Reincarnated in the Villainous Lust System!

Chapter 125: Catching up with friends

The distance between my friends and I all but disappeared, and in an instant, I was enveloped in a flurry of arms and affection.

Emily and Zoe, their hugs as fierce and warm as the flames of a cozy hearth, wrapped their arms around me in a tight embrace

Despite the warmth of my friends' greetings, a hint of confusion danced at the edges of my mind, a nagging voice that whispered of the disconnect between their cheerful greetings and my own withdrawn behavior.

I was puzzled by their positive reactions to me, seeing as I hadn't reached out to them for quite a while now.

Zoe's unusual display of affection only added to the mystery of my friends' unwavering acceptance, a riddle that seemed to defy my understanding.

Despite her normally cool demeanor, she had shown a rare glimpse of warmth by hugging me.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked, my voice a playful lilt as I cast a quizzical glance her way. "Since when do you show affection to anyone?"

Zoe merely shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Levi," she began, her voice soft and inquisitive, "How have you been? We've missed you. We've been wondering how you're doing."

Aaron, his easy smile ever-present, joined in on the conversation, his words laced with sincerity.

"Hey buddy," he said, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before he continued. "We haven't seen you around in a while.

The familiar banter came easily to me, as if no time had passed at all. I turned to face my friends, a wry smile on my lips as I gestured towards Damon, who was now deeply engaged in conversation with two young women.

"I know, I know," I replied, my voice dripping with mock exasperation. "He's been keeping me on a tight leash. Can't even take a breather without Damon breathing down my neck."

"Really?" Emily asked.

Yeah, even now, he didn't want me to leave. I said, casting all the blame of me not reaching out to them on him.

In my mind, Damon was an easy scapegoat.

He was the prince, and his demand for my presence had been relentless. It was only natural, I reasoned, that he should bear the brunt of my friends' frustration at my absence.

After all, he was not a part of our friend group, and I knew that any changes in their feelings towards him would have little, if any, effect on his life.

Besides, even if it would affect him, it was either me or him and i definitely wouldn't choose him.

In my mind, I was merely protecting my own interests, ensuring that my standing within the group remained unchanged.

"We didn't know promotion was that stressful for you". Zoe said, speaking up for the first time.

I let out a small sigh, my expression conveying a nonchalance that hid the true complexities of the situation.

"It has its perks," I said with a shrug.

"Tell us then". Liam said.

"Okay," I said.

And so, I began to regale my friends with tales of my days spent as Damon's guard and the perks that came with it.

The words flowed effortlessly from my lips, my voice a mix of enthusiasm and frustration as I recounted the highs and lows of the past few days.

And as I spoke, I could see my friends hanging on my every word, their eyes widening in wonder at the intricacies of my training.

When I was done, they all looked at me in awe.

"You're living the life dude". Liam said.

The praise of my friends, while appreciated, did little to assuage the restlessness that had been brewing within me.

"It was alright," I said with a shrug.

"But the palace is no place for a mage like me. My body itches for action, and I'm still stuck at being a one star mage. What kind of mage can't even reach the second star?" I thought to myself.

In the absence of any meaningful advancements in my magic, I sought solace in the one area where I was seeing progress: my physical attributes.

As our conversation continued, my attention was drawn to a lone figure standing apart from the rest of the group, her slender frame shrouded in the early morning shadows.

The girl seemed isolated, her gaze fixed on the ground as if lost in thought.

My words trailed off as I stole furtive glances in her direction, my curiosity piqued by her solitary demeanor.

Before me stood a vision of loveliness, a striking portrait of delicate grace and beauty.

Her long, straight, and glossy black hair was a contrast to her pale, almost luminescent skin. Her eyes were almond shaped with long, dark lashes and she had a huge rack attached to her chest.

I knew I had to talk to her.

"Give me a minute". I said to my friends and walked towards the girl.

My footsteps were silent on the ground, each step measured and precise as I made my way across the empty expanse of the academy grounds.

The word "Hey" slipped past my lips, soft and unassuming, as I closed the distance between us.

I was now less than four feet away from her.

The girl looked up at me, her face blank but non hostile.

I decided to push further.

In the momentary silence that followed, I could feel the weight of her gaze upon me, her dark eyes unwavering and unblinking.

Her features, though expressionless, seemed to absorb my presence, drinking in my appearance with a keen sense of observation.

"Why are you standing all by yourself?" I asked, my question tinged with genuine interest. "It's not every day I see a woman as striking as you standing off by yourself in an academy full of mages."

She shrugged. "Why not?"

I smirked. "I'm Levi," I said, extending my arm for a handshake. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

She took it and I was about to compliment the softness of her palm when I heard a deep, masculine voice yell from behind me.

"Hey you!"