Ascension Of The Villain

Iyana accepted the bouquet from Easton with an awkward half-smile, her fingers brushing against his cool, gloved hand.

She was unsure of how to respond. The flowers were rather vibrant against the backdrop of her uncertainty.

"Your Imperial Highness, this is quite generous of you," she began cautiously, trying to keep her voice steady, "but was there something specific you needed from me?"

Easton's gaze was fixed on her, his demeanor cool and collected as always. "No, I simply wished to see you," he confessed, his voice a contrast to the warmth of the flowers in her hands.

Iyana's expression betrayed a hint of curiosity mingled with a touch of cool reserve. "And what prompted this sudden visit?"

Stepping closer, Easton tilted his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I am only following your advice, Iyana," he murmured softly, almost too low for anyone else to hear. "Public displays of affection."

"If you are going to fake concern for me, do it in public, not in private."

She recalled her casual comment during the ceremony after the Ganlop war, surprised that Easton had actually taken it to heart.

"So, is this your way of assuring His Grace that you do care about your fiancée?" she inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Easton nodded thoughtfully. "I considered how you might have felt among your peers, uncomfortable because of my… aloofness. I wouldn't want to embarrass you in front of the Grand Duke."

"Well, that's unexpectedly considerate of you," she admitted, a faint, almost reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

She couldn't help but think that if Easton was a little more thoughtful and a little less glacial, their married life might almost be bearable.

Even so, why did the thought of being married to Easton bring such a dark cloudy storm in her chest? Earlier, she used to be indifferent, but now, she rather felt repulsive.

"By the way," Easton cleared his throat and asked, "Do you want to have a cup of tea with me?"

Iyana opened her mouth to answer when she was rudely interrupted by an annoyingly cheery voice, "What a pleasant surprise, Your Imperial Highness! What brings you here this early in the morning to my humble abode?"

Iyana's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the sight of Vyan, not only awake but also impeccably dressed so early in the morning. She resisted the urge to check if the sky was still blue.

"Greetings, Your Grace," Easton turned to face Vyan with his usual cold, polite smile. "I hope you have been well. My apologies for dropping in unannounced. I should have informed you beforehand."

Vyan strutted towards them, each step clicking sharply on the marble floor. His smile was so unnervingly wide that it made Iyana think of a shark eyeing its next meal.

"Yes, you should have," Vyan laughed, a sound as pleasant as nails on a chalkboard. "I could have prepared a parade in your honor."

"There is no need for such extravagance, Your Grace. This is just a casual call," Easton replied smoothly.

"But look at you, still not empty-handed," Vyan remarked, noticing the royal servants carrying in gifts for him. "Have you even had breakfast? If not, please allow me to inform—"

"Oh, no, please, there is no need—"

"Nonsense," Vyan brushed off Easton's protest with a casual wave, like he was swatting a particularly annoying mosquito. "I will have my servants set up a lavish outdoor spread for Lady Iyana and yourself. You two lovebirds surely deserve some alone time after such a lengthy separation."

"That would be delightful, Your Grace," Easton accepted, not even bothering to reject the offer out of politeness.

Although Easton seemed cold and composed, he was buzzing with excitement beneath that icy exterior.

His heart raced with anticipation, but his stoic demeanor betrayed none of it.

This moment was the culmination of his true intentions for being here.

He longed to spend time with Iyana, but he was painfully aware that any overt display of affection would only earn her wrath. She had made it abundantly clear that private affections were off the table.

So, he devised this clever excuse. Without it, he knew she would have pushed him away just as she had before.

"Alright, Benedict shall get to it then," Vyan said with a smile, signaling to Benedict and the other servants to begin their tasks. "But before that, Lady Iyana, you should get changed."

Iyana glanced down at her sweaty morning practice outfit and let out an unbothered sigh. "Oh," she muttered. "I guess I should go change then."

"Meanwhile, Your Imperial Highness, why don't you wait in the lounge area or perhaps take a walk in the garden? The weather is rather pleasant today," Vyan suggested.

"I will do that, Your Grace. Thank you," Easton replied, maintaining his composed facade as Benedict led him away.

Once he was out of earshot, Iyana shot a pointed look at Vyan and marched over to him. "Why did you have to go and do that?" she demanded, her tone a mix of irritation and frustration.

"What? Weren't you drowning in sorrow last night over Prince Easton's lack of interest in your charm?" Vyan asked innocently, raising an eyebrow. "I thought a little morning date might lift your spirits."

"You are such an idiot," she muttered, barely audible.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing," she sighed, then noticed a speck on his face. "Oh, you have got something in your eye."

"Oh," Vyan began, but before he could react, her hand darted forward and whisked away the offending dust from the exterior corner of his eye.

"Maybe you should have spent more time washing your face properly instead of hurrying off to get ready," she quipped, a hint of teasing in her voice.

He chuckled. "I didn't hurry. Because, you know, being a mage has its perks."

"How convenient," she deadpanned, rolling her eyes in mock annoyance.

Easton, who was walking in the opposite direction with Benedict, couldn't help but glance over his shoulder from far away. Just then, he saw Iyana gently reach up to touch Vyan's face—a gesture that sparked a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within him.

The gesture was so natural that neither of them thought too much of it, but Easton's chest churned like a witch's cauldron on a stormy night.

The truth was as glaring as a blazing sun: his sudden urge to spend time with Iyana stemmed directly from his fury towards Vyan.

He was absolutely furious with his father when he learned that she was going to live at the Grand Duke's estate for a whole month until the monster hunt festival.

He had only come to know of it a week ago when one of his aides was on vacation in his hometown, Ashstone, and spotted Iyana in a market with Vyan.

If he had known sooner, he would have tried to bring her back sooner.

Even so, it was absolutely mind-boggling how his father could have encouraged the idea of his to-be wife to go live at a bachelor's estate. The Grand Duke as Vyan might be, he was still a single young man living alone without any family at the estate.

Naturally, it was enough to make Easton want to tear his hair out, if only to match the level of frustration bubbling within.

He sighed heavily, pondering his next move in this delicate dance of affection.

Should he bridge the gap between them, or respect her space? The dilemma gnawed at him like an overzealous puppy with a favorite chew toy.

On the other hand, once Iyana walked away from Vyan, his smile dropped and his expression turned cold as he looked at Easton and Benedict's back

Clyde, always the keen observer, materialized beside him with a smirk that could rival a court jester's. "So, you are now pulling out all the stops to assert your platonic feelings, is that it?"

Vyan was quiet, so Clyde further prompted, "Is the next plan to be the officiant at their wedding?"

Vyan shot him a look that could freeze a dragon mid-roar. "Shut up." With that, he walked away from Clyde, leaving his aide to muse by himself.

"Let's see how you react, Vyan, upon seeing your 'precious' person spend time with her fiance."

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