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Chapter 153: But Not Her Ilyana
🕑 Added 2022-08-20 05:01:01 +0000 UTCT/W - Mentions of assault/rape. Please proceed with caution.
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It was that dull, throbbing headache again. The low buzzing in her ears also seemed to surround her and she shut her eyes. She wouldn’t describe herself as dizzy, but certainly she felt a bit off. She reached out to try to steady herself, but there was nothing for her to hold on to.
She heard muddled yelling cutting through the haziness. She tried to open her eyes, but they remained shut. For a moment, her heart froze.
The last thing she remembered was falling. She exerted too much energy far too quickly to move earth with crystals, so she was sure she was crystal fatigued again. She lost her balance, fell, and passed out, then that was it.
How long was she unconscious this time?
The yelling grew louder, and she couldn’t make out the words, only the frantic voices.
Did I go back? The thought crossed her mind, and she didn’t know how to feel about it. There was both a sense of relief and disappointment. She could see the friends and family she left behind...but she also left behind friends and family.
“...arrogant bastard!”
The voice was so familiar, Tori felt her heart clench. That was Ilyana’s voice. She heard it practically every day, and while Ilyana raised her voice when she was extremely excited or angry, it was rare that Ilyana called anyone a bastard.
Regardless, hearing Ilyana’s voice meant that she hadn’t gone back. Tori felt more relieved than she thought she would be.
Her eyes began to open, as if automatically. It was daylight and she could make out the blue sky, so she was outside, but everything was blurry. She wanted to cock her head, but it wouldn’t move.
The clear sky surprised her. That morning was gray and cloudy. When did the sky clear up? Had she been passed out all day? And did they leave her unconscious body outside?
“Don’t get fucking near her!” Ilyana’s voice was hyper aggressive, and Tori wanted to calm her at once.
Wait.
Ilyana wasn’t with her at the orphanage. She should’ve been at Duel. She opened her mouth to ask what Ilyana was doing there and how long she’d been out, but her words were different from what she intended.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” She lifted her hand and gently brushed away the helping arms that had been holding her up. Tori felt cold. Her body was moving, but the movements weren’t hers.
“Lady Victoria, don’t stand! You hit your head! What if you fall?”
Tori held her breath. Ilyana never called her Lady Victoria. Her eyes focused on the pretty, familiar face beside her, and Tori wanted to squint. She was Ilyana, but not her Ilyana. Her soft, silky brown hair had been chopped off and grown out rather awkwardly. Her clothes were somewhat unkempt, far from the usual perfect pressed uniform of the top ranked student. There were bags under her eyes, and she was thinner than before.
“My hair cushioned my fall. I’m not hurt,” Tori heard her voice speaking. She tried to move her body, but found that she could control nothing. Her body stood up, but was as if she were just along for the ride.
Her hands went down to her skirt and gracefully brushed off any dirt and leaves that could’ve clung on. She could feel herself doing the action, but couldn’t control it. She, or her body, then turned her head towards a small group. They were all familiar, but Tori hadn’t seen them like this in some time.
Gideon was standing at the forefront with Dimitri at his side and Fabian on his other, shielding a pale, scared Alessa. Montan was there, too, right beside her as one of her hands clutched his sleeve for support.
“You dare shove the daughter of Marquis Guevera,” Tori heard herself saying. This was Victoria speaking; Tori was sure of it. There was such a natural and well-used arrogance in this voice. “Is that what your parents taught you, Your Highness? I expected better.”
“Shut up!” Gideon snapped. “I wouldn’t have pushed you if you didn’t trip Alessa! Everyone saw what you did!” He held his arms out to motion to the crowd around them.
The location was familiar. They were in one of the courtyards on campus, just outside some of the classrooms. She didn’t know what time it was, but there were plenty of students around them, watching.
She heard a thought echo around her. Ridiculous! I didn’t trip the stupid blonde on purpose, she almost ran into Ilyana and I pulled Ilyana away. How was I supposed to know that she’d run into me instead and fall? There was an indignant snort. It isn’t as if they’ll listen to me.
Those must’ve been Victoria’s thoughts. Tori put the clues together.
She was in Victoria’s body, and this was an actual scene from the game. It was weird and Tori wondered if she were having some sort of dream, but this did immediately bring up the thought of point of view.
Everything Tori knew about the game was a summary of the gameplay from the wiki-article. The original game and its Université sequel were all from the point of view of the heroine, Alessa Hart.
Then...it’s possible that Victoria’s actions were misinterpreted? GDI, Tori, you should’ve considered that. In Presidio, she’d already figured out that Victoria was at odds with her local peers because they started the animosity and Victoria simply reciprocated and tried to best them in the limited ways she knew how, which mainly consisted of waving around her status.
“Even if I tripped her, can you prove it was on purpose?” Victoria asked in a haughty voice. “If she ran into Agafonova and Agafonova fell, would you say I shoved Miss Hart forward because I happened to be standing here? Don’t be ridiculous. Miss Hart ran into me and fell on her own.”
“You expect us to believe that?” Dimitri sneered.
“You wouldn’t believe anything that Miss Hart doesn’t tell you,” Victoria replied. “Even if I did trip her on purpose, it does not give any of you permission to shove me.”
Tori wanted to nod with satisfaction. Huh...she’s calmer and more rational than I thought.
“You deserve it,” Fabian said in a low voice.
Victoria’s eyes narrowed. “You know nothing about me, Mr. von Dorn.”
“I know you bought your way in.”
“It’s been proven that I haven’t, yet you still desperately cling to that,” Victoria hissed. It seems that the rumors of Victoria’s temper weren’t for nothing. Tori could feel her growing annoyed quickly.
“Your ranking is rock bottom for our year,” Dimitri glared at her. He looked towards Ilyana. “I told you before, Miss Agafonova, you shouldn’t waste your time with Lady Guevera. She’ll only bring you down. You went from entering rank two to the low sixties.”
Tori heard heavy breathing behind her, and Victoria looked towards Ilyana. The girl’s face was red, and her hands were clenched at her sides. Tears were in her eyes and the thought clicked.
This Victoria didn’t force Ilyana to get guards for their first winter break. No guards meant no one protected her when she was in the inn that winter, meaning....
Oh my God, Ilyana.... Tori felt her heart tear. No wonder Ilyana looked so worn and thin. No wonder her grades had dropped.
In the game, Ilyana had been assaulted. This wasn’t mentioned in the article as Alessa didn’t know.
“Shut up, Guthry!” Victoria moved to stand in front of Ilyana. Tori could feel the surge of anger and frustration. “She has nothing to do with this! You can fight me all you want, but leave Agafonova alone!” Ilyana, I told you not to get involved with me, a pained voice echoed around Tori. Why didn’t you listen to me? I can’t let them know what happened to you.
“It’s not her fault!” Ilyana insisted.
“Agafonova, just go back to the room!” Victoria nearly barked over her shoulder. She turned back to glare at Alessa’s posse of love interests. “I’m not going to waste any more of my time talking to these dogs sniffing up her skirt.”
She turned around and felt someone grasp her wrist. Victoria snapped her head around and found Gideon gripping her wrist and boring his eyes into her. “Apologize to Alessa!”
“I’m not apologizing to anyone,” Victoria replied in a cold voice. “And if I did, I’d like to have actually done the act first. If you want an apology....” She ripped her arm away from Gideon’s grasp. “Then I’ll gladly trip her on purpose.”
Gideon’s eyes widened. “You! You’re just jealous of her!”
Victoria balked. “You think I’m jealous of a poor baron’s daughter?”
“Don’t try to hide it,” Fabian said. “You’ve been following His Highness since our first year and always telling him to stay away from Alessa. His Highness only danced with Alessa the night of his coming-of-age ball, even though you were on the recommendation list.”
I didn’t want to be on that list! The only reason I paid attention is because I don’t trust Hart! “Are you sure you’re not the one jealous, Sir von Dorn? After all, it’s your liege who got to dance with her. Not you.” She smirked and Tori silently commended her for trying to hit where it hurt. “You’d be more fitting with her, don’t you think? A knight from a fallen family and a poor baron’s daughter. Does His Highness know?”
Fabian’s face reddened. “I am loyal to Prince Gideon!”
“For how long?” Victoria scoffed.
“That’s enough from you, Lady Guevera,” Dimitri said, cutting in. “If you apologize to Alessa, you can go.”
“Oh, I can go? You will allow me to go,” Victoria sneered back at him. “You are in no place to order me around, Mr. Guthry.”
“If not him, then what about me?” Gideon asked. “I am the second Prince of Soleil.”
Tori felt an unexpected feeling of loathing around her. Did OG Victoria hate the second prince, too? Then why did the game say she was in love with him? Did love turn into hate?
“Is this an order from the second Prince of Soleil?” Victoria said, keeping her voice restrained.
Gideon didn’t hesitate. “It is an order.”
Hah...throwing his weight around. No wonder Kasen and Sebastian don’t think he’s fit to be the crown prince. Victoria took a deep breath. She forced a wry smile on her face and gave Alessa a mocking bow. “Apologies.”
Everyone could tell that she didn’t mean it, but as soon as she said it, she turned around and began to walk away.
“What kind of parents do you have that would teach their daughter to be so rude?” Dimitri said in a low voice. “How can such a family run one of the marches yet still produce a daughter like you?”
Victoria stopped and Tori could feel her anger. Her family was obviously a sensitive topic to her. She turned around and faced Dimitri and the others with an arrogant expression.
“My family has served this empire since it was founded, Mr. Guthry. They have done so well doing so that your little village has not been ripped apart by war and your entire family hasn’t been slaughtered. You can criticize me all you want, but do not question my family.”
This only seemed to goad Dimitri further.
“Then perhaps you should act like a proper noble daughter.”
“And what is a proper noble daughter supposed to act like? Like her?” Victoria lifted a manicured finger at Alessa. Alessa gasped and seemed to shrink further behind Montan. “Hiding behind four men because she doesn’t want to get scolded for running into another person? Should I cry and apologize so people will pity me?” Victoria sneered once more. “A marquis family doesn’t raise such pathetic children.”
“No, instead they raised an arrogant, stubborn, stupid daughter!” Gideon growled. “I should’ve had you expelled when I could!”
“I haven’t done anything to be expelled for.”
“You’ve been bullying another student!” Montan shouted.
“It’s not a secret that you openly mock her, make fun of her for being poor, and then use your status to push her around,” Guthry said.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Is she not poor? Everyone knows that’s a fact. Am I not allowed to criticize her? Or point out her flaws and mistakes? Is it my fault the so-called proper noble manners you deny I have are also absent in her?” Victoria looked at Alessa, disgusted. “And am I supposed to stay silent when everyone thinks I’m bullying her simply because she cowers every time she sees me after I scolded her for telling people I bought my way in or cheated?”
“Because it’s true,” Gideon said.
“I’m not the one who condemned another student for an unfounded rumor when we moved in first year, Your Highness,” Victoria said in a low voice. “Nor was I the one who went around telling everyone I bought my way in. Or did you forget that she’s the one who spread it through the dorms that I bought my way in without checking.”
“I didn’t mean to!” Alessa cried out. “I only heard it when I moved in. I mentioned it to a few people I met, but I didn’t spread it around on purpose.”
Victoria looked at her. “You did it, but you didn’t do it on purpose. My reputation was damaged from that point on and all you can say is that you didn’t mean to. And you wonder why I don’t like you.”
Alessa’s eyes filled with tears. “Lady Guevera, I told you many times already, I’m sorry. It was an accident.”
“Don’t cry!” Ilyana hadn’t taken two steps away from Victoria. “All you ever do is cry and ask other people for help!”
“I don’t!” Alessa said. “They’re my friends!”
“Alessa is right. She’s our friend and we’ll protect her,” Fabian said.
“That’s right,” Dimitri added. “Everyone likes Alessa. She’s never done anything to hurt anyone on purpose.”
“So, you’re saying hurting other people accidentally is acceptable? But she runs into me and falls, and you push me to the ground,” Victoria asked. “You know what, that’s an act of violence against a student. I’m going to report you.” She looked at Gideon proudly and turned around once more.
“You can’t report him!” Alessa ran forward, pushing her way through her protective wall of love interests to get to Victoria. “Lady Guevera! Please stop! You can’t!”
“Let’s see if he’ll be crown prince now after he pushes noble daughters for no reason....” Victoria grumbled. My family will never support you and if my family doesn’t, you bet O’Tuagh won’t, either.
Alessa grabbed onto her arm and pulled her backwards. “Please, Lady Guevera! Don’t! Gideon was only trying to protect me!”
“How is he going to protect you, who already fell, by pushing Lady Victoria?” Ilyana said, red-faced.
“Let me go, Miss Hart!” Victoria tried to pull her arm away, but Alessa held her tighter.
“I’ll stay away from him! I’ll stay away from him from now on. How about that?” Alessa began to ramble on, looking at Victoria with hope. “As long as I stay away from him, won’t you be able to take your place as his prospective fiancée?”
Victoria’s face heated up and Tori felt a wave of disgust. “No!”
“Alessa, don’t say such a thing!” Gideon shouted from behind them. “I won’t see such a woman!”
Tori wanted to scream out that she didn’t want to see him either, but she wasn’t in control. “Let me go!”
In a final act to rid herself of Alessa, Victoria pushed Alessa’s shoulder at the same time she pulled back her arm. Alessa stumbled backwards at the force, tripped over the ground, and fell on her bottom.
“Alessa!” Several screams rang out, as if Alessa had been shot.
“Violence against a student!” Montan yelled. “Someone call a teacher!”
“She’s the one who wouldn’t let me go!” Victoria argued. Another hand clamped on her arm and pulled her back.
“Don’t even think about running away,” Fabian hissed. “You pushed her down!”
“Let her go!” Ilyana rushed forward and Fabian took a step forward to block her.
“This is none of your business, Agafonova!” he shouted and raised his other arm threateningly.
Ilyana’s face turned pale, and Tori noticed the terrified look on her face. Her heart tightened once more, worried that Ilyana had lingering trauma from the assault. Victoria pulled hard against Fabian, but couldn’t escape his grip.
“Don’t touch her! Don’t you dare touch her!” Victoria screamed like a mad woman. “Ilyana!”
Saying her name seemed to fill Ilyana with an expected surge of anger. She shot to her feet and rushed forward once more. “Let her go!”
Before she reached Victoria, Ilyana was violently pulled back and nearly tossed to the side by Dimitri. “Miss Agafonova, if you insist on helping Lady Guevera-”
His sentence was never completed.
Ilyana had rushed forward and slammed her fist into his face. “Don’t touch my friend!”
Holy shit. Tori wanted to cry. Ilyana was hysterical. Her hand was red and didn’t seem to close properly as she rushed to Victoria’s other side and pulled her away as Fabian stood, stunned.
Dimitri had stumbled back, his hands covering his face. Blood was seeping down his chin and between his pale fingers. His eyes wide as Alessa’s screaming could be heard in the background.
Victoria grabbed on to Ilyana and held her against her, protectively shielding her body as she shot an angry glare at Alessa and the love interests. If it were Tori, she probably would’ve done the same.
There was shouting coming from behind them and the teachers arrived.
If everything she was witnessing, every thought she heard, and every game memory thus far, at this moment, was what Victoria saw, felt, and did during the game, then there was something wrong with Alessa Hart, and it was clear that Victoria did not have the capacity to fight her and win.
Victoria wasn’t madly in love with Gideon and wanted to marry him. She had met him the same way Tori had their first year and Victoria disliked him ever since. His constant questioning of her qualifications and his support of Alessa, who spread rumors about her for no reason other than casual conversation, only made Victoria’s dislike of Gideon worse.
At first, she tried to be courteous. After all, Victoria was a noble daughter and didn’t want her reputation to fall even further, but Gideon was constantly rude to her, so her courtesy faded away and she began to return it with hostility. Alessa seemed to interpret it as trying to get Gideon’s attention.
Victoria thought something about Alessa was suspicious. Instinct was strong in marches, so she followed it and tried to separate Alessa from Gideon to disastrous results. Gideon was a prince of Soleil and Victoria, though she personally hated him, felt she had a duty to keep him safe as a daughter of a march.
However, her impatience, irritation, and temper didn’t help her. Gideon was annoyed with her constant interference and Alessa acted afraid of her, which only annoyed Victoria further and aggravated the entire situation.
Ilyana wasn’t some overzealous guard dog and lackey of Victoria, as mentioned in the wiki-article. Victoria loved Ilyana who, like Tori’s Ilyana, was her first friend. Victoria was desperately trying to protect Ilyana from the rumors and negative impact of being associated with her, so she tried to appear formal and distant.
Victoria had been the one who covered up Ilyana’s assault, making sure to keep it as private as possible because she was worried it would be used to hurt Ilyana further. Victoria was also the one who reached out to her family to find the rapist and punish him. Unlike in Tori’s version of the game, the rapist was definitely dead. Since then, Victoria would simply bring Ilyana with her when she went home in the winter, but never rid herself of her anger and guilt at not being able to protect Ilyana.
However, at school, Victoria insisted that Ilyana keep her distance. Ilyana didn’t. Victoria was her friend, and she was loyal, so Victoria tried to stay away to avoid dragging Ilyana into her problems.
One of her problems was the Lycée Project. Victoria’s Lycée Project also dealt with the refugees, but it wasn’t to resettle them.
It was to help them find jobs throughout the empire. It was costly and time consuming in its own way. Many ruling nobles didn’t welcome refugee migration into their territories. It also broke apart families due to the nature of it, which angered already stressed refugees. They were resistant to Victoria’s ‘help’. It was not going well, and Victoria was struggling, yet she was too proud to ask for too much help from her family.
Victoria took Meta-crystals, but because she was so poor at it, didn’t put much effort into it and only barely passed. She only took it because Sebastian was good with crystals.
Victoria was still on that recommended list of ladies at Gideon’s coming-of-age ball for her dancing, which was more advanced now, but had brushed it off. However, she had watched Alessa and Gideon like a hawk that night.
Victoria suspected Alessa of leading Gideon astray. It was a slow build up, but from what Tori could gather, it was suspicious that Alessa had befriended some of the most influential young men in Lycée and was getting benefits from them that reached outside of the school.
Money from Montan Alvere, whose father was still Duke Alvere. He bought things for Alessa and helped her get access to places using his name.
Social influence came from Gideon and Dimitri. They also constantly helped her with her project and defended her whenever Victoria questioned her. Alessa was invited to many social gatherings amongst Horizon’s young socialites, increasing her popularity. At this point, Alessa seemed to be rumored to have romantic connections to Gideon, thought it wasn’t confirmed by either party.
Fabian also escorted Alessa around and scared off other people. No one bothered Alessa and because of these connections, everyone thought she was amazing and took her side whenever she clashed with Victoria. This disparaged Victoria’s reputation further amongst their peers.
Tori couldn’t deny that in her version of the game, she had also befriended influential young men and benefited from them, but she always tried to reciprocate. Her brothers had even teased her and said she spoiled her friends.
Axton didn’t give her money directly; it was used for joint investment projects. In return, she fed him and helped improve his inns.
Piers didn’t start off with any influence or prestige. She was credited with helping him build it. She’d had to work to build her own reputation amongst the local nobles. She’d even gained some unwanted attention. As for protection, she was on her own in Lycée and only had escorts when she traveled.
That was about it. Aside from Ilyana, the rest of her friends were commoners.
Victoria knew that Alessa had a friend who followed her to the city, and as for Constantine, it seemed that he’d already left and joined the seminary, meaning Alessa had failed his route. Victoria didn’t worry about them.
However, there was still Adrien Rosiek. Victoria couldn’t put her finger on it, but she didn’t trust Adrien. Tori had felt the same, but always assumed it was because she knew he was a love interest.
Despite learning all of these now, there was nothing Tori could do about it or Victoria.
Two points about the original Victoria stood out. First, Victoria was painfully loyal and could tolerate being the target of hate, but she couldn’t stand someone close to her being targeted.
Second, Victoria wasn’t used to getting her way, as her family spoiled her, and she had little in the form of actual responsibility prior to entering Lycée. She was inexperienced and irritable. Despite the effort Tori felt from her, had a short fuse, and grew frustrated easily, especially when those she cared about were insulted or in danger, and that resulted in her losing control of the situation.
If people knew this, Victoria would be easy to manipulate.
Victoria now stood in front of the headmaster with Ilyana beside her, clutching Ilyana’s hand as Dimitri, Gideon, and Madam Guthry stood with a good two paces between them. Alessa wasn’t there. Montan had taken her away so she wouldn’t be drawn into the drama. Fabian was just outside the door, waiting.
Headmaster Laurent looked tired as he rubbed his head. “Miss Agafonova, why did you punch Mr. Guthry in the face?”
“He grabbed my arm and threw me to the side when I was trying to help Lady Guevera,” Ilyana said in a tight voice.
“Is that any reason to punch him?” The Headmaster frowned with disapproval. Ilyana lowered her head, her eyes red.
Victoria stood up straight. Tori could almost feel her radiating the thought that she was a march’s daughter. She could not show weakness.
“Headmaster Laurent, Mr. von Dorn refused to let go of my arm-”
“You would’ve run away!” Gideon shouted.
“Your Highness, please.” The Headmaster gave Gideon a silencing look and Gideon flushed, still upset. “Miss Guevera, why did Mr. von Dorn grab your arm?”
“I was coming to report that His Highness had shoved me to the ground. I hit my head; I can feel the lump. Luckily, I was only knocked out for a moment. Before I could leave, Miss Hart grabbed my arm and begged me not to report him. She would not let go, so I put my hand on her shoulder and pushed her back while pulling my arm towards me. She lost her balance-”
“You pushed her! She admitted it!” Gideon nearly yelled.
“She lost her balance, tripped over the ground, and fell on her butt.” Victoria had continued, ignoring Gideon. “One of them yelled that I had committed violence against a fellow student and wanted to stop me from leaving before the teacher came. Miss Agafonova wanted to help me be released, but was blocked. When she tried again, Mr. Guthry swung her out of the way.”
“Then she punched Mr. Guthry?” the Headmaster asked. Victoria and Ilyana nodded.
“That is no excuse-” Madam Guthry began to talk, but Victoria cut her off.
“Mr. Guthry is twice her size. What right does he have to grab her and throw her to the side? She could’ve been seriously injured.”
“My son is the one who is bleeding!” Madam Guthry choked out. She looked at Headmaster Laurent. “Headmaster, I demand that Miss Agafonova be expelled!”
“Expelled?” Victoria snapped her head towards her. “If that’s the case, I demand the same of your son who has been harassing us constantly under the belief that we’re bullying another student. He has also manhandled Miss Agafonova.”
“My son hasn’t injured anyone-”
“Physical violence is acceptable, but verbal violence and harassment is not. Understood. I’ll keep that in mind next time we cross paths,” Victoria snapped. “Headmaster, I am the cause for Miss Agafonova defending herself by hitting Mr. Guthry-”
“Defending?” Dimitri choked out.
“I request that I carry the punishment,” Victoria said. Tori quietly applauded Victoria’s loyalty.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that, Miss Guevera. Miss Agafonova was the one who punched Mr. Guthry. There are witnesses and obvious proof.” The Headmaster motioned towards Dimitri, who had pieces of cloth up his nose, where a bruise was forming. He glared at them.
Victoria grit her teeth. “Then can they be punished for pushing me and grabbing my arm?” Victoria released Ilyana’s arm to pull up her sleeve to reveal a bluish-gray bruise around her forearm.
The Headmaster took a deep breath. “Mr. von Dorn caused that?”
“Headmaster, Fabian was only trying to stop her from fleeing!” Gideon insisted.
“And where would I go? It’s the middle of the day; campus is closed,” Victoria snapped. “Don’t try to pretend he didn’t want to hurt me.”
“Mr. von Dorn will receive suspension for two weeks and the Empress, who is listed as his guardian, will receive notice.”
Gideon looked horrified. “Headmaster!”
“As for Miss Agafonova....” The Headmaster looked disappointed. “I’m afraid this is grounds for expulsion.”
“What?” Victoria yelled. “No! It was just a small fight-”
“Miss Guevera, Miss Agafonova hit another student in the face. She was the first to throw a punch,” Headmaster Laurent told them with some regret in his voice. “That is grounds for dismissal.”
“Then I will be expel-”
“I accept.” Ilyana lifted her head up, her eyes red and puffy, but she put on a proud look. “As long as Lady Guevera isn’t punished and is noted as having nothing to do with today’s affairs, I will leave today.”
“Ilyana....” Victoria’s voice was painful. Tori wanted to argue further, but had no control. She wanted to request an investigation, to call others for help, appeal to the board, and spread news that Dimitri Guthry was violent towards young women to turn people against him.
Victoria was at a loss and felt helpless. She simply lacked experience and knowledge to do anything more.
Tori knew that in the game, Ilyana had been expelled. She didn’t graduate and her expulsion had something to do with fighting for Victoria’s sake. That’s the way it happened, but at the same time, it was different from what Tori expected.
In the end, Victoria and Ilyana were escorted back to the dorm room. Victoria hesitantly called Auntie Lucia to ask her to house Ilyana until Ilyana’s parents could send a carriage to pick her up. Victoria refused to let Ilyana stay at an inn. Ilyana’s parents were angry and heartbroken. Surprisingly, they did not blame Victoria. Baron Agafonov cursed the school, but arranged for a carriage to come and pick her up.
Victoria went to her aunt’s house with Ilyana, refusing to leave her side. Her aunt helped her arrange for a leave of absence.
“I’m sorry,” Victoria said as she sat on a chair in Ilyana’s guest room. Ilyana’s hand that punched Dimitri was wrapped up and had an ice pack on it. “If it weren’t for me....”
Ilyana shook her head. “No...no, I’m the one who hit him. I know what I did.”
“He provoked you.”
“I still could’ve held back,” Ilyana said. She lowered her eyes from where she sat on the edge of the bed. “I wish I could’ve hit him more. The things they say about you, my lady....”
Victoria took a deep breath. “Never mind what they say. I don’t care.” She ran hand down her face. “I should’ve controlled my temper. I should’ve just avoided Hart and the others. They don’t like me, and I don’t like them.”
“Every time you cross paths with Hart, she looks like she’s afraid of you. As if you’ve done something to her. Prince Gideon and the others blame you,” Ilyana huffed. “You yelled at her once for those rumors! Once! And it was well deserved!”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone hates me.”
Ilyana’s voice was soft. “I don’t hate you.”
“But I got you dragged into this.” Victoria looked at Ilyana with a defeated expression. “I’m sorry, Ilyana.”
Ilyana sniffled and shook her head. “No...you’ve always taken care of me when you can. I’m only mad because I have to leave you.”
Victoria shut her eyes. “When...when is your carriage coming?”
“Dad said it should be ready tomorrow evening. I gave him your aunt’s address.”
Victoria nodded. “All right....” She took a deep breath. “Is it just a carriage? No guards?”
“The route back to Gorask is safe.”
Tori seemed to have the same thought as Victoria. We thought Horizon was safe, too. Victoria forced a smile and squeezed Ilyana’s hand.
“You should rest for tonight,” she said. “I’ll see you in the morning. Since the carriage doesn’t come until the evening, let’s go spend the day in town. Get some gifts for your family.”
Ilyana sniffled once more and smiled. “Okay.”
Victoria slipped out of Ilyana’s room and her forced, pleasant face fell. She quickly crossed the hall to her own room, and as soon as the door was shut, Victoria curled into a ball against the door. She brought her knees to her chest and let out a choked cry. Painful, guilty thoughts echoed around Tori.
It was her fault Ilyana was being expelled. She should’ve done better. She should’ve protected Ilyana more. She should’ve kept them away from her. Why was she so stupid and impulsive? Why did she lose her temper so easily? Why did the very sight of Hart and her little entourage anger her?
Tori wanted to comfort and teach her, but could only watch.
Victoria lifted her hand and wiped at her tears. She was always late in protecting Ilyana and she refused to stand aside and be late again. The only problem was that she had no more money. She has a few coins, but all her money was sunk into her project. She’d already bothered Auntie Lucia.
She took out her comcry and opened it. Victoria had thought about calling this person multiple times, but she was too embarrassed. She was just his senior’s little sister...who was she to call him?
He didn’t even seem very interested in helping her. Kasen made him.
Tori knew who Victoria was thinking of in an instant. “Do it! Call him!” she screamed into Victoria’s mind, not knowing if she’d listen. “Call Piers!”
A shaking finger slid across the cool crystal. “Call Piers du Soleil.”
Tori held her breath. It seemed that Kasen had also introduced Victoria to Piers and Axton when she arrived in Lycée. Victoria never called them, and Tori could understand why. In some ways, Victoria was much more restrained by her age and culture than Tori was. They had similarities, but differences.
The comcry pulsed for some time and Tori felt her heart sink. Perhaps in the original game, Piers didn’t want to help Victoria?
“Lady Guevera.” A low, familiar voice came from the comcry, and Tori relaxed.
“Ask him for help,” Tori shouted in Victoria’s mind. “Ask him to protect Ilyana!”
She didn’t know if Victoria heard her or was in any way influenced, but Victoria’s shaking voice spoke up. “Good evening, Your Highness. I’m sorry to bother you.”
There was a pause. “Do you need help?”
Victoria shut her eyes and seemed to brace herself for rejection. “Your Highness...can you protect my friend?”
The first favor Victoria asked of Piers was for her friend. Victoria was short tempered, easily frustrated, arrogant, and not very academically inclined, but Tori couldn’t hate her.
A half dozen third-tier imperial knights, all women, were in front of Auntie Lucia’s house the next evening, surrounding the carriage that Baron Agafonov had sent. Both Auntie Lucia and Ilyana looked surprised to see them.
“Sir Angelou, is there some sort of mistake?” Auntie Lucia asked the middle-aged female knight leading the group.
“No mistake, Madam Biancci. His Highness Prince Piers has requested that we escort Lady Agafonova to her family’s estate in Gorask.”
“The first prince?” Ilyana’s eyes were wide. “Why would he request such a thing?” She didn’t know him at all. In fact, Ilyana forgot his first name.
Sir Angelou nodded. “Yes, my lady. Lady Guevera requested a favor from him.”
Several pairs of eyes turned to Victoria, who was standing to the side. Ilyana’s eyes watered. “Victoria....”
“It’s a long journey. I want you to be safe,” Victoria told her. She was too embarrassed to admit that she was personally broke and decided to try her luck asking if the first prince could spare some knights to escort Ilyana.
Ilyana choked back a cry and threw her arms around Victoria.
She didn’t seem to want to let go, but Victoria ushered her into the carriage. They’d bought many snacks for Ilyana, and Victoria got her a pillow and blanket for her journey. The door closed and Ilyana waved from the window.
“I can still apply to Université!” Ilyana shouted out the window. “Don’t worry! I’ll make it!”
Victoria’s eyes watered. “Just be safe!”
Victoria stood on the curb, watching the carriage disappear down the street with a small escort of knights. Auntie Lucia beckoned her to come inside. As Victoria turned around, she caught sight of a snow-white horse a few houses away. There was a larger, bluish-gray horse beside the white horse, but the riders were familiar, though it had been some time since she saw them in person.
Victoria grasped the edge of her skirt and did a curtsy in their direction.
Piers, still atop Snow Queen, gave her a small nod of his head in return.
Victoria returned to her aunt’s house and was quiet the rest of the evening, worrying her aunt and little cousins. Marco and Mateo gave her part of their dessert, knowing she liked sweets, to cheer her up. Victoria had lovingly stroked their heads and thanked them, but told them to eat.
As she laid in bed and closed her eyes, her body seemed to feel heavy.
Tori began to feel the dull, aching pain from when she woke up the day before. In the silence of the room, Tori could hear the buzzing in her ears. She didn’t know if Victoria heard it.
Just below the buzzing, she heard Victoria’s thoughts. I need to tell His Highness about Alessa Hart.... She’s not good. I know it.
The buzzing grew louder, and Victoria’s thoughts were drowned out. Tori didn’t know what to do about the dull headache and wanted to grab her head. Her body wasn’t hers to control, yet she still tried to lift her arms.
“...she’s struggling-”
“Watch her arms!”
“Tori, calm down.” A cacophony of voices reached her ears as the buzzing began to fade. “Tori, it’s all right. Don’t worry. You have a small bump, and the crystal fatigue is minor.”
“Don’t say it’s minor-”
“It’s not as bad as it could’ve been considering what she did.”
She didn’t know who was talking. She opened her mouth. “Ilyana,” she croaked. Her mouth was dry.
“What?” That sounded like Axton.
“Where’s Ilyana?” Tori asked. “Is she safe?”
Comments
dat guy
is the sense of "Second, Victoria wasn’t used to getting her way, as her family spoiled her, " exactly backwards from the backstory? Victoria _was_ used to getting her way. I suggest "Second, Victoria wasn’t used to _not_ getting her way, as her family spoiled her, "
Max Lopo
It was kinda clear that Tory was a victim, since we have seen how her "childhood friends" were a bunch of slimy c**** that lied about everything. But this forey in the "alternate history" just proves that "the protagonist" needs to go away. It doesn't matter if she is the DUMBEST puppet on the planet or part of a conspiracy. Her existence is s landmine.
Wesley Stone
I always like the idea that all stories, doesn't matter if it books, movies, games, etc... are just the creators tapping into things happening in other worlds and dimensions. So the game creator built the games based on a possible future that would happen if something wasn't done to stop it. That being the destruction of a march and the empire tossed into chaos. OG Tori was always suppose to be the hero we can see now, but was to young and inexperienced to figure out how to stop it. So some 'GOD' or something arranged accidents at the same time to transmigrated Tori in.
DonMc
Is this chapter even part of the story? After all, its not tagged as either 'TT Chapter' or 'Tori Transmigrated'. Its why I didn't even find it until today.
Lou Gar
Right. The 'push' by 'something' has been pretty well established. However, the game-world is not as portrayed in the game. The characters have hidden sides and things that never came out in the game. Example: Baron Hart's romance. Gideon actually having such strong and good feelings for his brother. Axton's background. And, that is not even including the WAY the known characters are portrayed. The chapter had them completely different than in the game. It 'look's like the designers did not create the world (as it could not contain as much data). It 'looks' the game was inspired by the world, and there is/was more to it than any game could show. And, now, the game itself is trying to influence the world? And, now, someone is fighting off the game? Or, is it something else? Food for thought, for us and Tori.
Saaski
I feel that so far, the fact that this is a game world has been stated quite bluntly by the narrative. Things happening such as the assignment of Tori’s project. When she protested, the principle himself seemed utterly confused, even as he insisted that it couldn’t be changed. Despite the fact that the rules of the school state that the students should be able to reject an assignment if they feel un-up to the task. It’s frowned upon, but fully within the rules if I’m remembering correctly. Other examples are; people close to Alessa being utterly incapable of seeing her as anything less then saintly. Then, the fact that unless Tori directly intervenes, crap just falls in line to favour Alessa. ie. She got grounded, somehow became a Baroness instead of being stuck at home. Etc. So now all we have to do is to decide whether or not we think that this set up is a red herring. The fact that Tori is seeing these “visions” implies either parallel dimensions, or maybe the Gods are showing her what-would-have-been. Right now we have no way of knowing for sure.
Lou Gar
I wanted to focus on the things that Tori would have to worry about. Who, within the story is influencing her? You said, "She was transmigrated to the starting point of a game world that already existed." And, "the game world exists in every state of past, present and future." So, others are occurring, or could be at any state. And, she could conceivably hit any point of the events - past, present, and future. And yet.. and yet - she hit the spot that matched her current time? A spot that showed her something significant or that motivated her? (Considering the emotional response to the story by the readers, Tori should react as strongly as well, right?) Doesn't this all imply a guided vision? So, who is guiding her? The Emperor had a 'crystal' vision that said it was 'imperative' that she b e the Countess of the Delta, for some reason. So, part of a greater whole, right? As I have said before, the reason for Who, How, and Why are - The Author, Author Fiat, and Author's Need for the Plot? But, from Tori's perspective, what is going on?
Thorlol
Do your newspaper anounce a trigger warning when they report about a rape that happend in some part of your country with the information only being about when and where? How is a in-depth backstory to the original Victoria redundant in a slice-of-life web-novel? How could this chapter be offensive without any personal opionion or view being expressed? Factual happenings cant be offensive as far as I know. How could a chapter be disruptive if it was about what Tori experienced while she was unconcious? As for pathetic, what exactly was pathetic here? The grammar? Sentence structure? You also assume that the chapter only exists to 'retcon' conflict into relationships. Did you already read the next chapter before us? Right now we were only informed what happend in the original timeline. We dont know if anything comes from her 'vision'. Next time please think about what you are commenting before calling someones work 'repulsive garbage'.
Thorlol
Not a previous version. She was transmigrated to the starting point of a game world that already existed . And the game world exists in every state of past, present and future. Otherwise she wouldnt know how the game starts and ends. I think she created a alternative reality just by the fact that she transmigrated. Doesnt mean that other alternative realities dont exist. Like the original game timeline she read about in the wiki article. How she was able to see the orginal reality? My guess is magical stuff happening because of crystal fatigue and being unconcious. I dont think that the vision she had offered her any insight other than a more in-depth understanding of the orginal Victoria and what happend to her until that point in time. Before she had only surface knowledge of Victoria through the wiki article.
Lou Gar
Thorlol, "How" can she see something like that? You said she saw a previous version of what happened? So, you think it IS a game, running and storing old version of the incident or story? Again, how is she seeing that saved file? Is she a 'glitch?' Aside from being a high-noble, expert with swords & daggers, genius crystal-mage, amazing cook, amazing project manager, Autism Whisperer, she can also look into the game matrix? Like Neo? Or, is that the 'gods' are AI's that are bending the rules to give her an insight? We have seen that the characters have blessings, and the blessings can be detected by other (in her case, a priest). So, the 'gods' exist in some form, and could be influencing Tori. Either of those things have serious implications.
.m
This chapter is repulsive garbage. I hope Aila Aurie deletes it. It invokes rape and other deeply triggering abuse, with no trigger warning, just to retcon some conflict into the relationships. When a building literally just collapsed on children giving a very good pretext already for Tori to be furious. This is redundant, offensive, disruptive, and bathetic.
Keith
Agree
Simon Kellis
My head canon in TLDR format… Team Hart reincarnated on Earth and turned their story into a game with them as the heros. Tori die in the train crash and due to space time/time dilation/quantum physics shenanigans she reincarnated right before the “game” starts with the horse accident causing Victoria to remember her life as Tori. In addition to her Arommantic state she is also suffering dismorphia and dissociation. She now is conducting the equivalent of a time heist to save her family and the empire. Post Script: My head canon is pages long…
Thorlol
Its pretty simple. We did see a portion of the original reality. It offered us a deeper look into the original Victoria and why she acted the way she did in the game. Why was it possible to see the original reality? Because it already happend, with a few sequels. She just saw a portion of it, probably about the same point in time. So thats whats going on, it doesnt need to have more meaning that what was presented.
Lou Gar
I am confused by this chapter. We already know that Victoria was not accurately portrayed in the game. Showing how much 'more' she was mis-portrayed... I am not sure what was the point. Yes, it does look like a motivation for her to dig deeper into Alissa. But, does that imply a "higher power" pushing her? Which really just leads to the most important question. HOW did Tori get this vision? Tori has no way to access these memories even as one of transmigrated ("Her" Victoria never had them, so they can't be 'recovered memories') - unless, they are implying she has world/game hopping mind powers. Really, where did they come from? If it is the game-world, it could be that there are other ‘instances’ of the game, showing her what ‘should’ have happened at this time in the game-world. And, this could be the reason why Tori keeps getting tossed into drama with Alissa – trying to recreate the alternative instances? (Her allies being suddenly ‘occupied’ and not able to be with her was sure sign of ‘drama & b.s.,’ and I am really surprised Tori didn’t see it coming too.) Again, this implies a higher power messing with her. But, if it is the case, why was the vision so different from the game-world that was shown in the game when played? Why so much more sympathetic? What is the logic of the game trying to correct things back to the game-story, and also show Tori the sad life Victoria (and Ilyana)? That is a poor way to get her to follow along, and have them both be victimized. This vision ‘looks’ like an alternative world, and not even the one portrayed by the game. Is it NOT a game-world? Is it an alternative world ‘bleeding through?’ Is that what Tori is seeing? If it is, what does that mean? So, again, I don’t know what is going on.
Niraada
Man, reading this one just before bed was a bit of a doozy. As soon as those clowns started talking my blood instantly boiled. I'm writing this the next day, and I'm still getting angry just thinking about it. I used to think Von Dorn was the worst, but now I can easily say that Dimitry Guthry is a waste of air and skin. Like, Von Dorn's a bit of a turd, but whatever. Guthry tho? Eff that guy. He can take a long walk off a short dock for all I care.
Nobody
The orphanage collapse does finally give Tori genuine ammo to openly go after Heart, something that she hasn't had yet.
Oxylus
@Noelle, I felt this way for hours 😭. Just want to send Ilyana a bunch of 🫶
Kevin Caffrey
I liked the chapter. It can be frustrating to have an extended cliff but I can see how this chapter might be necessary to the story, and would work great if I didn’t need to wait a few days for the next chapter. The only thing I’ll be upset about is if this isn’t a tipping point that causes Tori to go on the offensive instead of defensive against Alessa. I THINK that’s the purpose of this chapter but if something like that does not happen then it’ll be a missed opportunity.
Scyfe
I liked the chapter quite a bit but agree it breaks the flow in the webnovel format and is a bit annoying due to pushing the cliff, while it would read fine in the future when you can go through the entire arc this story is not being published in that fashion. Probably would've recommended a bigger break between chapters and a double release or longer chapter that contains a bit when she woke up for this sort of thing
Lazy Lemon
Amazing chapter, thank you Aila for this one, I really loved it
Nimps
Hahaha I was going to write exactly this too! Omg I want only the worst for Alessa I really hope she is stripped of everything. I swear she has some sort of dark compulsion power. The hints from the headaches some of them got when they questioned her briefly
Lou Gar
I wonder if her mother was an 'orphan of unprovable province' like Cow-Man, and Nicole (I think that was her name), etc.
noëlle
The RAGE I felt reading this chapter is hard to express. Ughhhh, the way the scene went did such a good job of making me furious and heartbroken. Thank you for the wonderful yet gut wrenching chapter.
Summercat
Oof. I liked this chapter
Saaski
Yeah. If I was looking forward to the fallout before, now I am anticipating Retribution!
Saaski
Interesting.
Saaski
Please
Saaski
Way to turn on the water works… today I am the random lady crying on the bus. Don’t mind me folks, nothings wrong IRL, one of my favourite authors just decided that today was the day to knock happiness out of the field. .. Sniff… Meany. You hurt Ilyana.
Oxylus
The real hero of the tale.
Simon Kellis
I do not understand the hate some readers are having against this chapter, it is a wake up of sorts. A scene that allows Tori, who till now has been a seemingly stagnant character, to grow. Instead of “survive till Universeté ends” it is now “who is Alyessa Hart?” and how do I bring this operation down. It gives Tori a goal, not that surviving “Team Hart” is not a valid and important goal; it is simply nebulous and open ended. I am hopeful that this turning point will be a call to action and allow “Team Tori” or Tori at least,(Ilyanna, never change) to become more dynamic or grow. Cry havoc, loose the dogs of war!
Gemyma
Sometimes the chapters a story needs as a whole don't work so well as a serial release. That's the price we pay for this format and I'd rather have the occasional weaker, cliffy release than have the story skip giving context and developments like we got today. While we didn't get the aftermath I was hoping for today, I'm eager to see how this affects our Tori going forward as it seems like it's going to be a catalyst for some upheaval. Thanks for the chapter, Aila, your hard work is always appreciated.
CentaureHeart
Uh did not expect that kind of chapter! Well I hope the insight it provides will make her retribution all the better. Thanks for the chapter :)
Hecktony
I kind of dig the mini-isekai in an isekai, I'm a sucker for villains getting back at goofy MCs even if it's no the "real" timeline. Super obnoxious place for this chapter to appear though.
Miguel Wolmers
I think the chapter is good, if it creates a shift in Tori’s way of handling alessa moving forward. But tbh I think it would of been better short or as a double release chapter to not break immersion. Ending on a cliff to go to this and still progress past the cliff for another 2 days… yeah that’s hella frustrating.
Props to Piers for being a good guy in all the versions of this world.
Same. I almost didn't read the chapter when I realized what it was. The timing of this chapter was a bucket of ice water that shattered my immersion into the story. After the previous chapter I was wrapped up in the story and its characters. Wondering how Alessa would try to shift blame, etc. After reading this chapter I am frustrated about the progression of the story, surprised/happy that Piers is a good guy in all the versions of this world and outraged that Ilyana was expelled.
John O'Connor
I've been thinking for a few weeks that Alessa is actually the one running the spy ring but I'm leaning another way now. I don't remember reading anything about her mother but I'm willing to bet she was a foreigner who passed her sympathies onto Alessa and it is entirely possible she is alive somewhere running the entire operation. I wouldn't be surprised if she's someone we have met already as well.
Tarmandan
Ah, but we did need some setup for Tori to *really* be angry at Alessa this time. And at Guthry, who directly is part of the reason the school collapsed. Tori always was defensive and/or soft to their lot before. I would be very, very surprised she will be this time. The content of the chapter of course was uncomfortable, but I believe this to be one of the most important turning points because I don't think Tori will be able to be forgiving in any way now that she knows some of how the game played out.
Emby
First time here? Authors been slipping of late
dave hutch
I'm kind of annoyed. I enjoyed the chapter but I wish you had chose a different point to release it.
Dave Quitit
Well, I get Tori would come out of that with Ilyana worries but Ilyana is at Duel hosting a dozen imperial knights. Can't think of anything likely to get through that bunch.
lenkite
Sad. The [Dream] chapter took the entire story. But Who knows - that [Dream Timeline] might even be the [Real Timeline] and the one Tori occupies is just what Victoria dreams about.
Mr. Bigglesworth
Voting with my wallet, peace out.
Empty Shelf
Interesting. So the version of Tori we see here had her heart in the right place, but didn't have the experience or maturity to handle the game's machinations. Poor girl.
twentytoo
It all makes sense now
Brett Hayes
*sigh* I hate chapters like these in books. The nightmare what might have been chapter. To me they are just page/word count padding and a time waster, as they do nothing to move the plot forward. Since Wednesday night I have been looking forward to the story moving forward... and instead... My apologies if you take this personally, it is just my opinion on such chapters.
I almost regret reading day to day. Woo almost gave me a heart attack! Loved the chapter tho!
Mike
something is really wrong with Alessa and I hope somehow Tori can help Victoria
Mike
Good chapter but reading about what happened to Ilyana was hard
saganatsu
alternatively, ... was used to getting her way ..., but the context is about her behavior when she was denied, so I'd go with the first
saganatsu
"Second, Victoria wasn’t used to getting her way, as her family spoiled her" -> ... wasn't used to not getting her way ...
