Taming SSR And UR RANK Superwomen-Chapter 33 — Ashley’s Room

The Academy of New Promises stood imposingly at the end of a wide, well-lit avenue. Modern towers with expansive windows, perfectly manicured gardens, and an elegant yet secure perimeter fence surrounded the campus.

At the main entrance, a security booth was staffed with uniformed guards. Thomas slowed as he approached. His usual confidence evaporated instantly.

’Too late to back out now.’

One of the guards looked at him with a professional expression.

"Visiting?"

Thomas cleared his throat.

"Yes. I’m looking for a student. Ashley... Ashley Reinhart."

The guard typed on a tablet.

"Do you have an appointment scheduled?"

’Great...’

"Not exactly. She’s... a former college classmate. I just wanted to know if she could see me for a few minutes."

The guard evaluated him for a moment longer than was comfortable.

"Wait here."

Thomas remained near the entrance, feeling the weight of the white lights overhead. Several students crossed the campus wearing elegant uniforms and long coats. Some glanced at him curiously.

He felt out of place, as if he belonged to another Chapter of his life. The social gap was immense. He was just a poor, debt-ridden guy standing in one of the most elite universities in Ark, surrounded by beautiful and striking women.

Whispers soon began rising among small groups of friends. Thomas exhaled, accepted his position, and ignored them. Instead, he activated the Entity Visor, taking advantage of the fact that only he could see it.

The students displayed a variety of ranks. A cascade of colors appeared before his eyes, thanks to the floating letters hovering beside their bodies.

S, A, SS, B ranks, and rare SSRs. The campus was so packed with high-tier talent that the question marks overwhelmed him.

’So much quality here... I can’t see any of their gifts.’

Several minutes passed. Each second increased Thomas’s anxiety and his constant fear of being rejected. He began regretting coming.

’I’m going to shit myself if I keep this up. It’s too late to leave now—it’d look even worse!’

A side door opened.

And then he saw her step out.

After two years without seeing her, he barely recognized her. Time had transformed her into someone even more impressive.

Long, straight black hair fell over her shoulders. Pale skin contrasted against the darkness of the night. Her figure was slender and refined, yet her posture was straight and confident.

Her thighs, firm from athletic training, were defined beneath her skirt. The cut of her white uniform shirt outlined her silhouette with subtle tension.

The top button was undone casually, her black tie hanging slightly loose as if she had relaxed it minutes earlier. She still wore the academy’s vest, skirt, and black stockings.

One light-gray eye watched him just as he remembered, accompanied by her left eye, completely white due to her blindness.

Her gaze was mature and steady—like someone who had learned too much too soon. She almost seemed older than him in the way she held her chin and carried herself. Even her height, nearly matching Thomas’s six feet, reinforced that impression.

Ashley stopped a few yards away. Both of them felt their stomachs twist. The past compressed into a single instant. Thomas took an awkward step forward.

"Hi... Ashley. It’s been... a long time."

His voice came out lower than he expected.

Ashley nodded slightly.

"Yes. It has."

There was nervousness in her tone. And something else. A restrained sadness.

"What are you doing here, Thomas?" she asked, placing her hands in front of her waist.

She didn’t sound cold. She sounded cautious. Thomas swallowed.

"I..." He looked away for a second, then met her eyes again. "It’s been so long since I last heard from you. I just wanted to see you again. To know how you’ve been."

The silence that followed wasn’t hostile—it was fragile.

"Even if it’s only for a little while, I just wanted to talk to you," he added.

Ashley remained silent for a moment, studying his gestures. When she finally spoke, she asked,

"And how do you see me?"

The question confused him at first, but then he understood. He took a steady breath and didn’t hesitate when he answered.

"You look incredible, Ashley. Even... almost as tall as me. Ha, ha... you’ve grown a lot in these two years."

His fingers tightened around his own arms before relaxing.

Ashley crossed her arms, hugging herself slightly, as if the cold had suddenly reached her. Her expression softened—compassionate, melancholic.

She glanced around. Some students were discreetly watching from a distance. She noticed the murmurs as well. Then she looked back at Thomas. For a second, her light-gray eye gleamed with something he recognized far too well.

Nostalgia... and something more.

"It’s cold out here," she finally said. "Come in."

She stepped aside.

"We’ll talk in my room."

Thomas hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath until he exhaled. He didn’t know if this would fix anything, but it was a start.

◇◆◇

Entering the second most prestigious academy in Ark earned him the gaze of nearly every woman they passed. Not because he was attractive, but because he clearly didn’t belong. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

It made Thomas uncomfortable, but seeing Ashley’s straight back as she walked ahead of him gave him a faint sense of reassurance.

The interior walls were luxurious—a combination of tile, marble, and exotic wood. Gray and brown tones dominated, but each door, wall, and window featured distinctive designs that blended different colors.

’What a place... I’ll definitely have to save a lot of money for Iris to study here. Luckily, that’s nine years away.’

Ashley stopped in front of a room on the third floor and opened the door. They were in the dormitory hallway, a more enclosed area compared to the rest of the spacious campus.

"This is where I sleep and... well, practically live. You can come in," she said, leaning back lightly against the door.

"E-excuse me."

The room was modern but carried a rustic, simple feel. It gave the impression of having been built more than three decades ago. A wide variety of objects filled the space, all reflecting an evident artistic taste—canvases, paints, brushes, and other art supplies.

Ashley closed the door and walked to a small table in the center of the room. She sat down and motioned for Thomas to do the same. He approached the wooden chair, noticing the two beds nearby.

’The rooms are shared by two women.’

"Did you come from far away?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah, more or less."

"Did you work out or just walk here?" she asked, resting her elbow on the table.

"Both. I went for a run to clear my head and decided to come here afterward. Why?"

"You smell like sweat, Thomas," she said without hesitation, though her tone wasn’t harsh.

"What? Seriously? Th-that’s embarrassing... I didn’t even think about that. I’m really sorry." He stood up nervously and added, "I’ll come back another day looking more presentable."

Ashley watched him carefully. Her firm, mature gaze made him nervous. Then she replied in her usual calm tone.

"Go take a shower. The bathroom’s through that door. We’ll talk afterward, okay?"

"Huh? Here?"

"Yes. If you use shampoo, use mine. My roommate gets very upset if anyone touches her things, and she keeps everything carefully measured. She’s that extreme. Mine is the glass bottle with lavender liquid inside."

"Lavender?"

"Pink, Thomas," she sighed, closing her eyes.

Thomas agreed without really knowing why and shut himself inside the bathroom. Ashley watched him disappear behind the door, and only then did she let out a restrained sigh.

As he began taking off his clothes, he looked at himself in the mirror while drops of sweat slid down his face.

’How did I end up showering in Ashley’s room?!’