The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 647 - 100 - Connection (3)

Titania had both of them step into the bath, gently guiding them like a mother tending to her children. With delicate care, she took the time to wash them herself, scrubbing away the dirt and fatigue that clung to their bodies like a second skin. The entire process felt less like cleaning and more like a ritual.

After some time, once their skin had regained its softness and their hair no longer felt coarse with grime, they were led to the clothing department. There, they were dressed in garments of refined quality... fabrics that shimmered faintly under the light.

It didn't take long before they began fidgeting uncomfortably. It was subtle at first, a hesitant glance downward, a tug at a sleeve, a furrow of the brows. They eventually voiced the question I expected. They wanted to know the price.

I didn't answer.

They didn't need to know. Some truths were better left unsaid. As the saying goes, ignorance is bliss—and in this case, it truly was.

But I knew. I knew exactly how much the clothes cost.

Seven gold coins.

That amount was far beyond what people like them could even dream of possessing. It was a number that would've made their mouths dry, their hearts sink, their hopes feel more distant.

Yet, I didn't care. Not one bit.

They needed these clothes. Right now, in this moment, it was essential. It was something that couldn't be compromised. So naturally, I gave it to them without hesitation. There was no reason not to.

"Well then," I said, glancing at the time, "it's about time we head to Flui Village."

"Ugh…" Yr groaned quietly, barely hiding her displeasure. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and her face twisted into a grimace. It was easy to tell what was going through her hea. She was already anticipating another miserable bout of motion sickness.

"Don't worry, Yr," I said, turning toward her with a reassuring smile. "The remaining distance is short. Just a little more and we'll be in Flui Village."

Though she looked far from enthusiastic, she begrudgingly nodded and stepped into the car. Her movements were slow, almost exaggerated, like she was dragging herself into a place of torment. Still, she complied.

And so, with the engine purring softly and the tires crunching over the gravel, we began our drive to the village.

The moment we arrived, the sight that greeted me filled me with unexpected warmth. Children were playing in front of the orphanage, their laughter echoing in the air like wind chimes dancing in a breeze. The orphanage itself had changed drastically. Its walls were freshly painted, the windows gleamed, and the entire place radiated life. It was brighter and a lot more studier.

I had donated quite a bit to this place over time. Seeing how the money had been used, how it had shaped the children's lives, I felt no urge to reveal my contribution. I didn't need to. Their smiles were enough.

Just watching them live so joyfully in this renewed environment stirred something deep in me. A subtle warmth blossomed in my chest, like embers glowing beneath the surface.

Then it happened.

One of the children spotted the approaching car. Panic immediately spread among them like wildfire.

"Ah! A monster! Sister Lily! A monster is coming!"

They screamed in alarm and scattered, darting back toward the orphanage like frightened deer. Moments later, the front door slammed open, and out came a woman in a nun's garb. Her expression was stern, eyes scanning the area like a hawk. In her hands, a sword, which was gleaming and battle-ready. The way she held it made it clear that she was prepared to defend the children with her life.

They had mistaken the car for a monster.

"Leon," Rose said sharply, her voice tinged with worry, "please clear up the misunderstanding before she swings that sword at my car."

I couldn't blame her. Rose's love for her car ran deep... Well, borderline obsessive, really. The thought of it being scratched or damaged by a blade would've been unbearable for her.

We pulled to a gentle stop in front of the orphanage. I stepped out calmly, trying not to alarm anyone further. The moment her eyes landed on me, the nun hesitated. Confusion flickered across her face. Her grip on the sword loosened.

"There's no need to worry, Sister Lily," I said in a composed voice. "It's not a monster."

"Brother Leon!" the children cried out in delight, their fear vanishing in an instant. They rushed toward me and clung to my legs with eager smiles and sparkling eyes. I looked down at them, startled by how much they'd grown since I last saw them. They were taller now and sturdier too. Time had certainly passed.

Sister Lily finally relaxed, lowering her weapon completely.

"I'm back, Sister Lily," I said softly.

It had been a year since I last stood here. A year since I left the village that shaped who I was.

"Yes. Good to see you back, Leon," Sister Lily replied with a kind smile, her expression softening with familiarity.

***

Together, Sister Lily and I led everyone to the large dining table. It was massive. Far larger than the one I remembered from years ago. Back then, it was modest, barely enough for all of us to squeeze around. Now, it stood proudly at the center of the room, polished and strong.

"This orphanage really has changed, hasn't it?" I said, looking around with quiet awe. "It doesn't feel like the same place I grew up in."

"Well," Sister Lily began with a thoughtful expression, "I'm not quite sure why, but we've been receiving a generous number of donations every single month. More than I ever expected. So I thought… why not use it to renovate? To make the orphanage more comfortable for the children?"

She smiled, looking at the others around the table.

"I've also been using it to buy better food and welcome even more orphans into our care. I think… this is a good thing. Something meaningful."

I nodded, taking in her words, the improvements, the happy faces surrounding us.

Yes. It truly was.

A quiet sense of satisfaction settled in my chest as I looked around. It genuinely made me happy to know that the money I had been donating all this time hadn't gone to waste. It was being used well—better than I expected. And seeing the results with my own eyes... it filled me with something warm. Relief, maybe. Nostalgia. A strange mix of both.

Sister Lily hadn't changed one bit. She was still the same soft-spoken, kind-hearted woman I remembered from my childhood. It was comforting, honestly. Familiar.

If my memory served me right, she was around the same age as Rose now. She'd always been six years older than me, and that fact still felt a little surreal. The first time I ever met Sister Lily was back when she had just been assigned to this orphanage. She had only been fifteen years old then—barely a teenager, and yet already carrying the quiet weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

And now, a full decade had passed. She was twenty-five, and time had clearly shaped her—matured her—but hadn't changed her soul in the slightest. I remembered those days vividly, how she used to sit down with us, telling stories with this dreamy, far-off look in her eyes. Her voice was always soothing, like a lullaby on a cold night. Just thinking about it now brought back a strange sense of comfort. It really had been good times.

"By the way, Leon…" her voice pulled me from my thoughts, gentle and unsure. "Um… who are they?"

That question was bound to come eventually. Completely understandable, too—after all, I hadn't arrived alone. I had four women with me. Four stunningly beautiful women. Each had their own presence, their own aura. One of them could probably be described as "cute," but even that word didn't do her justice—her beauty and sex appeal were just of a different kind.

"Ah… well…" I hesitated. The words tangled in my throat. It was already tough explaining a relationship to a parental figure, but explaining this situation? That I wasn't just with one woman, but all of them? Yeah. It was a whole different level of awkward.

"I'm his girlfriend!" Titania suddenly raised her hand proudly, her voice firm and unapologetic, like she was declaring something as obvious as the sky being blue.

"Oh…"

"Me too!" Trill chimed in, cheerful and full of energy, like she couldn't stand being left out of the declaration.

"Eh…?"

"…Yawnnnn~… Me too…" Yr added with a sleepy stretch, her voice sluggish but somehow carrying the same weight as the others. It was almost like she was too tired to care about the reactions, yet her words landed like a silent explosion in the room.

"Huh…?"

Sister Lily looked as though someone had just told her the sky had fallen. Her eyes blinked slowly, mouth slightly open, and for a moment, it seemed like her mind had stopped trying to process what was happening.

And then, her gaze drifted—almost mechanically—towards Rose. They were arguably the same age. Maybe that made it even more jarring for her to accept. Maybe that was the tipping point.

A light blush crept over Rose's cheeks. She looked away briefly, as if embarrassed to speak, then met Sister Lily's gaze again. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. "…I'm his… too…"

"H-Huh!?"

That was it. The dam broke. Sister Lily's calm composure cracked, and her disbelief finally spilled over. She stood up abruptly from her seat, eyes wide, expression caught between utter shock and mental short-circuiting. Like her brain had simply given up trying to keep up with the madness unfolding before her.