hadn't even considered the possibility of a romantic connection. He probably assumed I lacked the courage—or perhaps the audacity—to have been involved with a former professor. "Well, it doesn't really matter, does it? Why don't we just head out?"

"I'm sorry, but I have something to take care of," I said, my voice firm. "Would you three mind waiting for me outside the city gate?"

Raymond shrugged. "Sure."

He didn't even question it. If anything, he seemed pleased—probably because it meant fewer men lingering around Estelle. A convenient turn of events for him.

He didn't care where I was going, nor did he seem particularly interested in why Rose had reacted the way she did. His focus was elsewhere. Estelle, however, kept her eyes on me, that sly grin never fading.

I ignored her.

Right now, I needed to find Rose.

***

I didn't have to search for long.

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The moment I slipped through the back door of the restaurant, I saw her.

She stood there, her back to me, her posture rigid yet composed. The breezy afternoon air rustled through the alleyway, causing strands of her green hair to sway slightly. She wasn't pacing. She wasn't fidgeting.

She was waiting.

As if she had known I would come.

"Long time no see," I said, breaking the silence.

"Yes," she murmured, turning to face me. "It has been a long time."

The soft glow of the sun illuminated her features, casting delicate shadows over her face. She was still just as breathtaking—fiercely beautiful in a way that demanded both admiration and caution.

Hers was a beauty edged with steel. The kind that made one hesitate to stare for too long, not because it wasn't mesmerizing, but because her piercing gaze carried a weight that could crush the weak-hearted.

And yet, despite that intimidating presence, there was something fragile beneath it all.

"Why are you here, Leon?" she asked. Her voice was steady, controlled, but there was a slight strain beneath her words. "I assume you didn't come here for me."

A careful choice of words. A test, perhaps.

Yet, there was the faintest tremor in her tone. A quiet waver that betrayed something deeper—something unspoken.

Hope.

Deep down, she might have hoped I had come for her.

"I came looking for my two friends," I told her. "Well, partially. But my main reason for coming here…" I let my words linger, my gaze locking onto hers. "I heard the Green-Haired Demon was seen around these parts."

It was an indirect way of saying I had come for her.

Silence stretched between us.

Her head dipped slightly, strands of green falling forward to veil her face, but I caught the subtle movement—the way her ears turned red, betraying her composed exterior.

She could try to be tough. She could pretend all she wanted.

But I knew her.

And no matter how much time had passed, no matter how much distance had grown between us…

She was still just as adorable as ever.

"Kuh... I never thought I'd run into you here—of all places—when I came here just to get away from you. The gods really don't bother hiding the fact that they're toying with me."

Her voice, though quiet, carried a sharp edge, her words slipping through clenched teeth. It was as if she hadn't meant to say it out loud, but I caught every syllable. The frustration, the bitterness—it was thick in the air, as tangible as the tension crackling between us. But since she clearly hadn't intended for me to hear, I decided to act as if I hadn't.

Then, she took a slow breath, straightened her posture, and turned her full attention toward me.

She really was beautiful. But hers was not a beauty that invited admiration—it was the kind of beauty that burned, the kind you wouldn't dare stare at for too long. Her sharp, piercing emerald eyes could cut through anyone foolish enough to linger. She was fierce, untamed, and utterly captivating in a way that made her all the more dangerous.

And right now, that gaze was locked onto me.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with something unspoken.

I raised a brow. "Doing what?"

"This! This whole... thing!" She made a vague, frustrated motion with her hands, exasperation radiating from every inch of her. "I wanted to forget you! Do you understand that? You're a scumbag. A womanizer. I can't believe I ever—" She stopped, inhaling sharply before continuing. "I can't believe I ever considered being with you. Do you know how messed up it is that I actually thought about quitting my job as a professor just to stay by your side?"

Her fingers curled into fists at her sides.

"And what's worse? It's pathetic how I still went through with it—how I slept with you while knowing full well that you were already involved with someone. I knew it, and I still—" She cut herself off, exhaling sharply.

I said nothing.

Because, honestly? She was right. It was messed up.

Still, I met her gaze evenly. "Titania doesn't really mind, honestly."

The moment those words left my mouth, a blur of movement cut through the air.

I barely had time to react.

A fist shot toward my face with terrifying speed, slicing through the air like a blade. I tilted my head just in time, the punch missing me by mere inches. The force of it was enough to generate a sharp gust, the heat of it searing against my cheek. If I had been even a fraction of a second slower, I'd be sporting a swollen, blackened eye for the next week.

"You really are a scumbag," she growled, her teeth clenched, fury burning in her emerald eyes. Her breath was heavy, her chest rising and falling in barely contained anger. "You don't get it, do you? This isn't just about whether your girlfriend minds or not. You might have twisted her emotions, made her think she's okay with it—whether you meant to or not. Or maybe, because of her upbringing, she's just used to accepting things as they are. But I do mind. I don't want to be part of some harem or a polyamorous relationship. I never did."

Her voice wavered, just for a second. But she steadied herself, her expression hardening once more.

"And I imagine Irene feels the same."

That part made me pause.

Irene had said she hated the idea at first… but she was slowly warming up to it. If she truly despised it, she wouldn't have joined me and Gabrielle that day in a threesome.

Well, they called it a competition, but still…

But that was the last thing Rose wanted to hear right now.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "Actually, I have a reason for coming here to talk to you." Finally, I got around to what I really needed to say.

She exhaled sharply, her expression hardening. "I don't care anymore."

Her voice was cold, resolute. She was done.

"I'm leaving. I'm going to another country—somewhere far away, somewhere you'll never reach me. Coming here was a mistake. I thought being near the Kingdom would be fine, that I'd moved on enough, but clearly, I was wrong. So I'll go somewhere you can't follow. Somewhere far enough that I can finally forget you."

Her emerald eyes burned with determination, but I could see it—the pain lurking beneath her fury, the sorrow hidden behind her fierce resolve. She had convinced herself this was the only way.

And yet… I wasn't done.

I had already wasted enough of her time, and she was ready to walk away. But I still hadn't told her the real reason I came here.

"There's more to the Eclipse than you think."

Her steps faltered. She stopped mid-stride.

That got her attention.

I pressed on. "Sesillian is only a small piece of the puzzle. Someone bigger is pulling the strings from the shadows."