My Girlfriends Are Hardcore Yanderes - Chapter 184

Chapter 184: Seeded Part 1
As they walked, he decided to probe a bit further.

“This garden… it’s unusual. It feels like part of the tower, but there’s something off. Why do I sense it’s much larger than it should be? Don’t tell me we’ve been teleported to another island altogether?”

The woman glanced back at him, her serene smile never leaving her face.

Her smile took on a hint of mystery. “This is still inside the tower. And if you want to learn the secret of how we pulled it off, you’ll need to become one of us first.”

Asher nodded, already half-expecting not to get a direct answer. Still, her response gave him enough to form his own hypothesis.

First, they were using some kind of space-altering spell to distort its dimensions, making it far larger than it could physically speaking.

Either that, or everything—the sky, the horizon—was merely an elaborate optical illusion. If he tried to fly beyond the visible boundaries, he might just hit a dead end.

The thought intrigued him. The complexity of the spell required to maintain such an illusion or spatial manipulation was impressive, and it hinted at the depths of knowledge they possessed.

As they moved further, it felt like they crossed through an invisible veil. The air turned colder, and a massive mansion suddenly appeared.

Its red-tiled rooftops gleamed under the artificial sun, and tall windows reflected the light.

The building was perfectly symmetrical, with white walls trimmed in soft gray that gave it a stately, refined look.

Neatly trimmed hedges and flowerbeds surrounded the estate, while paths lined with vibrant greenery stretched toward fountains and ponds scattered throughout the garden.

It was a place that looked both serene and elegant, almost like a painting brought to life.

“I thought the people of Eryx despised every color aside from gray and black,” he commented.

The woman’s eyes widened, then she burst into laughter, the sound light and genuine.

“You’re funny,” she added between chuckles, wiping her eyes.

“I’m not joking. I really thought this place only had metals and stones.” he added.

She paused for a moment to compose herself.

“If you’re talking about the city, that was intentional. It’s meant to train the mind to think clearly, even in the most depressing environments.”

Asher blinked, slightly taken aback by her response. He hadn’t expected such a candid explanation. It made sense, though.

The harsh, colorless surroundings of Eryx were designed to test the resilience of its people, pushing them to find clarity and focus amidst adversity.

He was one of the few who could attest to the truth of her words.

In the void, surrounded by darkness with few distractions, he had learned to think clearly even in the midst of uncertainty.

“The environment shapes the mind—at least, that’s the theory,” she explained.

She pointed a finger at him, her gaze sharpening. “But once you reach the top, it no longer matters.”

He was intrigued by her words, but he didn’t press further.

She turned around and walked toward the double doors, their reddish mahogany surface carved with intricate patterns. He couldn’t sense a single soul nearby.

Pushing the doors open herself, a low creak echoed through the air.

Beyond the threshold was a grand hall with a polished black marble floor.

A red carpet ran straight ahead, leading up a wide staircase that split into two elegant, curving arms.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their golden light illuminating ornate frames and paintings adorning the cream-colored walls.

She didn’t waste any time, leading him to the second floor and down a long corridor to his room.

It was located far from the main hall, in the right wing, overlooking the main building and the left wing.

“Here’s your key. You will be notified when the tournament starts,” she said, her voice calm as she turned to leave.

Asher stepped inside, the door closing behind him with a quiet thud.

The room was spacious, with a large bed, a desk, and a window overlooking the lush garden. It was simple but comfortable, designed for rest and reflection.

Yet, Asher knew better than to take this tranquility at face value. He walked over to the window, his mind already formulating strategies and possibilities.

Whatever this tournament was, it was clear that it wasn’t just about power—it was about cunning, adaptability, and perhaps something even deeper.

‘I should make sure this place is safe first,’ he muttered, touching the walls as he scanned for any hidden spells.

There were indeed some, but all of them were protective measures, nothing designed to spy on him.

Still, he could not afford to be too careless in an unfamiliar place. He continued to scan the room over and over, his attention focused until he felt satisfied.

When he was done, he sat at the desk and pulled out a book from his space portal. He had grabbed a few from the academy library earlier, planning to study during his free time.

The book he opened now was focused on the arcane, particularly summoning spells—his current area of interest.

‘Let’s see…’ he began reading.

The text was dense, filled with intricate details about summoning rituals, binding creatures in an artifact, and the intricacies of controlling summoned entities.

Each word pulled him deeper into the theory behind it.

‘So summoning a beast out of nowhere is harder. That’s why they lock its essence in an artifact instead,’ he mumbled to himself as he turned the page.

The concept was starting to make sense.

Using artifacts to store and release them made the process more manageable. It wasn’t perfect, but it was practical. His fingers traced the lines of the text, his mind racing with the possibilities.

‘But when a beast is stored in an artifact, it loses most of its power. That’s why the summoner needs to fill it up.’ He added his finger tracing the next part of the text.

‘This means it directly consumes someone’s reserve, without relying on external sources to recharge.’

He kept reading, absorbing the established ideas and mentally noting the flaws he spotted. While he understood the theories, summoning was still outside his expertise.

Questioning the methods came easily, but creating a better summoning spell was beyond his current capability. Mastery of such a complex art would require time—months, perhaps even years.

For now, all he could do was learn, observe, and slowly unravel the intricacies of the spell.

Days passed, and he spent his time studying to occupy himself.

Just as another day seemed destined to be uneventful, a sudden change in the atmosphere caught his attention.

Multiple auras were approaching the mansion. Rising from his chair, he moved to the window and peered outside.

Nine sorcerers were making their way toward the estate—three males and six females.

Each wore identical black robes adorned with a green emblem. The fabric had a subtle texture resembling snake skin, giving the robes an eerie, almost otherworldly quality.

In their hands were various items—some carried ancient tomes, others gripped staffs, and a few, surprisingly, wielded blades. A couple held orbs.

Each item was a medium or artifact, undoubtedly powerful tools to assist them.

‘Are they the other seeded participants?’