The World Is Mine For The Taking
Chapter 773 - 120 - Delusional Woman (1)

Chapter 773: Chapter 120 - Delusional Woman (1)

Leon’s POV

Lately, something about Isiliraiellyn had been... off.

It wasn’t just a subtle shift either. I mean, it was very clear, even if no one else seemed to notice it. There was a different glimmer in her eyes whenever she looked at me. Like a flicker of restrained excitement just beneath her calm surface, almost like she was trying to hide how much her attention had turned toward me.

But more than just that, her gaze had changed. It wasn’t casual anymore... it was sharp, focused, almost intense in a way that felt like it could pierce right through me.

I could’ve easily written it off as a reaction to the video I sent her. That alone might’ve explained the odd tension in the air between us now.

And yet... she hadn’t said a word about it. Not even a passing mention.

If anything, I expected her to approach me by now—especially with the way her eyes practically lit up every time they found me. That look alone screamed anticipation.

But strangely enough, she hadn’t done anything remotely like that. Not even a conversation. No subtle gestures. Nothing.

Still, it didn’t really matter.

She seemed like she was on the verge of falling right into my arms anyway. I figured I’d just wait it out. She’d come to me eventually—it was only a matter of time.

While I sat through a lecture, slouched in my chair and yawning as I barely clung to consciousness, I felt a faint but familiar pressure.

Someone’s eyes were on me.

I shifted my gaze downward, and there it was—Zeruel.

She was staring at me, quiet and unmoving. But the moment I looked back, her eyes flinched, and she instantly turned away—pretending to be focused on scribbling lecture notes.

Like she hadn’t just been watching me intently for who-knows-how-long.

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t think too much of it. She’d been doing that more frequently lately. I figured it was just another strange mood swing on her end.

After what felt like forever, the lecture finally drew to a close.

"Remember to pass that before the end of the day today at my office," the instructor announced in his usual dry, lifeless tone.

He was an older man. He was bearded, slow, and dreadfully dull. The kind of person who could make even the most interesting topic sound like watching paint dry.

His words came in like a slow wave and rolled right back out again, leaving nothing behind in your mind.

If you had the misfortune of sitting through one of his lectures for even just an hour, odds were you’d fall asleep within the first ten minutes.

Five, if you were particularly sleep-deprived.

Dozing off in the academy wasn’t exactly a punishable offense, but the instructors would definitely dock points from your evaluation.

And your rank would drop as a result.

The cadets near the bottom? Yeah, they slept all the time. They had nothing to lose, after all

But the ones near the top? They kept their eyes wide open no matter how boring things got. Reputation and ranking mattered more than rest.

I barely registered most of the lecture. Just more numbers and nonsense. While the teacher droned on about equations, I half-listened, half-dozed—until he finally ended with a reminder about the assignment due later.

Basic algebra formulas with added magical theory. Just a mix of spellcasting fundamentals and theoretical application.

Nothing groundbreaking, and nothing I hadn’t seen before.

It was one of those hybrid lessons—less about learning magic itself, more about how math and spell mechanics intertwined.

Boring stuff, really.

After letting out one final yawn and stepping out of the classroom, I felt someone tug at me—gentle, but firm.

"Let’s go and eat together with us, Leon!" Titania chirped, her voice full of warmth.

I glanced at her and smiled. The way she beamed up at me, eyes shining and cheeks slightly flushed, made it impossible to refuse.

My girlfriend was always full of energy.

"Ah...!"

A soft gasp rang out behind me.

I instinctively turned my head—and caught sight of Zeruel.

She had her hand outstretched toward me, as if about to grab my sleeve—but froze mid-motion, caught off guard.

The moment our eyes met, she pulled her hand back and abruptly turned on her heel.

She ran.

Like she’d just realized how strange she was acting.

...Did she need something from me?

"Can you go ahead without me first?" I asked Titania, keeping my tone calm.

I was going to go with her, I really was—but something about Zeruel’s reaction intrigued me.There was hesitation, panic, something more than just awkwardness.

And I didn’t want to miss the chance to see what she was trying to do.

Tracking her down wasn’t exactly easy. The academy was massive, after all. Hallways twisted like mazes, and the buildings weren’t always connected.

But thankfully, there was something I could rely on: mana.

Every person had a unique magical signature—a distinct pressure that lingered in the air if you were sensitive enough to feel it.

And Zeruel’s mana was unmistakable. Delicate, light, and tinged with something... sharp.

Following that lingering trace through the halls, I eventually found her.

She was sitting alone on one of the staircases leading up to the second floor of the second-years’ building.

She looked... quiet. Almost smaller than usual.

In her hands, she held a sandwich, nibbling on it in tiny, precise bites.

Beside her was a lunchbox, still half-full, the contents neat and untouched.

"So you’re eating here?" I said, my voice breaking the silence.

She flinched so hard I almost heard her bones creak. Her body jolted, and her wide eyes darted straight to mine.

"L-Leon?!" she squeaked—and then immediately coughed as she swallowed wrong, choking on her bite.

I moved toward her quickly, patting her back gently as she wheezed.

It took a few moments, but she finally coughed it out, gasping for breath.

"Cough... Cough...!" she wheezed, a small tear forming at the corner of her eye from the strain."W-Why are you here?" she asked, still catching her breath.

"I noticed earlier that you looked like you wanted to say something," I replied, voice calm and direct. "So I came here to ask what that was about."

"Ah... T-That’s really nothing, honestly..." she mumbled, face flushing red.

Then, in a quieter tone, she added, "W-Well... not entirely nothing..."

She glanced down shyly, and her hand moved slowly toward the lunchbox sitting beside her.