Tori Transmigrated - Chapter 189: A Ball...With People?

Chapter 189: A Ball…With People?

Her birthday was approaching and since it wasn’t considered an important milestone birthday, as she was already an adult, Tori didn’t put much effort into planning her celebration. She thought she’d have a nice private dinner on Reina, dance around with her friends, and watch fireworks.

Her mother wanted to stay for her birthday, but knowing that Antonia hadn’t planned to come to Viclya at all and had essentially disappeared from her work in Sur, Tori encouraged her mother to go back. She was faced with a surprising refusal.

“I can return after your birthday. It’s only a few more days, after all.”

“But Papa will be so lonely,” Tori said as she walked along the promenade arm-in-arm with her mother in the evening. If work didn’t work, then perhaps reminding her mother of her father.

“Your father is a grown man. He can survive a few days without me,” Antonia replied in a firm voice. Tori’s lips pulled into a line. Every night, her father called her mother and if he couldn’t reach Antonia, as sometimes, she would be out with the Empress and the duchesses, then he would call Tori to ask where her mother was.

“Mama, I’m half expecting him to appear on Sur Oro at any moment.” It wasn’t that her father was irrational or irresponsible, it was just that he loved his wife a lot. He didn’t announce it to others or complain when he missed her to anyone but Antonia, but it was blatantly obvious to anyone with eyes.

“I will wait until Dom comes with your aunt and cousin,” Antonia told her. Her eyes crinkled up with a devious smile. “I want to hear my brother praise my daughter’s ability.”

“Mama, I’m not a genius. I just know how to organize things and am competent.” Tori let out a tired sigh. “I had a lot of help, too.”

“Coordinating said help and properly utilizing all your resources is a skill,” her mother told her. “Do not discount yourself.”

Tori nodded a bit. “I still have much to do.”

“Do you still plan to study crystals at Université?” her mother asked.

Tori nodded. “I need to get access to the resources that students and alumni have. I can’t always con the Emperor into forcing them to let me in. Also, Ilyana, Henrik, Albert, and Constantine may all attend.”

“Université doesn’t have a dorm. Lunar Pavilion is a bit far from the campus. It will be inconvenient to travel back and forth,” her mother said. She narrowed her eyes. “Both your brothers had roommates and lived near campus. Do you wish to do the same? If you are uncomfortable, we can buy you a flat.”

“I’ve already discussed this with Ilyana and Piers,” Tori said. “Piers owns that big house across the street and since he and Axton will move out after they graduate, Ilyana and I can rent out the floors. Also, Alexander has all his things there already.”

“It would be convenient for Alexander, but are you sure that house is suitable?”

Tori nodded. “It has places for the horses, the carriages, for guards. It has multiple rooms on the lower floors, so Albert and Henrik can have a room if they need to stay overnight. If Constantine can’t find a place to live, there is a spare room he can rent.”

“You’ve considered all your friends, too.” Her mother chuckled. She leaned against her daughter’s head. There were many large homes in the Academic Quarter that acted as apartments for students. Single men and women had separate floors and sometimes, there were specific floors for couples or small families. “Are you not considering returning to Presidio? Universidad del Sur Presidio is just as promising as Université.”

Tori shook her head. Universidad del Sur Presidio was a good school, but it didn’t have the crystal resources Université had. No other school in the empire had what Univsersité could offer her in terms of resources for both crystals and networking. She was also now a countess and had those responsibilities to her fledgling county. “I can’t be too far from the delta while it’s being developed.”

Her mother snorted in an unladylike fashion. “That wretched Matthieu-Philippe….”

“Mama, don’t curse the Emperor.”

“I can curse him all I want. What is he going to do? Cry to Monica?” Antonia sneered. Tori couldn’t help but picture her mother as the domineering student on campus when she attended Lycée. No wonder it was said that the Emperor had a tough time courting the Empress; it was likely due to both the Marquis General and her mother, who didn’t think he was good enough.

Tori squeezed her mother’s arm and moved closer to show her affection. “Mama, I’ll still visit. Or you and Papa can visit.”

“Your Papa is working very hard to finalize the transfer of the title to your brother within the next five years. Then, both he and I will be free to visit more,” Antonia told her. “Unfortunately, the five years is still a bit away. Sebastian is so slow.”

Tori wanted to snort as well. There weren’t any set requirements that an heir needed to meet in order for the position to be passed to them upon the retirement of the current marquis. It was up to the current marquis’ discretion. Gramps had passed the position down to her father as soon as Sebastian was born. He wanted to accompany Grammie on her research trips.

Unfortunately, Gramps was a massive hindrance, so he was sent back.

Tori suspected that her parents wanted to pass the title down so they could have more free time. Of course, it wasn’t as if they’d be completely free of march work. Gramps still did work for the march, but it was in a limited capacity, and it was up to him to decide how much he took on.

Considering Kasen was also doing work for Soleil in whatever super-secret position Tori was afraid to ask about, and Idunn still worked on agriculture, a lot of the march’s management would go to Sebastian. Had Tori moved back to Presidio, as his younger unwed sister, she’d also have some work ready for her.

But now she had her own territory to deal with. In retrospect, of my siblings, I’m the first one with an actual landed peerage. My brothers are much more capable, how did this happen? Tori frowned. Stupid Emperor.

“Godmother!” A voice cut through Tori’s thoughts, and she turned and saw Montan seemingly speed walking towards them.

Her mother slowed to a stop and turned towards the blue-haired young man. In the past few days, Montan had been staying with them in Viclya on leave from Duel. Tori had spoken to Mr. Sommerset about it and decided to start training Montan in the escape rooms. After her birthday, they’d go back to Horizon to meet with the carpentry and masonry guilds to plan out the rooms in the new building.

The new building had already been gutted and Tori had sent the prospective blueprints and sketches of the rooms to Guild master Blomgard to review.

“Montan.” Her mother’s voice was still somewhat stern when speaking to Montan, but her actions were gentle. She raised her hand and touched Montan’s head as he reached her. “Did you finish your review with Kasen?”

Montan nodded, eager to please. “Yes, Godmother. I am going to see my brother, but saw you and wanted to greet you.”

Antonia gave him a small nod. “Do not overwork yourself. Your godbrother is a demanding instructor. If it is difficult, tell him and he will adjust it.”

Tori drew her lips inward. With how experienced Montan was in charms, he should be able to remain on track with Kasen’s reviews. In addition, Kasen was instructing Robert at the same time and Robert had no problem keeping up. Kasen was always smirking with pride when someone brought up Robert’s ability. The boy was like a sponge. A sponge who had time to play with his cousins as if he didn’t spend hours a day practicing Old Sulfae and building his charms foundation.

Montan’s eyes were bright, and he smiled. “I will pace myself, Godmother!” He looked at Tori with undisguised earnestness. “Countess, do you know where my brother is?”

“He went somewhere with Piers-”

“Tori!”

“And here they are.” Tori let out a tired breath and sighed. Axton and Piers were approaching from the steps that led down to the dock. She furrowed her brows. “Did you go to another island?”

“I wanted to show Piers how Reina de la Luna’s pools are coming along,” Axton said. He gave the man beside him a sidelong glare. “He says they’re just holes. Of course, they’re just holes right now. They just started working on them!”

“It was not as impressive as you made it sound,” Piers said in a dull voice.

“It will be impressive later!”

“Then you should’ve taken me later.” Piers turned his attention to Tori and her mother and gave them a small, polite nod of his head. “Marquess, Tori. Good evening.”

Antonia looked him up and down and then responded with a small nod. She looked back at Montan and touched his head once more. “You were looking for your brother?”

“Yes!” Montan had been quiet when they were talking and looked towards Axton with excited eyes. “I have been invited to play the new card game by His Highness Prince Gideon and would like to invite you.”

Axton let out a sharp laugh and narrowed his eyes. “So, he wants a rematch, but isn’t brave enough to challenge me himself, is he? I’ll be glad to disappoint him once more.”

He ushered Montan back towards the encampment, as it was where the teenagers played their tabletop games. The resort area where they’d usually play was taken up by older guests playing cards and tiles.

Once they were several paces away, Piers glanced towards Tori and her mother. He turned towards them with a cautious expression. “My lady Marquess, my mother was asking about you earlier. Will you not be joining her to play tiles tonight?”

Antonia raised a brow and her look hardened. “I am walking with my daughter.”

“I will walk with Tori,” he seemed to offer.

Antonia stared at Piers, who couldn’t hold her gaze and looked down. Her lips tightened into a frown and Tori felt her arm holding hers tighten. “Are you trying to steal my daughter?”

Tori barely held back a small hiss. Piers shook his head. He looked up, his eyes trying to meet her mother’s.

“Tori is not an object to steal,” he said with a surprising amount of conviction in his voice. He dared to hold her mother’s scrutinizing gaze. “She makes her own decisions.”

She knew he was a prince and that his rank was higher than her mother’s, but for a moment Tori wondered where he got the guts to counter her mother with such confidence. She looked towards her mother, ready to calm her.

Antonia’s sharp eyes narrowed a bit more, but she drew her head back. She lifted her chin and seemed to look satisfied. “Good answer, Your Highness.” She slipped her arm off of Tori’s and looked at her. “I have been invited to play sun tiles with the duchesses and Monica. Do not overwork yourself.”

“Mama, it’s already evening. I’m done with work for the day.”

Her mother smirked a bit before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. “My dear, as long as you are awake, you will think of something to do.” She stepped back and cast one more unreadable look at Piers before turning towards the resort tents. Four Guevera knights followed dutifully behind her, leaving Tori with Piers and a few distanced knights.

“You’re getting more and more daring, Your Highness,” Tori said as she raised a brow.

“If I am not, your hard work will be for naught and you will be disappointed,” Piers said in a quiet voice as he offered her his arm. Tori sighed and placed her hand where she usually put it in the crook of his arm.

“I told you not to improve yourself for others, but for yourself,” she said as they continued in the direction opposite the plaza.

“It is also for me,” Piers asserted. “It is your birthday soon. Is there anything you need?”

“I can always use more mon-” Tori snapped her mouth shut. Her eyes narrowed and she glanced at him with accusing eyes. This was a trap. “I don’t need anything.”

Piers was quiet and she could almost see the gears turning in his head. “During the Harvest Festival, I would like to throw a ball inviting various diplomats and nobles.”

Tori’s eyes widened and she snapped her head towards him. “You want to throw a ball?” Piers nodded. “A ball with people?” His lips turned down a bit and he glanced at her.

“Am I not allowed?”

“No, it’s just…surprising,” she said. She furrowed her brows and looked down. “I didn’t expect that you’d want to throw a…a ball. Did your parents tell you to?”

“It is my idea. I have not yet brought it up to my parents.”

“What brought this on?” Tori asked. “Are you trying to be more accessible and bolster your reputation as the first prince?”

“It is necessary.” He put his hand over hers and she felt him shake a bit. “I have never planned such an event.”

She knew where this was going. Tori gave him an affirmative nod. “Say no more,” she said as she covered her hand with hers. “I will help you. If it’s for the Harvest Festival, we need to start planning it soon. Have you considered where to have it?” Tori gasped and leaned closer. “Have you considered the Lunar Pavilion? The courtyard and ground floor will be suitable for guests by then.” Axton’s people were very efficient.

Piers tilted his head to the side and thought for a moment. “It would be good to advertise the Lunar Pavilion. We can have it there.”

Tori trembled a bit with excitement. “I can’t wait to tell Axton. Should we have a theme? Of course, we’ll have a theme, it’s the Harvest Festival. Should I make mooncakes?”

Piers chuckled a bit beside her, though he didn’t know what mooncakes were. “You can make whatever you want.”

“It will be the first ball you’ve thrown,” Tori said, squeezing his arm. “It can’t be lacking. You have to carefully consider the guest list and then we have to plan the security details. I’ll set up a meeting with Sir Dobcheck and the captain and do a walkthrough of the Lunar Pavilion with them.”

Tori rambled on, more to herself than to Piers. He only nodded and quietly agreed with whatever suggestion she made. Before she knew it, they’d made a turn around the promenade and had returned to the plaza.

“I will require assistance in hosting the ball. If it were in the palace, my mother would assist me, and Chamberlain Thorpson would be at my disposal. However, outside the palace, I would need a separate staff. At the moment, I only have Axton.”

“You can hire Albert again.”

“I will inquire. Perhaps Lady Ilyana and Henrik can assist as well?”

“It would be good practice for both of them, yes. That’s a promising idea.”

“I will need someone at my side to welcome guests.”

“Your brother can…oh.” Tori’s shoulders fell . “You want me to escort you.” Piers gave her a small nod. She stopped walking and narrowed her eyes. “Piers, I have to work behind the scenes to make sure everything is running smoothly. I can’t be at your side the entire time.”

“Most of the time.”

“Piers.”

“Half the time.” He tried to compromise. “Axton can stay by my side when you are busy.” Tori sighed and released his arm.

“All right, half the time.”

Piers smiled a bit. “I look forward to the ball.”

“Can you not look so excited?” Tori heard JP whisper to his sister as Sonia sat on the edge of her seat with an unrestrained look of excitement as she watched the inevitable meeting between Ilyana and Dimitri.

“I’m just curious.”

“What’s there to be curious about?” Henrik said in a low voice. “Guthry was bedridden and is still recovering, and Ilyana learned dagger under a march training commander. It’s clear who’ll win.”

The small group at the table all nodded in agreement. Their Ilyana would slaughter Dimitri in a fight.

Actually, Ilyana would slaughter Dimitri if she could. Period. Tori had come with Ilyana for breakfast at the resort tents, and before they could get their breakfast burritos and join their friends, they ran into Dimitri Guthry.

His parents were there, too, but Ilyana’s death glare was fixed on Dimitri. He couldn’t seem to meet her gaze and lowered his. Before Ilyana could suffocate him with her furious aura, Tori put her free hand on her shoulder and moved her back a half step.

“I won’t start anything,” Ilyana said in a muffled voice. She turned and stepped around Dimitri as if she didn’t see him and went to line up for her burrito.

Tori took a deep breath and gave a small nod to Dimitri. A still half-asleep Fiona was on her hip. Fiona still preferred to sleep with Tori when she was in the delta. Her ‘room’ was Tori’s room, which now had a family of plush chickens. “Guthry, it’s good you’ve made it. How was the journey?”

“It wasn’t far, Countess,” he replied in a hesitant voice. He looked at the little girl on her hip and Tori could see a flash of shame on his face. He knew that Fiona and Robert were adopted from the orphanage, and that Robert lost part of his leg. She supposed Dimitri couldn’t look at her niece and nephew without feeling guilty. “Thank you for inviting us.”

“Try to relax and enjoy the village’s amenities for the next few days. Rois and Reina’s plazas are open to guests two days a week, so feel free to visit them. The boats are free to get to those islands. Our main street has also been extended and we have new shops.”

Dimitri nodded. “Yes, thank you, my lady.”

Tori patted his shoulder as she passed. Before she went to get her burrito, she stopped at the small table where his parents were seated to greet them. Mr. Guthry stood up at once and bowed before extending his hand. Madam Guthry looked happy to see her and Tori made some recommendations.

“And who is this little one?” Madam Guthry asked as she looked at the little girl with a warm smile.

“Fifi,” Tori said, bouncing Fiona a bit to help her wake up. “Introduce yourself.”

Fiona obediently nodded as she rubbed her eyes. Her little flushed face looked towards the two adults and her big brown eyes blinked. “Good morning. My name is Fiona Victoria de Guevera. My daddy is Kasen de Guevera. I like chickens and dancing.”

Tori resisted the urge to hug her even more.

Madam Guthry brightened at first, then seemed to make the connection. It was well known that Kasen had adopted two children from the orphanage. Madam Guthry’s face paled a bit.

“It’s a pleasure to meet young, Young Miss.” Mr. Guthry hid his surprise well behind a practiced facade of calm. He gave the little girl a small nod as he smiled. “Chickens are very important animals.”

“I have some!” Fiona replied with a bright expression.

“All right, now that you’re awake, think about what burrito you want,” Tori told her before she could launch into her chickens.

“Same as always, Auntie.” Fiona pressed her head against Tori’s and hugged her neck. Tori chuckled and looked back at the couple.

“My birthday is tomorrow, and it will be a small gathering on Reina for dinner. You are on our guest list, so if you don’t mind taking a boat out to the island, I hope you can make it,” Tori said.

Madam Guthry looked touched and nodded. “Of course, my lady.”

Tori smiled once more and left them to their breakfast. When she got to her table with her tray of food, Ilyana was pouting.

“Is this about inviting them to my party?”

“You can invite whoever you want to your party,” Ilyana said in a deceptively calm voice. “But don’t expect me to be nice to him.”

Tori stroked her back to sooth her. “I know….”

“Integration with crystals and charms is a science.” She heard a child’s voice speaking like an adult. “But it’s much easier if you do it yourself as the energy between the two media will synchronize. Auntie Tori says that they can be used together to increase the strength of a crystal. A charm can be made more powerful by a specific crystal, but not all of them.”

Tori looked towards the side entrance of the resort deck, which had been expanded, and saw Robert walking beside Montan while Kasen followed a few steps behind. Fiona, who was munching on her cut up burrito, saw her father. If she wasn’t eating and strapped into her booster seat, she would’ve flown out to him.

“Daddy!”

Kasen smiled and walked directly towards them. He knelt down and Fiona kissed his cheeks, then offered him some of her food. “Daddy will get his own burrito. Fifi should eat all her food.”

“Okay!” Fiona nodded and continued to happily eat.

“Mr. Alvere? Are you visiting here as well?” Tori ate her sausage and egg burrito while watching the two love interests interact from a distance. Dimitri looked surprised to see Montan, but Montan, who was in a good mood, didn’t seem too surprised to see Dimitri.

“Yes, I am spending the summer here at my brother’s suggestion,” Montan said. Tori could see the pride in his eyes. “I also recently became the godson of Marquess Guevera.”

Dimitri’s eyes were wide, and his jaw dropped a bit. If he weren’t gripping onto his tray, it would’ve fallen from his hands. He seemed to put together the connection and glanced at Tori and then back at Montan. “Then…the Countess is your godsister?”

Montan nodded. He lowered his eyes. “Much has happened this summer. We can speak later.”

“Yes, of course,” Dimitri nodded. He seemed to float back to the table with his parents.

Tori was sure that they’d find out soon enough about the death of Montan’s parents and Montan’s trifecta ceremony. With so many noble, aristocratic, and wealthy guests at the delta, it wouldn’t be difficult to casually hear about it if they didn’t already know. Luckily, Montan didn’t seem to have a problem with it.

She supposed she could understand his relief to be free of such parents. He was also happy to be her mother’s godson.

“Tori, I just realized something,” Albert said. “If Duke Axton’s godmother is the Empress, and the Empress, the late Duchess, and your mother are all close friends, was the duchess the godmother to any of your brothers?”

Tori shook her head. “Sebby’s godfather is the Marquis General, but Sebby calls him Master since he taught him the sword. Kasen’s godmother is a professor at Universidad del Sur; she was Mama’s mentor.”

“Why didn’t she pick one of her friends?” Ilyana asked. It seemed that the trio had been extremely close.

“Mama felt that they were irresponsible,” Kasen answered as he took a seat between Ilyana and Fiona. Ilyana sucked in a sharp breath as Kasen sat down and lifted a napkin to wipe Fiona’s face. “Also, the Duchess knew she was ill by the time Tori was born. She would not have been suitable.”

Tori nodded. Her mother was a practical woman.

“I wonder who the Princes’ godparents are,” Albert said.

“Piers’ godfather is Chamberlain Thorpson, and I don’t know who the second prince’s godparent is,” Tori said.

“Princess Celine’s husband,” Kasen replied. “Petir Dursten, though his original name was Edgar Petir Warrington III.”

“Warrington?” Ewan looked up. “As in Commander General Warrington of the Imperial Knights?”

“That’s his father,” Kasen said. “Princess Celine’s wife, Georgia Lanadottir, was her escort knight, but Edgar Warrington III was the ‘shame’ of the Warrington house, as he was born weak and sickly, so he couldn’t meet the physical requirements of being a first-tier imperial knight. Though, not for lack of trying. I don’t know the entire story, but he eventually cut ties with his family, ran off to be with his wives, and is now quite fit.”

“I’ve never met Princess Celine and her family,” Tori said. Though, she still recalled their rather glamorous portrait in the imperial palace.

“You will,” a voice said behind her. She tilted her head back and saw Piers standing there. “I will invite her to my ball.”

“You’re having a ball?” Kasen looked up from midbite.

“You are invited, as well, Senior.”

“It’s during the Harvest Festival, so you’ll likely have returned to Presidio,” Tori said with a sigh.

“If it’s during the Harvest Festival, then I won’t make it,” Kasen nodded.

Piers looked off to the side and didn’t seem the slightest bit disappointed. “How unfortunate.”

After breakfast, Tori continued on her work in her tent with various people from Ilyana and Henrik to village leaders and administrators coming in and out to speak to her. Her tent was guarded outside with two imperial knights stationed at her door.

She broke for lunch, but ate at her desk. She had hoped that the rest of her family and friends would enjoy their leisure time, as she didn’t want them to feel trapped while she was working. Considering that aside from Henrik and Ilyana who visited her on business matters, and Piers, who ate lunch with her and then went to take a nap in her room, everyone else was busy enjoying themselves.

Tori signed off on a few land allocation agreements and applications for new migrants from the border region when the knight outside her door let her know that she had another visitor.

“Let them enter,” Tori said as she finished signing her name. She removed the lid off a black and gold inkpad and pressed her Countess of Cosora seal into it. It was a shield with wave filigree around the outside borders topped with a lion’s head baring its teeth. Above the lion’s head was the coronet symbol of a count.

When colored, the inside of the shield was black. There were three wavy gold lines at the bottom representing the river, bay, and ocean, and the gold outline of a crystal with three points. Beneath the shield was the Old Sulfae for benevolence, knowledge, and fortitude, which Tori pulled from her trifecta gods because she needed to register her county’s information and was in a rush.

She pressed her specially ordered stamp into the paper and moved on to the next one. The curtain to her tent moved aside.

“Countess Guevera?”

She raised her eyes as Dimitri entered. “Guthry,” she said with a nod as she stamped another sheet. “Have you had a chance to look at the new amenities and stores in the village?”

“A bit. I spoke to Mr. Alvere,” Dimitri said. He took a deep breath as he stood in front of her desk. Tori closed the lid on her ink pad and met his eyes. “There are some things that came to mind.”

She cracked a slight smile. “Guthry, I know you want to begin work on your project, but take a few days to relax. We can begin reviewing it after my birthday celebration, yes?”

He gave her a wry smile in return. “I appreciate your consideration, my lady, but my question was not in regard to my Lycée project.”

Tori cocked her head to the side a bit. “Then can I help you with something else?” She motioned for him to take a seat across from her and he quietly sat down.

He swallowed hard and opened his mouth. He seemed to freeze for a moment before finally finding the words. “Mr. Alvere mentioned that he gave a charm to Alessa that was meant to increase favorability towards her. Is this true?”

Tori took a deep breath and exhaled. “It was meant to help her when speaking, but the way he wrote the charm made it susceptible to abuse without him or the Baroness realizing it. If one was unprepared and open to her to begin with, they would be influenced by the charm.”

She watched him swallow hard once more and clench his hands. “Then all those times I argued on her behalf…was it the charm?”

“If I’m being honest, it is a combination of the charm and your pre-existing favor towards her. Montan didn’t give her the charm until after our First Year Excursion and at that point, you and several others were already on good terms with her. The charm increased your existing favorability towards her,” Tori said. “In other cases, for those who did not have a pre-existing favor-”

“Such as yourself?”

Tori pursed her lips. “Yes, such as myself. We were naturally resisting it as a result. I don’t want to put the blame entirely on Montan or the Baroness, as they were ignorant of the consequences of the charm.”

Dimitri let out a low breath and seemed to deflate back against the chair. “I did so much for her. I considered her my friend and I was taken advantage of?”

Tori didn’t want to think that Alessa was doing it on purpose when she got the charm. If she was activating the charm on purpose, then it was likely because she noticed the difference. The moral questions of doing so likely weren’t considered much, if at all.

“I didn’t know until I asked Montan by chance. Since such a charm is prohibited, it will be negated upon the start of the school year. It’s a complex process to negate the charm,” Tori said. She didn’t want to explain all the technicalities. Dimitri wasn’t a charms or crystal user, so she didn’t know how much he understood.

“Had I been thinking clearly-”

“Stop.” Tori raised her hand to stop him and frowned. “If you plan to put all the blame on the charm for your negligence that inadvertently led to the collapse of the orphanage’s ceiling, don’t. We don’t know just how much you were affected. The actions of those directly involved in embezzling funds weren’t controlled by charm.”

“But it was an oversight failure that didn’t catch them-”

“It was your oversight failure,” Tori stressed. She narrowed her eyes. “Keep in mind that the effects of the charm fade if the one being influenced is not present. The longer you are away from it, the more its effect is lost. There were plenty of times when you had the opportunity to think clearly, as you said. There were plenty of warnings and signs that you either ignored completely or found a temporary solution to. You cannot put all the blame on the charm.”

Dimitri took a deep breath and lowered his head. “I know I made mistakes, but can’t I be angry that my good intentions were manipulated?”

“Of course, you can be angry, but you can’t pretend nothing is your fault,” Tori said. She leaned forward on her desk and scrutinized him. “Guthry, that has been one of my biggest peeves about you since the beginning. Nothing is ever yours, and in some cases, Hart’s fault. You’ve always put the blame on someone else. Didn’t I tell you before? It was like talking to a wall when I tried to reason with you.” She leaned back against her chair. “I know you dreamed of going into government like your father, but you’re not suitable for it.”

Dimitry closed his eyes and bit his lips. “Even if I was, I don’t have much of a chance now do I? My reputation is tarnished. My family lost the public’s trust. Tell me you can understand my anger and frustration.” He lifted his head and let out a small, bitter laugh. “What am I supposed to do, Guevara? All my life, my path was laid out for me. Lycée, Université, enter politics, become a Prime Minister like my father. It’s what my family does. It’s what everyone expected of me. Now, after Lycée – if I even finish, what am I supposed to do?”

Tori stared at him and raised a brow. “Guthry, how the fuck am I supposed to know?”