Tori Transmigrated Chapter 42: Stabbing Someone Was a Very Intimate Act

The room went quiet.

The musicians stopped playing and the chattering of teenagers around the table ceased. Tori could feel the sudden tension fill the room as the restaurant master and a server tried to pull Duke Alvere away from the door that led to the enclosed rooftop dining room.

Axton looked at the clear, tinted liquid in his wine glass and swirled it around. I an, its not as if you can afford to eat here.

Tori drew in her lips as a small voice in the back of her mind scread ooohhh.

The rooftop is only used by you. What are you doing here? You hardly ever co to The Three Queens! Duke Alveres irritated voice filled the room.

Tori glanced towards Piers and saw him frowning, but did nothing to get in the way of the duke and Axton. Across from her, Axton paused. He lowered his wine glass and looked towards the door, lifting his chin just a bit.

Why would it matter to you whether I ca to my restaurant or not? Axton asked. He narrowed his eyes. Dont tell youre trying to entertain here and are embarrassed that you dont have access to the rooftop. He let out a small laugh. You should be glad I even allow you to enter.

You ungrateful little-

Youre the one whos ungrateful, Mr. Alvere, Axton said in a calm voice. Lets not forget whose benevolence allows you to parade around, pretending to be a noble. Im trying to have a nice al with my guests and youre disturbing us. It seems you really want to be kicked out of Sun Garden and return to that dilapidated cottage with your mistress and son.

Tori watched Duke Alveres face twist as he trembled. How dare you call her a mistress!

She is a mistress, Axton said, as if the duke were an idiot who couldnt comprehend sothing so simple. You were legally married to my mother and vowed to have a monogamous marriage, but instead, continued to have a relationship with a third party during the said marriage.

Your mother understood!

Axton shook his head. My mother gave up on you. If she consented to your affairs, why was she so angry when on her deathbed, that you moved in with the mistress and your illegitimate son? If she didnt mind, why did she make sure that anything and everything of value was to be inherited by and make sure you knew nothing about it? Axton narrowed his eyes. Dont forget that she asked for a divorce, and you refused. If she werent so weak, she wouldve fought for it.

This was new knowledge to Tori, and likely the rest of her friends, who sat still and quiet, trying to minimize their presence as much as possible. Except for Sonia and Ewan, who looked very interested in what was happening.

Your mother was deathly ill! Who would take care of her if we divorced! Duke Alvere still tried to argue, but Axton wasnt taking it.

Certainly not you. You were at that cottage with your second family most of the ti, Axton said. He let out a heavy sigh and shook his head at the duke. You dont have to pretend you cared about my mother in front of . I was there. I know what happened. The staff knows what happened. The peerage knows what happened.

You were a child! How could you understand the relationships between adults? the duke said as he was held back and kept from setting another foot into the dining room.

You talk as if I didnt see what was happening or my mother didnt tell . Her biggest regret was marrying you, Axton said. My biggest regret is that youre my birth father.

Like it or not, you are my son, the duke said with a glowering look. I tried to raise you well! And instead, you treat as if Im beneath you and constantly threaten to take my title and land, which rightfully belong to , away!

Tori raised a brow and even her friends, who only had a basic understanding of the situation, gave each other confused looks. It was clear that the rightful title and landowner was Axton, who carried Alvere blood.

Axton continued to look at his father as if he were a joke. You are a poor, foolish, and insane man who on cheated my mother and tried to cheat , he said. He looked away. Get him out of my sight.

Yes, my lord! The restaurant master and two other staff mbers grabbed on to the duke and pulled him away.

You cant just kick out! I am your father! I have the right to be here-

I dont know what bottom-of-the-barrel company youve managed to delude into loaning you money this ti, since youre here obviously trying to impress soone who doesnt know any better, but I suggest you be more careful, Axton said, taking another sip of wine. One day, youll et an even bigger con artist than yourself and your favorite son will know what its like to have a dead parent.

Tori lowered her eyes. The restaurant master and servers dragged Duke Alvere away.

Are you all right? The question ca from Piers and Tori looked over. Piers had a calm look on his face and his words were steady, but the fact that he even asked told her how much he cared about his knight and aide.

Axton let out a heavy breath. Maybe its ti I kick him out, he said. I wanted to wait until his kid graduated Lyce, but if hes just going to grow more arrogant with ti....

Sir Nassaun, Ewan asked with a bit of caution in his voice. Are you close with Mr. Alvere, I an, Montan Alvere?

Axton shook his head. He took a deep breath and leaned forward. Listen, I know its not his fault that his parents are the way they are. I know its not his fault that his father cheated on my mother with his mother. On a rational level, I know none of it is that little bastards fault. But...its hard to look at him and not know why he exists. He is yet another physical reminder of that old mans betrayal and I cant bring myself to like him because of association.

You have every right to dislike who you dislike, Tori said as she reached for her wine glass. You dont owe anyone an explanation. A few curious looks were thrown her way and Ilyana looked surprised that she said such a thing.

Tori didnt elaborate.

I am curious, though, Sir Nassaun, Albert said in a tentative voice. Why were you going to wait until Montan Alvere graduated?

Axton shrugged. I may not like him, but I dont think its necessary to disrupt his life while hes still young and studying. His father wasnt causing many problems before, but now that they have little to no money left, the old man is starting to beco more annoying.

Cornered animals will bite, Tori said as she looked across the table. Be careful.

Axton chuckled and nodded. All right. Im sorry that you had to witness such an embarrassing encounter, he said. Pretend it never happened. He looked towards the musicians and gave them a small nod of his head. At once, music floated into the room and everyone seed to relax.

Piers stood up and headed to the glass doors leading out to the roof that overlooked the thoroughfare. Where are you going? Tori asked.

Theyre going to kick him out, Piers said, looking over his shoulder. Want to watch?

Several chairs scraped against the floor as everyone, except Tori and Axton, stood up to follow. Axton laughed a bit and looked over at Tori. Youre not going to follow?

She shook her head and let out a small snort. If his son is with them and he notices , hell probably think this is all my doing.

Axton furrowed his brows a bit and began to frown. Has he been bothering you?

Tori froze. Her eyes flickered away and she pushed her seat back. You know what, I think I will go watch-

Tori, Axton said in a stern voice. He narrowed his eyes. Has Montan been bothering you? When she didnt answer, he took a deep breath. Ewan told about what happened during the excursion; that the little bastard tried to buy your things. But, has he done or said anything to you beyond that?

She crinkled her eyes. She didnt want to trouble Axton with this, at least not when Montans little threat of using his charms against her felt so benign. Like the rest of the love interests, he was more annoying than life threatening at the mont.

He is very...invested in one of our classmates and he thinks Im bullying her, Tori said carefully. Im not. Everyone else can attest to that. She motioned her hand towards the doors, where everyone else was peering over the wall, out into the street. He told to leave her alone or else.

Or else? Axton raised a brow, his frown growing deeper. What do you an or else?

He uses...charms....

Axton closed his eyes and took in a low, asured breath, as if to calm himself. That little bastard took after his mother, then. A flash of hatred went across Axtons usually relaxed face and Tori felt her stomach twist.

Axton, I can manage it, she told him at once. Dont worry about it.

He shook his head. How can I not? Charms are dangerous if theyre not neutralized quickly. And the stronger the maker, the more effective and longer lifespan of the charm. All he needs is to touch you with one.

Tori frowned. She was missing sothing about charms, and she wasnt sure what. Axton...what did his mother do?

Charms work by manipulating energy, right? Axton asked. Tori nodded. Charms can take energy away from a person and weaken them. They can also give a person energy, making them feel revitalized. The reason the old man continued his relationship with Montans mother when he was married to mine was because Montans mother kept putting charms on him to weaken him, then fed him more energy, making him reliant on her. When my mother found out, she used crystals to break Montans mothers ability to ground and channel energy, but it severely weakened my mother and she couldnt fight her illness, which led to her death.