“Thorns is unaware of the agreement between your mother and me. Only the two of us know about it; no one else is privy to this information.”
As if seeing through her doubts, Madam Sharon took the initiative to explain, “The members of Thorns are all loyal to the Lorevil family. Even if I can reach out to them, I cannot truly control them.”
“Furthermore,” Madam Sharon tilted her chin slightly, her voice laced with confidence, “I don’t think much of Thorns.”
“Then what do you mean?” Lorevil asked, her heart skipping a beat.
“Reclaim this organization that has almost completely disbanded.” Madam Sharon’s wine-red eyes sharpened. “The fact that it hasn’t completely dissolved after more than one year without funding suggests that those who remain might be the true elite. Whether you can revitalize it and make it serve you will depend on your own exploration, Lorevil.”
After saying this, Madam Sharon fell silent. She picked up the blood wine from the table and took a small sip. Her gaze remained calm as she looked at Lorevil, waiting for her final decision.
Lorevil’s mind raced. Madam Sharon wanted her to take over the family’s intelligence organization, which consisted of fewer than 100 people.
But…
Before transmigrating, she was just a college student who had just finished an interview. Could she really manage an intelligence organization with so many people?
After a brief moment of hesitation, Lorevil thought of her hard work over the past few days and the sweat she had shed to increase her strength. Under the immense pressure of the practical training, she had gone from being at the bottom of the rankings to rising into the top ten under Catherine’s guidance.
Those seemingly impossible tasks—had she not accomplished them all?
Pressure was often the catalyst for growth!
“Thank you for the advice, Madam. I understand. I plan to take over Thorns,” Lorevil said, a look of determination appearing on her pretty face.
If it had been the original owner of this body, she might not have listened. But Lorevil knew clearly that this otherworldly realm was far more dangerous than she had imagined. She might encounter more girls with Blackening Values in the future.
Humans were social animals; Lorevil couldn’t hide at home forever. The Blackening Value wasn’t a reason to restrict herself. Whether it was for survival or the desire to live a more exciting life in this world, she couldn’t refuse Madam Sharon’s suggestion.
“Very good. Once you’ve mastered Thorns, your ability to handle affairs will undergo a qualitative transformation,” Madam Sharon said, her previous irritability finally dissipating.
“You might be able to attract the family elders with your excellent performance at the academy and your talent for the Rank 3 promotion. Although they currently favor Elidia, they will never reject a valuable heir.”
Despite saying this, Madam Sharon was somewhat reluctant for Lorevil to get involved in such matters so early. In the gentle eyes of Madam Sharon, Lorevil was still a little girl who needed her to hold an umbrella when it rained.
However, the look in Lorevil’s eyes told her that the girl had changed. She was completely different from before. Madam Sharon respected Lorevil’s choice.
The two of them chatted for a while about the practical training. Madam Sharon listened quietly, nodding occasionally. Her previously furrowed brows gradually softened in Lorevil’s company.
Before they knew it, the sky had begun to darken.
“Would you like to have dinner here?” Madam Sharon looked at Lorevil with a hint of entreaty.
Lorevil hesitated for a moment before nodding. She had refused Madam Sharon before because she thought the woman had ill intentions. Even after the ball incident, Madam Sharon had still felt like a familiar stranger. But now, with the status of a guardian, Madam Sharon was family. Refusing her again would be truly unjustifiable.
“Bring out all the prepared dishes,” Madam Sharon instructed the maid nearby upon seeing Lorevil’s nod. “And warm a pot of the finest blood wine.”
Her face beamed with undisguised joy, like a child who had just received a piece of candy.
“Uh…” Lorevil rubbed her nose at the sight.
She had only agreed to a single meal, yet a dignified, mature woman like Madam Sharon was this excited. It seemed Madam Sharon had been telling the truth—she really had cared for and watched over the original owner’s growth for a long time.
After the meal, a flush crept onto Lorevil’s cheeks. Her eyes grew somewhat misty; she was clearly a bit tipsy.
A Vampire’s blood wine had an extremely high alcohol content and a strong kick. Even as a Rank 2 Vampire, Lorevil couldn’t withstand the vintage reserves Madam Sharon had brought out.
“Did you drink too much? Lorevil, if you couldn’t handle that much, you should have told me sooner.” Madam Sharon had also drunk quite a bit. A thick scent of alcohol drifted from her warm lips.
The older woman’s beautiful face was flushed, and a rare hint of charm flickered in her eyes. Her usual poised and gentle demeanor was diluted by her drunken state, replaced by a more vivid, sensual grace.
“Madam, I’m afraid you drank more than I did.” Lorevil looked at the empty bottles on the table.
These were all from Madam Sharon’s private collection. The maid had brought them up one by one, and more than half of them had ended up in the Madam’s glass. Lorevil was a bit surprised to find that Madam Sharon indulged in both smoking and drinking in private.
However, it didn’t make Lorevil uncomfortable. Instead, she felt that this version of Madam Sharon was more genuine. To her, Madam Sharon was now no different from her own family. If she had to choose between the blurred memory of her biological parents and Madam Sharon, she would definitely choose this vibrant woman who treated her with such sincerity. At the very least, Madam Sharon’s care was real and tangible.
“Where are the maids? Someone come here, the Madam is drunk.” Lorevil called for the servants upon seeing Madam Sharon slumped against the table.
However, after her call, there was no response. Even the butler, who was usually at her beck and call, was nowhere to be seen.
‘If anyone dares to show up now, they can look forward to being thrown into the mines,’ the eyes-closed Madam Sharon thought.
“Forget it, I’ll do it myself,” Lorevil sighed, feeling helpless.
Madam Sharon was her guardian and the person she now considered family. She wouldn’t feel at ease letting anyone else care for her.
“Madam, wake up.” She gently patted Madam Sharon’s shoulder.
“Hmm?” Madam Sharon let out a cute, nasal hum, nuzzling against the table like a kitten.
Lorevil stood up. Looking down from above, her view was obstructed by the magnificent peaks of Madam Sharon’s chest.
Madam Sharon was at the most charming stage of a woman’s life—mature, curvaceous, and full of grace. Her features were even more striking beneath her slightly curled silver-white hair. Her figure was exceptional; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to fill out the loose wine-red dress so prominently.
Under the lights, her skin shimmered with a lustrous glow, every inch exuding the charm of a mature woman.
Lorevil only stole a glance before her nose felt warm, as if something were about to flow out. She quickly averted her gaze.
‘Damn it, what am I thinking?’ she scolded herself inwardly.
Madam Sharon was her elder and her family; how could she have such disrespectful thoughts?
But the problem remained: how was she supposed to get Madam Sharon to bed?
Lorevil was at a loss. Madam Sharon might look slender, but she actually had a very curvaceous build, and Lorevil knew she was also feeling the effects of the alcohol. These stray thoughts were the best proof of her own intoxication.