The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 1307 - 198 - The Fall Of Milham Kingdom - Part 4 (7)

"What would I even get out of this?" Freta asked, her voice carrying a mix of skepticism and mild annoyance, like she had already gone over this question in her head more than once. She shifted slightly in her seat, her gaze drifting off for a moment before returning to Myrcella. "I’m not even sure the right amount of money would make this kind of job worth it. It’s not exactly something as easy as teaching, you know?" she added.

Myrcella didn’t react immediately. "I understand," she said at last. "Then how about a personal facility? One that allows you to continue your experimentations without restrictions."

That single sentence shifted something in the air.

Freta’s attention snapped back almost instantly. She turned her body fully toward Myrcella this time, no longer half-distracted. Her feet, which had been lazily propped up before, came down to the floor with a soft thud. She leaned forward, resting her elbow against her legs, her posture now openly engaged.

"Heh...~" A slow, amused smirk spread across her face, her eyes narrowing just slightly. "Well, that’s definitely an interesting offer." She tapped her fingers lightly against her knee, as if considering it. "Honestly, I would’ve accepted that without much thought." A short pause followed, her smile sharpening just a bit. "But if I’m going to continue my experiments, I’ll need a lot of samples to work with."

Myrcella didn’t hesitate. "You won’t have to worry about that," she said. "There are currently many traitors in the kingdom who... can’t be placed in dungeons. There simply isn’t enough space for all of them."

For a brief moment, silence settled between them.

"Oh..." Freta’s lips curled upward. There was something almost playful in the way her eyes gleamed, though it carried an edge that made it clear she wasn’t joking. "But for that to happen," she continued, tilting her head ever so slightly, "you’ll have to win, Princess. Can you actually do it?"

That question hung in the air, heavier than the ones before it.

Everything depended on that.

If Myrcella wanted to fulfill what Freta desired, there was only one path forward. She had to win the battle against those fighting for the throne. There was no compromise and no second option tucked away somewhere safe. Victory wasn’t just a goal. It was a requirement.

And Freta, in her own way, was making sure Myrcella understood that completely.

Myrcella didn’t look bothered. She didn’t even pause for long.

A small smile formed on her lips.

"You don’t need to worry," she said. "I will win."

Freta studied her for a second longer, as if trying to see whether there was any hesitation hiding beneath that composure. Whatever she was looking for, she either found it or decided it didn’t matter.

"If that’s the case," she said with a small nod, leaning back just slightly, "then you have my word. I’ll serve as one of your administrators. Though, for reference, I’d like to know who else will be working alongside me. Someone has to keep things from turning into a mess."

"I’ll have to keep that a secret for now," Myrcella replied. "But I can at least tell you who I have in mind at the moment." Her gaze shifted, landing on Lilia.

Lilia, who had been quietly observing up until now, blinked as she noticed the attention directed at her. "Wait... me?" she asked, clearly caught off guard, her brows knitting together.

"Since you’re the commander of the Magic Knights," Myrcella explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "it only makes sense for you to take on the role of an administrator as well. You’ll be managing those who are set to graduate."

Lilia’s expression tightened almost immediately. "I can’t exactly handle being both a commander and an administrator at the same time," she said.

"You won’t have to worry about that," Myrcella said. "Your role as an administrator will mainly focus on selecting who becomes a Magic Knight. That’s essentially it." She gave a small, almost reassuring nod. "There may be moments when I’ll need your help with other matters, but nothing you can’t manage."

"Ugh..." Lilia let out a low groan, dragging a hand down her face. "I can’t believe you’re playing me like this." She shot Myrcella a look, half annoyed and half resigned. "You’ve really become quite the oppressive leader, haven’t you?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"I wouldn’t say that," Myrcella replied smoothly. "I’m just making use of the resources I have."

There was something about the way she said it that made it hard to argue back. She wasn’t being forceful for the sake of it. She had already decided on her course of action, and everything she said simply followed that decision.

"Well then," Freta chimed in, "I’ll just watch how all of this plays out." Her tone softened just a bit. "Unfortunately, I won’t be able to help you in the battle ahead. Politics isn’t exactly my area." She paused, then added with a faint smile, "Still, I wish you good luck."

With that, she saw us off.

For now, it seemed Myrcella had finished what she came here to do.

"Alright then," she said, turning slightly as if already moving on to the next task in her mind, "let’s head to the council office."

We followed without much hesitation. The council office wasn’t far, just a short walk from the staff room.

The room itself was still in decent condition. Nothing was broken or out of place, but there was a certain stillness to it. A thin layer of dust had begun to settle over surfaces that used to be spotless, catching the light in a way that made it obvious no one had been maintaining it for a while.

The reason was clear enough.

Johanne, Tris, and Hertrude had moved their operations elsewhere, choosing to work in the library instead. Given everything going on, they needed more space as well as more room to think and plan without feeling boxed in.

And then there was Titania.

She used to clean this place every single day, without fail. Now she was staying somewhere undisclosed with her father, and the absence showed itself in small, quiet ways like this.

"Well then," Myrcella said, "I suppose it’s time to inform the cadets."

Her eyes settled on the device resting there.

It didn’t look like much at first glance, but it served an important purpose. It was actually an announcer. Something that could carry her voice across the entire academy, reaching every corner without effort.

Right now, that was exactly what she needed.

She stepped closer, her expression steady, as if she had already decided what she was going to say.

And right now, she was about to use it to calm everyone down.