Ascension Of The Villain
Chapter 55 - 55: Rage Without A Target

The next day, Vyan was buried under a pile of paperwork as usual when Freya came in, her face a picture of exaggerated misery.

"Vyan, why did you stick me with that insufferable prick? He is so rude, I am surprised he doesn't burst into flames from his own arrogance."

Vyan glanced up, a sympathetic smile playing on his lips. "Sorry, Freya. Clyde had to sprint off for some work, otherwise, he was supposed to handle our ever-so-delightful newcomer"

Freya pouted dramatically, folding her arms. "Will you go meet Lord Lyon now? He was dropped off here five minutes ago."

"Should I roll out the red carpet while I am at it?" Vyan commented. "He is here as a slave, Freya, not a dinner guest," he clarified.

"Fair point," she shrugged, clearly amused. "Since I am completely clueless about what to do with him, could you please give me the brief version of my torture duties?"

"Sure thing. You know the underground cell?"

"The one near the knights' quarters?" she asked, tilting her head, and Vyan nodded. "Yes, I know it."

"The task is simple. Lock him in a cell and don't feed him until late into the night—"

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Freya's eyes widened with horror.

"Considering how he used to make me starve for days, I am practically being the epitome of kindness here, Freya."

Her expression turned thoughtful. "Got it. Anything else, Your Grace of Petty Revenge?"

"Actually, yes," Vyan twiched his lips as an idea popped into his head.

"Uh-oh, that look can't mean anything good," Freya muttered.

"Our stable boy is down with the plague or something equally terrible, so have Lyon clean the stables and feed the horses," he instructed with a sly grin.

"Okay, I will tell him that."

"Also, I know you have got a mountain of your own to tackle," he added, "but could you please be a darling and keep an eye on him? I am afraid he might try to take out his anger on my poor horses. You can keep him in line however you want."

Freya sighed, as if Vyan just entrusted the load of the world on her shoulders. It was kind of equivalent, though. He really did cherish his horses.

"Alright, I will babysit your new toy," she conceded. "Anything else? Maybe have him polish the entire estate one brick at a time?"

"Tempting, but let's start with the basics," Vyan chirped. "You are a gem, Freya."

"Yeah, yeah. Just remember this when I need a favor," she shot back, rolling her eyes.

After Freya left, Vyan begrudgingly resumed his work, his mind inevitably drifting back to Iyana's words from yesterday.

If she really has lost her memories, then…

A knock interrupted his wandering thoughts, and he let out a dramatic groan, spotting the last person he wanted to see on his doorstep.

"What do you want?" he grumbled.

Iyana strutted inside and dramatically slammed a small bottle in front of him.

"And this little number is...?" Vyan arched an eyebrow, barely interested.

"A truth potion," she declared with a flourish. "If you make me drink this, I can't lie about my memory loss."

Vyan sighed, leaning back in his chair, already regretting this conversation. "And I am just supposed to believe this isn't some over-the-counter cough syrup?"

"You can test its authenticity yourself," she retorted, practically shoving the bottle in his hand.

He slowly scrutinized it with caution. It seemed authentic enough, but he wasn't born yesterday.

"And what if you have swapped out its contents with something completely harmless, like unicorn tears?"

Iyana groaned in frustration, throwing her hands up. "Why would I go to such lengths to mess with you? Wait, don't answer that."

"Simple," Vyan smirked. "To dupe me. Again."

"Fine, fine, let's just say the entire purpose of my life is to dupe you," she huffed. "Why don't you get a truth potion yourself and make me drink it?"

Vyan seemed to hesitate.

"What happened? Cat got your tongue?" she teased, leaning closer, her grin widening. "Out of excuses already?"

He averted his gaze as his mind got distracted.

"Your Grace!" She slammed her palm on his desk, making him jump slightly. "Are you listening?"

"Alright, alright," he relented. "I will have Clyde fetch a truth potion. But let me warn you, he has been really busy these days."

She furrowed her brows, her gaze sharp as a hawk. "Why does it feel like you're dodging the truth?"

She leaned over the table, eyes boring into him. "It's not that you don't believe me… it seems more like you don't want to accept it."

Vyan prided himself on not falling for her words easily, but deep down, he knew she wasn't spinning tales about her amnesia.

The telltale signs were there—subtle changes in her behavior and habits that had puzzled him before but now fit perfectly. It wasn't just a fabrication.

So, what was his problem, really?

"Come on, spill it," Iyana urged, her voice slicing through the tension.

Vyan's eyes dropped to the table, his expression a cocktail of pain and frustration.

Looking into her determined gaze, he knew he couldn't escape this. Exhaling a breath, he finally gave in.

"It's because I don't want to entertain the thought that you can just forget all the pain you caused me, while I am still dragging the weight of it around."

Iyana flinched at his words.

"Sure, you might have been faking it back then, but at least you knew what you were doing," he said. "It feels unfair that you don't remember the torture you put me through. No, actually, what I feel more disappointed about is the fact you don't remember all that time we spent together—fake or not."

"And now, I am the only one haunted by those memories," he continued, voice shaking with barely restrained anger. "While you…"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know it's not your fault that you forgot, but… now I don't know who to direct my anger at anymore."

"Taking revenge on you is pointless if you don't even remember what you did wrong. So, what am I supposed to do?" His voice was full of hopelessness. "Just give up and wait until you get your memories back? Or else, it will feel like I am punishing an innocent person. Because in your amnesiac eyes, you did nothing wrong."

He now felt like he had no target for revenge anymore. She was at the center of it all, and now, he was lost on what to do. This vengeance has been the reason for him waking up and working so hard everyday.

"But why should you care if I remember what I did or not?" Iyana spoke up. "I am still the person who did it. If I wronged you in the past, I definitely deserve retribution for it."

Iyana knew what she was saying and how incredibly stupid it was, but all her heart wanted at that moment was to help him—to make him find his ground and get a grip on himself. It made her chest ache to see him down like this.

Besides, what she said was true. Just because her brain had erased those memories didn't mean the past had as well.

"So, let me get this straight. You are telling me I should continue my revenge plans on you?" Vyan's eyebrow arched in mock confusion.

She nodded firmly. "Yes. Because I know whatever you throw at me, I can handle it."

He chuckled, a hint of disbelief in his eyes. "You burst into tears in front of me just because I made you fail your mission."

"I did not burst into tears!" she protested, her face flushing. "It was just a single tear!"

"Oh, right. My bad. One tear. Totally not the same thing as bursting into tears," he said, his voice carrying a note of tease. "Point is, you still crumbled like a cookie yesterday, and here you are claiming you can handle anything."

"Yes, so what?" she demanded, puffing up her chest. "I will cry. I will want to give up. I will get frustrated. But," she took a pause, staring into his eyes, "I will still pick myself up to fight you."

"So, basically, you are saying you don't remember why we are enemies, but you want me to keep this whole vendetta thing going?"

"Yes."

Vyan shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "What a peculiar woman you are."

Iyana shifted uncomfortably, guilt flickering in her eyes. "Since we are done deciding where we stand now, can you please tell me about our—"

Just then, a knock echoed through the study, interrupting their conversation.

Vyan looked up, surprised to see a junior gardener standing nervously in the doorway. "What brings you here, Jonathan?"

Jonathan's face was pale, his eyes wide with fear. "Master," he stammered, "the new slave brought in earlier just slapped Miss Freya."

Vyan's eyes flashed with anger. "What?"

"He was already yelling at her, and just as she turned to come and complain to you, he hit her really hard," Jonathan explained, his voice trembling.

Vyan clenched his fist, the muscles in his jaw tightening. "That insolent fool. I will show him his place."

Iyana straightened up and asked, "Which slave are we talking about?" Her eyes widened in realization. "Lyon?"

Vyan nodded curtly as he stood up and started walking out of the office. "I swear I will make your brother pay for this."

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