"BLESSINGS TO the Empire's stars, the first prince and the second prince." Tori showed courtesy to the two as she stood in front of them. She was being the center of attention which Sabina loathed the most, but Tori was just hiding her discomfort from the situation.

She just planned to be sent off by her father and her half-sister while keeping up her façade that she's still weak from the incident. But now, she didn't know how these two royal princes ended up visiting her in her estate and now they're offering to escort her to Trifecta Academy.

How can I dodge this train wreck?

Prince Corean just smile at her while Prince Lauren held her right and kissed it, which shocked everyone that was watching! Her smile faltered for a split second, which the two princes only saw.

"I believe it's time to get going, brother." Prince Corean interfered with a smile towards his older brother. Prince Lauren only cocked his head and let go of her hand.

"You're right, Cory. You two have a test to do. Let me offer you my carriage, Lady Victoria. I can offer you my insights since I have experience with Trifecta Academy's entrance exam."

He offered his hand to me in front of her family.

Who can decline that kind of offer? But hell will sell ice cream first before I let myself stay in that damn carriage with the same person who cut this body's neck, no way!

Tori glanced at Prince Corean, who had that gentle smiling face.

I want to wipe that smug face from your wretched face, you piece of shit.

Tori seethed while smiling sweetly at Prince Corean as she accepted Prince Lauren's face.

"Then can I ask Prince Corean to accompany us, your highness? After all, he will also take the exam with me," she challenged Prince Lauren with her pretentious generosity. Her eyes were sparkling with defiance, which earned her a chuckle from the first prince.

Bastard.

"I don't mind, Lady Victoria." Prince Corean answered when the first prince nodded. Tori glanced back at the Duke, who only nodded at her.

She then waved at her guests. She also looked at Lily, who was smiling at her with an awed expression. Tori had to let Lily watch Mia for her so she didn't let her come with her. Rowan suffered an hour-long lecture from Lily since Rowan would be the one to accompany Tori in Lily's stead.

Tori also left a very important task for Lily and that's spreading rumors that Lady Victoria almost died not from Mia but from Lady Sabina's hand. She also made sure that speculations from Sabina's former rejections should be considered. With the help of Marchioness Susana and Lily, the rumors would spread to the high society and every common folk of the capital. The Duke would have a hard time with damage control, especially when these were not mere speculations but facts.

Who said that I'll let you off the hook for this scheme, dearest sister?

They used Prince Lauren's carriage. Rowan was riding a white stallion and was standing near the carriage that she would use. Tori nodded at Rowan, to which Rowan replied with a bow. The two princes did not leave this exchange unnoticed.

Inside the carriage, the two princes sat together in front of Tori. Prince Lauren was observing her openly, which irked Tori a lot. His smile couldn't be wiped off from his face like he was enjoying the whole situation. Prince Corean, on the other hand, was just reading a book silently like he cared nothing about their current situation. This left Tori in a troublesome situation. She didn't know if she should open a conversation with them or she should ask the first prince about his offer earlier. The biggest probability was that Prince Lauren was just doing this on purpose.

Which is very likely from this psycho.

Tori just decided to look outside the window when she couldn't bear to endure his mocking gaze any longer. She's afraid that she might bash his psychotic head on his seat.

"Aren't you going to ask me about the test, Lady Victoria Rozenreff?"

Why are you opening that damn mouth of yours? Tori wanted to reply to Prince Lauren but she remained composed as she shook her head.

"I am very grateful for your generosity, your highness. But I don't want to burden you from my lacking ability." She subtlely declined his offer just to shut him up. But the persistent prince didn't bother to acknowledge it.

"Then, I shall be the one asking you from here on. What happened that the almost dying heir of Rozenreff Duchy was so healthy in front of me?"

Hmm. Did you catch on my schemes, Prince Lauren? Well, let's play along for now. It is not time yet to show my fangs to this man.

With a glum face, Tori answered the prince. "If I can't endure this much, then how can I utter that I am the Rozenreff's heir apparent? I shall take this exam even with this weakened body, your highness."

Tori answered the first prince safely. Tori simply glanced at the second prince, but like earlier, she didn't get any reaction from him.

Weirdo.

"Hm. So your half-sister didn't plot your demise?" The first prince's face showed malice that was lying dormant all along. It didn't surprise Tori, but it still gave her shivers.

Tori acted surprised by the first prince's speculation as if the very thought was taboo for her. Surprise my ass.

"My sister just fell victim to the coincidence of the situation, your highness. I beg of you not to utter those words again. I'm afraid those words would eternally hurt her if she heard them from you. She adores you, your highness."

She's your future wife, you dickhead. And in the original plot, you chopped my head off so thank you very much.

"You have a very close relationship with your sister huh just like me and my brother, right Cory?"

Prince Corean glanced at them. "I agree with you, brother."

Tori smiled with delight, "I am so glad to be compared to the relationship with the two Empire's stars, your highnesses."

What a joke. To think that you are partly responsible for Prince Corean's future death. But I won't let you kill us, no no no. Not this time, because the villains and side characters will rock this series.

THE VAST greenery of the surrounding field of the academy astonished Tori as they stopped at the entrance of the school. Every nook and cranny of the architecture of Trifecta Academy screamed Renaissance style in front of them. The old-looking palace preserved history and sophistication the more anyone stared at it.

Prince Lauren went out of the carriage first and strode inside the academy like Tori and Prince Corean were not his companion.

Jerk

Prince Corean offered him his hand, which Tori took since all the royal knights were looking at them as they went out of the carriage.

"Thank you, your highness."

Prince Corean just smiled gently, but his calculating eyes told her otherwise. Tori just walked behind Prince Corean since they were only going to one place.

The royal family is a bunch of psychos.

A middle-aged man welcomed the princes and Tori. His stature screamed wisdom and power. His beard was well-trimmed and his eyes were both friendly and knowing.

"I welcome you on behalf of the faculty. Please proceed to the exam room Prince Corean and Lady Victoria. Prince Lauren, you can now proceed to your dorm room."

"I entrust my sibling and Lady Victoria Rozenreff to you, headmaster. Ruwyn, let's go." The first prince took his aide with him as they strode towards the left side of the academy where the dorms for the nobles were located.

Tori forgot about the dorms, but she would think about it later after she passed the exam. Prince Corean walked ahead of her as she followed them together with Rowan.

"Are you alright, Lady Tori?" Rowan asked her when he was walking beside her. He was looking straight ahead, but his words were full of concern. His concern was rooted in the fact that his lady was left alone inside a carriage full of men.

Rowan disliked how the first prince stared at Lady Tori and how he casually touched her as if he owned her. Rowan was restraining and was using his control just not to commit treason.

Tori gratefully smiled at Rowan. "Yes, thank you. I was just exhausted by sitting idly inside an enclosed space, but thank you kind sir for the concern." Tori tried to lighten up the mood of Rowan as he was visibly frowning.

Be loyal to me, Rowan. Protect me from scums like Lauren. Make sure to know whom you'll point your blades at in the future and never forget who helped you.

I own you, Rowan.

They stopped when they were greeted by huge wooden doors that would be the entrance to the exam hall. Tori smiled at Rowan and walked behind Prince Corean as those with invitations only could come inside.

As Tori stepped inside the exam hall. A wide room with chandeliers hanging above the room, wide windows on the wall, dozens of desks for the examinees, and a single table for the proctor welcomed Tori. Though the proctor was still not present, there were a lot of students, both nobles and commoners inside the exam hall.

Whispers erupted inside the exam hall as the people recognized the second prince. Noble girls wagged their tails as they offered an empty seat beside them while the common folks were just watching and not even daring to offer their seat.

"Prince Corean decided to take the exam!"

"I thought he announced last month that he won't?"

"The queen may persuade him."

Tori didn't care that Corean was the center of attention. She elegantly walked towards a certain noble with red hair and emerald eyes. There's only one noble family who had that feature, the House of Larat.

House Larat was Lady M's household, which means the boy in front of Tori was the younger brother of Lady and the other second male lead of the Thorny Crown Series, Zeno McMillian Larat.

"Greetings to House Larat, can I sit here?" Tori asked the sleepy young man after doing the courtesy.

Tori couldn't help but be cold to the boy in front of her. This boy, in the original plot, was the one who fought for the original Victoria's execution. He fought tooth and nail just to get the ending that he thought Victoria deserved.

So we meet, huh, Zeno?

The sleepiness from his eyes vanished as he recognized the red eyes of the young lady in front of him. Tori knew Zeno recognized her as she recognized him.

"You can have the seat, no one occupies it."

Just for the show, Tori smiled sweetly at him. "Thank you, Lord Larat."

Tori wanted to laugh as she witnessed that the proud Zeno McMillian Larat in the future was just a shy boy in front of her.

Oh, you don't know what I have in store for you, Zeno dear.

Tori elegantly took a seat, and she never dared to look back at him even if he was blatantly staring at her.

Zeno McMillian Larat, in the original plot, betrayed the aristocratic faction because of his love for Crown Princess Sabina. He pushed the execution of the noble lady, Victoria Rozenreff. For a while, Sabina made use of him until she disposed of him under the pretext of sending him as the House Larat Representative to place under conflict. He allegedly fell in love with Sabina, a year from now, when the female lead finally entered Trifecta Academy. He loved how Sabina worked hard to get good grades.

In short, you are the future traitor of the aristocratic faction who will annihilate them. I can't have you running freely, can I?