Villain's Odyssey: Enslaving heroines, Conquering Villainesses
Chapter 63: A Dangerous Game Begins

Chapter 63: Chapter 63: A Dangerous Game Begins

"We have a new addition to the class. Please introduce yourself," the professor said, gesturing toward Asher, who now faced a sea of students.

Asher nodded in understanding. "My name’s Asher," he said simply, then fell silent.

The professor gestured for him to continue, but Asher just offered a small smile that clearly communicated he had no intention of elaborating further. The professor sighed internally and began scanning the classroom for a suitable seat partner who might be able to help the new student.

"You will sit with Nathan—" he began, but was promptly interrupted.

"Professor!" came an enthusiastic voice from the back.

"Of course, it had to be you," the professor muttered under his breath, glancing at Tracy, whose hand was waving frantically in the air.

"What can I do for you, Miss Jerona?" he asked with barely concealed exasperation.

"He’s my friend! I think it would be better if he sat with me," she said with her most winning smile.

"No, I think that wouldn’t be wise," the professor replied flatly. There was a very good reason he kept her in that isolated corner of the classroom, quite far from her usual circle of chaos.

"Eh? Come on, Prof! I’ll be good, I swear!" Tracy said with such earnest conviction that it was almost believable.

The professor stared at her for a long moment, weighing his options. She looked determined and would definitely disrupt the class even more if he denied her request. He could always send her out, but that wouldn’t go over well with the dean. Tracy was one of the top elites predicted to make it to the Arcane Legacy, and Vermillion Academy was notoriously biased toward students with such prospects. His disciplinary options were frustratingly limited when it came to the elite ranks.

If it were any ordinary student, he knew a thousand and one ways to put them in their place. But not when it came to elites.

"And you?" he asked Asher, who simply nodded. "Yes, I know her."

With a resigned gesture, the professor directed him toward Tracy’s corner before heading to the podium to begin the day’s lecture. It was currently 8:45 AM, and there was a major test scheduled from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

As Asher walked toward his destination, he couldn’t help but scan the familiar faces around him. Anna was nowhere to be found among the crowd, along with several other students he’d subconsciously searched for. The classroom was packed with so many students that individual recognition was challenging.

However, he did spot Ansley, and beside him was... Maria? Something seemed off about her—were her eyes usually that dark? He could feel her staring at him with an intensity that bordered on obsessive.

Or perhaps I’m just making assumptions, he thought. It could be that she’s sensing some familiarity between the current me and Azalea.

After all, besides Isabella and Carmella, Maria had been closest to him. Not out of genuine affection, but out of obligation. She was his fiancée, after all, so she had to show some semblance of caring to maintain appearances. There was a chance she could sense some sort of familiarity—gut feelings did exist, even if they defied logical explanation.

Lost in thought, his gaze wandered until he caught sight of someone that made him frown. "Carmella," he murmured, spotting a girl seated alone, staring blankly at the ceiling.

For a split second, he felt... sad. Genuinely sad seeing her so isolated, so lonely. This wasn’t an emotion he’d willingly showcased—this was his true feeling breaking through.

Perhaps I did develop some form of affection for her that I wasn’t even aware of, he realized.

She was a trigger. Another established fact. The sight of her alone had provoked genuine emotions, which was evidence enough. He needed to stay away from her until he could control himself even in the presence of such triggers.

"Good morning!" Tracy chirped with a brilliant smile as he approached her corner.

"Morning," he replied, settling into the seat she enthusiastically patted beside her.

"Heh," she grinned, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear in what she probably thought was a casual gesture. "If you don’t mind me asking, where did you come from?"

She propped her elbows on the wooden desk, resting her chin on her palms in a pose that completely ignored the professor who had already begun lecturing.

"Sorry, but I can’t say," Asher replied with a strained smile.

"Eh? It’s a secret?" she asked, tilting her head with curious eyes.

"No, it’s not," he said carefully.

"Oh... then it’s personal. Don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me," she said, her voice genuinely kind and understanding.

If Asher didn’t know her true nature, he might have been fooled by her behavior. But it didn’t matter, anyway. He’d spent the previous night thinking long and hard about his next move, and had reached a calculated conclusion.

He would use Tracy.

The reasoning was sound: she was powerful—far more powerful than most elites. In fact, the only person who could really defeat her in an all-out battle was Jenny. This was due to her ability, which was essentially broken except for the fact that it made her lose control and let her emotions take over. That was the real reason she never used her true ability within the academy, but even without it, she managed to maintain her elite status.

The other reason for his decision was simpler: he felt she would be easier to control, given her obvious attraction to him. He just needed to build on that foundation and solidify a relationship with her to ensure his protection until he could defend himself and build enough strength for the Arcane Legacy entrance examination.

But building such a relationship would take time, so he decided to make a move that would change everything.

"No, it’s not that," he said, allowing a hint of sadness to creep into his voice. "I just can’t remember."

"Remember?" she repeated, her frown deepening with concern.

I’ll deepen her interest in me, he thought, and make her my girlfriend.

But that decision—that seemingly clever manipulation—would eventually become the worst mistake he ever made.

"You mean... you lost your memory?" Tracy’s voice was soft now, filled with genuine worry.