'I've only known you for a month whereas I have been acquainted with the other nobles in this city for decades. Even the youngest Leonora is somebody I watched growing up to this day. Not to mention, in my eyes, she's more pleasant than you. Is it strange that I side with her?'
With Marietta's cold eyes directed at the younger Edevane, she spoke up, "You know what, Melissa? People saw you as a weakling so they began to test your bottom line. Who do you think is at fault?"
The tirade continued leaving Melissa no room to interject. But she was in no hurry anyways. So she simply listened, or rather, watched the expression of the woman before her.
Marietta's face was full of disdain and mockery when she continued, "You from the start, right? It's you! It's your fault because you don't know how to use your last name effectively and how to socialize. You don't appear respectable and smart enough. Look, even when you finally learned to fight back, you did it in the worst way possible."
"If your goal is only to stop the harassment, do you need to challenge somebody to a duel? Do you think our family's reputation is something you can carry already at the arena?"
"I frankly think that you have already forgotten the results you got from the private tutors our mother, the Countess, painstakingly invited for you."
Unlike what Marietta thought, the younger lady actually sensed that there were more visitors about to enter through the door. She knew these people, especially the Count, were only attracted here by Marietta's actions earlier. They were not curious about why the eldest daughter stimulated their bloodline against the youngest Edevane. They only wanted to know how the latter fared against the pressure. This meant that if not for this, they would have not bothered going to this part of the castle.
Melissa's face was filled with disbelief before a hurt expression flickered across her eyes. "Mother made me realize that my approach was wrong. But am I the only one to blame? There's always a cause behind every effect. Sister, if my days there went on in peace, things won't end up this way."
Even Melissa herself was disgusted by the sweet soft tone that she used, much less Marietta. The latter's face crumpled in repugnance. "Making excuses is useless now, Melissa. I'm warning you, you must apologize to Lady Jackson now."
"Impossible." Melissa did not even think twice before she replied.
She said her piece. She was the victim but she did not want to tolerate the treatment from her schoolmates so she wanted to end it once and for all.
But as if Marietta did not hear her sister's answer, she said, "I shall arrange a carriage for you. I can assure you our family's carriage drivers are very professional and would get you to your destination in minutes."
'Of course, she thinks things must unconditionally go her way.'
A cold smile appeared on Melissa's face. No reply came for her. She waited in silence and remained in place to withstand her sister's oppression of her blood. More than a minute passed since it all began before she felt that all her efforts paid off.
Finally, a voice that did not belong to her sister rang.
"What's going on here?"
The two sisters looked surprised when they saw the Count and the two others marching inside the room. Then, they also hurriedly curtsied and chorused, "Greetings, Your Grace."
When the Countess and their uncle appeared behind the stern-looking vampire Count, the two ladies also immediately greeted them.
Marietta then answered their father's question with a polite smile on her face. "Father, I'm glad to see you in good health. Please don't worry about us. Younger sister and I were just discussing something trivial."
'Trivial...' Melissa listened to her in silence but deep inside her, she was sneering. The matter between her and Leonora was indeed inconsequential compared to the daily matters a Count tended to. But although Marietta admitted it to the Count just now, that was not how she made it sound a few whiles ago. Honestly, it was amazing how this sister of hers was truly desperate to paint her black in their father's book.
"At this hour?" The Count glanced at Marietta. His gaze stayed on the latter for some time before he turned to his youngest daughter. "Melissa, I heard what happened yesterday. Do you have anything to say?"
She lowered her head, looking like a kid who was afraid to get scolded. However, in reality, she was merely avoiding eye contact because she did not want to explain. Why would she want to explain? It was not like she could say that she did it intentionally because she wanted a situation where she could get away easily if ever she ended up crippling Leonora, that she had the confidence to do it because she was somebody who had returned from the past.
"Let me explain what I also heard from my acquaintances, father." Marietta did not let go of the opportunity, smirking playfully at Melissa before she began.
The younger lady nearly rolled her eyes. 'Which of the people inside the room had not heard of my 'great feat' yet?' But the Count and the two others were listening attentively so she did not butt in. All she did was watch the Count's expression. Was he angry? Could that small issue really shake the Count?
As expected, the man was expressionless from the beginning to the end. It was Georgia who kept throwing annoyed glances at Melissa. Meanwhile, their uncle Morris only quietly stood in one corner of the room.
The Count finally turned to Melissa to ask, "When is the duel?"
She politely answered, "Since a day already passed, it would be four days from now."
"Venue?"
"The academy's arena."
A weird expression flickered across the faces of Marietta and Georgia. Was the Count planning to see the battle?
As if the Count read their minds, he said, "On that day, remind me of the time Georgia. I will see my youngest daughter's debut in the arena."
"Milord?!" A shocked look appeared on the Countess' face. She could not believe what just entered her hearing so she asked, "It's the day you would have to meet Sir Briones who would come from the Western Territories. Are you perhaps planning to postpone this appointment?"
"I am." The Count's calm voice echoed.
Count Edevane witnessed how the youngest daughter skillfully used her lesser reserve of mana to resist her sister. So many pieces of information reached him today but this was the only thing that piqued his interest. How could he not be interested to see what she could do in actual battles?
And thus he declared, "It's not too late for all of us to take our rest. Go back to your rooms, Georgia, Marietta. You too, Morris. Melissa, I'm sure your mother already told you this, but this Household won't tolerate a defeat."
Melissa's lips curled into a grin. She was right to bet that the Count would come back today and that he would be interested in her exceptional control of her meager mana.
Marietta who wanted to paint her as a careless daughter who needlessly provoked somebody from an upper-ranked house forgot the consider that their father was very old. He had already seen a lot. He was no longer the type to get swayed by a competition between ladies who were not even affiliated with the court. He was more inclined to know how somebody like Melissa managed to oppose a century-old vampirette like Marietta.
Melissa's smile remained as she watched her family leave the room. Her smile did not disappear even as her sister gave her one final glare. The maids finally raised their heads to wipe the beads of sweat on their faces. Then they turned to their master with amazement in their eyes.
"Close the door. If somebody requested my presence, don't entertain them."
"Yes." Frightened by the cold glimmer in her eyes, the vampire servants bowed.
Melissa climbed into her bed at the same time that the heavy curtains blocked out the sun rays that nearly seeped into the window panes. The servants then quietly left.
The vampire girl slept for a few hours before she woke up and changed into a set of clothes purchased from the town she visited yesterday. It was only when she opened her eyes this evening that she realized how tired she was and how she easily missed the presence of her former knight. Thus, instead of going to the academy, she went back to the pub where the human spy worked.
That time, Brandel Laxon knitted his eyebrows when he saw Melissa enter and take the seat in the southeastmost corner of the noisy tavern...