CHAPTER 4

"ARE ALL of my dresses packed, Lily?"

"Yes, Lady Victoria. And I have also gathered the maids from this household excluding Lady Sabina's handmaidens."

Tori couldn't help but suppressed her sadistic expression from Lily. She needed Lily to believe that Lady Victoria was changing for the better, that her Lady Victoria could rival the Saintess Sabina.

Rival my ass.

"Good. Then let's go to the assembly hall where everyone was waiting."

Tori was in a good mood. To fully use the workforce of this house, she needed to place the seed of deception.

The servants of the household were waiting for her. They greeted Tori politely upon her arrival, which she replied with an equally polite smile. The kitchen servants, who were more skeptical about the rumors about the change of Lady Victoria's behavior, admitted that there's truly a change with the eldest lady of the Rozenreff Household.

Tori signaled Lily to open the large boxes that contained her previous dresses. The boxes here were only just half of the total boxes. The other half was for her other plan.

Murmurs erupted when the sight of her overly lavish and expensive dresses. Seems like the rumors of her goodwill were already circulating before she came down here.

Good. Then I don't have to exert myself in explaining.

"You may question my intention for doing this, but I'll only say this once. This is an act of filial piety for the people who I have caused so much trouble. I apologize," Tori slightly bowed her head, which the servants, even the butler and the head maid did not expect. To bow to a commoner from a noble's perspective was the most sincere action anyone could show. The young lady's humble actions touched the servants' hearts.

"And to make amends as a show of my new beginning, I am giving each servant one dress. You can keep it, give it, or even sell it. Though for my handmaidens, I am giving you two dresses each."

"Thank you so much, Lady Victoria!"

"How can I accept this, Lady Tori!"

"I am at your disposal, Lady Tori!"

"I am so thankful, Lady Victoria!"

The gratitude they showed for receiving such an expensive gift was blatant. But the envy their eyes showed when her handmaidens received more was clearer.

Right. Look how I treated my subjects, everyone. Do you want more of it? Then be on my good side. Abandon that wretched Sabina and surrender yourself to me. This way, I will have the entire Household of Rozenreff under my grasp.

Tori's handmaidens, after getting their part, were now helping her distribute the dresses. She gave even male servants a dress. Only one could imagine the value of her dresses, which were adorned with jewels and pearls.

"What's this commotion all about?" The stern voice of Shena stopped everyone's excited chatter. The head maid, Teresa, immediately received Lady Sabina, who just arrived. Judging by the pissed-off attitude of Shena, it meant that Sabina was not happy about being the last one informed.

"My dearest sister!" Tori greeted her half-sister with enthusiasm in front of anyone. She even hugged her for a split moment, which earned Tori a glare from Shena.

"Greetings, Sister Tori. What's the commotion all about?"

It was clear to Tori that Sabina disliked the thought of her earning the favor of the servants. After all, this wench worked hard to destroy Victoria's reputation inside this manor.

"Remember what I told you about donating my previous dresses? I am giving all the servants half of them to compensate for my complex behavior for the past years. After all, I am the benevolent daughter of Duchess Camila. This is nothing from what the servants endured." Tori slyly hinted to Sabina the difference in their standing because of their mothers. While Tori's mother was the duchess, Sabina's mother was a common whore who was lucky to carry the Duke of Rozenreff's child.

Blinded by rage that Sabina was holding in from being insulted, she blurted the words that Tori was waiting for. Finally, she took the bait. "Isn't this a bit too much, sister? As the heir apparent of the Rozenreff Duchy, aren't you overspending? I am telling you this because I am your greatest support, Sister Victoria."

Before Tori's rehearsed tears fell, only Sabina saw the sly smile of Tori.

"I-I am sorry, dearest sister! If only I knew you will be upset that I will give my dresses to the servants, I would have held it all in. I am so sorry. Please forgive me! I just want you to see that I changed." Tori dramatically fainted as she shed tears for Sabina. And everyone heard and saw how their saintly Lady Sabina tried to deny them the dress that was given by Lady Victoria, who showed them benevolence. Everyone witnessed that Lady Victoria's act of goodwill got shoved back by Lady Sabina.

And for the first time since Sabina arrived in the household, the servants' view for her darkened a bit, for there was nothing more offensive for a servant than being deprived of reward.

"Lady Tori!"

Tori heard Lily's frantic voice. But she didn't open her eyes. She's savoring the murmurs of the servants.

"Lady Sabina is not happy that we received gifts from Lady Tori."

"Maybe because we are commoners like Lady Sabina."

"She's maybe feeling threaten."

"Then she's hiding her true colors then."

Aah, that's the words. Keep going. Destroy the saintess more. Pluck her feathers before she can fly.

A QUIET dinner together with Tori's sister and father was what she enjoyed the most, especially after the commotion that morning. Tori knew her father would interrogate her for two things. Rowan's arrival and the commotion caused her to faint. After all, her mother fainted from time to time since the late duchess was sickly.

If she would take advantage of the fact that the duke loved her mother, then the fainting earlier was indeed necessary to control her father.

"Victoria, I heard from Butler Johanes that you fainted while distributing your dresses to the servants." The duke's tone was indifferent, but she could detect the edge. He was blaming the servants for her fainting. It meant that the one who supplied him with the unnecessary information was his dearest Sabina.

Tori glanced at the wench who was eating peacefully before her. So this is your retaliation, huh. You will make it seem as if I created a ruckus and fainted with my doing.

"Yes, father. I fainted from shock."

"I thought you changed for the better, Victoria? What's all this about, huh?" His voice boomed, Tori did not falter nor flinched.

I don't need to defend myself anymore because they will do it for me.

All the kitchen servants together with the chef kneeled in front of them, which shocked the duke and Sabina. Though Victoria had to act surprised as well, she expected this. This was the reason she bowed her head earlier, after all.

"Punish us instead, Your Grace! Please!"

"Lady Victoria showed us benevolence like no other!"

"Lady Victoria is like the late Duchess Camila who showed us goodwill!"

"Please, Your Grace!"

The entire time, Tori was happily watching the wretched Sabina who was biting her lips from her controlled anger. She was also gripping her utensils rather strongly.

Careful, Sabina. You're showing your horns much earlier than expected. You can't though. Because you will entertain me more from now on.

"Johanes?" The Duke asked for his trusted butler's opinion. He looked torn by the mere mention of the late Duchess.

"Yes, Your Grace?" He stepped forward near the Duke, who's now sitting at the head table which was beside Tori and Sabina.

"What happened?"

"Lady Victoria asked for forgiveness for behaving oddly for the past two years. She gave each servant of the manor a dress to show how serious she was. Lady Victoria showed nothing but pure goodwill that touched every servant of this manor, including me and the head maid Teresa, Your Grace."

How's that, Sabina? Tori's expression which was only visible for Sabina was smug.

As long as Johanes and Teresa view me positively, my father will always believe me in the future.

"Then why did she faint, Johanes?" The edge was long gone, but it replaced instead the pure worry.

That's the question that you should ask first, father. Now, how will you react, Saintly Sabina?

Sabina considerably paled hence Tori wanted to snicker.

Johanes uncomfortably shifted his gaze towards Sabina, who's now looking sour and grim.

"Speak, Johanes."

"Father, please don't pressure Johanes. Earlier, I was just a little flustered since I was... rejected. I knew I was a little emotional. I mean, I couldn't blame my dear sister Sabina for not believing my actions after the things I have done to her. But I'm okay now, father, I promise."

For the very first time since this wench entered this manor, our father raised his voice towards Sabina. It was a sight to behold. Tori wanted to snicker, if only she wasn't trying to look sad and dejected. While the wench was bowing her head to hide her anger towards me.

"Your commoner's blood is much stronger than I thought. A noble lady should know when to accept apologies, but you are prideful. Now it resulted in Victoria's fainting. I will inform you now again since you forgot. Victoria is like my Camila, she's fragile and you have to protect her."

"Understood, father. I am sorry, Sister Victoria." Sabina's voice was weak, but the hidden poison behind her greedy eyes was clear for Tori.

It is the start of my many victories, Sabina dear.

"All is solved now. You don't need to be sad anymore, sister. My joy is only to be closer to you." Tori stood up to reach out for Sabina's hand.

"From now on Victoria, you must be careful. You have an uncanny resemblance to your mother, I tell you." His voice expressed how he worried about Tori and how he missed the late Duchess. The kneeling servants were back to their posts as the first concern of Tori's father was done addressing.

"Yes, father. Uhm, father, won't you ask me about the boy I brought home the other day?" Tori opened the topic in front of everyone for her later purpose.

By setting a deception for everyone, Tori's cutting off a means for Sabina to use Rowan to Tori's disadvantage. That's why she needed to set things here with everyone.

"Yes. I wanted to hear your reason why you sheltered a boy from your shopping stroll."

Tori knew the knight didn't inform her father for the bag of gold coins she bribed him. What her father knew was that she helped the boy from being chased down by human traffickers.

With a voice and face with utter sadness and worry, Tori faced her father. Her father sees her as a weak girl. "Pardon my impudence for bringing someone from the streets, father. But I didn't know why I can't turn a blind eye to him. I saw how he bravely fought those criminals and I saw the passion of a knight. From that moment on, I knew I wanted him to be my bodyguard. But of course, he needs to be knighted by you to be one."

Her father's serious face stared at her, which she equally returned. She wanted him to know that she's as serious as him. Her father didn't reply, so Tori continued to speak the words that would make her father agree to her wishes.

"Mother once told me, father. That a wise leader doesn't need to excel in everything but to have a keen eye to judge character and talent."

With the mention of her mother, her father's resolve would soften. And her words were spoken by the king towards the Duke of Rozenreff when they were young. These words left a positive mark on the Duke. They revealed this information during Season 3, a few days before Victoria's execution. The duke coldly spoke these words to her daughter, whom he saw as far from a leader.

But not now. Father, I will be the only heir of this Duchy. Once you agree to this, it is like agreeing that I am the perfect heir to the Duchy. But you aren't thinking of Sabina's feelings anymore, right? Since I spoke of the words that made you vow to the king to be a loyal subject to him. Are you seeing the king in me, father? I am not the king.

I will be better than him, father.

"Spoken like a genuine leader. I am proud of the changes in you, Victoria. You matured, I am glad and at ease. Well, then. Johanes will handle that boy for the time being until he's healthy enough to move to the knights' cabin to begin his training."

"Thank you, father!"

Everyone was glad for Tori except those in Sabina's faction.

"I am happy for you, Sister Victoria."

I am happy to put you in place too, dearest sister of mine.

Tori smiled gently at Sabina.