A month had passed since Adele and Molly arrived at the Spark Farm. Under Adele's leadership, the once malnourished workers began to gain some weight. Initially, they were fearful, worrying that Adele was fattening them up for a sinister purpose, just as livestock were fed well before being sold at a good price. They recalled how the previous owner, Okan, had exploited them to fatten the farm animals, not to keep them happy, but to prepare them for slaughter, turning them into money for Okan's enjoyment. They feared that Adele might have similar plans, except this time, the target was them.
Terrified, they initially refused to eat much, but one man, unable to resist the food, cried out, "If we're going to die anyway, we might as well die on a full stomach!" His defiant declaration resonated with the others, who realized that their fate was likely sealed, whether they ate or not. If they were going to face the end, why not enjoy a hearty meal first? So, they began to eat their fill, casting aside their fears for the moment.
Over the past month, not only had their diet improved, but their living conditions had also significantly upgraded. The new owner had hired a construction team to build new houses for them. The construction progressed quickly, and as the buildings were completed, the workers moved in. Now, a month later, they had warm, sturdy homes, a vast improvement over their previous living conditions. The new houses were warm and insulated, perfect for the approaching winter, and each room housed only two people, a considerable upgrade from their old crowded quarters.
With ample food, rest, and warm clothing, the farm workers' spirits began to lift. For the first time in a long while, they allowed themselves to entertain the hope that they might actually survive this winter. However, a lingering fear remained: would their new mistress sell them off just as Okan had done? With winter approaching, they couldn't help but worry that Adele might sell them to the Blood Bank, as Okan had done every year to ensure his own survival during the harsh winter months. He would select the healthiest workers, the ones most likely to fetch a good price, and sell them off to lighten his burden. The workers feared that, by Okan's standards, they were now all too healthy, making them prime candidates for sale.
As they wrestled with this fear, Molly, now bundled in warm clothing, sat by the fire, grumbling, "Why is it so cold here?" She threw another log onto the fire, the flames crackling warmly as they consumed the wood.
"Molly, it's normal for it to be this cold. We're in the northern outskirts, after all. It's much colder here than in the south," Adele replied, her breath visible in the chilly air. They had arrived in November, and now, a month later, it was December, the start of the coldest season.
Molly assumed Adele understood this, given how she had previously admired the camellias in the garden, which bloom in November. But seeing Adele shiver miserably, Molly refrained from teasing her and instead encouraged her to stay by the fire.
Molly prepared a cup of tea for Adele, adding a sugar cube made of artificial blood. Adele held the cup close, sipping the warm liquid as it spread warmth through her body, reviving her somewhat. Vampires, as a species, were ill-suited to extreme cold. In fact, many chose to hibernate through the winter, only emerging in spring when the weather became more temperate. But as a student, Adele had no such luxury—she had assignments to complete, so hibernation was out of the question. Instead, she found herself miserably huddled by the fire, sipping tea to stave off the cold.
Just as Adele was reflecting on the bitter chill, the door opened, and a blast of cold air accompanied a small girl into the room. The sudden gust made Adele shiver, and Molly, standing nearby, subtly stepped back, a frown crossing her face. She didn't like children—never had, not in her previous life, nor in this one. Even the noble second daughter of the Black family, whom Molly was obliged to see every day, didn't warm her to the idea of children. If she couldn't bring herself to like the esteemed second daughter, she certainly had no fondness for this child who had suddenly appeared.
The little girl was the same one Okan had intended to sacrifice to Adele. Instead of consuming her, Adele had spared the child and left her in the care of Bella. In just a month, under the gentle care of the servants, the once despondent and numb little girl had become lively and cheerful.
Molly thought this was all well and good—so long as the child didn't bother her.
The girl made a beeline for Adele, eager to throw herself into her arms, but Bella quickly restrained her, reminding her to show proper respect. Pouting slightly, the girl paused to bow politely to Adele before bounding over to her, holding out a freshly picked camellia for Adele to see.
The camellia still had a dusting of snow on it, indicating it had just been plucked from the garden. Adele's expression stiffened at the sight.
Adele had always loved flowers, especially the delicate, pure-white camellias that reminded her of Molly. But she only liked them when they were still attached to the plant; once a flower was picked, it lost its charm for her, leaving her with a sense of sadness instead. Seeing the camellia in the girl's hand, Adele couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. Yet, remembering Molly's teachings on not being too harsh with the weak, she suppressed her irritation and asked gently, "Why did you pick this flower?"
The girl hesitated, her instincts telling her that Adele was displeased. Children are often more perceptive than adults realize, sensing shifts in emotion with surprising accuracy.
"I thought you liked flowers, Miss Black," the girl stammered, her voice small. "I… I saw you often go to the garden to look at them. I thought, since it's so cold and you don't go outside much now, maybe you'd like to have a flower in your room."
Her intentions were good, but the act of picking a fragile flower only to watch it wither caused Adele more distress than pleasure. She shook her head gently. "But by picking it, you've killed it. It's only truly beautiful when it's blooming on the branch."
Whether the girl understood or not was unclear, but Adele's serious tone left her with no choice but to nod solemnly, promising not to pick flowers again. From that day on, the girl refrained from bringing Adele any more flowers. But Molly knew this was simply the girl trying to please Adele; had Adele shown delight in receiving the flowers, the girl might have plucked every flower in the garden.
Moreover, Molly had observed that while the girl behaved well in front of Adele, she became increasingly unruly once out of her sight, showing signs of becoming a troublemaker. Although Molly generally disliked meddling, the situation had escalated to a point where she felt compelled to intervene.
After Molly's "motto of slacking" had taken root among the staff, the atmosphere in the estate had relaxed significantly. The servants, now more laid-back, had even started developing their hobbies. For instance, some had purchased lower-quality wool from the farm's sheep—premium wool was sold off, but the lesser quality was kept—and began knitting sweaters during their downtime.
This, to Molly, was the ideal state of affairs. A well-staffed estate shouldn't see everyone constantly rushing about. There should be time for rest, for hobbies, for personal enjoyment. Bella, too, had taken Molly's earlier advice to heart, allowing herself to relax, no longer viewing Adele with such intense devotion. The overall mood had improved, which in turn made everyone more lenient with the little girl, who was quickly becoming spoiled by their indulgence.
In fact, Molly thought Adele was being far too lenient with the girl. Back at the Black Castle, even the second daughter wouldn't be spared from Adele's wrath if she crossed a line. Though a child, the second daughter was a formidable presence, far stronger than Molly, and Adele's treatment of her reflected that. Adele's lack of affection for the second daughter was evident in their interactions.
But this little girl was different. She was human and fragile, and Adele couldn't bring herself to be strict with her. With Adele's leniency, the servants only became more indulgent.
When Molly sought out Bella to discuss the issue, Bella set aside her work and followed Molly to a quiet corner of the estate.
"Is something the matter?" Bella asked, sensing Molly's seriousness.
Molly nodded. "It's about the girl in the estate." The child's situation was becoming increasingly awkward. Originally, Okan had intended for Adele to name the girl after presenting her as a gift, but Adele had refused to name her for reasons Molly couldn't fully understand. Adele's reasoning was, in her mind, perfectly valid: she had only ever named one person, and that was Molly. She had no intention of naming anyone else.
This reasoning wasn't something Adele had shared with Molly, though. All Adele would say on the matter was, "I've said I won't name her, and that's final." And so, the girl remained nameless, a situation that was becoming more awkward by the day.
"What about her?" Bella asked, her confusion evident.
Molly didn't bother with pleasantries. "I think you're all spoiling her too much. As far as I can tell, she's not doing anything productive. Everyone in the estate, and even the farm workers, are indulging her too much. This isn't good for her."
Bella's confusion deepened. She clearly didn't understand why Molly saw this as a problem.