Thorny Crown's Trashy Plot

THORNY CROWN, a N*****x adaptation of the equally famous novel of this series. The author of this novel series died a week before Talia died in that world. And now, she’s inside the popular N*****x series, “Thorny Crown.” Talia couldn’t believe that the actress who acted as Lady Victoria in the N*****x adaptation would fail compared to the real deal, even if how many times she would stare at her new body.

So I should stop referring to myself as Talia, huh? Despite that, the honest Victoria told me not to lose myself. Then, I will use my experiences as Talia to live splendidly as the reborn Lady Victoria, who will also crush Sabina to bits.

“Victoria is old-fashioned. Hmm. Lily!”

Her maid stepped forward from standing on the sidelines. The others who were not called stayed at the corner. She did not miss one particular maid, auburn C-cut hair with stupid yet greedy cobalt eyes, Mia. She was the downfall of the original Victoria since this Mia-mutt was a spy sent by Sabina, her dearest half-sister. She particularly hated this one since Victoria truly trusted this mutt until they executed her. The original Victoria saw how this mutt laughed secretly together with Sabina.

“Yes, Lady Victoria?”

“I implore you to call me Tori from now on and not Victoria. It should be Lady Tori. Do not make me repeat this, so pass it along with the other handmaidens.”

Though Tori could see the bewilderment on Lily’s face, the latter did not dare question her. “Understood, Lady Tori.” Lily politely bowed before passing her order to the rest of her handmaidens. She knew that her new nickname would reach all the servants in this household by evening.

“Now, leave me alone. The doctor told me to rest, so rest I shall do.”

She could sense the icy gaze among the maids that exited the room after showing her common courtesy by bowing their heads. Lily remained to check everything before reminding her she was only one call away.

Talia, now Tori, immediately sat in front of her study table. She looked for some parchment and a quill and started writing the focal points of this N*****x series. While writing, she used coded symbols as she was wary of the Mia-mutt spilling these goods to Sabina.

Better safe than sorry.

Victoria Rozenreff died when they framed her, saying she allegedly poisoned Sabina, who was the Crown Princess of the Empire of Eckrett, after getting engaged to Crown Prince Lauren Eckrett. They found a bottle of poison in her room, thus solidifying the evidence against Victoria. The duke who cherished Sabina more abandoned her eldest daughter, thus leading to the execution of Lady Victoria Rozenreff even when she was a noble. Everyone felt sorry for Crown Princess Sabina, who suffered so much from her half-sister. Everyone hated Victoria except Lillian, her maid. Nobody would know except the viewers of the series how twisted Sabina truly was. Sabina had the image of a saint, and Tori was itching to destroy that facade.

“Victoria!”

“Sister!”

Two figures came rushing in without further announcement. The first was a middle-aged man with a dominant stance and identical ruby-red eyes. He had chocolate-colored hair, like the female who entered her room. It was evident that Tori and Sabina were leagues apart from each other. While Tori had fiery ruby eyes and silky golden ringlets, Sabina had calm pale sapphire eyes and straight chocolate-colored hair. In simple terms, Victoria truly looked like a noble, while Sabina lacked the red eyes that symbolized the Dukedom of Rozenreff.

This is one of the insecurities of this maggot which will be revealed when they execute Victoria.

Tori’s handmaidens came in after the two, along with the butler and the handmaidens of Sabina. Sabina’s handmaidens, especially her maid, Shena, threw icy glares at Tori. Unlike before when Victoria would throw a tantrum at her father for bringing Sabina along, Tori calmly faced the two with a warm smile on her face – a perfect display of a noble’s elegance.

“Thank you for visiting me, father, sister. Please have a seat. Lily, prepare me a chamomile tea.”

“Yes, Lady Tori.”

Tori noticeably saw her father, Duke Luwen Rozenreff, arched his brows at how her maid addressed her. Sabina, for a split second, arched her brow too. 

They genuinely are a son and daughter pair.

The duke waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need. I came here to ask why you pushed Sabina, Victoria. It’s been two years since your sister stayed here in the manor. You should mature and welcome the changes. It is good that Sabina understood your complex predicament.”

Sabina gasped like a vulnerable child from their father’s father on cue. “I understand my sister’s flaws–“

Tori cut Sabina off, which was insulting to do between ladies. “Oh, I understand if that’s how you saw it, my dear darling sister. I tried to push you since I saw how you almost trip, and I realized I’d rather hurt myself than see you in pain. So I pushed you towards the plain grounds and fell down the stairs in your stead. I’m a changed person now, father. I realized how I treasured my one and only sibling.” The voice she used was soft and laced with understanding and love. Tori grasped Sabina’s hands and placed them on her cheeks.

The look of disbelief flashed on the intruders’ faces.

Tori continued, “I know you are not yet accustomed to being a noble lady. After all, you’re a commoner all your life. Worry not, my dearest sister. I, Victoria, will help you with everything in me to help you become a true, noble lady.” The sincerity in Tori’s voice moved everyone except Sabina, Shena, and Mia.

Tori gently let go of Sabina’s hands.

“Oh, Lady Victoria saved our Lady Sabina!”

“Lady Victoria sacrificed her health to amend all their misunderstandings.”

“Lady Victoria is so kind. She truly changed for the better.”

“What happened to Lady Victoria? It’s like she’s a new person?”

The whispers from Sabina’s handmaidens made Tori mentally smirk at Sabina, who was busy maintaining her smiling face despite the unexpected turn of events.

“Then, there is nothing more to discuss. I apologize for barging here without analyzing another scenario that might have happened. Get well soon, Victoria.” Her father leaned forward and kissed her hair, which shocked Tori momentarily before she replied with a quick hug to her father.

It was new to her who grew up without a father like Talia. But she could not let her past affect her survival plans, not when she was interacting with the female lead of the Thorny Crown N*****x series.

Sabina, who was busy maintaining her saintly façade, trotted with their father as if his ass was burning – too angry to stick with Victoria. “I’m going with you, father. And I-I’m sorry for the misunderstanding, Victoria.” Though smiling, Sabina’s eyes were gleaming with malice.

Tori answered her malicious look with equal fervent, hiding behind the pretext of a soft voice and a smiling face. “You can call me Tori. I have a feeling we’ll be much closer to each other.”

Sabina just replied with a forced smile before exiting with her father. Sabina’s handmaidens followed suit. With a soft thud, the doors of her chambers closed.

“Leave the tea, Lily. And leave me alone for a while. I’ll cherish the moment I had with my family. You know how much I love them.” Tori sweetly smiled at Lily, which was also clearly heard by her handmaidens. They silently left her room. And when she knew she was finally alone, she couldn’t help but laugh.

           WHAT A SIGHT TO behold. How does it feel, Sabina, to get trapped with your plan? How does it feel to be reminded of your filthy origins? Don’t forget, Sabina. I am the legitimate daughter of this household. I think it is time to put you in your place.

Sabina’s saintly attitude, if that gave you an advantage against Victoria before then, I will use that as your disadvantage this time around.

Tori remembered the real Victoria’s soul and her last lingering emotions displayed in the depths of her ruby eyes. The pain of betrayal from her family and household. The pain of frustration from being unable to do anything, even if she knew she was innocent. And the pain of dying at the hands of someone she dearly loved. 

That bastard male crown prince! I will live, and I will change the fate of Lady Victoria Rozenreff.

To accomplish her plans, she needed to remember the critical events of this story, starting from Season 1, in which Sabina joined the high society. The saintly female lead of the series targeted the Marchioness Susana of House Helios as her sponsor for her coming-of-age ceremony. Sabina used the sympathy that she made up and manipulated Victoria to gain favor from the noble ladies.

That conniving wench!

Two years before the plot started, she had to earn as much power and connections. One thing that she wondered when she was still Talia and while watching the N*****x Series was why Victoria didn’t reach the favor of the elusive Duchess of Castaña Dukedom.

There were only two ducal houses in this empire. In terms of power and wealth, these two ducal houses were directly below the Imperial Family of the Eckrett Empire. Next to them were the Marquis Houses of Zoliel and Florentia, followed by the Houses of Count Helios and Count Lariat, then the Houses of Baron Vida, Baron Harum, and Baron Quadrat.

Sabina earned the sponsorship from the Marquis House of Zoliel through the Marchioness before, and Tori bet that that’s what Sabina was still aiming for this time. Now, Tori needed the support of House Castaña for her sponsorship and to place a firm foundation in the High Society. But it would also be splendid if Tori could earn the favor of the Marchioness. She wanted to see Sabina’s reaction when that time would come.

From a separate parchment, she drafted the other second male leads. These two were the significant factors why they executed Victoria. They firmly pushed the ‘befitting’ punishment for the villainess who tormented their saintly love interest.

Saint my ass. I’ll come back to you guys when the right time comes, especially that certain someone.

Now, she needed to change the tides of favor in the inner circle. And she’ll start within this mansion.

Tori rang the bell, and Lily immediately came in. “Prepare me my simplest outdoor dress, Lilly. We’re going out shopping.”

Lily’s astonishment was apparent, but she never dared ask Tori, which the latter was grateful for. Tori couldn’t tell Lily why she would shop to change her wardrobe. Gone would be the overly lavish indoor and outdoor dresses. She would shop for classy yet simple ones. She would start from the outer appearance when changing her image.

“Here you go, Lady Tori.”

Lily handed Tori a light purple off-shoulder dress with golden embroidery along with a few pink pearls. Tori immediately approved of Lily’s choice. An amethyst pin in a shape of a butterfly was her only hair decorative. As Tori faced the mirror, she realized that purple was indeed the nobility’s color. It emphasized her eyes and cascading ringlets.

“Splendid, Lily!” Tori beamed at Lily through the mirror’s reflection.

“You are naturally a beauty, Lady Tori.” Lily lovingly gazed at her, to which she replied with a grateful smile.

Victoria, both the past and the present were glad you’re here, Lillian.

When Tori went downstairs, she saw her father, Sabina, and their butler talking near the garden, so she stopped by. As expected, her fresh look astounded everyone. She elegantly greeted her father by performing a perfect curtsy.

“What brought you here, Victoria? And you changed your style, I see.” He looked pleased with what he saw. She smiled sweetly at them.

“I just stopped by to greet my father and my dear sister. It is a fine day, so I am going out to shop. I plan to live humbly and live as an example for my dear sister. I am serious with what I said the last time, father, sister. So I donated all my previous dresses aside from the ones I received as a gift.” Tori’s voice laced with pure sincerity and goodwill made the duke and the butler smile, clearly happy with Lady Victoria’s changes.

“Why are you going to donate them, Victoria? I know how you loved your dresses.” Her father asked in astonishment.

Tori shook her head with a smile. “The enlightenment I received when I saved my dear sister made me realize a lot of things. Thus, I would like to donate my dresses to the girls in an orphanage. Father, I see my sister in them. Suppose I would like to make their dreams come true even for a fleeting moment. So, I am shopping for modest dresses for myself as a consideration for my sister who came from humble origins.” The sickening sweetness of her voice fooled the spectators except one who was clenching her fists the entire time.

What a view to behold, dearest sister. Entertain me more. Show them how far you are from being a saint, but you wouldn’t, would you? Come on and smile at me.

And smile she did. Sabina smiled at Tori as her goodwill moved her. 

What an actress we are, Sabina.