Chapter 38: Adele, Let Me Take Care of You!
Adele crouched down, her movements fluid and graceful, her knees and legs pressed together, her skirt smoothing over her thighs. She had grown accustomed to this body, to its inherent elegance.
She looked at Celeste, kneeling on the floor before her, her heart filled with a strange mix of pity and… amusement?
She reached out, her fingers gently stroking Celeste’s golden hair, its softness, its silkiness, a stark contrast to the rough scars that marred her skin.
Celeste, feeling Adele’s touch, the warmth of her hand against her scalp, finally broke. The tension that had been coiling within her, the fear, the guilt, the shame… it all came pouring out.
Tears streamed down her face, her shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs.
It’s okay… She hasn’t abandoned me…
It’s okay…
“So… that’s how you feel,” Adele said, her voice soft, almost melancholic, as she listened to Celeste’s tearful confession.
And then, she chuckled, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it? I’m all you have left.”
“And you have no choice but to… look at me. Understand?”
Adele was a pragmatist. She readily accepted anything that benefited her, that strengthened her position in this world. It was a survival instinct, a way to navigate the treacherous waters of this magic-infused society.
It also made her… increasingly ruthless.
But as the weakest vampire, a half-blood with no real power or influence… what choice did she have? To be naive, to be trusting, in this world… it was a recipe for disaster.
The world wasn’t black and white. It was a delicate shade of gray.
“…Yes, Master,” Celeste whispered, her voice hoarse, her surrender complete.
She shuffled forward, her hands and knees pressing against the cold floor, her movements awkward, uncertain. She wanted to please her Master, but she didn’t know how.
So, she did what she had seen other familiars do. She leaned forward, her pink tongue darting out, aiming for Adele’s shoe.
Adele giggled, her hand shooting out to cup Celeste’s face, her fingers gently wiping away the tears that streamed down her cheeks.
“Hey, what are you doing?” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “I didn’t tell you to lick my shoes!”
“You’re such a… naughty puppy.”
“Your tongue… it’s not meant for that, silly.”
Celeste, mesmerized by Adele’s laughter, her touch, her words… she simply stared, her mind blank, her heart overflowing with a warmth that chased away the shadows.
Adele, her laughter fading, her gaze softening, stood up, turning towards the door.
“Get up, Celeste,” she said, her voice regaining its authority. “You will walk beside me, head held high, your pride restored. Be the confident, powerful girl you used to be.”
“And if the situation calls for it… you can be… dominant,” she added, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You can insult me, belittle me… treat me like a lowly Sequence Five. Just… remember to come to me for your punishment… when we’re alone~”
Her last words, delivered with a chilling calm, sent a shiver down Celeste’s spine, a thrill that mingled with the fear and adoration that now consumed her.
Adele pushed the door open, stepping out into the hallway, the bright sunlight and gentle breeze a welcome contrast to the sterile, antiseptic air of the infirmary. She closed her eyes, savoring the feeling, the warmth of the sun against her skin.
A new chapter was beginning. The era of the Blood Empress.
And it all started… with the taming of Celeste.
Heh… It’s fun to indulge in a little chuunibyou every now and then~
Celeste, rising to her feet, her cheeks flushed, her eyes fixed on Adele’s retreating figure, couldn’t shake the feeling that… something had changed. Something within her, something… fundamental.
………………
Meanwhile, in another part of the academy…
Tang Linlang, despite being in class, her mind couldn’t help but drift to Adele, to the infirmary, to… what might be happening behind those closed doors.
Her pen hovered over her notebook, its tip digging into the paper, leaving a dark blotch of ink. Her gaze drifted towards the window, towards the vibrant green trees swaying in the gentle breeze, her heart heavy with a nameless longing.
Dong!
The academy bell, its melody both familiar and unwelcome, jolted her back to reality, shattering her daydreams.
Class was finally over!
And thankfully, the professor, a stern-looking woman with a no-nonsense attitude, was the type who valued punctuality. Even though they were only halfway through the lesson, she simply closed her textbook and announced, “We’ll continue this next class. Dismissed.”
A wave of relieved sighs and excited chatter filled the room as the students gathered their belongings and rushed out the door, eager to escape the confines of the classroom. The professor, her expression unreadable, followed them, her thoughts unknown.
Perhaps she had simply given up on them, on these Sequence Five students, their potential so limited, their futures so bleak.
It was a common sentiment among teachers. Faced with exceptional students, those with the potential to achieve greatness, they poured their hearts and souls into nurturing their talents, guiding them towards a brighter future.
But faced with mediocrity, with apathy, with those who had already given up on themselves… what was the point?
It was like playing a gacha game. If you pulled an SSR, a rare and powerful character, you would invest time and resources into developing their skills, maximizing their potential.
But if all you got were R cards… well, even the most dedicated player eventually lost interest.
Of course, there were those who played for the aesthetics, the “waifu over meta” crowd who valued character design over raw power. But in the real world, if a teacher prioritized their personal preferences over their students’ potential… well, that was probably grounds for disciplinary action.
The moment the professor left the room, Tang Linlang grabbed her bag and bolted out the door, ignoring the curious gazes of her classmates, her heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and… anxiety.
She had to see Adele, to make sure she was okay.
But as she approached the infirmary, she saw Adele… with another girl.
A tall, golden-haired girl, also wearing a first-year uniform, but clearly not a Sequence Five. Her aura, her posture, her every movement… they spoke of power, of privilege.
Linlang’s jaw dropped, her steps faltering as she watched them walk together, their shoulders brushing, their laughter echoing through the hallway.
Adele, noticing Linlang, turned, a playful smile touching her lips. She stood on her tiptoes, her lips brushing against the golden-haired girl’s ear, her words a soft whisper that only the other girl could hear.
The height difference… it was almost… cute?
The golden-haired girl nodded, her expression softening, and Adele, satisfied, turned back to Linlang, her smile widening.
For a moment, it seemed like… Adele was the dominant one, the one in control.
But then, something shifted. The golden-haired girl’s posture straightened, her movements becoming more fluid, more graceful, her aura radiating an almost tangible power. And as she walked beside Adele, their roles seemed to reverse. Adele, despite her beauty, her charm, now seemed like… the follower.
The golden-haired girl even… put her arm around Adele’s shoulders!
Linlang stared, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Even Adele hadn’t expected this. She had simply told Celeste to relax, to be herself, to… embrace her former persona.
And Celeste… well, she was a natural.
Adele’s gaze, as she looked at Celeste, was filled with a mixture of amusement and… something else. Something that made Celeste’s heart race, her cheeks flush.
She was about to apologize, to explain that she hadn’t meant to… take it this far, when Adele chuckled, her voice soft yet firm.
“It’s fine,” she said. “In fact… it’s perfect.”
“Keep it up,” she added, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “You can even… hold me.”
“Just remember to come to me for your punishment… when we’re alone~”
Celeste, her breath catching in her throat, nodded, her voice barely a whisper.
“Yes… Master.”
She focused on maintaining her performance, on embodying the role Adele had assigned her, her heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and… fear?
Neither of them noticed the small figure trailing behind them, her eyes wide with a mixture of hurt and disbelief.
Linlang couldn’t believe it. Adele… with that… that woman…
She refused to believe that Adele was the type of girl who would… sell herself, who would abandon her principles for… money? Power?
But as she followed them, her heart sinking with every step, she saw them enter a restaurant, a fancy, expensive-looking place that was clearly beyond her means.
She watched as Adele, her arm linked with the golden-haired girl’s, walked through the doors, their laughter echoing behind them, the doorman bowing obsequiously as they passed.
Linlang swayed slightly, her vision blurring, her heart aching with a pain that was both physical and emotional.
She didn’t blame Adele. Perhaps she was just trying to make a better life for herself, to escape the poverty, the hardship… She had done nothing wrong.
Linlang blamed herself. She was the one who was poor, the one who couldn’t offer Adele a comfortable life, a life free of worry and hardship.
She clenched her fists, then released them, her shoulders slumping with defeat. Tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over.
From that moment on, she vowed to do more than just become a powerful vampire hunter, a worthy companion for Adele.
She would become rich. Filthy rich.
She would replace that golden-haired woman. She would become Adele’s… sugar mama?
Linlang: Adele… I can…
Linlang: I can take care of you too! Let me take care of you!
Adele: Σ( ° △ °|||) What is this strange competitive spirit…?
Adele: Oh dear… The vampire hunter has become a bounty hunter!
