Chapter 120: Jasmine’s Little Weakness
This topic was a surefire conversation starter. It was a fact that blood was becoming more expensive to buy, while the purchase price hadn’t increased much. And other goods had also become more expensive, such as precious metals. Although precious metals weren’t as valuable in vampire society as they were in Jasmine’s previous world, not considered a true form of currency, they were still highly sought after for adornment.
Castle renovations, personal attire, and even the recent trend of cosmetics all required significant expenditures. Spending more and earning less… it was no wonder that nobles were concerned about this issue. As long as the concept of “money” existed, everyone was a slave to it.
Adele listened quietly to the conversations around her, her wine glass untouched. Gradually, someone brought up the Council of Elders. “All that money… it’s all going into the Council’s pockets…” He stopped abruptly, silenced by a hushed “Shh” from a nearby vampire. He realized his mistake and quickly shut up.
It didn’t matter. Adele had achieved her goal. She chuckled softly, placing her wine glass on a nearby table, then she excused herself to chat with her parents. After a brief conversation, she went out to the balcony. This was Miss Golden’s engagement party, and Adele was her cousin and former classmate. She couldn’t just leave abruptly, but no one would fault her for seeking a quiet place to relax.
Adele felt that she had successfully planted a seed of doubt. As long as someone had voiced it, these thoughts would linger in others’ minds. The Council of Elders held the highest authority in vampire society, and vampires had lived under their rule for centuries. It was impossible for nobles to have no resentment towards those who held power over them.
Moreover, the Council of Elders controlled the most profitable businesses. Farms had to pay taxes to the Council, the banks generated even more wealth for them, and even the airships were under their control. When times were good, nobles would accept this as the natural order. But when times were tough, they would question the Council’s purpose, accusing them of exploitation.
Of course, they wouldn’t dare to voice these thoughts openly, but their growing resentment towards the Council would eventually contribute to its downfall. Under normal circumstances, the Council of Elders wouldn’t be concerned about such whispers. They would dismiss them as insignificant. After all, they were the most powerful beings in this world, and the thirteen clans that supported them were loyal and strong.
But Adele was different. She had Jasmine, her trump card. Adele wasn’t rushing to overthrow the Council of Elders. Not only was she worried about what hidden weapons they might possess, but she also knew that eliminating the Council wasn’t enough. They had to be eradicated at the root. Simply killing the current members wouldn’t solve the problem. As long as the structure remained, a new Council of Elders would eventually emerge, ruling over all vampires.
Only by making everyone understand that the Council of Elders, an institution built on exploitation, was inherently wrong, could they truly be eliminated.
Adele had taken the first step towards undermining the Council’s authority. Nobles wouldn’t just question where their money was going. They would also suspect that the high-quality blood they sold to the bank was ending up in the Council’s hands. Otherwise, why couldn’t even the Thirteen Clans obtain the best blood?
They sold their finest blood, but when they needed to buy it, they could only obtain inferior quality. And come to think of it… did the bank even have high-quality blood in stock? Or was it… all a lie?
Such thoughts would spread among the nobles. And when the counterfeit banknotes entered circulation, their anger towards the Council of Elders would intensify.
Adele sat on the balcony, enjoying the cool breeze. After a while, a figure appeared beside her. Adele’s eyes widened. “Jasmine! This is too dangerous…” She kept her voice low, but Jasmine didn’t seem concerned. She shook her head, her voice even softer. “It’s fine. No one will see us.”
She pulled the heavy curtains closed, then sat down beside Adele. Adele was leaning against the railing, while Jasmine sat on the ledge, her head tilted back, gazing at the moon with Adele. Although Adele was worried about Jasmine being discovered, she couldn’t help but scoot closer to her.
The night air was chilly, and Adele leaned against Jasmine, seeking her warmth.
The atmosphere was perfect, but then Jasmine, with her mischievous nature, gently touched Adele’s ear, making her shiver and glare at her. Then she heard Jasmine say, “So vampire ears really are sensitive.”
“!”
Adele knew that Jasmine had seen Miss Golden touch the young Green boy’s ear earlier. Now she had a mischievous idea and was testing it out on Adele. Adele, annoyed, retaliated, touching Jasmine’s ear. Jasmine’s ears felt completely different from hers.
Vampire ears were long and pointed, like the ears of elves in the anime Jasmine had watched in her previous life. But Jasmine was sure that they felt different, even though she had never touched an elf’s ear. Because elves probably didn’t have cold ears like vampires. Adele’s ears were long and pointed, but they were cold, and the cartilage felt strange… almost pleasant to touch.
But human ears were different. Jasmine’s ears were short and rounder, warmer than Adele’s. Actually, ears were usually colder than other parts of the body, and the texture was also different. Adele, after touching Jasmine’s ear, found it strange. But vampire ears were even stranger, so she couldn’t really criticize Jasmine.
However, after touching Jasmine’s ear, Adele noticed her reaction. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and goosebumps had appeared on the back of her neck. She turned her head away, clearly embarrassed. Seeing this, Adele leaned in closer, her weight pressing against Jasmine, who had to brace herself against the railing to keep from falling.
“Stop touching…” She kept her voice low, afraid of being overheard, her voice soft and slightly breathless. Usually, it was Adele who blushed under Jasmine’s touch, but now Jasmine’s flustered state intrigued Adele. “No,” she said, her voice playful.
Then, in a blink of an eye, Jasmine was gone. The curtains on the other side of the balcony rustled. Adele turned and saw a vampire she recognized. He hadn’t expected anyone to be here. “Ah, Miss Blake. I didn’t realize this balcony was occupied.”
Adele tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her pointed ear twitching. “It’s alright. I was just leaving.” She was in a good mood, her voice cheerful. She had discovered a little weakness of Jasmine’s, and she was delighted.
The other vampire simply thought, It seems the Blake and Golden families truly have a good relationship. Even though Miss Golden snatched her intended fiancé, Miss Blake doesn’t seem bothered at all. She’s even in such a good mood at Miss Golden’s engagement party.
The day after Miss Golden’s engagement party, Adele immediately departed. She couldn’t wait to return to the farm and see the counterfeit banknotes the institute had produced. During Adele’s week-long absence, the institute had created a large batch of fake money, neatly stacked in wooden crates, the scent of ink still lingering in the air.
Adele took out a banknote, examining it carefully. Vampires had excellent eyesight and memory. If the counterfeit banknotes were even slightly flawed, they would be easily detected. But to Adele’s discerning eye, the banknote in her hand was indistinguishable from a genuine one. This was to be expected. After all, both the counterfeit and genuine banknotes were produced using the same technology, even the same machines.
Jasmine, curious, also picked up a banknote to examine. The young researcher approached them, her hands on her hips, her expression proud. “Well? Can you tell the difference?”
Adele nodded, and Jasmine also praised the girl’s skills. “Besides the ink smelling fresh, it’s identical to a real banknote.” The girl chuckled. “Of course! Because we also made the real banknotes!”
Now that the counterfeit banknotes were ready, the next step was to distribute them. This task wasn’t the girl’s responsibility. After everyone had examined the banknotes, she discreetly pulled Jasmine aside. Adele’s ears twitched. She was curious.
The girl’s voice was soft, but Adele could hear her clearly.
“Dawn Lady, could you… check on Barbara? We’re all worried about her. So many people have disappeared… I’m afraid those vampires might hurt her…” Her voice was gentle and hesitant, her face close to Jasmine’s, afraid of being overheard. Jasmine could smell the ink on her clothes.
Jasmine didn’t hesitate. She nodded. “I’ll go to the institute tomorrow and check on her. If she’s in danger, I’ll bring her back.”
Reassured by Jasmine’s promise, the girl visibly relaxed. “Thank you, Sister,” she whispered.
When Jasmine returned to Adele, she told her about this. This trip wouldn’t take long. Jasmine would be back before Adele woke up. So, Adele didn’t insist on going with her. She simply said, “Come back soon.”
Jasmine nodded. “You know how fast I am. I’ll be back in no time.” But Adele seemed sad. She whispered that she didn’t want Jasmine to leave, even while she was sleeping. Jasmine’s heart melted. She was about to comfort Adele when she felt Adele’s hand touch her ear, gently pinching her earlobe.
“Adele!”
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