Who could resist the allure of a dramatic over-the-shoulder throw? Certainly not Jasmine. However, when hunting down otherworldly creatures, she was usually focused on taking them down for good, dispatching them swiftly and efficiently. The creatures she encountered often had an unpleasant odor, and since most of them were male, Jasmine preferred not to touch them if possible. Instead, she would opt for a quick and clean kill.
But here at the school, she needed to keep a low profile. Whether it was for gathering information or earning her keep as Adèle's maid, it was a job worth maintaining. If she were to get into trouble and lose her position, where else could she find such a convenient job? So, killing the low-level vampire wasn't an option. A simple over-the-shoulder throw was the perfect solution.
In her mind, Jasmine awarded herself a perfect score for the move. She almost allowed herself a smile but quickly reminded herself to maintain her cold and composed demeanor. The contrast between her calm exterior and the loud crash of the vampire hitting the ground left the room in stunned silence. The low-level vampire lay there, dazed and humiliated.
After a moment, the vampire on the floor finally found her voice, yelling, "You filthy human!"
Jasmine didn't appreciate such language, so she tightened her grip on the vampire's wrist. She didn't apply much pressure, but with just a bit more force, she could easily snap the vampire's delicate wrist. Even so, the vampire cried out in pain.
"Miss, would you kindly release my companion?"
A soft voice interrupted, and the next moment, a female figure appeared beside Jasmine. The vampire maid who had been seated earlier now stood before her, placing a hand on Jasmine's wrist. Though the maid's touch was gentle, her tone carried a clear threat.
Jasmine briefly considered her options. Should she swallow her pride and back down to save face, or should she teach them a lesson they wouldn't forget?
Before she could decide, Anna suddenly appeared from around the corner. She rushed over to Jasmine and offered a placating smile to the vampire maid. "Miss White! I apologize on behalf of Jasmine. She's new here and doesn't know the rules yet. Please show mercy and let her go!"
So this vampire maid was from the White family? Jasmine noted the maid's surname in her mind. The name White was well-known among vampires. If the Black family was at the bottom of the Thirteen Clans, then the White family was at the top. For this maid to bear the White family name meant she was highly favored by her master.
As for Jasmine, she had no surname. Vampires wouldn't grant their last names to humans, and as a product of a human breeding facility under vampire control, Jasmine wasn't entitled to a surname anyway. Not that she minded—she wasn't fond of Western-style surnames. To her, simple names like "Jasmine" were preferable.
Speaking of names, Jasmine couldn't help but find the surnames of the Thirteen Clans amusing. Black, White—it was as if the families were named after colors. She wouldn't be surprised if there were families named Brown, Green, or even Yellow in the future.
To Jasmine's surprise, the White maid actually listened to Anna and decided to let Jasmine go. The maid turned to the vampire still lying on the ground. "Are you going to lie there all day? Aren't you embarrassed enough?" With that, she left, and the other vampires followed suit.
The vampire on the ground scrambled to her feet and quickly joined the group, her pride in shambles.
Once the vampires had left, Anna let out a sigh of relief and led Jasmine to the end of the second-floor hallway, where it was quiet and secluded. She finally relaxed and spoke, "Jasmine, you really scared me back there. You mustn't get into fights with them. They're vampires, and we can't win…" She paused for a moment before continuing, "But you were amazing! How did you do that?"
Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she asked, and Jasmine decided there was no need to keep secrets. "Vampire maids are usually just low-level vampires, and they've only just reached adulthood. They're not very strong. A healthy human might not be able to kill them, but they can certainly defend themselves or even fight back. If you know their weaknesses, it's easy to counter them."
Human maids were stronger than they appeared. With all the chores they had to handle daily, their stamina and strength often surpassed those of pampered vampire maids. But years of oppression had conditioned them to fear and submit to vampires.
"I see…" Anna nodded thoughtfully before shifting the conversation. "Are you hurt? If you are, you should see the school doctor. He's a vampire, but he treats human maids very well. He'll take care of you. Vampires' claws are usually poisonous, so if you got scratched, you should get it treated right away."
"I'm fine. I didn't get hurt."
"Well, if you ever do, make sure to let me know!"
With that, their conversation ended. Jasmine returned to her room and sat down, pondering the situation. Anna's behavior was definitely suspicious.
As a human, Anna seemed to have some influence over the vampires. The White maid had been ready to confront Jasmine, but Anna's intervention had made her back down. Despite appearing concerned for Jasmine, Anna's actions seemed off. Normally, after hearing that it was possible to fight back against vampires, a human's reaction would either be one of disbelief or desperate curiosity. But Anna seemed more focused on getting her own message across.
Jasmine was certain there was something strange about Anna and that school doctor.
The way Anna had said, "He treats human maids very well," nearly made Jasmine laugh. Other than Adèle, she didn't believe any vampire in this world would genuinely treat humans as equals. Vampires like Adèle were extremely rare. Since arriving in this world, Jasmine had only ever met one—Adèle, a pure-hearted vampire who had never tasted human blood or harmed a human.
Adèle's ability to maintain this state was due to a complex mix of factors. As a beloved daughter of the Thirteen Clans and her parents' first child, they indulged her whims, allowing her to avoid drinking human blood. Jasmine's presence in Adèle's life had also subtly influenced her, making it difficult for her to view humans as inferior beings. Most importantly, Adèle herself detested the smell of blood. At the end of the day, she was a child, and her parents allowed her to be a little spoiled.
Adèle was the product of unique circumstances, and Jasmine doubted there were other vampires like her.
Something was definitely off about that school doctor, but Jasmine had too much on her plate to deal with it right now.
For now, her priority was getting something to eat. She still had to tend to Adèle's needs when she returned from school. Despite Adèle's independence, she couldn't dry her own hair and preferred Jasmine to do it for her.
After finishing her meal, Jasmine made her way to Adèle's room. She settled onto the soft couch in the sitting area, marveling at the difference between the student dorms and the servant quarters. The couch was so comfortable that Jasmine didn't want to get up. She lounged there for a while, enjoying the luxury of having some downtime. Being a maid at the school wasn't so bad after all. Apart from dealing with some annoying vampires and the potential trouble brewing with Anna and the school doctor, life here was better than at the castle.
At least here, she had more free time and could lounge on the couch like this. Jasmine dozed off slightly, and when she woke, she checked her pocket watch before stretching and preparing a pot of tea for Adèle.
Adèle liked both coffee and tea, and she had a habit of adding seven or eight cubes of synthetic blood sugar to her tea. Jasmine timed it perfectly so that the tea was ready just as Adèle walked through the door.
Adèle paused when she saw Jasmine, a look of surprise flashing across her face. She seemed to want to smile but quickly remembered her role as the master and suppressed it. Still, she couldn't entirely hide her happiness, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Jasmine placed the teacup on the table. "Welcome back, Miss."
"Mm." Adèle nodded regally, handing her schoolbag to Jasmine, who placed it on the sideboard. After sitting down, Adèle patted the seat next to her, signaling Jasmine to join her. Jasmine didn't hesitate and sat down beside her.
Just like when she was younger, Adèle began recounting her day to Jasmine.
"Gordon is so arrogant. She's only second place and yet has the nerve to say she'll beat me in the next exam!" Adèle's competitive spirit flared as she spoke about the other girl from the Thirteen Clans, while Jasmine mused internally, Another color-based surname—Gordon must mean gold.
Thinking back to the girl's striking golden hair, Jasmine had to admit it was quite fitting.