Ascension Of The Villain

Vyan sat up, his face twisted in disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's what I heard from the rumor mill. Though, I must say, it's one of the more entertaining ones," she admitted, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Why is this rumor even circulating?" he asked, horrified.

She tilted her head, a teasing grin spreading across her face. "Shouldn't you know that better, Your Grace?"

"I have no clue where this rumor could have originated from," he defended vehemently. "First of all, I am not even wedded. Secondly, obviously not to an old lady. I have a type, okay? And that does not include old ladies. Thirdly, why is my non-existent wife's social standing even a topic?

I couldn't care less about her imaginary aristocratic lineage. And honestly, if I were to invent a wife, she would at least be a sword-wielding warrior who is most definitely younger than me, not some withering lady in a rocking chair!"

Iyana burst out laughing. "Oh, my goodness." She clutched her stomach, her laughter echoing as she threw her head back, her platinum blonde hair cascading like a curtain.

Vyan stopped mid-rant, utterly captivated. The sound of her free, joyous laugh was like music, and the crinkle near her eyes only added to her charm. Her platinum blonde hair framed her face like a halo. He didn't dare blink, afraid this beautiful moment would vanish if he did. Instead, he engraved the scene into his heart, wishing it could last forever.

"Calm down," she said, pressing a hand on his shoulder before patting it gently. "All of this stems from a simple misunderstanding, okay? Someone just happened to see an unfamiliar woman in your tent this morning."

"You mean someone saw Freya?"

"Yes, and Miss Freya explained the whole situation to me during my morning training," Iyana said, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Why would she do that?" Vyan asked, puzzled.

Iyana shrugged, removing her hand from his shoulder. "I don't know. But I totally understood her fear when she told me about Prince Izac." She let out a dramatic, disgusted sigh.

"He tried hitting on you again, even after you lost your memories?" He knew the story from when he was her knight; she had slapped the prince right then and there for his inappropriate behavior at a party full of people.

"Oh, yeah, definitely," she admitted with a casual shrug. "But don't lose any sleep over it. I already put him in his place."

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"What did you do this time?"

She grinned, an evil glint in her eyes. "Let's just say, good thing I was in my uniform that day. It made it easier to kick him where the sun doesn't shine."

"Okay, wow." He burst into laughter. "You kicked him in the famila jewels?"

"He left me no choice," she claimed, all innocence.

"Please, coming from you, I imagine the kick was pretty solid."

"Oh, yes. I did intend to make him impotent."

"The emperor better be glad he has three sons to give him an heir then," he remarked, and she chuckled. "Because I have a plan to put the final nail in the coffin today."

"What is it?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Since we are on the same side for this one, I will spill the beans..."

As they got to talking, their conversation flowed effortlessly from one topic to another. Vyan realized this was the first time he was chatting so casually with her. Even when he was her knight and she would share almost everything with him, he never felt completely comfortable with Iyana, given their differences in social standing.

But now that he was on the upper ladder of society, he could see why it wasn't a big deal to Iyana back then and how much she might have secretly hoped he would open up to her as well.

Whatever had happened in the past, he was grateful for what they had now. Their dynamic was nice and relaxing. He had only found this kind of comfort with Clyde until recently. Now, he was glad to have Iyana in his life too.

———

Around the same time, Clyde was hovering around his tent, repeatedly checking his pocket watch like it held the secrets of the universe. He needed to make his grand entrance at precisely one-quarter past eight to deliver Vyan's clothes.

As much as he wanted his favorite ship to bond and set sail, as Vyan's aide, he had to ensure Vyan showed up at half past eight to inaugurate the second day of the hunt. It was a cruel reality that he would have to burst their bubble in just five minutes.

As he wallowed in his thoughts, his eyes caught a glimpse of a beautiful shade of silver hair gliding by. "Your—" the word almost leaped off his tongue, eager to call out to her.

But he wouldn't. Not until the promised day.

He swallowed the greeting and turned away, even though every fiber of his being wanted to approach her and chatter away.

His heart throbbed painfully as he thought bitterly, I am sure she wouldn't even notice, let alone be bothered, if I flat-out ignored her.

Little did he know how wrong he was.

Althea clutched the spot over her heart, feeling it twist in pain. She had intentionally passed by in front of Clyde, selfishly hoping he would call out to her. Maybe she was greedy, wanting to see his bright smile. Just one more time.

But he didn't call out. He didn't smile at her. And that hurt—like a thousand tiny, invisible knives stabbing her chest.

"Why… why are you affecting me like this, Clyde, when I am supposed to never feel these things ever again?"

———

While the nobles bustled in the clearing before the forest entrance, eager for the hunt, a different scene unfolded in the shadows.

Imperial soldiers and Ashstone knights quietly guarded the opposite side of the forest, their presence a silent vigil against any unforeseen threats. Guards were strategically posted around the entire perimeter, ready to assist anyone lost and to prevent any monsters from escaping.

On the surface, the security seemed impeccable.

But what if that security was still compromised?

Towards the east of the forest, with a single snap of a finger, all the guards' eyes turned gray, their gazes becoming lifeless and doll-like.

Silent and deliberate, a black-cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, striding to the forest's edge and the guards acted as if the person was invisible to their eyes.

In that person's hands was a box, ancient and ornate, like a treasure chest from forgotten legends. With a swift motion, the lid was lifted, releasing a swirling, dark mist.

From the mist, an enormous, S-grade monster with midnight-black scales and fiery eyes emerged, its roar shaking the ground. Following it, two A-grade monsters stepped out—one, a hulking, horned brute, and the other, a towering, winged beast with razor-sharp talons and piercing eyes.

Right behind them emerged a hulking, armored creature with a spiked tail and glowing runes etched into its tough hide, exuding an aura of raw, untamed power.

The figure watched in silence with a smirk as the beasts spread out into the forest. "Let the chaos begin."