Chapter 23: No Room for Anyone Else
At this moment, Dorothy resembled nothing more than an eager puppy who had just retrieved a thrown frisbee, tail wagging furiously, eyes bright with anticipation as she looked up at her owner, waiting for her reward.
And unfortunately, the “owner” tasked with providing said reward… was Adele.
Of course, that was just Adele’s inner monologue. She wouldn’t dare voice such a thought aloud.
Don’t let Dorothy’s innocent appearance fool you. This girl was bad news. Downright wicked, in fact.
Need proof? Look no further than her audacity in claiming Adele as her personal blood bank, her little cake to share with the other Sequence Ones. She clearly viewed Adele as nothing more than a plaything, an object to be used and discarded at her whim.
Doesn’t she know the meaning of “facing the consequences?”
No matter how tightly she clung to Adele, no matter how sincere her gaze seemed, Adele couldn’t feel a shred of genuine warmth in her touch. All she could do was force a smile and pray for the best.
Besides, inviting Dorothy to “play” was already a deviation from the original plot. Desperate times called for desperate measures, sure, but judging by Dorothy’s words – “You finally let me join your game” – it was clear that the original Adele had never indulged her, not even once.
And now, by breaking that unspoken rule, Adele had no idea what she had just unleashed. Would this lead to a more favorable outcome? Or would it make things even worse?
It was like opening Pandora’s Box.
Dorothy is a loose cannon…
Adele wracked her brain, trying to recall any instance in the original story where someone had managed to successfully navigate a relationship with Dorothy, to find a way to coexist, or even gain the upper hand.
But there was nothing.
Which meant… she was on her own.
Well, better to die trying than to just lie down and take it.
Don’t overthink it… Just go with the flow…
And with that thought, her hand, as if guided by some unknown force, reached out and gently patted Dorothy’s head. It was an instinctive gesture, a knee-jerk reaction to the sight of a puppy who had just performed a trick.
The air crackled with tension.
Adele: ……
Dorothy: ……~
I can’t believe my hand moved on its own! Adele screamed internally.
Even Tang Linlang, standing behind her, was speechless, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and awe. She probably hadn’t expected Adele to be so… bold.
As for the lower-ranking vampires in the nearby classrooms… well, they had all turned away, pretending to admire the scenery, or perhaps brush up on their vampire history. Anything to avoid making eye contact.
Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look…
They were terrified that Princess Dorothy might mistake their curiosity for something more… something that might get them killed.
As for Adele… well, in their eyes, she was as good as dead. Some people were alive, but they were already dead inside.
Because daring to touch the Princess like that… especially when you were nothing more than a blood bag, a toy…
Adele’s heart hammered in her chest, a frantic rhythm she was sure Dorothy could hear.
As if to confirm her suspicions, Dorothy’s gaze drifted down to Adele’s chest, her lips curving into a sly smile.
“That’s a lovely sound,” she purred, her voice barely a whisper. “Is it for me?”
“…If you say so.” Adele took a deep breath, forcing herself to sound calm, collected.
It was a small step, but a necessary one. A terrifyingly brave step.
She was pretty sure her brain had stopped working.
The good news was, Dorothy seemed pleased. If she had said “unpleasant,” Adele was pretty sure her heart would have exploded right then and there.
Because if that happened… well, she wouldn’t be able to hear anything anymore, would she~?
“Adele…” Tang Linlang’s voice, trembling with apprehension, shattered the illusion of calm.
The air instantly turned glacial.
Dorothy’s gaze, cold and sharp as a shard of ice, snapped to Linlang.
Hold on… Did you just steal Hermione’s signature move?
But upon closer inspection, there was a subtle difference. Hermione’s coldness was a physical thing, a tangible chill that seeped into your bones, that could coat the world in a layer of frost. Dorothy’s coldness, on the other hand, was something far more insidious. It was a pressure, a suffocating aura that seemed to seep into your very being.
“Linlang… why don’t you go on ahead to the restroom? I need to… spend some time with Dorothy,” Adele said, forcing a smile.
Linlang opened her mouth to protest, but Adele cut her off, her mind racing.
Don’t you dare say another word! Don’t you dare provoke her!
I need you to survive this, to grow stronger, to fight alongside me in the future! Don’t throw your life away for nothing!
Wait… I’m Dorothy’s weakness?
“Just go!” Adele urged, her voice taking on a sharper edge.
Linlang choked back a sob, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew what Adele was doing, sacrificing herself to appease that horrible vampire princess.
I hate her… I hate her so much!
And I hate myself even more for being so weak, so utterly useless!
If only… If only I were stronger… Could I stand by her side then? Could I actually help her?
She couldn’t waste this opportunity, this chance Adele had given her.
Wiping her tears, Linlang turned and fled towards the restroom, her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs, her pigtails bouncing with every frantic step.
Adele watched her go, her expression a mixture of relief and concern.
(≡Д≡；)
It’s just a trip to the restroom… She’s overreacting…
And then, as if suddenly remembering where she was, who she was with, she turned back to Dorothy, her heart sinking.
Dorothy was watching her, her gaze intense, possessive. For a moment, Adele felt like the only two people in existence were her and Dorothy.
No… That’s not right.
She’d gladly offer me up to the other Sequence Ones if it amused her. What makes me think I’m anything special to her?
Adele bit her lip, hard, the pain a welcome distraction from the frantic beating of her heart.
As if sensing her distress, Dorothy’s gaze softened, drifting down to Adele’s chest once more.
“It’s slowing down,” she murmured, a hint of disappointment in her voice. “Not as lovely as before…”
Her voice was like a wind chime, beautiful yet melancholic.
“Let’s go somewhere else,” she said, taking Adele’s hand in hers. “It’s… too loud here.”
Adele, who had long since withdrawn her hand from Dorothy’s hair, instinctively clutched at her chest, her other hand flying up to cover her racing heart.
Dorothy, thankfully, didn’t seem to notice her distress.
She was a very straightforward girl, at least in Adele’s opinion. She didn’t play mind games, didn’t hide her true intentions behind a mask of indifference like Hermione.
“I hate it here too,” she said, her voice echoing through the hallway. “It reeks of… inferior blood.”
Her words were blunt, cutting even.
A wave of unrest rippled through the nearby classrooms, followed by an almost palpable silence as the Sequence Three vampires, gritting their teeth, forced themselves to look away. Some, recognizing the futility of defiance, even plastered obsequious smiles on their faces.
But Dorothy didn’t even spare them a glance.
In her world, in her eyes… there was often no room for anyone else but Adele.
