The World Is Mine For The Taking

"Sir Leon, I'm really grateful you made me the official designer for Leonamon's clothing," Krista said with a warm smile. "I never imagined my life would change so much after you took me in. The girls are also thankful—you've given them a chance to live with dignity as women, not stuck in a profession that left them without any at all."

"I'm just as thankful for their work," I replied. "I've heard the branch there is bringing in more profit than any other location."

Krista nodded, her expression a mix of pride and reflection. "That's because they've maintained connections with many of their former customers from back when they were prostitutes. Naturally, those bonds turned into valuable relationships for our current business. Even though that life was a nightmare for some of them, many did form special connections. There were moments they actually enjoyed, and some of their customers were genuinely grateful. Most of them were adventurers or mercenaries who sought comfort before heading into battle—or relief after surviving one. The girls helped them alleviate their fears, and in return, those customers have become loyal supporters of the shop now."

"I see…"

I couldn't say I condoned prostitution or saw it as something good, but I couldn't ignore the effort these women put into providing comfort to men who needed it. Sometimes, men just needed to escape their fears, and nothing could replace the warmth of a woman in those moments. I'd read plenty of novels that romanticized the idea of brothels being a remedy for battle-worn soldiers. Back then, there weren't therapists or mental health professionals to ensure people's well-being. In many ways, prostitutes acted as informal therapists, helping relieve the mental stress of the men they served.

"Miss Martha is doing better—much better than we initially expected," Krista continued, her gaze shifting toward the young woman. "After everything she's been through, it's no surprise she turned reclusive for a while."

The way Krista looked at Martha, who was speaking softly to one of the ex-prostitutes in training who I bought from her when we first met, carried a tinge of pity. It wasn't misplaced, and I shared her sentiment. Witnessing something so horrific, especially after enduring her own trauma, would naturally leave scars.

Krista had told me about the incident herself. Back when Leonamon's pastry shop was still operating as a brothel, one of the prostitutes hanged herself. Martha had stumbled upon the scene and started screaming uncontrollably. When I heard about it, I immediately wanted to check on her, but her grandmother insisted she needed time to recover. That was months ago, and now, this was the first time I'd seen her since.

"I'm really glad she's doing okay now," I said, a soft smile tugging at my lips.

"Actually, the reason she's here is because she wanted to meet you," Krista replied, her own smile warm and genuine. "She heard you've been trying to reach out to her, but she just didn't have the chance to see you and thank you all these days. When she heard you wanted me to come, she said she wanted to join me, and that's why we're both here now."

"I see..."

It was a relief to know she was doing well, but seeing her in person was so much better. For some reason, I couldn't stop myself from staring at her. She reminded me so much of my sister from my past life—her demeanor, her soft smile, everything. If there was even the slightest chance she could be my sister, somehow reincarnated here as Martha, what would I feel? Would I be happy? Would I cry? I probably would. No, I definitely would. But the chances of that were so slim it was almost laughable.

Before those thoughts could completely consume me, I shook my head, forcing myself back to the present.

***

While Krista busied herself crafting clothes for me, I decided to head over to the Leonamon hospital. What had once been just an underground facility had grown into a full-fledged building, standing tall and proud.

The hospital could house up to 5,000 patients, with enough rooms and staff to handle the crowd. As I walked through the halls, I saw the bustle of staff tending to the sick and injured, their dedication evident in every step they took.

Eventually, I made my way to Zeruel's mother's room. Knocking lightly on the door, I waited. Almost immediately, I heard hurried footsteps from the other side. The door swung open to reveal a beautiful young woman with brown hair and a bright smile.

"Brother Leon!" she exclaimed.

We weren't related by blood, but Selene insisted on calling me her brother. Not that I minded—it felt kind of nice, actually. Having someone as cute as her calling me "brother" was something I welcomed wholeheartedly.

"Selene," I greeted, ruffling her hair with a smirk.

She giggled, her laughter soft and sweet, leaning into my touch. "Hehehe…"

"Is your sister here?" I asked after a moment.

Her expression shifted into a pout as she crossed her arms. "Did you only come here to look for my sister, Brother Leon?"

"I came to see you, of course," I said, chuckling. "And to check on your mother as well."

I wasn't lying. I genuinely wanted to see how their mother was doing. But at the same time, guilt nagged at me. After all, the night before, Zeruel had caught me in the middle of a threesome with Trill and Titania in the hot spring. She'd been so shocked she ran off, probably back to her room. None of us had realized she'd also been staying in the Gold Dormitory that night. Thankfully, Zeruel wasn't the type to snitch—or at least, I hoped not.

"My mother's fine," Selene replied, her voice quieter now. "Doctor Natasha said there's no change, but she hasn't shown any signs of waking up yet."

I stepped into the room with her, walking to the bedside of the patient. Zeruel's mother lay there, her eyes closed as if she were in a peaceful sleep. At first glance, she looked like she was just resting, but the tubes and magic implements surrounding her told a different story.

She was in a coma, her life sustained only by the magic apparatus wrapped around her body. It was a disease with no known cure, a condition that kept her trapped in this state. Recently, I'd learned of a potential cure, but the method was risky—degrading, rather, especially for someone in a comatose state. I hadn't acted on it yet—I needed to talk to Zeruel first. If she thought it was wrong, I'd search for another solution, no matter how long it took, even if it meant years—or centuries.

"I wonder... when she's going to wake up…"

Even Selene couldn't hide her worry.

"Don't worry," I told her, my voice firm yet gentle. "I promise I'll do whatever it takes to help your mother."

After reassuring her, I requested the doctors to show me some of the test results they had conducted on Zeruel's mother. From what I saw, there wasn't anything physically or medically wrong with her. It was as though she was simply sleeping, trapped in a state that defied reason. I could only hope she would recover soon.

***

After my visit, I decided to check on Martha, who was currently with the Shadows.

"Is that so? Thank goodness..."

Most of the Shadows had once been prostitutes in training under Martha's management. After I bought them from her, I gave them the freedom to leave if they wished, but they all chose to stay with me. Over time, some became idols, others took on management roles, and a few became the Shadows, a team working in the shadows—figuratively and literally.

Martha was catching up with them, listening as they told her how much they missed her and how they worried about the mental scars she had carried. Seeing her now, standing strong and saying she was okay, filled Bernadette and the others with relief. Martha had been like an older sister to them, always looking out for their well-being.

As I watched from a distance, Martha's gaze met mine. After saying her goodbyes to Bernadette and the others, she approached me.

"I see you're standing on your own two feet now," I said, a hint of a smile playing on my lips.

"Well, I've been doing rehabilitation to get my legs working again," she replied with a soft laugh. "I'm really grateful for that. If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be stuck in a wheelchair."

I'd been involved in her recovery, working alongside the doctors from the Leonamon hospital to help her regain her mobility. It wasn't just out of obligation—I genuinely wanted to help her.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" she asked, but then quickly added, "Oh, wait. You're probably busy. I shouldn't be asking when you've got so much going on."

"It's fine," I assured her. "I've got plenty of time before the wedding, so spending it catching up with you sounds like a good idea." Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire

Her smile widened, and for a moment, I was struck again by how much it resembled my sister's.