After her initial excitement, Helen paused, as if suddenly realizing something might be wrong. She asked Molly uneasily, "I… I told others without asking you first… Is that bad? I'm really sorry…"
Molly wasn't particularly concerned. She had anticipated this. In a noble household as poor as Helen's, there might not even be a single low-level vampire maid—just human ones. In such places, the number of humans far exceeded that of vampires.
This matched the information Molly had gathered. Vampires, being long-lived, were incredibly rare. It was only because Molly was surrounded by the Black family of the Thirteen Clans or was at school that the number of vampires seemed to outnumber humans.
In remote areas, humans far outnumber vampires. However, humans have been under vampire rule for so long that even if there were only a handful of vampires in their environment, and they were constantly bullied by them, they lacked the courage to resist.
In short, they had no courage.
But Helen was different now. She had been ignited with courage and was spreading it to others. The only problem was whether the others had also awakened to this courage and dared to challenge the vampires.
If not… Helen could be in trouble.
Molly did hope that Helen and the other maids would spread this spark to their workplaces and homes, but it needed to be done slowly, cautiously, and safely—like underground work. However, Helen seemed too eager, like a child with a new toy, eager to show it to everyone.
That was far too dangerous.
In response to Helen's concern, Molly first shook her head, indicating it wasn't a big deal.
Once Helen relaxed, Molly added, "But for your own sake, it's best not to tell others for now." Helen looked at Molly in surprise, not understanding. Molly explained, "Have you thought about what would happen if one of those maids told your master? What would become of you?"
Helen had been so excited about sharing the exercise routines and what Molly had taught her that she hadn't thought much about the consequences. Excitement was good, but it could dull your senses and prevent you from thinking clearly.
Now, in front of the calm and composed Molly, Helen began to think things through and quickly turned pale. After a moment of contemplation, she asked Molly, "But weren't you worried about the same thing when you taught us?"
Like Helen teaching the other maids, Molly's actions were also very risky.
But Molly was strong and didn't fear such situations. Even if the vampires came after her, she could easily defeat them. However, this wasn't something she could tell Helen, who would never believe it. So Molly thought carefully about what to say in this situation.
After a moment of deep thought, she finally said, "I'm not afraid because the seed has already been planted."
—That sounded really cool, and it was bound to have a great effect.
Sure enough, Molly's words had a profound impact. Helen's eyes filled with tears the moment she heard them. She struggled not to cry, pressing her lips together as she fought to hold back her emotions. After a moment, she said, "Then… then maybe I can…"
—That's not going to happen. You're too weak; you should focus on protecting yourself.
"I can handle it on my own."
Molly's words left Helen speechless, and in the end, she couldn't hold back her tears as she left. Molly sighed, realizing just how emotionally sensitive Helen was.
The first half of the new semester was much like the previous one, but after the midterms, things took a significant turn—Adele and her classmates were to begin their practical classes. Each student was assigned a location for their practical training. Since the students were mostly nobles, the school arranged for them to practice in remote farms or banks to ensure the credibility of their coursework.
Although these were remote locations, safety was assured. The school had already dispatched personnel to nearby villages to ensure their protection.
Adele's practical site was a farm. If Molly remembered correctly, this was probably Adele's first time visiting a farm. In contrast, Molly had been to countless farms. Farms were harsh places for humans, where they were both workers and livestock.
But in the textbooks provided by the vampires, the vampires' actions were glorified. The teachers told the vampire students that the farms were safe havens for humans, and that the vampires were doing their best to protect them. Without the farms, the humans would have been killed by outsiders long ago.
Molly had read through Adele's textbooks while she was in class and knew how absurd the vampires' claims were. The thick book's content could be summed up in two words: "cannibalism."
A certain literary giant's words from her past life fit perfectly here. And the vampires really did consume—draining blood, leaving nothing behind.
After receiving her practical assignment, Adele asked Molly to pack her bags. Molly complied, and on the day of departure, they traveled light, just as they had when they arrived at school.
The journey to the remote area took much longer than the trip back to Black Castle. Although the airship sounded impressive, it was nothing compared to the airplanes of Molly's previous life. In terms of speed, Molly didn't think it was faster than a bus. The only advantage was that it flew, so there was no need to take detours.
It took nearly six days on the airship before they reached their destination. By the time they arrived, there were hardly any passengers left on board. Molly reasoned that if it weren't for the fact that the one coming was Miss Black, the airship wouldn't have made the trip, as it wouldn't have been profitable.
After arriving at the port, they transferred to a carriage to reach the farm. There weren't even any old cars here; they had to use a horse-drawn carriage. Molly found the experience somewhat intriguing, as the Black family always traveled by car, and she had never encountered this medieval mode of transportation.
Before crossing over, she had only seen carriages in scenic spots or theme parks, where riding one cost extra. So once they were seated, Molly looked around curiously.
Adele was also curious but, as the master, she maintained her dignity in front of Molly and didn't turn her head to inspect the carriage like Molly did. Instead, she lightly coughed, "Molly, you should sit still. Looking around like that will make people think we're country bumpkins who've never seen the world."
"…" You're curious too, aren't you?
Molly remembered her role and realized her behavior was a bit out of character, so she sat properly and stopped looking around.
The carriage didn't shake too much, as it had likely undergone several modifications after the invention of the old car. The suspension was good, so aside from the occasional bump from a stone, the ride was mostly smooth.
The carriage eventually arrived at the farm, and from a distance, Molly could see someone waiting to greet them at the gate. When they got closer, Adele was the first to step out, with Molly following right behind. They were greeted by a low-level vampire, who smiled ingratiatingly at Adele.
"This must be Miss Black? I extend my heartfelt blessings. Your presence truly honors Oakham Farm." He rubbed his hands together as he spoke, and Molly couldn't help but notice how similar he was to the manager they had encountered during the airship incident.
However, unlike the manager, this vampire was greasy and overweight.
And he was surrounded by a persistent stench of blood.
Adele, with her keen sense of smell, also picked up on the scent. She instinctively wrinkled her nose and took out a handkerchief from the pocket of her skirt to cover her nose. "There's no need for formalities. I'm Adele Black, sent by the school to manage this farm for the practical. I expect your full cooperation."
"Of course, Miss, absolutely…"
Adele added, "Your name is Oakham, correct?" Many vampire farms were named after their managers, so when the vampire mentioned the farm's name, Adele naturally guessed his surname.
"Yes, Miss, I am Oakham. I've been running this farm for over two hundred years, supplying high-quality blood to the banks." Oakham's smile made Molly feel nauseous, and she glanced around.
They were standing at the entrance of a lavish little estate, which Molly guessed was Oakham's residence. The farm likely wasn't too far away—certainly not close enough to offend the vampires by its proximity.
A low-level vampire running a farm in a remote area had managed to amass such a grand estate… Molly sensed something was off. Perhaps this low-level vampire had violated the Elder Council's Sustainable Development Guidelines.
Oakham was overly enthusiastic as he led Adele into the estate. Inside the grand hall, two rows of human servants and maids stood in neat lines, all of them young and attractive. Both Adele and Molly could smell the blood on them—evidently, Oakham had been feeding off them regularly.
Adele wrinkled her nose, the scent growing stronger the further they went into the estate. She pressed the handkerchief tighter to her nose.
The servants, clearly well-trained, bowed in unison as Oakham led them inside, saying, "Welcome, Miss Black, to Oakham Farm!"
Molly almost wanted to applaud Oakham—he really knew how to put on a show. Even at Black Castle, the mistress didn't get such a grand reception when she returned. The maids would simply give a brief welcome—nothing this elaborate. With her sharp eyes, Molly could tell that these servants had rehearsed countless times; even the angle of their bows was identical.
Wherever you put this guy, Oakham would turn into a corrupt official with even the slightest bit of power.
Molly: Wow, what a fat pig. Just how much blood has this guy drunk? (Wants to take action)