Ascension Of The Villain

"I meant exactly what I said," Vyan declared, tilting his head and furrowing his brows with exaggerated seriousness.

"And I am asking you what you meant," Iyana shot back, her face a mask of irritation.

"Well, didn't you leave me a pack of lavender incense last night?" he pointed out, and she nodded reluctantly. "That's it. I figured you must have bumped into Prince Easton at that time. I know you well enough to be sure you wouldn't willingly go on a romantic rendezvous with him."

As his words sunk in, Iyana was hit with a confusing mix of relief and annoyance: relieved because he trusted her, and annoyed because his confidence bordered on overconfidence.

"What if I did?" she challenged. "What if I did go on a romantic rendezvous with him?"

"I don't see how that concerns me," he responded, offering her a lopsided smile that only fueled her annoyance.

"Right, it doesn't concern you," she repeated, her jaw tightening.

"Anyway, if you are done interrogating me, can I go finish my breakfast?" he asked, bringing his face level with hers.

Iyana scowled and stepped aside, unable to bear his face so close to hers. "Go ahead, Your Grace."

He chuckled at her expression and walked past, his arm brushing her shoulder just enough to send a flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

Iyana clenched her fists, muttering under her breath, "Jerk."

"Oh," he paused mid-step and turned back. "Thanks for the lavender incense. It was a huge help." He flashed her a genuine smile.

Iyana flinched at his sudden return, feeling her face heat up. She turned away and mumbled, "If it was that important, you should have remembered to bring it yourself."

"I will most likely forget again. Please do remind me," he said, his tone teasing.

"Hmph," was all she managed before stomping off.

Once Iyana was out of sight, Vyan exhaled a shaky breath of relief. He had been this close to letting his doubts and insecurities slip through his mask of nonchalance.

Throughout their exchange, while he smiled and teased, his mind was a whirlwind of turmoil.

His brain kept screaming at him to ask what she and Easton had discussed during their late-night tryst.

Sure, she might have just been dropping off the incense, but his heart clenched painfully at the whispers and speculations he had overheard.

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The thought gnawed at him—what did they talk about? Did something meaningful transpire between them? Had Easton finally bared his heart to her?

It was irrational and unreasonable, he knew that, but...

A bitter smile tugged at his lips.

If only emotions were as easy to control as logic. Life would be so much smoother if feelings obeyed reason.

———

After breakfast, it was officially time to start the first day of the monster hunt. This three-day event kicked off with individual participation, open to all—nobles, knights, military officials, and yes, even women.

Vyan had fought tooth and nail for that last inclusion. He genuinely believed it must be dreadfully dull for women to sit around while men had all the fun, gallivanting through the woods from dawn till dusk. Sadly, he only managed to secure permission for day-one.

He was eagerly anticipating the day Althea would ascend the throne so he could overhaul the current parliament, which was jam-packed with sexist, stodgy fossils.

For now, everyone gathered in the clearing near the forest, the designated hunting grounds.

Before venturing into the forest, a sweet tradition marked the festival's commencement.

Around half a century ago, the hunting grounds were in the perilous Forest of Beasts. Back then, the danger added a thrilling edge to the hunt but also filled women with dread, fearing their loved ones might return injured or worse.

To ease their fears, women would leave their beloveds with a cherished keepsake—a token to inspire them to fight bravely and return victorious.

Although the hunting grounds were relocated to safer areas to protect the nobles from harm, the keepsake tradition endured.

Too bad for Vyan, though.

He had no one in his life to offer such a token.

As he mulled over this, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw a ten-year-old girl tying an emerald bracelet around his wrist.

"This is my favorite bracelet; you better not lose it," Katelyn mumbled, her cheeks puffed out as she tried to hide her softer side.

Vyan blinked, his mind momentarily lagging as he processed the sweet gesture. Then, a smile spread across his face. He crouched down and ruffled her short black hair. "Thanks, Katelyn."

She extended her hand expectantly, eyes glinting with mischief. "I am joining the hunt too, so what about your keepsake?"

He chuckled and reached up to his ear, removing the silver earpiece he always wore as the Grand Duke. Placing it in her palm, he mimicked her, "This is my favorite earring; you better not lose it."

She puffed out her chest, brimming with confidence. "Like I ever would."

Vyan smiled, glancing over to see Ronan struggling with a massive teddy bear. The sight made him burst out laughing. "Oh, my goodness, is that what you gave Ronan?"

Katelyn shrugged, looking utterly unbothered. "It's his fault. He asked for my favorite thing in the world." She shot Ronan a playful look and stuck out her tongue. "So there you go, Ron. Enjoy it."

"Vyan, where do I put this thing?" Ronan cried out, clearly in distress.

"I think Clyde might have a magical pouch," Vyan suggested, trying to suppress another fit of laughter.

"Where is he? Please bring him here," Ronan pleaded.

Vyan swiveled his head around, scanning the area, but Clyde was nowhere in sight. "I don't want to go find him," he mumbled, already having a guess where Clyde could be at.

His guess was spot on, indeed.

Clyde was with Althea.

"Did you need something from me?" Althea asked, trying to maintain a strong facade despite the whirlwind of emotions she felt last night. "I am not going to give you a keepsake, just so you—"

Clyde shook his head with a soft smile and showed her a folded paper. "This is a sketch my little brother gave me once; it's not much, but I hold it very close to my heart. I know I told you I wouldn't bother you for the entire week, but I just thought I would regret it if I didn't give this to you. And I don't like having regrets, so…"

His voice was low, almost a whisper, filled with a blend of uncertainty and earnestness. He was sharing a piece of his heart, and it was evident in his tone.

Althea reluctantly took the paper and unfolded it. The sketch depicted a boy performing magic, surrounded by potions and books. It was rough, clearly drawn without much skill, but it was endearing in its simplicity.

Despite its imperfections, Clyde cherished it dearly. He was giving it to her as a gesture of hope, a silent request for her to return safely from the hunt. The thought warmed her heart.

"Do you accept it?" Clyde asked, his voice tinged with hesitancy.

She gave him a small smile and nodded. His face lit up with a huge grin.

"Thank you so much!"

As she saw his bright face, she barely restrained herself from reaching for her most prized possession—the hairpiece she had inherited from her late mother.

———

Easton was lacing up his boots inside his tent when his eyes landed on a delicate necklace lying on the side table.

He furrowed his brows and picked it up, the design sparking a memory. He had seen Iyana wearing it once.

A slow, satisfied smile crept onto his lips. "Iyana must have left her favorite ornament for me," he assumed.

But the truth was...

"I was going to toss that necklace anyway," Iyana grumbled to herself, clearly irritated.

Easton had disappointed her last night, and she had little patience left for him. Yet, she knew they had to maintain appearances in high society.

As she walked, something crunched under her heel.

She glanced down and spotted a thin, silver chain glinting in the sunlight. Bending down, she picked it up and squinted at the name engraved on the rectangular locket.

"Vyan," she muttered as she tried to recall if she ever saw him wear this until now. Out of curiosity, she tried to pry open the locket, but it was stubbornly sealed. She put in all her strength, but it stayed tightly shut, as if bound by magic.

Of course, it's shut with magic. It belongs to Vyan, after all.

With a shake of her head, she decided to go find him and return it. Just then, out of a stroke of luck, she noticed Vyan darting around the tents, clearly searching for something.

"Your Grace!" she hollered, and Vyan's head snapped towards her. She swung the locket in front of her with a triumphant grin.

Relief washed over his face as he jogged over. "Oh, Iyana. Thanks for finding it. I didn't notice when it fell off."

After Katelyn gave him the bracelet, he had thought of how Iyana had given him this locket in the past.

Yes, it used to boil his blood back then and it was not exactly a keepsake, but it still served as a reminder of what he aimed to prove. He wanted it with him for the hunt, but in his haste, he hadn't closed the clasp properly, and the chain had slipped from his neck.

"You should be more careful," Iyana chided, her voice light and mocking. "Not everyone will be as kind as me to return it."

He tried to take the locket from her, but she swiftly moved it out of his reach. "On second thought, wait. Is this something precious to you?" she inquired with a teasing smile.

"Yes...?" he replied cautiously.

She smirked and closed her fingers around the chain. "Then let me keep it as a keepsake."

He raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious now. "And why do you want this?"

"Why not? Don't I deserve a keepsake to motivate me to return safely?" she countered, her tone playful yet sincere.

"Fair point. But if you are taking a keepsake from me, shouldn't I get something in return?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

A big smile spread across her face, her eyes glinting mischievously. "What else do you need? You already possess the most precious thing to me."

He tilted his head, clueless. "Which is?"

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, and said softly, "Your life."