When most people heard the word "vampire," they probably imagined someone sitting in a castle, dressed in Gothic attire with a top hat and cape, like the vampire counts so often seen in movies.
But that was actually a misconception. Vampires did not all look like that—at least, not nowadays. Modern vampire nobles all wore suits and ties, their hair slicked back, looking every bit like respectable people as they came and went from places like Wall Street, where the successful gathered, like a group of old gentlemen.
At that moment, a group of such old gentlemen had gathered in a sealed conference room for a meeting no one else knew about.
"We must face a grim reality, gentlemen," said an elderly vampire with graying hair, speaking slowly. "The situation in this city has become worse than ever before. This may be the most severe crisis we have faced in all our history. And it is still deteriorating. The scope of this turmoil is rapidly expanding. More and more people will resist us. If this continues, it will eventually become a war."
The vampires' expressions grew solemn. Some fell into thought, while others whispered among themselves, looking much like the highest-ranking officials responsible for making national decisions.
Everyone present was a pureblood vampire. Even the youngest among them had lived for several centuries. They were the elders of vampirekind, members of the vampire council, and they had maintained the operation of vampire society since long ago.
"Surely not?" a vampire said. "We have an agreement with the human governments, don't we? We have maintained peace for so long. They have no reason to break it, do they?"
"That was before. The situation has changed," the elderly vampire said with a frown. "Our existence has now been exposed, and their governments