Ascension Of The Villain

After a long day of navigating her new responsibilities, Iyana felt the tension slowly fade as she entered the cozy restaurant where she was meeting Leila. She had changed into a casual but elegant gown to match the atmosphere.

The warm aroma of grilled food and the hum of soft conversations enveloped her, and she spotted the pink-haired woman sitting at a table near the window.

Now that she had her memories back, the usual excitement of seeing her best friend bubbled to the surface, but it was shot down by the reminder that it was an imposter in the body of the actual Leila. Iyana wasn't sure how to feel about that.

It made her wonder, where did Leila's soul go if this transmigrator was possessing Leila's body? And why did it have to be Leila, of all people?

However, her questions were quieted down as soon as she approached closer and her eyes landed on a tiny bundle cradled in her arms—Leila's baby.

Iyana's face lit up. Regardless of whether the baby belonged to her best friend or a stranger from another world, she absolutely adored babies, and the moment she saw the little one, she melted into a smile.

"Oh, my goodness," she gasped softly, immediately leaning down to coo at the tiny bundle in Leila's arms. "He is so cute! What is his name?"

Leila smiled warmly, her exhaustion from motherhood visible, but her joy even more so. "Iya, meet Kieran. And Kieran, meet Aunt Iya."

"Kieran," Iyana repeated softly, her voice full of affection as she tickled the baby's tiny feet. She already felt such a deep connection to him. "You are going to be such a heartbreaker, little Kieran, I can already tell."

Kieran gurgled happily, waving his chubby arms in Iyana's direction, making her grin.

After a few moments of cooing and making silly faces at the baby, Iyana finally looked up at Leila who had an amused smile on her face.

"Wow, I didn't peg you as the type to be so into babies," Leila chuckled.

"Oh, but I am! I have always loved the idea of having my own family." Iyana sank into her chair, a dreamy smile taking over her face, a familiar feeling washing over her—she could swear she had shared something like this with the real Leila once before. Enjoy new stories from m-v l'e|-NovelBin.net

"Really?" Leila asked, genuinely curious.

"Yes," Iyana replied softly, her eyes shining. "I want two sons and one daughter. My boys would always have each other's backs, treating their little sister like an absolute princess, even if she grows up tougher than either of them." She giggled, her cheeks glowing as she let herself be carried away by the thought.

"I would dress them up in the cutest clothes, teach them how to fight, maybe even cook for them once in a while. And Vyan—oh, he would teach them magic and be their guide when it comes to studying. I never quite got the hang of academics myself. And we would have the best adventures together—picnics, trips to the coast, family hikes— "

She paused, glancing up at Leila, who was watching her with an affectionate smile.

"What?" Iyana let out, frowning cutely.

Leila just chuckled softly and remarked, "So, planning a whole future with His Grace already, are we?"

Iyana's grin didn't faze as she replied, "Of course, I am. I don't know how it goes in your world, but here, we date to marry. And yes, I dream of a future with Vyan because, to me, there is no future that doesn't have him in it."

Leila's eyes got sad after hearing that. "Iya…"

Iyana shook her head firmly. "It's okay, Ellie. There is no need to get sentimental. Because…" She pursed her lips and told her, "I won't let anything happen to him," despite not feeling quite as confident in her heart.

Leila smiled tightly and nodded her head. "I hope so."

"By the way, what do you think about telling Vyan about it?" Iyana suggested, and Leila arched an eyebrow. "I mean, the two of us promised to keep no secrets between us. So… I was just wondering if it might be better to—"

Leila cleared her throat, adjusting Kieran in her arms. "Actually, about that, Iya…" Her eyes momentarily flicked towards the entrance.

Confused, Iyana followed Leila's gaze, only to see a familiar figure entering the restaurant. Her jaw almost dropped as she watched him casually stride to their table and confidently pull out next to her, as if he was supposed to be here!

"Hello, ladies," Vyan greeted chirpily before he sat down.

"Vyan, what are you doing here?" Iyana asked, shocked.

"Surprise, Iya," Leila interrupted, her voice strained. "He already knows."

"What? How could it be possible?" Iyana glanced from Leila to Vyan, glaring.

"Well, if either of you had bothered to look up from the balcony when you were talking, maybe it wouldn't have been possible," Vyan responded sarcastically.

Iyana took a second to let that sink in, then slapped his arm. "Why didn't you tell me yesterday?" She worried the whole day for nothing!

"Oww," Vyan feigned a pained expression, rubbing his arm. "I was going to, but you fainted, remember?"

Iyana rolled her eyes, muttering, "Idiot."

Leila laughed at the two of them and commented, "Geez, guys, get a room. Too much PDA."

"What is that?" the couple asked in unison.

"Public Display of Affection, you know?" Leila offered, and they both went O. "Or in your case, 'Public Display of Animosity.'"

Iyana threw her hands up in exasperation. "Well, it's bound to happen because he can be such an idiot sometimes."

Vyan just shrugged, then turned his attention to the baby nestled in Leila's arms. "Oh, hello, Young Count Darren. It's nice to see you again."

"You have met Kieran before?" Leila asked, surprised.

"Ah, yes. During the monster hunt festival, Count Darren was walking around with him crying at night because he didn't want to disturb your sleep. That's how I got to meet the young count."

"Oh, I see," Leila smiled fondly at the thought of her husband. "Anyway, I think we should start talking about the elephant in the room first."

"Yes," Iyana agreed, adopting a more serious tone as she turned to Leila.. "How much does he know?"

"Not much, but he knows the gist," Leila answered, subtly hinting at Iyana that he didn't know about his own demise. That gave Iyana some relief. "And he wants me to be his partner in crime."

Iyana shifted her stern look to Vyan, who smiled innocently. "What, wouldn't it be great if we had someone who knows the future on our side?"

"Yes, it would be great, but Vyan, the future isn't certain. It can change anytime," Iyana responded.

"Yes, there is a certain future that I am really hoping to change—that is, Iyana marrying that bastard prince," Vyan muttered, crossing his arms.

"I think it's safe to assume that's not gonna happen," Leila let out, and Iyana nodded in agreement, which made Vyan agree begrudgingly.

"Alright, so, have you given it any thought about partnering up with me?" Vyan asked, his tone unusually sincere.

Leila sighed, glancing at Iyana before meeting Vyan's gaze. "Well, considering you have spilled all your secrets to Iya, and she is still here, I suppose I can give you a shot. But girl," she turned to Iyana, eyebrows raised in playful disbelief, "are you sure about this guy?"

Vyan feigned a wounded look, clutching his chest as though he'd been mortally offended. Iyana just laughed. "He is a total idiot, and yes, he is kind of a criminal, but…" She slid her arm around his, resting her head on his shoulder with a smirk, "He is my idiot, and honestly? I don't care that he is a criminal."

Leila's eyes softened, a proud, almost maternal gleam shining through as she brushed at her eyes. "That's my girl," she said with a grin, then fixed Vyan with a sharp look. "Now, you listen here: you might have been my favorite in the novel, but now that it's real life for me, Iya is my priority. And I always believe, sisters before misters.

So, I can overlook a little murder now and then, but cheating? Absolutely off-limits. So if you ever—"

Vyan held up a hand, interrupting her. "Oh, let me stop you right there. I would never do that."

"Oh, really?" Leila shot back, tilting her head. "And what about Princess Maria? I know you flirted with her plenty."

Iyana's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing as she turned to Vyan. He immediately raised his hands in self-defense. "I did not! I only spoke to her politely, and that was strictly business."

"Uh-huh," Leila replied, smirking as she enjoyed his discomfort.

"We will discuss this later, Vee." Vyan shot Leila a glare over the table, while Iyana, still unimpressed, turned her attention back to Leila. "But for now, let's stick to the important stuff. Ellie, like Vyan suggested, it would be a huge help if you teamed up with him. That way, we can make sure things go as planned—and everyone stays safe."

Leila looked down at the baby in her arms, humming thoughtfully. After a moment, she nodded. "Alright. I suppose, as the one who started all this, it's my responsibility to see it through—and to make sure you get your happy ending, Iya." She offered Iyana a warm, compromising smile, then glanced back at Vyan. "Okay, Vyan. I am in.

I will be your partner."

"Thank you, Lady Leila," Vyan replied with a faint smile. Under the table, he reached over, covering Iyana's hand with his own and giving it a gentle squeeze—a quiet, unspoken thank you to her as well. He looked up, his eyes bright with anticipation. "So, shall we start planning the 'plot' of our future?"

Little did he know that by the end of this discussion, he would be running after an angry, crying Iyana in the heavy summer rain.