TORI TOGETHER with Lily was now walking towards the Duke's office. She just freshly gotten up from bed when Butler Johanes came into her room and announced that the Duke called for her. At first, she was nervous that he might find out about her little expeditions. There were only three people who knew it in the estate; the coachman which she gave an ample amount of gold coins, and her two trusted aides, Rowan and Lily. So she immediately dismissed the idea of being found out.

Tori dressed in a peach-colored elegant indoor dress to keep up her facade about her 'changed ways'. The butler knocked on the door before entering, leaving Tori and Lily standing outside.

The door opened and Tori went inside. Butler Johanes excused himself that left the two alone. The Duke stood up from his table and sat in front of her. Duke Luwen Rozenreff was sitting comfortably.

"Good morning, Father!" Tori greeted him sweetly. This new habit of Tori was a refreshing change from the Duke's perspective.

"Have a seat, Victoria."

This man didn't fight for the original Victoria when she got the death sentence. 

He didn't even shed a tear when he visited her in her cell the day before her execution.

This body's heart ached every time I looked at you. This is only a fraction of what your daughter felt when you turned your back on her.

"I called you here to discuss a letter I just received. They addressed it to you, but Johanes gave it to me when he saw the sender."

He handed Tori a letter with a familiar stamp. She immediately looked for the sender and was astonished when she realized who's the sender.

Headmaster Eyzana Valtera of Trifecta Academy

It looks like the original Victoria sent an application for acceptance to the academy. I thought Victoria was supposed to be the stupid one who easily got mad. Wait. This is the time before the plot starts turning. Maybe something made the original Victoria into like that. Is it that wench and her schemes?

"W-what did it say?" Tori was still nervous for a different reason. She didn't know what the original Victoria was thinking by applying to the most prestigious school in the Empire.

"I didn't dare to open it. They still addressed it to you."

Ha, you just wanted me to open it in front of you. Well, then. I'm quite curious about it myself.

Trifecta Academy focuses on three things: Literature and Arts, Archaic and Holy Language, and Economics. The first headmaster of the academy was the smartest philosopher in the Empire and when he died, his son became the new headmaster of the academy. Nobles and aristocrats in the Empire and from other countries came to this school to learn these three things.

But why the hell did the original Victoria apply here? This information is not even in the Netflix Series! They described Victoria Rozenreff as a petty and stupid character who got easily undermined and manipulated by the female lead and the male lead!

"I got an invitation to take the entrance exam," Tori uttered in great shock. She was dumbly staring at the parchment that confirmed the supposed positive news.

"That is good news, Victoria! Why did you apply for the Trifecta Academy?" He was genuinely amazed and in awe of his daughter's achievement.

Trust me, I wanna know too. What were you thinking, Victoria?

Tori tried to remember the scene of the second male lead's flashback. In the Netflix Series, Zeno Mcmillian who's one of the second leads was a top scholar. In the flashback, Zeno prepared a detailed essay about what will he contribute to the Empire should the academy accept him.

Then, did Victoria prepare an essay too? And she passed and got even invited? But according to the Netflix Series, only those who are old enough may take the entrance exam. And Zeno was fifteen years old when he came to the academy.

"I, uh, I just want to deserve the Rozenreff name, Father." Tori just guessed the reasoning behind the action of the original Victoria.

Why do I feel that I am being blindsided by the Netflix Series? Was this revealed in Season 6 which I didn't get to watch? Because I am sure as hell that I didn't watch any scene about Victoria's invitation from the prestigious Trifecta Academy during any other seasons.

"You will be the youngest to be invited to take the entrance exam, Victoria. Having that privilege is enough to call you a Rozenreff. I am so proud of you."

Tori didn't act it nor like it, but her body just reacted on its own upon hearing those last six words from the Duke. Her tears fell as her heart ached, an ache called longing.

That's when Tori realized why the original Victoria did it. She just wanted to hear those six words from her father. And she didn't even get to hear those words until the day she died.

More tears fell as unwanted memories flashed inside Tori's mind. The original Victoria's suffering to study secretly at night when everyone was asleep. The original Victoria had a lot of nosebleeds and where no one tended to her, everything was a painful memory of hard work which was never recognized.

"Victoria!" The Duke rushed to her side and hugged Tori's petite form. He cradled her in his chest, which made Tori's body shed more tears.

Even Tori was hurting for the suffering of the original Victoria.

But why? Why didn't she pursue this opportunity when she worked so hard? Is it because of Sabina or the Duke? I can't tell, but it is better to observe after the entire estate knew about this.

"Are you calm now?" He was stroking her hair.

Tori slightly move away from him as she dried her tears, "I am sorry for that shameful behavior, father. I am just happy to hear those words from you."

Victoria longed for those words, but you only told me that now after I acted differently. Why?

"I am your father. I don't care what you do, Victoria. You are mine to protect."

Then why didn't you protect your daughter?

Why did you coldly look at her behind those cold bars in the cell?

Why did you forsake her?

Why Duke Luwen Rozenreff?

Tori just smiled at him, which earned her ruffle to her hair.

"Did the letter tell you a date?"

"Yes, Father. It would be a week from now in the Trifecta Academy."

"That far. Hmm... I will let the captain of Rozenreff Knights escort you. You can also bring Rowan and Lillian with you. So all you have to do is do your best."

"Thank you, Father. I will make you proud."

"I know you will."

JUST AS expected, the news about her achievement spread like wildfire in the Rozenreff estate. Butler Johanes confirmed the news, and Lily was boasting it like a proud mother hen. Because of the watchful eyes of the spy, Mia, Tori had to pretend how delighted she was.

I have to beam like the fucking sun every time they congratulated me. If they only knew that it wasn't me! It was the original Victoria!

They only gave her a reprieved when her handmaidens left her alone. Before Lily left her, she brought the books she asked her to get. Archaic books, literature books, art books, and economics books were now sprawled on Tori's desk.

Upon realizing her situation earlier, Tori immediately dreaded the upcoming entrance exam. The one who worked hard was the original Victoria and not her. Tori was afraid that the knowledge from this body was left together with this body's original soul.

I can't imagine the disaster if I got zero remarks when I'm given the invitation, even if I am so young! That means that the headmaster viewed the essay that Victoria wrote to be super amazing!

Tori looked at the untouched books with dread. She's afraid to confirm her theories. That's why she's only standing in front of her desk like a mad woman.

"What were you thinking?" Tori asked out of nowhere as if the original soul of Victoria Rozenref would reply. She knew firsthand that the original soul of Victoria Rozenref has already passed to the Spiritual Realm according to the angelic person she met in her dream.

I have no choice, but I must trust this body's ability to keep its skills as I did to the embroidery.

Carefully, Tori sat and opened the first book which was nearest to her. It was an archaic book, a book that used the ancient holy language. She slowly turned the page and Tori saw the odd symbols known as archaic symbols.

Tori knew she didn't know this, but for some reason after staring at the symbols, somehow she could decipher the meaning behind it.

Thanked God! I thought I'll have to start from scratch. Even if I am a former straight-A student in my past life in high school, memorizing these many will be a problem. Thanked goodness that this body kept the skills of the original Victoria. This also proves that the original Victoria was not stupid as the Netflix Series portrayed here.

Then, is it possible that Victoria knew from the start that she was being manipulated by that wretched half-sister of hers? But if she did, then why didn't she do something about it? Why die in vain?

The smoky soul from her dream flashed in Tori's mind. The original Victoria told Tori this.

'If it is someone like you, I am sure you can do it.'

Why? You knew you were being manipulated to death, but why didn't you fight? Is that why you told me those words? Because you couldn't do it since deep inside your heart you were still hoping for a different ending? You were still hoping that they would spare you because you are family? Then your words finally made sense to me.

Someone like me can crush your family with no second thoughts, you are right. Those words, you told me that because you were guilty of the lives that were taken because of your family's greed. So in the end, you saw Sabina as your family.

That made your death even more painful!

Tori turned towards her windows and gazed outside the Rozenreff estate. "I won't turn a blind eye this time. I promise you. I will save the lives you have forsaken so rest in peace." My other half.