Chapter 153: But Not Her Ilyana

T/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?”