Chapter 3

What a sight to behold. How does it feel, Sabina, to get trapped with your plan? How does it feel to be reminded of your filthy origins? Don’t forget, Sabina. I am the legitimate daughter of this household. I think it is time to put you in your place.

Sabina’s saintly attitude, if that gave you an advantage against Victoria before then, I will use that as your disadvantage this time around.

Tori remembered the real Victoria’s soul and her last lingering emotions displayed in the depths of her ruby eyes. The pain of betrayal from her family and household. The pain of frustration from being unable to do anything, even if she knew she was innocent. And the pain of dying from the hands of someone she dearly loved.

That bastard male crown prince! I will live, and I will change the fate of Lady Victoria Rozenreff.

To accomplish her plans, she needed to remember the critical events of this story, starting from Season 1, in which Sabina joined high society. The saintly female lead of the series targeted the Marchioness Susana of House Helios as her sponsor for her coming-of-age ceremony. Sabina used the sympathy that she made up and manipulated Victoria to gain favor from the noble ladies.

That conniving wench!

Two years before the plot started, she had to earn as much power and connections. One thing that she wondered when she was still Talia and while watching the Netflix series was why Victoria didn’t reach the favor of the elusive Duchess of Castaña Dukedom.

There were only two ducal houses in this empire. In terms of power and wealth, these two ducal houses were directly below the Imperial Family of the Eckrett Empire. Next to them were the Marquis Houses of Zoliel and Florentia, followed by the Houses of Count Helios and Count Lariat, then the Houses of Baron Vida, Baron Harum, and Baron Quadrat.

Sabina earned the sponsorship from the Marquis House of Zoliel through the Marchioness before, and Tori bet that that’s what Sabina was still aiming for this time. Now, Tori needed the support of House Castaña for her sponsorship and to place a firm foundation in the High Society. But it would also be splendid if Tori could earn the favor of the Marchioness. She wanted to see Sabina’s reaction when that time would come.

From a separate parchment, she drafted the other second male leads. These two were the significant factors why they executed Victoria. They firmly pushed the ‘befitting’ punishment for the villainess who tormented their saintly love interest.

Saint my ass. I’ll come back to you guys when the right time comes, especially that certain someone.

Now, she needed to change the tides of favor in the inner circle. And she’ll start within this mansion.

Tori rang the bell, and Lily immediately came in. “Prepare me my simplest outdoor dress, Lilly. We’re going out shopping.”

Lily’s astonishment was apparent, but she never dared ask Tori, which the latter was grateful for. Tori couldn’t tell Lily why she would shop to change her wardrobe. Gone would be the overly lavish indoor and outdoor dresses. She would shop for the classy yet simple ones. She would start from the outer appearance when changing her image.

“Here you go, Lady Tori.”

Lily handed Tori a light purple off-shoulder dress with golden embroidery along with a few pink pearls. Tori immediately approved of Lily’s choice. An amethyst pin in the shape of a butterfly was her only hair decoration. As Tori faced the mirror, she realized that purple was indeed the nobility’s color. It emphasized her eyes and cascading ringlets.

“Splendid, Lily!” Tori beamed at Lily through the mirror’s reflection.

“You are naturally a beauty, Lady Tori.” Lily lovingly gazed at her, to which she replied with a grateful smile.

Victoria, both the past and the present were glad you’re here, Lillian.

When Tori went downstairs, she saw her father, Sabina, and their butler talking near the garden, so she stopped by. As expected, her fresh look astounded everyone. She elegantly greeted her father by performing a perfect curtsy.

“What brought you here, Victoria? And you changed your style, I see.” He looked pleased with what he saw. She smiled sweetly at them.

“I just stopped by to greet my father and my dear sister. It is a fine day, so I am going out to shop. I plan to live humbly and live as an example for my dear sister. I am serious with what I said the last time, father, sister. So I donated all my previous dresses aside from the ones I received as a gift.” Tori’s voice laced with pure sincerity and goodwill made the duke and the butler smile, clearly happy with Lady Victoria’s changes.

“Why are you going to donate them, Victoria? I know how you loved your dresses.” Her father asked in astonishment.

Tori shook her head with a smile. “The enlightenment I received when I saved my dear sister made me realize a lot of things. Thus, I would like to donate my dresses to the girls in an orphanage. Father, I see my sister in them. Suppose I would like to make their dreams come true even for a fleeting moment. So, I am shopping for modest dresses for myself as a consideration for my sister who came from humble origins.” The sickening sweetness of her voice fooled the spectators except one who was clenching her fists the entire time.

What a view to behold, dearest sister. Entertain me more. Show them how far you are from being a saint, but you wouldn’t, would you? Come on and smile at me.

And smile she did. Sabina smiled at Tori as her goodwill moved her.

What an actress we are, Sabina.

The uncomfortable ride of their family’s carriage along with an eerie silence accompanied Tori and Lillian. Aside from the coachman, they only brought one knight. But Lillian worried why Tori asked her to get a hefty amount of gold coins, even if they could tell the tailor shop to put the tab in the Rozenreff Duchy. Tori also tasked Lillian to bring three coats, commonly used to hide one’s identity. She had a bad feeling about this one.

Tori enjoyed the scenery silently. She’s busy secretly comparing her surroundings from the Netflix adaptation of the novel. But Tori could feel the intense gaze laced with worry from her maid. And she knew her requests were rather odd for poor Lily.

Worry not, Lily. Unlike before, this is not something irrational. This is a preemptive measure for my future safeguard.

The Rozenreff Duchy indeed possessed the knights on par with the Royal Knights, but these knights were loyal to the Rozenreff Family, not to her, Lady Victoria Rozenreff. She needed someone devoted to his master, which was both a future genius knight and someone with power. And no one would fit like a glove other than the future royal guard captain, Rowan Cristoff Castaña.

Rowan Cristoff Castaña was one of the two second-male leads of this series. At seventeen, the Duke of Castaña Duchy recognized him as his illegitimate son. He could become the youngest captain of the Royal Guard with noble blood. But before the plot started, he was just a poor boy from the slums of Pivet Alley. If her calculations were correct, by next year at spring, the Duke of Castaña Duchy would take this young talent. It would be a waste to let this raw gem go.

Before you form any ties, I will make you indebted to me. That way, you will keep wondering about my benevolent heart and will choose to serve me as a knight for your entire life. Once the blood oath has been made and when the Duke of Castaña would claim him. The power of the Castaña Duchy will be at my disposal.

“We arrived, Lady Tori,” Lily announced. The knight opened the carriage, and he escorted her down gently. They’re in front of the most sought-after tailor shop in the capital, Millesence.

The owner was the one who escorted her the entire time.

“Lady Victoria, it’s been a while since you came here yourself. Your presence humbles me.” The middle-aged woman bowed slightly to show her respect.

She replied with a perfect noble lady’s courtesy in front of the other noble customers. This was a simple piece for this body since the original Victoria grew up as a noble lady. There was a perfect balance while bending the left knee right behind the right knee, a straight-up posture, and only three fingers holding each side of the dress. “Your flattery indulges me, thank you.”

“Is that the eldest daughter of the Rozenreff Dukedom?”

“She’s the late duchess’ daughter, oh my. What a sight to behold.”

“Is she the heir apparent of the Rozenreff Dukedom? If she is, then she deserves it!”

“I heard she is a spoiled rotten lady?”

“I guess they are just baseless rumors.”

The positive feedback rained as she intended. “What style would you prefer, Lady Victoria?”

“Give me everything that’s something modest yet elegant.”

The owner looked taken aback by her request, but he immediately composed himself. At least he knew not to meddle with trivial matters. That’s why Tori loved merchants. They always exercise a benefit for a benefit.

The tailors measured her swiftly. “Deliver this to the Rozenreff estate and put my tab under the duchy. Thank you.” She smiled sweetly at the tailors and the owner, who was for everyone to see.

As they went back inside their carriage, her sweet innocent smile vanished. “Lily, prepare the coats. And tell the coachman to head to the Pivet Alley. Give the other coat to the knight and wear the last one.”

Dread consumed Lilly’s face when she mentioned the wretched place of the slums, also known as Pivet Alley. A noble lady coming to the slums was like practically begging to harass her for gold coins, thus using coats. Visitors of slums who used the coats to conceal their identity meant that they had a business to the Assassination Guild hidden inside the Pivet Alley. Still, they were only hiding behind the pretext of the coat to deceive the criminals and beggars of Pivet Alley. Tori was aiming for a small junction at the eastern part of the Pivet Alley, where Rowan Cristof lives.

Tori knew this since Rowan Cristof told this personal information to Sabina at Season 3 of the series. Tori would use this information for herself.

Hiding her identity behind the dark baggy coat with two servants after her, the beggars and small-time criminals wisely avoided them as they concluded that they were a guild’s customers.

“Do not make any eye contact,” she whispered to Lily, who was trembling. Tori could not blame her. Lily had lived all her life as a maid in the Rozenreff Duchy since the time that Victoria’s mother, the late duchess, took her from the orphanage. Lily was surely not used to the smelly and dirty alleys as beggars loitered around.

“Yes, my lady.”

Tori asked Lily and the knight, Dean, to address her as ‘my lady’ when they stepped out from the carriage.

I need to find Rowan!