Chapter 76: New Leader

Yelan listened quietly to the rest of Luoyao’s story.

At the end, she offered her and Noah her most sincere blessings.

But to Noah and Luoyao, those blessings felt… off.

Anyone else saying, “May you have a hundred years of harmony and bear children soon,” wouldn’t sound so jarring.

Yet coming from Yelan—the “cruel mother” who threw them into the Well of Atonement—it was painfully awkward.

Still, through Yelan’s demeanor during this talk, Noah gained some insight into her struggles as the castle’s leader.

The fight on the Broken Moon Platform days ago, followed by their immediate confinement in the Well of Atonement, were actions Yelan, as an “iron-fisted dictator,” had to take.

As she’d said, “The castle’s people have been growing less obedient lately.”

The bond between Noah and Luoyao had spread through the castle.

It was clear to all that their relationship went beyond a typical master-servant dynamic.

They were unmistakably in love.

But the rule “vampires must not love humans” was set by Yelan herself.

Could Noah, her most cherished daughter, be exempt just because of that?

Of course not.

So Yelan accepted Noah’s challenge on the Broken Moon Platform and later locked them in the Well of Atonement.

This served two purposes.

First, to assert her authority to all vampires in the castle: Yelan’s rules were absolute, even for Noah.

She wouldn’t shield her favorite daughter.

Second, to ensure Noah and her “little sweetheart’s” love could be accepted by the vampire clan.

Look, they fought the fight, endured the punishment, and tore apart those outdated taboos.

Who could still criticize their love?

Only through this could Yelan maintain her authority while allowing the clan to acknowledge their bond.

After Noah and Luoyao survived the Well of Atonement, Yelan didn’t pick fights or feel she’d lost face.

She even offered them the clan’s blessings just now.

That was what she, as Noah’s mother, had to do.

Her daughter, raised with such care, would’ve broken Yelan’s heart if anything had happened in the well.

Between being the supreme dictator and the mother who poured her heart into raising an exceptional daughter, Yelan had to make such choices.

She didn’t expect Noah to fully understand her.

For now, her rebellious daughter just needed to focus on her love with her human girl.

The rest could be left to Huangwei to ponder.

“So, Noah and Luoyao can love openly now?” Huangwei asked.

“My cleverest daughter, why do you look so excited?” Yelan teased. “Their love being permitted thrills you that much?”

Huangwei smiled. “Mother, you might not know, but in human society, my behavior is called ‘shipping.’ It’s quite common.”

Yelan chuckled, uninterested in the unfamiliar term.

“We’ll talk about your ‘shipping’ later. Let’s get to business.”

“Alright, Mother.”

“I told you before, after these events, I’d test you. The task is simple: summarize the purpose of my actions these past days. Are you ready, daughter?”

Huangwei nodded. “Ready, Mother.”

“Go ahead.”

Huangwei adjusted her glasses calmly, then began.

She immediately pinpointed the conflict between Yelan’s roles as “dictator” and “mother.”

Yelan had to maintain her authority among the vampires while finding a way to let Noah and Luoyao’s love be accepted.

Huangwei’s analysis aligned closely with Yelan’s intentions.

This alone satisfied Yelan, but Huangwei’s next words made her listen intently.

“Mother, I have some thoughts outside the question.”

“Go on.”

“If the clan’s internal conflicts can only be resolved through overwhelming strength, then, Mother, we’ll eventually decline because of it.”

Yelan raised a brow. “But our clan has followed the law of the jungle since ancient times, and we’ve survived just fine, haven’t we?

Mother, is ‘just fine’ being cornered into these desolate mountains by the Blood Hunt Church’s sheer numbers?”

Huangwei continued, “Forgive my boldness, but you’ve spoken of finding balance between humans and vampires. Shouldn’t we first address the clan’s internal issues?

True, our clan’s path is ‘few but elite.’ Each sister is a formidable warrior, but that also means each has a strong personality.

No vampire will submit unconditionally to another unless they’re an absolute force like you. But such one-to-many submission is already imbalanced in numbers.

You’ve said yourself, Mother, the sisters in the castle are growing less obedient. That’s the clearest proof. So, in conclusion, I believe you need to reform the castle’s management.”

After Huangwei’s words, Yelan fell silent, then clapped softly.

This startled Huangwei, who asked nervously, “Mother, did I say something offensive?”

“No, you spoke well, Huangwei. The clan’s internal conflicts shouldn’t rely solely on overwhelming strength, and the one-to-many submission model is indeed imbalanced. I hadn’t fully considered these issues before.”

Yelan bit her lip, her finger tapping the table rhythmically. After a moment, she said, “You know, Huangwei, I’ve always intended to groom Noah, that rebellious girl, as my successor.

Her strength is undeniable. I’m certain that in no more than three hundred years, she’ll surpass me. Then, she can officially take my place.”

Yelan stood, walking slowly to the clock tower’s window, gazing at the quiet night. “But… three hundred years from now, the clan’s internal conflicts will be worse than now, won’t they?”

“I believe so, Mother.”

“So Noah alone won’t be enough…”

Yelan said softly, “Then, Huangwei, let me ask you: do you want to learn more?”

“More… what?”

“How to be an exceptional dictator.”

Yelan’s meaning was clear.

She no longer wanted Huangwei to merely be the castle’s manager.

Huangwei hesitated briefly, then said firmly, “Mother, I may not be worthy—”

“You are, daughter. Three hundred years from now, no matter what the world becomes, Noah will need you by her side.”

Yelan turned, smiling warmly at Huangwei. “Strength alone isn’t everything. It needs wisdom to guide it.”