MTLNOVEL chapter 243 - A Dance With You
Adele stared blankly at the clear juice in front of her, then suddenly asked, “Can I have some wine?”
“No!” x3
Hermione, Celeste, and Sharon’s voices rang out almost simultaneously.
“…”
Adele slumped against the table, grumbling, “Do you still think I’m a child? I’m an adult…”
She could understand Hermione and Sharon’s concern, but even Celeste had rejected her request. What a disobedient puppy.
Despite Adele’s protests, the girls remained firm in their decision. They couldn’t risk Adele’s… questionable behavior after a few drinks.
Adele sulked, sipping her pineapple juice. Hermione reached out to stroke her hair, a gesture of comfort, but Adele shook her head, swatting Hermione’s hand away. Hermione, unfazed, simply smiled and withdrew her hand. She would make it up to Adele later, but for now, it was best to keep an eye on her. Adele, surrounded by her concerned “older sisters,” resembled a child on her first trip to a bar, allowed only juice while the adults indulged.
Adele fumed inwardly. Who’s the child here? she thought, remembering how easily she dominated these same girls in… other situations. But despite her annoyance, she obeyed. After all, she loved spoiling her wives.
With Sharon’s arrival and her natural ability to smooth over any tension, Hermione and Celeste began conversing, their discussion mostly centered on the upcoming Blood Trial.
As the younger generation of vampires gathered, the banquet officially began. Lady Chen Xi emerged, her demeanor elegant and composed. A hush fell over the room as everyone turned to face her, their eyes filled with respect. Without her, the current peace between vampires and humans wouldn’t exist. In another timeline, they might be enemies, their loyalties divided, their love for each other a forbidden transgression.
“Please, be at ease,” Lady Chen Xi said, her voice warm and inviting. “There’s no need for formality. This banquet is for you, the younger generation. It would be a shame for us elders to steal the spotlight.”
As she finished speaking, three figures emerged—one elderly, one eternally youthful, and one woman with fiery red hair and an equally fiery temperament. The elderly man, his face etched with the wisdom of ages, wore a traditional robe and smiled kindly.
The man beside him, handsome and otherworldly, resembled a resurrected Greek statue, his dark hair and emerald eyes a striking contrast to his Western features. The woman, a vision in red, held herself with an air of aloof arrogance, though her occasional glances at Lady Chen Xi betrayed a hidden tenderness. Adele’s “lesbian radar” went off instantly. This woman… is so gay, even a mosquito coil is straighter!
“These are the three True Ancestors hosting this banquet,” Hermione whispered to Adele.
As Adele suspected, they, along with Lady Chen Xi, were the true powerhouses of the vampire race, the founders of their kind. The original twelve, through childbirth, conversion, and the creation of kin, had built the vast vampire world, their bloodlines flowing through the veins of every vampire present. They were, in a sense, the ancestors of them all.
“The elder is Kaiser’s direct ancestor,” Hermione explained. A direct descendant, carrying the purest bloodline. Among Sequence One vampires, this typically signified belonging to the main family line.
“Kaiser…” Adele recalled the wolf-like girl with the sharp eyes. Did she really have such an ancient ancestor? Their personalities seemed vastly different. Kaiser, despite her outward carelessness, had a fire burning within her, a fierce ambition evident in her relentless pursuit of Dorothy.
“They don’t seem alike at all, do they? But that’s the point,” Hermione continued. “That elder is a loyal supporter of the Black Emperor, one of the three True Ancestors who unconditionally support Dorothy.”
Of the seven remaining True Ancestors, six resided in Twilight City: the three who supported Dorothy, Lady Chen Xi, Sharon’s ancestor, and Hermione’s ancestor. The seventh True Ancestor was rumored to have infiltrated the human government… a thought that left a bad taste in Adele’s mouth. This particular True Ancestor seemed unconcerned with vampire affairs, preferring the company of humans.
Hermione’s ancestor wasn’t present at the banquet. Sharon’s ancestor was the strikingly handsome, otherworldly man. And the woman who was radiating lesbian energy was also a supporter of Dorothy. Though not as fanatical as the elder, she had witnessed the glory of the Black Emperor’s era and placed her hopes for the vampire race’s resurgence on Dorothy.
“The elder treats Dorothy better than his own great-great-great… granddaughter,” Hermione said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement. “Perhaps Kaiser is jealous, or maybe there’s another reason I don’t know about. Anyway, she and Dorothy have a strange rivalry.”
“And don’t let the elder’s frail appearance fool you, he’s also a Body Technique type vampire.”
“Hiss, that makes him even more terrifying!” Adele shivered.
Hermione, not quite understanding Adele’s reaction, looked at her quizzically. People often associated physical prowess with brute strength, with hulking figures like Kaiser. But Adele’s fear stemmed from a different understanding: the older and frailer a martial arts master appeared, the more dangerous they truly were. It was a concept Hermione, unfamiliar with the subtleties of “internal power,” couldn’t grasp.
“Anyway, that old man looks like he’s mastered the ultimate secrets of martial arts,” Adele said, a conclusion Hermione readily agreed with.
The power levels of True Ancestors were far beyond their current comprehension. But Hermione had witnessed her own grandmother wielding elemental magic, a terrifying display of power that could turn summer into winter, lava into ice. It was a sight that had inspired both awe and a lifelong pursuit of power.
Lady Chen Xi and the three True Ancestors gave their speeches, the young vampires listening attentively, their hearts filled with a mix of excitement and reverence. The elders’ presence was more a gesture of respect for the younger generation than a call to action. The banquet began in a peaceful atmosphere.
The True Ancestors retreated, leaving the feast and the subsequent dance floor to the younger generation.
Who knew how many couples would be formed after tonight?
But even if none were, the number of one-night stands would be astounding.
After all, vampires were an unrestrained and passionate race, prone to romance and fleeting affections.
Often, as long as they saw someone they liked, they would choose to spend the night with them.
And among vampires, relationships between women were especially popular.
As for the male vampires, half of them would find female partners, and the other half… ahem, they would have to take care of themselves.
Vampires didn’t shy away from these things, they were all players.
Adele: After all, pure and devoted vampire girls like me are rare~
Everyone else: ?
The banquet itself was uneventful, just a chance to fill their stomachs.
The ball that followed was the main event, the true social gathering for the young vampires.
A romantic and cheerful waltz began to play.
One after another, elegant and beautiful young couples stepped onto the dance floor.
Adele, who had never danced in public before, looked nervous and awkward.
But when she looked up, she immediately realized…
That perhaps what she should be worried about… wasn’t whether she would make a mistake while dancing.
But – how to deal with so many girls who wanted to dance with her!
Hermione: “Beautiful Miss Adele, may I have the honor of this dance?”
Celeste: “My Master, please allow ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ me to extend this invitation.”
Sharon: “Adele, I-I learned a new dance step…”
Edith: “The first dance I learned… was taught to me by Mother…”
Dorothy: “I won’t let you have Adele’s first dance!”
Adele: “Will you all stop it!!!”