Villain's Odyssey: Enslaving heroines, Conquering Villainesses Chapter 32: The Game begins

"...Sigh." The sound escaped the mont consciousness returned.

’A mansion,’ I observed as I sat up, taking in the ornate ceiling above .

’It appears my prediction is in order,’ I noted internally, then swung my legs outside the bed. I examined my palm calmly, then nodded. "Good. Looks like the harm done to in the Legacy world was reversed when I got out." Another sigh.

I had stayed in that void for so long that I began to lose my sense of ti. I can’t tell how long it took Anna to finally conquer that Legacy world, but that doesn’t really matter anymore. My being here ans everything went according to plan... I will take this into consideration for my future plans. It seems the human mind truly can be manipulated to attain desired results. She must have, of her own accord, defended , telling a story believable enough for to end up here. And Vivian must have already been taken to her kingdom. Simple cause and effect.

[You took quite the gamble on this one. What if she didn’t do what you wanted?] the voice in my head that had been my companion all along in the void spoke with what I could only assu was curiosity.

"That wouldn’t have happened... unless there was an unexpected variable I didn’t account for. Being hypocritical aside, the heroes of this world have a soft spot for anyone they co to care for," I said, walking towards the huge window from which the soft sunlight flooded the room in streams that were, admittedly, quite pleasant on the skin.

[But there was a chance she was just pretending to have fallen for your act.]

"The possibility of that happening was low. I know Anna probably more than she even knows herself. She isn’t one to pretend for such a long ti. And no matter how much she hated , I just had to make her attached to sohow... the rest would take care of itself," I explained as the window opened at my touch, the curtain fluttering with the wind in what poets might call a romantic gesture. I took a deep breath, composing myself. I had a rough guess what awaited outside from this mont onwards. Well, I would have been certain if it wasn’t for the variable of whether Anna’s excuse was able to convince them enough for her father to protect , and not let Vivian’s kingdom take .

Well, my being in this mansion without being chained only ans it’s more likely the forr.

[So now what?]

"Now? Well, now it all begins," I said, then turned to what seed to be the bathroom. The brass doorknob felt cold under my fingers as I twisted it, and the door clicked open with a sound that echoed slightly in the spacious room. I pushed it open and a fragrance hit —sothing floral and expensive—ushering into a sleek room filled with posh items that probably cost more than most people made in a year. Everything was sparkly clean, maintained with the kind of obsessive attention to detail that spoke of wealth and servants who feared for their jobs—from the polished chro faucet that reflected my face in miniature, the plush mat at the corner positioned just before the massive marble bathtub, the bath stand which had glass panels surrounding it like a transparent fortress, and the toilet by the far corner that was probably more comfortable than most people’s beds.

"Hm." The sound was neither impressed nor unimpressed—it simply was. I took in the fragrance, then walked towards the bathtub with steps that echoed softly against the polished marble floor. I looked to the side to find a strange relic attached to it, so sort of crystalline structure that humd with barely contained energy. So sort of ether core, presumably.

I touched it and instantly it turned blue, the crystal warming under my fingertips as suddenly water started filling the tub with a sound like gentle rain. Convenient.

I then walked towards the faucet, my bare feet making soft sounds against the cool marble, and looked up to the mirror that dominated the wall above it.

"I didn’t know I changed this much..." The words ca out completely shocked, though my voice remained as flat as ever—a curious contradiction that seed to define my existence. The reflection staring back at was definitely not the from before whatever happened to that night, that much was certain.

Silver shoulder-length hair, and purple eyes. The face was sharper and more refined.

[It is your true form.]

"What?" I frowned, the expression barely registering in the mirror.

[You cannot access information at your current level.] The voice had taken on a robotic quality, as if soone had switched off the personality settings.

"System."

[Cannot access system at current level.]

"Why does this keep happening?" I asked, raising a hand to feel my well-defined cheekbone, the bone structure more pronounced than I rembered.

[You are yet to ascend to an average level of strength to withstand the strain of the system.]

"I see." The response was automatic, accepting. I then turned and walked towards the bathtub, where steam was beginning to rise from the increasingly full vessel. I touched the ether orb again and it started changing color slowly, shifting through the spectrum like a mood ring designed by soone with actual magical talent. I slowly rotated my hand on the sphere and with ti it started turning red, the crystal warming further under my palm.

I looked down to the water, then dipped a finger into it experintally.

It was slightly hot. Pleasantly so.

I waited a while, watching the steam curl upwards, then touched it again. It was now manageable—hot enough to be therapeutic, not so hot as to be punishing.

I touched the orb twice in quick succession and it turned dark, the water flow ceasing imdiately.

I then turned, scanning until I found the soap—a bar of sothing that looked hand-crafted and probably cost more than a good sword.

I got into the tub with careful movents, then closed my eyes and let the hot water work its way into muscles I hadn’t realized were tense.

From this mont on, my goal is to get stronger. Simple. I can’t take any more major steps in my plans without real strength backing them up. There is always the chance of unexpected variables, and variables have a way of becoming catastrophic when you lack the power to control them.

[It seems I won’t be bored for a while.] The voice carried what might have been amusent.

I wasn’t surprised by what it said. I suspected it was for this reason the entity had saved from the beginning—entertainnt.

"Well. It will only get interesting from this mont on."

If it’s entertainnt it wants, I will give it a show unlike any other. After all... I myself likes a good show.

[A/N- Premium chaps starts from next chap. Daily updates from this mont on. Also, if you like the story, support!]