Villain's Odyssey: Enslaving heroines, Conquering Villainesses
Chapter 39: Natalia

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Natalia

[For a moment there, I almost got fooled. You’re getting better at this,] came the voice in Asher’s head as he maintained his composed smile, pushing the wheelchair through a corridor after they’d exited the elevator. They’d arrived at a door marked with elegant script.

"Let me just get my card. I’ll be quick," Natalia said, placing her hand on the knob. A soft clicking sound echoed, and the door swung open automatically. She rolled inside while Asher waited in the hallway.

As the door closed behind her, he leaned against it casually. I’ve been thinking deeply about what you said, he thought.

[Concerning what?]

About my display of emotions... I can’t portray what I can’t feel, right?

[Right... So?]

I found a solution to the problem.

[A solution? How?] The voice sounded genuinely confused. It was certain Asher’s emotions were still fully restrained. Aside from the incident with that trigger—the young woman they’d spoken to—there should be no other way to access those feelings.

By using my past life memories as Noel to trigger certain emotions, Asher explained matter-of-factly.

[WHAT?! If you used your memories as triggers, why didn’t I sense your emotions being released? I certainly sensed it back with that woman, so why not now?]

Emilia?

[Yes.]

I don’t know. Perhaps it’s because I only felt those emotions so deeply because, for a moment, she seemed exactly like Emilia from my past life, he mused. Whereas the emotions I trigger with my past life’s memories don’t elicit as much response as facing her did.

[So basically, you only feel a fraction of anger, sadness, and all that, then exaggerate it to perform these ’acts’?] The voice sounded incredulous.

The entity was baffled. This shouldn’t be possible. You couldn’t simply choose which memories to remember—once you opened that door, other memories, wanted or not, came flooding back. If he was truly gaining sincere emotions from previous memories, it should be chaos. When someone chose to remember a sad moment, there was an 80% chance of also remembering something funny, thereby ruining the desired emotional state. So how was he managing this so perfectly that even the entity was fooled?

Basically, yes. It’s not as complicated as it seems, Asher continued with almost scientific detachment. I just have to remember an intense memory—one powerful enough to act as a trigger—then focus on it, trying to recall exactly how I felt at that moment. The restrained emotions react automatically to this memory, and even though they don’t return completely, their reaction teaches me how to portray the required feeling.

This explanation was confusing not only the entity but probably any omniscient observer out there!

[That’s... stupid. It makes no sense,]

I see. Well, it’s no use explaining further. Just watch me.

This didn’t help. At this point, the entity had become a mere spectator—one that could be fooled just as easily and wouldn’t even realize it.

[Isn’t it better if I just unseal your emotions?]

No, this is more efficient. Even if I don’t fully feel those emotions, just those little slips of feeling were already trying to influence me...

[Azalea.]

Asher’s mental voice grew quieter, more reflective. Even after everything, he remains hopeless. Perhaps that was my curse even in my previous life... I feel too much.

Click.

He stepped away from the door as it swung open, revealing a girl with striking blue hair and warm almond eyes, seated in her wheelchair and holding a small handbag—the kind young women carried for outings rather than school.

"Ready?" he asked with a gentle smile.

She nodded, and he moved behind the wheelchair, grasping the handles to push her forward.

"So, what would you like to know..." She trailed off, then looked back at him with sudden embarrassment.

"S-sorry, I... forgot to ask your name," she said, sounding mortified.

"No need to apologize. I didn’t get your name either," he replied with such a sweet smile that her cheeks immediately flushed a delicate shade of red.

Why does he have to be so cute? It’s not fair! she protested silently, keeping her expression composed.

"Asher," he said, releasing the wheelchair handles and walking around to face her. He extended his hand with a playful smile. "Nice to meet you."

Natalia shook her head a couple of times as if clearing her thoughts, then replied quickly, "Natalia Polaris." She looked at his outstretched hand for a moment before taking it, surprised by how warm and strangely soft it was. "Nice to meet you too," she managed, feeling her heart racing.

This was the first boy who had been genuinely friendly with her—the first she’d felt comfortable talking to. It wasn’t that she hadn’t spoken to other boys before; it was just that they never felt ’real’ to her. Their shows of care always seemed fake, calculated attempts to get close and use her connection to the name she bore.

Polaris.

One of the highest-ranked noble families involved in foreign affairs in Morntelia. They were extremely wealthy and influential—which was precisely why she never trusted anyone’s motives. This was also why she felt a flutter of genuine happiness hearing he was a new student. He didn’t know who she was, yet he acted this way, completely ignoring her condition that many would consider a burden. She wasn’t well-liked in her own house and avoided popular gatherings, so most people outside her immediate circle didn’t know about her... well, except her classmates who knew her surname. That’s why she was certain he was clueless about her family’s status.

"Alright. Since I have no idea where to start, I’ll leave it to you. Just show me the places you like to go," he said cheerfully.

He didn’t react to my name... wait, he doesn’t have a surname?! I thought he was a noble, she thought, maintaining her shy, blushing exterior while her mind raced with possibilities.

She wasn’t naive, despite her introverted nature. She knew exactly how calculating people could be.

She’d told him her name expecting some shift in his behavior or demeanor, but he remained completely natural, as though the Polaris name meant nothing to him. It was... refreshing.

"Okay," she smiled, and this time it was completely genuine.

"Let’s start with my favorite restaurant," she suggested, and he moved behind her wheelchair again, heading toward the elevator with an easy confidence that made her heart flutter all over again.