Tori Transmigrated Chapter 157: Take the Damn Carriage

Several eyes were fixed on JP with varying states of shock and confusion.

He had a breakdown? Henrik asked, his voice filled with disbelief. Guthry?

JP nodded. I heard from Madam McIntyres daughter, the nurse. She was dispatched with her dical team from the Central Imperial Hospital to the Pri Ministers manor last night. Guthry collapsed after breaking down.

Tori leaned back against her chair and tapped her fingers on the table. Im not too surprised.

Youre not? Ilyana asked. The others also turned to her with surprise.

He may have been trying to hide it, but obviously, hed been under an imnse amount of stress that spiraled out of his control. He was kidnapped and almost killed this sumr. That cant be without so lasting trauma. It resulted in his parents' disappointnt in him, likely the most theyd ever been, and he was their golden child. His project was not only failing, but implicated his father. Any trust they had was likely worn out at that point.

There was the financial pressure to fix his craftsn school and to support Hart. His rank has been falling since we started Lyce to the point that hes out of the top ten. Hes excluded from Ilyanas reviews, so everyone in our year knows that there is so animosity between him and us. Other students almost avoid him. Now, there was the schoolhouse collapse which had consequences far beyond what he expected, Tori said. I wouldnt be surprised that hed been in denial until the official punishnts were issued.

So...it broke him? Sonia asked.

Tori nodded. It seems like it. I dont know if this will change anything, though.

Ilyanas eyes narrowed. It would be a miracle if it did considering how every ti you tried to talk so sense into him, hed just ramble on.

It was like talking to a wall. Tori had said it many tis before.

If he had a breakdown, does that an he wont go to school when we start next week? Henrik asked. This isnt sothing that can be solved in a weekend.

JP pursed his lips. Nurse McIntyre says that when her shift ended, he was still bedridden.

Do you know what the fines and punishnts were? Ilyana asked. JP shook his head and glanced at Tori.

She nodded understandingly. It wont be too difficult to find out. Its a publicly recorded case. I can inquire about him and Hart, but the consequences with the Lyce project will be difficult to get. Headmaster Laurent isnt going to advertise a students failure, especially when theyre still amid completing the project.

Is his project salvageable at this point? Sonia asked as she leaned back and crossed her arms. I heard he was trying to reorganize it and hire responsible instructors, but after this, whod want to be associated with his craftsman school?

Ilyana and Henrik nodded. Sonia made a good point.

Its almost a mark of sha to have gone there. It would be better to pretend otherwise and try to get an apprenticeship sowhere else, Henrik said.

Whos getting an apprenticeship? Ewan asked as he arrived with Axton just a step behind him. Albert tilted his head to the side, also curious.

No one, but JP found out that Guthry had a breakdown and collapsed, Henrik replied. Ewans eyes went wide, and Alberts jaw dropped.

Guthry? they both chorused with disbelief. JP nodded.

Tori looked past them, at Axton. Is it possible for you to find out what his fine and punishnt are?

Why dont you ask Piers? Axton said. He tried to get the maximum punishnt.

Prison ti? Ilyana perked up.

Why do you want him to go to prison so badly? Sonia asked.

Henrik smirked. Hell be safer there.

Safe from whom?

Ilyana.

Tori let out a snort as Ilyana puffed out her cheeks. Tori looked around and furrowed her brows. Wheres Piers? I thought he was with you.

Im here. Piers said, appearing from behind them. He had a stoic look on his face as his brother followed behind him. He wants to co.

Tori scrunched her face as Gideon seed to peek out from behind his brother and tried not to look desperate to join. Tori glanced at her friends and they either looked at her to take the lead or frowned.

Does he know that after dinner, were going to the delta? Tori asked. Her first official chamber session was in a week, and she wanted to follow up with her chosen representative and the commoner representative on what to expect.

Dont tell he wants to co, too. Ilyana frowned more so. Gideons eyes dropped and he looked almost wounded. We only allocated enough snacks for us. Whats he going to eat on the way?

We can just ask Mr. Jager to pack up so more things, Sonia said, motioning one hand towards the back of the cafe. The cafes delicacies were extrely popular, and Henrik swore that more people ca to the cafe for the cafes food than from Duel itself. It wasnt a bad thing; it was just more than expected.

Is His Highness packed? Henrik asked.

Gideons eyes lit up and he lifted his head. I can have my things brought to the Three Queens. And Ill bring my own carriage!

The group exchanged looks. Then, we wont be too crowded in the carriage, Albert said.

We can play a round or two on the way there, Ewan suggested. He looked at Gideon. Your Highness, do you have a table in your carriage?

Gideon nodded earnestly. Yes, it folds out from the sides and connects.

They looked towards Tori for the final approval. Tori finished off her drink and nodded. All right, decide who sits where so you can play, but dont stay up the entire ti.

Weve only done that once, Albert said with a wave of his hand. Tori stared at him, and he shrunk back. Okay, we do it all the ti when youre not in the carriage with us.

Im aware.

Axton, Piers said as he watched his brother rush off with Ewan and Albert to order more snacks to be packed up. Are you inviting Montan?

No, Axton answered imdiately. He has to work this weekend.

Toris eyes flicked past him. So other ti, then.

When its warr. There isnt as much to do at the delta when its winter, Axton said. Itll be good if his first taste of the delta is when there are festivities happening.

The corner of Toris lip curled up. Did you hear that, Mr. Alvere? Keep the Spring Festival clear so you can co with us to the delta.

Axton perked up and he turned around. Montan had his head bowed as he stopped behind them, his pale hands clenching the crossbar of the snack cart he was pushing. Axton stared at the top of his head for a mont and then let out a low, resigned breath.

Do you want to co or not? Axton asked, sounding almost annoyed.

You should co, Gideon walked back with a scone in his hand. Theres a lot to do and you can try food you cant get in the city.

Youre planning to go, too? Piers asked with a raised brow. Gideon nodded.

Mother also wants to go.

Why are you eating? Were going to dinner.

Gideon looked at the half-eaten scone in his hand, as if he didnt realize he had picked it up and started eating.

Ill talk to Mr. Sorset to keep it open, a strained voice ca from the young man with the dark-blue hair. Thank you.

Axton let out a low grumble and Montan pushed the cart past them to get to the back counter. As Axton eyed his half-brother, Tori stood up and patted his shoulder.

All right, lets go to dinner.

Tori and her friends crowded into her carriage, leaving the imperial carriage that Piers had prepared to him, Axton, and Gideon. They had to wait until they were seated in the rooftop dining room of the Three Queens for Piers to tell them what the punishnts were.

Mr. Dimitri Guthry was sentenced to pay a fine of a thousand gold coins for his negligence in hiring incapable craftsn. In addition, he must pay for the dical treatnt of the children who were injured, and compensate them and the abbey. The Pri Minister have arranged compensation to be paid as support to the orphanage for a total of three thousand gold coins per year for the next nine years.

The nine years was estimated using the average age of the children and how many years until theyd reach sixteen, the legal age of majority. The Pri Minister lobbied heavily to avoid any prison sentence, however short, and the tribunal agreed to public service for two years.

What does public service include? Tori asked from his right side.

Unpaid heavy manual labor. He may be assigned to the city dump, to do sanitary work, assist with clearing for construction, or rebuilding and repairing old structures in the city, Piers replied.

Was Hart charged with anything? Tori asked.

Gideon frowned from across the table. Why would Alessa be charged? She had nothing to do with this!

Piers gave a single shake of his head.

Baroness Hart oversaw the project. She accepted the labor offered by Mr. Guthry. The tribunal believed that she should have known about the problems Mr. Guthrys craftsn school had and therefore, should have anticipated that the quality of the structure could be questioned and should have had the structure overseen by experienced builders. Her attorney-

She had an attorney? Sonias eyes were wide.

Yes.

How did she pay for it?

It doesnt matter, Tori said. The point is that she had one and the attorney likely painted her as a victim as well because this is her project, and she has no reason to want such an accident to occur. She looked at Piers. Am I right?

Piers nodded. She was still sentenced to pay a five hundred gold fine for her negligence and if she wishes to rebuild, she is required to use guild mbers paid at the market rate, have the plans for the structure approved by both the guilds and the citys engineering council, as well as have a seasoned foreman on-site to review every aspect of the construction.

Albert let out a low whistle. Thats going to cost more than five hundred gold....

Tori calculated it in her head. A thousand gold coins in Soleil took an average city dweller four or five years to earn, after the various empire taxes. More rural citizens would need seven to eight years.

For families like hers, a thousand gold coins was a drop in the proverbial bucket. For soone in Alessas position, this was a painful amount to pay. Unless, of course, soone paid for her.

Her eyes moved over Gideon for a mont.

But thats not fair.... Gideon shook his head. She didnt an for this to happen. It was an accident and out of her control.

Not completely, Ilyana said. As His Highness said, the tribunal knew that Hart knew about Guthrys craftsn schools problems. The students at the school have left a trail of well-docunted problems.

Guthry and Hart are close friends, Tori told him. She mustve known.

Gideon shook his head. But she trusted Guthry to send her capable workers.

And she put her trust in the wrong person, Sonia said in a sharp voice. Even if she trusts him, that doesn't an she should let them work without any oversight. Thats irresponsible.

In the delta, we have seasoned guild mbers, but everything is reviewed from the ground composition before we start, all the way to inspecting a finished structure to comply with empire regulations and the recomndations of professionals, JP told him. Tori trusts the guild mbers, but accidents happen.

Arranging safety procedures isnt an insult to the workers. If she was going to build a schoolhouse, safety should have been Harts priority, Tori said firmly. This was negligence on her part, and she must take responsibility for her lack of oversight.

Gideons shoulders shrank, and he looked down. But how is she going to afford such a fine?

If she cannot pay all at once, it will be deducted from her familys inco over the next three years, Piers replied. Gideon, there are always consequences to ones actions.

His brother quieted down and Tori furrowed her brows.

Do we know anything about how this will affect their Lyce projects? she asked. Im sure this isnt the first ti a students negligence has caused a problem or caused a project to fail.

That is up to the school board to decide, Piers told them. However, it is certain that their projects will be reassessed.