The power struggle became the crucial point of the story after the wretched Sabina successfully eliminated the true heir of the Rozenreff Dukedom, Victoria. After gaining the power as the Crown Princess, she aimed to be 'The Queen'; thus, she manipulated everything to destroy those who opposed her and her dream. In Tori's past life, upon watching Sabina killing anyone who just dared to look at her in a wrong way, Tori couldn't watch the Thorny Crown anymore. She loathed the idea of Sabina getting what she wanted.
And now, I have the chance to clip your horns before it sprouts, dearest sister of mine.
"Are we lost, my lady?" Lily piped in.
"If I may, my lady. I can guide you to the guild's store." The knight hinted.
They thought she got lost. Partially, they're correct. But rather than lost, she was wandering while looking for a barely fifteen boy with sandy hair and a pair of cobalt eyes. Hence, she's walking towards the area where he lives. The chances of meeting him there would be high.
Tori stopped in her tracks when a bony boy with sandy hair and cobalt eyes lay on the dirty ground of the alley. His harsh glare was directed at those young criminals surrounding him, and his stance seemed like he was protecting something underneath him. The surrounding criminals kicked his skinny body, but his harsh glare never faltered for a second.
Ah, there he is.
Tori undoubtedly displayed a triumphant smirk on her face. She couldn't contain her delight.
He is indeed the rawest of the gems. I can't wait to polish him.
Tori walked towards them, and when she was a meter away from the sprawled boy, he looked up at her.
"Dean, take care of them. I want the one sprawled on the ground."
"Yes, my lady."
Tori's knight quickly picked up the three gangly criminals away from Rowan. The protests of the three echoed in the narrow alley, but no one dared to help them. The latter kept his head down as he clutched something underneath him, something essential for him.
Is it food or medicine?
"My lady!" Lily protested when she crouched towards the boy. No one would believe her if she told them that this boy in front of her was already fifteen, much less than if she told them that this would be the future captain of the royal guards.
Tori offered her right hand. "Come with me, boy. I will provide you a shelter above your head and a bountiful meal every day if you do. All I ask of you is to come with and get out of this hellhole."
Rowan's penetrating gaze pierced her, but she never let go of her gaze onto him. She wanted to convey that she was serious and that he could trust her.
"W-what do you want from me?" His voice, though gruff, was indeed trembling, from hunger or for fear, she never knew.
"I'll tell you after you take my hand."
"I won't go with you! You're just going to sell me like what happened to my friends! Nobles are animals!"
"Why, you insolent brat!" Dean drew his sword.
"My lady, be careful!"
"Put the sword back. You're scaring him." Tori coldly brushed her knight. Dean couldn't do anything but place his sword back. Lily covered her mouth from the shock of the earlier outburst. But Tori remained calm. Now, Rowan was cowering while covering his head for any coming impact.
"You poor boy. Come with me, and I'll protect you. And when you're powerful enough, protect me too. How about that?"
Once again, Tori offered her right hand to him. Rowan snuck a peek and was awed by the ruby-eyed woman before him. His gaze alternately changed from her hand to her face and vice versa.
Now, future duke, take my hand.
"Promise?"
Tori grinned, "I promise. And to honor that promise, I'll give you this." She took her necklace and placed it around his neck. "This is a symbol of my promise. Now, will you come with me, boy?"
Even with wariness in his heart, he held her hand. A bright smile graced Tori's lips.
ROWAN WAS inside their carriage. Tori let him wear her used coat to cover his body from the cold. He was now sleeping after staring at her like some odd creature. Tori couldn't help but smile as she watched her necklace dangling from his neck.
"What will the duke say about this, Lady Tori?"
"Worry not, Lily. I already came up with an idea. After all, I am my mother's daughter."
Victoria's mother was famous for her magnanimous heart back when she was still alive. She could pretend that she inherited that specific trait from her mother.
"Do you know him, Lady Tori?"
She stared at the boy for a long time before she answered Lily. "Yes. I know him from a long time ago."
Lily felt more bothered. She was positive that Lady Victoria disliked going out of the manor.
Every time you see that necklace, you will remember this goodwill. You will remember it is I who saved you from that horrible place in the future. Not your father, not the king, and not Sabina, but Lady Victoria Rozenreff.
"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 suppress her sadistic expression from Lily. She needed Lily to believe that Lady Victoria was changing for the better, that her Lady Victoria could rival 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, to which she replied with an equally polite smile. The kitchen servants, who were more skeptical about the rumors about the change in Lady Victoria's behavior, admitted that there was genuinely a change with the eldest lady of the Rozenreff Household.
Tori signaled Lily to open the large boxes that contained her previous dresses. The packages here were only just half of the total boxes. The other half was for her different plan.
Murmurs erupted when the sight of her overly lavish and expensive dresses. It 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 I have caused so much trouble with. 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 efforts 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.
After getting their part, Tori's handmaidens 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 had 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 about the difference in their standing because of their mothers. While Tori's mother was the Duchess, Sabina's mother was a common whore 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 would be upset that I would give my dresses to the servants, I would have held it all in. I am so sorry. Please forgive me! I 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 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 of Sabine 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 Tori 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 threatened."
"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.