Ascension Of The Villain

"He called me by that pet name," Freya said, her voice barely more than a whisper, "and I ran away immediately. I didn't know where to go. If I went back to my tent, he could force his way in. So I thought if I hid here, he wouldn't dare follow."

Vyan's eyes softened as he gently patted her back, trying to offer comfort. It was hard to reconcile this trembling woman with the resolute Freya he had come to know over the past year. She had always projected a formidable strength, never flinching in the face of Lyon, even slapping him without hesitation.

Now, here she was trembling at the mere sound of Izac calling her name. Vyan couldn't begin to fathom how traumatizing it must have been for her.

"Freya," he said softly, "didn't you know Izac would be at this festival? Why didn't you tell me? Had I remembered what he did to you, I would never have asked you to come."

He had only invited her to help keep track of monster kills and perhaps have fun mingling with the ladies her age. The last thing he wanted was to endanger her.

"I didn't want to add to your stress," Freya murmured, her voice muffled as she buried her face in her knees. "You were already overwhelmed. I thought if I could just avoid him, it would be fine. But when I couldn't find you or Clyde, I started searching. That's when he saw me."

Vyan's expression turned to one of regret. "We should have let you know where we were going," he said, frustration lacing his tone. "I am so sorry, Freya."

Freya shook her head, tears spilling over. "It's not your fault or Clyde's. I should have been more cautious. Now, I have ruined everything."

"Nothing is ruined," Vyan said firmly. "Izac can't do anything to you. I will make sure of it. In fact, I'm sending you back to the estate first thing in the morning."

Her head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. "But who will take care—"

"You don't have to worry about that," Vyan cut in smoothly. "I will call Benedict. He is excellent with all the management stuff, so he can handle everything. Just go back home and relax. I won't let Izac get to you."

"But—"

"And to ensure you get your revenge, I've already got the perfect plan."

"You've already devised a revenge scheme?" she asked, a mixture of awe and disbelief in her voice.

"Of course. Who do you think I am?" Vyan smirked smugly, eliciting a small chuckle from her.

"You really are my savior," she uttered with a teary smile. Once, she had doubted her feelings for Vyan, wondering if they were romantic. But they never were, not for a single moment.

From the moment they met, he had been someone she could sacrifice her life for, just out of eternal gratitude. He had picked her up when she was at her lowest, helped her out whenever she was in trouble, or needed money for her family. To her, he was an embodiment of gratitude and admiration.

"Thank you so much, Vyan, for everything," she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with heartfelt sincerity.

"No, thank you for always rescuing my paperwork," he said with a light chuckle, hoping to diffuse the tension in the air. Standing up, he added, "For tonight, stay here. I am off to commandeer Clyde's tent."

Freya shot up in alarm, "I can't let you do that!"

"Why not? Are you worried I am going to hog Clyde's bed and make him bunk on the floor?"

"How could you possibly make that poor thing sleep on the floor? He is also a noble, isn't he?"

"Since when did Clyde become a 'poor thing'? If anyone is getting tormented, it's me by his antics."

Freya stifled a giggle and relented, "You are right. Clyde does torment me to some extent as well… Okay, then, do as you see fit."

"Great. Then get some sleep—" He turned to leave but stopped short, recalling something. "Oh, I forgot about the lavender incense."

Freya stepped aside, giving him access to the nightstand. She couldn't resist peeking into the drawer, where three packets of incense lay waiting. "Vyan, why do you have so many packets of incense?"

Vyan paused, pulling out a few sticks, while a faint smile formed on his face. "Someone thought I forgot to bring my incense, so I was given an extra pack."

"That's very sweet of them," Freya complimented softly.

He nodded, his smile widening with warmth.

Vyan might be a tad forgetful and a bit clumsy with self-care, but he had two guardian angels—Clyde and Benedict—who ensured he never left without his essentials. And they knew lavender incense was a must for his insomniac sleeping habits.

How could he tell Iyana, who was so earnestly looking out for his well-being, that he had everything covered? So, he opted for a little white lie and embraced her concern. Both were content, and really, what more could he ask for?

———

The next morning, the sky flaunted a stunning shade of light orange, as if it had just returned from a particularly glamorous makeover session. Hearing the birds in full concert mode, Katelyn stepped out of her tent, ready to conquer the day. She loved her morning walks, especially since they often included a peek at the imperial knights' sparring session.

While she herself wasn't much interested in wielding a sword, she very much enjoyed watching the sword display, which was why she was a big fan of Iyana's. Anyhow, since the knights weren't available here for her daily dose of entertainment, a walk would have to suffice.

With a spring in her step, she began her stroll. That was when her eyes caught sight of movement in Vyan's tent, and she arched an eyebrow.

"Doesn't Vyan usually sleep until the crack of noon?" She had heard that Vyan's morning routine typically involved waking up at the unholy hour of ten or eleven, yet for this festival, he usually dragged himself out of bed by seven-thirty and was still the last to arrive at the breakfast buffet.

Looking up at the sky, she knew this was way too early for him to be up.

Oh, well, if he is awake, it's the perfect time to annoy him.

A mischievous grin spread across her face as she skipped over to Vyan's tent.

"Good morning, Vyan," she greeted innocently. If she didn't ask sweetly, he might not even let her in. "Please come out and let your lovely cousin see your anno—err, handsome face."

The movement inside ceased immediately, triggering Katelyn's suspicion.

"Vyan, is it not you in there?" she called, feeling a twinge of concern. Was it a thief trying to gather intelligence from Vyan's residence? "Vyan, or whoever you are, come out instantly, or I will call the guards—"

"Your Imperial Highness, please don't," came a clear voice, making Katelyn narrow her eyes.

"Who is that?" Katelyn demanded.

The woman approached the tent door and said, "I am Freya Adeline, Your Imperial Highness. I work as the treasurer at House Ashstone. His Grace let me stay here for the night due to some situation."

"How do I believe you if you don't show me your face?" Katelyn crossed her arms.

Freya sighed. "Alright, Your Imperial Highness. I will give you a quick peek."

"Okay."

As Freya opened the tent door just enough for Katelyn to see her, a young lady named Mitchell happened to walk by and halted in her tracks. Freya's eyes met Mitchell's, and both widened in realization.

Mitchell's hands flew to her mouth, gasping. "Oh, my Goddess, an unknown lady emerging from His Grace's tent first thing in the morning!"