The newspaper was initiated by the Elder Council, and it was a mandatory subscription. Every noble household had to buy it, including Adele. However, as the profits from the newspaper increased, other companies followed suit, with the White family being the most aggressive in keeping up.
It wasn't surprising that the White family, ranked first among the Thirteen Clans for centuries, was quick to seize the opportunity to make money. Moreover, their tabloid published two issues per month, and each issue was filled with exciting content. Most importantly, despite the extra content, the White family's newspaper was still priced at ten coins per month.
To gather more intelligence, Adele subscribed to several newspapers, including the White family's. But the most crucial source of information was the network of informants she had scattered across the land.
The latest issue of the newspaper brought a smile to Adele's face. She sat in her study, spreading the newspaper across her desk, and even called Molly over to take a look.
Curious, Molly leaned in closer, eventually perching on the armrest of Adele's chair to read the article. The White family's newspaper dedicated a large section to this story, written in a humorous tone. The writer was clearly a vampire, and one of noble blood at that.
The story was simple: a small noble somehow stumbled upon a large sum of money and went to his local bank to exchange it for high-quality blood. However, the bank told him that they didn't carry such top-tier blood. Undeterred, he booked a luxurious compartment on a floating ship and traveled to the regional headquarters of his bank.
Upon arriving, he loudly demanded the best blood they had. The bank finally presented him with the blood he sought, but he was shocked by the exorbitant price. The money he brought was nearly exhausted, leaving him with only a 300-milliliter bottle of blood.
Frustrated, he ranted at the bank's entrance, even going so far as to criticize the Elder Council. This outburst led to his arrest by patrolling vampires and resulted in his punishment. The precious blood he had just purchased was confiscated, leaving him with neither the money nor the blood and a hefty fine to pay.
The writer's portrayal of the small noble as a vulgar upstart was biting, but the story was rooted in truth. The information Adele received matched the article perfectly. However, despite the writer's humorous style, Adele saw through to the core of the issue.
The writer's words betrayed his own feelings—an insatiable hunger for wealth, a bitterness that even with all that money, he couldn't afford a single bottle of blood, only to have it taken away. Whether it was Adele or Molly, they could clearly see the underlying resentment.
Others would notice it too. They would question when a 300-milliliter bottle of premium human blood became so outrageously expensive. The small noble had enough money to book a luxurious floating ship compartment, proving he wasn't entirely without means, yet he could only afford 300 milliliters.
Who would be satisfied with just 300 milliliters? They were all nobles, so why should they grovel like beggars for mere scraps? They worked hard to earn money, only to find they couldn't even buy the blood they desired.
After reading the newspaper, Adele accepted an invitation to a banquet hosted by Miss White. Miss White was Adele's senior from school, though they hadn't been particularly close. In fact, Adele had a stronger impression of Miss White's brother, who almost became her fiancé.
Fortunately, Molly had taken care of him.
Adele wasn't attending the banquet to reminisce with Miss White or mourn her brother. She was curious to see how the current situation was unfolding. Social gatherings, especially among the nobility, were always the quickest way for news to spread.
And it was also an excellent opportunity to promote her own products. After returning from Miss Gordon's engagement party, Adele had received numerous orders for clothing and cosmetics. This time, she expected to achieve even more.
With anticipation, Adele dressed in her casual attire, packed her luggage, and set off with Molly. Unlike the last event, they arrived only a day before the banquet, as she and Miss White weren't particularly close.
Upon arrival, Adele recognized many familiar faces. Since this banquet was hosted by Miss White personally, only those of the same age were invited; the older generation was absent. Miss Gordon, accompanied by her fiancé, also attended and exchanged a few polite words with Adele.
"It seems they're trying to find a suitable match for Miss White," Miss Gordon mentioned.
Adele nodded, signaling her understanding. She had known before attending, as she had gone through a similar process herself. Miss White was getting married, and there was no need to rush to find her a husband. Now that the current generation had proven their abilities, it was time to seek a match for her.
Adele shifted the conversation. "By the way, I heard you've started managing the Gordon family farms."
Miss Gordon's interest waned at the mention of this topic. "Yes, but it's nothing like your situation. I can only do family work under the protection of my ancestors."
Adele's next comment was laced with meaning. "I wish pies would fall from the sky."
Miss Gordon quickly caught her meaning and chuckled. "I'd love that. If pies rained down, I'd eat them all without leaving a crumb."
Adele smiled. "Same here."
Naturally, Molly hadn't spared the Gordon territory, and the Gordon family head had likely collected many counterfeit bills. They probably hadn't figured out where the money came from yet and were likely worried. But worry or not, they would still use it. After all, it was free money, and it would be foolish not to take advantage of it.
Miss Gordon's response confirmed to Adele that the Gordon family hadn't reported this windfall to the Elder Council. Everyone had the same idea—money unused is money wasted.
Adele then shifted the topic to the recent trends in the White family's newspaper. Miss Gordon responded with a couple of "ah"s before continuing, "I heard it was a nouveau riche who got hit by a pie from the sky and forgot his place, thinking he could afford top-grade blood."
"But blood is expensive these days," Adele said, sipping her tea. "Even if you're hit by a pie, it's still not enough."
Miss Gordon's fiancé, the young master of the Green family, looked confused, clearly not understanding what the women were talking about. When he finally found a way to contribute, he added, "It is expensive. We've been buying less blood than before these past two years."
Miss Gordon and Adele exchanged glances: Ah, another fool.
Miss Gordon smiled and patted her fiancé's head. "Then I'll have to figure out how to make more money. Otherwise, when we get married after you graduate, I won't be able to keep you in blood."
The young master of the Green family seemed annoyed at being treated like a child and brushed Miss Gordon's hand away. "Don't treat me like a kid! I know it's because the Elder Council reduced…"
Before he could finish, Miss Gordon hushed him. "It's not our place to question the Elder Council." She glanced at Adele, who remained expressionless, which seemed to relax her.
After exchanging a few more trivial remarks, Miss Gordon led her fiancé away.
Once they were gone, Molly tidied up their cups and poured herself a cup of unsweetened tea. Adele's expression was full of amusement. "It seems that not just the Black and Gordon families but even the Green family has complaints about the Elder Council."
The Black and Gordon families were among the weakest of the Thirteen Clans, but the Green family was more respectable, ranking somewhere in the middle. Combined with the White family's newspaper, it was clear that four of the Thirteen Clans were discontented with the Elder Council.
Adele doubted the remaining clans were all perfectly loyal. If they were, the Elder Council would have already taken action, perhaps introducing new policies to address the situation. But the Council had done nothing.
The very agents and spies they prided themselves on had chosen to turn a blind eye.
Molly reflected, "When you've been in power for too long, you start to ignore the ambitions and grievances of those below you." Indeed, the Elder Council had sat at the top for too long. Resentment wasn't new. For nearly ten thousand years, these noble families had been under the Council's thumb. Even if they eventually joined the Council as new Elders, their past experiences of being oppressed wouldn't just disappear.
Once they became Elders, they would only further oppress their former families. It was often said that having a family member on the Council was beneficial, but in reality, once someone became an Elder, they were no longer part of their original family. They stood in opposition to the Thirteen Clans.
And vampires weren't suited for the intricate scheming and palace intrigue. The Elder Council had done nothing to maintain a balance within the clans. The White family was too powerful, while the Black family was weak. The scales had been tipped for a long time, and the other clans surely desired to rise in rank.
It wasn't just that the Thirteen Clans were at odds with the Elder Council; the Clans themselves were divided.
When the ball began, Adele chose not to dance with anyone, even rejecting invitations from several vampire gentlemen. Everyone knew that the Black family's eldest daughter was young, beautiful, talented, and powerful. In recent years, her ability to amass wealth was undeniable. Even if these men knew they weren't worthy of being Adele's fiancé, becoming her lover or something similar would still be quite beneficial.
But to Adele, they were all so disgusting that she felt like vomiting.
If it weren't for the need to stir up the social scene, Adele wouldn't have attended such a ball. She had someone she loved, the most beautiful and captivating person in the world—far better than these filthy men.