Chapter 108: Grandmother
After Adele stepped into the garden, the vampire lady closed the heavy double doors behind her, leaving her alone in this tranquil space. Adele walked along the garden path, instinctively glancing upwards. The ceiling was incredibly high, as if two or three floors had been combined to create this space. It wasn’t a plain concrete ceiling, but a shimmering expanse of stars.
Countless stars twinkled above her. Adele knew they were artificial, crafted from magic stones.
Magic stones were expensive, exorbitantly so, enough to make Jasmine cringe. But in this bunker, they seemed to be used lavishly, even adorning the ceiling as stars. She lowered her gaze, examining the camellias surrounding her. They were blooming beautifully, a testament to meticulous care.
But underground, camellias couldn’t possibly thrive. Without sunlight, they would wither and die. Adele guessed that magic and magic stones must be constantly supplying them with life force, allowing them to bloom in this subterranean world.
A winding path led through the camellia garden. Adele followed it, arriving at the pavilion in the center. It was a classical structure with Roman columns and a beautiful dome. In the center stood a white-painted wrought iron table and chairs. One of the chairs was already occupied.
The figure sitting there was facing Adele. As Adele’s eyes met hers, she fell silent. She could sense a blood connection.
The beautiful vampire lady wore a simple white gown, her long silver hair cascading down her back, almost reaching the floor. Her crimson eyes, framed by silver lashes and brows, observed Adele with amusement. Her pale skin added to her ethereal appearance, making her seem like a wisp of smoke, ready to dissipate with the slightest breeze.
Her hands were clasped on the table, her head resting on them, her silver hair spilling over her shoulders. A cup of steaming tea sat before her. She smiled at Adele and said softly, “Please, have a seat, my child.”
Adele nodded and sat down opposite her without hesitation. The lady poured her a cup of tea, placing it before her, even pushing the sugar bowl closer. “I know you don’t like blood-infused sugar cubes. These are made with artificial blood. You can enjoy them without worry.”
Adele had only ever consumed artificial blood, but this was supposed to be a secret, known only to her family and the maids at the castle. The lady before her must have learned this from… her parents.
But it didn’t matter. Adele didn’t find drinking artificial blood to be shameful. It was her parents who had insisted on keeping it a secret, worried about what others might think. Adele calmly added a sugar cube to her tea, stirring it gently with a teaspoon, waiting for it to dissolve before taking a sip.
Then she put down her cup and looked at the lady. “How should I address you?”
The lady smiled. “If we’re talking about family ties, I’m your grandmother.”
Adele understood. This was the current Blake representative in the Council of Elders. The Council of Elders was composed of respected elders from the thirteen clans. The core members were thirteen elders, representing each clan. There were also outer members, also from the thirteen clans.
But once they became members of the Council of Elders, they were no longer bound to their families, only retaining their clan affiliation. Adele’s father was almost a thousand years old. This meant that her grandmother was at least two thousand years old, a true “old geezer” in Jasmine’s words.
But whether she was one of the core thirteen elders, Adele didn’t know. The list of elders was kept secret. Because they were afraid of death. Previously, Adele might have thought it was to maintain their mystique and authority, but now she realized that fear was the main reason.
Adele nodded, acknowledging the lady’s seniority. But she didn’t address her as “grandmother.” Instead, she said, “Then Lady Blake, why have you—why has the Council of Elders summoned me?”
Lady Blake chuckled. “No need to rush. I just wanted to chat with my lovely granddaughter.”
Let’s not pretend.
Living in a fortress like this, hidden underground, eternally deprived of moonlight, their identities shrouded in secrecy, terrified of death… how could these elders summon Adele, someone they had never met, someone they didn’t trust, just for a casual chat?
Seeing Adele’s skepticism, Lady Blake even feigned a hurt expression, dabbing at her nonexistent tears. “My dear granddaughter doesn’t even believe her own grandmother. How heartbreaking! I even held you when you were a baby…”
Adele interrupted her, her face expressionless. “Lady Blake, I have a good memory. It’s only been twenty years. I remember everything clearly. You never held me.” Her demeanor was reminiscent of Jasmine, her expression a perfect imitation.
Lady Blake, instead of being offended by being exposed, simply sighed. “Vampires have such good memories. But I’ve lived for so long, two thousand years. I can’t possibly remember things from my infancy like you.”
You claim to have lived for so long, and yet you’re so terrified of death. Adele didn’t know how to respond to her grandmother’s contradictory behavior.
After a few more pleasantries, Lady Blake finally got to the point. Her tone shifted, “Adele Blake, why are you giving humans more than they deserve?”
Adele’s hand, holding her teacup, froze. Her eyes lost their focus, her expression becoming vacant. She almost blurted out her true feelings. “Because I want to create a…” She stopped abruptly, her hand gripping the table, her breath coming in gasps, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
She realized: Lady Blake had just tried to hypnotize her. The tea, the friendly demeanor, the casual conversation… it had all been a ploy to make her relax her guard.
Based on her years of pretending to be hypnotized, Jasmine had developed a theory about vampire hypnosis. It was similar to psychology in her previous life. Hypnosis wasn’t omnipotent, and it wasn’t easy to hypnotize someone against their will. As she had mentioned before, individuals with strong willpower were more resistant to mental magic. And vampires, being naturally resistant to each other’s magic, required additional effort to be hypnotized.
The easiest way was to create a comfortable environment, to make the target feel safe and relaxed. This would significantly enhance the effectiveness of the hypnosis. Using hypnosis in combat wasn’t very effective, as Adele’s encounter with the school doctor had proven. It was easily broken because both parties were highly alert and tense.
There were exceptions, of course. If a vampire was exceptionally powerful, their magic could easily overwhelm their opponent, allowing them to hypnotize them effortlessly.
But clearly, the gap between Lady Blake and Adele wasn’t that large. Lady Blake was strong. Adele wasn’t arrogant enough to deny that a two-thousand-year-old vampire was more powerful than her. The fact that Lady Blake had almost succeeded in hypnotizing her, even with Adele on high alert, was a testament to her strength.
If Adele had let her guard down for even a moment, she would have been completely under Lady Blake’s control, revealing all her secrets.
For a fleeting moment, Adele regretted coming here. But then she thought, I’m strong too. I’m already here. As long as I stay vigilant, I won’t be hypnotized. Her gaze hardened, her breathing steadying. She looked at Lady Blake, who was calmly sipping her tea. “I wouldn’t consider a grandmother who tries to hypnotize her granddaughter upon their first meeting to be a good grandmother.”
Lady Blake didn’t seem fazed by Adele’s accusation. She continued sipping her tea, then she put down her cup and asked, “Then without resorting to hypnosis, let me ask you this, as a member of the Council of Elders: Adele, what are you trying to achieve?”
Lying now would be easily detected by Lady Blake, putting Adele in danger. But only a fool would tell the truth at this moment.
So, Adele chose a half-truth. “I want to create a different world,” she said. Lady Blake remained silent, waiting for her to continue.
“A world where vampires and humans can coexist peacefully. At least, not like it is now.”
Lady Blake chuckled softly. “But you’re still exploiting humans, aren’t you? You’ve simply disguised it with a layer of sugar coating.” Her eyes turned cold. “Adele Blake, do you think your true intentions are a secret?”
Adele’s heart skipped a beat, but her expression remained unchanged. She stared at Lady Blake, waiting for her to continue.
“You want to create a seemingly peaceful world? But the only one truly benefiting from your actions is you. Do I need to remind you of the wealth you’ve amassed these past few years? You’re a bold one, Adele Blake. Trying to create a world centered around yourself.”
“However, I admire your ambition.” After reprimanding Adele, Lady Blake’s tone softened. “Your system is indeed effective. Dangle a carrot in front of humans, and they become quite diligent. I believe you have the potential to join the Council of Elders one day. But you’re still too young. You’re wearing your ambition on your sleeve.”
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