The World Is Mine For The Taking

The landscape stretched out in an endless sea of green. Crops were planted in neat rows, thriving under good agricultural management—anyone could see that. I trailed behind Rose as she walked down the narrow path, leading us to a lone house standing out against the backdrop of trees. It was a perfect spot for a countryside home. Honestly, I could see myself living here.

As we neared the entrance, a dog barked at us from the yard, no gate to keep it back. But all it took was one fierce glare from Rose, and the dog instantly went silent, tucking its tail between its legs. Not even a dog dared challenge her authority.

When we reached the front door, Rose knocked firmly.

"Oh?" A voice called from inside. "Rose? Is that you?"

"Yes, sister, it’s me," Rose answered.

Sister? I had no clue she had one. Then again, we never talked long enough for me to know if she had siblings.

"Oh, Rose! It’s been so long!" a voice called from inside, and soon after, a woman who looked to be in her thirties stepped out, a baby nestled against her chest. Her face was soft, motherly, but tired, as if she hadn’t had a break in months.

Rose’s expression darkened. "What kind of husband leaves his wife and child alone in a house stuck in the middle of nowhere?"

"Philip’s just trying to bring in more for us," her sister replied, her voice calm, though there was a hint of defensiveness. "Besides, it’s safe here. You don’t need to worry."

"Tsk." Rose clicked her tongue. It was obvious she and her sister’s husband didn’t get along at all.

"Why’d you come by?" her sister asked.

"Well, I had some work to handle around here, so since I was already in the neighborhood, I thought I might as well drop by and visit."

Her sister’s lips curved into a warm smile, a glimmer of appreciation in her eyes. "Aww, it’s sweet of you to think of me," she said, her voice soft and inviting. "Anyway, why don’t you come in?"

"Nah, I just wanted to swing by and say hello. We’re actually heading out now," she replied, her tone brisk as she turned to leave.

"Oh..." Her sister’s expression faltered, the smile fading as her gaze shifted to me. Her eyes widened with surprise and interest. "Oh? Well, well, who’s this young man, Rose?"

"He’s just someone coming with me. That’s all there is to it," she said.

As she was about to leave, I spoke up.

"Is it okay if I stay for a bit?" I asked the lady.

Rose glanced back at me, clearly surprised.

"Of course, you’re more than welcome," she said, her smile bright and genuine.

***

I stepped into the house with Professor Rose. The place was a charming wooden house that could easily be mistaken for a cozy cabin. Shelves lined with books filled nearly every wall. It was clear that this woman, like Rose, was a true bookworm.

"Wait a moment. I’ll make us some tea," the woman said with a warm smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Thank you," I responded, my voice soft as I watched her go.

As soon as she was out of sight, Rose yanked me by the collar and shoved me against the wall with a violent thrust. Her eyes blazed with unrestrained anger, the fury in them almost palpable.

"What the hell are you up to, Leon?"

"Didn’t you notice it already?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tension. Beneath her clothes, I could see the marks of severe abuse—signs that went beyond a simple beating. Bruises and welts marred her body, clearly the work of someone who knew how to inflict pain where it could be easily hidden.

It was likely her husband who did this, hitting her in places concealed by her clothes, leaving her in a state of almost unbearable suffering.

Her grip on my collar faltered, her fingers trembling slightly. "How did you notice that?"

"I’ve got a sharp eye for details. I can sense when something’s wrong with someone’s body just from the way they move. When I spot an irregularity in their gait or how they carry themselves, I activate my Perfect Eyesight to cut through the surface and see what’s really going on."

"P-Perfect Eyesight? So, you’re not completely skillless after all."

"I’m not. You saw it yesterday, didn’t you? I activated a Guardian right in front of you."

She’d already seen that I wasn’t as skillless as I seemed, so there was no point in hiding it any longer.

"But how do you have two skills?" she asked.

"That’s not what’s really important right now," I said urgently. "Your sister is on the brink of collapse, and—"

Before I could finish, a heavy thud echoed through the house, the kind of sound that comes from someone hitting the floor hard. Experience more on NovelBin.Côm

"Grace!"

Rose bolted toward the kitchen, and I raced after her. We found the woman sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Thankfully, the baby wasn’t with her when she fell.

"Grace!" Rose rushed to her sister’s side, desperately shaking her. Grace remained unresponsive, her body limp. Rose hastily lifted her clothes, revealing a horrifying sight—bruises splattered across her body in dark, bluish hues, a brutal mark of the violence she had endured.

With magic being so prevalent, healing her with a spell would be straightforward. However, I couldn’t just heal her yet. Healing magic could mend physical injuries, but it was powerless against mental trauma. This woman was probably deeply in love with the man who abused her, going so far as to conceal the bruises to avoid detection.

If I healed her while she was unconscious, she might wake up believing it was all just a bad dream, unable to confront the truth of her husband’s brutality.

This was a severe case of domestic violence. I hadn’t encountered much of this before; my parents had rarely fought when I was growing up. The first time I witnessed something like this was with Akane, who was being beaten by her drunk father.