ailaaurie

Chapter 158: You Can Yell My Name

“What?” Tori narrowed her eyes. “We’ve been open for over a month. Why are we just being reported for this now?”

“I don’t know, however, this is an official letter from the Imperial Commerce Commission. They said that the business registration for Duel was never submitted and that we’re missing operating permits,” Mr. Somerset told her.

Tori frowned more so. “That’s impossible. Henrik and I went to submit it ourselves. What do they mean it was never submitted...

Chapter 157: Take the Damn Carriage

Several eyes were fixed on JP with varying states of shock and confusion.

“He had a breakdown?” Henrik asked, his voice filled with disbelief. “Guthry?”

JP nodded. “I heard from Madam McIntyre’s daughter, the nurse. She was dispatched with her medical team from the Central Imperial Hospital to the Prime Minister’s manor last night. Guthry collapsed after breaking down.”

Tori leaned back against her chair and tapped her fingers on the table. “I’m ...

Chapter 156: There Was No Plan

According to Piers' explanation, the energy from the crystal table must resonate with the user and actual ability wasn’t the main criteria. If they are compatible, the user can use the table. If not, at most they can sense its energy. In addition, the resonating energy shifts. At one point, Piers could resonate with the crystal. Then he couldn’t.

Tori didn’t ask why, as Piers didn’t seem to want to explain. There was a chance he didn’t know how to.

However, their convers...

Chapter 155: Living With Piers Has Made Him Rebellious

“Go and bring Lady Ilyana at once.” A familiar voice spoke from the other side of her bed and Tori automatically turned her head. Her vision was still a bit blurry, but she could recognize her brother without a problem.

“Kasey?” Tori croaked once more, and someone brought a glass of water to her lips. Her brother leaned over the bed and helped prop her up so she could drink.

“You’ve been asleep for hours. Drink first.” Her brother gave Nanny Rey a nod and Nanny Rey m...

Chapter 154: She Has Crystal Fatigue; She's Not Dead

“Guevera!” Gideon rushed forward and extended his arms, but he was too far away. Guevara seemed to crumple into herself, and her head hit the ground. Sir Atienza managed to grab her to soften the blow, but Gideon grimaced. Sir Atienza put his hand under her head and frowned.

The tall knight looked over his shoulder and shouted. “Bring the carriage closer and contact His Highness!”

His Highness he was referring to was Piers. Gideon felt his heart tighten as he looked at the...

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 remaine...

Chapter 152: Thank You For Your Generous Donation

That was not the answer Tori thought she’d get. “You’ll...you’ll call him in for an interview?”

“My lady, you have allowed us to start making reservations for rooms for the opening and each soft open will allow for another week of reservations,” Mr. Somerset told her before showing her an appointment book. Tori flipped through the first week and found that all the slots were already booked. She tried not to make a face recognizing the names of Ewan and some knights. “If ...

Chapter 151: A Shrew at the Marketplace

“What is wrong with her?” Sonia’s hand squeezed the tall glass of iced coffee and Claire put her hand on her arm to try to calm her before she hurt herself. “She didn’t ask you. She just put your name on her stupid invitation.”

“If the Countess did not appear for the dance after it was announced that she would, it would reflect badly on her considering it is for such an event,” Claire said. Tori knew she knew what she was talking about. Claire was very familiar with the ...

Chapter 150: Isekai - The World-Hopping Game

“And then he cried.”

“He did not cry.” Tori threw Ilyana an exasperated look. She had told Gideon that she was not obligated to forgive him because he asked. He had purposely wished to cause her harm, whether through defamation or through her village, and she could not and would not forgive such offenses.

She would be as civil as she could towards him and assured him she would do her duty properly, but not to ask for forgiveness again. She and Ilyana had left him ...

Chapter 149: I Ask You To Forgive Me

“Is she extorting me?” His father looked on the verge of throwing the papers at his brother. Piers didn’t seem at all perturbed as he stirred his post-dinner coffee. His nonchalance only irritated their father more so. “Piers! What does she mean by this?”

He slammed his hand and the papers that he held on top of the dining table closest to Piers. Gideon sat from across the table, beside his mother, watching the exchange. The Emperor of Soleil was said to be an aloof man, at le...

Chapter 148: I Will Wait

“I didn’t do anything!” Tori shot Piers a glare. She’d throw her arms in the air if Instructor Ignatius’ death grip didn’t keep them pinned at her sides. She looked at Axton and cocked her head. “A little help? He’s skinny, but strong.”

Axton seemed to shake himself out of his stupor. He moved forward. “What happened to him?”

“We ran into his ex-girlfriend when we arrived, and she was here with another man. Adrien Rosiek.”

Axton stopped where he was...

Chapter 147: The One Who Dumped You Last Summer

For heavily soiled clothing, Tori kept a large, ceramic and metal bucket in her and Ilyana’s bathroom. Inside the bucket were several crystals used to stimulate a washing machine. She could either activate them or use the bucket to pre-soak her usually dirt splattered clothes from when she was at the delta.

Wandering around various construction sites and marsh or farmland could get messy.

Tori dunked the clothes she wore to the vault inside the bucket. The crystals were used to ...

Chapter 146: Take Me to the Vault

“Are you crazy?” Gideon put down the treacherous creampuff from the tower Tori had brought to the palace. Tori watched his face go through disbelief and betrayal at the realization that she didn’t come by just to drop off a dessert tower to his mother.

Tori stood by the open French doors of the casual dining room where she was usually taken when they ate at the palace. While she didn’t want to come to the imperial palace, she had arrangements to make.

“No. I can’t guar...

Chapter 145: Access to the Toxicology Vault

Piers’ house across from Université was also close to Lycée. Henrik revealed that he had registered the comcry of the building’s caretaker, Mr. Aldir, who was one of Piers’ personal valets from the imperial palace. Mr. Aldir would give Henrik access to a ground floor room that could only be entered by entering the building itself.

The ground floor rooms that Tori rented had separate entrances facing the inner courtyard for ease of access to the carriage house. Piers had told her...

Chapter 144: Destabilizing the Opposition Was an Important

Her weekend went well. Too well.

Lions Gate’s autumn and winter release party went smoothly. The guests had been excited about the new products and designs. Tori had been able to share some more information on Viclya for the coming months, as many guests invited to the release party had also visited the delta at least one during the summer.

The delta’s tourist season was ending, and Tori had to explain that the reason was mainly weather conditions. The late autumn and winter w...

Chapter 143: Rest Assured If I Do, It Won’t Kill You

Another knight was guarding the door to the owner’s suite, where Axton was staying with the two princes. Sir Dobchek stopped at the door and knocked.

“Enter.” Piers called through the door and Sir Dobchek used a crystal key fob to unlock the door. He held it open for Tori.

“Your Highness, Countess Guevera has arrived.” He bowed his head in the direction of the sofas just past the foyer. Piers was seated at the far end of one sofa and rose to his feet as Tori entered. Gid...

Chapter 142: You Should Go and Comfort Him

Tori drew her head back. She felt a bit guilty for some reason. “You knew?”

Piers clenched his jaw and didn’t seem to want to speak. Tori dug around in her pocket for one of her spare silence charms and put it on the table. She gave him an encouraging look.

“Your name was on a prospective list of students to be secondary guards to Gideon in Lycée should Fabian have transferred to La Garda. My father is aware of your swordsmanship and other abilities for defense. It is com...

Chapter 141: Potato - One. Alessa and Fabian - Zero.

Tori resisted the urge to creep out of the classroom and call Piers to ask him what exactly he and Axton had told Gideon that caused the scene that morning. She was certain that where the conversation had ended when she left the night before wasn’t enough to cause such a change in Gideon.

“Guevera. Agafonova.” Gideon greeted them with a small nod of his head as he looked over his shoulder.

Ilyana sat in place with disbelief and horror all over her face. She looked at Tori an...

Chapter 140: Oh, Crap This is My Fault

Tori gritted her teeth and let out a small hiss. She knew she had a part in this. She had prodded Fabian about choosing between Alessa and his duty, and then quietly criticized him the night she stopped Dimitri from punching Gideon. She had hoped it would force him to reassess what was important to him considering he had devoted his life thus far to being Gideon’s knight, and then reaffirm his duty.

She didn’t think he would do the opposite.

“What does he mean by requested d...

Chapter 139: I Really Don't Blame Her

When she went to tournaments with her team for longsword in her original world, they would crowd around the side of the ring to cheer on the team member during their individual matches. Tori’s sword master would often sit with them and point out telling movements that would predict a competitor’s next step.

Aside from being taught to read subtle movements in the body when one was in a match, Tori had a bit of experience reading from the sidelines. It wasn’t a perfect reading, of c...

Chapter 138: It's Not My Fault You Were Useless

“A Count’s Manor?” Tori looked at Albert with both confusion and surprise. “Isn’t it a bit too soon?”

The carriage left Viclya after a long weekend focusing on land partitioned for farms to villagers who wanted to return to farming. Idunn and her future successor had worked with Université Professors, researchers, and villagers to review suitable locations for farms. Tori, as the Countess, felt it was her duty to sit through the entire report. She left Viclya exhausted.

Chapter 137: Don't Blame Me Because You Got Caught

Foreigners weren’t too rare in Soleil, especially in large cities and ports, where they were quite common. There were plenty who worked in Soleil, usually as merchants acting as middlemen between Soleil and their home country. They had temporary residencies as they tended to return home. If they married a Soleil citizen, then their residency would become permanent under their spouse. They and their children would also be given citizenship, which encompassed the two ways one could become a S...

Chapter 136: Don't Hesitate to Exploit Him

The closer land was to large cities, the more they were worth. The land of the villages surrounding Horizon were some of the most expensive farmlands in Soleil due to being both fertile and close to a thriving market that depended on them. Many of the landowners, including farming families, were doing very well.

Of course, every so often, a family would fall upon some tough times and be forced to make difficult decisions. The sale of ancestral land was one of them.

From what JP ha...

Chapter 135: It Was Non-Refundable

“Welcome, Lycée du Soleil first year students, returning upperclassmen, faculty, and staff!” Instructor Lange, the rosy-cheeked, gray-haired advisor for the baking club, stood up on a small stage in front of the administration building, facing the central courtyard. “Thank you for joining us today for our first ever Orientation Bake-Off!”

What the fuck is going on?  Tori asked herself for what felt like the hundredth time since she agreed. She didn’t pay any att...

Chapter 134: Every Day I Suffer

“Thank you for dinner!” The second years with them were smiling and laughing as the large group walked back towards campus.

“Thank you, Ilyana and Lady Tori!” The third and fourth years echoed their gratitude, though appeared a bit embarrassed that they hadn’t thanked the two soon enough.

“It’s our pleasure!” Ilyana said with a wide smile. “We’re all going to work hard this next week, so a great meal is a good way to start off!”

Tori chuckled to herself...

Chapter 133: Do You Blame Alessa

“This is unlike you.”

“I’ve been busy,” Tori replied from the inside of a fitting room at the boutique where she bought most of her uniform. She lifted her hands over the buttons of her shirt.

“You know you had to move into the dorms a week earlier to guide the first years, too.”

“I’m aware, Sonia.”

“At the very least, your chest is growing.”

Tori paused and squinted her eyes. “...Thank you, Ilyana.” She looked at her reflection in the...

Chapter 132: A Solid Villainess Move

Few people could tell the difference between religious orders through their clothing. Even those who were clergy couldn’t always identify the subtle differences in the clothing of various Belcoy orders, let alone laymen.

Yet the young woman had boldly spoke out and not only identified the head priest escorting him to Horizon, but repeated the core values of that order. The confrontation that could’ve happened suddenly waned with her loud, but seemingly innocent question.

And C...

Chapter 131: Axton's Lips Are Thin and Chapped

“It’s more prevalent in your part of Sur, isn’t it?” Tori asked. “In Presidio, it’s usually done between close family and friends, but in the southeast, acquaintances kiss each other on the cheek for greetings and partings, don’t they? I appreciate you asking first.”

She remembered Marco and Mateo complaining that so many people kept giving them cheek kisses when they went to visit their grandmother, who lived in southeast Sur. The twins were natives of Horizon, so they ...

Chapter 130: I Know How Crazy This Sounds

Tori opened her mouth, but wasn’t sure what to say. The old man laughed once more and waved his hand dismissively. “It’s nothing terrible, I assure you. All good things.”

“Oh....” Tori lowered her eyes. She wanted to ask more about the grid, but the old man cocked his head to the side.

“Countess Guevera, I believe someone is calling your comcry.”

Tori looked down at her pocket. The material of her dress was dark and rather thick; she couldn’t see the glow e...

Chapter 129: The Empress was Crying

She was so confident in her belief that the Emperor made her Countess of Cosora to exploit her work abilities and resources. Tori never considered any other reason that didn’t involve keeping her there to develop the land. What did Piers’ grandfather mean about crystals?

Tori narrowed her eyes and wracked her brain. To her knowledge, no one in the imperial family was a crystal master. They all knew the basics and could ground and charge, but nothing more advanced than that. Gideon w...