Villain's Path System-Chapter 57: Silver Eyes and Jealous Heart

The door burst open and hit the wall.

Seraphina froze in the doorway, her hand locked on the knob.

The air in the room felt heavy, thick with residual mana. But she didn’t notice the energy.

She just saw Lucian. Standing in the middle of the floor, completely shirtless.

She stopped breathing for a second. Just a week ago, when she bandaged his ribs, he was nothing but skin and bone. Now, lean, hard muscle packed his chest and shoulders. Clear, physical definition lined his stomach.

Her face burned bright red.

She instantly spun around, hands flying up to cover her eyes.

"W-WHY ARE YOU SHIRTLESS?!"

"I was changing!" Lucian said, his voice rushed and defensive. "You just barged in!"

She parted her fingers just enough to look.

And that’s when her eyes registered it.

Silver.

Her hands dropped to her sides. She turned all the way around and stepped closer, staring directly at his face.

Lucian had already pulled his shirt on, but she barely noticed. She moved forward until she was standing right in front of him.

He shifted his weight backward. She was entirely too close.

"Your eyes..." Her voice dropped low. "How did they change?"

Lucian let out a quick, forced breath, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah. Uh. About that—"

"Silver," Seraphina repeated. She took another step forward, her golden eyes narrowing. "They were grey yesterday. Now they’re silver."

"I know!" Lucian cut her off. He turned his shoulders away, his fingers blindly adjusting his collar. "I, uh—look, we’re already late for class, right? Shouldn’t we go?"

He grabbed his bag and walked straight toward the door, keeping his eyes entirely off her.

Seraphina parted her lips to speak, then stopped.

What the hell.

Did he just... dodge the question?

They headed to class together.

Lucian’s leg muscles ached with every step. He dropped his bag beside his desk and collapsed heavily into his usual chair. Seraphina took the seat immediately to his right.

She couldn’t stop herself from glancing at him every few seconds. At the bright silver irises.

Lucian didn’t notice the staring. He was too exhausted from last night. His chin dropped toward his chest. His heavy eyelids slid shut. Within minutes, his breathing evened out. He passed out completely, sleeping sitting upright.

The heavy classroom door swung open. Elira stepped inside.

Her eyes swept over the crowded rows of desks and stopped directly on them. Without a word, she walked straight down the aisle, pulled out the empty chair on Lucian’s left side, and sat down.

Elira didn’t care who was watching. She leaned forward in her seat and openly stared at Lucian’s sleeping face. Unlike most students who tried to be subtle, Elira never bothered hiding her interest. When she wanted to look at something, she looked. Simple as that.

She leaned closer. Too close.

Seraphina’s thoughts spiraled immediately.

No. don’t—

But Elira did exactly that. She caught a strand of Lucian’s dark hair, sliding it slowly between her index finger and thumb.

The whispers started instantly. Heads turned all across the lecture hall, every eye locking onto their row.

"Is that Elira Frostveil?"

"She’s sitting next to Valemont?"

"And Ashenblade’s on his other side—"

"Is he insane or just the luckiest bastard alive?"

Someone from the back row, barely bothering to lower their voice, muttered: "How is he not dead yet?"

Down in the front row, Aria’s eyes furrowed in confusion as she stared at the three of them.

One desk above her, Cassian watched with cold, calculating eyes.

One sleeping prodigy. Two campus queens. Fire and ice.

Elira leaned even closer and actually sniffed his hair.

"He’s really out," she said softly, more to herself than anyone else. "Unusual for him."

Seraphina’s instincts kicked in before she could stop herself. She didn’t want to say it. Knew she shouldn’t. But her mouth moved anyway.

"H-hey, why did you do that?"

"Don’t touch him."

Elira pulled her hand back slowly, that infuriating smile spreading across her face. "Protective, are we?"

Sera forced her expression flat, neutral. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Of course you don’t." Elira settled back in her chair, looking way too entertained by this. "How silly of me to suggest otherwise."

A heavy, three-second pause.

Then she added, casual as anything: "Though You’ve been staring at him this whole time. I thought it was acceptable behavior."

Seraphina’s face burned hotter. "Stare all you want. See if I care."

But inside, her thoughts were screaming: *This ice witch can do whatever she wants. It’s not like he’s mine anyway.*

And Elira—because of course she did—reached out again.

This time she pressed her palm flat against Lucian’s forehead, checking his temperature.

Then she said it.

"He’s hot."

Seraphina’s thought process stalled entirely.

Her face went completely red. Her mouth opened, then closed. No sound came out.

Elira kept her hand there for another beat, perfectly calm, before finally pulling away with a quiet hum of satisfaction.

The professor’s voice blurred into a heavy drone. Seraphina couldn’t focus on a single word he said.

Her heart was pounding too loud in her ears. Her face felt like it was on fire. And Elira just sat there next to Lucian, smiling like she knew exactly what kind of chaos she’d just caused.

It was unbearable.

A deep, runic chime resonated through the stone walls.

Lucian’s neck jerked up. His heavy eyelids dragged open.

"...Class over?"

He rubbed his face, his vision adjusting. Then his eyes focused.

Seraphina on his right. Her jaw locked tight. Elira on his left. A deliberate smile on her face.

"...Why are you both here?"

"I always sit here," Seraphina snapped instantly.

"The seat was empty," Elira replied, her tone entirely flat.

Lucian stared at them both.

"Okay."

His brain was too foggy to question it further. Though some distant part of him registered that something had definitely happened while he was out, otherwise he wouldn’t be feeling fire and ice radiating from both sides at the same time.

He stood, his jaw popping on a heavy yawn, and grabbed his bag.

"I need coffee. Or sleep. Preferably both."

He walked straight out into the aisle without another word.

Both girls tracked his movement until he cleared the door. Then their eyes snapped directly to each other. Total silence.

Seraphina stood fast, shoving her bag over her shoulder.

Elira stayed seated, that same deliberate smile locked in place.

"See you tomorrow, Seraphina."

Seraphina didn’t answer. She pivoted and walked out, her fingers curled into tight fists.