Chapter 242: The Handsome Kaiser
Adele’s sudden confidence was adorable. Hermione and Dorothy, however, didn’t discourage her, their gazes softening with affection. The change in the Blood Trial’s rules was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it meant Adele would be in the same Secret Realm, allowing them to protect her.
Within the realm, it would be a true survival of the fittest, and sticking together would be the only sensible option. Unless, of course, you were strong enough to go solo. But among the vampires, only Dorothy possessed such overwhelming power.
Hermione could perhaps handle two or three Sequence Ones, but any more than that… So Dorothy and Hermione exchanged a look, a silent agreement passing between them. They would temporarily put aside their differences and prioritize Adele’s safety above all else. If they couldn’t find Adele, however, it would be back to competing for resources. This was their primary concern: the random nature of entry into the Secret Realm.
This Blood Trial was essentially a large-scale battle royale, each participant dropped into the Secret Realm at a random location. Some might be lucky, landing in an area rich with resources, while others might be instantly eliminated, facing insurmountable odds against powerful monsters or a hostile environment. Fate, it seemed, would play a significant role in this trial.
The Blood Trial was set to begin in two days, and the list of participants was almost finalized. The three reclusive True Ancestors, who rarely appeared in public except for Lady Chen Xi, held a grand banquet with her, inviting all the young vampires participating in the Blood Trial. A ball would follow the feast, a dazzling display of elegance and grace as the young vampires danced with their chosen partners. It would be a beautiful, if somewhat tense, affair, given that these same participants would soon be facing each other in a deadly competition.
After Dorothy’s visit, Hermione, taking advantage of her proximity to Adele, extended an invitation to be Adele’s dance partner. Adele, however, couldn’t dance, her embarrassment evident. Hermione, ever the patient instructor, spent the afternoon teaching Adele the steps, even gifting her a beautiful gown and shoes, ensuring she was perfectly prepared for the evening.
As the evening approached, vampire youths began arriving at the banquet hall, their faces alight with excitement and anticipation. Beautiful girls in stunning dresses and handsome boys in sharp suits mingled, the air thick with anticipation. Even the knowledge that they would soon be facing each other in a deadly competition couldn’t dampen their spirits. Some even indulged in fleeting romances, savoring the brief respite before the trial.
Adele, still unaccustomed to heels, carefully navigated the crowded hall, clinging to Hermione’s arm for support. She felt a little more confident knowing her “harem” would be present, a silent threat to anyone who dared to mock or underestimate her.
Before they even reached the entrance, Adele’s eyes lit up. She spotted a familiar splash of sunshine gold amidst the crowd. Celeste, her long golden hair cascading down her back, stood near the entrance, scanning the arriving guests, searching for her master. A sudden warmth on her skin made her turn, her eyes locking with Adele’s, a spark igniting between them.
Hermione, though reluctant, released Adele’s hand, allowing her to reunite with Celeste. She had monopolized Adele’s attention for the past few days; any more would be greedy.
Adele, her elegant dress swirling around her, hurried towards Celeste. Celeste, though not a Sequence One, carried herself with the grace and confidence of someone accustomed to high society gatherings.
As they met, Adele threw herself into Celeste’s arms, inhaling the girl’s warm, milky scent.
“Celeste! My Celeste~”
“Did you miss me? It’s been days, you’ve lost weight… no, wait, you’ve gained weight! It doesn’t matter!”
Celeste, initially touched, was now flustered and slightly offended.
“M-Master, have I really gained weight!?”
Adele’s hands discreetly moved to Celeste’s sides, giving them a gentle squeeze. Celeste let out a soft moan, her body melting against Adele’s, a blush creeping up her cheeks.
“You’ve become a little… ’rounder,’ but I like it, heehee~”
Celeste then realized what Adele meant by “gained weight.”
She blushed and remained silent, but she leaned into Adele’s touch, enjoying the attention.
“Is the food in the vampire territory that good? It’s only been a few days, and you look much healthier,” Adele commented, observing the vibrant energy of the young vampires around them. They seemed far more lively and spirited than their counterparts in the academy.
Hermione, approaching them, explained, “It’s the nourishment and protection of our ancestral land.”
It was like a beneficial buff. When vampires were in Twilight City, they could feel their blood becoming more vigorous, as if they were connected to some mysterious existence.
Adele blinked, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Then why don’t I feel it?”
“Ah, well…” Hermione blushed and averted her gaze. “M-maybe because Adele is already very… energetic…?”
“After all, every night you…”
Celeste: ?
Celeste: You’re just showing off, aren’t you!?
So even Hermione had learned how to subtly brag about how much she enjoyed Adele.
Adele was still confused, her energy was clearly due to her witch form, it had nothing to do with the vampire ancestral land.
Well, she was just a half-baked vampire after all.
Although Adele felt a little disappointed that she couldn’t receive the blessings and nourishment of the ancestral land, she could understand.
“Let’s go, let’s enter the hall,” Adele said gently, releasing Celeste from her embrace but keeping an arm around her.
Suddenly, a seemingly accusatory voice came from behind,
“Adele!”
The voice was somewhat familiar, but not very.
Adele couldn’t help but turn around and saw a group of unfamiliar girls walking towards her.
Oh no, she was actually familiar with the two in the front.
They were the Amaterasu Kuro and Tsukimi Shiro twins.
And the one who had called out to her was naturally Amaterasu Kuro.
Last time, she had been thoroughly played by Adele, forced to experience the feeling of being… well, that!
Since then, the relationship between Amaterasu Kuro and her sister, Tsukimi Shiro, had become distant.
She couldn’t tell her sister that she had experienced everything Tsukimi Shiro had felt in Adele’s Witch Domain!
Of course, it was more that Amaterasu Kuro was angry at her sister for being useless, for submitting to Adele, and even helping an outsider like Adele against her after leaving the domain.
This led to the once inseparable twin sisters, who were willing to share even their thoughts, having not had a “heart-to-heart” connection for a long time.
Amaterasu Kuro closed herself off, and so did Tsukimi Shiro.
After all, she had a big conflict with her sister regarding how to treat Adele.
Just like now, Amaterasu Kuro, wearing a black and red haute couture dress and high heels, walked towards Adele arrogantly.
Beside her, Tsukimi Shiro, with her pure white hair cascading down her back, wore a blue and white dress as elegant as a princess, but her expression was one of helplessness.
The disagreement between the two sisters was evident.
“It’s you, the sneak attacker!”
Adele was much more confident when she saw Amaterasu Kuro again, after all, she had Hermione and Celeste by her side.
And there were also Dorothy, Sharon, and Edith, they could all be Adele’s support!
Moreover, this was the banquet hall, the place where even the True Ancestors would attend, Amaterasu Kuro wouldn’t dare to be too presumptuous here.
Therefore, she didn’t need to be afraid of one of the twins.
As for Tsukimi Shiro, Adele and she had a “fleeting romance,” so their current relationship wasn’t close, but not distant either, it was probably in an ambiguous stage.
Based on Adele’s understanding of Tsukimi Shiro, she probably wouldn’t help Amaterasu Kuro.
Hermione frowned deeply.
“Sneak attacker… what do you mean?”
“Did they bother you again, Adele!?”
Adele responded to Hermione’s concern, looking at her and nodding without denying it.
“It’s fine, I’ve already dealt with it.”
The girl smiled warmly and confidently.
She wanted Hermione to know that she was no longer the weak, pitiful girl who needed protection.
She could solve many problems on her own.
— But it would be even better if everyone wanted to protect her!
Adele never thought that she needed to be independent, having the ability was just a backup.
And having the care and love of others, without having to work hard herself, was even better.
Hearing this, Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, but then, she looked at Amaterasu Kuro with an icy gaze.
Amaterasu Kuro couldn’t help but take a step back, and even the other girls beside her gasped.
Hermione’s authority was evident.
But if Dorothy were here, Amaterasu Kuro might not even dare to come and find fault, she would probably just leave with her tail between her legs, and so would most of the others.
But there were exceptions, such as the short-haired girl who caught Adele’s attention at first glance.
She was standing at the front of the group, even the powerful twin sisters were only by her side.
So, she was the backbone of this small group, their leader.
She didn’t look gentle and elegant, on the contrary, she was very cool and handsome, with a somewhat androgynous style, like a prince, she had sharp eyes like a wolf’s, and short, bluish-gray hair in a wolf-cut style.
As for her figure, it wasn’t just tall, but almost imposing, and she was slender, with long arms and legs.
Even Hermione was a little shorter than her. Adele estimated that her height was probably over 1.8 meters.
And her usual posture was slouched and rebellious, her shoulders slumped, her back slightly hunched, her hands in her pockets, showing a lazy and decadent, devil-may-care aura.
If she stood up straight and puffed out her chest, her aura would be even stronger, even more terrifying.
She could be called a “godly tomboy.”
“You’ve joined Kaiser now?” Hermione asked Amaterasu Kuro and Tsukimi Shiro.
Adele blinked, seemingly realizing something.
Clearly, this short-haired girl with an extraordinary aura was the Kaiser that Hermione mentioned.
Without waiting for Amaterasu Kuro and Tsukimi Shiro’s reply, the girl at the front responded,
“Is there a problem, Hermione?”
Kaiser smiled slightly, her voice surprisingly soft. Whispering next to a young girl, it could probably easily seduce the other party.
Hermione stared at her coldly and shook her head.
“It doesn’t matter, even if you gather a group of mobs, you’ll never be Dorothy’s match.”
Kaiser’s eyes suddenly darkened, like a wolf baring its fangs in the night.
She was actually very good-looking, but the ruthlessness hidden beneath her lazy exterior made even Adele’s heart tremble.
In short, she was a terrifying girl!
But then, the smile returned to her face.
It was as if the previous change never happened, just someone else’s illusion.
“We’ll see,” Kaiser said calmly, her gaze moving from Hermione’s face to Adele’s, then discreetly looking away.
Then, she waved her hand, signaling for the people behind her to leave with her.
It wasn’t the time to clash with Hermione yet.
Amaterasu Kuro, who had a rebellious personality, actually obeyed her command willingly.
As for Tsukimi Shiro, her gaze met Adele’s reluctantly before she left.
They were sisters with almost identical appearances, but their attitudes towards Adele were completely different.
After they left, Adele, like a curious child, tilted her head up slightly and asked Hermione,
“Who is that Kaiser?”
Adele thought carefully, there was no mention of this vampire named Kaiser in the original story.
Perhaps she had never had any connection with the original “Adele.”
But judging from her reaction after hearing Hermione’s words…
This girl… seemed to care a lot about Dorothy.
Hermione answered Adele’s question without hesitation.
“Kaiser, is perhaps the closest person to Dorothy in terms of strength among the younger generation of vampires.”
“I used to think that if I was serious, I might be able to fight Dorothy to a draw.”
“But after that test held by the school, I gave up on that idea.”
Hermione readily admitted that she was inferior to Dorothy.
“Dorothy is a monster, and she hasn’t even fully unleashed the power of her familiar yet.”
“I don’t know if she can’t do it, or… doesn’t dare to.”
“As for Kaiser, she hasn’t given up on challenging Dorothy.”
“And she has always been inexplicably jealous and resentful of Dorothy since childhood, so she keeps challenging her, and keeps losing.”
“It sounds embarrassing, right?”
“But if you’ve ever seen those two fight, you wouldn’t think so.”
“Well… what type of vampire is she?” Adele asked curiously.
“Body Technique type.”
Hermione explained Kaiser’s ability simply and directly.
“You mean, she’s very strong and has great physical strength?”
The image of a “muscular woman” appeared in Adele’s mind.
But it wasn’t just muscular women who had great strength, that was a stereotype.
And Kaiser’s figure was clearly far from that of a bulky, muscular girl.
But there was one thing that even Adele, despite Kaiser’s slender figure, could sense.
That was the immense power hidden within her body.
Hermione nodded, her eyes deepening as if she was lost in some memory.
“It’s far more than that, she’s a true monster.”
Body Technique type vampires were those who sought all their power from within, trying to maximize their bloodline and physical training.
It sounded very ordinary, nothing special.
How terrifying could it be?
Adele was puzzled, but she silently remembered the name “Kaiser.”
During the Blood Trial, it was best to avoid her.
Who knew if she would take her anger out on Adele because of Adele’s relationship with Dorothy, or even use Adele to threaten Dorothy?
This kind of simple-minded woman was the most troublesome.
“Let’s not talk about her, anyway, whether it’s Kaiser or Amaterasu Kuro, Adele, you should try to avoid them during the Blood Trial.”
“Our first priority will be to find and protect you.”
Hermione’s words resonated with Celeste, making her look at Hermione with newfound respect.
She didn’t expect that Hermione would also think this way. After all, Celeste’s purpose in participating in the Blood Trial was only to protect Adele.
She wasn’t interested in competing or obtaining resources.
Adele blushed and didn’t refuse hypocritically.
Because her feelings for Hermione, Celeste, and the others were genuine.
It wasn’t something she could decide by refusing.
On the contrary, if Adele readily accepted their protection, it would make Hermione and the others feel relieved.
The three entered the banquet hall.
From afar, Adele spotted Dorothy, who was talking to an unfamiliar vampire elder, under the brightest lights.
She was the easiest to find, followed by Edith, who was with Lady Chen Xi.
Only Sharon was harder to find. Her personality used to be timid and introverted, and now, after changing, she had become “low-key.”
Adele didn’t dislike this word, except for now!
But soon, Celeste tugged on Adele’s skirt.
Adele followed Celeste’s gaze and saw the girl sitting in a corner, sipping juice listlessly.
Sharon also saw Adele at the same time, her eyes lighting up like stars.
Now, Team Adele was finally assembled!