Chapter 244: The Werewolf-Vampire Hybrid
Adele now understood the pain of being unable to split herself into multiple copies. She had to respond to each of the girls who loved her, and whom she loved in return, in her own way. In the end, she decided to accept Hermione’s invitation first, followed by Celeste and Sharon. Dorothy was fourth in line, and Edith last. This wasn’t a slight against Edith; Adele’s feelings for her were a complex mix of gratitude and sympathy, not pure romantic love.
The only one seemingly left out was Tsukimi Shiro.
Their relationship was... complicated, a tentative truce between former enemies. Tsukimi Shiro’s infatuation with Adele, however, was undeniable. She stood among Kaiser’s entourage, nursing a cocktail, a lonely figure watching Adele shine on the dance floor, her steps gradually transforming from awkward to graceful, her confidence growing with each turn. A bittersweet smile touched Tsukimi Shiro’s lips, a smile that didn’t go unnoticed by Amaterasu Kuro, a shadow passing over the older twin’s face.
Like Tsukimi Shiro, who considered her sister’s feelings, Amaterasu Kuro was also starting to reflect on her own actions, on the importance of her pride. The driving force behind her and her sister’s reckless behavior was their perceived “slight,” their need to reclaim their “property,” to retaliate against Adele’s defiance.
To them, a girl who had always been bullied, daring to resist, was an act of defiance, a challenge to their authority. They had been so accustomed to their dominance, to treating Adele as a plaything, that they couldn’t comprehend her newfound strength, her refusal to be controlled.
Amaterasu Kuro, blinded by her arrogance, still clung to the belief that Adele was hers to command. She hadn’t learned the wisdom of adapting to change. And the consequences of her actions had been disastrous, driving a wedge between her and her sister. While Amaterasu Kuro’s feelings for Adele were akin to a child’s possessiveness over a toy, her bond with Tsukimi Shiro was far deeper. Toys could be replaced, but a sister... was irreplaceable.
Seeing Tsukimi Shiro’s growing affection for Adele, the fire of Amaterasu Kuro’s anger slowly began to extinguish, replaced by a strange, unfamiliar emotion. Though she still felt a twinge of resentment towards Adele, it was limited to verbal jabs. She stood alone, no dance partner, even separated from Tsukimi Shiro. The once inseparable twins were now adrift, their connection frayed.
Beside her, Wen Xi, dressed seductively, boldly sat on Kaiser’s lap, her arms around Kaiser’s neck. It was a move that would make most blush, but Kaiser remained impassive, her gaze fixed on the dance floor, as if searching for someone, or perhaps for nothing at all. Adele’s image flickered in her eyes, a single drop of water disturbing the still surface of a lake, sending out ripples.
Wen Xi, oblivious to Kaiser’s distraction, whined, “Kaiser, you can’t leave me without a dance partner~”
Amaterasu Kuro, overhearing this, felt a surge of irritation. As if she had a dance partner!
“I don’t want to dance,” Kaiser said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Wen Xi, hearing this, knew there was no chance of winning Kaiser’s favor.