Ascension Of The Villain

Iyana was lounging on her bed, still in her uniform, contemplating the inevitable boredom of the award ceremony. That was wh a knock came.

"Sister, may I come in?" Sina's voice was as sweet as a spoonful of honey.

"Sure," Iyana replied, sitting up.

Sina floated in, a vision in a pastel pink gown, looking like she had just waltzed out of a fairy tale.

"Did you need something, Sina?"

"Oh, Sister, it hurts me that you have forgott all our sweet memories," Sina lamted, theatrically placing a hand on her heart as she took a seat beside Iyana. "Please, call me S."

"Alright, S," Iyana indulged her with a chuckle.

"As much as I would love to chat over some tea and gossip about your tragic experice at the war, we need to talk urgtly," Sina's tone shifted to business-like, her face a mask of seriousness.

"Okay. Spill it."

"Since you are headed to the award ceremony, you might run into the Grand Duke," Sina began, her voice laced with caution.

"Vyan?" Iyana blurted out, and Sina's face paled faster than a vampire at sunrise.

"You remember Vyan?" If Iyana remembered Vyan, their plans would be toast, no doubt. She briefly considered fleeing to a country with no extradition treaties but decided against it.

"No. Father mtioned him in a letter," Iyana clarified, breaking Sina's mini-panic attack.

"Oh," Sina exhaled dramatically, visibly relieved.

Iyana shot her a puzzled look.

Sina quickly backpedaled, "I am just relieved because I did not want you to remember the horrible things he did."

"Horrible things?" Iyana's eyebrow arched.

"Yes! Vyan used to be your personal knight, and he was a vile, wicked man," Sina warned, her eyes wide with horror. "Not only was he completely useless as your bodyguard, but he was also ridiculously possessive of you, like a dragon hoarding a princess. He was totally obsessed with you. Do you know that psychopath once assaulted Prince Izac, mistaking him for your fiancé?

He intded to kill the man you are supposed to marry."

Iyana's eyes wided, wondering about what kind of villain her life possessed.

"He didn't just stop there," Sina continued, clutching Iyana's hand with the fervor of someone who had just watched a horror movie alone.

"What else did he do?"

"He vowed to take revge on all of us, especially you. He wants to kill you, Sister," she said, her voice quivering. "You have to be careful. He is already making moves against us, planning to destroy our family. Do you get it?"

"What I don't get is how he wt from being my knight to the Grand Duke," Iyana replied, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"I don't know that, either, but who knows? He probably pulled some dirty strings or something. He is capable of anything," Sina cried, tears cascading down her cheeks like a waterfall. "He came and threated us last week wh you wer't here. He no longer wants control over you. Now, he just wants to see you suffer.

He is targeting us for revge. You have to do something, Sister."

Iyana's heart melted at the sight of her sister's tears, guilt gnawing at her chest. She pulled Sina into a comforting embrace, whispering, "Don't cry, S."

"Sister, you have to protect us from that psychotic man. We did nothing to him, but he will still kill all of us. Please save us," Sina pleaded, her voice muffled against Iyana's shoulder.

"Don't worry, S. I will protect our family at any cost," Iyana assured her, patting her head gtly. "I will not let that man harm any of you."

"He is going to try and break off your gagemt so that we lose our standing in high society," Sina whispered.

"That will not happ. I am going to marry the crown prince, and no one can stop me from doing that," Iyana declared.

With her head buried in Iyana's shoulder, Sina smirked, her lips curling into a sinister grin.

It's about time my dear sister and Vyan clashed head-on, she thought.

With no memories, Iyana was like a blank slate on which Sina could paint any picture.

And oh, what a dark masterpiece she was crafting.

It wasn't an abnormal picture she painted—it was only natural that Iyana was cherished by her family. That's the image the tire nobility believed as well.

Therefore, only a few carefully wov lies were needed to plant the seed of love for her innoct family and the seed of hatred against the wicked Grand Duke.

———

"—We are honored to call the hero of the war of Ganlop, the Vice-Commander of the Imperial Army, Iyana Pearl Estelle! Please give a loud of applause for the brave soldier who brought victory to our nation!" bellowed the speaker, his voice echoing through the grand square of the capital.

Iyana stood up from her seat, walking up the small stairs to the elevated stage with a stoic face and immaculate grace.

At the cter of the stage, the emperor stepped forward from his throne, holding a glisting medal in a velvet-lined box.

"Today, I could not be prouder to award this medal to my soon-to-be daughter-in-law," Edgar declared with a pleased smile.

"It is an honor, Your Imperial Majesty," Iyana replied, lowering herself to one knee with a hand over her heart, her posture so perfect it could make a mannequin jealous.

Edgar placed the medal a her neck and announced, "Along with this medal, I am awarding the Land of Krus to the hero of the Ganlop war!"

"Your gerosity knows no bounds, Your Imperial Majesty," Iyana responded, though internally she was already planning her new estate.

Would it have a moat? She really hoped it had a moat.

"Nothing is too much for you, Vice-Commander. You are a pride to our tire nation. You will make a great empress one day, I am sure of it," Edgar beamed.

Easton smiled faintly watching the sce from beside the throne. He was happy for Iyana.

Meanwhile, Althea beside him barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes, thinking, I will never let her become the empress.

On the other side of the throne, Vyan was standing with a perfect smile on his face—a face that suggested he either loved this spectacle or was imagining himself somewhere far, far away.

As the emperor settled back into his imperial chair, it was Vyan's turn to step forward with the flower bouquet he was told to give Iyana. He looked about as thrilled as a cat delivering a dead mouse.

Iyana rose to her feet, her expression twisting with loathing as she remembered everything Sina had told her about Vyan.

This was the villainous man who was threating her family's lives and honor. If glares could kill, Vyan would have dropped dead right there.

"Congratulations, Vice-Commander Estelle," Vyan said, his voice dripping with saccharine vom as he handed over the flowers.

"Thank you, Your Grace. And congratulations to you as well on your ascsion," Iyana replied, her face a tight-lipped mask as she accepted the bouquet. "My apologies for missing your grand party."

"It's quite fine. You were busy saving the world or whatever," Vyan replied with a smirk. "Honestly, I am glad you missed it. Your presce would have really soured my mood. But hey, I am shocked you survived the war. I was certain you would come back in a coffin."

"I had to survive. After all, my family's fate is at stake. I cannot let someone like you destroy them," she retorted coldly.

"Someone like me? Maybe you still hav't figured out who I really am."

"Oh, I know exactly who you are now. I just congratulated you, didn't I, Your Grace?"

"Yes, and it must have be torture for you. Congratulating someone you think is beath you? How terribly tragic," Vyan taunted, his smirk widing.

"Believe me, the pleasure was all mine," Iyana's eyes flashed with fury, still she kept a neutral expression on her face. "But you know, I am guinely curious about one thing. How did you manage to get this position? You cannot do magic as far as I know. Did you master the dark arts, or are you just licking shoes?"

"What an adorable accusation," Vyan chuckled, his smile as sharp as a dagger. "It sounds like reality is hard for you to accept. Maybe all that black magic you dabble in has finally fried your brain. Don't worry, you will come to terms with it evtually."

"You goddamn bas—"

Vyan clicked his tongue, feigning disappointmt. "Oh, tut-tut. It's starting to show you have be out on the battlefield for too long. Have you forgott your etiquette lessons? Nobles don't curse."

"You fucking—"

"Shush, my lady. His Imperial Majesty might hear us. We wouldn't want him to think his future daughter-in-law is uncouth, now would we?"

"And what about the fact that you have be talking down to his daughter-in-law this whole time?"

"What he doesn't know, doesn't hurt him. Let's maintain an amicable front, shall we?

"I wish I could just punch—"

"Ahem," their heated exchange was interrupted by the speaker, who jovially announced, "It seems that His Grace and Vice-Commander Estelle have hit it off spldidly. Please, share your fun conversation with us! We could all use a little tertainmt."

"Oh, it's nothing. The Vice-Commander was just congratulating me on my ascsion and expressing her deep regret at missing the celebratory party," Vyan smoothly lied, his expression as innoct as a cherub.

Iyana nodded curtly, her smile a rigid mask.

To the onlookers, their exchange seemed like pleasant, witty banter.

In reality, maintaining their polite façades was as challging as walking a tightrope while juggling flaming swords.

However, Clyde, who was watching the sce unfold from his seat in the audice, let out a nervous chuckle.

He didn't know if anyone else could sse it, but he could practically see thunderclaps and electricity zapping betwe the two of them.

"Where is the love I ssed betwe them last year?" he muttered to himself, a feeling of doom creeping up on him. "All I am seeing now is pure, unadulterated hatred. This… can't d well."

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