The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1302 - 198 - The Fall Of Milham Kingdom - Part 4 (2)
The Shadows were finally beginning to gather something useful, actual leads that pointed toward this Claire woman instead of the usual dead ends and vague rumors. It wasn’t much yet, just fragments that passed through the right channels, but it was still progress. At this point, even the smallest hint felt like a win.
Tracking her down, though, was a completely different problem.
For someone like her, someone with that level of reach and connections, disappearing wasn’t even difficult. It was practically second nature. The more we learned about her, the more it became obvious that she had ways to stay hidden that normal people wouldn’t even think of. Still, no matter how deep she buried herself, we had to find her. There wasn’t really another option.
"She might be hiding underground, for all we know," Dorothea said, her tone casual, like she was just commenting on the weather.
She took a slow drag from her cigarette, exhaling a thin stream of smoke that curled lazily into the air before fading. The way she looked right now was... different. Not bad, just different enough to catch me off guard.
She wasn’t wearing anything particularly revealing. In fact, it was the opposite. Her clothes covered her properly, which already made it unusual. Still, there was something about it that made it stand out. It wasn’t sexy in the usual sense, not the kind that made people stare for obvious reasons. It was more like... it just looked good. A kind of visual heat that didn’t rely on skin or curves, just the way it all came together.
Winter had just passed, and the air had started to warm up again. That slight shift in temperature made everything feel a bit lighter, a bit less stiff. Maybe that was why seeing her like this felt so refreshing.
Usually, she stuck to that virgin-killer outfit of hers. Seeing her fully covered for once almost felt like spotting a rare event. It was strange, but in a good way.
"What is it, Master?" she said, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. "You’re staring at me with those lewd eyes again. I do enjoy the idea of getting fucked, but doing it in a public place like this feels a bit much, don’t you think?"
"I’m not thinking that at all," I said immediately. "I’m just surprised, that’s all. You wearing something like that is... new."
She raised a brow slightly, a faint smile forming on her lips.
"Well, I am a witch, after all. It’s only natural that I wear clothes like these, wouldn’t you agree?"
I paused for a second, then shrugged.
"Yeah, sure. If you say so."
That wasn’t really what I meant, but arguing with her about fashion choices felt like a losing battle. Better to just let it go before it turned into something unnecessarily complicated.
"Why do you think she’s hiding underground?" I asked, steering the conversation back to something that actually mattered.
"Well, I know that woman," Dorothea replied, her voice lowering just a bit, like she was recalling something unpleasant. "She used to work as a prostitute in one of the brothels in the kingdom. Before that, she was kept as a sex slave by some noble with questionable tastes. Most of her life was spent like that."
She took another drag before continuing, her expression unreadable.
"She’s had a tragic past. Anyone who’s even slightly aware of what goes on in the Kingdom’s entertainment district would know how bad it can get. I happen to be more than just slightly aware, so I know how much she struggled."
Her fingers tapped lightly against the side of her cigarette.
"There was also an incident. She killed a customer back then. That was the last time I heard anything about her. After that, she just vanished. I didn’t expect her to end up like this, but thinking about it now... maybe it was inevitable. A person can only go through so much before something breaks." 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
I listened quietly, letting her words settle.
Understanding someone’s past didn’t automatically mean forgiving what they became. It explained things, sure, but it didn’t erase the present. Whatever Claire had turned into now, whatever she was doing, that was what mattered.
Sympathy didn’t really have a place here anymore.
"So?" I prompted.
"Well," she said, flicking the ash away, "she has the ability to phase through solid objects. Walls, floors, or anything like that. Given that, there aren’t many places she could hide where people wouldn’t notice. Underground makes the most sense."
That actually lined up.
If I had that kind of ability and people were hunting me down, I’d definitely use it. Hiding inside walls, slipping through structures, maybe even staying beneath the ground where no one could easily reach. It sounded effective, but also inconvenient.
Breathing, for one, would be an issue.
Then again, I didn’t fully understand her abilities. Maybe that limitation didn’t apply to her. Maybe she had already found a way around it.
"Alright," I said. "I’ll keep that in mind."
I glanced at her for a moment before adding, "Be careful, though. Gaspard and Moriarty already know you were the one who looked into that ritual he performed. If they decide to act on it, you’ll be one of their targets. And since you’re with me, that just makes it worse."
She smiled, completely unfazed.
"Don’t worry, Master. I’m more than capable of handling myself."
She even gave a small wink, like she was trying to reassure me or maybe just enjoying the situation more than she should.
Confidence wasn’t something she lacked, and for good reason. She wasn’t just any witch. Her reputation wasn’t built on empty claims. Being known as one of the most fearsome witches in modern history wasn’t something you got by being weak.
She could take care of herself.
Still, habits were hard to shake.
I leaned in slightly and pressed a quick kiss against her lips. It was brief, but enough to catch her off guard. A faint blush crept onto her face, which was honestly a bit satisfying to see.
Without saying anything else, I turned and walked away.
***
Dorothea’s POV
I watched as Master’s figure slowly grew smaller, each step he took putting more distance between us.
A quiet sigh slipped past my lips.
It wasn’t like I didn’t understand. He was busy, focused on the mission, and doing what needed to be done. Complaining about it wouldn’t change anything. Still, that didn’t mean I had to like it.
Being ignored, even for valid reasons, was never fun.
I rested my chin on my hand, my gaze still fixed on the direction he had gone.
Then, just as I was about to lose sight of him completely, someone suddenly took a seat right in front of me.
"Hey," I snapped, irritation creeping into my voice. "Can’t you see I’m watching Master walk away? This is my moment. My chance to admire him before he completely disappears from view."
"Phew..."
The woman across from me gently blew on the surface of her coffee, completely unbothered.
"As expected," she said, taking a small sip. "You’ve changed, Dorothea. You’re not the same person I used to know."
I blinked, the voice finally clicking in my head.
"Wait... Luna?"
She was wearing a cloak, the fabric draped in a way that hid most of her features. That was probably why I didn’t recognize her immediately. Still, once I actually looked, there was no mistaking her.
A catwoman, her skin a deep, striking shade of dark.
The Dark Witch.
"Long time no see," she said, setting her cup down with a soft clink.
