Villain's Odyssey: Enslaving heroines, Conquering Villainesses

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Anna's agonized scream echoed through the forest after being forced to eat the meal she had brought.

She clutched her stomach, writhing in absolute agony on the forest floor.

"You poisoned it... just as I thought," Azalea said, watching her predicament with blank indifference.

"Don't expect any healing potions. Endure the pain." He used his knowledge of alchemy to mix a random concoction from ingredients he'd gathered in their current woodland hideout.

Yes, they were in a forest now. They'd left the hotel after Anna used her teleportation spell to bring them to the border—perfectly positioned where he needed to be. The border between Morntelia and Ezram. They would definitely pass through this spot, eventually.

He created the detox and fed it to her, but that was all. He didn't stop the pain, merely countered the lethal properties of the poison.

"Sobs... it hurts so much... sobs... please, I'll do anything you want... SOBS... healing potions, just one, I beg you," she pleaded desperately, wanting the pain to cease.

Azalea simply gathered a bunch of leaves and gagged her by stuffing them into her mouth. It seemed she'd used some paralysis drug in the food—good thing she'd teleported them before its effects kicked in. Now she was immobile, essentially useless.

He dragged her into thick bushes to hide her body. With the gag, she wouldn't mess up his plan.

Climbing a tree by the cleared road, he settled in to wait and watch. He didn't care how long it would take. He was going to find them.

Meanwhile, at a sprawling mansion, three girls sat in the shade discussing recent events when their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of a black-haired young man.

"Auston?" The girls stood up, and Cassandra was the first to approach him.

"What's wrong, Auston?" she asked, concern evident in her tone.

"Cassandra," he muttered, then looked at the others who approached. "It's... Annabelle... I want to join the search."

"What?" This time it was Angelica who spoke. "You aren't fully recovered for that."

"I know, but... it's been too long. I have this feeling... something bad might happen if I don't find her soon." He gritted his teeth in frustration.

Angelica sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You really are one big worrywart. But don't worry—according to the information I received, she was seen near the academy three days ago."

Everyone's eyes shot open in surprise.

"Really?" This time it was Nora who spoke—Auston's adopted sister.

"Yes."

"But... why the academy?" Auston frowned, asking the same question that had been plaguing Angelica's mind. Why the academy? Something didn't add up.

She liked having everything under her control, and the existence of variables always set her off. She hated variables, and this was definitely one. The variable wasn't Anna or her being at the academy—no, it was the young man she was reportedly spotted with.

Angelica had a feeling—a deep gut instinct—that the person might just be the missing Azalea.

But if that was the case... then something was extremely wrong.

"Then let's go there," Auston said decisively.

"We can't. It's under lockdown already—both the academy and Estellia are hot on the case," she lied smoothly. She simply didn't want him venturing out in his condition.

"Just recover. The academy session resumes in a month. You need all the rest you can get." She held his cheeks gently.

"Angelica, can you not?" Cassandra looked pissed.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't know holding my lover was an offense," Angelica laughed with that distinctive aristocratic trill.

"Shut up! When did he become your lover?" Cassandra snapped back.

Their squabble, however, wasn't what occupied Auston's mind. Only Nora could actually see how deeply troubled he was about Anna's disappearance.

"Anna," he muttered, his fists clenched tightly.

...

...

"Finally," Azalea muttered as he spotted a carriage after five days of patient waiting.

"Hey, Anna," he called, tilting his head to find the girl glaring at him from the opposite tree.

"What, sir?" she asked through gritted teeth, the forced title dripping with resentment. Not that she could do anything about it—the command had been passed.

"The moment it gets close, blow the road apart."

"What?! I can't just blow the road apart!"

"You already know what will happen if you mess up," he said coolly, then took off. She had already cast the flight spell on him earlier, so he carefully maneuvered to a strategic position. He had to be extremely cautious—the people protecting the carriage must be extremely dangerous.

He watched carefully, waiting. Just as the carriage passed by him, heading toward Anna's position...

BOOM!

He dove down, but the moment he touched the ground, something felt wrong.

It was a trap.