Near White Castle, Molly gently set Adele down and carefully adjusted her dress.
Adele had changed into a deep red, heavy gown before they left. The dress was incredibly well-made, with six layers of fabric in the skirt, creating a cloud-like effect. The waistline was cinched perfectly, forming an A-line silhouette, and the wide, butterfly sleeves added to her regal appearance.
Molly pulled out a hat from the suitcase and placed it on Adele's head, completing her ensemble. Looking at her now, Adele's presence was formidable, exuding an aura of authority. Molly privately joked that the dress's large and long skirt made her look like a walking robot vacuum, but there was no denying that Adele looked stunning.
Taking a deep breath, Adele, with Molly by her side, made her way toward White Castle. The guards at the gate, seeing Adele's graceful approach, were momentarily unsure of what to do. It was unusual for nobles to walk in—they were usually chauffeured in—but the sight of Adele's attire and bearing left them in no doubt that she was a high-ranking noble, far beyond their capacity to handle.
As Adele drew nearer, the guards, unable to risk offending her and potentially facing immediate consequences, chose to open the gates and respectfully welcomed her inside.
Molly sensed the concentration of vampires within the castle and guided Adele toward the meeting room.
Of course, they encountered some resistance along the way, but unlike the unsure gate guards, these vampires were more confident in their duties. However, with Molly by Adele's side, there was little for Adele to worry about. Anyone who tried to stop them was swiftly dealt with—Molly's threads binding and tossing them aside before they could even get close.
Before long, they arrived at the meeting room's entrance. Inside, a heavy silence fell. Adele knew they had already sensed her footsteps and smelled her presence. Molly stepped forward, ready to open the doors for Adele. They exchanged a glance, and with Adele's nod, Molly pushed the doors open.
Behind the doors, in the darkness, pairs of glowing crimson eyes blinked in the shadows, all fixed on Adele, creating an unspoken pressure. Molly quickly assessed the room and realized that it wasn't just the thirteen clan leaders present but also many of the vampire society's most prominent nobles and lords.
Undeterred, Adele walked in with her head held high, her hand lightly lifting the hem of her dress as she moved further into the room. The so-called meeting room was more akin to a grand hall, with a podium at the front and long tables on either side, where the leaders of the clans were seated. Standing behind the podium was the head of the White family, with six seats on each side occupied by the other clan leaders.
The hall was filled with rows of seats, all occupied, and the sides of the room were lined with vampires in various attires—some were heirs, others were trusted subordinates, all silently watching.
The sound of Adele's heels clicking on the marble floor echoed through the hall, drawing all eyes to her. The White family head glanced at Adele, then shifted his gaze to Molly before speaking, "Miss Adele Black, what brings you here?"
Adele's response was clear and assertive, "If a noble meeting is being held, how could I possibly be excluded? I am, after all, a lord recognized by the Council."
Her words sparked murmurs among the vampires. While Adele's statement was technically true, everyone knew that the Council had issued orders to send an army to suppress her. Her status as a lord was now uncertain. However, with the Council's fate still unknown, her title hadn't been officially revoked, meaning she did have the right to be there.
The White family head frowned, then exchanged a glance with the Black family head before sighing, "Very well, Miss Adele Black, please take your seat."
He seemed to concede, but the hall was already filled to capacity, with no seat left for Adele. Undeterred, Adele calmly walked up to the platform and approached the Black family head's seat. She stepped forward, standing beside her father.
As Adele stood, her father remained seated. He glanced at Adele, then at Molly standing behind her, and was filled with a mix of anger and fear. Before he could say anything, he heard his daughter's voice, "Father, do you remember what I told you before?"
Of course, the Black family head remembered. Her words haunted him, especially the tone she had used when she said them—"Only this once. Next time, I won't let you off."
He swallowed nervously, feeling a cold sweat trickle down his back. Without hesitation, he stood up, though he tried to maintain some semblance of dignity by making an excuse, "I... have some matters to attend to. I'll be leaving now."
Without waiting, he hurriedly left his seat, practically fleeing the room as if something terrifying was chasing him. Once her father had left, Adele gracefully adjusted her skirt and sat down in the seat he had vacated.
As the Black family head departed, his loyal subordinates followed suit, leaving a vacant spot where Molly naturally stood. Coincidentally, she found herself next to Miss Gordon, who quietly remarked, "I underestimated you, Lady Dawn." Molly gave her a brief glance but said nothing in return.
The White family head called for silence. Once everyone had quieted down to listen, he continued, "With the Council elders missing and their fate uncertain, we should..." He was abruptly interrupted by Adele, who said, "The elders are already dead."
Her words immediately captured everyone's attention, eliciting a range of reactions. Some were filled with doubt, others with fear, and some with greed. The White family head tilted his head slightly, looking at Adele.
Was he unaware that the elders were already dead? He most likely knew, or he wouldn't have taken it upon himself to summon all the major nobles to his castle for this meeting. But knowing and saying it out loud were two different things. The Council was still seen as the most authoritative entity, and admitting their demise could have unpredictable consequences.
He had intended to keep this information under wraps, but Adele had just exposed it. The White family head resisted, saying, "Miss Adele Black, there are some things that shouldn't be joked about."
"I'm not joking," Adele replied calmly. "The Council elders are dead, killed by my maid, Molly."
At Adele's words, Molly stepped forward, leaving her position among the others and gracefully curtsying in the center of the room. No one seemed surprised by this—if anything, they had already suspected that the seemingly weak human was capable of such a feat. However, the way they looked at Molly was now tinged with clear fear.
Adele rose from her seat and approached the platform where the White family head stood. Although he was taller than her by a head, thanks to the platform, he lacked the confidence that Adele exuded. After all, he was still wary of Molly, who stood behind Adele, her gaze fixed on him, ready to act if he showed any sign of disrespect.
"Mr. White, your intelligence seems outdated. I'm beginning to question whether you're fit to preside over this meeting. I'm well-informed on these matters. Why don't I take over?"
What choice did the White family head have? Like the Black family head before him, he had no option but to relinquish his position. He pursed his lips, then stepped aside, allowing Adele to take his place on the platform. Once he left, Adele stepped up, her dark red skirt trailing behind her as she placed her hands on either side of the podium, her scarlet eyes sweeping across the room.
"Let me be direct. The Council elders are all dead, and the Council is no more. There's no one left to lord over us," Adele declared, her words carrying a seductive appeal. The recent actions of the Council had left the nobles discontented, and now, with the Council gone, the news was undeniably a good thing for them.
Of course, many of them were still not ready to accept Adele. The reason was simple—Adele's power didn't come from her own abilities but from her alliance with the human resistance, particularly the renowned Lady Dawn. To them, her actions were nothing short of betrayal, and no vampire would willingly submit to her.
But Adele didn't care. She had no desire to rule the vampires—why should she care if they didn't accept her? Smiling confidently, she seemed to shine with self-assurance as she continued, "I know many of you would love to see me destroyed, and some of you are loyal to the Council. But I have no intention of creating a new ruling body."
"Since the Council's rule is over, there should be no new Council to take its place. From now on, your ability to gain wealth and power will depend solely on your own skills."
For the first time, Adele openly revealed her ambition—to see the vampire society's structure collapse. Only then could humans and other weaker beings thrive and grow, gaining a greater share of power.
Even if it meant bearing the weight of infamy for centuries to come, Adele was willing to shoulder that burden.