Ascension Of The Villain

"Yes, what is it you wanted to say?" Vyan asked, his usual polished smile on display.

"Actually, I, um…" Maria hesitated, clearly summoning every ounce of courage. She opened her mouth, but before any confession could escape, there was a knock.

Like a well-timed lifeline, a door appeared on the wall and Clyde strode in.

"Good evening, Your Imperial Highness," Clyde greeted, practically beaming. "I trust your stay here has been nothing short of splendid?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, quite splendid indeed," Maria replied, her cheeks suddenly flushed as she found herself stumbling over her words.

"That's wonderful to hear," Clyde chirped, before pivoting smoothly to Vyan. "Your Grace, Freya has requested your immediate attention. It seems there were a few oversights in the documents you reviewed earlier, and she needs your expertise to correct them posthaste."

"Ah, I must have been more fatigued than I realized after the festival," Vyan said, shaking his head slightly. "I will attend to it right away. But before I do, Your Imperial Highness, you were saying?"

Maria waved her hands with fervor, shaking her head in a fluster. "It can wait for another time, truly."

"Very well," Vyan replied, inclining his head. "Should you need anything, simply ring the bell. Benedict is at your service at all times."

Maria nodded, visibly relieved.

As Vyan and Clyde stepped into the hallway, the door behind them faded into the wall, blending seamlessly with the grand corridor, leaving no trace of the room beyond.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue, Clyde. I was two seconds away from faking my own death to escape that situation," Vyan exhaled, the tension easing from his shoulders.

Clyde chuckled, clapping him on the back. "That's why we mastered telepathy, my friend. For moments just like these."

"She is such a sweet lady," Vyan groaned, rubbing his temples. "I almost feel guilty that she has fallen for my fake personality."

"There, there," Clyde said, patting Vyan's shoulder in a mock-serious manner. "It's not like you intended for it. It just… happened."

Vyan hummed in agreement.

As Vyan and Clyde made their way to Vyan's office, they were intercepted by Benedict, who found them at the right time.

"Ah, Master, you have a visitor," Benedict announced, his tone as crisp as ever. "Lady Iyana has come to see you."

Clyde shot Vyan a look that was positively dripping with mischief, and Vyan didn't need telepathy to know exactly what was running through Clyde's head.

"Shut it, lover boy. It's nothing like that," Vyan hissed under his breath, his annoyance barely masked.

"I didn't say a word," Clyde replied, his expression the picture of innocent surprise.

"I could still hear your annoying thoughts," Vyan muttered, giving Clyde one last warning glare before turning to Benedict. "Bring Lady Iyana to my office."

As Vyan walked away, Benedict's curious gaze shifted to Clyde, who was grinning like a cat with a canary.

"Oh, you are also wondering what was going on in my mind? I was just thinking how well things are going between those two. I have no idea why Vyan got so defensive," Clyde said with a wink.

"Things do seem to be going well for them." Benedict shook his head, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "By the way, I have heard from Master that you started courting Princess Althea."

"Yes! Congratulations to me, right?" Clyde practically glowed with self-satisfaction.

"Indeed, congratulations," Benedict replied, though there was a touch of nostalgia in his tone, maybe even a hint of sadness. "But I suppose we will need to start training a new aide for Master soon."

"Tell me about it. Being Vyan's only aide is a lot of work. A partner would be great."

"That's not what I meant," Benedict said, his tone gentle but pointed, like a needle finding its mark. "If you are truly planning a future with Princess Althea, you do realize it means leaving your role as Master's aide behind, don't you?"

Clyde felt the words land with the force of a gut punch, knocking the breath right out of him. The easy grin vanished from his face, replaced by a stunned silence.

"Oh," he finally managed, Benedict's words sinking in like a cold, hard truth he hadn't been ready to face.

———

Vyan was at his desk when a soft knock echoed through the room. He looked up, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, look who's suddenly all about manners."

Iyana stepped into the office, rolling her eyes but unable to hide a small smile. "Please, I used to only act rude on purpose back then."

"I know, I know," he chuckled, rising from his chair. As he approached her, his gaze subtly traced the lines of her military uniform, lingering just a heartbeat longer than necessary. "Straight from work?"

She nodded, making her way to the couch. The moment she sat down, Vyan was beside her, closing the distance without a second thought. "Yeah, I heard someone was rather eager to see me."

"'Eager' might be a stretch," he corrected, sliding down beside her on the couch instead of his usual seat across from her. She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by the change. But he casually brushed past her curiosity. "I happened to be near the knights' quarters and thought I might ask why you left me high and dry at the closing ball."

She waved off his words. "I said I was sorry. Talking to Easton put me out of the mood."

Vyan sighed dramatically just as a maid entered, placing their tea and desserts on the table. He reached over, his fingers grazing hers as he handed her a cup, the contact light but deliberate. "Easton, always the reason I miss out on a dance with you."

She laughed softly, the sound carrying a hint of affection. "I really am sorry. It would have been a little awkward to dance with someone else right after my fiancé."

"Former fiancé," Vyan gently reminded her, his hand resting on the back of the couch, his fingers just brushing the bare skin of her neck as he leaned in slightly.

"Right," she acknowledged, a soft shiver running down her spine. "I got the official word this afternoon."

"So," he murmured, his voice low and teasing as his arm brushed against hers, "that means, you are officially single again."

"Yes, I guess so." Iyana picked up her tea, taking a delicate sip as she looked at him thoughtfully. "The timing is strange, don't you think?"

Vyan tilted his head, a playful smile on his lips. "How so?"

"Well," she began, a soft laugh escaping her, "right after you promised that you wouldn't let me marry Easton against my will, something like this happens. It's almost like you orchestrated it all."

He let out an awkward chuckle, neither confirming nor denying it. Instead of saying anything, he reached out to slice into his cake, taking a slow, thoughtful bite.

"Oh, by the way," Iyana continued, her tone light, "just before I came here, Easton approached me with a rather unexpected request. I didn't think he would talk to me again after our last conversation."

"Really?" Vyan's curiosity was piqued. "What did he want?"

"He asked me to join his team to search for Princess Maria."

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