Are you even human?
In that moment, Molly really wanted to rush over and punch Oakham so hard he'd go flying. But she knew this wasn't the time for her to act, not with Adele present. Though Molly sometimes worried that in a hundred or two hundred years, Adele might become just like these other vampires, for now, Adele was different.
She had grown up under Molly's influence, capable of empathy for humans.
Adele was on the verge of exploding. She looked at the little girl, who was only seven, her face full of innocent confusion. When Oakham reached out toward the girl, she instinctively buried herself in his arms. She didn't seem to have been mistreated; she was dressed in a beautiful dress, clean and well-groomed.
Oakham had taken good care of her, keeping her chubby and healthy, with fair, rosy skin.
But that was because Oakham had been fattening her up, preparing her to become a perfect blood servant, a gift to please someone as high-ranking as Adele, to smooth his own path in the future.
The little girl pressed her face against Oakham's large belly, which separated them. His hand on her head was as if he were petting a young puppy.
He even boasted, "This is top-quality stock, I have an eye for these things. She was just skin and bones when she came from the breeding facility, but after a year with me, her blood is now exquisite. And I haven't tasted a drop—someone as important as you should have the first taste."
Every word he said was like dancing on a minefield, igniting Adele's fury. She struggled to suppress the overwhelming urge to kill him, trying to let reason regain control. With her anger barely in check, Adele asked, "According to the Elder Council's Sustainable Development Guidelines, vampires are forbidden from feeding on humans under twelve years old."
Oakham seemed unconcerned.
Molly could guess why—this guideline was rarely followed. The Black family had taken her in when she was six, intending to turn her into Adele's blood source.
Many noble families did the same if they had the means.
But Adele had never once violated the guidelines, often going above and beyond them. It wasn't out of a desire to follow rules, but simply because she didn't want to bully the weak.
Oakham's dismissive expression made Adele's anger flare even more, nearly breaking her restraint. And his next words pushed her to the edge: "But here, only you and I know about this. I'd never tell anyone what you do."
"We're partners in crime."
—Oh, Molly had used that line before.
Hearing Oakham say it made Molly feel like she'd swallowed a fly. She had thought it was a cool line when she'd said it to Freckles, but hearing it from Oakham made her want to gag.
Adele had no interest in wasting words with Oakham. As a strong vampire, she naturally saw Oakham as guilty. Before he could even react, Adele's fingers lengthened into sharp claws, and her silhouette flickered like a black thread through the air. In the next moment, she appeared behind Oakham, holding the little girl in her arms.
Oakham blinked in confusion before realizing his hands, which had been holding the girl, had been severed. Blood gushed from his wounds as he let out a horrifying scream. The servants around them froze, unsure of what to do.
But for a brief moment, Molly saw a flicker of satisfaction on their faces…
Adele shielded the child in her arms, covering her eyes, and called Molly over. Molly ran at a normal human pace, reaching Adele just as she handed the child to her. With the girl now in Molly's arms, Adele turned to Oakham and declared:
"In the name of the Black family of the Thirteen Clans, I sentence you for violating the Sustainable Development Guidelines—your punishment is Sunwatching."
Sunwatching sounded poetic, but for vampires, it was a nightmare. Simply put, it meant being exposed to the sun. Adele looked at Molly, considering having her witness the execution. But she realized that Molly, as a supposedly weak human, shouldn't be exposed to such brutality.
Surveying the room, she confirmed that none of the humans would oppose her or disobey her orders. She selected two strong-looking male servants: "You two, keep him restrained. At sunrise, tie him to the post facing east. When I wake, I expect to see his ashes."
The two men hesitated, fear deeply ingrained in their hearts after years of serving their vampire master.
At most, they'd only dared to show a fleeting expression of satisfaction when Oakham wasn't looking.
Seeing their cowardice, Adele was about to say something when Molly spoke up.
"This is the only chance in your lives to be free of him. If you don't do this, my master won't press him further. And once we leave, who will help you?"
"Think of your families, your friends, your loved ones, your children, who will be tortured by this man for generations." Molly's voice was calm but carried an undeniable weight, silencing the room.
Even so, no one dared to step forward and volunteer to carry out the execution.
But Molly wasn't in a hurry. She knew that among these servants, there were those who had reached the depths of despair. When they saw a glimmer of hope, however faint, they would grasp it with all their might. So, someone did step forward.
It was the maid who had guided Molly and Adele earlier. Someone beside her noticed her intent and tried to hold her back, urging her not to be the first to step forward. But the maid shook off the hand holding her and took a step forward, standing before everyone.
She still looked a bit timid, but her eyes were no longer lifeless. They now held a cautious determination and a deep hatred for Oakham. She asked softly, "May I do it?"
—Honestly, probably not.
Molly thought, considering the maid was thin and frail, her cheeks sunken in. There was no way she could drag Oakham's bulk to the stake. But Adele said, "Yes, you will be responsible for carrying out the execution."
The maid's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky, her face beaming with genuine joy and gratitude. She thanked Adele sincerely, "Thank you so much! I won't let you down!" Adele waved off her thanks, indicating it wasn't necessary.
While all this was happening, Oakham was screaming, his cries shifting from pleading to threats as he realized the servants wouldn't dare to act against him. This was why none of the humans had stepped forward. Once the maid took the lead, Oakham screamed her name, "Bella."
When he saw that Bella only looked to Adele for instructions, ignoring his pleas, he began to beg. Adele paid him no mind, and when he started claiming he had done nothing wrong and that the Elder Council would never forgive Adele, she only became more resolute.
Molly nearly laughed. The Elder Council wouldn't care about this. As long as Adele didn't threaten the council's authority or attack another member of the Thirteen Clans, she would remain untouchable. She had even killed the school's doctor, and the teachers and headmaster praised her for it, calling her a talented young vampire.
What did a remote farm manager like Oakham matter? She was merely asserting her authority during her internship—an entirely justifiable act in the eyes of the Elder Council.
Adele ignored Oakham's bluster and, after giving her instructions, prepared to leave with Molly. The stench was overwhelming, making her head spin. Her gaze fell on the child in Molly's arms. Now that the situation had calmed down, the girl's presence in Molly's arms irritated her.
Molly was hers—no one else should touch her.
Adele stepped forward, taking the child from Molly's arms and handing her to Bella, the maid. "You, come here. Take care of her. Keep her safe and don't let her run off." When Bella cautiously approached, Adele passed the girl to her and then pulled Molly away.
Before leaving, Adele reminded Bella, "When I wake up tomorrow evening, I want to see Oakham's ashes. Don't forget to gather them."
"Yes, Miss Black."
Bella bowed deeply, full of genuine respect. Molly wanted to turn back and check on Bella, worried that the servants might be too scared to carry out Adele's orders once she left. But Adele's grip was strong, and as a mere human, Molly shouldn't be able to resist.
Back in the room, the first thing Adele did was order Molly to draw a bath. She couldn't stand the foul stench clinging to her any longer. After the bath was ready and Molly left the bathroom, Adele quickly rushed in. Molly could hear the sound of clothes being removed and the splash of water as Adele began her bath. She pulled a chair over and sat down.
Even as she bathed, Adele's grumbling continued, "Ugh, I can't stand it. This whole estate is disgusting, the smell is unbearable. I'll have to make Molly and the maids clean this place top to bottom! Otherwise, how can anyone live here?"
Adele had a point. Molly also found the estate filthy, reeking of decay. She had kept her sense of smell suppressed, afraid she'd pass out from the stench.
As Adele scrubbed herself, the sound of running water filled the room, accompanied by her constant muttering.
"And Oakham Farm? What an awful name! I'll have to rename it… How about Molly Farm? That sounds much better."
Molly winced at being mentioned, desperately wanting to beg Adele, Please, no, don't do that.
Adele: Rename the farm to Molly Farm!
Molly (cringing): Please don't!