Villain's Path System-Chapter 15: First Lesson

The day dragged on like torture.

Lucian sat through classes, barely paying attention.

His mind kept circling back to one thought:

Tonight. Training with Myra. Oh god.

"Mister Valemont."

He snapped back to reality.

Professor Aldric stood at the front of the lecture hall, looking distinctly unimpressed.

"Perhaps you could enlighten the class on the principle of mana condensation? Since you seem so... distracted."

Fuck.

Lucian stood. "Mana condensation is the process of compressing ambient mana into a more stable, usable form through focused intent and proper circulation techniques. The efficiency depends on the caster’s control and their internal mana capacity."

Aldric’s expression didn’t change. "Adequate. Sit down."

Thank you, novel knowledge.

As he sat, he caught Seraphina watching him from across the room.

She raised an eyebrow: What’s wrong with you?

He shook his head slightly: Nothing.

She didn’t look convinced.

Class ended.

Lucian gathered his things, trying to slip out unnoticed—

"Lucian?"

He turned.

Aria stood behind him, looking... hesitant. Uncertain.

Very un-saintly.

"Aria. Hey."

"Hi." She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "I wanted to ask... yesterday. You were supposed to come to the chapel library?"

Shit. Right. I stood her up.

"I’m sorry about that." Lucian kept his voice sincere. "Something urgent came up. I should have sent word."

"Oh." She looked relieved. "I thought maybe you’d just... changed your mind. About studying together."

"No. Not at all." I was just busy almost dying in a forbidden vault. "I want to take you up on that offer. Just... bad timing yesterday."

Aria’s smile returned. Warm. Genuine.

"Okay. Good." She paused. "Are you free tonight?"

NOPE. Absolutely not. I have a date with training hell.

"Actually, I have... something scheduled tonight. But how about tomorrow evening?"

"Tomorrow works." She looked genuinely happy. "I’ll see you then?"

"Definitely."

She left, and Lucian let out a breath.

Okay. Aria handled. One crisis averted.

Now he just had to survive tonight.

Myra’s quarters were in a remote section of the faculty wing.

Lucian stood outside her door, hand raised to knock, seriously considering just running.

I could fake being sick. Or injured. Or dead.

The door opened before he could knock.

Myra leaned against the doorframe, and Lucian’s brain short-circuited.

She wore... well, calling it "training attire" was generous.

A fitted tank top that left very little to the imagination. Tight pants that looked painted on. Bare feet.

Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail.

She looked like she was about to do yoga.

Very, very suggestive yoga.

"Right on time!" She grinned. "I like a punctual student. Come in, come in."

Lucian stepped inside, immediately regretting every life choice that led him here.

The room was... surprisingly normal?

A sitting area. Bookshelves. A desk. Training mats spread across one section of the floor.

No torture devices. No questionable decorations.

Just a regular professor’s quarters.

Okay. Maybe this won’t be so bad.

"Make yourself comfortable," Myra said, closing the door. "Can I get you anything? Wine? Tea? Me?"

There it is.

"I’m fine, thanks."

"Suit yourself." She poured herself a glass of wine, taking a sip before setting it aside. "So. Let’s start with basics. Strip."

Lucian choked on air. "WHAT?"

"Your shirt." She gestured casually. "I need to see your mana channels. Can’t do that through clothing."

That’s... actually legitimate reasoning. Dammit.

Reluctantly, Lucian pulled off his shirt.

Myra’s eyes roamed over him with zero shame.

"You know," Myra said, circling him slowly, "for someone cursed and half-dead, you’re not terrible to look at." She tilted his chin up with one finger, studying his face with clinical interest. "Black hair, decent bone structure, and those eyes—"

She paused, her gaze locking with his grey stare. "Silver once, weren’t they? Before the curse. I can still see the ghost of it."

Her smile turned wicked. "Such a waste. You could’ve been devastating."

Don’t react. Don’t give her the satisfaction.

"Mmm." Her finger slid along his ribs, then lower. "Your core is underdeveloped though. We’ll have to work on that."

"Can you just—" He caught her wrist. "Do the actual examination?"

Myra’s smile widened. "Oh, this is the examination, sweetheart. I’m checking your physical condition. Mana flows through the body, remember? I need to know every... inch... of it."

She pulled her wrist free and placed both hands on his chest.

Golden light flared.

Lucian gasped.

It felt like lightning running through his veins. Not painful—intense. Overwhelming.

He could feel her mana flowing into him, mapping his channels, seeking out the curse that sealed his power.

"There it is," Myra murmured, eyes glowing slightly. "Nasty piece of work. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing."

"Can you remove it?"

"Not quickly. It’s layered. Sophisticated." Her hands moved lower, over his stomach. "We’ll have to weaken it gradually. Build your base strength until you can overwhelm it from the inside."

The light faded.

But her hands stayed where they were.

"So," she said conversationally, like she wasn’t currently touching his abs, "ready to start actual training?"

She hasn’t even STARTED yet?!

"What do you call what we just did?"

"Foreplay." She winked. "Now come on. Let’s see what you’re working with."