Molly's relationships with the other servants in the manor were strained at best. Although they respected her as Adele's personal maid and followed her orders, they didn't like her much. Her aloof demeanor and the special treatment she received made her an outsider. Even when she ate in the dining hall, no one ever joined her at the table.
Today, however, was different. The little girl, whom Adele had saved from being sacrificed, timidly approached Molly with her tray and sat down across from her. The girl was undeniably cute—so much so that it was easy to see why she had been chosen by Okkan to be a blood donor. After all, vampires were notorious for their preference for beautiful humans.
But Molly didn't feel any affection for the child, especially knowing that the girl didn't like her either.
Molly tilted her head slightly and took a sip of her soup. It was a broccoli cream soup, which Molly wasn't particularly fond of, but after enduring the poor food quality at the farm, this was a decent meal.
The girl, unable to contain herself, finally spoke up. "Miss Molly, I want to know more about Miss Black. Can you tell me what she likes and what kind of person she is? And…" she hesitated, her face turning red, "when does she usually eat?"
Molly raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the last question. "Why do you ask?"
The girl's face turned even redder, but she pressed on. "I want to know so I can be ready when she wants to drink my blood. Am I still too young? Will she wait until I'm older, like you, before she drinks from me?"
Molly's appetite vanished. She set her spoon down, her cold eyes fixed on the girl. It was clear the child didn't realize how disturbing her words were. What kind of world was this, where a human child would eagerly offer herself to a vampire?
Taking a deep breath, Molly leaned forward. "Why do you think it's a good thing for Miss Adele to drink your blood?"
The girl blinked innocently. "That's what I'm here for. Mr. Okkan bought me to be a blood donor. The caretakers at the institute said my blood is very tasty and that it would please someone important."
"You won't be bled." Molly stood up, her hands pressing on the table. She might not have agreed with how the girl was being coddled in the manor, but she couldn't accept the twisted mindset that had been instilled in her.
The girl, still confused, asked, "Why not? Everyone says my blood is delicious."
Molly felt a wave of nausea. After staring at the girl for a moment, she decided it was time to have another talk with Bella. She placed her tray, with the half-finished broccoli soup, in the designated area and left the dining hall to find Bella.
When Molly found Bella, the head maid was still working, likely planning to eat after everyone else had finished, to save time. Molly didn't mince words, sharing the girl's disturbing thoughts. However, Bella's reaction was not what Molly expected—there was no shock or disgust, only acceptance.
"She's not wrong," Bella said calmly.
Seeing Molly's bewildered expression, Bella elaborated. "If her blood is truly as good as they say, it could be an advantage for her. Miss Black is a kind and gentle vampire, the kind that's very rare. If the girl could earn her favor, it would be a good thing… better than ending up as someone else's blood slave."
Molly was silent for a moment, her voice cold when she finally spoke. "But there's another path—one where she doesn't have to be fed on at all."
Bella fell quiet, the weight of Molly's words hanging between them. "That's a difficult path."
"It doesn't have to be," Molly replied. "At least you admit that Miss Adele is different."
With that, Molly left without waiting for a response. She knew that she had to find a way to ensure that Adele would continue to oversee the Starfire Farm long after her graduation. The farm represented a spark of hope, and Molly wouldn't let that spark die out like a fleeting firework.
Molly knew that the girl wouldn't understand her actions. From the child's perspective, Molly was taking away an easy path to a secure life. Why not offer herself as a blood slave to Adele and secure a good future? But things were never that simple. First of all, Adele didn't drink human blood. Any attempt to offer herself would only lead to Adele rejecting her. Even if Adele was kind and didn't punish the girl, she would still lose favor and face a difficult future.
Even if Adele did drink blood and the girl succeeded in becoming her blood slave, what kind of life would she have? Molly had seen what happened to those who sided with vampires, like the former head maid at the Black family's castle. Even if the girl managed to join Adele's household, her fate wouldn't be much different—eventually discarded or worse.
Ultimately, the easy path wasn't necessarily the right one. Bowing down to vampires was like throwing away one's dignity as a human, allowing oneself to be trampled underfoot.
Molly despised such behavior as much as she had despised the former head maid, seeing it as cowardly and traitorous.
When Molly returned to Adele's quarters, she knew Adele was in her bedroom. Standing outside the door, she raised her hand and asked, "Miss Adele, are you there?"
There was no response, but Molly could hear Adele's breathing through the door. Molly lowered her hand and spoke softly, "Miss Adele, there's something troubling me that I need to discuss with you."
A sound came from within, and soon the door opened to reveal Adele, her hair slightly tousled. "What is it?" she asked.
Molly knew that Adele liked her smile, and if she wanted to persuade Adele to keep the farm, she would have to play her cards right. She forced a smile, which, though not her best, was effective enough to surprise Adele.
The slight blush on Adele's face and her startled expression were clear signs that the smile had worked.
"W-what is it? Speak up! Stop just smiling… it's, it's making me…" Flustered, Adele couldn't finish her sentence.
Molly gently took Adele's hand and led her to the drawing room. She had never thought she would resort to using her looks to get what she wanted, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
She didn't believe that Adele was attracted to her; it was more likely that Adele was tempted by the idea of drinking her sweet blood. Adele, after all, had a weakness for delicious things.
Molly began to recount what had happened in the dining hall. She started with, "After you left…" but Adele quickly interrupted, "I wasn't there! I was just passing by!" She seemed to feel the need to clarify that she hadn't been lurking around on purpose.
Molly wasn't entirely sure what Adele had been up to, but she let it slide. After all, Adele was young and full of strange ideas. "After you passed by the dining hall, the girl Okkan had intended to offer you came to speak with me. She said…" Molly continued her story, and by the end, Adele looked distinctly displeased.
Adele latched onto the idea of the girl offering her blood and made a face of disgust. "What? She wants me to drink her blood? No way."
Molly wasn't surprised that the girl's plan had hit a dead end from the start, but she had a larger goal in mind. She wanted the Starfire Farm to thrive for years to come, not just as a temporary project for Adele's schoolwork.
Sighing, Molly twirled a strand of her hair around her finger before letting it fall. She put on a troubled expression. "Miss Adele, don't you think it's tragic that she feels this way? The farm is flourishing, and one day she could have a good life here. But instead, she's fixated on becoming a blood donor for another vampire. It's such a sad fate."
Adele wasn't dense, and she frowned slightly as she asked, "Molly, what are you really trying to say?"
Molly didn't blame the girl for her misguided thoughts. After all, the world she lived in had brainwashed her into believing that being a blood slave was a privilege.
Adele: Damn! She actually used her looks to manipulate me!