The maids screamed in fright. They were mostly vampires, though none of them were purebloods. But their instinct against them didn't turn on, because mostly women were never taught how to fight. Their vampire powers were not honed and were only useful for carrying heavy items when cleaning or decorating the large Dubois house.
Valerie was still lucky, as she was a noble who occasionally received sword training from knights. It was common among noblewomen, because in a war situation, they could be abandoned by their husbands. So they should at least know how to protect their children. But women were not allowed to learn more about swordsmanship than men.
They must not become masters of the sword, or compete. Swordsmanship was used to defend themselves and their honor. Unless they were knights by profession and allowed by their family heads.
