Chapter 28: Dorothy, You Villain!
“I’m sorry I’m late, Professor.”
The girl, her long black hair cascading down her back like silk, her pink eyes wide and apologetic, stood panting in the doorway, her arrival disrupting the quiet hum of the classroom.
A wave of murmurs and whispers rippled through the room as the other students turned to stare, their gazes a mixture of curiosity and disdain. It wasn’t until the professor, a stern-looking man with a neatly trimmed beard, rapped his knuckles against the lectern, silencing the room, that order was restored.
He looked at Adele, his gaze lingering for a moment, a flicker of pity in his eyes. He wasn’t oblivious to the rumors, the whispers that followed her like a shadow. But even as a professor, he was powerless to intervene. This was a matter of vampire hierarchy, a world where humans had no jurisdiction.
Adele’s misfortune was that she possessed vampire blood. That alone made her a target.
All he could do was accept her apology and treat her like any other student. No pity, no special treatment, just… normalcy.
He suspected that was all she wanted.
“Come in, Miss Adele,” he said, his voice neutral. “Take your seat and open your textbook to page fifty-eight. Today, we’re discussing the first recorded instance of cooperation between humans and vampires…”
Most of the professors at Cromwell Academy were human Espers, individuals with extraordinary abilities. A few were ordinary humans who had stumbled into the world of the arcane, lured by the promise of a stable job, a steady income, and even government-provided housing. It wasn’t a bad deal, all things considered.
Vampire professors, however, were rare. Vampires, especially the powerful ones, were notoriously independent, their disdain for authority evident in Dorothy’s blatant disregard for attendance rules. The idea of them willingly subjecting themselves to a nine-to-five schedule… it was almost laughable.
Still, there were a few vampire professors at Cromwell Academy, as well as instructors who oversaw the students’ field training, their expertise in combat and survival invaluable.
Adele, struggling to catch her breath, bowed slightly to the professor, her cheeks still flushed from her rooftop encounter. Then, ignoring the curious and mocking gazes of her classmates, she hurried to her seat, her steps small and hurried.
She retrieved her history textbook from her desk, flipping to the designated page and pretending to read. But her mind was elsewhere, replaying the events of the past hour, the warmth of Dorothy’s embrace still lingering on her skin.
She hadn’t even realized she had been reading until the professor’s voice, droning on about some historical event, pulled her back to reality.
But to be fair, the history of this world was… interesting.
Surely, she wasn’t the only one who found solace in the pages of their history or language textbooks during boring classes, right? Those were the most entertaining of the approved reading materials. Anything else, like novels or magazines, risked being confiscated by vigilant teachers.
The professor was discussing an event that wasn’t recorded in any human history books, a secret collaboration between humans and vampires. The purpose? To repel an invasion from… the Mist.
The timing coincided with the Black Death, the devastating plague that had ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages. It had been a dark time, a time of death and despair, as the plague spread like wildfire, claiming countless lives.
And from the Mist, creatures of darkness had emerged, preying on both humans and other supernatural beings.
A black sun had appeared in the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the world. And every night, a blood-red moon rose, driving supernatural beings to madness.
Even the most devout members of the Church, desperate to survive, to preserve their faith, to serve their Lord… they had been forced to set aside their differences and ally themselves with their sworn enemies, the vampires.
The textbook provided no concrete details about the Mist, its nature shrouded in mystery. And the outcome of that unlikely alliance… well, it had only managed to delay the inevitable. It wasn’t a victory, not really. It was more like… the Mist had simply retreated after claiming its due, its hunger sated for the time being.
Adele frowned, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall the details of the original novel. There had been no mention of the Mist, not explicitly. But there had been hints, subtle clues scattered throughout the story.
Like the battles between werewolves and vampires, fueled by the red moon’s maddening influence, battles that had solidified their centuries-old feud.
Yes, in this world, werewolves and vampires were still locked in their eternal struggle, a trope that readers seemed to enjoy.
Could this be… a discarded plot point? Something the author had planned but ultimately abandoned? Adele wondered.
Maybe… maybe the original ending had been different. Maybe Adele, the protagonist, had risen to become a leader, a savior, uniting humans, vampires, and all the other supernatural beings under her banner, setting aside their differences to face a common enemy, a powerful entity from another world.
A happy ending.
But then, the author, caught up in the drama, the angst, the heartbreak… had changed his mind. He had thrown out his original plan, opting for a more tragic ending.
Adele, the Blood Empress, had destroyed her own kind, leaving only herself, a solitary figure cursed with eternal life, a life devoid of love, of meaning, of hope.
It was a fitting punishment, a cruel twist of fate.
But those were just idle thoughts, fleeting musings as she struggled to stay awake during a boring lecture.
The truth about the Mist… it remained a mystery.
Would it return one day?
………………
The lecture droned on, the professor’s voice a soothing lullaby that would have lulled Adele to sleep on any other day. But today… she was wide awake. Too awake. Her mind was racing, her body buzzing with a nervous energy that had nothing to do with caffeine.
Because Adele was experiencing the harsh realities of life.
Starting with… a very full bladder!
She had managed to distract herself earlier, losing herself in the pages of her history textbook. But now… the urge was overwhelming, impossible to ignore.
The more she tried to suppress it, the more insistent it became.
Because she had acknowledged it, had given it power by simply observing its existence.
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her long black hair swaying gently with every movement, her shoulders trembling slightly as she fought to maintain her composure.
She couldn’t let the professor notice her distress. So, she buried her face in her textbook, pretending to study diligently.
But those who were watching her, those who knew her secret… they saw the way her legs were shaking beneath her desk, the way her knees were pressed together so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.
And the way she was subtly… rubbing them together.
Soft flesh against soft flesh, leather shoes against leather shoes… her toes curled, her body betraying her desperate attempts to maintain control.
What… What happened to her?
Tang Linlang, watching from across the room, her eyes wide with concern, couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
What had Dorothy done to Adele during break?
Why had she returned to class breathless, her cheeks flushed?
Adele: Because I had to run!
And why was she now contorting in her seat, her expression a mixture of pain and embarrassment, as if something was slowly chipping away at her resistance, her sense of shame?
Adele: Because I haven’t been to the restroom, that’s why! What else could it be?
A horrifying thought crossed Linlang’s mind, a possibility so disturbing that she shuddered, her anger and sympathy for Adele battling for dominance.
Adele: Don’t even go there!
But Adele’s internal protests were lost on Linlang, who was now convinced that Adele had been subjected to something truly terrible, something… unspeakable.
Maybe Dorothy hadn’t left. Maybe she was lurking somewhere outside the classroom, a wicked smile on her face, her finger poised over a pink button…
“Mm…!” Adele, for some inexplicable reason, let out a soft moan, drawing the attention of the students around her. She immediately ducked her head, her cheeks burning with shame.
She couldn’t let them see her face. She wanted to disappear, to bury herself in the sand like an ostrich, hoping that the attention would soon fade.
Fortunately, the professor didn’t seem to notice. Or if he did, he chose to ignore it, his pity for Adele outweighing his duty as an educator.
Unfortunately, Tang Linlang saw everything, her imagination running wild as she filled in the blanks, her heart aching for her friend.
Her eyes widened, her lips trembling.
Could it be… that my suspicions… are true?
Dorothy, you villain!
Her hatred for vampires, for Dorothy and her fellow Sequence Ones, intensified.
But in reality, Adele was simply experiencing a sudden bout of stomach cramps, most likely brought on by her cold, or perhaps by her weakened state. The seafood porridge and ginger tea hadn’t been enough to replenish the blood and nutrients she had lost, leading to a painful spasm.
Adele suspected it was the latter.
Of all the times…
She was already struggling to control her bladder, and now this.
But class wouldn’t end for another twenty minutes. Twenty agonizing minutes.
Can I hold on that long?
But if I don’t…
If I just… let go…
My life as a student is over…
She couldn’t focus on the lecture anymore. All her energy was devoted to holding on, to enduring the pain, the discomfort, the overwhelming urge to… surrender.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, trickling down her temples, leaving a glistening trail that ended at the tip of her chin.
Drip!
One rebellious drop escaped, landing on her textbook, staining the page with a tiny, watery mark.
Adele swayed slightly, her vision blurring, her body trembling with the effort of holding on.
And then… a chair scraped against the floor, followed by a frantic voice, a voice filled with concern.
“Professor! Adele isn’t feeling well…”
“I need to take her to the infirmary!”
The classroom erupted in a cacophony of whispers and gasps as the other students turned to stare, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and thinly veiled malice.
They were jealous of Adele, jealous of the attention she received from the Sequence Ones. But they wouldn’t dare trade places with her, not for all the blood in the world.
And Tang Linlang… well, she was a human, an outsider who could never truly belong in their world.
They were both at the bottom of the social hierarchy, lucky to avoid being bullied, to escape the worst of the abuse that was often inflicted on those who dared to be different.
But they should have been bullied. It was only because of Linlang’s status as a human, and the potential consequences of harming her, that the other students had refrained from targeting her. Harming a human could lead to expulsion, a risk they weren’t willing to take.
As for Adele… well, she was the Princess’s chosen one, a forbidden fruit that no one dared to touch. The rumors of Dorothy’s possessiveness had effectively shielded her from their cruelty.
It was a strange twist of fate.
Neither Adele nor Linlang had any friends in this class. They were both outcasts, targets of scorn and derision. But for different reasons, they were also… untouchable.
Perhaps that was why Linlang had been placed in this class, among the weakest of the Sequence Fives. It wasn’t just about her abilities, but also about… protection.
The history professor, his brow furrowed, looked at Linlang, his annoyance at the interruption evident in his gaze. But then… his gaze softened as he looked at Adele, who was still hunched over her desk, her face hidden from view.
Adele was a pitiful creature. And Tang Linlang… well, she was a tragic figure, a descendant of the vampire hunters who had protected humanity for centuries, a family that had been destroyed, their legacy tarnished.
He sighed, his heart heavy with sympathy.
He clapped his hands, silencing the class. Then, he looked at Adele, his voice gentle.
“If you’re not feeling well, Miss Adele…”
“Then go to the infirmary.”
“Miss Linlang, please escort her.”
“T-Thank you, Professor!” Linlang said, her voice trembling with gratitude.
She hurried over to Adele’s desk, reaching out to help her up.
Adele, her expression dazed, her legs still clamped together, looked up at Linlang, her eyes unfocused.
Where am I? What am I doing?
I need to… preserve my dignity…
Thanks for the chapters (つ• ̀ω•́) つ
Ahaha Tang Linlang is lewd~
So lewd indeed, she probably was thinking that Dorothy h*ld h*nds with Adele, how… Lewd~
Thanks for the chapter╰(⸝⸝⸝´꒳`⸝⸝⸝)╯