Chapter 75: This is Unbefitting For a Prince

Every time Tori saw her rank was above a love interest, she was filled with a sense of accomplishment. When the midterm ranks were released, and Ilyana, who unsurprisingly retained her number one spot, was lauded as a hero by many. Even if their rank had not increased, their individual scores had improved.

Tori fell back to her third rank, but Dimitri was dropped once more. One more spot and he was out of the top ten. She thought this would fill her with glee, but she wasn’t as satisfied as she thought. It was akin to having a rival and beating them, but not because you got better, but because they got significantly worse.

This was a shallow victory, at best, but Tori still took it.

“I understand that I am discriminating against them.” She heard Ilyana say from outside the headmaster’s office. Tori doodled in her notebook while waiting for Ilyana to come out. When a staff member met them when they were walking to get dinner, Tori asked what she had done this time.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t her being summoned. It was Ilyana.

Ilyana had been confused and somewhat nervous, but when they found out what it was about, she was filled with a sort of righteous indignation.

“Why are you banning them, Miss Agafonova?” One of the second-year homeroom instructors asked her, sounding confused as to why an ideal student like Ilyana would purposely ban several students from her review sessions.

“It is a personal issue,” Ilyana said. “And as this is not an official school function, I am not obligated to accept everyone.”

“Miss Agafonova, if you do not open your review sessions to the entire second year class, then I am afraid we can no longer allow you to use a lecture hall,” another instructor said.

“Then I will simply no longer have review sessions,” Ilyana said with a hint of defiance in her voice. “I am doing them not as an obligation, but as a sign of goodwill to most of my peers. Not having review sessions would not negatively affect me, but rather give me more time to focus on my own studies and assist the studies of my close friends.”

Tori was leaning closer, happy that Mr. Legaspi didn’t close the door to the headmaster’s office all the way so she could listen in.

“But where would you have a place to study?”

Tori shook her head as she heard an instructor try to bargain with Ilyana.

Don’t try to make a deal when you don’t know your opponent’s cards.

“We do have a place to study. It’s been where we’ve been studying when I wasn’t holding review sessions. It’s quiet and off campus; no one bothers us, and we get free food,” Ilyana said. She might as well have also told them to ‘top that’. “You also cannot prohibit us from leaving campus outside of mandatory class hours and to try to put a policy in place that will prohibit us will require an adjustment period where the students can make complaints, and have it revoked before it is made official policy.”

Tori lifted her hand to her lips and tried to stifle her amused laughter.

“If that is the case, then I am afraid we will not be able to accommodate your review sessions next week, Miss Agafonova,” someone’s firm voice told her.

“I understand,” Ilyana said. “I will announce to the class that my review sessions have now been prohibited because someone complained that I wasn’t allowing particular people, whose names I will mention, to join the reviews.”

Tori closed her eyes and shook her head. Across from her, Mr. Legaspi was also shaking his head.

Everyone who heard knew what Ilyana meant to do by mentioning names. It would turn their entire second year class against those people.

Ilyana never announced that Alessa and her love interests were banned. She personally informed them as she felt it was more dignified and there was no reason to embarrass them publicly. When Dimitri came to ask her about when her next review was for midterms, Ilyana told him he was not allowed to come. Then named off Gideon, Fabian, Montan, and Alessa who were also banned.

Dimitri had looked absolutely stunned by this and Tori knew he was silently blaming her, but she didn’t care. It was Ilyana’s decision, and she wasn’t going to try to talk her out of it.

“By the way, I think it is fair to ask who complained about my review sessions,” Ilyana said.

A flurry of voices began speaking at once. Some were trying to stop her from mentioning those people; two of whom came from very influential families. Some were trying to change her mind and accept them. Others were asking her what she wanted.

“I can either hold the review sessions as I do now and prohibit those with whom I have a personal issue with or I stop them completely,” Ilyana said. “Those are the only two choices. Please remember that as they are not school sponsored events, I am not required to accept everyone. This should not trouble Lycée.”

Tori waited a while longer and then finally heard the defeated voices of the instructors. A moment later, Ilyana strutted out and beamed at Tori.

“Did you find out who complained?” Tori asked as she rose to her feet and extended her arm to loop around Ilyana’s.

Ilyana shook her head. “They would not say, but I have some guesses. We can find out.”

“JP?”

“JP.”

Tori wrinkled her nose. “I can understand why they’d want to complain, but you’re the one having the reviews. They should just come to you.”

“I wouldn’t accept them even if they begged,” Ilyana said with narrowed eyes. Tori sighed and patted her arm.

“Well, they may be doing that soon. Mr. Guthry is likely going to fall out of the top ten by the next exam. If not, then by final exams,” Tori said.

“Since I know you like Madam Guthry and the Prime Minister, I may consider it,” Ilyana said benevolently. “If he begs.”

Tori chuckled. They reached Cafe Fortuna and as the bell rang and they stepped through, a man at the counter turned around. Tori narrowed her eyes.

“Tori.” Axton looked at her, distressed. She merely gave him a nod of her head, if only to be polite, and walked towards the other end of the counter to put in her order. The last time she saw him, they were at Mama Myra’s and she’d avoided him despite his attempts to talk to her. Eventually, Constantine and Ewan stepped in to stop him and he left with some food for Piers. Every time he tried to call her; she wouldn’t answer. “Tori, are you not going to talk to me for the rest of your life?”

She didn’t answer. Ilyana looked away. This was not her battle, and she knew it. “Roasted chicken with carrots and pilaf,” she said instead.

“Tori,” Axton took a step closer, and Tori stepped away. He stopped before he could get any closer. He closed his eyes and let out a low breath. “I apologized. I meant it. I’m sorry I insulted you.”

“I’ll have the pork loin with rosemary and cauliflower.” Tori looked towards the youngest of Mama J’s sons, who was taking their order.

“You know why I’m worried. He’s my best friend. He’s the closest person I have to a brother,” Axton said. “If you were in my position and you saw someone Miss Agafonova-”

“I don’t want to be part of this,” Ilyana said swiftly.

He sighed. “Just theoretically. If someone Miss Agafonova was very attached to appeared to not want to have her in their life long term, wouldn’t you be worried?”

“I certainly wouldn’t accuse the other party of hurting her if they stated their intentions from the beginning.”

“I didn’t mean to say that-”

“But you believe I’d hurt Piers.” Tori turned to look at him with large, spiteful eyes. “And that tells me everything I need to know about how you see me.”

“No, that’s not it-”

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Tori said in a firm voice. “If you want to talk about accompanying Piers, fine. If you want to discuss business, sure. Ewan? Okay. But I don’t have friends who see me as someone who would believe that I would hurt them.”

The cafe was quiet except for the sound of food bubbling and clanging of pots and pans in the back. Ilyana kept her eyes fixed on the counter.

Axton swallowed hard. “I was worried.”

She looked at him with a belittling gaze and then turned away. “I don’t know if Piers told you yet, but you’ve been reassigned and will no longer come with us to the delta unless he comes with you. Other knights will be assigned when it’s just us. Ewan will remain in Horizon to continue training.”

Axton drew his head back and looked as if he took a heavy blow. “Tori, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Axton,” a deep voice said behind him. He turned around and Tori looked towards the stairs. Piers reached the ground floor. “That’s enough.”

Tori closed her eyes and shook her head. “Are you here for dinner, too?” she asked before looking towards him. He nodded to her and then gave a polite nod to Ilyana.

“Yes. There was a department meeting, and I did not have much to eat.” Piers looked towards Axton and then back at her.

Tori looked away. She didn’t want to put Piers in an uncomfortable position between them, but it was inevitable that he would find out that she was angry at Axton. He’d noticed her silence towards his knight a few days earlier, and when he asked, Tori blurted out how Axton thought she’d be so ignorant as to hurt Piers. Her ranting lasted for some time before ending with: ‘but this is between me and him. Don’t get involved.’

To his credit, Piers didn’t, though Tori knew it was an awkward situation and it bothered him.

“I’m sorry he’s bothering you,” he said. He looked towards the counter and saw that their boxes of food were ready. “Axton, let’s go.” Axton lowered his head and took the canvas bags with their meals from the counter. He looked at Tori once more and she turned her head away. She felt Piers hand on her head in an attempt to comfort her. “Don’t hate him. He loves you, too.”

Tori scowled. She knew that, but his assumption still hurt.  She trusted him.  Before she dared to call Piers, she called Axton.  “Go home and rest,” she told Piers. He patted her head and headed out.

Ilyana looked at Tori with some uncertainty. “Are you all right?”

Tori looked down. “Axton is one of the first people I met when I came here. He’s like a brother to me.” She shook her head. “But I didn’t expect him to think of me as such a person.”

Ilyana lowered her eyes, but nodded. They ate their dinner in silence before returning to Lycée. The night air was colder, and they huddled together as they walked. As they reached the gates of the school, they saw another figure entering holding a bag with part of a sword sticking out.

“Has Sir von Dorn been going to practice at the Sword Association lately?” Ilyana asked.

“Yes, but he leaves after about two hours,” Tori said. “I think he found a private instructor.”

Ilyana nodded and narrowed her eyes. “Do you think they’ll also teach him strategy and knightly conduct?”

Ilyana could only help Ewan with history, geography, and develop a study method that worked for him. She couldn’t help with strategy or knightly conduct, and it had irritated her that she didn’t know enough about it to help their friend. Tori assured her she made arrangements for when Ewan came with her to Presidio in the winter.

“I don’t know,” Tori said. “It’s possible. I’m more curious as to who his private instructor is.” Tori was sure a private instructor who could further guide someone of Fabian’s ability was difficult to find. She also wanted to know who was paying for it. Was it the imperial family? It couldn’t have been Alessa. “Maybe the imperial family provided it for him.”

Ilyana nodded. “They can’t be in short supply.”

They continued to walk, albeit slowing their pace as Fabian was in front of them and they were in the same dorm. They made it to the split in the path; one side went to the east and the east dorm, the other went west. Someone was waiting for Fabian and Ilyana tensed next to her.

“Just ignore them,” Tori said in a quiet voice as she pulled Ilyana further away and rounded Alessa and Fabian. She could feel their eyes watching them as she and Ilyana walked past.

“Have you noticed anything strange with Miss Hart recently?” Ilyana asked as she leaned closer and whispered. Tori shook her head. She didn’t really have time to pay attention, though she really should’ve. “She’s been quieter than normal.”

“What do you mean quieter than normal?” Tori furrowed her brows. “She hasn’t approached us...and there haven’t been any questionable rumors about me recently?”

“Not only that,” Ilyana said. “I haven’t seen anyone aside from her little boy friends talking to her recently. Miss Einessen said her roommate told her that the baking club was upset with Hart for making it appear as if they were spreading rumors about you, and for saying such a thing. They really believed what Hart was saying and didn’t think that she was just complaining.”

Tori drew her lips inward and tried to recall if she noticed more. Ever since the day where she yelled at Alessa and called her out on spreading rumors about her, many students did look at Alessa strangely, if they looked at her at all.

“JP said that there are groups of people who are starting to ostracize her because of what she’s been saying. This has only encouraged some obsessive fans of Mr. Guthry, Prince Gideon, and Sir von Dorn,” Ilyana told her. Tori scrunched up her face, and Ilyana nodded. “I know, I wouldn’t think they’d have anyone so obsessed over them. I’m sure it’s their faces.”

“Are they saying anything negative about her or just ignoring her?” Tori asked.

Ilyana seemed to think for a moment. “I’m not sure, but people do talk. They’re calling her a liar and think she’s using Mr. Guthry and the others.” Ilyana lowered her voice and leaned in closer. “This is a bit much, but they say it’s because she’s so poor, so she uses them for money.”

Tori drew her lips inward and tried not to cringe. She wouldn’t put it like that, but if what she vaguely remembered from the wiki-article was correct, Alessa did actually use the money and resources her love interests gave her. Of course, it wasn’t written out as her sole motivation for being around them, but was made to be her reward for gaining their favor.

Actually, no matter how you spin it, she’s still taking their money and resources, which she does need in order to get through the game. I think. And I’m also doing that: using my family’s money and Piers’ influence to get my project done. Still, it’s a bit unfair to immediately accuse Alessa of such because she’s poor. She can’t help that.

“Also, a lot of people know about how she lost her father’s money betting on the polo match over the summer,” Ilyana added. Tori let out a hiss.

“Can’t she get in trouble with the school for that if it spreads? I’m fairly sure I read in the handbook that we aren’t allowed to gamble, and gambling isn’t legal in the empire until one is sixteen anyway,” Tori said.

“Someone else placed the bet for her, so technically it wasn’t her,” Ilyana said.

Tori would bet money it was Adrien Rosiek. Alessa was safe on a technicality.

“I feel a bit sorry for her, but she did bring this all on herself,” Tori said.

Ilyana let out a small ‘hmph’. “I don’t know why she kept blaming you to begin with.”

Tori nearly tripped on the steps up to their dorm. Ilyana gave her a reminder: Alessa was being bullied and Tori indirectly caused it by existing. This was what the game wanted. In the original game, Victoria was the bully and her social standing made everyone else bully Alessa until the love interests stepped in.

It didn’t matter that Tori wanted no part in it; she was going to be used no matter what. However, there were changes and she didn’t know how those would affect Alessa's route or her own end game fate.

The biggest changes were that the amount of love interests defending, or having the ability to defend, Alessa was far less than originally expected. The last person she expected to be reasonable actually stood up for her a few weeks earlier.

Tori let out a low breath. The fuck is the game going to do now?

After Ilyana pointed it out, Tori noticed Alessa’s struggling social situation. Before Tori let everyone know that Alessa had spread rumors about her, Alessa was above average on the social hierarchy and had a few close friends, not counting the love interests. It was mainly her roommate, a few classmates who were acquainted with her, and some members of the baking club.

Now, no one approached Alessa aside from the love interests in their class. The girl who sat next to Alessa also seemed to avoid eye contact and didn’t chat with her during breaks as she used to. She answered Alessa when Alessa spoke to her, but there was a clear distance. Sometimes, she left the classroom during breaks all together.

Outside of class, Alessa was either alone or with a love interest. Other students would look towards her with judgmental eyes, avoid eye contact when she tried to greet them, or pretend they didn’t see her at all.

While Tori knew that Alessa was set to oppose her, it was still a bit painful watching everyone pretend Alessa didn’t exist. There were few people who could handle that kind of isolation remotely well, especially fifteen-year-olds in a boarding school. At the very least, the love interests were keeping her company.

Or would, if they were not busy.

Fabian could only see her so often and it seemed to mainly be in the homeroom class. After classes, Fabian would do what appeared to be conditioning exercises at the training grounds, then disappear to train outside of Lycée.

“I really want to know where he’s going,” Tori said as she watched the second prince’s knight walk out of the training grounds.

“You have that look of pained curiosity on your face,” Captain Messer replied with a laugh. “I didn’t know you cared so much.”

“He sees Ewan as competition to enter La Garda. I want to know his level in comparison. Know thy enemy and all that,” Tori said. She took off the cloth strip she used as a bandana under her helmet. It was soaked with sweat and she’d need to wash it that night. “I know that on weekends, he’s been training with the knight cadets.”

“Who is accompanying the second prince?” Captain Messer furrowed her brows. Imperial children were not without guards. That was why they had a personal knight with them at school.

“I don't think the second prince has left campus without him and even if he does, there are knights stationed outside the gate to accompany him if Sir von Dorn isn’t there,” Tori said. She slid her dented waster into a barrel and headed for the changing room.

Captain Messer cocked her head to the side. “There are knights there?”

“Plains clothes,” Tori said. “And only when he’s here. I wouldn’t have noticed, either, if I didn’t recognize a few of them.”

“Well, imperial children can be targets. Do you have your family’s knights escorting you?”

Tori nodded. “Not necessarily in the city, but when we travel outside, there are knights escorting us. When we go home this winter, my aunt’s family has some private guards with us and a few Guevera knights will also come to escort us down.”

Captain Messer let out a low breath. “I’m sure that’s something many children of the wealthy and powerful have to deal with.”

“If we’re not prepared, we’re soft targets.” Tori shrugged. She’d grown accustomed to knightly escorts. She thought it was a bit sad, as not only was it a hassle to arrange for long distance travel, but it was a constant reminder that she could be attacked and die at any moment. Having constant supervision was an unfortunate byproduct of her position.

If she survived past Université, and thus lived to see Sebastian become Marquis Guevera, then there would be less importance placed on her and Kasen. They would be less likely to be targeted, like Auntie Lucia and her family, because they were in less influential positions.

That’s what she was counting on if she was going to travel around. It was much easier traveling with fewer people; less to coordinate and worry about. Traveling solo was ideal in her original world, as she could do what she wanted without having to confirm with another person, but she wasn’t arrogant enough to try that here.

After she changed, she headed to her room to take a quick bath and wash her cloth headband before gathering her things for the delta. Ilyana was picking up their food with Henrik and Constantine and would meet her at the gate with the carriage to take them to the delta.

“Do you need me to bring anything downstairs?” Tori asked as she stood in the middle of their dorm room and looked around. Ilyana’s satchel and bag where she kept her overnight things were already gone.

“No, I have everything,” Ilyana said. “Do you want anything else other than a sandwich and some mini cakes?”

“Are there cookies?”

“Yes. Mr. Jaeger, can we have some cookies, too?”

“I want cookies, also!”

“Ewan, you reached your food quota already.” Henrik’s voice was heard. Tori paused as she was about to walk outside the room.

“Is Ewan with you?”

“He’s coming tonight.”

Tori frowned. “He’s supposed to stay and train with Axton.”

“Master said he was coming this weekend!” Ewan seemed to shout his answer from further away.

Tori narrowed her eyes. “All right, I’ll meet you all at the front of the school. Also, no raisins.”

“Understood!” Ilyana ended the call and Tori slid her finger across the crystal as soon as the crystal dimmed.

“Call Piers du Soleil.” She leaned against the side of the door and waited for Piers to answer.

“He’s coming today.” Piers answered quickly and Tori jerked her head back.

“Who’s coming today?”

“Gideon. We are getting him right now.”

Tori inhaled deeply. She almost forgot that Gideon was being forced to come. Since he didn’t come the last time they went to the delta, he was coming now. No wonder Axton was coming.

“I see.”

“I have to go. I see him now.” The call ended abruptly, and Tori stared at the comcry for a moment. She furrowed her brows, but figured that they didn’t tell Gideon ahead of time in order to avoid him notifying unwanted parties, and were likely just telling him now.

At least they were prepared for it.

It was strange to come home without Fabian, but Gideon respected his determination to improve. He knew that Fabian’s summer training in the Amber Fortress did not go as well as Fabian thought. It wasn’t that he was terrible; he simply did not meet the standards expected. Since they returned to Lycée, Gideon rarely saw Fabian outside of their classes and in the dorm room.

Fabian also tended to come back late from training some nights. Gideon wanted to tell him not to push himself, but knew that Fabian was doing so for his sake. His parents and uncle’s assessment of Fabian lingered in their heads: if Fabian didn’t improve, they would replace him as Gideon’s personal knight.

That wasn’t something he wanted. Fabian had been his friend since they were six. The von Dorns were a small, formerly aristocratic family who served in the eastern army. By the time Fabian was born, the family had fallen from their former glory. Much of their ancestral land had been sold and all they had was a manor house.

No one lived there. Fabian’s family consisted of him and his aging grandfather, who moved with him to Horizon for work. Fabian’s father had a heart attack when he was a child and his mother, a soldier, was killed on the border. Fabian’s only stroke of luck was being at the right place at the right time.

When the Emperor and Empress began looking for a personal knight for Gideon, Fabian’s grandfather’s colleague recommended him. Fabian learned quickly and they got along. Gideon believed that Fabian would always remain as his knight. He didn’t think it was possible for Fabian’s status to be questioned.

He and Alessa tried to find suitable instructors for him. Gideon put up the money and Alessa received assistance from one of her friends to scour the empire to find a sword instructor who had combat experience. He was worried it would be difficult, but Alessa’s friend was able to find someone suitable.

Fabian told him the instructor was strict, but rigorous. He had private lessons a few days a week and would always come back tired, but more determined to enter La Garda on his own merit than ever. Gideon supposed he would have to soon get used to not having Fabian around everyday once Fabian started in La Garda.

Gideon stepped out of the carriage as it stopped in the gate house. There was an entourage of imperial knights waiting. Ahead of his carriage was another one and he wondered who was leaving. The door was open and from where he had disembarked, he couldn’t see if anyone was inside. As he took a step closer to see if there was anyone leaving, there was the sound of rustling behind him.

Before he could turn around, something went over his head and covered his mouth. His eyes widened as his hands shot to the cloth around his mouth, just before everything went dark around him. His heart slammed against his chest, and he began to try to lift his arms, only to have someone grab him tightly, pinning his arms to his body. A moment later, a rope was tied around his wrists and brought together behind him.

His muffled cries seemed to be getting no attention as his legs gave way beneath him.

“Was the cloth sack necessary?” Gideon tensed at the sound of the voice.

Father!?

“I was worried he would struggle, but perhaps it wasn’t....”

“Mohhha?” Gideon tried to call out to his mother. He was suddenly lifted off his feet and as he tried to kick his legs something went around his ankles and his feet were pulled together. He tried to wiggle, but someone above him sighed.

“Your Highness, please calm down.” It was a familiar voice.

“Make sure you take his comcry,” his mother said. Gideon didn’t know what was happening. Someone patted down his body until they found his comcry in his pants pocket and took it. He was lifted up and he let out a grunt as someone’s sharp shoulder hit his gut.

This is unbefitting of a prince.... Gideon prayed that no one would ever see him like this. Who was carrying him like a sack of grain over their shoulder?

“Do you want me to put him there?”

“On the other bench. Lay him down.”

“Peeer!” Gideon knew his brother’s voice in an instant. Hearing Piers’ voice was reassuring. He was dropped onto a cushioned bench. Did they bring him into the other carriage? He heard a door close and suddenly, they moved and settled into the familiar smooth rhythm of an imperial carriage.

“I still don’t think the sack was necessary.” That was likely Axton’s voice. “Should we take it off?”

“No.”

“Nnnn?” Gideon wiggled on the bench.

“Don’t move or you’ll fall off the bench.” He stopped moving. “Do you know why you are here?”

“Nnn.” Gideon shook his head beneath the cloth sack.

“Can we just take off the sack? You can’t see him shaking his head or nodding,” Sir Nassaun sounded exasperated.

“Take off the sack.”

“Stay still, Your Highness.” Gideon froze and felt the coarse fabric of the sack drag across his skin before it was finally pulled to the side. The bright light after being in the dark made him shut his eyes and turn his head away from the windows. “Should we take off the gag, too?”

“No.”

Gideon blinked a few times before looking across from him. His brother was seated on the opposite bench with Axton next to him, folding a cloth sack.

“Peeer?” He looked at his brother. Knowing that Piers was there, the panic he felt earlier was greatly diminished. His brother may have been disappointed in him, but Piers would never hurt him. Although, he didn’t understand why they had grabbed him, thrown a sack over his head, and tossed him in a carriage.

“Do you remember when Mother told you that you would be forced to face the damage you nearly caused after instigating a policy change that affected Tori?” Piers asked. His face was calm, and he didn’t seem bothered.

Still, Gideon felt his stomach sink. His brother’s disappointment was still fresh in his mind. He lowered his eyes and nodded.

“Today is the day,” Axton said. Gideon looked over at him and knit his brows together.

“We are taking you to the Cosora Delta,” Piers told him. Gideon’s eyes widened and he struggled to sit up straight. He looked out the window.

They were still going through the city along with several knights on horseback. He could still see the imperial palace out the window. Gideon looked back at his brother and then looked at his lap. Was it necessary to take his comcry?

“It was the Empress’ decision to take you and confiscate your comcry so you are not able to call for assistance,” Axton said. He drew his head back.

“Ah-hi-stas?”

“We know that you instigated the policy because of Lady Hart,” Piers said. Gideon choked back a breath and looked at his brother. Piers had his arms crossed over his chest and looked out the window. “Mother did not want you to bring her to the Cosora Delta, as you had brought her to Marquess O’Tuagh’s succession ceremony and the Empress’ Banquet. She did not want this to cause trouble for Tori.”

Gideon bristled and glared at the floor. His mother unfairly favored Lady Guevera. He knew it was because Lady Guevera was his mother’s friend’s daughter and because of Piers, but she didn’t need to make her favoritism over so obvious.

“You will not cause trouble for Tori or the others while you are at the delta, either” Piers said, his voice firm. “If you do anything to negatively affect this project, Mother and Father will send you to the Naval Academy every break until you graduate Lycée.”