Plan vs Trap

Kali removed her mask and threw it into her inventory.

"What is it?" She asked as she removed her cloak and threw it too.

". . ."

"You've been staring too much." Kali faced the still masked Vico.

Vico removed his hood and mask before he answers

"What are you thinking?"

Ever since the Count's question, he felt like he needed to watch her intently.

Kali and Vico see eye to eye, this is the second time Kali meets his eyes. The first time is when Kali asked him to drop his act because she already knows everything.

"Do you have to know?"

At Kali's words, an electrifying sensation travelled at Vico's neck that made his skin crawl.

'This is. . .' Vico is wide open and his eyes are glued at her shoulders.

"No."

"I see. It is a hassle to explain it too." Kali walks towards the bed and sees the beasts occupying the whole bed.

Vico stole a glance at Kali before clenching his gaze at the back of her head.

"Ah. By the way, If I want to hire someone like you, where will I go?" Kali asks as she passes by Vico and proceeds to the couch.

"Someone like me?"

"Yeah. Someone with quiet steps and impeccable hiding presence."

"My kind cannot be hired."

"Your Kind?" Kali furrowed her eyebrows but Vico didn't say anything anymore.

Vico left Kali's room while Kali went straight to the bathroom and started her long bath.

'Vico's Kind.' She repeated in her head.

She raised her right arm and rubbed a soap bubble in it.

'There was a long cut here not long ago.'

The Fox masked man's subordinates are all good at hiding their presence but only one had moved stealthily and with light steps just like Vico. She can avoid attacks just fine but the problem is somehow their attacks reach her especially that particular one, the one who inflicted her long cut.

He is the third person who is most dangerous to her that night. The second most dangerous is ofcourse his master, the Fox masked man.

The most dangerous is the fake servant she met.

I guess having etiquette lessons paid off.

"Excuse me, My lady. . . . Are you perhaps lost?"

"This palace is somehow far from the grand hall, how did you end up here my lady?"

Kali stood up from the bathtub and the water dripped down to the floor as she walked naked to the mirror.

'Servants cannot talk first to nobles without permission. They are not allowed to initiate conversation. How careless.' She looks at herself in the mirror. Her expression is boring.

She caresses her neck and turns her head to the sides.

*Slash

The slashing sound replayed in her mind. After leading the servant to an empty room, the fake servant was only taken back for a second before his eyes turned serious.

The fake servant then slowly blends to the darkness of the room, this reminds Kali of Vico's ways. He didn't physically disappear but his presence was undetectable. If Kali is not aware that she is with a person inside the room, she would have thought she was alone.

Her own breathing is the only thing she can hear.

*Slash

She was a millisecond late to react after feeling his presence. He already had her throat cut from behind.

The gushing blood out of Kali's neck tainted her dress and the flooring. If she didn't push the fake servant's arm at the last second she is as good as dead. It was not deep enough to cut her pulse but it was enough to gradually lose consciousness.

Kali immediately summoned the inventory as she backed down and wasted no time and drank a medium potion. The bitter taste was more disgusting now that an iron taste is mixed in her mouth.

"High grade potion?" The fake servant tilted his head to one side while tapping his short sword on his shoulder.

Kali threw the empty potion bottle back to the inventory before she resumed fighting position.

Kali glared at the fake servant whose presence slowly disappeared again, right before her eyes.

*slash slash slash

Kali sustained multiple cuts from an invisible opponent.

'Is he like Vico? They are a pain in the ass.' Kali thought while drying her hair with a towel.

She threw the towel in her dresser lazily and lay back on the couch.

'What are they exactly?'

'. . .'

'. . .'

'I miss sleeping in bed.' Her last thoughts drifted as she closed her eyes.

****

The next day, Kali received 13 letters from different families. Most are invitations to tea parties held by the ladies from the debutante ball and some are too odd for Kali to read.

'Invitation to Poem Reading appreciation?' Kali frowned as she read one of the invitations, She then threw it to the mini fire bin she ignited earlier.

Only Four letters survive her hazing. Three tea party invitations and one from the Imperial Palace.

Kali is still undecided what she will do with the tea parties but the Imperial Palace invitation concerns her most right that moment. Private meeting with the King is usually a great honor to abide by but not in Kali's case.

'Is the Royal Family also involved?'

The Royal Family is a whole lot different from Noble Code 'Authority' Restrictions.

Kali clicked her tongue. 'What will I do if they demand to read the code? If they are ordinary noblemen I can request a battle of honor but that won't work against a royal family.'

Aside from the king who has the highest authority, his kins, the prince and princess, possess the same degree of authority.

"It's not only the King I should be worried about, it's the whole damn royal family." She said it softly while picking the envelope with Fleur de lis insignia.

"I cannot decline the invitation without valid reason and also. . . it is my chance to enter the palace again but it's too risky."

Kali acquired the 'Millano Imperial Palace Blueprint' from completing the Quest : Protect The Code last time but there is a slight problem with it.

Millano Imperial Palace Blueprint

Grade: A

Description:

This is the Top Secret lay out of the Millano Imperial Palace. Only two copies were made to ensure the secrecy of each safe passage and vaults.

This item will automatically activate once the player steps on certain areas.

[Congratulations! The Player has successfully equip 'Blueprint']

~ Millano Imperial Palace Blueprint : 48% Completed ~

Unlike the Forest Map where it had physical appearance the Blueprint is equipped mentally and has no physical item.

Kali is staring at the empty seat in front of her.

"Do you think Young Master Kali misses the Lord and the Masters?" Tami whispered to Rissa.

"Do you think so?"

Kali sighed as she leaned forward and lazily put her head at the back of her hand.

'I need to go back to the Imperial Palace and avoid the Royal Family at the same time. Haaaa. How can I do that?'

*Knock Knock*

"Young Master."

"Come in"

"Master Kali." The butler bowed down respectfully before reporting.

"The Young Master of Delacorte Family has paid a visit, Young Master Kali."

"Ah." Kali nonchalantly answered.

". . ." The butler remained silent.

"Where is my Father and brothers?"

"Yes, His Grace went to the Palace with Master Theo and Sir Gio went out to attend some business matters."

"I see. Please serve Sir Francis while he waits, I'll be down in a minute."

The butler heeded the order and quickly went out of the room.

"That's why I didn't see them all day." Kali brushed the marble table before heading out of the room where she had tea with her adopted family yesterday.

Tami and Rissa look at each other after hearing their master's words. To them, she sounded sad but reality is far from their imagination.

'It was a good plan to isolate me.' Kali grinned with satisfaction.

Kali guessed they would send Francis Delacorte. His visits are right on time where everyone is gone but Kali.

****

"Good Morning, My lady." Francis greeted Kali in a perfect gentleman act. He reaches for Kali's hand and kisses the back of it. Kali grimaced slightly when she felt his lips touch her skin.

"You look lov--."

"Greed." She cut off his words. It was an impolite act.

"Lady Kali?" Francis was taken back in confusion. Kali is staring at him with a strong gaze.

"If you keep visiting me like this, I will get greedy with your time, Sir Francis." Kali steps closer and stretches her arm in an attempt to reach and stroke Francis' cheeks but she stops before their skin comes in contact.

'...!"

"You look even more beautiful today." Kali didn't smile and only looked at Francis' wide opened brown eyes.

"Lady Kali. . . ." Francis calls her name sweetly.

"Do not come here again or I will have the urge to keep you by my side. I hope you have a great day." Kali steps back and curtsy leaving Francis bewildered and hopelessly chasing her shadow at the close door.

"I . . . " He tried forming words but his heart was throbbing wildly and making him unable to think.