The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 24

Chapter 24: Does Being With Me Make You That Unhappy?

Inferior blood…

Adele scoffed internally. Look who’s talking…

Dorothy seemed completely oblivious to the casual cruelty of her words. She simply hummed a cheerful tune as she led the way towards the rooftop, her long, slender legs swaying enticingly with every step.

Adele had to resist the urge to… well, let’s just say that certain images, best left unexamined, flashed through her mind.

As they passed by the Sequence Two classroom, Dorothy paused, her gaze sweeping over the occupants within, sending a shiver of fear through the room. The difference in their rankings might have been only one level, but it was a difference that felt as vast as the distance between the peak of a mountain and its base.

Her gaze settled on Celeste, who was sitting alone in a corner, her face covered in wounds. She noticed the deep gash on Celeste’s cheek, the one that pulsed with an icy blue energy, a clear indication of Hermione’s handiwork.

What happened?

But that wasn’t what bothered Dorothy. What bothered her was the fact that Celeste had tried to intervene earlier, back when that Sequence Three vampire had attacked Adele.

Two distinct forces had surged forward, both intent on protecting Adele. One had belonged to Dorothy, and the other… well, it was clearly Celeste’s.

But Dorothy had effortlessly swatted her power aside, like a fly buzzing too close to her ear. No one else had noticed, not even Adele.

But Dorothy remembered. And she didn’t like it one bit.

Hence, the icy glare.

Celeste, her face pale and drawn, clearly still reeling from the force of Dorothy’s earlier attack, averted her gaze.

Two days in a row, targeted by two different Sequence Ones… Celeste was having a very, very bad week.

Or maybe… it’s not bad luck at all.

Maybe it’s what she deserves for coveting something she can never have.

Adele, her thoughts a jumbled mess, followed behind Dorothy, keeping a safe distance. She had noticed Dorothy’s lingering gaze on the Sequence Two classroom, and curiosity got the better of her.

Even in the dim light of the hallway, Celeste’s golden hair stood out, a splash of sunlight that drew Adele’s gaze. It felt like a scene from a movie, a fated encounter.

For a moment, their eyes met, and Adele felt a warmth spread through her chest, a warmth that was quickly extinguished as she forced herself to look away.

She didn’t know what to make of it.

So, she followed Dorothy, her head bowed, her gaze fixed on the floor.

They walked in silence, past the classrooms, up the stairs, towards the roof.

Behind them, the Sequence Two classroom slowly came back to life, the other students breathing a collective sigh of relief now that the coast was clear. Some even whispered amongst themselves, their words laced with a cruel amusement.

“…Did you hear? Celeste has a thing for that lowly half-blood.”

“Those wounds on her face… They’re from the Ice Queen, apparently.”

“Even the Princess hates her.”

“She’s finished in this academy.”

“That’s what she gets for coveting the Princess’s toy.”

“She’s not even worthy of being called a toy…”

They made no effort to hide their conversation from Celeste, their words like daggers piercing her heart. They weren’t from families that were significantly more powerful than hers. She might be a strong Sequence Two, but if they banded together… what could she possibly do?

Celeste sat alone in her corner, her head bowed, her shoulders slumped. Her golden hair, usually so vibrant, seemed dull and lifeless, shielding her face from view.

No one could see her expression. No one could see the tears blurring her vision as she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the whispers, the laughter, the pity.

She couldn’t bear to look at Princess Dorothy. She was even too ashamed to meet Adele’s gaze.

But she had felt it… that fleeting warmth, that gentle touch that had lingered on her for the briefest of moments when their eyes had met. It was a flicker of warmth that had threatened to melt the ice that had encased her heart.

But it was gone now.

Adele had left with Dorothy, whisked away right before her eyes.

Why… Why can’t I do anything right?

………………

Adele followed Dorothy up the stairs to the rooftop, her gaze fixated on the gentle sway of Dorothy’s red velvet skirt, her mind wandering to dangerous, inappropriate places.

If I were to bend down just a little… and then look up…

Ahem, no. Bad Adele. Stop that.

I’m not some creepy pervert who gets off on looking up girls’ skirts in video games!

Still… she had to admit, Dorothy was… attractive. Her type, even.

If only she wasn’t such a horrible person.

The door to the rooftop was open, framing the azure sky and fluffy white clouds like a painting. Adele climbed the stairs, each step taking her closer to the heavens.

The rooftop was a spacious, well-equipped area that served as the exclusive domain of the Sequence Ones. Lower-ranking vampires rarely ventured up here, too intimidated to even approach. As for the human elites, well, they had better things to do than to involve themselves in vampire politics.

Even though the door was open, everyone knew that this was Dorothy’s territory, her secret lair. And where Dorothy went, the other Sequence Ones followed. They gathered here to play games, to gossip, to do whatever they pleased.

The academy, in a show of either incredible tolerance or utter cowardice, had even gone so far as to construct several buildings on the rooftop for their exclusive use: a tea room, a private cinema, a lounge, even a gaming room. It was extravagant, to say the least.

This was Adele’s first time on the rooftop since her arrival in this world. And despite her best efforts to appear composed, she couldn’t help but gasp in awe.

The Sequence Ones might have been powerful, but their power was only possible because the academy allowed it, even enabled it. It was a consequence of that incident, the one that had nearly destroyed the fragile peace between humans and vampires.

Humans had paid a heavy price for their actions, forced to make concessions, to appease the vampires, especially the descendants of the True Ancestor who had been wounded that day. There was another faction of Sequence Ones, led by the True Ancestor’s descendant.

They were a powerful group, but their influence paled in comparison to Dorothy’s faction. Still, they were numerous, well-organized, and they had formed their own governing body within the academy, much like a student council.

Dorothy’s faction, on the other hand, consisted of the following members:

• The Ice Queen: Hermione

• The Dream Eater: Sharon

• The Black and White Twins: Amaterasu Kuro and Tsukimi Shiro

…

“What are you thinking about, Adele?”

A voice, close to her ear, startled Adele out of her thoughts.

She turned to see Dorothy’s face inches from hers, her features so beautiful, so captivating, that if Adele didn’t know any better, she might have actually been charmed.

“N-Nothing…” she stammered, her cheeks flushing.

“Are you sure?” Dorothy pressed, her crimson eyes sparkling with amusement. She twirled gracefully, her movements fluid and elegant, and before Adele could react, she was enveloped in a warm embrace.

Dorothy’s breath tickled her neck, sending shivers down her spine. It was a strange sensation, a mixture of warmth and a lingering chill. Perhaps it was just the contrast between their body temperatures, or perhaps…

Adele’s heart pounded in her chest, but it wasn’t from Dorothy’s touch. It was her body, betraying her once more, responding to Dorothy’s presence in the most primal of ways.

Her blood sang, a siren’s call that Dorothy was all too eager to answer.

Adele couldn’t speak. It was as if her body had made a conscious decision to betray her mind, to succumb to Dorothy’s allure.

And to make matters worse, her expression, the way her eyes welled up with unshed tears, only seemed to encourage Dorothy.

Dorothy’s breath hitched, her fangs, which had been slowly extending, retreating back into her gums with a disappointed whine.

Adele might have been the one being manhandled, but somehow, Dorothy seemed even more distressed.

“You promised…” she whined, her voice thick with betrayal.

“You promised to give me a reward!”

“I won the game! I won!”

“Why… Adele…”

“Does being with me make you that unhappy?”