Ascension Of The Villain

Iyana glanced at Vyan, a flicker of fear in her eyes. However, Vyan, on the other hand, was the epitome of calmness.

With his usual elegance, he strolled to the front of the imperial altar, greeting the imperials like it was a normal Monday morning, completely unfazed by the countless pairs of eyes throwing dark glares his way.

"He truly is the son of the traitors. Here I thought he was different from them."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, after all."

"To think, we could have all died today if the monsters weren't taken care of."

"I am sure it's all a plan to harm our emperor again."

"Goddess knows what this cursed family has against our imperial family."

"I had a bad feeling about him from the start."

Iyana clenched her fists. Just until this morning, they were all singing praises of Vyan, and now, they had turned against him faster than a squirrel on espresso. How fickle.

"Don't pay mind to it," Clyde spoke up, coming to stand beside Iyana. She hadn't noticed when Easton slipped away and went to stand beside the emperor's throne. "Vyan's got this," Clyde assured.

Iyana let out a frustrated exhale and crossed her arms. "I know, but these people are just so annoying."

Clyde chuckled lightly. "You really care for him, huh?"

"It's hard not to worry about him," she grumbled.

"I couldn't agree more," Clyde sighed dramatically.

The air crackled with tension as they watched the scene unfold. Vyan, down on one knee with his head bowed, had just finished his formal greeting.

The emperor's voice sliced through the silence. "Grand Duke, what is this I hear about A- and S-grade monsters breaching our festival borders? Is it true?"

"Regrettably, yes, Your Imperial Majesty," Vyan replied. "Three A-grade and one S-grade monsters have infiltrated our territory. They were neutralized, but I apologize for my inability to prevent the incursion entirely."

"How did you manage to subdue the S-grade monster? It's notoriously formidable," Edgar queried, his tone sharp with curiosity.

"Indeed, it was a formidable challenge. It would have been impossible without the intervention of the Commander and Vice-commander of the Order of Phoenix, Archmage Magnus—" Vyan began.

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Iyana shot Clyde a skeptical glance, as if asking, you, of all people, are an archmage?

"Do you think a normal mage could have held on in that battlefield for so long?" he whispered, earning an exasperated eye roll from Iyana.

"—and the Vice-commander of the Imperial Order of Knights," Vyan continued. "I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to the four of them for single-handedly tackling the monstrous threat and safeguarding everyone."

The assembly exchanged impressed glances. The revelation that three members from Ashstones had acted as their protectors dispelled any suspicions of a conspiracy.

"Why didn't he credit himself too? I don't get it," Iyana muttered, clearly dissatisfied.

Clyde responded with only a half-smile, the hint of a mystery lingering in the air.

"Who orchestrated this invasion? And to what end?" Edgar demanded, his voice laced with a mix of dread and suspicion.

"I cannot say for certain who is behind this," Vyan responded gravely. "But whoever it is must be a black magician as it was quite obvious that the monsters were being influenced by dark magic."

A collective gasp echoed through the hall, followed by a flurry of panicked whispers.

"A black magician? How could that be?"

"Weren't they all eradicated over a decade ago?"

"I heard there are no black magicians left alive."

"Wasn't this rumor quite famous? That Lady Iyana is a witch?"

"Yes, otherwise, why hasn't she achieved Aura yet, despite her strength?"

"Could she have orchestrated this and pretended to protect us?"

"Witches are capable of anything. Their minds are so twisted."

Iyana rolled her eyes, unbothered by the murmurs. Yet, she noticed Easton's contemplative gaze, as if he doubted her. She scoffed internally, expecting nothing less from him.

No one ever defended her before, and she didn't expect it to start from now on, either.

"However," Vyan interjected, his voice slicing through the chaos with unexpected authority, "I believe the black magician is an outsider. And for those doubting Lady Iyana," his tone turned sharp, laced with a dangerous edge, "let me clarify that she possesses Aura. So, you must understand that it is quite physically impossible for her to be a witch."

Gasps of surprise rippled through the open space, all whispers were silenced. The revelation hit hard, Vyan's statement's intensity searing into everyone's consciousness.

Meanwhile, Iyana stared at Vyan's back in awe, her breath hitched. Did he… did he just defend me in front of the entire nobility?

The shock was evident on every face. Iyana could hardly believe it herself. Vyan's defense not only quelled the immediate suspicion but also elevated her status in an instant.

"My, what delightful news. Congratulations, Lady Iyana," Celeste chirped, a warm smile lighting up her face.

"Yes, congratulations, Lady Iyana," Jade added with a sophisticated smile.

Edgar shot a questioning glance at Easton, who averted his gaze, confirming his prior knowledge. With a resigned sigh, Edgar forced a smile. "Congratulations, Lady Iyana. What an honor for our nation to have someone with such divine power."

"Uh, yes, thank you, Your Imperial Majesties," Iyana replied, feeling a bit awkward but relieved.

"Now, to the matter at hand," Edgar said, his gaze locking onto Vyan, "Grand Duke, what about casualties? How much damage has been caused?"

"There have been five casualties, Your Imperial Majesty," Vyan replied, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Five of my knights perished in the line of duty. Although the squad from House Clarinton was also attacked, they have been fully cured, thanks to Her Imperial Highness, Princess Althea."

Eyes turned to Althea with gratitude and admiration. Her heroic acts during the Walver Epidemic had already made her a legend, and this only added to her renown.

Vyan took a deep breath, his posture reflecting the heavy guilt on his shoulders. "Your Imperial Majesty, I… I promised a safe and perfect Monster Hunt Festival. I failed to keep that promise. I truly apologize from the bottom of my heart."

The room grew still, the gravity of his admission sinking in. The nobility's expressions softened as they felt bad to watch the Grand Duke's normally composed demeanor cracking.

"I take full responsibility for this failure," Vyan continued, his voice trembling slightly. "Every person present here entrusted their lives to me, and I could not honor them with the minimum security they deserved. Therefore, I beg for your forgiveness and for the understanding of all present."

"Is he serious right now?" Iyana let out in disbelief. "Bringing out crocodile tears was his plan to get out of this? Who is even going to buy this act?"

Clyde pressed a hand over his mouth, trying to control his urge to laugh at Vyan's flawless acting. "Everyone," he managed to murmur.

And he was right.

The nobility was moved by Vyan's heartfelt confession. Pity and respect mingled in their gazes, the atmosphere now charged with empathy, instead of accusatory. Vyan's vulnerability had touched their hearts.

Whispers began to ripple through the assembly.

"Poor boy, he is carrying such a heavy burden all alone."

"It's not his fault, he did everything he could."

"He must have worked so hard for this festival, but still… how heartbreaking for him."

Edgar's stern expression softened as well, and Easton rolled his eyes. "Grand Duke," he said, his voice gentle, "you have done your best in the face of an unexpected crisis. No one can blame you for that."

"I mean, you could have done better with the security—" Easton tried to speak, but he was silenced by a glare from Edgar.

"Prince Easton is right." Vyan's head hung lower, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. "If I wanted to ensure a flawless festival, I should have paid more attention to unexpected anomalies. It wouldn't have turned into a nightmare if I had done that. The guilt is unbearable."

"Such a shame. There is no way anybody could have expected such a thing."

"No amount of advanced preparation could have stopped an S-grade monster.

"I hope he knows we don't blame him anymore."

"Yes, we are still safe because of him sending his people to protect us."

Edgar got up from his throne and got down from the altar, placing a reassuring hand on Vyan's shoulder. "You have our sympathy and our understanding, Grand Duke. What's important now is that we ensure the rest of the festival proceeds smoothly. Focus on that, and let us honor those who sacrificed their lives by making the remainder of the festival a success."

The nobility nodded in agreement.

"We stand with you, Your Grace."

"Let's make this festival one to remember, for those who fell."

"He is not alone in this. We are all in this together."

Vyan smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty, for forgiving my failure, and everyone else as well, thank you."

After that, the emperor declared a decree to the imperial army to catch the person who wanted to turn this happy festival into a massacre and ended the court session.

As the crowd dismissed, everyone returning to freshen up and get something to eat, Iyana and Clyde approached Vyan.

"Nice acting, Your Grace," Iyana taunted.

Vyan turned to face Iyana with a sympathetical look. "How could you say that about my heartfelt confession?"

Iyana rolled her eyes. "Fool someone else with those crocodile tears. I am not falling for them."

"How mean," Vyan said playfully and wiped the corner of his eye, while Iyana sauntered away.

"Hey, I feel like we are forgetting something," Clyde brought up.

"Same. I have the same feeling," Vyan agreed, twitching his lips, and then, his eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

"What?" Clyde arched an eyebrow curiously.

"Izac!" Vyan whisper-yelled. "We totally forgot about him!"