AT THAT very same night, Tori went out of the Rozenreff estate under the disguised of her infamous coat. Her hood covered her determined red eyes as she trotted away from the home that she would be leaving for a while.

Under the shade of a pine tree a few meters away from the Rozenreff estate's main gate, Tori turned to look back once again. She felt it in her heart that it would be a little while before she could taste chef Elmond's éclair or head maid Teresa's hot chocolate.

Tori pulled her hood more to cover her face and continued walking away. Seconds later, footsteps followed her which she did not mind at all. The figure in her right spoke, "The carriage is this way, Lady Tori."

The young duke's warm hands guided Tori towards the darkest part of the street where the rented carriage awaited. "You did not wear your gloves, I see." Though his voice was distant, the concern behind those words could not be denied.

"Lily has it," Tori replied with her nonchalant attitude. The young duke glanced at the person walking at Tori's left side who only nodded at him as confirmation. His grip on her right hand tightened as he let Tori went inside the carriage first. He also guided Lily before he went it.

The ride towards the port was silent and awkward for Lily. She could swear that the tension thickened every kilometer that they traveled but no one dared to break the silence. Lily could not blame the young duke. She knew that he was only worried about their mistress who made the abrupt decision after the commotion in the northern castle.

Prince Corean is still hopeless, right now. With Tessa's appearance, I need to reevaluate my plan. There's a snake among my beasts and I need to know who that traitor is.

The chieftain of the Arin Tribe will meet me in the port beyond the great cliff where the nomadic tribes were using for trade to the empire. With the approval of one of the chieftains, I can get a free pass inside this Ming Country's ship.

I need to get the mine and use that as leverage for the king. With the way things are, the second prince will not cooperate with me. I can't trust him to wait for him to change his mind. I don't have the luxury of time.

I am meant to die at the age of sixteen. I still have a few months before I reach that wretched part of my life according to the original plot.

With a traitor in the midst, I have only myself to trust like before. It always goes down to trust and I won't give anyone that permission to break me down.

Tori felt the carriage stopped which meant that they already arrived at the port where Crown Prince Yei Lin and Crown Prince Allistair were waiting. She did not wait for Duke Rowan to escort her down as she went on ahead. She immediately saw the two princes who welcomed her by kissing both of her hands.

"Are you sure about this?" Crown Prince Yei Lin's calculating raven eyes met hers as soon as she took off her hood.

Nodding her head as her reply, Tori looked up to the gigantic wooden ship. "Tessa's escape will be dealt with by the king. By now, my letter must have reached him from Lady M of the aristocratic faction. King Elphaim will cover my absence." After all, I am the first empire's noble to be able to talk to a chieftain from the northern region. The king will grab this opportunity to control me by making me owe him a favor.

Crown Prince Yei Lin's right hand delicately cupped Tori's cheek as if he's afraid she would shatter. Prying his hand away from her, Tori smiled. "Are you empathizing with me, Yei Lin? You dare mock me, huh."

You foolish, Kpop prince.

"Does it hurt to ask for our help?" The crown prince was agitated for a reason beyond Tori's comprehension. She shrugged, not bothering to answer which made the crown prince of Ming Country angrier. He was about to grasp her shoulder when the young duke stopped his left hand midway as Crown Prince Allistair stopped his right hand.

"Respect Lady Tori's decision. We have to support her as her vassal," uttered Duke Rowan with his distant voice. He was also against his mistress' plan but the young duke chose to protect her no matter what path she chose. He could not say that he did not understand Crown Prince Yei Lin's outburst. They were all worried. Even the bratty prince of Monakre Kingdom was silent the whole time while Lily was crying but she chose to protect her mistress' seat in the Rozenreff Duchy. They all had battles to win and monsters to slay. And all of these were for their mistress who would voyage into unchartered territory alone.

Tori knew but she chose to ignore their act of loyalty. She dared not to open her heart. Turning her back on them, Tori faced the dark sea. The salty crisp of sea breeze blew her golden ringlets.

"If I stay here and do nothing, I will die easily in the future."

For the first time in that night, Crown Prince Allistair spoke. His words were not harsh like usual but frustrated. "You are not doing 'nothing'. We told you, we are at your disposal. So please use us as you wish, Tori. For goddess sake, you are one stubborn woman!" He pulled his blonde hair from frustration before his pleading cerulean eyes met hers the moment he spun her around. "Enough, Alice." Crown Prince Yei Lin interfered by tapping Crown Prince Allistair's shoulder.

"Please reconsider, Lady Tori." Lily's crying face made Tori felt bad only for a split second but the memories of her life as Talia and the original Victoria's memories stopped all her lingering emotions.

I need to live in this lifetime like Talia and Victoria. I want to live against this sick plot. I will not die like the original Victoria who clung to happiness. This time, I will only rely on myself. So I need to do this, not them, but me.

"I am sorry," Tori whispered to them before she grabbed her medium-sized luggage as she stepped forward to the ship that would take her to the northern region.

I am sorry but I can't trust you. No matter how I pondered, helping me will not benefit you. And if it will not benefit you then I can't trust you enough. Trust is a term for two individuals who perform the equivalent exchange. After all, there is no such thing as true-born-loyalty in this wretched world of power play.

THE ODYSEUS ship sailed the moment she stepped foot into the enormous merchant ship. A guide led Tori to a cozy-sized cabin with only a study table, a small bed, and a hammock inside. The lamp hanging on the wall gave a warm light to the place she's staying. After setting aside her luggage, Tori took time to breathe as she reevaluated her plans.

According to Crown Prince Yei Lin and Crown Prince Allistair, she would be welcomed by the chieftain himself. Her plans would set into motion after the meeting.

Three successive knocks spun Tori's attention to her cabin's door. She remembered Crown Prince Yei Lin's instructions; three knocks meant that her guide would lead her to the chieftain.

The chieftain is inside the ship! So that's why the ship was waiting for me.

Tori remembered the information that she got from the two crown princes and Duke Rowan. And she would make use of that information to strike a deal. Opening the door with her sugary smile, Tori almost tripped. Openly gawking at the brawny man in front of her, Tori could almost feel her jaws hitting the floor.

Right in front of her, standing with all of his glory, was the modified version of Liam Hemsworth with tattoos littering his bare top.

"Hey there, sexy. Wait. Am I dreaming? If I am, please wake me up later." Tori whispered to herself which the man before him heard and he disliked her comment which snapped Tori from her stupor. I am such a slut.

"No. And I'm Chief Keiran Arin of the northernmost tribe of Arin. Follow me," he walked ahead of her, not even bothering to check if she was following him. His loincloth made of wolf's fur emphasized his toned bareback. His sexy tattoos of nomadic words crisscrossed across his back too, covering a large scar subtly. His braided brown hair contradicted his silver eyes. And his well-defined shoulders could protect her small form.

The last thought snapped Tori's train of thoughts. Tori shook her head. No matter how strong you are, only I can protect myself.

She followed him through the narrow hallway of the ship. The lamps that lit their path clattered every whip of the waves to the Odyseus. Tori tried her best to steady herself as she followed the young chieftain who walked like the ship was not swaying at all. Unbelievable!

Tori was used to men in the capital who respected ladies even in pretense just to hide their motives. She momentarily forgot that the northern men were not like them. Well, there's an exception to the capital's men. Prince Corean never respects me after becoming bitter. The poor soul who can't move on with my beauty. Such a shame. Well, he'll be mine in no time. I just have to secure this leverage to trade with the king

Chief Keiran stopped her thoughts when he glanced at her as he spoke. "The crown prince of the Ming Country promised me a help. I hope his mind is right. I never thought his help came with ribbons and twirlies." The mock and discontent oozed from his rough accent. Flinching inwardly, Tori smiled at the muscular man in front of her like he did not insult her at all. She endured far worse insult from the pompous second prince. This insult was nothing for Tori.

If only I don't need you, I could have bashed your head up.

"These ribbons and twirlies will help you with all her might if you do as she says," joked Tori as she closed the distance between them and link her right arms to his left one which astounded the latter.

Though Chief Keiran was frigidly walking by her side, he did not utter any insulting words to her. Leaning her body to his, Tori spoke in a hushed voice. "Tell me, Chief Keiran. What were you expecting? A muscled warrior? You've got a lot of that already, right? An old man? What, you need someone to die first in the battle? No. You have all that. What you needed is a strategist, a brain. You needed someone who can't be read by the three other chieftains. Coincidentally, I am good at decision-making. Wanna try?" Her daring red eyes met his stone-cold silver ones.

The young chieftain's silver eyes traveled down from her eyes to her lips. Such a man.

A pair of strong hands unlinked Tori from the equally startled chieftain. "Public display of indecency. You love to leave a trail wherever you go, Lady Victoria."

Tori had to pivot her head and tilt it upwards to see the rude man who held her by her wrists. But the telltale sign of her frantic heart gave away who he was. Her glaring ruby eyes met his icy golden ones. "For the love of the goddess, what the hell are you doing here, Cory?"

"That should be my line." The second prince turned to the puzzled chieftain who recognized the sigil of Prince Corean's coat of arms. "I am sorry, Chief Arin. She'll see you later."

Not waiting for the young chief's reply, Prince Corean dragged her shell-shocked body to the deck. The cold wind snapped Tori from her reverie and pried her wrists from his hold.

Gulping her emotions down, Tori steeled herself before offering her sweet smile to the lunatic of a prince. "Again, what are you doing here? Your highness."

Not a minute after she stepped away from him, Prince Corean closed their distance by cornering Tori to the ship's railing. The splash of the waves trickled like a drizzle at her back. "Why can't you just stop stirring trouble? I don't know what to do with you anymore, Victoria."

"Stop pushing me, Corean." Gone was the sweet façade she had and replaced by a cold warning to the second prince.

"Or what?" His lips just an inch away from her so Tori leaned back only to be stopped by his hand secured on her nape.

"Or I'll have to kill you."