Chapter 5: Victoria, You Stupid B-tch

Chapter 5: Victoria, You Stupid B-tch

OG Victoria had done many things that filled Tori with second hand embarrassment, but this was the first time she humiliated herself since she woke.

Excuse me? Axtons eyes widened as he drew his head back in surprise.

I mean, its a pleasure to meet you, as well! Tori shot up from her seat, her face red, but still pretending her first words to the first prince of Soleil and his personal aide werent fuck me. It was bad enough that she was thirsting over two guys who werent even twenty yet, and in front of her brother, but she was sure the entire restaurant heard her.

Her panic was short lived as her defensive mechanism was triggered. She needed to salvage the situation and she did so the only way knew how: putting on her professional facade and pretending she was confident.

Toris business smile appeared on her face as she raised her hand. Apologies, my thoughts were elsewhere for a moment. I am Victoria de Guevera, first year student at Lyce du Soleil. Please call me Tori. Her voice was even and calm, without a hint of the self-deprecating tone of oh, fuck me.

Her sudden change seemed to momentarily surprise Axton and Kasen, but Axton recovered fast and responded in kind. His eyes crinkled up as he smiled and took Toris hand. She expected him to shake it. That was what people did when faced with a firm business handshake.

His lips were surprisingly soft as they grazed the back of her hand.

Tori jerked her head back and blinked. This was unexpected. No one had kissed the back of her hand yet. She didnt think it was a thing here.

Tori, then. Please call me Axton. His sharp eyes looked relaxed as he released her hand. He took a step to the side and looked towards the first prince of Soleil, expectant.

Taking the cue, Tori moved her hand in front of Piers. Your Highness.

His violet eyes looked down at her hand and she couldve sworn she saw disinterest on his face. He looked towards her brother and then, as if resigned to the action, the prince took her hand and gave it a weak squeeze before his hand dropped to his side. It was almost as if he hadnt touched her at all.

Tori wasnt sure what to make of it. Her hand was practically left hanging and she tried not to make it awkward as she brought her hand back. She had read him as a dominating CEO-type from his appearance: serious and aggressive with a hint of arrogance, but his action was anything but ultra confident businessman.

Kasen took a deep breath and released it. He didnt mention the princes weak handshake and so Tori assumed it was normal. Kasen moved back to his seat and motioned for everyone to take theirs. All right, lets sit down and order. Toris hungry.

She shot him a glare, but still bent down to pick up her discarded menu and take her seat. Axton sat to her right and Piers took the seat across from her.

Tori, please let us know when youre ready, Axton said in a pleasant voice. Were regulars here, so we all know what to get.

Oh great, she was holding them back. She kept a blank smile on her face and closed the menu. Im ready, as well. Ill just have the braised paprika chicken and some white wine.

Kasen lifted his hand and a waiter appeared at their table at once. He gave his and Toris orders before the other two gave theirs and Tori knit her brows just a bit.

Soleil was a parliamentary monarchy, so while the imperial family held legitimate power, they still had to abide by pre-established laws and limits. For example, they couldnt just have someone killed for no good reason. That being said, wasnt her brother being too casual in the presence of Soleils first prince?

She and Kasen were children of a Marquis, but Piers was an imperial prince. Shouldnt he be addressed as such? He didnt seem at all bothered by the informality.

A glass of wine was placed beside Tori and she gave the waiter a small nod of thanks before bringing it to her lips.

She didnt read much on the first prince when she was on the train. He was mentioned as a side character; a blue underlined link. It was his brother, Prince Gideon, who was one of the targets. Piers was mentioned in Gideon's wiki article, but Tori had skipped it in order to read Victorias. From the plot of the first game, Piers wasnt mentioned as having a significant part in the story. He was, at best, a background character who was only mentioned in passing.

Tori supposed his outstanding appearance was because he was the older brother of one of the love interests and the family members of the main characters, hers included, were all good looking in their own right. She could only imagine how his brother, the number one ranked love interest in the game, looked in person.

Her eyes looked over the rim of her glass to catch another glimpse of the first prince.

Piers was taciturn and when he answered Kasen or Axton, there wasnt much of a change in his demeanor or tone. His responses were clear and to the point. As unassuming as he was, that hot fucker across from her was the brother of the guy who stole Victorias heart and whose existence set her on the path of destruction.

As Tori lowered her glass, she caught his eyes and quickly avoided his gaze. She didnt know what to say to him; he didnt exactly seem open to conversation. In addition, she had no idea how his relationship to Prince Gideon was. Were they close? Would Gideons opinion of her influence Piers?

In the game, did Piers support his brother and therefore, oppose Victoria? Did she have to be wary of him, too?

Tori? Her brothers voice cut through her thoughts and she lifted her head. She put a pleasant smile on her face, but her brother still frowned. Are you all right? Youre very quiet.

Tori collected herself and shook her head. Just taking it all in, she said. She made a vague motion of her hand towards the prince. I didnt know you knew royalty.

Kasen seemed to relax. He leaned back against his seat and she could see a hint of a grin on his lips. Is that so shocking? Our father is a marquis.

Kasey, please tone it back for just a second. My body is noble, but my mind is peasant.

She heard a chuckle beside her and turned to her right. Axton was seated upright with a small white cup of coffee in front of him. Its understandable, Tori, he said. Its normal for you to be overwhelmed. Its your first time in Horizon. Im sure you werent sure what to expect.

For sure I didnt expect to be seated across from the older brother of my enemy.

Dont be nervous. She nearly jumped at the sound of Piers voice. Her wide eyes looked across the table and Piers looked away as soon as their gazes collided. Imperial family members leave the palace all the time. My mother often comes to this restaurant. We are still citizens of the empire. It shouldnt surprise you to see us.

Tori pursed her lips and stared at him. Sure, they were all citizens of the empire, but there was a massive difference in social rank. And wealth. And influence. And, in his case, beauty.

She took a deep breath. Life is unfair.

Tori, just treat him as you would a normal senior, Kasen told her. Piers is still a student and he must still have the same decorum as any other.

As your seniors, we are more than willing to aid you as you settle into Lyce, Axton said, offering her a reassuring smile. Please dont hesitate to ask us any questions. Very fitting of the romance novel cover model; handsome and supportive. As he was more talkative and directed questions at her, Tori was much more comfortable with Axton.

Then again, it couldve just been because Axton was not an imperial family member nor related to the second prince.

The seventh district and Academic Quarter arent far from here, Axton said. There are many stores to choose from when it comes to buying supplies and the closer they are to campus, the more expensive they are. If youre willing to walk a little further, I can show you the stores we frequent. The quality is excellent for the price and its one of the few stores that will let you order in advance.

Tori nodded. That sounds great. I didnt bring any school supplies from Presidio. If we can buy them here, it wouldve been pointless to carry them with us.

Axton smiled. Senior Kasen, your sister is very smart. Tori couldnt help but smile back. Her cheeks warmed a bit. Not necessarily because of the compliment, but who wouldnt get a bit hot and bothered when someone as attractive as him smiled at her?

I heard youre ranked 78. Tori snapped her head back to face Piers, her smile wiped off. On her left, Kasen nearly spit out his wine. His face darkened as he looked at the prince.

Piers. Her brother said his name as if it was a warning.

Piers lowered his eyes. You said she was struggling in primary school. To be a struggling student and successfully enter Lyce is impressive. 78 out of 80 is still a near perfect score.

She wasnt sure if he was complimenting her or stating a fact. It was very possible to score more than perfect, as there were advanced bonus questions that made the top spots competitive. Victoria had no chance of answering those bonus questions. A near perfect score on the regular portion of the exam was the best she could do.

Thousands of students take the test from all over the empire, Axton said. And only 80 are accepted.

80 academic spots, Piers said. His voice was a bit cold as he looked across at Tori. There are still a hundred other spots per year.

Those other hundred spots were for specialty niche students. They were high achieving in other ways. Auntie Lucia didnt test into Lyce for an academic spot. She was one of the best swordswomen in the empire at fourteen. She received an invitation to study at Lyce.

Sebastian got in the same way.

Kasen not only was invited for the same reason, but also tested in. His rank upon entry: one.

Unfortunately, Victoria had no discernible skills. Testing into Lyce was her only option.

That wasnt Toris fault. It wasnt as if she was the one who took the test. Still, no one liked being called out like that. She looked down and played with the stem of her wine glass again.

The coursework of Lyce is known for being intense. Piers continued to talk, but his voice had lost its earlier edge. If Junior Tori needs guidance, I can be of assistance.

Her brows raised. She didnt expect him to offer. Are you serious? She was pretty sure he didnt mean it and was only saying it because Kasen was there.

Piers entered Lyce ranked one, Axton said, proud. And he graduated at rank one.

Tch, who hasnt.... Tori heard her brother mutter under his breath. She cracked a small smile and reached over to pat his arm. Kasen gave her a gentle look before hardening his face and scowling at the other two. You know that if Sebastian or I were staying in the city, I wouldnt ask for you two to look out for my sister, but as of right now, you two are the most convenient option.

Tori held back her grimace. She appreciated having someone to help her if needed when she was new to the city, but she didnt want to be a burden to them.

Rest assured, Senior, we will take good care of Tori, Axton said. He and Kasen both looked at Piers, who acknowledged with a small nod.

Tori looked at her brother and wondered what he did to get them to agree to this so easily.

Kasen let out a low breath and nodded, satisfied. Two waiters arrived, each with two plated dished in their hands. They were placed in front of the four of them and Kasen gave them a nod. Lets eat. We still have much to do today.

He and Axton dominated the conversation over lunch. Tori mainly listened and nodded, occasionally answering when there was a relevant question. Piers was quiet most of the time. Perhaps that was just his personality.

He did try to pay for the meal, but Kasen denied him.

He and Tori took their carriage to the seventh district while the two followed on horseback. Tori perched herself by the window to watch the passing scenery.

Are you excited? She craned her neck and saw Axton riding close to her side of the carriage, sitting a little higher than eye level.

Who doesnt like new stationery? Tori said. Wasnt that one of the few fun parts about going back to school: shopping for school supplies? It had been so long since she last did so.

Axton chuckled. I meant going to Lyce. He looked up ahead and lifted his chin. Tori turned her head towards the front of the carriage and could see a few peaked towers and black tiled roofs in the distance.

I suppose, she said. She had mixed feelings. She was curious about going to school in this game and wanted to see how it differed from her original world, but at the same time, with the soul of a forty-year-old woman, didnt want to relive high school. That was in addition to her being the villainess. Kasey told me a lot about it and what to expect. I dont think anything will be too shocking.

She walked into the foyer of the east dorm without stopping in front of the notice board, but heard the gossip as she passed.

I cant believe she made it in. There must be some mistake. A voice filled with disgust reached her ears. She was always at the bottom of our class.

Maybe she didnt test in for an academic position and was invited for one of the niche spots.

Someone snorted. As if thats possible. My cousin went to school with her and said that she doesnt have any outstanding abilities. All she does is go to parties and bully people.

Thats pretty much it. If we didnt have to, we wouldnt invite her at all.

If she wasnt Marquis Gueveras daughter, shed be nothing.

Tori narrowed her eyes just a bit, but kept walking. She knew there were going to be a few people who knew of her and her reputation at Lyce. She didnt doubt that there would be one or two classmates from her primary school. She just didnt expect to run into them so soon.

Is that her? A disdain-filled voice said in a low voice. She really came!

Once more, she felt the eyes on her, watching her cautiously, as if expecting her to lash out at any moment.

Tori pretended not to hear them. It wasnt as if they were wrong, but she wasnt going to fall into their expectations now that the soul in the body was different. Thats not what NPC did. She checked in with one of the student guides whose warm welcome signaled that she didnt know who Tori was.

Tori was halfway up the stairs when she heard another student guide tell the first one ...Marquis Gueveras daughter. You know, the one that keeps making trouble.

She could only roll her eyes as she reached her floor and walked to her room. She reached into her breast pocket inside her jacket and took out the small green stone. She held it against a matching green stone above the door handle. It pulsed with light once and then the door unlocked.

The windows across the room faced the afternoon sun and the room was flooded with daylight. It was just as Kasen told her; fifteen pace by fifteen pace square room. One side mirrored the other. At the foot of each bed was a trunk. The one on her right was larger than hers and already open.

Hello! Are you Victoria de Guevera? It was another warm welcome and Tori turned towards the right and saw a young woman rise from where she was kneeling by the open trunk. She was a pretty girl with reddish-brown hair with a gentle wave tied in a low ponytail. Her big brown eyes were bright and she wore a hopeful expression laced with some nervousness.

Yes, please call me Tori. She walked in and met the girls smile with one of her own before holding out her hand. The girl was a little shorter than her, but a bit more filled out. Its a pleasure to meet you. How did you know it was me? They weren't notified of who their roommate would be when she dropped off her trunk.

I read your name on the notice board. We have the same room number, the girl said. Dimples appeared on both her soft, pink cheeks as she smiled. She shook Toris hand. Did you have a side preference?

No, wherever the trunk is, is fine, she said. She walked into the room and the door closed behind her. She lifted her satchel over her head and looked around her side of the room. A single person sized canopy bed with hunter green curtains was against a corner. There was a writing desk and chair on one side with a tall bookshelf beside it. On the other side of the bed was a double doored wardrobe beside a three drawer chest with coat hooks above it.

Tori nodded to herself, satisfied. Shed have this room until she graduated.

Do you need any sheets or pillows? My mother packed me extra, the girl said behind her.

Tori turned around and smiled, shaking her head. I brought some, thank you. I didnt get your name, by the way.

The girl blushed, embarrassed. Ilyana Agafonova. My father is a new baron in Stanhov. My family owns a mine.

Tori couldve sworn that name sounded familiar. She mustve read it in the wiki article, but couldn't remember who Ilyana was. Thats a nice name. Stanhov is a cold place, isnt it?

Much colder than here, Ilyana said. My mother also packed extra furs for the winter, so if you need any, let me know.

Tori opened her mouth to thank her when she remembered.

Ilyana Agafonova was the daughter of a new baron who bought his title with the wealth from a mine. Ilyana was essentially new money, but what was more important was that in the game, Ilyana was one of Victorias lackeys. She was loud and confrontational, often acting as Victorias attack dog.

Tori looked at the Ilyana who was kneeling by her trunk, quietly sorting out bedsheets and talking about decorating the room with a gentle smile on her face. Did she have the right person?

Do you want to come with me later to look for our classes? Ilyana asked, suddenly. Tori blinked and tried to pay attention.

She opened her mouth, ready to agree, but stopped.

If Tori went with her, Ilyana would notice people looking at her and whispering. Ilyana seemed like a sweet girl and though Tori wanted to make friends and be on good terms with her roommate, she didnt want to drag Ilyana down with her.

I dont think thats a good idea, Tori said. Ilyana stopped going through her things and looked up, surprised that Tori rejected her. Tori shook her head. Its not that I dont want to go with you, but...how can I put this. She might as well make it clear. I dont have a good reputation.

Tori spent a few minutes telling Ilyana about herself and about the gossip regarding her, as well as her reluctance to get Ilyana involved. To her surprise, Ilyana waved her hand in front of her, dismissive.

Its okay. We are roommates, we need to stick together.

Ilyana, Im sure well get along fine as roommates, but outside-

I am a good judge of character, Ilyana said, sounding much more stubborn than Tori had made her out to be. She looked at Tori with conviction. Youre not as bad as others say.

For a moment, Tori stared at her in disbelief. Was this sudden loyalty because of their connection in the game? They had only known each other for a few minutes, yet Ilyana looked assured with her decision to befriend Tori.

Okay. Tori conceded. Lets go look for our classes, but if it gets too much for you, I wont hold it against you.

Ilyanas face filled with a bright smile and after grabbing her own bag, she and Tori headed out the dorm. They compared their schedules and were pleased to find that their homeroom was the same. The only difference was their last elective classes: Tori had selected MetaCrystals because she thought they were fascinating. Ilyana had the much more practical Trade Geography.

And true to Ilyanas words, the unfriendly gazes and barely audible whispers about Tori didnt bother her.

They found their homeroom with ease and after they checked it off, they plotted their way to their elective classes. Toris was closer to the dorm while Ilyanas was closer to their homeroom, so they couldnt walk back together.

Is this it? Tori heard someone speaking behind her as she and Ilyana traced their path on the map. She glanced over her shoulder and did a double take.

A handsome young man with silver hair and violet eyes was walking with a slightly taller, rigid looking young man with black hair and red eyes. From their outstanding features, Tori figured they were not simple NPC. Perhaps they were side characters with minor parts, such as a background character the protagonist interacted with often.

Afterall, yesterday she already met two side characters from Horizon: Piers and Axton, and they were so gorgeous, she momentarily blacked out. The two teen boys behind her, while good looking, didnt hold a candle to the two older young men from the other night.

Tori turned her attention back to Ilyana. They were bound to get to know her classmates when classes started, so she was in no rush to introduce herself.

Yes, Your Highness. This is the homeroom for class 1-A.

A chill shot through Tori and for a moment, she couldnt breath. She had forgotten that not only did she go to the same school as the protagonists and the love interests, but she was in the same class as the protagonist and the second prince.

Good job, Fabian. What about our elective classes? Are they near here?

Tori silently swore.

Fabian? As in Fabian von Dorn, the knight-archetype love interest? Oh, fuck no. Tori closed her eyes and grit her teeth, thinking about the wiki article. The second princes right hand man was a young, but promising knight from a weakened noble family. He was the best swordsman in Lyce, of course.

Fabian triggered Tori specifically because he was the one who directly protected Alessa from Victorias hired henchmen. It was also because he was the one who knocked her out and gave her to the sex slavers at the end of the sequel. Tori couldnt help but scowl.

Tori, are you all right? Ilyana tilted her head and looked at Toris sudden constipated expression.

Tori almost couldnt relax her face. Im fine, she said. We should go check out our elective classes. Your class is nearby, but my MetaCrystal class is a bit further. I can walk you to your class on my way to mine.

MetaCrystal? Is that in block C? Room 9? Tori nearly crushed the map in her hand as she heard a voice ask behind her. Ilyana turned around, but Tori already knew who was speaking. Fabian continued on. Thats our elective, as well. May we go with you?

Sure! Ilyana, blissfully ignorant, agreed without hesitation. Fabian looked towards the prince, who nodded.

I am Gideon Jacques du Soleil, second prince of Soleil. A pleasure. He gave them a small nod of his head and then motioned towards the young man beside him. This is my aide and personal knight, Fabian von Dorn.

Greetings to my future classmates, Fabian said.

Ilyana Agafonova and she is my roommate, Tori de Guevera. Ilyana introduced them with a smile. Before Tori could speak and greet them, the face of the prince darkened.

Victoria de Guevera, the daughter of Marquis Guevera? He frowned and took a step away from her. He looked her up and down, as if she were a pest trying to get at his food. I cant believe they let you in here.

The fuck, dude, we just met. Tori was surprised at first, but frowned. Pardon me? What is that supposed to mean?

He sneered and lifted his chin with a condescending look. You know what it means.

She twitched. Enlighten me.

Everyone knows your father bought your way into Lyce. Your presence here is a blemish on the schools reputation.

She almost wanted to scoff. Victoria mightve been an idiot, but she really wanted to get into Lyce. She studied her ass off to score high enough to get into the school. Granted, her best still left her at the bottom of the list, but she was still on the list.

It seems youre mistaken. I may be ranked very low, but I still made the cut. I studied to be accepted, she said with narrowed eyes.

You honestly dont expect us to believe that, do you? Ask anyone from the south and theyll say you were, at best, a struggling student. How could you possibly test high enough to enter Lyce? He gave her a haughty and disgusted look and Tori couldnt believe it.

If the prince heard the rumors and thought them true, did this mean he hated Victoria before they met?

And this fucker is who Victoria was so in love with that she screwed up her and her familys lives? This was her Prince Charming who wasnt nearly as attractive as two side characters?

Toris mind screamed.

Victoria, you stupid bitch!