Ascension Of The Villain

"Pardon, what?" Raith groaned, his body aching like he had slept on a bed of rocks. Well, he literally did.

He squinted up at Clyde, who was grinning down at him with a sparkle in his eye that was both unsettling and annoyingly cheerful.

"Why are you… Ah," he winced, his head pounding like a war drum. "If the Grand Duke's aide is here, then that means it's the Grand Duke who—"

"And you are quick on the uptake too!" Clyde interrupted, his voice chirpy as a songbird in spring. "So, what do you say about a job transfer?"

"A what?" Raith muttered, still trying to piece together how he had ended up here. "One moment, I am in a tunnel, pushing a wheelchair, and the next, I wake up in an underground cell with no idea who brought me here until you come along, and now you are here talking about… a job transfer?"

"Yes—" Clyde started, only to be cut off again.

"First things first, can you tell me why I am here? What does the Grand Duke want with me? And what's going on at the imperial palace? Is His Majesty alright?" Raith's voice grew more demanding.

"So many questions!" Clyde exclaimed, then his face scrunched up in thought until he sighed dramatically, "Alright, fine, I will spill, but only because you are not getting out of here for about a month anyway." He launched into a rambling account of everything that happened after Raith was knocked out, weaving in some details that sounded suspiciously like gossip, such as how his captain, Wyatt, was enraged at confirming his death.

"Wait, wait—so you are telling me everyone thinks I am dead now?" Raith's voice was deceptively calm, internally a little glad that Aster was finally out of the solitary cell and with his family. But as Clyde nodded, his eyes flared with a sudden, fierce anger. Raith exploded, "Are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea what that would do to my family?!"

Clyde's face lit up like he had just thought of something brilliant. "Oh, I could arrange to send a discreet letter to them, if you want. You know, just to keep their mourning to a minimum," he suggested.

Raith's rage flickered and waned. "You… you would do that?"

"Of course!" Clyde replied with a casual wave. "We are not monsters. Well, not all the time. So, yes, a little letter can be arranged."

Raith's eyes narrowed. "And why would you do that? What's in it for you?"

"Glad you asked!" Clyde beamed. "See, we were hoping you would join our side. We are looking for someone with your particular… skills. An Aura Knight would be a fantastic addition."

Raith's skepticism deepened. "Don't you already have Sir Theodore?"

"Yes, yes, Sir Theodore is great and all," Clyde said, waving his hand dismissively. "But I was thinking you could become the Grand Duke's new aide. I mean, I saw how you were with Lord Aster. So attentive, so chatty—you have a gift, really. And I thought, wouldn't it be nice for Sir Raith to get more days off to spend with his family?"

Raith looked as though he were considering Clyde's mental stability. Just how did he go from talking about Aster to Raith's need for more off-days? "Your point being?"

"My point is, His Grace is very generous with vacations! I get a small tour every month. Can you believe it?" Clyde grinned, his excitement almost infectious. "And there is usually no night duty. His Grace fends for himself quite well after dark. So, no more being glued to someone's side all day and night like you are for the Emperor.

Wouldn't you say it's a better gig?"

Raith studied Clyde's face intently, searching for signs of sincerity or trickery. Finally, he sighed and said firmly, "No, thank you. I am loyal to my liege."

"Perfect answer!" Clyde declared, his grin widening. "Exactly what I was hoping for. Loyalty is important, after all." If Raith couldn't be loyal to the emperor, why should Clyde trust him to be loyal to Vyan, right? "This was just a little harmless test, you see. No rush. We have got a whole month to discuss this."

Raith glared at him, thoroughly exasperated. Usually, he was also an energetic person, but he couldn't find himself to be amused in this situation. "Fantastic. Now, can you leave me alone?"

"Sure, sure," Clyde sang out, spinning around dramatically as if he were on stage rather than in a dimly lit underground cell. "But before I leave you to ponder your life choices, I would just like to drop a tiny reminder—nothing major." He lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper that echoed off the stone walls.

"Your current liege didn't grant you leave a couple of months ago when your daughter had that… accident."

Raith's eyes narrowed dangerously, but there was a flicker of surprise there too. "What did you just say?"

"Oh, like I said, nothing major! Nothing at all." Clyde flashed him his most innocent face, which somehow only made him look guiltier. "Just something to mull over while you are down here. And don't worry, I will send a discreet little message to your family to let them know you are alive and kicking. I am nothing if not thoughtful!"

And with a flamboyant wave, Clyde waltzed out of the cell, humming a jaunty tune that clashed horribly with the grim surroundings.

Raith sat in stunned silence for a moment, his mind racing. It wasn't the first time someone had tried to tempt him away from his duty, but Clyde's approach was… peculiar, to say the least. Not once did he offer him money. He brought up the only thing that Raith was weak for—his family.

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"What a dangerous man," Raith muttered, a chill running down his spine.

Outside the cell, Clyde leaned against the cold wall, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. "This one is a tough nut, isn't he?" he muttered to himself, but there was a certain giddiness in his tone.

Raith was exactly the kind of person he needed—stubborn as a mule, but with a heart that beat a little too loudly when his family was mentioned. There was no doubt about his patience, experience, strength, intelligence, and unwavering loyalty.

"He would be perfect to take my place," Clyde mused, a grin forming on his face.

The task was clear: Convince Raith. As hard as it might be, Clyde loved a good project. Buying the trust of an Imperial Aura Knight wasn't like buying a loaf of bread at the market; it took finesse, charm, and perhaps a bit of underhanded trickery.

But Clyde was nothing if not resourceful. He had a knack for charming people in the strangest of places—or at least annoying them into submission.

"Alright, Raith, my successor," Clyde whispered to himself, his grin growing wider, "I will win you over, no matter what, in order to give my boss slash best friend the best parting gift."