Vulnerable who?

A sigh escaped Carmilla Talsworth's mouth as she looks at the entrance of the palace.

There stood her fiance the crown prince and stepsister from her father's side. The daughter of her father's mistress, to be exact.

All of the invited nobles are all fawning over the two while glancing at her with pity visible on their faces. While the others are pitying her, the others are smiling at her situation, the situation where her fiance escorted her stepsister instead of her which obviously tainted her reputation.

'Another woman in our house who can't keep a man'

"Fleur, tell my mother we'll leave after the emperor arrives." these words made Fleur bowed and quickly move to convey her message to her mother who's in the center of the famous ladies in the empire.

Carmi Talsworth was a count's daughter before becoming Duke's Talsworth wife and giving birth to Carmilla.

Although her mother was a low-born aristocrat compared to her father, her grandmother Cecile Frasier got their back. She's not someone to be trifled with.

At the age of twenty, her grandmother Cecile Frasier married a count and left Duke Frasier's estate.

When her husband got himself a mistress, she divorced him and left her mother Carmi in his care. Her mother went back to Duke Frasier and became his heir as a duchess until he passed away. She then took the opportunity to get back at her unfaithful husband, she made his business go bankrupt and took Carmi from him.

Carmilla doesn't know the details but she heard that his grandfather even crawled and beg her grandmother to go back to him, but she just stepped onto his face and laugh. Just imagining it happening, made Carmilla shivered in fear.

Carmilla knew that kind of rumor can be true, knowing her grandmother.

Carmi used her father's surname and just used her mother's fame to be wed to Duke Talsworth.

Her mother became just like her grandmother, they're both quiet but ruthless, they don't talk much, but when they do, expect a bloodbath.

Her mother Carmi became the flower of the empire, she's the most beautiful woman in the empire, with her alluring countenance, her ruby red eyes, and silver hair. People may think that she just looks like a rabbit, but she's the opposite of a lovely rabbit.

Carmi became known for her lethal beauty, she's that beauty you can't find any warmth but only danger. A smart woman who raised her status and never used her mother as a backing became Duchess Talsworth in no time, she was well versed in every language, and with her intelligence she made the Talsworth prosper.

With that, her father felt inferior and decided to cheat on her and that resulted in a woman who's now lovingly clutching her fiance's arm.

Carmilla took a glass of wine and sip it in.

'Maybe I'll ask Fleur to get me two bottles of wine later'

With her father's unfaithfulness, her mother didn't say anything. Carmi didn't get angry, even if her husband took his mistress and their daughter Daisy to the mansion and made her live there. Her mother just doesn't care about him, she even acts like they don't exist in the mansion.

"Darling, what's the matter? Just enjoy the night, there are plenty of men here you can play with." she turned around and saw her beautiful mother holding her fan with a smiling face.

Carmilla sighs and smiled at her mother, she took another glass of wine and handed it to her.

"Cheers?"

*Clink*

The mother and daughter duo drank the glass of wine in one go and laughed.

The nobles look at them with a complicated gaze, especially the unfaithful fiance of hers and her stepsister.

They thought that they'll see a crying Carmilla, but instead, they saw her laughing with her mother as if they just won something, which is true because they just won against her grandmother.

"See, I told you, mother. You're lucky you quickly changed your bet. Now, grandmother will give us her two gem mines." Carmilla smiled triumphantly as she gets another glass of champagne.

They bet with her grandmother about when will her unfaithful fiance and stepsister announce their relationship. Her grandmother Cecile said that it will be at the empire's crown prince's birthday banquet, but Carmilla bet that it'll be today at the emperor's birthday.

"Yeah, I thought they'll wait for the prince's birthday to announce their lowly relationship." her mother said without restraint, she doesn't care if anyone can hear what she just said.

"At least I won something over this stupidity," Carmilla said while she looks at the empty seat of the emperor.

"You should do more bets with mother since I won something beneficial from her as well. Anyway, I'll go now. I want to rest early since my business trip is tomorrow." Her mother said as she walks away from her.

"Eh? mother, what about the emperor? He hasn't arrived yet." Carmilla asked as she drinks another glass of wine.

"It's not my fault that he's tardy, I'm a busy person." Just like that, her mother vanished into the crowd.

Carmilla just smiled at her mother's attitude towards the emperor, it's not that her mother doesn't respect the emperor, it's just that even the emperor seems to hate seeing her mother on any occasion. She doesn't know their past, but what's clear is that they didn't have any romantic relationship in the past.

"Fleur, get me four bottles of wine when we get home. Let's drink." Fleur just bowed her head and continued standing behind her lady.

When Carmilla was about to get another glass of wine, a woman's laugh suddenly rang in her ear.

'Oh shit'

A flirtatious laugh is only heard when that man is near.

"Hello, Lady Carmilla, what a beautiful evening that truly suits your beauty." a man with blonde hair and with a conceited face welcomed her eyes as she turns around.

This is the Cassanova of the empire, he's the one whom the maidens in this empire drooled over, leaving countless women weeping and wanting to marry him.

'Now, he's targeting me.'

Carmilla knew his motives, he'll care for her to get his way on her bed. He thought she's at her vulnerable stage because her fiance just cheated on her. But his calculations are wrong this time.

She's not vulnerable, she'll never be one.

Carmilla's chilling gaze made count Marco shivered. He knew that the woman in front of him is not easy to deal with, he will still take his chance on her.

Marco is not just doing this to get onto her bed, that'll be just a bonus, but the thing she really wants is to use Carmilla to talk to her mother Carmi and made a deal with her regarding their business.

Marco scanned Carmilla from head to toe. She truly is the daughter of Carmi. With her Silver hair and ruby red-eye and dark blue eye. Just seeing her eyes with different colors makes him fascinated with her as if she's a newly found creature and he wanted to take her away right now.

"Hello, Count Marco. You seem...lively."

Marco frowned at her, but when Carmilla looks at him below, he knew what she meant. He's having a boner. How can he not, when such a beautiful woman appears before him.

Marco looks at Carmilla again and examined her expression, no blush, not panicking, no drool, just a plain face saying he should scratch himself elsewhere.

"You look like you wanted to talk, the garden is free." with that said, Carmilla walks towards where the garden is.

Marco was dumbfounded, he's having mixed thoughts right now.

'Am I wrong? is she also interested in me?'

With that question in mind, he quickly followed her. The nobles who saw them went to the garden frowned and scoffed at them.

They're having dirty thoughts about Carmilla and Marco's relationship since Marco is known as a Cassanova and right now Carmilla is at her delicate and vulnerable stage.

When the two were already in the garden before Marco can even say a thing, a dagger suddenly appear out of nowhere and was about to pierce Carmilla's gown but Marco stared at Carmila in awe when she easily got a hold of the dagger's handle.

Marco doesn't know what's happening, he's panicking and at the same time trembling.

"W-what's happening?" he asked with a stuttering voice.

"As you can see, someone wants to take my life right now. I don't want to deal with that when I'm inside the carriage, that's a hassle." Carmilla answered with a bored tone, which made Marco frozen.

'Is that the right expression to have when your life is in danger?'

"Fleur."

After saying her maid's name, Marco heard a slashing sound.

"My lady, it seems like this one is from a guild of assassins." the lovely voice of a woman resounded in the garden.

Marco, who still doesn't understand the situation, turned around when he heard the bushes behind him, making a sound of being pushed aside.

A woman in a maid's uniform comes forward while holding a severed head, her maid uniform is now stained with blood. This sight made Marco completely pale.

"W-w-what-"

Before he can even ask, Fleur tossed the head aside and charged towards Marco with a dagger in her hand.

"Fleur, he was just here because of me. Don't worry he won't say a thing to anyone." with Carmilla's words, Fleur quickly step away from Marco and bowed at Carmilla.

"I'll dispose of the corpse now, my lady." After saying that, Fleur took the head on the ground and quickly vanished.

"So, where are we Count Marco?"

After a few seconds, the back of Count Marco was still frozen, as if someone just glued him.

'did that scared him too much?'

"Y-you-s-she just killed s-someone." with a stuttering voice Marco said.

"Yeah, she's my maid and guard at the same time," Carmilla said.

'If he decides to tell anyone about Fleur, I have no choice but to dispose of you, count Marco'

"Introduce me to her!"

"eh?" Carmilla froze and put her dagger back in the secret pocket of her gown.

"I won't tell anyone about this, I swear! Just introduce me to her!" Marco's enthusiastic gaze made Carmilla stepped back.

She was about to ask him why, when she heard the noise of the trumpets inside the palace hall, which indicates that the emperor finally arrived.

"Let's continue our pleasant talk some other time Count Marco, for now, let's go back inside."

The two went back inside the banquet as if nothing happened.

With the emperor sitting on his throne, people's gaze is still focused on Carmilla as she was with Marco earlier.

They saw how Carmilla's face devoid of emotion, they thought that even the best seducer in the empire can't melt such an ice lady. But seeing the smiling face of Count Marco, the nobles' thoughts are in chaos. Seems like Count Marco won something as if he can't wait to get home and do something about his newly found knowledge.

Carmilla didn't mind anyone and just stared at the emperor who's giving his speech. Although she's listening, she doesn't understand a thing, since her mind was elsewhere. She needs to deal with her fiance, even though she doesn't want to, she needs to investigate who's behind the assassination earlier.

'How can my life be this messy? I just want to sleep right now'

She roamed her eyes around the palace hall, as the emperor continues his speech.

The empire of Haerford is where they are right now, this is the empire where statuses are greatly valued, without it you're nothing but a tiny rock on the roadside.

Most nobles hate interacting with commoners, most of the time they only talk to commoners if they're maids or people whom they'll be paying to do some jobs for them.

No matter who you are, no matter how tainted your reputation is and no matter how stupid you are, if you're a noble with lots of money you'll be respected but get talked behind your back.

As long as you're not a commoner and you're rich you'll survive.

Although this empire is prosperous because of its booming business everywhere, it still lacks the military power to defend the empire if a powerful empire decides to conquer them.

The citizens here just want to fatten their wallets, but they're too open for invaders.

If she was given the chance to defend the empire, she'll just toss her sword onto the ground. Why would she exert an effort to protect this scum of an empire?

This is the empire where slave auction is still legal. Whenever she's out, there are countless incidents where a slave dies on the side road because they got beaten by their masters for making a tiny mistake.

'What if I leave this place?'

This thought always crossed her mind, whenever she sees something terrible. But, she can't. She's still thinking more about how she should deal with these events that are occurring in Haerford.

Carmilla felt that Fleur was already by her side with changed clothes. And Marco is also by her side with a smiling face.

She was about to ask Fleur to get her a glass of wine when they heard the crown princes' voice. He made his voice louder than the chattering of the guests to get everyone's attention.

Carmilla just felt a glass in her hand when her eyes were on the emperor and crown prince.

"Thanks, Fleur" she said as she sips her wine.

'Don't disappoint me now Julius'

"Your majesty, the emperor, may I take this opportunity to announce something?"

The emperor who was already done with his speech and now sitting on his throne frown at his son's request. He just sighs and looks at nobles who are invited to this banquet with a boring look.

"Go on."

When the emperor gave him his permission, the couple, crown prince Julius Hargreave and Daisy Talsworth looked at her with smiles on their faces.

'heh, nice smiles you got there'

"I would like to announce to everyone, that Lady Daisy Talsworth and I are now engaged. The engagement party will happen at my birthday banquet next month." the brief announcement of the crown prince, got the whole palace hall filled with good wishes for the couple.

All of the nobles clapped, even those nobles that are beside her clapped happily while grinning at her. Seems like these people really hate beautiful, cool women.

And Fleur who rarely shows her emotions gritted her teeth in anger and glared at everyone who just mocked her lady.

Count Marco who was beside them, frowned at everyone.

Carmilla grinned at Marco's face, seems like not all of the nobles are this stupid.

'ahh, if I was an ordinary woman, I would've cried over this stupid act. I should've left with my mother and ask her to drink with me and have a bet with my grandmother.'

"Fleur, where do you think mother will go tomorrow?" the sudden question that was heard by everyone near her had a complex expression, they're waiting for her to break down and cry.

"It seems like madam will meet the high priest, inviting him to bless the newly opened restaurant, my lady" Fleur answered fully.

"When mother returns, tell her I've cut all of the business transactions with those people who happen to have hands in this banquet," Carmilla said and took a sip of her wine.

Those nobles who are beside her went pale and were about to talk to her, but she quickly continued talking.

"and those who will talk to me right now, make them go bankrupt overnight."

After saying those Carmilla emptied her glass of wine and just stand there together with the nobles who are now sweating profusely.

The emperor is now feeling the same with the nobles with whom Carmilla just cut ties with. He was cursing his stupid son for making such an announcement, he should've asked what it was before he gave him permission.

"Julius Hargreave, we'll talk later." with just that the emperor stood and went out of the banquet hall with a grim face.

The crown prince Julius was left there with a dumbfounded face. His father never made such an expression before.

'Nevermind, at least I'll be together with Daisy from now on'

That night the crown prince who's drowned in happiness didn't know how fucked up his life will become, the moment he announced his engagement without informing Carmilla Talsworth.