As Molly anticipated, the moment Adele stepped into the dining hall, the human workers were visibly startled. One by one, they turned their heads to see what was happening, their eyes wide with surprise at the sight of a blood noble in their midst.
Unlike the uniform, eerie stares the vampires might give Molly, these humans reacted more individually. At first, they simply continued with their meals until they noticed the expressions of shock on their peers' faces. Only then did they realize someone extraordinary had entered the room.
Adele, for her part, remained completely composed, unaffected by the attention. She seemed genuinely interested in the dining hall's setup, although it was nothing special—certainly not up to the standards of the school or the Black family estate. The room felt cramped, with no separation between men and women, and the space was quite limited.
Molly, however, was unfazed by the environment. She only cared that it was clean, and it was evident the servants were diligent in maintaining it. She picked up a wooden tray and approached the serving counter, where an older woman, whom Molly estimated to be in her forties, served her meal. The limited resources meant there were no choices, just a simple plate of whatever was available.
Molly took her tray and found an empty table, Adele following close behind. The dining hall was not overly crowded, as Bella had likely already organized the shifts, ensuring enough space for everyone to sit comfortably without feeling claustrophobic under Adele's gaze.
A proper maid would have wiped down the chair for her mistress before she sat, especially since it had been used by mere humans. But Molly was focused on her meal, and besides, Adele wasn't the type to care about such trivialities.
What concerned Adele more was the quality of Molly's meal. On her wooden tray were a few bowls—one contained thick oatmeal, which was her main course. Molly didn't particularly enjoy oatmeal; she preferred white rice. But in this world, even having oatmeal was a blessing. In a true medieval setting, Molly might have been eating gruel.
In addition to the oatmeal, there were two fish cakes made from local river fish and barley flour. While not particularly flavorful, they were decent. The tray also held a serving of potato stew with pork and some vegetables, though the quality left much to be desired.
Adele frowned at the sight. The food was a far cry from the elegant meals prepared by the human chefs back at the school, with their finely crafted dishes and impeccable presentation. Here, everything was served in rough wooden bowls and spoons, a stark contrast to the refined metal cutlery she was used to.
Molly, unfazed, began eating her oatmeal with a blank expression, clearly unimpressed by its blandness. She then moved on to the fish cakes, which were tolerable, but after one bite of the potato stew, she pushed it aside, unwilling to force herself to eat something she found unpalatable.
After finishing, Molly took her tray to the cleaning station. As she turned to leave, she almost collided with another maid who was bringing her own empty tray. The maid glanced at Molly's untouched stew and back at her own empty bowls, her expression shifting into one of mixed emotions.
Molly could almost hear the maid's thoughts: "So this is what it's like to work for a noble—she even leaves the meat uneaten." This kind of misunderstanding might create a divide between Molly and the other servants, especially if this maid spread the word. But Molly didn't see the point in eating something she didn't enjoy just to avoid a potential slight.
Molly simply nodded at the maid and returned to Adele, who had waited for her at the door.
Back in their room, Adele voiced her concern. "The food here must be terrible, right?"
Molly blinked, then nodded. "Yes, it's not very good. The pork has a strong, unpleasant taste."
Adele sighed heavily, now worried about how to ensure Molly was well-fed. After all, Molly had barely eaten, and it had been more than a day since her last meal. But Adele knew she couldn't force Molly to eat something she disliked.
"People should never be forced to eat things they don't enjoy," Adele thought, her own experiences with food making her empathize with Molly's predicament.
Determined to find a solution, Adele decided she would hire a professional human chef to prepare meals specifically for Molly. She penned a letter to her family's liaison, offering a generous reward for a skilled chef willing to work at the estate.
After writing the letter, Adele called Bella to the sitting room. As they discussed the reward system, Adele praised Bella for her hard work and offered her a small sum of money as a bonus. While the amount wasn't extravagant, it was a significant gesture.
Bella, however, seemed stunned. She had never received any personal wealth before. Under Oakham's rule, it was unheard of for human servants to own anything. They were expected to serve out of sheer gratitude for the "honor" of working under him.
Adele, noticing Bella's hesitation, asked, "Is it too little?"
Bella quickly shook her head. "No, Miss, it's just that... I've never received anything before. Under Mr. Oakham, we weren't allowed to have personal possessions. Serving him was considered an honor, and we weren't to ask for anything more."
Adele frowned, realizing just how harshly the humans had been treated under Oakham's rule. In contrast, in the noble circles of the Black family, rewarding loyal service with cash or other gifts was common practice. It was a way to secure the servants' loyalty, a system that had become quite popular among the nobility.
Molly, reflecting on this, understood that this system, while imperfect, was a step forward for humanity. It allowed them some semblance of dignity and personal agency, something that could be nurtured and expanded upon in the future.
Molly: This food is terrible.
Adele: Poor Molly.
Maid: What's wrong with it? It's fine!