'Hah... I should have known...' Melissa let out a short sigh.
'A girl who is also an heir candidate to a count's family is not somebody random people could slight or bully on whims. Yet those from lower-ranked families and those born out of wedlock from other similarly ranked families dared to lay a finger on her.'
'Now it makes sense. They got the idea from somebody with a high position.'
'Why else would they do so if they were not instigated? Where would they get the courage if they didn't get a go-signal from somebody who has a better chance at inheriting the title?'
'Oh, my dearest sister, Marietta Edevane. It's actually you... It's actually you.'
Surprisingly, Melissa felt no disappointment from finding that the one behind her miserable academic life was none other than her eldest sister. It was like somewhere deep in her subconscious, she had already foreseen it, and that if her sister did it, it was not at all unbelievable given their awful relationship.
She was more disappointed with herself for only accepting this fact today. Why was her previous self such a near-incurable idiot? What made her believe in blood ties despite the terrible experiences she had had in this family?
Family? The concept and meaning were beautiful. But the vampire in front, her family member, wanted to kill her. Before her regression too, this sister of her tormented her in all sorts of ways, not putting Melissa's mentality and longing for familial care into consideration.
Melissa could not help but laugh. She looked around and saw everyone else looking at the eldest lady of the house with pale faces. They, too, were affected by Marietta's aura, but as servants, their master's safety and wellbeing must be their priority. Yet, none of them dared to move forward and speak a word.
Even her closest assistants wanted not to cross the other lady to plead mercy for their master. Maybe because they knew that Marietta was not someone they could afford to offend as she was currently the most outstanding and favored offspring of the Count. And perhaps, it was also because they doubted whether their kindhearted and pushover master would punish them if they chose to not meddle.
For real, how did her previous self manage to stand this family and this way of life?
After glaring at the ones behind her, Melissa closed her eyes for a moment. She could feel her blood getting intimated. Her body was surrendering to the gravity and the pressure. She knew it was Marietta's fine control of her blood aura that was pressing her to submit. Although it was annoying to admit, if they were to engage in actual battle, the current her was truly no match against her talented sister.
'Laughable.'
When she opened her eyes, a satirical smile formed on her luscious lips. Her situation was not that dire. But in her recollection, this always happened every time and somehow before inheriting the County, she never learned to resist. Melissa really found it embarrassing and funny.
This time, she voiced out her thoughts. "It's so hilarious."
Suddenly, the fatigued look of the younger vampire lady disappeared.
"I really want to ask, Sister... What do you think you are doing?" she asked, as if she was without a clue why the woman was angry and why the maids sported a horrified expression.
Due to her untrained body's natural limitation, Melissa could not match Marietta's abundant supply of mana. However, she had been the Countess for more than a decade. In terms of control, Melissa would be ashamed if she would even be able to match a vampire who had yet to become a clan leader.
'You want to engage in this kind of battle with me?' In her eyes was carefully hidden contempt.
Marietta who found out that her intended effect did not happen was momentarily dumbfounded. The servants are obviously badly affected. But Melissa could resist... She could not help but be confused.
If not for immediately remembering her reason for barging into her sister's room, she would have taken some time wondering if the younger vampire lady before her was truly that sister that had just been picked up from a rural place.
Striding forward, the older vampire put on a fierce expression as she began. "Shameless!"
"Sister?" Melissa replied with furrowed brows, looking confused. "I don't understand. What did I do wrong?"
"Hah! Stop faking it. The entire society was talking about your exploits in the academy!" The furious eldest lady stated in a loud voice. The look on her face would remind anyone with an angry tigress. "You dared to cross somebody from a Marquis House without considering every possible impact on our clan? Have you gone insane, Melissa? Haven't your tutors told you that House Jackson is affiliated with one of the royal princes? They didn't? It's up to me to teach it to you then!"
More people entered her room and their attires made it obvious that they were the personal attendants and servants of the Count's eldest daughter.
Melissa thought Georgia and the angry little lioness before her were truly a mother and daughter pair. They had a habit of going off on their own and making their servants chase after them. The two were also similar in that they instinctively would choose violence when provoked or annoyed.
'Look at these beautiful fair hands reaching out to my fragile neck.'
None of the servants and attendants was able to react when Marietta abruptly disappeared from her spot.
Only she was able to see it.
Wearing a mirthless smile on her face, Melissa casually side-stepped to dodge the quick hand that aimed to either strangle her to death or break her neck.
Looking like she was hurt by the fact that Marietta wanted to harm her, she sadly whispered, "This is so confusing. Eldest Sister, must you resort to violence? But both of us are able to hold a proper discussion. Mother always reminds us to conduct ourselves gracefully, elegantly, and smartly. You are supposed to ask my side of the story first..."
...
Outside the door to Melissa's room, three shadowy figures slowly materialized. Two were revealed to be handsome men in standard noble dress code. The last person was Georgia who was supposed to be chilling under the setting sun in the garden.
The latter creased her forehead before she respectfully curtsied towards the older man who had eyes and hair that was similar to Melissa's, wearing a fashionable top hat and holding a pitch-black cane in his right hand.
"I'm most gladdened to see you safe and well, milord." The woman spoke using the calmest tone that she could muster.
"Georgia." Count Edevane nodded. "It's been a while."
"Yes, milord." The Countess' head remained lowered.
"And I can see that some things had changed."
'Damn... It's that ignorant lass.'
When the elegant lady followed the direction the Count's eyes were looking, worries and silent anger crept upon her before helplessness wormed into her heart as she followed the two men inside Melissa's room.