Of course, there was no need to worry about Adele. She was not only a noble, but the eldest daughter of the Black family, one of the Thirteen Clans, and the future heir to the family—a figure so important that even the school administration wouldn't dare to cross her.
Even if she had killed the doctor who had tried to harm her, or even if she had wiped out all the teachers at the school, the Council of Elders would likely commend her instead, saying, "As expected of a member of the Thirteen Clans, truly exceptional and unique."
The world of vampires was harsh, with absolute respect given to the strong.
The reason the school administration was conducting such a thorough investigation was to prevent any teacher from committing such an act. The students at the school were the future stars of the vampire world, including heirs of the Thirteen Clans and other precious descendants of noble families. Even in a world that respected the strong, there was great emphasis on nurturing the next generation. Parents and the Council of Elders would never tolerate a teacher daring to harm another vampire within the school.
If a teacher dared to harm a colleague now, who's to say they wouldn't target the future generation tomorrow?
So, the administration was particularly nervous, thoroughly investigating everyone.
Eventually, they would trace the incident back to Adele and connect the doctor's death to her. But, as mentioned before, Adele would face no consequences. However, what about the maids who were also present at the scene?
While the administration wouldn't care about a conflict between Adele and the doctor, they would care even less about the fate of maids caught in the crossfire. If they discovered that three human maids were involved, their fate would almost certainly be punishment or death.
The vampires might even scold them, saying, "Why didn't you let the doctor drink your blood? If you had, he wouldn't have died, and we wouldn't have lost an excellent school physician." As ridiculous as it sounds, that's the kind of situation it would be.
Human lives meant nothing to vampires.
Instead, the humans would be punished for not helping the doctor when they could have, thus indirectly causing his death.
The sky was beginning to lighten, and soon it would be daytime. The vampires would gradually fall asleep, and when the next moon rose, they might storm into the school, capturing Molly, Anna, and the other maid.
Molly pushed these thoughts aside, changed into a different outfit, and headed to Anna's room. She didn't use the main entrance but appeared on the balcony instead. The sunlight behind her cast her shadow on the ground, stretching it long. Her arrival was so silent that it took Anna and the maid a while to notice her.
When Anna saw the mysterious figure, she immediately assumed a defensive stance, holding a box cutter with the blade pointed at Molly. Anyone would react similarly upon seeing a figure draped in black, looking ominous.
The box cutter was one of the few sharp weapons available to Anna as a maid. Since she wasn't a kitchen maid, the sharpest tools she could access were the box cutter and a butter knife. Compared to the dull blade of the butter knife, the box cutter was the more lethal option.
Molly didn't care whether they were afraid or anxious. She pushed open the balcony door and walked straight into the room. The maid, seeing her approach, clung tightly to Anna, trembling with fear. Yet, moments later, she gathered her courage and positioned herself protectively in front of Anna.
—Could someone who has embraced death and continues to live despite it become this brave?
Molly wondered to herself as she took another step forward. At that moment, Anna noticed something unusual. She grabbed the maid's arm, saying, "She's not a vampire. Look at her eyes—they're black!" The black-haired, black-eyed woman reminded Anna and the maid of Molly, but this person didn't quite match.
For one, Molly had short hair, while this woman had long hair and appeared taller and more mature.
If Molly had known what Anna was thinking, she might have said, "When you're out and about, you've got to disguise yourself properly; otherwise, it's too easy to get caught."
Not only had she changed her appearance, but Molly had also altered her voice. "Your observation is sharp. You're right—I'm not a vampire but a human."
Anna instinctively wanted to argue. Could a human silently enter her room and appear like a ghost? But then she remembered Molly. Molly was also incredibly strong, capable of killing a vampire.
While Anna was still filled with doubt, the woman before her continued, "Molly has told me about your situation. You might have heard of the 'Human Resistance.' I'm the leader of that group. Right now, it's dangerous for you to stay at the school. If you're willing, I can take you to a safe place."
"The Human Resistance?" the maid whispered, her eyes lighting up. Just hearing the name was enough to understand what kind of group it was. A group of humans—trying to fight back against this hopeless world.
The maid didn't hesitate. She said, "I'll go! I want to go!"
But Anna was more hesitant, thinking beyond herself. "If I leave, what will happen to the other humans at this school? I've been using the doctor's name to keep the vampire maids in check. Now that the doctor is dead and I'm gone, they'll take out their anger on the other human maids!"
What Anna said made Molly see her in a new light. While she already knew that Anna had done much to protect the human maids, even becoming the doctor's lackey, she hadn't realized how much Anna had thought about it. As she said, she had been using various excuses to resist the vampire maids and protect the humans, unintentionally drawing the vampire maids' ire.
Anna had probably decided long ago that after Molly was dealt with by the doctor and the Black family's young lady punished him, she would take on the vampire maids' wrath herself, protecting the other human maids.
Anna was weak, but she was also strong, doing what she could to protect others even weaker than herself.
Realizing this, Molly's gaze softened. She said, "But have you considered that even if you stay, you won't be able to help them? You'll die." Anna had already done so much, but due to her status and limited perspective, she hadn't thought about the broader implications.
Molly explained her earlier analysis to Anna, whose face turned pale. Her first thought was of Molly. "But if we all leave, what about Molly?"
Molly answered Anna's concern directly. "Don't worry. Molly is very strong."
The best solution would have been for all three of them to leave together. That way, none of them would be caught up in the administration's investigation and potentially killed, and Molly wouldn't have to worry about how to handle the situation. But if they all left, what would happen to Adele? Molly knew Adele wouldn't be harmed, but she also knew that if she left, Adele would be very lonely.
Moreover, without Molly and Anna to draw the vampires' ire, the other human maids would suffer greatly.
But then again, humans needed to grow. Whether Anna left or not, the other human maids would have to fend for themselves. They would have to stand up and protect themselves, instead of hiding under someone else's wing, silently enduring the vampires' abuse. People who lived like that were no better than livestock.
Molly was a cold-hearted person. She would only protect the humans within her reach and save those whose spark had already been lit. The rest had nothing to do with her. There were so many people in the world, but Molly wasn't a savior or omnipotent. She couldn't help everyone.
Hearing Molly's assurance, Anna remembered how strong Molly was and felt more at ease.
After a brief exchange, Molly used black threads to bind them together. Then, like picking up two little chicks, she whisked them out of the school. Molly moved so quickly that for Anna and the maid, it felt like riding a rollercoaster, making them feel as if they might throw up.
She soon brought them to a farmhouse at the base of the school's mountain, where she knocked on the door of an outpost staff member named Yuanhang. It was broad daylight, so the humans and vampires in the farmhouse were all asleep. Yuanhang, hearing the knock, was initially cautious. But when he saw Molly through the crack in the door, he excitedly opened it.
Molly brought Anna and the maid inside, unbound them, and explained the situation to Yuanhang.
"Here's the deal: these two were rescued from the school by our comrades. I need you to get them to a safe place as soon as possible. If they're willing, they can join the Resistance. If they want a normal life, find them a safe place."
Yuanhang nodded. "Understood, Lady Dawn. I'll do as you've instructed."
With everything arranged, Molly nodded and left Yuanhang's small house. She still had to return to the school, to Adele. Even though she had told Anna she was staying to protect the other human maids, the truth was that the real reason she stayed was Adele.
If she left, Adele would be so lonely. Adele had always been afraid of being alone. Unlike other vampires, she didn't like hiding in dark, cold corners. She liked warm places, places near fire, places near Molly.
If Molly wasn't there, Adele would be calling out, "Molly, Molly," at the top of her lungs. If Molly left everything behind and went to live among the humans, who would answer the Black family's young lady?
Molly stopped walking, standing atop the school's obelisk tower. The pointed tip of the tower was uncomfortable under her feet, like a small rock pressing into her sole.
The wind was strong up there, blowing Molly's veil. She grudgingly gave herself an excuse: she wasn't leaving because of the money Adele paid her. If she went to live with the humans, there would be no one left to pay her salary.