Villain's Odyssey: Enslaving heroines, Conquering Villainesses-Chapter 75: The Platinum Building Encounter

"Hi," came a melodious voice that cut through the ambient sounds of the Platinum Building’s top floor—the Elite Lounge, where only the academy’s most distinguished students were permitted to reside.

Asher paused mid-step, turning to find himself face-to-face with a girl with almond eyes. Her smile was gentle but odd.

"...Um, hi," he responded, keeping his expression carefully neutral. Maria, he thought, recognizing her immediately.

"Can I help you?" he asked, though something in his tone suggested he hoped the answer was no.

Before Maria could respond, Jenny’s patience—already worn thin from supporting Asher’s increasingly heavy frame—snapped like a rubber band. "Maria, we don’t have time for this. We’re going somewhere." She was practically holding up Asher’s sorry state, and Maria’s perfectly-timed appearance felt less like coincidence and more like calculated stalking.

"Oh... I see..." Maria’s smile flickered like a candle in the wind, but she recovered with impressive speed. "But why are you both together in the first place?" Her fingers found the hem of her pristine academy uniform, fidgeting with the fabric while her eyes tracked Asher’s every movement like a predator sizing up particularly interesting prey.

Jenny’s eye began to twitch—never a good sign. "...Tsk, he’s my roommate. That should be answer enough. I don’t really have time for this." She adjusted her grip on Asher, who was becoming heavier by the minute. His fevered body radiated heat, and she could feel sweat beginning to form where his arm draped across her shoulders.

"Can I come along?" Maria asked, taking a step closer.

Jenny had to actively suppress a groan. She was trying—really trying—to be polite to Maria, even when every fiber of her being screamed otherwise. Yes, she had issues with Maria and her little circle of friends. Not a huge grudge, exactly, but she definitely had several bones to pick with Cassandra, and since Maria was practically surgically attached to said person, Jenny had extended her dislike by association. She took the saying "the friend of your enemy is your enemy" perhaps a bit too seriously.

"Look Maria, I don’t mean to be a bitch but... No, you can’t. Just please... mind your business." She began walking again, her heels clicking against the marble.

Asher remained silent during the entire exchange, which was probably for the best. He didn’t particularly want to associate with Maria anyway, mainly because his emotions had returned in full force and he harbored a deep resentment toward her. She was one of the people he’d grown to hate for what she did back when he was Azalea—or rather, what she didn’t do.

"...Asher," she called out.

Jenny looked ready to commit a felony at this point. Yes, she knew how effective the young man’s looks were—she had eyes, after all—but it was still incredibly annoying to watch all these desperate girls throw themselves at him like moths to a particularly attractive flame. Can’t they do this when I’m not around?! She could practically feel Maria’s eyes boring into Asher’s back like laser beams.

"Yes?" he responded, and Jenny helped him turn around so he could see Maria clearly. The girl’s cheeks were flushed pink, and she was wringing her hands nervously like a schoolgirl with her first crush—though Jenny suspected it was entirely calculated.

"What can I do for you?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral, though Jenny could detect the slight strain underneath.

Maria gave a strained smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. "Can we talk... when you get back?" She bit her lower lip.

Asher remained silent for a moment, contemplating, while Maria continued to worry her lip and fidget. Her breathing had quickened slightly, and there was a tremor in her hands that spoke of ’genuine’ nervousness.

"...Why?" he asked, and Maria sighed, her shoulders sagging.

"I can’t say it... here," she said, glancing around the corridor. Asher looked at Jenny, who rolled her eyes so hard they nearly fell out of her head, then nodded in understanding.

"Sure," he said. "What’s your room number?"

Maria’s eyes widened slightly, surprise flickering across her features, but she recovered so quickly Jenny almost missed it. "232," she said, her smile returning full force.

Asher nudged Jenny. The flirty atmosphere was getting on her nerves more than she cared to admit. God, watching this is like watching someone try to flirt with me, she thought with a shudder.

"Let’s go," he said, and she clicked her tongue in annoyance, walking noticeably faster.

"Calm the hell down, Jenny," he groaned, his tired body struggling to keep up.

"Shut up or I will leave you on your own," she threatened, her voice dripping with irritation.

"Now why the hell are you grumpy?" he asked as they approached the elevator.

"It’s your imagination," she said, jabbing the elevator button with unnecessary force.

"Yeah, right," he muttered as the elevator doors opened with a cheerful ding, revealing a handful of people inside. The mirrored walls reflected their tired faces back at them multiple times, creating an infinity of exhausted Ashers and irritated Jennys.

They stepped aside, letting the elevator occupants file out. Once the coast was clear, Jenny helped Asher inside.

"You still haven’t told me how you’re having a fever," she said, studying his pale complexion with concern masked as annoyance.

"I... have an ether issue," he said, leaning heavily against the elevator wall.

"I can see that," she said, noting the way his hands trembled slightly. "What I want to know is how all of this is possible. How can you have ether yet it’s not from your ether pool? It makes no sense." Her analytical mind was clearly working overtime.

"Sure," he said, closing his eyes as another wave of dizziness hit him like a particularly vindictive wave.

"...So?" She looked him in the eyes.

"I don’t know," he said plainly.

"Eh?"

"I don’t know," he repeated patiently.

"I heard you the first time," she said, frustration evident in every syllable.

"Okay," he responded, then closed his eyes as if those words were explanation enough and the conversation was officially over.

"...Whatever," she finally said, recognizing a lost cause when she saw one.

Ding

The elevator opened and a guy walked in.

"Oh, you’re that new guy, right?" The young man had azure blue hair and eyes that sparkled with genuine friendliness. He looked a bit short, but that was probably because Asher was on the taller side. The newcomer was about 5’8"—perfectly average, really.

"Yeah," Asher responded, and the young man offered his hand.

"Tobi," he said with a warm smile. "You can call me Tobi."

Asher accepted the handshake, noting the firm grip and callused palms that spoke of regular combat training. "Sure, Tobi."

"So... you heading out?"

"Obviously," Jenny rolled her eyes, examining her newly done nails with exaggerated interest.

"Oh... Jenny," Tobi said, recognition dawning, then grinned. But his grin fell fast. "Wait... you guys are dating?!" His voice rose an octave.

"No way in hell!" "No, we aren’t."

Their replies were instant and synchronized, though the intensity was drastically different. Jenny’s response carried more force, while Asher’s was matter-of-fact and slightly weary, like he’d answered this question a thousand times before and was getting tired of it.

But then Jenny whipped around to glare at Asher, who maintained his impassive expression with the skill of a poker player. "What was with that tone?" she demanded, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"What tone?" he asked, genuinely confused and looking like a deer caught in headlights.

"Don’t play dumb with me... you sounded like I was the one chasing you," she said, her voice rising with each word. Asher felt like he was going senile—when had he said anything suggesting that?

"I don’t think I said..."

"YOU DID!"

"Ugh," Asher groaned, pressing his fingers to his temples as if he could physically push away the developing headache. "But we are not dating."

"I know, but don’t make it seem like I’m dying to date you but you keep rejecting me!" she said, her cheeks flushing with indignation. At this point, Asher realized that understanding Jenny would take more time than trying to comprehend a divine tier spell—it was just freaking impossible!

"Well, that’s good," Tobi said with a relieved sigh, his shoulders relaxing visibly.

"Where’s Venessa?" Jenny asked, her attention shifting like a butterfly landing on a new flower.

Tobi scratched his cheek nervously. "She’s... out on a date," he said.

Jenny’s eyes widened. "Venessa has a guy and I don’t know?!" she shrieked.

"Can you please stop trying to deafen me?!" Asher pleaded, now at his absolute limit. His head was pounding, and her voice felt like nails on a chalkboard played through amplifiers.

"Don’t mind her... she’s just that loud," Tobi said with an understanding look.

"I do mind her, and I would hope you would please stop yelling in my ears," Asher said firmly, and Jenny smirked—a dangerous expression that made his blood run cold.

"...What?" he asked, surprised by this reaction, then looked at Tobi who gave him a compassionate look that seemed to say you poor, naive fool, you have no idea what you’ve just unleashed.

[At the Infirmary]

The academy’s medical wing was a study in sterile efficiency, with white walls that seemed to glow under the harsh fluorescent lighting.

"So... you want a potion that can heal fever?" asked an attendant, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes and graying hair pulled back in a practical bun.

"...If there’s something like that..." Jenny said, uncertainty creeping into her voice for the first time since they’d left the dormitory.

"...I don’t think there’s such a thing... but healing magic should do it," the attendant said, making notes on a clipboard with practiced efficiency.

Jenny looked at Asher, who shrugged.

"Fine," she said, resignation coloring her voice.

"Let him rest in that room. I’ll send a healer in due time," the attendant said, pointing toward a door marked ’Ward 3’ with a small placard that looked like it had seen better days. "It shouldn’t take too long—we’re not particularly busy today."

Then jenny began helping Asher towards the said room.

...

... 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

A/N-Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation! Also, if you have enjoyed the story so far perhaps you can try dropping a review, the author would appreciate that, thanks!

And also, I would love powerstones!