Shadows of Deception

Huh? Why was Victoria alone in the dining room?

I stopped at the doorway, taking in the scene before me in shock. There was no sign of the Duke. Only Victoria was sitting there, quietly sipping her tea as if she had been waiting for me.

I stared at Margit, who stood beside me with her usual coolness, expressionless. I gripped her arm tightly, my voice sharp and angry.

"What does this mean, Margit? Didn't you say the Duke invited me? Why do I only find Victoria here now?"

Margit looked at me coldly, then whispered in a low, fearful tone, "I have only been told what I was ordered to do, Miss Oriana." Her eyes flicked momentarily toward Victoria before she quickly lowered her gaze.

But before I could answer, Victoria strode toward me gracefully, her calm smile concealing a familiar malice.

"Sister, calm down." She spoke in a soft voice, but her gaze bore no ill intent. "Father did summon us, but he asked us to be here at twelve o'clock. We just showed up a little early."

I stared at her without answering. I knew she was lying. There was no such thing as "we showed up a little early." This had been her plan all along. She'd ordered Margit to bring me in now, and the goal? Definitely not good.

A bitterness rose in my throat, but I loosened my hand from Margit's arm, who silently withdrew as if neither my presence nor my anger meant anything to her.

At that moment, Victoria looked at her with a calm smile, then said in a fake gentle tone, "You can leave now, Margit. We're perfectly fine."

I stood there staring at her, my hands still clasped at my sides.

This girl... what is she planning now?

As soon as Margit left and the door closed behind her, I looked directly at Victoria, not wasting a second.

"So, Victoria, what do you want?"

She raised an eyebrow in mock surprise, as if she didn't understand what I meant. "What do you mean?"

I narrowed my eyes, my tone cold and sharp. "I'm not stupid enough to believe that my being here early is just a coincidence. Am I?"

At that, that familiar smile appeared on her lips, a smile of pure malice. She shook her head slowly, then gave a small laugh before saying,

"Looks like my silly sister has gotten a little smarter lately."

With quiet steps, she walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, resting her elbows on the table while supporting her face with her hands. Her gaze remained fixed on me, studying me as if I were a puzzle she was trying to solve.

"I brought you early because I want to know one thing..." she said, her voice soft but still threatening. "What has changed you so, Oriana?"

I felt my heart pounding, but I concealed my nervousness well. Her tone carried a feigned interest, but in reality, it was simply an attempt to gather information.

Then she added slowly, as if savoring every word, "I warned you, didn't I? If you don't do what I want... I won't save the person you care about."

I clenched my fists and took a deep breath as I looked at her coldly.

I already knew this... I knew everything from Oriana's memories.

Victoria had always made Oriana follow her orders, using that vile threat as leverage. She promised her she'd save the person Oriana cared about, but in the end? She didn't do anything. No, she let things play out as she wanted, until Oriana ended up dying alone.

I gritted my teeth, then looked directly at her, saying in a dry tone that held none of the fear she'd expected:

"Are you kidding me, Victoria?"

Her eyebrows rose slightly; perhaps she hadn't anticipated this response.

"You weren't going to save him anyway, were you?"

Victoria slowly rose from her chair, then placed her hand on my shoulder, tilting her head slightly as she looked at me with a fake, deceitful expression.

"Oh, my dear sister, do you really think so badly of me?" she said in a soft voice with a subtle sneer. "Of course I would have saved him. I know you were looking for a way to save him... Clara told me so."

My facial muscles stiffened at the name of that filthy maid.

"She told me you spend your nights searching for a way to save him, didn't she? But now... I no longer know what you're planning, what's going on in your head. And the reason is very simple..."

She gave a sideways smile before continuing coldly:

"Because Clara was fired, and another maid hasn't been hired yet. I no longer have a source to inform me of your movements."

She'd been watching me the whole time. I didn't need to hear it from her to know, but hearing it now confirmed that my suspicions were correct.

"Victoria..." I stared at her coldly, then continued in a steady voice, devoid of hesitation, "Keep that rescue to yourself. I don't need it from you."

Her eyebrows rose slightly, as if she hadn't expected my response. But I didn't give her a chance to respond. I continued more pointedly, looking her straight in the eye:

"I'll rescue him myself, without your help. I don't need you, and so I don't have to follow your orders anymore."

Victoria was silent for a few seconds, then leaned forward slightly, whispering in a low but menacing voice:

"Rescue isn't my only trump card, Oriana."

Victoria raised her chin with a smug smile, as she looked at me with her eyes full of confidence.

"I also have the love of family. Don't forget, I'll soon be the princess of this duchy. You know what? If I start crying right now and say you hit me, everyone will believe me right away. And you'll turn into the villain you've always been."

I laughed coldly, then took a step toward her, making her recoil slightly.

"Princess of the duchy?" I said sarcastically, then shrugged nonchalantly. "If you want the title, keep it. I don't want it."

Her smile faded for a moment, but I wasn't done yet.

"As for your usual acting..." I reached out and grabbed her cheeks, pressing them gently but threateningly. "Why bother acting? I could hit you right now, so the story becomes real."

Her eyes widened in shock as I leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Or maybe... I should gouge out one of your eyes, so you can cry for real?"

Victoria took a step back, her eyes widening in surprise for a moment, but she quickly let out a snarky laugh that carried a subtle threat: 'Try it, Oriana, and you'll find out who's going to lose the most.' She straightened up, trying to regain her composure, despite her hands trembling slightly.

"But what's wrong, Victoria? Aren't you the girl who rules everyone? Why are you trembling now?"

But before I could hear her reply, the door suddenly opened, revealing Duke Edward, Oscar, and Leonard.

At the same moment, the tense and fearful expression on Victoria's face vanished, and she subtly returned to her usual gentle expression, as if nothing had happened.

The Duke stepped toward me, his eyes watching me cautiously before saying in his calm but firm voice, "I didn't expect you to accept my invitation, Oriana."

I smiled faintly, then bowed to him with a respectful nod, which only added to the surprise of those present.

"Of course, Your Majesty, I couldn't help but accept your invitation. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this honor."

There was silence for a few seconds, as everyone stared at me in obvious surprise. It seemed they hadn't yet gotten used to this cold tone.

"Well, Oriana, please all sit down."

The Duke said in a calm tone, but with an irrefutable message. Everyone moved to sit down, with Victoria taking her usual place next to the Duke, while Oscar sat next to her, as if guarding her without realizing it.

At that moment, Leonard walked over to me, looked at me with a slight smile, and said in a friendly but thoughtful tone, "Oriana, you can sit here next to my father, and I'll sit in the chair next to you."

I stared at him for a moment, wondering inwardly what his true intentions were. Was he trying to get closer to me? Or was he simply watching me like the others, trying to understand this sudden change in my demeanor?

In any case, I showed no hesitation and sat gracefully in my assigned seat, ready to face the next round of this game, which I no longer intended to lose.

I had thought that if I ate with the Duke, I wouldn't be disturbed, and I'd finally have a good meal without worrying about the usual tricks. But it seems I was wrong.

As soon as the food was served, I noticed that the plates were placed in front of everyone smoothly, while mine wasn't placed until the very end, as if it were an afterthought.

I tried to ignore it, but when my eyes met those of the maid who had served it to me, I saw that sly smile, a barely noticeable smile, but one with a deliberate malice.

It was clear she was testing me. Trying to provoke me, perhaps to see if I would lose my temper and ruin this formal atmosphere.

But I wouldn't give her that satisfaction.

As soon as I placed the spoon in my mouth, a sharp saltiness stung my tongue, and I put it down slowly, trying to process what was happening. I took a small sip of water, but deliberately coughed lightly, placing my hand over my throat as if I were in discomfort.

"Oriana?" Leonard's voice was the first to call out, while Oscar raised his eyebrow in concern.

I felt everyone's gazes on me, so I put my hand to my chest for a moment and sighed audibly, then said in a weak voice, "The food... it's too spicy... my throat hurts..."

Immediately, the Duke's expression changed as he looked at me with obvious concern. He hadn't expected this.

"Oriana, are you okay?" His voice was warm but tinged with tension, then he gestured to one of the servants, "Bring the doctor immediately!"

"No... there's no need," I added a final touch to my act, grabbing the cup again and sipping a little water, then closing my eyes as if to soothe my throat with difficulty. I looked at the Duke calmly and said, "I didn't want to cause any discomfort, but... this was too much for me for the first time."

Leonard wasn't convinced, however. He grabbed my spoon and tasted a small portion of my food. Immediately, his expression hardened, and he said angrily, "This food is too salty! How could anyone eat it like that?"

Oscar glared at the maid who placed the plate in front of me and asked in a firm voice, "Why is Oriana's food the only way it is?"

The maid tensed, but tried to feign innocence as she said, "I-I don't know, sir... I served the food as is!"

"As is?!" The Duke's voice was sharp this time, and he rose slightly from his seat, glaring at the maid. "Bring the head chef immediately. I want an explanation for this!"

Victoria, who had been watching silently, didn't say a word, but she was certainly not pleased with this development.

As for me, I suppressed a small smile as I sensed the maid's confusion and fear. She realized I was no longer the weak girl who could be easily manipulated. This wasn't complete revenge, but it was just the beginning.

A few moments later, the head chef entered the dining room accompanied by two servants, his expression strained as he bowed respectfully before the Duke.

"Tell me," the Duke said firmly, pointing at the plate in front of me, "why is Oriana's food so salty?"

The head chef looked at the plate, then turned to the maid in charge and said sharply, "That's impossible! We taste the food before serving it, and that can't happen!"

The maid grew more tense, and everyone's gazes focused on her.

"Maybe... maybe it was just an unintentional mistake," she muttered in a trembling voice, trying to defend herself.

But Leonard wasn't ready to let it go. He focused his sharp gaze on her and said coldly, "Really? Then why were you smiling when you placed the plate in front of Oriana?"

Her eyes widened, as if she hadn't expected anyone to notice, and she began to stammer, "I... I didn't... I didn't mean anything, I just..."

"Just what?" Oscar interrupted her coldly, crossing his arms.

The Duke, who had been silently observing all this, decided to intervene and said firmly, "I will not allow anyone to tamper with the food of a member of my family. This matter will be investigated, and if it is proven that you deliberately harmed Oriana, you will be severely punished."

The maid suddenly knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "Sir! I... I didn't mean anything wrong! I was just..."

But the duke raised his hand to stop her and said to the head cook, "Investigate this immediately. I want a clear report within the day."

The head cook nodded deeply and said, "Of course, Your Honor." He gestured for the other servants to take the maid with them, as she tried to plead, but to no avail.

Victoria, while trying to maintain her normal expression, was certainly not pleased with this development.

I sighed quietly as I watched the scene, then looked at the duke and said in a weak but meaningful tone, "I'm sorry I caused this mess. I didn't expect something like this to happen."

The duke looked at me for a moment, then said in a calm but tender voice, "You didn't cause any mess, Oriana. If anyone made a mistake, it was the one who allowed it to happen in the first place."

His words carried an implicit admission that I was no longer the girl who could be easily ignored.

Oscar, who had been silently observing me the entire time, looked at me with an incomprehensible expression before saying coldly, "Make sure you always check your food from now on."

"Of course," I replied with a mysterious smile.

I stood silently and wiped my lips with the silk napkin beside me, then slowly pushed my chair back so as not to make a loud noise. Everyone noticed my movement, their eyes turning curiously, but I paid no attention to any of them.

I excused myself coldly, saying, "I'll go back to my room."

The Duke looked at me with concern, then said, "But your food... you only had a few bites."

I looked up at him blankly, then said, "I no longer have the desire to eat. I've completely lost my appetite."

There was silence for a moment, but tension was heavy in the air. Even Victoria, who usually cheered up when I was vulnerable, couldn't hide her concern. Leonard looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated, while Oscar stared at me with an indecipherable look.

I didn't pay attention to anyone and simply walked away with steady steps, even though my body was screaming with hunger.

Once I reached my room, I closed the door behind me and sat on the chair by the desk, resting my head on the table and closing my eyes.

"Huh... Looks like I won't be eating today either. I'm supposed to be a noble, so why should I even struggle to get a proper meal?"

I stared at the desk in front of me, feeling weakness creeping into my limbs. It wasn't just hunger, but the frustration building inside me. No one was on my side here—no servants, no family, not even the simple comforts of my daily life.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to ignore my sense of exhaustion. This wasn't just the aggression of a spiteful maid; it was part of a larger game—a game being orchestrated by Victoria, or perhaps by someone else in this palace.

"Huh..." I sighed as I leaned back in my chair, staring into space.

"I have to go visit him today..." I muttered to myself, clenching my fists nervously.

That person... the one Oriana was trying to save. I couldn't go to him yesterday because of what happened, but I couldn't put it off any longer. Oriana visited him every day, and if I were to suddenly disappear, it might raise suspicions.

But not only that...

He's the person I've been most affected by in the novel, and now I'm finally going to meet him.

I stood up quickly and took a deep breath. No time to hesitate.

Huh? I have to go today to visit that person Oriana was trying to save. I couldn't go to him yesterday because of what happened, but I have to visit him today. Oriana visited him every day. Wouldn't it be strange if I went to visit him?

He's also the person I loved the most in the novel and really wanted to meet him.