Deviating from the original plot

Chapter three

Her new life, Victoria's life, felt like a burden she hadn't asked for. Yet the more she thought about it, the more it became clear—she had no choice but to adapt. There was no returning to the life she once had.

Anne caught up to her side and smiled warmly. "The garden is quite lovely this time of year, isn't it, my lady?" she asked, trying to draw her out of her thoughts.

Victoria managed a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes, it's beautiful."

Anne, sensing her quiet mood, didn't press her for conversation. Instead, she led her to a peaceful bench beneath an archway of roses, their delicate fragrance mingling with the air.

"Would you like to sit here, my lady?" Anne asked.

Victoria nodded. She sat down slowly, her back pressed to the bench. The silence around was comfortable; a walk did clear her thoughts.

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After some time, Victoria began writing in her journal, carefully noting down everything she knew about this world.

She began with the basics. From what she remembered, the world closely resembled an early European society, characterised by strict class divisions and rigid social expectations.

The Empire of Veridian was governed by a powerful ruling family, their authority absolute and unquestioned. The royal bloodline was believed to be blessed by the gods, granting them divine right to rule. At the head of the empire sat Emperor Aldric Veridian, a ruler known for his wisdom.

His heir, Crown Prince Cassian Veridian, was the novel's male lead—the perfect prince, admired by all. He was a skilled swordsman, well-versed in politics, and, of course, devastatingly handsome. His destined love interest was the novel's heroine, Lady Evelyn Leclair, a count's daughter whose beauty set her apart and a kind-hearted soul who wouldn't hurt a fly.

Then, there was the villainess.

Lady Celeste Ashford, daughter of Duke Ashford , was everything a classic antagonist should be—elegant, intelligent, and utterly ruthless. She was the empire's most dazzling noblewoman, possessing both beauty and influence, yet doomed to fall in disgrace.

In the novel, Celeste was deeply in love with the crown prince, but her love was never reciprocated. When Lady Evelyn entered the scene, the perfect heroine with her kind heart and gentle nature, Celeste became desperate. Her jealousy drove her to schemes and manipulation, but no matter how hard she tried, the prince's affection remained out of reach.

Her downfall was inevitable. In the end, her plots were exposed, and she was stripped of her title and abandoned by her allies and was almost executed for treason.

Victoria tapped her pen against the journal, her brows furrowing. She had never particularly liked this type of trope. A powerful woman, intelligent and refined, yet her entire downfall stemmed from fighting for a man who had never truly wanted her.

It was pathetic, really.

For all her influence and status, Celeste had been reduced to nothing more than a desperate woman clinging to a love that was never hers. And for what? The prince had never shown her genuine affection, yet the novel painted her as a villain for refusing to accept her fate.

If she had been reincarnated as Celeste instead, she wouldn't have wasted her time chasing after an unattainable man. With her wealth, beauty, and political connections, Celeste could have easily secured a future that didn't revolve around the prince.

But then again, that wasn't how stories like this worked, was it? The heroine always had to shine, and for that to happen, someone else had to fall.

Victoria had no intention of interfering with the main plot, but the novel's events hadn't truly begun yet, meaning Celeste still held her position as the prince's fiancée.

According to the novel, Victoria and Evelyn were the same age, and the story truly began when Evelyn turned 19—the same year the crown prince returned from abroad. Now, Victoria was 14, the same age she had been before her death. That meant she had five years before the main events of the plot unfolded.

Five years.

That was both a long time and no time at all.

Victoria set her pen down, staring at the pages of her journal. Five years to figure out what she wanted to do. Her mere existence in this world was already a deviation. And unlike the other minor characters in the novel, she had something no one else did—knowledge of the future.

So, what was she supposed to do with it?

Normally, she wasn't the type to meddle in matters that didn't concern her, but she also wasn't going to let herself become just another footnote in someone else's tale.

The first thing she decided to do was master etiquette and the intricacies of high society. There was no way she would allow herself to be reduced to nothing more than a pitiful outcast.

That would be her first course of action.

Closing her journal, she turned to Anne. "I'd like to start etiquette lessons," she said firmly.

Anne blinked in surprise. "Etiquette lessons, my lady?"

"Yes. If I am to live as the young lady of House Valenford, I should at least carry myself with the proper grace and decorum."

Anne's expression brightened with approval. "Of course! I'll inform the head maid, and she will relay your request to the Marquis."

Victoria nodded, setting her pen down. "Thank you, Anne. I'd like to start as soon as possible."

Anne beamed. "I'm sure the Marquis will be pleased to hear this. It won't be long before everything is arranged."

With that, Anne hurried off, leaving Victoria alone with her thoughts. She glanced down at her journal, flipping back to the notes she had made.

"I am going to learn how high society works!" Victoria said with resolve.