Chapter 98: A Public Speech
Adele licked the last drop of blood from Jasmine’s finger. It was the first time she had consciously drunk Jasmine’s blood, and yet she still ended up feeling lightheaded, clinging to Jasmine’s finger, savoring the last trace of sweetness.
It was embarrassing, she had to admit.
But undeniably, Jasmine’s blood was truly delicious.
After Adele finished showering, Jasmine dried her hair and returned to her own room. Having cleaned her room, she basked in the sun for a while before going to sleep. Since she had already revealed her true self to Adele, she decided to demonstrate her healing abilities as well.
Vampires had incredible regenerative abilities, derived from the blood they consumed, but Jasmine’s healing was a result of her enhanced physiology, requiring no external source or effort. It was instantaneous. After rinsing her mouth, there was no trace of blood left on her.
Otherwise, walking back to her room, she would have been like a walking piece of cake, attracting every hungry vampire in the vicinity.
The next evening was the start of the new semester at the academy. Adele, as the student representative for her year, once again took the stage to give a speech. Unlike previous speeches, where students shared their learning experiences, Adele launched into a detailed presentation, promoting her farm’s daylight work schedule and the nine-to-five, five-day workweek.
As Adele spoke, Jasmine sat in her usual spot, on a beam in the auditorium, listening intently.
Murmurs erupted among the students. After Adele finished her speech, she even presented data comparing Spark Farm’s productivity before and after implementing the new work system, using magic stones to project the data onto a screen.
Vampires had sharp eyes. Even the students in the back row could clearly see the data. After implementing the new system, Spark Farm’s profits had skyrocketed. This was undeniable, and it was this increase in profitability that had earned Adele first place in her year.
After Adele finished her presentation, the students bombarded her with questions. Some were genuinely curious, while others were simply trying to find fault. A male vampire stood up and challenged Adele in a booming voice, “But those lowly humans should follow our schedule! Why should they be resting while we’re awake? They should be working for us, serving us, day and night!”
His words resonated with some of the students, who whispered among themselves, “He’s right! Why should they be resting while we’re working?”
Adele wasn’t offended by the vampire’s challenge. But as a proud young lady, she couldn’t let it slide. She snorted, “I don’t know what goes on in that thick skull of yours. Do you prioritize your pathetic, fragile ego, which requires exploiting humans to maintain, or maximizing your profits?”
“Humans are different from us. They aren’t favored by the Moon Goddess. They can only be active during the day. Besides, chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, pigs… they’re all diurnal creatures. If you force them to be active at night and rest during the day, they’ll become weak and listless, and their blood won’t even taste good.”
“If you don’t believe me, try having a group of humans care for your livestock during the day, then compare the quality of their blood to those cared for at night. Besides, with more money, you can hire more humans to serve you. I’m sure they’ll be enough to satisfy your pathetic ego.”
Adele spoke like a machine gun, her words flowing effortlessly. The male vampire wanted to retort, but before he could speak, Adele continued, “Surely you’re not so stupid that you can’t even understand basic accounting? Something the teachers taught us during the first semester, and you still haven’t grasped it. If I were you, I would drop out now and spare my family further embarrassment.”
The male vampire sat down, defeated. Jasmine couldn’t help but clap, although silently. As expected of the girl I raised. Look at her eloquence, her ability to silence her opponents. She’s truly different from those vampires.
After answering a few more questions, Adele concluded her speech. As they left the auditorium, several vampires surrounded her, asking about the “daylight work schedule” and the “nine-to-five, five-day workweek.” They weren’t fools. If there was a way to increase their profits, they would embrace it.
Perhaps, with Adele’s efforts, vampires will be the first to implement an eight-hour workday, Jasmine thought.
After the semester started, Adele had to stay at the academy for a month of intensive study. She would only return to Spark Farm after that. During this time, she continued promoting her work system to her classmates, even suggesting that humans should be allowed to own property. Only with ownership would they be truly motivated.
Perhaps she can single-handedly drag them from feudalism to capitalism, Jasmine thought.
She didn’t think capitalism was a good system. It was just another way to exploit people. But undeniably, even a flawed system like that was better than the current oppressive regime. At least, capitalism offered a glimmer of hope.
Before her heart-to-heart with Adele, Jasmine hadn’t known what kind of world she wanted to create after overthrowing the vampires. Initially, her goal had been simple: to achieve fame and glory. Later, she realized she could do more, but she didn’t know what. But after talking to Adele, she saw a different path.
She was willing to fight for Adele’s dream, to eliminate any obstacles in their way.
Seeing Adele’s radiant face as she talked to the other vampires, Jasmine could envision the world Adele was trying to create. It might be a steampunk world, dominated by corporations, a shift from aristocracy to corporatocracy.
That world wouldn’t be perfect. There would still be evil and darkness. But it would be progress. It couldn’t be worse than the current situation for humans.
After a month of study, the vampire students departed, like dandelion seeds scattered by the wind. Adele and Jasmine boarded an airship bound for Spark Farm.
To Jasmine’s surprise, there was no news from Blake Castle. They hadn’t sent anyone to retrieve Adele, nor had they spread rumors about her being disowned. Even Miss Golden only knew that Adele had been missing for a month. Even though the Blake Lady had been staying at the Golden estate, no information had leaked out.
In the eyes of the patriarch and the Lady, this was just a childish tantrum, a temporary rebellion. They wouldn’t do anything that would tarnish their reputation.
But Adele’s allowance had been cut off. It didn’t matter. She had plenty of money, and Spark Farm was generating income for her. She wasn’t the type of girl who would cry and beg for forgiveness just because her allowance was suspended.
When they arrived at Spark Farm, Bella and several servants were waiting for them at the gate. Adele was surprised. She hadn’t sent a letter informing them of her arrival time. She had only told them that she would return in the spring.
This meant that Bella and the others had probably been waiting for her all this time.
It made Adele feel a little proud. Only those who truly respected her would wait for her so patiently.
Upon returning to Spark Farm, Adele resumed her work, adjusting her plans according to the current situation.
At the same time, she started recruiting otherworldly beings, not the strong and powerful ones, but the weak and vulnerable, those with families to support. The vampire slave traders were puzzled by her request. But it was the client’s wish, and Adele was a generous payer. She was also willing to buy the unwanted, unsold “merchandise,” which was a great opportunity for them.
When the otherworldly beings first arrived at the farm, both they and the human workers were wary of each other. But after a month, they had all integrated into this haven, this paradise. Under Adele’s rule, both humans and otherworldly beings were not slaves, but employees.
Jasmine wrote to the Commander, inviting her to send a delegation to Spark Farm to witness Adele’s management firsthand. Two months later, the farm was filled with humans and otherworldly beings of all kinds, coexisting peacefully under Jasmine and Adele’s watchful eyes.
They had been oppressed for so long. Who wouldn’t cherish a safe, peaceful, and dignified life, free from conflict?
The farm was bustling with activity, and Jasmine, ironically, became the idlest one. She was a proponent of laziness, and with everyone else doing their jobs, there was nothing for her to do. Even when Adele was working, Jasmine would simply sit there, daydreaming.
She and Adele were now officially living together, sharing a room for over two months. However, they hadn’t taken their relationship to the next level. There were many reasons for this, but the main one was Adele’s innocence.
It wasn’t Adele’s fault. Vampires didn’t receive any sex education. Nobles were very reserved, considering such topics to be vulgar. Although there were erotic novels, Adele had no access to them.
Their physical intimacy was limited to kissing and hugging. At most… passionate kissing and blood-drinking, although they hadn’t progressed beyond the first kiss yet.
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