Although Adele knew that one day she would inevitably marry a man and have children, it was something she couldn't avoid as a member of the Black family. In the vampire world, marriage and childbirth were inescapable issues, mainly because of the vampires' extremely low fertility rate, which had always been a major concern for the Elder Council.
At the current rate, it wouldn't be surprising if the members of the Thirteen Clans became an endangered species in about ten thousand years.
Since Adele was a child, her parents had always told her that she absolutely had to marry and have children. Adele had never resisted this; she understood it was her responsibility. But now that her mother was pushing things to this point, telling her to determine who her fiancé would be and that she would marry him after graduation—it all felt too sudden, and for a moment, Adele couldn't quite accept it.
Molly's image flashed through her mind. That girl had always harbored feelings for her, following her with pure and beautiful love, swallowing all her bitterness. If Molly knew that Adele had a fiancé, she would surely be heartbroken. Would she still be able to keep Molly by her side then?
No, that would be too cruel.
Forcing Molly to witness her being in love with someone else would break her heart. Adele couldn't bring herself to trample on someone else's feelings like that.
At that moment, she wanted to tell her mother that there was no rush. After all, she was only nineteen; couldn't they wait another hundred or two hundred years? By then, Molly would have passed away naturally... She could then get engaged to another vampire. At least, at least Molly wouldn't have to see her with someone else.
But when Adele looked up, she saw the unyielding determination in her mother's eyes.
Adele wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn't utter a single word, lowering her head instead. Lady Black knew that her precious daughter would be obedient; she was a very responsible vampire. After all these years of nurturing her, the time had come for Adele to fulfill her responsibilities, and she wouldn't shy away from them.
Lady Black was in a good mood and even began discussing potential suitors she had in mind for Adele.
"Adele, do you know the youngest son of the Green family?" The Green family was one of the Thirteen Clans, middle-ranking and a decent match for the Black family. Adele had heard of the person her mother mentioned. Swallowing hard, she responded, "I know him, but... isn't he a bit too young?"
The youngest son of the Green family was indeed very young, only eight years old this year, just two years older than Adele's younger sister, making him an entirely unsuitable match for her. After all... he was just too young. Getting engaged to a child... she wasn't a pervert.
"Too young?" her mother repeated, somewhat puzzled. In truth, Lady Black didn't think the Green child was too young. After all, there was only an eleven-year age difference between him and Adele, which was considered the same generation among vampires. But seeing that Adele didn't like the idea of marrying someone younger, her mother suggested another candidate. "Then what do you think of the second son of the White family?"
Adele was more familiar with Miss White, who was a year ahead of her and the third daughter of the White family. The second son must be her elder brother. Adele shook her head honestly, saying, "I'm not familiar with him at all. He's a complete stranger to me."
Her mother smiled. "You needn't worry about that. I can introduce you. The second son of the White family is fifty-six years old, a very handsome young man." Having spent a long time among humans, Adele's concept of age was somewhat muddled. Hearing "fifty-six years old" conjured the image of an old man in her mind.
A fifty-six-year-old human... that would be far too old.
But Lady Black was quite satisfied with both of these potential matches, especially the second son of the White family. The White family had been the strongest of the Thirteen Clans for the past one or two thousand years, and many sought to marry into their family. Even the third daughter had attracted attention. During conversations with other noblewomen, several had expressed interest in their sons marrying Miss White.
If only she had a son, Lady Black might have had some similar thoughts. But no matter—she had a daughter, who could just as well marry the second son of the White family. After all, fifty-six years old was nothing in vampire terms—he was still just a child. Among vampires, an age difference of a hundred years was considered the same generation.
Adele seemed quite picky, but her mother didn't mind. Adele had always been a very selective vampire; she was absurdly particular even about drinking blood, let alone choosing a marriage partner. Even if she didn't end up engaged to the White boy, it wouldn't matter. With her remarkable talents, Adele would attract countless noblemen eager to become her suitors as soon as she made her debut.
Lady Black knew she couldn't push Adele too hard, so she said, "Adele, I'm not asking you to decide right now. I just want you to know that they'll all be here at the castle next week, giving you the opportunity to observe them up close and choose a partner you truly desire. You must remember, as the future head of the Black family, you are deserving of whomever you choose."
Adele bowed her head, indicating she understood.
When she left her mother's room, she returned to her own in a daze and threw herself onto the bed. She really didn't want to get engaged, have a fiancé, or marry anyone.
Because that would mean... she would have to send Molly away. She didn't want to be a despicable vampire, didn't want to trample on Molly's sincere feelings. Severing their ties, allowing Molly to find peace, seemed like the best solution.
Adele buried her face in the pillow, lying there for a long time before shifting to a kneeling position on the bed, hugging the pillow to her chest. The soft moonlight spilled through the window, casting its glow on her.
If she had to send Molly away, she thought, it would be best to settle her in a village not far from the castle. That way, when she missed her, she could secretly go see her, hiding in a place where no one else could see, just to catch a glimpse of Molly. She could also ensure that Molly lived a happy life, watching as Molly gave up on her, found someone more suitable, perhaps a human man who was a better match.
They would marry, have children, and Molly would age slowly, eventually passing away peacefully at the end of her life. Adele, with her thousand-year lifespan, could watch over Molly and her descendants, ensuring they were always protected by the Black family.
Adele could easily do that with her long life.
But would that make Molly unhappy? Molly loved her so much—what if she never got over it, living the rest of her life with regret?
Molly had often asked her why she thought she loved her. But wasn't it obvious?
Molly thought she hid it well, but only Adele knew how obvious her feelings were. Holding the pillow, Adele sat down, completely unaware of her own expression at that moment—her face was flushed as she became lost in her thoughts.
Molly's feelings were quite clear. Firstly, Molly was far too straightforward. She was cold to everyone, like an ice block, and didn't care about others, treating even the second miss and the lady of the house with the same indifference. But only in front of Adele was she different, showing expressions completely unlike her usual self, even smiling at Adele several times.
Secondly, Molly would show weakness in front of her. Adele had always known Molly was a strong person, small but resilient, always offering wise words. Such a strong person wouldn't easily show weakness to others. But with Adele, it was different—she would reveal her vulnerability, telling Adele that she needed protection.
Lastly, Molly had willingly served her for so many years. Adele believed that, given her abilities, Molly could have chosen to work in the village if she wanted to. Many servants who worked for vampires didn't consider village work a good thing, as working for vampires, especially great nobles, was much easier.
But Molly didn't like vampires. Adele's senses were keen; she could easily pick up on Molly's feelings and knew she genuinely disliked them. Yet she suppressed her disgust, staying in Black Castle and treating Adele differently from everyone else. Didn't this prove that Adele was unique in her eyes?
In other words—Molly was deeply in love with her!
Adele was certain of this and troubled by it, unsure how to refuse Molly without hurting her. She pondered for a long time, only to realize in the end that she didn't even know how to begin—she didn't want to, didn't want to let Molly leave her side. She didn't even want to tell Molly about this matter.
If Molly knew that the purpose of the ball was to find Adele a fiancé, how heartbroken would she be? Would she... would she leave her immediately? The thought suddenly crossed Adele's mind. Rationally, she knew that if Molly did that, it would be a good thing for her, as it would mean she wouldn't have to do anything despicable. But her emotions screamed: No, I can't let Molly leave my side!
From the moment that thought took hold, there was no room in Adele's mind for any other. The pillow she was holding slipped to the floor, and her expression became particularly troubled. Talking about sending Molly to the village, finding her a human husband, saying that letting her stay far away and only occasionally seeing her would be fine...
All those seemingly righteous words paled in comparison to the thought that kept echoing in her mind: Why?! Why should I let Molly leave? She's my possession. From the moment we first met, she was already mine. There's no way, absolutely no way, I'll let her leave me.
The young lady has finally realized her feelings!
How could any of the suitors chosen by her mother compare to Molly! (x)