Ascension Of The Villain-Chapter 258: Her Only Weakness

Iyana stood in the center of the messy office, her violet eyes scanning the destruction with cold precision. Her boots crunched softly against the broken glass as she moved.

"You were right, Vee. This wasn't just any random destruction," she said, kneeling by an overturned chair. Her fingers brushed against a broken vase, her touch light as if the truth could be coaxed from the remnants. She straightened, turning to Vyan, who leaned against the doorway. "Whoever did this didn't take anything. They just wanted to make a statement."

Vyan's wine-red eyes gleamed in the dim light, their usual sardonic edge tempered by a faint undercurrent of wariness.

Before Vyan could respond, the heavy footsteps of her subordinates filled the silence. A group of soldiers entered the room.

"Commander," Melissa said, her voice clipped, "we questioned the neighbors. No one saw anything. No suspicious figures. No unusual activity."

Iyana gave a sharp nod. "Of course they didn't," she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Then, louder: "Spread out again. Keep questioning. Someone must have seen something—anything."

The soldiers nodded in unison and filed out, leaving the room eerily quiet once more.

Vyan leaned against the doorframe, his wine-red eyes following Iyana as she barked orders to her subordinates, his arms crossed tightly across his chest.

His fingers tapped against his sleeve, a restless rhythm that betrayed his unease.

"What are you thinking?" Iyana asked, taking a step towards him.

"I am trying to figure out what could be the reason," he muttered, his voice quieter than usual. "I don't want to be arrogant and assume that someone would come after Clyde just because of me. I am well aware that Clyde has a long list of enemies of his own. So, I am quite puzzled."

"If only there were any clues…" The sadness in his eyes beneath his stoic mask, she knew it all too well, and it broke her heart. She reached out a hand to touch his face. His skin was cold, but regardless of that, he smiled softly all the same at her touch, his expressionless facade melting away.

"I am okay," he assured, his voice gentle and his eyes insisting that he was handling it well, but she wasn't one to be fooled by his pretense.

Visit fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm for the best novel reading experi𝒆nce.

"We are going to find Clyde. Nothing is going to happen to him. You know that, right?"

At that, he glanced away and took a sharp breath before meeting her eyes again and nodding his head. "Yeah. He is an archmage. Of course, he is going to be fine," he repeated more for himself than her.

"Exactly. So, calm down and think with a clear head. No one knew Clyde better than you," she emphasized, cupping his face. "Only you can crack this faster than any investigator can."

He took a moment to think, as if replaying all the events leading up to here, and then, he opened his eyes, determined like a hawk.

"Clyde always told me to trust my gut, so if I am right, I have to get to Athy before she receives the news of Clyde having gone missing."

Iyana made a confused expression at his deduction.

"Because I have the feeling that the goal here is to not hurt Clyde or me, it's Thea."

"By taking away Clyde," Iyana murmured, the realization hitting her like a blow to the chest. She straightened, her sharp mind connecting the dots. "If Clyde falls, Althea…"

"She willl shatter," Vyan finished, his voice quieter now, yet no less intense. He stopped pacing, turning to face her fully. "Clyde isn't just her lover, Iyana. He is her anchor. Her confidant. Her only weakness. Without him…" He didn't need to finish.

Iyana's jaw tightened, her mind already working through the layers of strategy behind the move. It was a calculated attack, designed to destabilize Althea from the inside out. Especially when the coronation was right around the corner.

———

Vyan pushed open the door to Althea's cabin with an easy grin, the kind that meant absolutely nothing good. "Hey, how is my favorite cousin?" he chirped, stepping inside like he had no underlying motive whatsoever.

Althea, lounging on her couch with a book in hand, narrowed her eyes immediately. "Why are you so chirpy this afternoon?"

Vyan barely had time to draw breath before she cut in, "Never mind that. Just tell me the update on Clyde. Why did he not come this morning for our date?"

His heart did an acrobatic stunt—probably attempting to escape his chest—but he kept his expression smooth. Althea really must have been concerned out of her mind, given how she was reading a book midday when she would normally be hunched over her desk working like a dog.

"Oh, you know how whimsical he is. He went on a recreational retreat." He waved a lazy hand in the air. "He often does that without notice. It must have slipped his mind to let you know in advance as well."

Althea frowned slightly, shutting her book with a soft thump. "Isn't that concerning, though? What could have possibly happened to make him need a 'retreat' all of a sudden? And that too without informing any of us?"

Vyan forced a chuckle that he hoped didn't sound as fake as it felt. "Clyde? Logical decision-making? Please, Thea, he must have done it with the intention to make us fuss over him. I am surprised you are surprised."

Althea's frown deepened, and Vyan decided it was time for a well-timed diversion. His gaze flickered to the corner of the room, where a lavish gown sat draped over a mannequin. Jackpot.

"Whoa, hold up. Is that your coronation gown?" He let out a low whistle. "Damn, Thea, you are not only going to look like a crown princess, but a real empress."

That did it. Althea turned to the gown with a flicker of excitement, momentarily distracted. "Right? The embroidery is insane—I had to fight three tailors to get it done exactly how I wanted. And also," she smirked mischievously, "isn't the main purpose of the coronation for me to become the empress?"

"Of course, but have you tried it on yet?" he asked enthusiastically.

"No, not yet. It got delivered just a couple of hours ago, and I haven't been in the mood—"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, try it on. I will give you my humble opinion if it needs any adjustment."

Althea seemed to contemplate for a moment before she grinned and jumped at the opportunity.

Vyan nodded along, relief flooding his system. At least for now, she was focused on silks and stitches instead of Clyde's mysterious disappearance. Hopefully, Iyana and her team would find the idiot before Althea's curiosity came back with a vengeance.