As Adele’s gaze fell upon her, Dorothy instinctively withdrew her hand from Edith’s grasp, as if she didn’t want Adele to misunderstand their relationship. It was a strange reaction, considering Dorothy’s immense power and her usual disregard for Adele’s feelings.

Edith’s expression was unreadable as she turned her gaze towards Adele, a strange mix of emotions flickering in her purple eyes.

Adele, uncomfortable under Edith’s scrutiny, decided to give Dorothy a taste of her own medicine. With a haughty sniff, she walked past them and headed towards the audience, her gaze fixed on Sharon.

Sharon, startled by Adele’s sudden appearance, stood up from her seat, a welcoming gesture. But Dorothy’s sharp gaze immediately silenced her.

The silver-haired girl clenched her fists, her body trembling. But she stood her ground, refusing to cower before Dorothy’s silent threat. She would remain standing until Adele reached her side.

“Is that her, the prize that completes your collection?” Edith asked, her voice laced with amusement.

Dorothy simply glanced at her, then turned and walked away without a word.

Edith’s smile remained in place, her posture unchanged, even as Dorothy’s retreating figure disappeared into the crowd. Only when Dorothy was out of sight did her expression cool, a layer of frost settling over her features.

She turned her gaze back towards Adele, who was chatting animatedly with Sharon. Or rather, she was entertaining Sharon, drawing the shy girl out of her shell. Expecting Sharon to initiate conversation was like expecting a rock to sprout wings and fly.

Beside Edith, Vicky, the vice-president of the Black Feather Society and one of Edith’s most trusted Sequence Ones, spoke in a low voice.

“Adele, a first-year half-vampire. Rumored to possess the ability to charm others.”

“…A temptress, then,” Edith murmured, her eyes narrowing.

“If you’re curious, President…”

“No,” Edith interrupted, her voice firm. After a moment, she added, in a voice barely audible, “Not yet, at least.”

………………

While Edith was observing Adele, Adele was observing her, her gaze lingering on Edith and her companion, Vicky, whose attire resembled that of a medieval sorceress.

Edith was undeniably beautiful, with her classic features, her raven hair, and her piercing purple eyes. The black veil she wore constantly only enhanced her allure, adding an air of mystery and intrigue.

What secrets lay hidden beneath that veil? What beauty awaited those who dared to unveil her?

Unfortunately for Edith, Adele already knew the answer.

And knowing the truth made her want to stay as far away from Edith as possible.

Edith’s face, hidden beneath the veil, was indeed lovely, meeting the expectations of those who imagined her to be a breathtaking beauty. But the moment she opened her mouth, the illusion shattered.

Beneath the veil, Edith was… a monster.

Not in the “she’s so ugly, I wish she didn’t have a mouth” kind of way.

But in the “slit-mouthed woman” urban legend kind of way.

Long, jagged scars extended from the corners of her lips to her ears, held together with crude stitches.

The mere thought of it made Adele shudder.

Besides, she had the benefit of hindsight.

In the original story, Adele had fallen for Edith’s charms, seduced by the promise of acceptance and belonging within the Black Feather Society. She had believed that even a low-ranking half-vampire like herself could find respect and recognition among Edith’s followers.

She had accepted Edith’s offer of friendship, had joined the Black Feather Society… and had paid a terrible price.

Edith had subjected her to relentless bullying and abuse, inflicting unspeakable horrors upon her.

By the time Adele had escaped, her initial hope and optimism had turned into a burning hatred for all vampires.

It was a pivotal moment in the story, setting the stage for Adele’s eventual transformation into the Blood Queen, her thirst for revenge consuming her.

Knowing Edith’s true nature, knowing the horrors that awaited her within the Black Feather Society, Adele would never fall for Edith’s lies again.

She would never join the Black Feather Society.

Edith, sensing Adele’s gaze, smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

*As if,* Adele thought, rolling her eyes.

Edith could put on a friendly facade all she wanted, but Adele wouldn’t be fooled.

But then, a thought occurred to Adele.

The reason the protagonist in the original story had been so vulnerable to the Black Feather Society’s bullying was because she was alone, isolated, rejecting any kind of connection with other vampires.

She hadn’t tamed Celeste, hadn’t forged a deep bond with Tang Linlang, hadn’t reconciled with Dorothy, hadn’t earned Hermione’s protection or Sharon’s obsessive devotion.

“Come to think of it… maybe I could actually thrive in the Black Feather Society,” Adele murmured, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Sharon, her hands folded neatly in her lap, leaned closer, her brow furrowed. “What did you say, Adele?” she asked, having missed Adele’s quiet musing.

“Oh, nothing,” Adele replied, forcing a smile.

Under normal circumstances, she would have taken Sharon’s hand, showering her with sweet nothings. But the curse prevented any such intimacy.

*Damn you, Dorothy.*

Sharon nodded, and at that moment, Hermione entered the training ground.

Adele spotted her immediately, her eyes lighting up. She stood up and waved enthusiastically, hoping to catch Hermione’s attention.

Hermione saw her and smiled, her usually cold features softening with warmth.

Dorothy saw it too, her face darkening with displeasure. Even with the chastity curse in place, Adele was still flirting!

*Adele, why?*

Adele was a master of attracting unwanted attention. She was like a tank in a video game, drawing all the aggro.

The problem was, she wasn’t tanking the damage herself. She was expecting Hermione to bear the brunt of Dorothy’s wrath.

But that was a burden Hermione had already chosen to carry when she decided to challenge Dorothy. So, Adele wasn’t exactly throwing Hermione under the bus.

Besides Dorothy’s annoyance, there were a few others whose emotions were also running high.

Celeste, seated among the Sequence Twos, her gaze fixed on Adele.

Tang Linlang, who had quietly taken a seat behind Adele, her heart pounding.

And further back, two identical girls, their gazes also drawn to Adele.

The Amaterasu twins, staunch members of “Team Dorothy”: Amaterasu Kuro and Tsukimi Shiro.

Despite being identical, they were easy to distinguish. Kuro, the elder sister, was outgoing and boisterous, with black hair and black stockings. Shiro, the younger sister, was quiet and introverted, with silver hair and white stockings.

And both were blessed with ample bosoms, dispelling any “one twin is flat-chested, the other is busty” clichés.

“Look, a lone cupcake~” Kuro said, licking her lips, her eyes gleaming with predatory hunger.

It had been a while since the twins had tormented Adele. Life, even for Sequence Ones, was full of distractions.

And what better way to relieve stress than to pick on a helpless little girl?

Just thinking about Adele’s delicious blood made Kuro’s fangs lengthen, her mouth curving into a cruel smile.

Shiro, the quieter twin, set down her book and glanced at her sister.

“Don’t call me an idiot in your head!” Kuro snapped, her childish outburst strangely endearing.

“Hmph.”

“And don’t you dare think ‘Just block me out then’!”

“We’re twins! We have a psychic connection!”

But their telepathic link could be severed if one of them chose to close her mind. And it also had a limited range.

So, separating the twins, either through physical distance or through strategic maneuvers, was key to defeating them.

Shiro rolled her eyes, her expression a mix of exasperation and affection.

*Who wants to be psychically linked to an idiot like you?*

But despite their bickering, the twins were close, their bond unbreakable. And they shared the same opinion about Adele.

A single glance was all it took for them to reach a silent agreement.

*After school, we feast.*

“But Kuro,” Shiro asked mentally, their conversation taking place entirely within their minds.

“What?”

“Have you heard about Dorothy and Hermione fighting over the cupcake?”

“That’s ridiculous. She’s just food.”

“Hmm… perhaps.”

But a flicker of doubt lingered in Shiro’s eyes.